Grade: 3 Subject: SAT/ACT Skills Unit: Eliminate Wrong Answers Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading

Guided Practice

More practice eliminating wrong answers! Use what you have learned to cross out incorrect choices and find the right answer.

Practice Questions

Read each passage carefully. Then use the elimination strategy to find the correct answer. Click "Answer" to check your work!

Penguins are birds, but they cannot fly. Instead, they use their wings to swim very fast in the ocean. Penguins live in cold places and have thick feathers to keep warm. They eat fish and spend a lot of time in the water.

1. How do penguins use their wings?

A) To fly through the sky
B) To swim in the ocean
C) To dig holes in the ground
D) To build nests in trees

Answer

B) - The passage says penguins "use their wings to swim very fast in the ocean." Choice A is wrong because the passage says they cannot fly. Choices C and D are not mentioned in the passage at all.

The moon does not make its own light. It looks bright because it reflects light from the sun. The moon goes around Earth once every 28 days. We can see different shapes of the moon during the month.

2. Why does the moon look bright?

A) The moon makes its own light
B) The moon reflects light from the sun
C) The moon is very hot
D) The moon is made of glass

Answer

B) - The passage clearly states the moon "looks bright because it reflects light from the sun." Choice A is the opposite of what the passage says. Choices C and D are not mentioned and do not make sense.

Maria wanted to learn how to ride a bike. Her dad held the back of the seat while she practiced. After many tries, Maria could ride all by herself. She was so proud of herself!

3. How did Maria feel when she learned to ride the bike?

A) Scared and nervous
B) Angry at her dad
C) Proud of herself
D) Tired and wanted to stop

Answer

C) - The last sentence says "She was so proud of herself!" This tells us exactly how Maria felt. The other choices describe feelings that are not supported by the passage.

Spiders make webs to catch insects for food. The web is made of silk that comes from the spider's body. Some spiders wait in the middle of their webs. When an insect gets stuck, the spider wraps it in more silk.

4. Why do spiders make webs?

A) To have a place to sleep
B) To catch insects for food
C) To play with other spiders
D) To stay warm in winter

Answer

B) - The first sentence states spiders "make webs to catch insects for food." This directly answers the question. The other choices are not mentioned in the passage.

Recycling helps keep our planet clean. When we recycle paper, plastic, and glass, these materials can be made into new things. This means less trash goes into landfills. Everyone can help by putting recyclable items in the right bins.

5. What is one way recycling helps the planet?

A) It makes more trash for landfills
B) It puts less trash in landfills
C) It makes the air warmer
D) It uses more trees

Answer

B) - The passage says "This means less trash goes into landfills." Choice A says the opposite. Choices C and D are not mentioned in the passage.

Camels can live in the hot desert because of their special bodies. They store fat in their humps, which gives them energy. Camels can go many days without drinking water. Their long eyelashes keep sand out of their eyes.

6. What do camels store in their humps?

A) Water for drinking
B) Sand from the desert
C) Fat for energy
D) Food for their babies

Answer

C) - The passage says "They store fat in their humps, which gives them energy." Many people think camels store water in their humps, but the passage clearly says fat. Always check the passage!

Tommy loved going to his grandmother's house every summer. She lived on a farm with chickens, goats, and a big garden. Tommy's favorite thing was picking fresh tomatoes and eating them right away.

7. What was Tommy's favorite thing to do at his grandmother's house?

A) Feed the chickens
B) Play with the goats
C) Pick and eat fresh tomatoes
D) Water the flowers

Answer

C) - The passage states "Tommy's favorite thing was picking fresh tomatoes and eating them right away." The other activities might happen on a farm, but the passage tells us exactly what his favorite thing was.

Rain is an important part of the water cycle. When the sun heats water in oceans and lakes, the water turns into vapor and rises into the sky. The vapor forms clouds, and when the clouds get heavy, rain falls back to Earth.

8. What happens when clouds get heavy?

A) The sun comes out
B) Rain falls back to Earth
C) The water freezes
D) The clouds disappear

Answer

B) - The passage says "when the clouds get heavy, rain falls back to Earth." This is stated directly in the text. The other choices are not supported by the passage.

Firefighters are community helpers who put out fires and rescue people. They wear special suits that protect them from heat and smoke. Firefighters also teach people how to stay safe and prevent fires in their homes.

9. What do firefighters wear to protect themselves?

A) Regular clothes
B) Special suits
C) Swimming gear
D) Sports uniforms

Answer

B) - The passage says "They wear special suits that protect them from heat and smoke." The other choices do not match what the passage describes.

Owls are birds that hunt at night. They have very good hearing and can turn their heads almost all the way around. Owls eat mice, insects, and other small animals. Their soft feathers help them fly quietly so their prey cannot hear them coming.

10. How do owls' feathers help them hunt?

A) The feathers are colorful to scare prey
B) The feathers keep owls warm
C) The feathers help owls fly quietly
D) The feathers help owls see better

Answer

C) - The passage says "Their soft feathers help them fly quietly so their prey cannot hear them coming." This explains how the feathers help with hunting. The other choices may be true about feathers in general, but they are not what the passage says.

Great Work!

You have completed more elimination practice! Remember these tips:

  • Always read the passage carefully before looking at the answers
  • Cross out answers that are clearly wrong
  • Look for answers that match exactly what the passage says
  • Be careful of answers that seem right but are not in the passage