Name Date

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.Fill in the circle of the correct answer.

Mrs. McRitter's Cricketby Heather A. Meloche

1 Mrs. McRitter collected knickknacks. They covered her tables andbookshelves. They filled her kitchen. They coated her bed and chairs.They even covered Mrs. McRitter, who wore them like jewelry andbarrettes in her puffy, curly hair.

2 one day, Mrs. McRitter was getting ready for bed when she heard,"Chirrupl"

3 "Noisy cricket," she said. "But you'll sleep soon." Mrs. McRitterclosed her eyes again.

4 "Chirrup!"

s "Ugh!" Mrs. McRitter shot out of bed. She peered under her bedand behind her chair.

0 she searched around her knickknacks, lifting her tiny glass horsesand itty-bitty teacups. She move,O tfre nrusic boxes and rolled aroundher colored, wooden balls. She shuffled through her crocheted doiliesand shook each snow globe.

7 "Where are you?" Mrs. McRitter hollered.

8 "Chirrup!"

g Mrs. McRitter grabbed a box and threw in her miniature chairs,wooden spoons, and antique spoons. she shoved the box outsideand slammed the door.

to "Chirrup!"

n "still not gone!" cried Mrs. McRitter. she snatched up more bagsand boxes. All night long she tossed her knickknacks out onto herfront lawn. She finished just as the sun rose.

12 Just then, several cars pulled up. People got out and startedlooking through Mrs. McRitter's knickknacks.

.. Reading

i! PRAcr cE l

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]i TEKS 3.4A, 3.48, 3.4C, 3.5A,,: 3.8A, 3.88, 3.SC, RC-3(D)

O Houghton Mi{flin Harcourt Publish;ng Company

+l Grade 3: Reading Practice

Name Date

13 Mrs. Yan and her daughter Diana approached Mrs. McRitter. ,,How

much for the colored balls?" asked Mrs. yan.

14 Mrs. McRitter looked surprised, "oh, they're not for sale. I wasjust-"

ts "Chirrup!" interrupted the cricket

16 Mrs. McRitter's head jerked about as she scanned the yard for thecricket.

t7 "well, it's a shame they aren't for sale," said Mrs. yan, watchingMrs. McRitter stick her face into an open bag.

1B "Chirrup!"

19 "Ugh! I've changed my mind," Mrs. McRitter blurted, raising herfrustrated eyes to Mrs. yan and Diana. ,,you can have two boxes_ho,three-for thirty dollars."

20 Mrs. Yan smiled and handed her the money.

21 "You have a cricket!,'said Diana. ,,you're lucky.,'

22 "Lucky?" said Mrs. McRitter.

23 "ln china, crickets are very lucky," said Diana. we keep them inspecial cages to hear their beautiful singing."

24 "That's right," said Mrs. yan. "you should visit us one day and tellus what luck the cricket brings you.,'

2s "How nice," replied Mrs. McRitter, thinking her cricket brought onlytrouble.

20 Mrs. Yan and Diana left as Mr. cornali and his daughter saraapproached Mrs. McRitter.

"l love these," said Mr. cornali, holding a bag of antique spoons.

"Chirrup!"

"You've got a cricket," sara said.

"Yes," grumbled Mrs. McRitter. ,,lt's horrible."

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Reading,PnA€TiiC.E

. j! . .:r I .i..ii., . i- _, . .i

I t;

48,3.4C,3.5A,3.8C, RC-3(D)

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+2 Grade 3: Reading Practice

E

,,.tr*eddihE',. .,.":i.i_i"ir.ti;rr...:..i,,.i:i. i:.

l :i'i,f,.rl* A (tli'6lFr'"'Name Date

TEKS 3.4A, 3.48, 3.4C, 3.5A,3.8A, 3.8B, 3.8C, RC-3(D)

31 "Not at all!" sara exclaimed" "where we come from in ltaly, we havea cricket festival. Kids carry their crickets through the streets in specialcages. lf a cricket sings, the family receives wealth and success thatyear."

Mr. cornali paid Mrs. McRitter for the spoons. "Visit us sometimeand tell us what luck the cricket brings you," he said.

"Very kind," muttered Mrs. McRitter, certain the cricket offered moregrief than luck.

"Chirrupl" sang the cricket from close by.

Mrs. McRitter rolled her eyes and dug her hands into her hair.

By late morning, Mrs. McRitter had sold all her knickknacks.Certain the cricket was gone, Mrs. McRitter walked into the house andshuffled sleepily down the urncluttered hallway and into her tidykitchen. she pulled a mug trorn rrer organized cupboard and madesome tea.

ln the living room, she nestled into an empty chair and breathed arelaxed sigh.

"Chirrup!" said the cricket.

"whatl" cried Mrs. McRitter, flying up out of her seat. "lmpossible!"

"Chirrup!"

Mrs. McRitter's eyes swept the room and caught her image in amirror on the wall. she walked closer to the mirror. Then closer. There,nesting in her puffy, curly hair, sat the cricket.

"Were you there all along?" cried Mrs. McRitter.

"Chirrup!"

"But I sold all of my beautiful knickknacks to get rid of you,', shemoaned, staring at her gloomy, tired face.

Then, suddenly, she noticed the reflection of the tidy house aroundher. on her coffee table sat the money for her knickknacks. The kindfaces of the people she had met rose in her mind.

"Well, cricket, maybe you aren't that bothersome," admittedMrs. McRitter.

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@ Houghton Mif{lin Harcourt Publishing Company

+3 Grade 3: Reading Practice

Date

"Chirrup!"

'After all, you did bring some wealth."

"Chirrup!"

'And I made new friends.,,

"Chirrup!"

'And my house has never been more comfortable.,,

"Chirrup!" agreed the cricket.

Name

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"l guess you're good luck after all, cricket," whisperedMrs. McRitter.

"Chirrup!" the cricket sang.

Grade 3: Reading practiceO '{o!ETm Ulri fi -ffjf }o,s ac :r*-.

Name

How do you know this selection isfiction?

o lt is a made-up story written toentertain the reader.

o lt explains how to dosomething.

.o lt gives facts about a topic.

o lt tells events in a real person'slife.

TEKS RC-3(D)

Which word means about the same ascoated in paragraph 1?

c? Showed

o Lifted

.o Covered

o Cleaned

TEKS 3.4C

Who tells this story?

c:) Mrs. McRitter

o Mrs. Yan

o Mr. Cornali

o A narrator

TEKS 3.8C

O Houghton lVifllin Harcourt Publishing Company'+5 Grade 3: Reading Practice

Date

4 ln paragraph 6, the word knickknacksmeans -

o large, costly toys

o plain pieces of clothing

o heavy pieces of furniture

o small objects for decoration

TEKS 3.48

What event causes people to visit Mrs.McRitter?

o She tosses her knickknacksout onto her lawn.

She asks people how to get ridof the cricket.

She searches for the cricket.

She catches her image in themirror on the wall.

TEKS 3.8A

ln paragraph 19, the reader can tell fromMrs. McRitter's words that she -

- never liked the colored balls.

o wants to get rid of the cricket.

cr needs money from Mrs. Yan.

o knows how much Mrs. Yanwants the colored balls.

TEKS RC-3(D)

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TEKS 3.4A, 3.48, 3.4C, 3.54,3.8A, 3-88, 3.8C, RC-3(D)

Name

Mrs. McRitter is surprised because hervisitors teach her -

o that having crickets in thehouse is a problem

o how much her knickknacks areworth

o that a cricket brings good luck

o how to be better organized

TEKS 3.88

Read the chart and use it to answer thequestion.

Which sentence belongs in the blank box?

<- Mrs. McRitter gets rid of thecricket.

o Mrs. McRitter has a tidy house.

o Mrs. McRitter searches underthe bed.

o Mrs. McRitter gets ready for bed.

TEKS 3.8A

I

Mrs. McRitter hears the cricket.

Mrs. McRitter puts her knickknackson the lawn.

People come to buy her knickknacks.

o Houghton lvlifflin Harcoult Publishing Company'+6

Grade 3: Reading Practice

Date

What does the word uncluttered mean in

paragraph 36?

o Very messy

o Messy again

o Messy with

o Not messy

TEKS 3.4A

10 How does Mrs. McRitter change by theend of the selection?

o She is angry that all her thingsare gone.

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$., Readin$ ,,, ,,, ,,, I

j tRAcTlcE

iirEKs 3.4A, 3.48, 3.4C, 3.5A,

L_ I "^_ l ll "1 il. l_1 Tl_ _

cricket.

She is upset that the cricket is

still there.

She is eager to get new things.

11

o She is happy to have the

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TEKS 3.8B

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TEKS 3.5A

Which sentence best states the theme ofthis selection?

- You cannot have too manythings.

Good friends will neverlet you down.

Things happen for the best.

Money cannot buy everything.

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