Why does the speaker's circle come out “shaped like Texas” in stanza 4?

The speaker is still learning and cannot yet make a round shape.

Abuela asked the speaker to make a special shape for a holiday.

The speaker is cutting the dough with a star-shaped cutter.

The dough is too wet because the water was poured too fast.

Diego wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best introduce the topic of the paper?

Beneath the dry grass of the plains, prairie dogs are hard at work building whole towns.

Prairie dogs are small, brown, furry animals that many visitors to the plains think are very cute.

Have you ever owned a pet that liked to dig holes all over the backyard?

Prairie dogs are one of the many animals I learned about in class this year.

Kenji wants to replace sentence 1 with a sentence that clearly states his opinion. Which sentence should he use?

I believe our school should start a garden club for the empty space behind the cafeteria.

Gardening is a popular hobby that many people around the world enjoy.

Have you ever noticed the weeds growing in the space behind our cafeteria?

Our school already has many clubs, such as the chess club, the art club, and the science club.

In paragraph 3, the word precious means —

plentiful and easy to find nearby

In paragraph 4 of Selection 1, the word fuel means —

energy that keeps something going

the fall flowers that monarchs visit

a safe place to rest for the night

a guide that points the right way

Diego wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best catch the reader’s interest and introduce the story?

The first time I held a fishing pole, I had no idea a quiet lake could teach me about patience.

Fishing is a popular hobby in Texas, and many families enjoy it together on the weekends.

I am going to tell you a story about the day I went fishing on a lake with my grandpa.

My grandpa owns a small cabin, an old boat, and three fishing poles that he keeps by the door.

Malik wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best introduce the topic and interest the reader?

What if your banana peels and fallen leaves could become food for a garden?

Many people throw away a large amount of food scraps every single day of the week.

This paper is going to tell you all about compost and how to make a compost bin.

Gardens need sunlight, water, and good soil so that the plants can grow well.

STAAR Grade 4 Reading Language Arts

Free STAAR Grade 4 Reading Practice Questions

10 sample questions for the STAAR Grade 4 Reading Language Arts, with the correct answer and an explanation for each. No account needed. Try each one before you open the answer.

Sections covered on the exam: Vocabulary, Literary Elements, Response Skills, Comprehension Skills, Literary Genres, Written Essay, Writing Process, Spelling, Essay Structure and Organization.

Question 1 · Vocabulary
In paragraph 8, the word reluctantly means —
- A.with great skill
- B.in a slow and very careful way
- C.as fast as possible
- D.without really wanting to
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. without really wanting to
Paragraph 8 says Nadia “hesitated” and was “certain she would ruin the sign,” so she takes the brush without really wanting to. “In a slow and very careful way” is tempting because she later works slowly in paragraph 9, but that describes how she paints, not how she feels about taking the brush.
Question 2 · Vocabulary
In paragraph 1 of Selection 1, the word roamed means —
- A.wandered freely
- B.were kept in pens
- C.grazed quietly
- D.ran away in fear
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. wandered freely
Paragraph 1 says the cattle roamed “the open land of South Texas,” which shows they wandered freely without fences. “Grazed quietly” is tempting because cattle do eat grass, but roamed describes moving around over a wide area, not eating.
Question 3 · Vocabulary
Why does the speaker's circle come out “shaped like Texas” in stanza 4?
- A.The speaker is still learning and cannot yet make a round shape.
- B.Abuela asked the speaker to make a special shape for a holiday.
- C.The speaker is cutting the dough with a star-shaped cutter.
- D.The dough is too wet because the water was poured too fast.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. The speaker is still learning and cannot yet make a round shape.
Stanza 4 says Abuela “shows me how it's done,” so the speaker is a beginner whose tortilla comes out uneven instead of round. “Abuela asked the speaker to make a special shape…” is not supported, since Abuela is laughing at an accident, not a planned shape.
Question 4 · Written Essay
Diego wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best introduce the topic of the paper?
- A.Prairie dogs are small, brown, furry animals that many visitors to the plains think are very cute.
- B.Beneath the dry grass of the plains, prairie dogs are hard at work building whole towns.
- C.Have you ever owned a pet that liked to dig holes all over the backyard?
- D.Prairie dogs are one of the many animals I learned about in class this year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Beneath the dry grass of the plains, prairie dogs are hard at work building whole towns.
The paper explains how prairie dogs build and use their towns, so the best opening hooks the reader and names that topic: prairie dogs are “hard at work building whole towns.” The question about a pet that digs is tempting because it grabs attention, but it leads toward pets instead of prairie dog towns.
Question 5 · Essay Structure and Organization
Kenji wants to replace sentence 1 with a sentence that clearly states his opinion. Which sentence should he use?
- A.Gardening is a popular hobby that many people around the world enjoy.
- B.Have you ever noticed the weeds growing in the space behind our cafeteria?
- C.I believe our school should start a garden club for the empty space behind the cafeteria.
- D.Our school already has many clubs, such as the chess club, the art club, and the science club.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. I believe our school should start a garden club for the empty space behind the cafeteria.
A persuasive letter needs a clear claim, and this sentence tells exactly what Kenji wants the principal to do. The question about the weeds is tempting because it catches the reader’s attention, but it never says what Kenji thinks should happen.
Question 6 · Vocabulary
In paragraph 3, the word precious means —
- A.plentiful and easy to find nearby
- B.heavy and hard to carry
- C.very valuable and important
- D.cold and fresh to drink
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. very valuable and important
Paragraph 3 says Tomás hauled water every day during a drought and “did not complain” because “every drop was precious,” which shows the water was very valuable and important. “Heavy and hard to carry” is tempting because his arms ached, but that describes the work, not the meaning of the word.
Question 7 · Vocabulary
In paragraph 4 of Selection 1, the word fuel means —
- A.the fall flowers that monarchs visit
- B.a safe place to rest for the night
- C.energy that keeps something going
- D.a guide that points the right way
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. energy that keeps something going
Paragraph 4 says monarchs sip nectar and “store the energy in their bodies as fat” for their long trip, so fuel means energy that keeps them going. “The fall flowers that monarchs visit” is tempting because the flowers are where the monarchs find nectar, but the flowers themselves are not the energy the butterflies store and use.
Question 8 · Vocabulary
In paragraph 6, the word examined means —
- A.fixed quickly
- B.painted carefully
- C.looked at closely
- D.removed completely
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. looked at closely
Adela climbs the tower and examines each part before deciding “Everything at the top looked fine,” so she looked at the parts closely. “Fixed quickly” is tempting because she later repairs the pump, but at this point she is only checking for the problem.
Question 9 · Written Essay
Diego wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best catch the reader’s interest and introduce the story?
- A.The first time I held a fishing pole, I had no idea a quiet lake could teach me about patience.
- B.Fishing is a popular hobby in Texas, and many families enjoy it together on the weekends.
- C.I am going to tell you a story about the day I went fishing on a lake with my grandpa.
- D.My grandpa owns a small cabin, an old boat, and three fishing poles that he keeps by the door.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. The first time I held a fishing pole, I had no idea a quiet lake could teach me about patience.
This opening hooks the reader and hints at the lesson about patience that Grandpa shares in sentence 15, so it sets up the whole story. “I am going to tell you a story about the day I went fishing on a lake with my grandpa” is tempting because it names the topic, but it simply announces the story the same flat way sentence 1 already does.
Question 10 · Written Essay
Malik wants to replace sentence 1 with a stronger opening. Which sentence would best introduce the topic and interest the reader?
- A.What if your banana peels and fallen leaves could become food for a garden?
- B.Many people throw away a large amount of food scraps every single day of the week.
- C.This paper is going to tell you all about compost and how to make a compost bin.
- D.Gardens need sunlight, water, and good soil so that the plants can grow well.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. What if your banana peels and fallen leaves could become food for a garden?
This question makes the reader curious and connects everyday scraps to the garden, which is exactly what the paper explains. “This paper is going to tell you all about compost and how to make a compost bin” is tempting because it names the topic, but it simply announces the paper instead of drawing the reader in.

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