Why are prairie dogs called “dogs”?
Basic Understanding of a Variety of Texts · TELPAS Grade 3 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 2: find the main idea and key details, and follow what happens in stories and informational texts.
Read the passage. Then answer the questions.
Prairie Dogs
Prairie dogs are not really dogs. They are small, furry animals in the squirrel family. They got their name because the sound they make is a little like a dog’s bark.
Prairie dogs live in grasslands, including parts of West Texas. They dig tunnels and rooms under the ground. Many prairie dog families live close together, and their big group of tunnels is called a town.
Prairie dogs spend much of the day eating grass and other plants. While most of the group eats, a few prairie dogs stand up on their back legs and look around. If one of them sees a hawk or a coyote, it barks loudly. Then all the prairie dogs dive into their holes.
When two prairie dogs from the same family meet, they touch their mouths together. It looks a little like a kiss.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why are prairie dogs called “dogs”?
- They belong to the same family as dogs.
- Their sound is a little like a bark.Correct answer
- They dig holes in the ground like dogs do.
- They live near people on farms and ranches.
Why “Their sound is a little like a bark.” is correct
This is a detail question about a reason that is stated. Paragraph 1 says they got their name “because the sound they make is a little like a dog’s bark.” The first sentence, “Prairie dogs are not really dogs,” warns the reader not to assume the name means they are dogs.
Why the other answers are wrong
- They belong to the same family as dogs. — The passage says they are in the squirrel family, not the dog family.
- They dig holes in the ground like dogs do. — Prairie dogs do dig, but the passage does not give this as the reason for the name.
- They live near people on farms and ranches. — The passage says they live in grasslands, not with people.
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.