School Improvement in Maryland

Sample Item
Selected Response Item for Grade 3

Standard 3.0 Comprehension of Literary Text

Topic A. Comprehension of Literary Text

Indicator 3. Use elements of narrative texts to facilitate understanding

Objective a. Identify and distinguish among types of narrative texts such as characteristics of the general categories of fiction versus nonfiction, realistic fiction, tall tales, legends, fables, fairy tales, biographies

Assessment limit: Grade-appropriate narrative texts

Read the story 'The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea' and answer the following question.


"The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea" is best described as

  1. a story about boys who visit the moon
  2. a story about making a mistake
  3. a fable about a father teaching his sons a lesson
  4. a legend about a large pudding

Correct Answer
B. a story about making a mistake
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