STAAR - G4 2017 Test Read F
STAAR - G4 2017 Test Read F
State of Texas
Assessments of
Academic Readiness
GRADE 4
Reading
RELEASED
Copyright © 2017, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited without express
written permission from the Texas Education Agency.
READING
Reading
Page 1
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
A Caterpillar’s Tale
by Christine Allison
4 A bee that had lighted close by began to buzz with laughter. “Will
you tell me, if you please, what sort of house that is?” he cried.
Reading
Page 2
5 “The only sort of house I know how to make,” the caterpillar
answered humbly.
7 “Or you might find a hole under a stone,” said the ant. “That’s a
very good place.”
9 The bee and ant went on their way. “A poor sort of house indeed,”
each one thought.
11 At last the veil grew so thick that you could only guess that the
caterpillar might still be at work inside. The bee came by that way
again and stopped to look at the little house. Then it flew down to the
anthill. “Miss Ant, come out here,” it buzzed. “I’ve such a joke to tell
you! That caterpillar we were watching has finished its house and has
forgotten to leave any door.”
12 “That’s too bad,” said the ant. “I’m afraid it will starve.”
13 But the caterpillar did not die. It was not even hungry. It was fast
asleep in its little cocoon house, knowing not whether the sun shone
or the rain beat down. It was snug and dark inside.
14 Many days and nights passed, and at last what had once been the
caterpillar began to stir and wake. “How strange I feel!” said the thing
to itself. “I must have light and air!”
15 One end of the cocoon was very soft and loose, and through this
end what was once the caterpillar pushed its way out. How weak it
felt! Fastened to it on each side were two crumpled wet things, which
it began to move feebly up and down. As it moved them it felt its
strength returning and the crumpled things began to spread and dry.
Broader and broader they spread until they were strong, velvety
wings, two on each side. They were a lovely soft brown color, with a
pinkish border along the edges. In the middle of each of the lower
wings was a glistening spot, like the “eye” on a peacock’s feather.
Reading
Page 3
16 This thing was no caterpillar. It was a beautiful winged moth.
Presently it spread its wings and floated softly down to earth. It did
not fly far, for it had not its full strength yet. As it happened, it
alighted on the anthill, where the ant was busy hunting for food. It
stopped its work to stare with awe at the wonderful stranger. “You
beautiful thing,” said the ant, “where did you come from?”
17 “Don’t you remember the caterpillar that made its house on the
twig above?”
20 Just then the bee who had laughed at the caterpillar’s house
buzzed by and heard the news. “Well, well!” it said. “So that was
what you were about—growing wings in your strange house!”
21 The moth stirred itself and said, “Now I must go and find a
shelter under a rock or in some hollow tree until the sun goes down.
But tonight—ah, tonight! I shall come out to fly wherever I like!” And
it waved its great wings and flew softly out of sight.
22 The ant and bee sat looking after it. “And to think,” cried the bee,
“that I didn’t understand what the caterpillar was doing! I suppose
everyone knows his own business best.”
From 365 BEDTIME STORIES: FAIRY TALES, MYTHS, FOLKTALES, FUNNY STORIES, COMFORTING STORIES, HEROIC
STORIES, AND MORE by Christine Allison, drawings by Victoria Roberts, copyright © 1998 by Christine Allison and John
Boswell Management, Inc. Used by permission of Broadway Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
Reading
Page 4
1 The caterpillar’s actions while building its cocoon support the idea that it is —
B confused by the questions the ant and the bee are asking
C unconcerned about what the ant and the bee think about its house
D afraid to show the ant and the bee the best way to make a house
2 Which sentence does the author use to suggest that the caterpillar has
experienced an important change?
G At last the veil grew so thick that you could only guess that the caterpillar
might still be at work inside.
J Many days and nights passed, and at last what had once been the caterpillar
began to stir and wake.
A An ant and a bee see a caterpillar making a house. Both of them talk to the
caterpillar while it works to finish its task the only way it knows how.
B A caterpillar is making a house out of something like silk on a twig. The house
is called a cocoon, and it takes a long time to make.
C A caterpillar is making a house for itself. An ant and a bee suggest better
places for the caterpillar to live, but the caterpillar continues with its task.
D An ant and a bee watch a caterpillar making a house. They think the caterpillar
is having trouble, so they suggest different places for it to live.
Reading
Page 5
4 In paragraph 6, the word absurd means —
F silly
G messy
H difficult
J gloomy
5 Which sentence from the story shows that the caterpillar is successful at building
a good house for itself?
A Every time the caterpillar’s head moved, it left behind something that looked
like a glistening thread of silk.
B Through the veil you could still faintly see the caterpillar moving.
C The bee came by that way again and stopped to look at the little house.
D It was fast asleep in its little cocoon house, knowing not whether the sun
shone or the rain beat down.
Reading
Page 6
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Roald Dahl
1 British author Roald Dahl wrote many books. Several have become
classics. Kids still read James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, The BFG, and Matilda. While Dahl may be best
known as an author of famous children’s books, he also had an
interesting life unrelated to his writing.
3 Dahl was born in 1916 in Wales, a country that is part of the United
Kingdom. Dahl’s parents named him after one of their heroes, Roald
Amundsen. Amundsen enjoyed adventure, too. He led a trip to the
South Pole a few years before Roald Dahl was born.
© razorpix/Alamy
4 When Dahl was four years old, his father died. His mother thought of
moving but decided to stay in Wales. She valued education and
wanted Dahl to be a good student. She thought it would be best for
him to attend a boarding school1 in England.
1A boarding school is a school where students live during the school year while taking classes.
Reading
Page 7
5 While attending boarding school, Dahl missed his mother and hated
the endless rules. Although he did not like his new school, he did find
a few things to enjoy. He realized he was great at sports, and he also
developed a love of photography. After graduation Dahl decided to get
a job instead of going to college. He worked at the Shell Oil Company
and learned new skills. Then the company sent him to East Africa.
Dahl soon learned that Africa had many new things to see. Finally, at
the age of 18, he was having an adventure!
© Bettmann/CORBIS
landing strip but could not find it. With the plane
Roald Dahl
running out of fuel, Dahl made a risky decision to land
in Uniform,
the plane in the desert sand. Although he was terribly 1941
hurt, he managed to crawl away. Dahl’s recovery took
months. Among other things, the crash left him temporarily blind.
However, his sight did return, and his body healed. After Dahl was
once again fit for duty, he flew in many air battles.
8 Later the British government found a new way for Dahl to help his
country. Dahl was asked to work as a spy. In his new role Dahl would
gather information to help the British war effort.
9 While working as a spy, Dahl began to write. Most of his writings were
short stories for adults. He wrote spooky stories that often startled
readers. The mystery stories were quite popular. He began to write
children’s stories when he became a father. The first two novels,
James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,
began as bedtime stories he shared with his daughters. The books
quickly became best sellers. Dahl was able to combine childhood
Reading
Page 8
mischief, suspense, and humor in a way that appealed to children.
Although Dahl died in 1990, his books live on and are enjoyed by
many children and adults today.
Reading
Page 9
7 How was Dahl’s career at the oil company similar to his military career?
G able to end
H without end
9 The author included the information about Dahl becoming a father to explain —
Reading
Page 10
10 The photographs of two of Dahl’s books after paragraph 3 are included most likely
to —
G encourage the reader to buy the books that Dahl wrote for his daughters
D explaining how Dahl’s job at the Shell Oil Company led to new discoveries
12 Which sentence from the selection best shows that Dahl was a daring person?
H Dahl soon learned that Africa had many new things to see.
Reading
Page 11
Read the next two selections. Then choose the best answer to
each question.
Reading
Page 12
5 Encouraged by this event, Fridono started the organization Surfin’ for
Paws-abilities. Ricochet now travels to different locations and surfs at
events to raise money for the organization that helps people in need.
© AP Images/Lenny Ignelzi
Ricochet surfs with Patrick at a fund-raising event
in 2009.
A Talented Fund-Raiser
6 Ricochet also raises funds and awareness for many causes that help
both people and animals. She’s surfed to earn money to buy pet
oxygen masks for fire departments. She’s surfed at fund-raisers to
help fight human and animal cancer. She’s even shown off her surfing
skills to raise money to buy teddy bears for children in hospitals and
people in nursing homes. It should not be surprising that she has also
surfed to raise money to supply food for animal shelters.
Reading
Page 13
Confetti, the Helpful Horse
1 Dogs have been used as guides for a long time. They are the most
common type of guide animal. Many people who are blind rely on a
dog to help with daily activities. Cheryl Spencer used to depend on a
guide dog named Delta to help her. When Delta became unable to
work, Spencer learned that some people use miniature horses as
guides. At first, Spencer thought this idea was silly. But after learning
more, she started looking for a guide horse.
2 First Spencer found someone who could train a guide horse. Then she
set about finding just the right horse. In 2002 she e-mailed all the
nearby miniature-horse farms looking for a horse, 26 inches tall at
most, to be trained as her guide. She received an e-mail from a horse
breeder named Barbara McDermott saying that the only horse
McDermott had that might work was her favorite, Confetti, who was
27 inches tall. McDermott wasn’t willing to give Confetti away at first,
but Spencer was persistent. After Spencer explained her situation to
McDermott, she asked to meet Confetti. A few days later Spencer, her
husband, and her horse trainer visited McDermott’s ranch.
3 When Spencer first met Confetti, she immediately knew the horse
would be perfect for her. The trainer also thought Confetti would be a
good guide. Even McDermott could see that Spencer was already
quite fond of the horse. She agreed to allow Confetti to become
Spencer’s full-time guide.
© Courtesy of Cookie Serletic
Confetti
Reading
Page 14
sleeps in Spencer’s closet and eats in the laundry room. When
Spencer and her husband eat at a restaurant, Confetti goes with
them. Confetti has flown to Boston and has even been to Walt Disney
World®!
Third party trademark Walt Disney World® was used in these testing materials.
Reading
Page 15
Use “Ricochet: The Dog Who Surfs to Raise Funds” (pp. 12–13) to answer
questions 13–16. Then fill in the answers on your answer document.
F convince the reader to support the work that dogs do for others
Reading
Page 16
15 What information is included in the section titled “A Talented Fund-Raiser”?
F Ricochet can surf very well. She helps many people and animals who are in
need. She has helped buy pet oxygen masks for fire departments. She has
also helped raise money for teddy bears for children in hospitals and people in
nursing homes.
G Many people have watched Ricochet surf. The first time the dog surfed for a
cause, she hopped on the back of a boy’s surfboard. People were amazed.
Because of this, they gave money for the boy to get his own service dog.
J Ricochet was training to be a service dog but did not qualify. Instead, she
learned to surf, and her trainer realized that she could help others with this
unusual skill. Today, Ricochet surfs for an organization that raises money for
different causes.
Reading
Page 17
Use “Confetti, the Helpful Horse” (pp. 14–15) to answer questions 17–20.
Then fill in the answers on your answer document.
ı
common \ kä-mən\ adjective
1. shared by people or groups
2. regularly seen or used
3. expected actions or behavior
4. not having wealth or privilege
A Definition 1
B Definition 2
C Definition 3
D Definition 4
J misses Confetti but is happy that the horse can help Spencer
Reading
Page 18
19 The author included paragraph 4 of the selection to —
F Spencer spent a long time trying to find a guide horse to help her.
H Guide horses must be trained before they can help people with special needs.
J Confetti is a lot like a dog and can go anywhere a guide dog can go.
Reading
Page 19
Use “Ricochet: The Dog Who Surfs to Raise Funds” and “Confetti, the
Helpful Horse” to answer questions 21–24. Then fill in the answers on your
answer document.
Reading
Page 20
23 Which sentence best describes a difference between Ricochet and Confetti?
24 What is one difference between the animals featured in the two selections?
F Ricochet was able to stay with her owner, but Confetti had to leave her owner
in order to do her job.
G Ricochet’s duties are typical for a service animal, but Confetti performs tasks
that are not usually done by an animal.
H Ricochet’s owner believed she would make a good guide animal, but Confetti’s
owner worried that she would not make a good guide animal.
J Ricochet must stay at home with her trainer, but Confetti travels as part of her
job.
Reading
Page 21
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Lengths of Time
by Phyllis McGinley
Time is peculiar
And hardly exact.
Though minutes are minutes,
You’ll find for a fact
5 (As the older you get
And the bigger you grow)
That time can
Hurrylikethis
Or plod, plod, slow.
Copyright © 1965, 1966 by Phyllis McGinley. Copyright renewed © 1993, 1994 by Patricia Blake. First
appeared in Wonderful Time, published by J. B. Lippincott. Reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown,
Ltd.
Reading
Page 22
25 Read line 8 from the poem.
Hurrylikethis
A mystery
B feeling rushed
C happiness
D feeling surprised
G Time seems to pass more quickly in the morning than in the evening.
H The passage of time is usually noticed more by older people than by younger
people.
Reading
Page 23
28 In line 1 of the poem, what does the word peculiar mean?
F Strange
G Certain
H Sensible
J Cautious
Which of these does the poet use in line 12 to help the reader understand that time
seems to pass slowly?
A Repetition
B Meter
C A line break
D Rhyme
Reading
Page 24
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Papel Picado
1 Papel picado is a beautiful and delicate form of paper art. This art
form began in Mexico, possibly as early as the sixteenth century.
However, the thin tissue paper used to make the designs did not
come from Mexico but from China. This paper was first introduced to
Mexico when items shipped from China were wrapped in it to protect
them from breaking. People living in Mexico soon had a lot of this
tissue paper, and they began using it to make decorations. The paper
art continues to be popular to this day.
© iStockphoto.com/Graffizone
Reading
Page 25
How Is Papel Picado Made?
3 To make papel picado, artists first draw the pattern for the art. Next
they stack thin sheets of colorful tissue paper in a pile and lay them
on a hard surface. Depending on the project, as few as five sheets or
as many as 50 or more sheets may be used. Stacking many sheets of
paper allows the artists to create the same pattern on all the sheets
at the same time. Once the paper is stacked, the pattern is placed on
top of the stack of tissue paper to help the artists make the design.
© Danita Delimont/Alamy
narrow streets. Papel picado banners are used as
decorations at celebrations and during special Special tools
holidays. The banners may be displayed at weddings, are used to cut
designs into the
birthday parties, and other festive events. The colors
paper.
and designs are chosen especially for the occasion.
On a papel picado wedding banner, for example, hearts and the
names of the bride and groom may be part of the design.
6 As with other forms of art, people would like to preserve the delicate
tissue cuttings and enjoy them for years. However, because the tissue
paper is very delicate, it tears easily. If papel picado is displayed
outside, the tissue will fade, crumble, and fall apart. In order to
create art that will last longer, some papel picado artists have started
using thicker paper, coated paper, sheets of metal, or sheets of
plastic. No matter what material is used, people will continue to
appreciate displays of papel picado.
Reading
Page 26
An Easy Way to Make Your Own Papel Picado
6. Make a thin line of glue 1 inch from the top. Lay a piece of string
2
on the glue. Leave some extra string at each end so you can hang
1
the banner when it is finished. Fold the top inch of tissue
2
paper over the string. Press firmly and allow the glue to dry.
Reading
Page 27
31 The photograph under paragraph 1 suggests that —
H To make papel picado, artists first draw the pattern for the art.
J The artists then use sharp chisels to cut through the layers of tissue paper.
A inform the reader of places where papel picado should not be displayed
C tell the reader where to find the materials needed to create papel picado
Reading
Page 28
34 According to the section titled “An Easy Way to Make Your Own Papel Picado,”
what should a person do just before unfolding the paper?
35 Which sentence from the selection explains why artists first created papel picado?
A People living in Mexico soon had a lot of this tissue paper, and they began
using it to make decorations.
B They include images of people, animals, flowers, lettering, and any design that
has special meaning to the artist.
C Stacking many sheets of paper allows the artists to create the same pattern
on all the sheets at the same time.
D On a papel picado wedding banner, for example, hearts and the names of the
bride and groom may be part of the design.
36 In which section would the reader find information about occasions where papel
picado is often displayed?