Scenic depiction of a river winding through mountains and plains, illustrating the journey from high elevations to the sea.

Grade 3 Reading Comprehension Worksheet: "The River" – Answer Key and Explanation

Let's go through the passage and answer each question step by step, using information directly from the text.

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#### Passage Summary
The passage describes the journey of a river from its origin in the mountains to where it flows into the sea. It explains how snow melts and forms water that flows down the mountain, picking up rocks and sediment along the way. The river then moves across plains, becomes wider, carries more mud and sand, and finally deposits these materials into the sea, where plants grow and animals feed.

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Answer Each Question

#### 1. Where does the river flow down?
Answer: The river flows down the mountain, across the plains, and into the sea.

Explanation:
The first sentence states: *"The river flows down the mountain, across the plains and into the sea."* This gives us the full path of the river — starting at the mountain, moving over flat land (plains), and ending in the sea.

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#### 2. The river begins high in the mountains.
Answer: True

Explanation:
The passage says: *"The river begins high in the mountains."* This is a direct statement. So, this sentence is true based on the text.

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#### 3. What does happen when the snow melts?
Answer: The water moves down the mountainside.

Explanation:
The passage says: *"There is a lot of snow. The snow melts and the water moves down the mountainside."* So, melting snow creates water that flows downhill, forming the beginning of the river.

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#### 4. The water in the river carries along rocks.
Answer: True

Explanation:
The passage clearly states: *"The water in the river carries along rocks."* This is a fact stated in the text, so the sentence is true.

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#### 5. What does happen when the river flows into the sea?
Answer: The river drops all the mud and sand it has carried along. Plants grow in the mud, and animals feed in the muddy water.

Explanation:
The passage says: *"At the edge of the sea, the river drops all the mud and sand that it has carried along. Plants grow in the mud. Animals feed in the muddy water."* So, when the river reaches the sea, it deposits sediments, which support plant and animal life.

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✔ Final Answers:

1. The river flows down the mountain, across the plains, and into the sea.
2. True
3. The water moves down the mountainside.
4. True
5. The river drops all the mud and sand it has carried along. Plants grow in the mud, and animals feed in the muddy water.

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This worksheet helps students practice reading comprehension by identifying key details, understanding sequence, and distinguishing facts from opinions. The answers are all supported directly by the passage.