Name

Selection Comprehension

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. How can readers tell that “Half-Chicken” is a folktale?

It has maps and charts to teach about a subject.

It is an old story that has been told many times.

It has headings and words printed in a box.

It tells about a real person from the past.

2. Which idea does this story explain?

why roosters crow

why chickens sit on eggs

why chickens have feathers

why weather vanes look like roosters

3. Half-Chicken is special MAINLY because of

the way he looks.

the way he sounds.

the things he does.

the things he says.

4. What happens JUST AFTER Half-Chicken gets to the palace?

Half-Chicken finds a blocked stream.

One of the guards laughs at Half-Chicken.

Half-Chicken finds the wind tangled in bushes.

The fire asks Half-Chicken to stay a while.

Weekly Lesson Test

Lesson 19

© Harcourt • Grade 3

Selection Comprehension“Half-Chicken”

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Name

5. Why do fire, water, and wind help Half-Chicken escape from the cook?

because the cook is their enemy

because the guards order them to help

because Half-Chicken once helped them

because they feel sorry for Half-Chicken

6. How can Half-Chicken BEST be described?

silent

greedy

helpful

complaining

7. Which lesson can be learned from this story?

Help others, and they will help you.

Do not be afraid to say, “I’m sorry.”

Always share if you have plenty.

Never tell a secret to a friend.

8. How are the stream, the fire, and the wind ALIKE?

All are blocked with branches.

All are tangled in the bushes.

All need to be fanned.

All ask to be helped.

Weekly Lesson Test

Lesson 19

© Harcourt • Grade 3

Selection Comprehension“Half-Chicken”

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Name

READTHINKEXPLAIN Written Response (worth two points)

9. COMPARING TEXTS How can you tell that the events in “Half-Chicken” and “I Sailed on Half a Ship” could not really happen? Use information and details from the story AND the poem tohelp you explain.

Sample two-point response: A chicken or a whale

couldn’t live with only half a body. You couldn’t

catch half a fish or tell time with half a clock. Fire,

wind, and water can’t talk.

TOTAL SCORE: /8 + /2

Weekly Lesson Test

Lesson 19

© Harcourt • Grade 3

Selection Comprehension“Half-Chicken”

200

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Phonics/Spelling: Prefixes un-, re-, dis-

Read each sentence. Use the prefix to help choose the word that best answers the question.

1. Which word means not happy?

unhappy

dishappy

rehappy

happily

2. Which word means read again?

unread

disread

reread

readest

3. Which word means the opposite of appear?

reappear

unappear

appearful

disappear

4. Which word means not safe?

dissafe

unsafe

resafe

safely

TOTAL SCORE: /4

© Harcourt • Grade 3

201Phonics/Spelling: Prefixes un-, re-, dis-

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Focus Skill: Theme

Read the story. Then choose the best answer for each question.

On Saturday afternoon, Mark was sad. He and his sister

Beth had hoped to go to the movies. His mother had told him

that they couldn’t go unless their rooms were clean. Mark had

put off cleaning all day even though his dad had warned him

about using his time wisely. Now it was 3:20, and the movie

would begin at 4:00. Looking at the big mess in his room Mark

knew that there was no way he would be able to clean it fast

enough.

Beth had started cleaning her room in the morning and was

already done. Beth stopped by Mark’s room to check on him.

She could see right away that her help was needed.

“I’m going to help you out so that we can both go to the

movies,” Beth said. “You’d better start cleaning your room

earlier next time, though.” Mark agreed. It wasn’t fair that Beth

had to clean two rooms because he’d put off doing his own work.

Working together, they cleaned Mark’s room in record time.

“I think a treat is in order for all your hard work,” Mark and

Beth’s mother said. “Let’s get popcorn!”

1. What is Mark’s problem?

Mark does not like going to the movies.

Mark put off cleaning his room.

Beth cleaned her room in the morning.

Beth was excited about the movie.

© Harcourt • Grade 3

202Focus Skill: Theme

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 192. How does Mark solve his problem?

Beth helps him clean.

He starts cleaning early.

His mom gets him a treat.

He goes to the movies.

3. What do Beth’s actions tell you about her?

She is helpful.

She is lazy.

She is funny.

She is curious.

4. What is the theme of the story?

Cleaning is hard work.

Going to the movies is fun.

It is best to use your time wisely.

Working together is difficult.

TOTAL SCORE: /4

© Harcourt • Grade 3

203Focus Skill: Theme

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Follow Directions

Read the passage. Then choose the best answer for each question.

Learning new words can be fun. Also, having a larger

vocabulary will help you become a better reader. Read the steps

below to find out how to learn new words.

First, look for new words wherever you can find them. Read

books at school, and check out books from the library. Look

at magazines in the doctor’s office, or read the cereal box at

breakfast. You’ll soon see that exciting new words are all around

you.

Second, as you read, write down any new words that you find.

To keep all your new words in one place, you could make a new

words notebook. Decorate the cover with your favorite new

words.

Next, when you have a list of words, use a dictionary to find

out what they mean. Write the words and their definitions in

the notebook so that you can look at them later. Ask your parent

or teacher to help you use your new words in sentences.

Then be sure to reread the list in your notebook every day or

two. Studying the list will help you remember the new words.

Finally, have fun using your new words!

1. Which word lets you know that you are reading step one?

Next

Second

First

Finally

© Harcourt • Grade 3

204Follow Directions

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 192. What is step three?

Look for new words.

Use a dictionary.

Make a list of words.

Read the list in your notebook.

3. Which of these is a time-order word?

look

keep

have

second

4. Which word lets you know that you are reading the last step?

Next

Finally

Then

Second

TOTAL SCORE: /4

© Harcourt • Grade 3

205Follow Directions

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Robust Vocabulary

Choose the word that best completes each sentence.

1. Maria felt for the family that lost their home.

gratitude

memory

compassion

heritage

2. The young man was always looking in the mirror.

vain

swift

enormous

dull

3. I the sisters talking about the surprise party.

suggested

overheard

exclaimed

composed

4. Matt felt tired, so I that he go to bed early.

composed

overheard

suggested

exclaimed

5. The elephant looked next to the mouse.

dull

swift

vain

enormous

© Harcourt • Grade 3

206Robust Vocabulary

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19 6. “Watch out!” she loudly.

composed

yanked

exclaimed

overheard

7. I feel toward the person who found my lost kitten.

compassion

gratitude

memory

masterpiece

8. The runner who was winning the race was .

swift

dull

vain

enormous

9. I a short song for the talent show.

overheard

suggested

exclaimed

composed

10. Leslie wrapped the small present in a large box.

gloriously

deliberately

heroically

vainly

TOTAL SCORE: /10

© Harcourt • Grade 3

207Robust Vocabulary

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Grammar: Action Verbs

Read each sentence. Choose the action verb in each sentence.

1. Everyone at the wedding danced for hours.

Everyone

wedding

danced

hours

2. The monkey ate a large banana.

monkey

ate

large

banana

3. Grandpa baked bread from his favorite recipe.

baked

bread

favorite

recipe

4. I hit my knee against the table.

hit

knee

against

table

TOTAL SCORE: /4

© Harcourt • Grade 3

208Grammar: Action Verbs

Name Weekly

Lesson Test

Lesson 19Oral Reading Fluency

You may think that dragons live only in fairy tales.

Although there are no dragons that actually breathe fire

or fly, there are lizards in the real world that are called

Komodo dragons.

Komodo dragons can grow to be ten feet long and

can weigh up to 300 pounds. This makes them the

heaviest lizards on Earth. They have scaly skin; long, flat

heads; and strong, muscular tails. They have short legs

but can still run up to eleven miles per hour for short

periods of time.

Komodo dragons are skilled hunters. They use their

excellent sense of smell to help them find food. They also

use camouflage to hide from their prey. They use their

powerful jaws to eat deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even

water buffalo.

Most Komodo dragons live in Indonesia. In America,

one of the only places to find Komodo dragons is in

zoos. Komodo dragons that live in zoos usually eat small

animals such as mice and rabbits. The giant lizards can

swallow these little animals whole.

10

19

31

33

43

53

63

72

84

87

95

106

116

126

128

136

147

157

167

172

/WCPM

© Harcourt • Grade 3

209Oral Reading Fluency