Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts : Understand Point of View
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Understand Point Of View
Adapted from “How the Camel Got His Hump” in Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (1902)
Now this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump.
Presently the Horse came to him on Monday morning, with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Horse went away and told the Man.
Presently the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and fetch and carry like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Dog went away and told the Man.
Presently the Ox came to him, with the yoke on his neck and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and plough like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Ox went away and told the Man.
At the end of the day the Man called the Horse and the Dog and the Ox together, and said, “Three, O Three, I’m very sorry for you (with the world so new‐and‐all); but that Humph‐thing in the Desert can’t work, or he would have been here by now, so I am going to leave him alone, and you must work double‐ time to make up for it.”
That made the Three very angry (with the world so new‐and‐all), and they held a palaver, and an indaba, and a punchayet, and a pow‐wow on the edge of the Desert; and the Camel came chewing milkweed most ’scruciating idle, and laughed at them. Then he said “Humph!” and went away again.
Presently there came along the Djinn in charge of All Deserts, rolling in a cloud of dust (Djinns always travel that way because it is Magic), and he stopped to palaver and pow‐wow with the Three.
“Djinn of All Deserts,” said the Horse, “is it right for any one to be idle, with the world so new‐and‐all?”
“Certainly not,” said the Djinn.
“Well,” said the Horse, “there’s a thing in the middle of your Howling Desert (and he’s a Howler himself) with a long neck and long legs, and he hasn’t done a stroke of work since Monday morning. He won’t trot.”
“Whew!” said the Djinn, whistling, “that’s my Camel, for all the gold in Arabia! What does he say about it?”
“He says ‘Humph!’” said the Dog; “and he won’t fetch and carry.”
“Does he say anything else?”
“Only ‘Humph!’; and he won’t plough,” said the Ox.
“Very good,” said the Djinn. “I’ll humph him if you will kindly wait a minute.”
"Camel my friend, what's this is hear of your doing no work, the world so new-and-all?", and the Djinn
"Humph!"
"Camel, you've given the Three extra work ever since Monday morning, all on account of your 'scruciating idleness."
"Humph!"
"I shouldn't say that again if I were you. You might say it once too often. Camel, I want you to work."
"Humph!"
No sooner has Camel said it than he sees his back, that he is so proud of, puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping human
"Do you see that hump? That's your very own humph that you've brought upon your very own self by not working. Today is Thursday, and you've done no work since Monday, when the work began. Now you are going to work," said Djinn.
"How can I with this humph on my back?" asked Camel.
"That's made a-purpose all because you missed those three days. You will be able to work now for three days without eating, because you can live on your humph; and don't you ever say I never did anything for you. Stay with the Three, and behave."
"Humph! Humph!"
From that day to this the Camel always wears a humph. Now we call is "hump" so that we will not hurt his feelings. However, he has never yet caught up with the three days that he missed at the beginning of the world, and he has never yet learned how to behave.
Which character thought it was wrong of the Camel not to help?
The Ox
The Dog
The Horse
All choices are correct
All choices are correct
The story begins with all of the animals trying to get the Camel to help with all of the work.
Now this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump.
Presently the Horse came to him on Monday morning, with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Horse went away and told the Man.
Presently the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and fetch and carry like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Dog went away and told the Man.
Presently the Ox came to him, with the yoke on his neck and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and plough like the rest of us.”
“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Ox went away and told the Man.
Example Question #2 : Understand Point Of View
Text 1: Where to see African Animals
Animals that are from Africa are some of the most fascinating animals to see. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the animals that live in Africa, there are two ways to make this happen. The first is to visit a local zoo. Most zoos have an African section, which have many of the animals that you would find in Africa. The other, and probably the more exciting option, would be to take a trip to Africa and go on an African safari!
Visiting a Zoo
If you go to a zoo to see African animals, you can usually follow signs straight to the African section. There you will see an area that is modeled off of what an African habitat, or area where animals live, would look like. There will be tall trees for the giraffes and lots of grass and small plants for the elephants. The neat thing about seeing animals in a zoo is that you can see tons of different animals from all over the world.You can see Polar Bears found in Alaska or Kangaroos found in Australia, just to name a few!
African Safari
An African safari is a trip that is very popular in Africa. People sign up for tours and ride around Africa to see many African animals in their homes in the wild. During an African safari, the driver is also the tour guide. He, or she, will know many facts and details about the area and the animals. During the safari, you might go by giraffes eating from tall trees, elephants spraying water from their noses, and lions laying in the sun.
Text 2: African Animals
Africa is home to many amazing and different animals! The weather in Africa is generally very warm, but depending on where in Africa you are, you will see different habits and animals. The top half of Africa, or the northern part, is mainly made up of deserts. The bottom half of Africa, or the southern part, is made up of plains and jungles.
Desert
African deserts are home to animals that can live in very hot temperatures, with very little water. If you were to visit an African desert you might see animals such as camels, foxes, or sheep. Reptiles also live in African deserts. Reptiles that you might see include snakes or lizards.
Plains
African plains are flat areas with a lot of grass. You might see some tall trees spread out, but the majority of this area is covered in grass. If you visit this area of Africa, you might run into some dangerous animals. The plains are where lions and chetahs call home. However, many other animal call the plaines their home. If you want to see elephants, giraffes, or zebras, the plains are where you will find them.
Jungles
The jungles in Africa are rainforest. They are filled with tall trees, plants, and many animals. If you were in an African rainforest, you might see monkeys hanging from branches, or big snakes wrapped around trees. Also, bright colored parrots can be seeing flying from tree to tree. Much bigger animals, such as gorillas and jaguars also live within all of the trees of the rainforest.
According to the author of Text 1, what is the most exciting way to see African animals?
Visiting a zoo
Going to a dessert
Going to a rainforest
An African safari
An African safari
This question tells us to look in Text 1, and we are looking for the author's point of view.
"Animals that are from Africa are some of the most fascinating animals to see. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the animals that live in Africa, there are two ways to make this happen. The first is to visit a local zoo. Most zoos have an African section, which have many of the animals that you would find in Africa. The other, and probably the more exciting option, would be to take a trip to Africa and go on an African safari!"
The correct answer is "An African safari".
Example Question #3 : Understand Point Of View
The following text is from Maria’s point of view:
I looked forward to dance class all day during school. Every day after school, my mom drops me off at a dance studio and I rehearse on my own for 2 hours before my actual dance class begins. I love the way I can move my body to the beat of the music.
The following text is from Ali’s point of view:
My mom forced me to join an after school activity. I decided to take dance lessons because I thought it would be easy. I arrive right before class begins, if not a few minutes late, and move through the motions as the teacher instructed, but without much enthusiasm.
What is Ali’s point of view about the dance class?
She loves dance class.
She looks forward to dance class.
She doesn’t really enjoy dance class.
She’s excited about learning how to dance.
She doesn’t really enjoy dance class.
We are told that Ali was forced to join an activity, meaning she did not join dance class because she wanted to. Rather, she picked it because she thought it would be easy. Because she shows up right on time, or late, that shows Ali isn’t really excited about dance, nor does she look forward to the lessons. The correct answer is, “She doesn’t really enjoy dance class.
Example Question #4 : Understand Point Of View
The following text is from Maria’s point of view:
I looked forward to dance class all day during school. Every day after school, my mom drops me off at a dance studio and I rehearse on my own for 2 hours before my actual dance class begins. I love the way I can move my body to the beat of the music.
The following text is from Ali’s point of view:
My mom forced me to join an after school activity. I decided to take dance lessons because I thought it would be easy. I arrive right before class begins, if not a few minutes late, and move through the motions as the teacher instructed, but without much enthusiasm.
How is Maria’s point of view different from Ali’s?
Maria makes the dance class seem enjoyable and fun.
Maria makes the dance class seem boring.
Maria makes the dance class seem difficult and hard.
Maria makes the dance class seem easy.
Maria makes the dance class seem enjoyable and fun.
A point of view is a way of seeing or thinking about something. People who describe the same topic or event differently have a different point of view. Both Maria and Ali took dance classes, but they had a different point of view about the class. Maria looked forward to dance class and arrived early to practice. We can assume this means that she found dance class enjoyable and fun.
Example Question #5 : Understand Point Of View
The following text is from Brian’s point of view:
Looking up at the stands, I see the crowd growing. I’m excited to see that so many people wanted to come out to watch us play in the state championship game. As I run onto the field, I can’t help but smile as my entire family waves at me.
The following text is from Charlie’s point of view:
My knees began to shake as I sat on the bench and watched all of the fans coming through the gate to find an open seat in the stands. I wasn’t expecting to have to play the state championship game in front of so many people. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to move from the bench when the game started.
What is Brian’s point of view about the state championship game?
He is excited to play in front of so many fans.
He wasn’t expecting a crowd full of people.
He is excited to have won the game.
He is nervous to play in front of so many fans.
He is excited to play in front of so many fans.
We are told in the text that Brian is excited to play in the game, and as he took the field he was smiling. This means that he is excited to play in front of so many fans. “He was excited to have won the game”, could be a tempting answer choice. However, at the point that this text was written, the game hadn’t been played yet.
Example Question #6 : Understand Point Of View
The following text is from Brian’s point of view:
Looking up at the stands, I see the crowd growing. I’m excited to see that so many people wanted to come out to watch us play in the state championship game. As I run onto the field, I can’t help but smile as my entire family waves at me.
The following text is from Charlie’s point of view:
My knees began to shake as I sat on the bench and watched all of the fans coming through the gate to find an open seat in the stands. I wasn’t expecting to have to play the state championship game in front of so many people. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to move from the bench when the game started.
What is Charlie’s point of view about the state championship game?
He makes it sound like playing in the game is exciting.
He makes it sound like winning the game is impossible.
He makes it sound like he isn’t a good player so he will sit out on the bench.
He makes it sound like playing in the game is scary.
He makes it sound like playing in the game is scary.
We are told that Charlie’s knees were shaking as he watched all of the fans coming into the game. Shaking knees are a reaction to being nervous. When you are nervous about something, you might be scared. He didn’t think he would be able to move from the bench because of his nervousness. The best answer to this question is, “He makes it sound like playing in the game is scary.” The text doesn’t talk about him being excited, or them winning the game. You might be tempted to select “He makes it sound like he isn’t a good player so he will sit out on the bench.” because Charlie does talk about not being able to move from the bench. However, nothing in the text talks about his skill level, just that he is nervous. This is why “He makes it sound like playing in the game is scary. “ is the best answer.
Example Question #7 : Understand Point Of View
The following text is from Brian’s point of view:
Looking up at the stands, I see the crowd growing. I’m excited to see that so many people wanted to come out to watch us play in the state championship game. As I run onto the field, I can’t help but smile as my entire family waves at me.
The following text is from Charlie’s point of view:
My knees began to shake as I sat on the bench and watched all of the fans coming through the gate to find an open seat in the stands. I wasn’t expecting to have to play the state championship game in front of so many people. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to move from the bench when the game started.
How is Brian’s point of view different from Charlie’s?
Brian makes it sound like finding a seat will be hard.
Brian makes it sound like playing in the championship game is scary.
Brian makes it sound like winning the game will be a challenge.
Brian makes it sound like playing in the championship game is exciting.
Brian makes it sound like playing in the championship game is exciting.
Brian’s text is about how excited he is, whereas Charlie’s text is about how nervous he is. We are told in the text that Brian is excited to play in the game, and as he took the field he was smiling. This means that he is excited to play in front of so many fans. The correct answer is, “Brian makes it sound like playing in the championship game is exciting.”
Example Question #7 : Understand Point Of View
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe’s dad:
After I dropped Gabe off at the birthday party, I drove around worrying. Will he be polite? Will he have fun with the other boys at the party? It’s not easy meeting a lot of new people at once, and Gabe didn’t know everyone that was invited to the party. It can be scary to make new friends, and he was late to the party, so he would be the last boy to arrive.
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe:
I couldn’t wait to get out of the car when we pulled up to my friend’s birthday party. My dad was driving so slow, it took us forever to arrive. When I finally got to the party, I had a great time. I remembered to say please and thank you to all of the adults, and I met a lot of great new friends. I can’t wait to invite them all over to my house for my birthday next month.
What is Gabe’s dad’s point of view about the party?
Gabe isn’t going to be nice to everyone at the party.
Gabe might be in a bad mood during the party because he was late.
It might be overwhelming for Gabe.
Gabe is going to have a great time at the party.
It might be overwhelming for Gabe.
We read in the text that Gabe’s dad was worried after he dropped Gabe off. Gabe didn’t know everyone that was going to be at the party, so his dad was worried that it might be hard for Gabe to make friends with people he didn’t know. Therefore, the correct answer is, “It might be overwhelming for Gabe.”
Example Question #6 : Understand Point Of View
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe’s dad:
After I dropped Gabe off at the birthday party, I drove around worrying. Will he be polite? Will he have fun with the other boys at the party? It’s not easy meeting a lot of new people at once, and Gabe didn’t know everyone that was invited to the party. It can be scary to make new friends, and he was late to the party, so he would be the last boy to arrive.
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe:
I couldn’t wait to get out of the car when we pulled up to my friend’s birthday party. My dad was driving so slow, it took us forever to arrive. When I finally got to the party, I had a great time. I remembered to say please and thank you to all of the adults, and I met a lot of great new friends. I can’t wait to invite them all over to my house for my birthday next month.
What was Gabe’s point of view about the party?
He was nervous because he was going to be late.
He didn’t like anyone he met at the party.
He had a great time at the party.
He was nervous because he didn’t know anyone.
He had a great time at the party.
In the text, Gabe was excited about the party- he couldn’t wait to arrive. He made a lot of new friends that he planned to invite to his own party. The correct answer is, “He had a great time at the party”.
Example Question #6 : Understand Point Of View
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe’s dad:
After I dropped Gabe off at the birthday party, I drove around worrying. Will he be polite? Will he have fun with the other boys at the party? It’s not easy meeting a lot of new people at once, and Gabe didn’t know everyone that was invited to the party. It can be scary to make new friends, and he was late to the party, so he would be the last boy to arrive.
This text is written from the point of view of Gabe:
I couldn’t wait to get out of the car when we pulled up to my friend’s birthday party. My dad was driving so slow, it took us forever to arrive. When I finally got to the party, I had a great time. I remembered to say please and thank you to all of the adults, and I met a lot of great new friends. I can’t wait to invite them all over to my house for my birthday next month.
How was Gabe’s point of view different from his dad’s?
He makes the party sound scary and intimidating.
He makes the party sound fun and enjoyable.
He makes the party sound adventurous.
He makes the party sound boring.
He makes the party sound fun and enjoyable.
Gabe’s dad was worried that the party might be scary and intimidating for Gabe since he was going to be arriving late and he didn’t know everyone that was invited to the party. However, Gabe didn’t feel the same way. From Gabe’s point of view, he was excited about the party and he had a great time at the party! The correct answer is, “He makes the party sound fun and enjoyable.”
All Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts Resources
