Which word from paragraph 2 means the opposite of north?
Understand Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grade 3 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 1: work out what words and phrases mean from context, and understand how sentences and word forms work.
Read the passage. Then answer the questions.
Monarchs in Texas
The monarch butterfly is the state insect of Texas. Monarchs are orange with black lines and small white spots.
Every fall, millions of monarchs fly south across Texas. They are on their way to the mountains of Mexico, where they spend the winter. In spring, monarchs fly north again. Many of them stop to lay eggs in Texas on the way.
A mother monarch lays her eggs only on milkweed plants. Milkweed is the only food that monarch caterpillars eat. When a caterpillar has eaten enough, it makes a chrysalis. About two weeks later, a new butterfly comes out.
In some places, there is less milkweed than there used to be. People can help monarchs by planting milkweed in gardens and at schools.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Which word from paragraph 2 means the opposite of north?
- Fall
- Winter
- SouthCorrect answer
- Spring
Why “South” is correct
This tests knowing antonyms, words with opposite meanings. Paragraph 2 says monarchs fly south in the fall and north in spring, so the two directions are set against each other in the text. Fall, winter and spring are seasons, not directions.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Fall — Fall is a season, not a direction.
- Winter — Winter is a season, not a direction.
- Spring — Spring is a season; it is the opposite of fall, not of north.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grade 3, or see the TELPAS practice test for 3rd grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Education Agency or the official TELPAS program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published test design.