Download sc engl 3 mini The Sun test

Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
Use this information to answer the next 16 questions.
The Sun
by Mia Strong
What is the sun?
(1) The sun is a bright star made of hot gases
that burn all the time. The main gas that
makes up the sun is called hydrogen.
How far from Earth is the sun?
(2) The sun is the closest star to Earth, but it is
still very far away from Earth. If you could
drive from Earth to the sun in a car, it would
take over 175 years. That’s a very long
time.
Does Earth move around the sun?
(3) Yes. Earth moves on a path around the sun
called an orbit. All the planets in our solar
Close-up picture of the sun
system orbit the sun, but each planet takes
a different amount of time. It takes Earth 365
days to make one trip around the sun. Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, takes
only 88 days to orbit the sun. But Pluto, the planet farthest from the sun, takes
about 248 years to make the trip!
Is the sun important?
(4) Yes. The sun is very important. The sun is by far the most interesting thing in our
solar system. It not only gives us heat, but also light. Without the sun, Earth would
be a very cold and dark planet. The sun gives us light to see and helps plants grow
strong.
Earth Orbits the Sun
This picture shows how Earth goes around the sun.
The trip takes 365 days (1 yr.)
Sun
Orbit
Path
Earth
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Do not reproduce without permission. 6/30/2017
Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
3-2.5
1. Which of the following does the author not use in this passage?
A
B
C
D
captions
subheadings
different print sizes
a glossary
3-2.6
2. What is learned from the information in the box at the bottom of the
passage?
A
B
C
D
Earth is half the size of the sun.
Earth orbits the sun twice a year.
a year is equal to 365 days.
the orbits of all planets look like circles.
3-2.5
3. Your teacher wrote this question on the board.
Is the sun a planet?
Which heading of the story helps you answer this question?
A
B
C
D
What is the sun?
How far from Earth is the sun?
Does Earth move around the sun?
Is the sun important?
3-2.5
4. Your teacher wrote this question on the board.
How long does it take Earth to orbit the sun?
Which heading of the story helps you answer this question?
A
B
C
D
What is the sun?
How far from Earth is the sun?
Does Earth move around the sun?
Is the sun important?
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Do not reproduce without permission. 6/30/2017
Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
3-2.3
5. Read this sentence from the passage.
It takes Earth 365 days to make one trip around the sun.
What is this sentence an example of?
A
B
C
D
a fact
an opinion
a guess
a metaphor
3-2.2
6. Which planet is closest to the sun?
A
B
C
D
Mars
Mercury
Earth
Pluto
3-2.2
7. Which planet is farthest from the sun?
A
B
C
D
Mars
Mercury
Earth
Pluto
3-2.2
8. How long does it take Mercury to orbit the sun?
A
B
C
D
88 days
36 years
365 days
248 years
3-2.2
9. How long does it take Pluto to orbit the sun?
A
B
C
D
1 year
88 years
248 years
365 years
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Do not reproduce without permission. 6/30/2017
Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
3-2.2
10. What information about Pluto is learned from the passage?
A
B
C
D
It is smallest planet in our solar system.
It is hottest planet in our solar system.
It is farthest planet from the sun.
It is closest planet to the sun.
3-2.3
11. Which of the following sentences from the passage is an opinion?
A
B
C
D
It takes Earth 365 days to make one trip around the sun.
Earth moves on a path around the sun called an orbit.
Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, takes only 88 days to orbit the sun.
The sun is by far the most interesting thing in our solar system.
3-2.1
12. What is a good summary of the relationship between Mercury and Pluto?
A
Mercury has the shortest orbit around the sun because it is closest to the sun,
while Pluto has the longest because it is farthest from the sun.
Mercury and Pluto take different amounts of time to orbit the sun because they
are different sizes.
Mercury has the shortest orbit around the sun because it is closer to the sun
than Pluto, which is about the same distance from the sun as Earth.
Mercury has the shortest orbit around the Earth because it is closer to the Earth
than Pluto.
B
C
D
3-2.3
13. Read the following sentence from the story.
The main gas that makes up the sun is called hydrogen.
What is this sentence an example of?
A
B
C
D
a fact
an opinion
a guess
a question
3-3.2
14. What is the root word in closest?
A
B
C
D
clos
close
lose
sest
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Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
3-3.2
15. Which is the root word in interesting?
A
B
C
D
inter
rest
interest
resting
3-3.5
16. Which word means the opposite of important?
A
B
C
D
heavy
great
small
serious
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Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
Use the chart to answer the following 5 questions.
Earth vs. Mars
Distance from the Sun:
equator:4,217 miles
Earth: 93 million miles
Mars: 142 million miles
Distance around the equator:
Earth: 7,922 miles
Mars: 4,217 miles
Part covered by water:
equator: a line that runs
across the middle of a
planet at its widest point.
Earth: 71%
Mars: 0%
Average Temperature:
Earth: 59 degrees Fahrenheit
Mars: -81 degrees Fahrenheit
Length of Day (rotation):
Earth: 24 hours
Mars: 24.7 hours
equator: 7,922 miles
Length of year (orbit):
Earth: 365 days
Mars: 687 days
3-2.6
17. By skimming the information located in the chart, what is being
compared?
A
B
C
D
Earth and Mars
Earth and the Sun
Mars and the Sun
Earth and the Solar System
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Tests for Higher Standards/English Language Arts
South Carolina MiniTest
Grade 3
The Sun
3-2.6
18. Which section of the graph tells you which planet is bigger?
A
B
C
D
Distance From Sun
Distance Around the Equator
Length of Day
Length of Year
3-2.6
19. After reading the chart, what question could you ask to find out which
planet takes longer to circle the sun (orbit)?
A
B
C
D
Which planet is hotter?
Which planet has the longer equator?
Which planet has the longer day?
Which planet has the longer year?
3-2.6
20. Read these facts about Earth and Mars.
Earth has Mount Everest, which is the tallest mountain at 29,035 feet tall.
Mars has Olympus Mon, which is the tallest mountain at 78,000 feet tall.
If you wanted to put these facts in the chart above, what would be a good
heading for this information?
A
B
C
D
Mountains in Space
Mount Everest
Earth and Mars
Highest Points
3-2.6
21. Read these facts about Earth and Mars.
Earth is the third planet from the sun.
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.
If you wanted to put these facts in the chart above, what would be a good
heading for this information?
A
B
C
D
Orbit of Planets
Position from the Sun
Light from the Sun
Average Orbit
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