Free Year 3 Author's craft — language and mood Practice | Skillo

Question 1 — Easy

Read the passage below, then answer the question. The morning of the school swimming carnival, Priya stood at the edge of the pool and stared at the water. Around her, students splashed and cheered, but she barely heard them. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling. "You've trained for this," her coach called from the side. Priya nodded, though her stomach told a different story. When her race was announced, she climbed onto the starting block. The sun bounced off the water below, turning it silver. Beside her, Zac from Bankstown Primary cracked his knuckles and grinned. Priya looked straight ahead. The starter's whistle blew. She dived. The cold hit her like a wall, but her arms found their rhythm almost immediately. Left, right, breathe. Left, right, breathe. The crowd noise became a distant blur. At the halfway mark, Priya could see Zac pulling ahead. Her lungs burned and her shoulders ached, but she thought of every early morning training session at Blackwattle Bay, every lap when she had wanted to stop but hadn't. She touched the wall. For a moment everything was silent. Then her coach was crouching beside her, grinning so widely that Priya didn't even need to look at the scoreboard. "Second place," he said. "Your personal best by four seconds." Priya pulled herself out of the pool and laughed — a long, surprised laugh that had been waiting all morning to escape. How does the author show that Priya is nervous before her race?

Answer: Option C is correct — The author uses physical descriptions — 'her hands wouldn't stop trembling' and 'her stomach told a different story' — to show Priya's nervousness without stating it directly. These bodily reactions create a vivid sense of anxiety. A is wrong because Priya nods at her coach rather than arguing.

Question 2 — Medium

Read the passage below, then answer the question. The platypus is one of the most unusual animals on Earth, and it is found only in Australia. Unlike most mammals, the platypus lays eggs instead of giving birth to live young. This remarkable feature makes it part of a rare group of animals called monotremes, which also includes the echidna. The platypus lives along the banks of freshwater rivers and streams in eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It spends much of its time in the water, using its broad, duck-like bill to search for food along the muddy riverbed. Tiny sensors inside the bill can detect the electrical signals produced by small creatures such as shrimp, worms, and insect larvae. This ability, known as electroreception, allows the platypus to hunt effectively even with its eyes closed. When a platypus dives underwater, it seals its eyes, ears, and nostrils shut. It stores the food it finds in special pouches inside its cheeks and surfaces to chew and swallow. A single platypus may spend up to twelve hours each day foraging for food to meet its energy needs. Despite being a strong swimmer, the platypus is a shy and secretive animal. Habitat loss caused by land clearing and river pollution threatens platypus populations across Australia. Scientists are working to monitor their numbers and protect the waterways these extraordinary animals depend on for survival. The author describes the platypus as 'shy and secretive'. What mood does this language create about the platypus?

Answer: Option B is correct — The words 'shy and secretive' suggest the platypus keeps to itself and avoids being seen, creating a mood of mystery and elusiveness. This is further supported by the passage's description of the platypus hunting with its eyes closed and sealing its senses underwater, reinforcing its hidden, private nature.

Question 3 — Hard

Read the passage below, then answer the question. The platypus is one of Australia's most unusual animals, and scientists still find it surprising today. Found in rivers and streams along the eastern coast of Australia, the platypus has a body that seems to belong to several different animals at once. The platypus has a broad, flat bill like a duck, a beaver-like tail, and webbed feet that help it glide through the water with ease. Its thick, waterproof fur keeps it warm even in cold mountain streams. Unlike most mammals, the platypus does not give birth to live young. Instead, the female lays soft, leathery eggs and keeps them warm by curling around them. When the eggs hatch, the tiny babies drink milk that seeps through the mother's skin, since she has no nipples. One of the platypus's most remarkable features is the electroreception system inside its bill. Special sensors detect tiny electrical signals produced by the muscles of small creatures hiding beneath the riverbed. This means the platypus can hunt with its eyes, ears, and nostrils all tightly shut, relying entirely on these electrical signals to find prey such as worms, shrimp, and insect larvae. The platypus is a protected species in Australia because habitat loss and pollution have put pressure on its population. Clean waterways are essential for its survival, which is why environmental scientists work hard to monitor and protect Australian rivers. In the first paragraph, the author writes that the platypus 'has a body that seems to belong to several different animals at once.' What mood does this create for the reader?

Answer: Option C is correct — The phrase 'seems to belong to several different animals at once' creates a sense of wonder and curiosity by suggesting the platypus is so unusual it defies easy description. The passage also opens by calling it 'one of Australia's most unusual animals' and says scientists 'still find it surprising today,' reinforcing a mood of amazement.