These three free passages were taken from my much larger Text Time product. The passages
were created to provide ready-to-use comprehension and close reading practice. Each of these
three passage are presented at two reading levels (grades 3-4 and 4-5). The included text-
dependent questions address a variety of close reading skills.
The easier passages (grades 3-4) are marked with a single u in the lower left. The harder
passages (grades 4-5) are marked with a double uu. Please note that both levels are identified
with the same Text Time number in the upper right hand corner. The Show What You Know
questions on the right are identical for both reading levels. This allows you to discuss the passages all
together, even if you have students using different reading levels. Note that some questions may be
challenging for third grade students, especially near the start of the year. Answer keys and
annotation guide are included.
Because the skills addressed go much deeper than simple comprehension, and are more aligned
with close reading, students may need to read the passage more than once. They should also be
encouraged to annotate the text. Students will benefit more if there is time to discuss the
questions and answers. Because answers will sometimes vary, this is an excellent opportunity for
students to justify their responses. This will also help struggling students as the skills repeat
throughout the resource.
About the Author:
These passages were written by me, Rachel Lynette. I am a published author of over 120
nonfiction books for children on a variety of subjects. I have written for publishers such as
Harcourt, Thompson-Gale, Rosen, Children’s Press, Evan-Moor, and several others.. These passages
are well-researched, well-organized, and age appropriate. They are no different than those you
would find in a published nonfiction book.
Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved www.rachel-lynette.com
Thank you so much for downloading More effective and time-saving resources!
this freebie! You can get 60 more
Text Time passages here.
Insects for Dinner Name Date
TEXT
Would you eat crickets for dinner? It TIME 7
Show What You Know
might not sound good to you, but around
two billion people worldwide eat insects! 1. What is entomophagy?
Eating insects is called entomophagy and
_______________________________________________________
there are many good reasons to do it.
2. Give three reasons why raising insects is better than
First off, insects are really good for raising livestock.
you! They are packed with protein. By
weight, crickets and termites have more
1)_____________________________________________________
protein than beef.
_____________________________________________________
Second, raising insects cost less and is
2)____________________________________________________
better for the earth than raising cows
_____________________________________________________
and other livestock. Insects take up 3)____________________________________________________
much less space and need much less
_____________________________________________________
food and water than cows. Also, you can
eat more parts of an insect than other
3. What is the author’s purpose?
animals. Insects also reach their adult
size quickly. It does not take much time a) to persuade b) to inform c) to entertain
to raise insects to eat. Give evidence from the text to support your answer:
Third, insects taste good! Many types __________________________________________________________
of insects taste a little nutty. Some __________________________________________________________
kinds of bugs taste like bacon, while __________________________________________________________
others may taste like fish, or even fruit.
Some insects, such as meal worms, don’t
4. Would you try eating insects?_________________________
have much of a taste at all. They pick up
Why or why not? ________________________________________
the flavors of whatever they are
cooked with. So, what are you waiting __________________________________________________________
for? Why not try a beetle today?
u IT: vocabulary, author’s purpose, evaluation Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette©2015 all rights reserved
Insects for Dinner Name Date
TEXT
Imagine eating a plateful of crickets for TIME 7
dinner with chocolate-covered ants for Show What You Know
dessert. It might not sound too appetizing to 1. What is entomophagy?
you, but around two billion people worldwide
_______________________________________________________
eat insects regularly as a part of their diet.
Eating insects is called entomophagy and 2. Give three reasons why raising insects is better than
there are many good reasons to do it. raising livestock.
First off, insects are really good for you!
They are packed with protein, fiber, vitamins
1)_____________________________________________________
and minerals. By weight, crickets and
_____________________________________________________
termites contain more protein than beef.
2)____________________________________________________
Second, raising insects is less expensive
_____________________________________________________
and better for the earth than raising
livestock. Insects take up much less space 3)____________________________________________________
and need much less food and water than
_____________________________________________________
cows. Also, more parts of an insect are
edible than of a cow or a chicken. In 3. What is the author’s purpose?
addition, insects have a much shorter
lifespan, so the time spent raising them is a) to persuade b) to inform c) to entertain
much less than other edible animals. Give evidence from the text to support your answer:
Third, believe it or not, if prepared well,
__________________________________________________________
insects actually taste good! Many types of
insects taste a little nutty, especially if they __________________________________________________________
are roasted. Some kinds of bugs taste like __________________________________________________________
bacon, while others may taste like fish, or
even fruit. Some insects, such as meal 4. Would you try eating insects?_________________________
worms, don’t have much of a taste at all and Why or why not? ________________________________________
pick up the flavors of whatever they are
__________________________________________________________
cooked with. So, what are you waiting for?
Why not try a beetle today?
uu IT: vocabulary, author’s purpose, evaluation Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved
The Gorilla and the Monkey Name Date
TEXT
Gorilla sat under a tree eating bananas. TIME 8
Gorilla was thirsty. He wanted to go to Show What You Know
the river to get a drink, but then 1. What kind of story is this?
someone might steal his bananas. Baboon
a) fable b) fairytale c) tall tale d) myth
came and sat beside him. “May I have
one of your bananas?” asked Baboon. How do you know?
“No, you may not!” replied Gorilla. “I __________________________________________________________
picked all these bananas myself. If you __________________________________________________________
want some bananas, go get your own.” __________________________________________________________
“But the bananas are all gone. You have
picked them all and they are all there in 2. Why did Gorilla give Monkey a banana?
your big pile,” said Baboon.
________________________________________________________
“That is not my problem,” Gorilla said
________________________________________________________
grumpily. “Now go away and leave me
alone.” 3. Summarize the story:
A few minutes later, Monkey came to
________________________________________________________
sit beside Gorilla. “I won’t give you a
________________________________________________________
banana,” said Gorilla. “So don’t even ask.”
________________________________________________________
“Oh no,” said Monkey. “I just thought
________________________________________________________
you might like some cool water from the
river.” Monkey gave Gorilla a coconut
shell full of water. 4. What is the moral (or lesson) of this story?
Gorilla took the shell and drank it all. a) You should always share.
He felt much better. “Thank you,” he said b) Monkeys are smarter than baboons.
to Monkey. “Please, take one of my c) Give something to get something.
bananas for your trouble.” Monkey gladly d) You can trade water for bananas.
accepted.
u L: genre, summary, main idea, moral (theme)
Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved
The Gorilla and the Monkey Name Date
TEXT
Gorilla sat beneath a tree eating bananas. TIME 8
It was hot, and Gorilla was thirsty. Gorilla Show What You Know
wanted to go down to the river to get a drink,
but if he did, someone was sure to steal his 1. What kind of story is this?
bananas. Gorilla was thinking about his a) fable b) fairytale c) tall tale d) myth
dilemma when Baboon swung down from the
tree and sat beside him. “May I have one of How do you know?
your bananas?” asked Baboon. __________________________________________________________
“No, you may not!” replied Gorilla. “I spent __________________________________________________________
all morning picking these bananas. If you want __________________________________________________________
some bananas, go get your own.”
“But the bananas are all gone. You have 2. Why did Gorilla give Monkey a banana?
picked them all and they are all there in your
big pile,” complained Baboon.
________________________________________________________
“That is not my problem,” Gorilla said
________________________________________________________
grumpily. “Now go away and leave me in
peace.” 3. Summarize the story:
A few minutes later, Monkey came to sit
________________________________________________________
beside Gorilla. “I suppose you want my
________________________________________________________
bananas too,” said Gorilla. “Well you can’t
________________________________________________________
have any.”
“Oh no,” said Monkey. “I was only thinking
________________________________________________________
that you might enjoy some cool water from
the river.” Monkey offered Gorilla a coconut 4. What is the moral (or lesson) of this story?
shell full of water. a) You should always share.
Gorilla took the shell and drank greedily.
He felt much better when he was done. b) Monkeys are smarter than baboons.
“Thank you,” he said to Monkey. “Please, take c) Give something to get something.
one of my bananas for your trouble.” d) You can trade water for bananas.
Monkey gladly accepted.
uu L: genre, summary, main idea, moral (theme) Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved
Alligator or Crocodile? Name Date
TEXT
TIME 9
People often confuse alligators and Show What You Know
crocodiles. Alligators and crocodiles are
both reptiles. They both live in the water 1. What do alligators and crocodiles have in common?
and they both have sharp teeth. ______________________________________________________
Crocodiles live in salt water. They have ______________________________________________________
special glands on their tongues to get rid
of the extra salt. Alligators don’t have 2. How are alligators and crocodiles different?
these glands, so they live in fresh water. ______________________________________________________
Alligators have wide, U-shaped snouts.
______________________________________________________
A crocodile’s snout is longer and more
______________________________________________________
pointed, like a V. Also, crocodiles have
______________________________________________________
teeth on their lower jaws that stick out.
You can see them even when the
crocodile’s mouth is closed. Alligators do 3. Which text structure did the author use?
not have any teeth that stick out.
a) description b) cause and effect
c) problem and solution d) compare and contrast
4. Is the animal closest to the bottom of the page an
alligator or a crocodile?_____________________________
u IT: compare and contrast, interpreting an illustration Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved
Alligator or a Crocodile? Name Date
TEXT
It’s a reptile. It lives in the water, and it TIME 9
Show What You Know
has big, sharp teeth. Can you guess the what
it is? It’s an alligator, of course - or is it a
crocodile? Let’s find out: 1. What do alligators and crocodiles have in common?
If it lives in salt water, such as an estuary ______________________________________________________
or mangrove swamp, it is a crocodile. ______________________________________________________
Crocodiles have special glands on their
tongues to get rid of extra salt. Alligators 2. How are alligators and crocodiles different?
don’t have these glands, so they live in fresh
______________________________________________________
water.
Alligators also have wider, U-shaped snouts, ______________________________________________________
while a crocodile’s snout is longer and more ______________________________________________________
pointed, like a V. Also, crocodiles have teeth ______________________________________________________
on their lower jaws that stick out. You can
see them even when the crocodile’s mouth is 3. Which text structure did the author use?
closed. Alligators do not have any teeth that
stick out.
a) description b) cause and effect
c) problem and solution d) compare and contrast
4. Is the animal closest to the bottom of the page an
alligator or a crocodile?_____________________________
uuIT: compare and contrast, interpreting an illustration Text Time Created by Rachel Lynette ©2015 all rights reserved
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