Reading Comprehension Assessment Series
GRADE 3
MAIN IDEA & KEY DETAILS
The Underground Railroad: Freedom,
Courage & Collective Action
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Webb's
Depth of Knowledge · Hess's Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Tier
2 & Tier 3 Academic Vocabulary
· Frustration-Level Text
Student
Name: ________________________________
Date: ____________
Teacher:
________________________________ Period
/ Class: ____________
DIRECTIONS
Read the passage carefully. You may underline
key details and circle unfamiliar words. Then answer every question. For
multiple-choice questions, choose the BEST answer. For written responses, write
in complete sentences and use evidence from the passage.
PASSAGE: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Before the American Civil War, millions of
African Americans were enslaved in the Southern states of the United States.
Enslaved people were treated as property—bought and sold, forced to labor
without pay, and denied the most basic human rights. Despite the enormous
dangers, thousands of enslaved people risked their lives to escape and seek
freedom in the Northern states or in Canada.
To help enslaved people escape, a network of
secret routes, hiding places, and courageous helpers gradually developed. This
network became known as the Underground Railroad—though it was neither
underground nor a railroad. The word "underground" referred to the
secrecy of the operation, and the word "railroad" referred to the
transportation and movement involved. Participants used railroad language as a
code: the secret routes were called "lines," hiding places were called
"stations," and the people who guided freedom seekers from one
location to the next were called "conductors."
The most celebrated conductor of the
Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman, an enslaved woman from Maryland who
escaped to freedom in 1849. After reaching safety herself, Tubman returned to
the South approximately thirteen times to guide other enslaved people to
freedom. During her missions, she never lost a single person in her care.
Tubman relied on a combination of extraordinary courage, practical
intelligence, and the assistance of sympathetic individuals—both Black and
white—along the route. She often traveled on Saturday nights because
slave-catchers could not place advertisements in newspapers until Monday,
giving her fugitive groups a head start.
Harriet Tubman was not the only conductor.
Levi Coffin, a Quaker businessman from Indiana, is estimated to have assisted
more than 3,000 freedom seekers over a period of thirty years and became known
as the "President of the Underground Railroad." Thomas Garrett, a
hardware merchant in Delaware, openly defied the law by sheltering and
forwarding freedom seekers even after being fined and threatened with
imprisonment. Ordinary people—farmers, teachers, ministers, and free Black
citizens—contributed food, clothing, shelter, and directions to the effort.
The Underground Railroad operated from
approximately the 1780s through the Civil War era, with its peak activity
occurring between 1850 and 1860. Historians estimate that between 40,000 and
100,000 people escaped slavery using its routes, though precise numbers are
impossible to verify because participants kept few written records for fear of
legal prosecution. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 dramatically intensified the
danger for both freedom seekers and their helpers by requiring citizens in free
states to assist in the capture and return of escaped enslaved
people—transforming Northern states into hostile territory as well.
The Underground Railroad is significant not
only as a chapter in the history of American slavery but as an enduring example
of collective moral courage. Participants risked financial ruin, imprisonment,
and—for enslaved people themselves—brutal punishment or death. The network
functioned because thousands of ordinary individuals chose to act on their
belief that human freedom was worth the risk.
SECTION A — KEY DETAILS:
MULTIPLE-CHOICE (2 pts each)
Questions 1–5 test your ability to locate and
interpret facts explicitly stated in the passage.
1. According to the passage, the
Underground Railroad received its name because —
DOK 1 | CRM
A-1
A) it used actual trains that
traveled through underground tunnels to transport freedom seekers
B) "underground" referred
to the secrecy of the operation and "railroad" referred to the
movement involved, though it was neither literally underground nor an actual
railroad
C) it was funded by underground
railroad companies operating in Northern states
D) Harriet Tubman invented the term
to describe her own escape route from Maryland
2. According to the passage, which of
the following is explicitly stated as a reason Harriet Tubman chose to travel
on Saturday nights?
DOK 1 | CRM
A-1
A) It was easier to move large groups
through forests without being seen in darkness
B) Most conductors on the Underground
Railroad were available only on weekends
C) Slave-catchers could not place
newspaper advertisements until Monday, giving her group a valuable head start
D) The Quaker communities that
provided shelter held religious services on Saturday evenings
3. According to paragraph five, why
is it impossible to determine the precise number of people who escaped through
the Underground Railroad?
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) Most freedom seekers used false
names and changed their identities after reaching the North
B) Participants intentionally kept
few written records because documentation could be used as legal evidence
against them
C) The federal government destroyed
all Underground Railroad records after the Civil War ended
D) Historians have not yet completed
their study of the archive of Underground Railroad documents
4. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 is
described in the passage as —
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) a law that protected freedom
seekers once they reached any Northern state
B) an act passed to reward conductors
and stations for their role in the network
C) a law that required citizens in
free states to help capture and return escaped enslaved people, extending
danger into Northern territory
D) the legislation that officially
ended the Underground Railroad by imposing penalties on conductors
5. According to the passage, what
role did ordinary citizens play in the Underground Railroad?
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) Ordinary citizens generally
reported Underground Railroad activity to authorities because they feared legal
penalties
B) Ordinary people including farmers,
teachers, ministers, and free Black citizens contributed food, shelter,
clothing, and directions to the effort
C) The passage states that ordinary
citizens were uninvolved; the network depended entirely on professional
conductors
D) Ordinary citizens petitioned
Congress to pass laws protecting the Underground Railroad from legal
interference
SECTION B — MAIN IDEA & CENTRAL
THEME: MULTIPLE-CHOICE (2 pts each)
Questions 6–10 test your ability to identify
main ideas, summarize, and determine central themes.
6. Which sentence BEST states the
main idea of paragraph two?
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) The Underground Railroad was a
secret network that used coded railroad language to help enslaved people escape
to freedom
B) Participants in the Underground
Railroad were clever people who enjoyed using railroad metaphors in their daily
lives
C) The word "underground"
is the most important part of the Underground Railroad's name
D) Conductors were the most important
participants in the Underground Railroad network
7. What is the central theme of the
passage as a whole?
DOK 3 | CRM
C-3
A) Harriet Tubman was the single most
important person in the history of American freedom
B) The Underground Railroad succeeded
because of political leaders who passed laws protecting enslaved people
C) Collective moral courage—the
willingness of thousands of ordinary individuals to risk everything for the
principle of human freedom—made the Underground Railroad possible and
historically significant
D) The Underground Railroad was
primarily a transportation system that required careful logistical planning
8. How does the author develop the
main idea across paragraphs three, four, and five?
DOK 3 | CRM
C-3
A) The author focuses exclusively on
Harriet Tubman in all three paragraphs to argue she alone deserves historical
credit
B) The author moves from a celebrated
individual (Tubman) to other named conductors to unnamed ordinary participants,
progressively widening the picture of collective participation to support the
theme of broad moral courage
C) The author uses paragraphs three
and four to entertain readers with dramatic stories before returning to facts
in paragraph five
D) The author contradicts the claim
of collective action in paragraph five by noting that participants avoided
keeping records
9. A student summarizes the passage
as follows: "The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped
enslaved people escape." Evaluate this summary. What critical information
does it omit that is essential to the passage's main idea?
DOK 4 | CRM
D-4
A) It is a complete and accurate
summary; no essential information is missing
B) It omits the passage's central
emphasis on the collective moral courage of participants—both celebrated
figures and thousands of ordinary people—and the enormous personal risks they
accepted, which is what gives the Underground Railroad its historical significance
beyond being a mere escape network
C) It should include the specific
names of conductors because the passage is primarily a biographical account of
Harriet Tubman
D) It should mention that the
Underground Railroad was active from the 1780s to the Civil War, since dates
are the most important facts in the passage
10. The final paragraph states that
the Underground Railroad is significant not only as history but as "an
enduring example of collective moral courage." What does the word
"enduring" suggest about the author's purpose in including this concluding
statement?
DOK 4 | CRM
D-4
A) It suggests the author believes
the Underground Railroad is no longer relevant to contemporary readers
B) It signals that the author intends
the passage's lesson to transcend its historical moment—that the example of
people risking everything for a moral principle retains relevance and
instructive value for readers today
C) It means that the physical
stations and routes of the Underground Railroad still exist and can be visited
D) It indicates that historians are
still actively discovering new information about the Underground Railroad
SECTION C — PASSAGE SUMMARY (10 pts)
DOK 2
| CRM B-2 |
Write a 4–6 sentence summary of the entire passage. Include: the main
idea, the most important key details, and the central theme. Do NOT simply copy
sentences from the text.
SECTION D — SHORT ANSWER (10 pts each)
DOK Levels 3–4 |
Write in complete sentences. Cite specific evidence from the passage.
11. The passage describes the
Underground Railroad as neither "underground" nor a
"railroad." Explain how the coded language participants used—lines,
stations, conductors—served a purpose beyond simple communication. What does
this coded system reveal about the dangers participants faced and the ingenuity
required to operate the network? (DOK 3 | CRM C-3)
DOK 3 | CRM
C-3
12. Compare the contributions of
Harriet Tubman and Levi Coffin as described in the passage. Then explain: the
passage devotes more space to Tubman than to Coffin. Does this mean Tubman's
contribution was more important? Use evidence from the text to support your
reasoning. (DOK 4 | CRM D-4)
DOK 4 | CRM
D-4
SECTION E — EXTENDED RESPONSE (20 pts)
DOK Level 4
| CRM D-4 |
Write a well-organized response of at least 8–10 sentences.
13. Main Idea Synthesis: The passage
argues that the Underground Railroad's true significance lies not only in how
many people escaped but in the collective moral courage it demonstrated. In
your extended response: (1) state the passage's central theme in your own
words; (2) identify at least THREE specific key details from different
paragraphs that develop or support that theme; (3) explain how those key
details work together to build the author's main argument; and (4) evaluate
whether you find the author's concluding claim—that this is an "enduring
example"—convincingly supported by the evidence in the passage.
DOK 4 | CRM
D-4
SECTION F — VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT (5 pts each)
14. The word "fugitive"
appears in paragraph three in the phrase "fugitive groups." Based on
context, what does "fugitive" mean?
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) Organized and well-supplied
B) People fleeing from legal
authority or danger; those in flight from pursuit
C) Enslaved people who chose to
remain in the South rather than escape
D) Religious communities that
sheltered travelers
15. The word "defied" in
paragraph four describes Thomas Garrett's behavior toward the law.
"Defied" most accurately means —
DOK 2 | CRM
B-2
A) carefully followed and respected
in every detail
B) was unaware of or confused by
C) openly resisted and refused to
comply with despite consequences
D) secretly exploited for personal
financial gain
ASSESSMENT SCORING GUIDE
|
Section |
Points Possible |
Points Earned |
DOK Level |
CRM Cell |
|
MC — Key Details (×5) |
20 |
___ |
1–3 |
A-1 / B-2 / C-3 |
|
MC — Main Idea / Theme (×5) |
20 |
___ |
2–4 |
B-2 / C-3 / D-4 |
|
Short Answer (×2) |
20 |
___ |
3–4 |
C-3 / D-4 |
|
Extended Response |
20 |
___ |
4 |
D-4 |
|
Vocabulary (×2) |
10 |
___ |
2–3 |
B-2 / C-3 |
|
Passage Summary |
10 |
___ |
2 |
B-2 |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
___ |
— |
— |
Grade 3
— The Underground Railroad
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: C
Q3: B
Q4: C
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: A
Q7: C
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: B
Q15: C
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
Grade 4
— The Dust Bowl
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: A
Q3: B
Q4: C
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: B
Q7: C
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: B
Q15: B
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
Grade 5
— Gutenberg's Printing Press
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: C
Q3: B
Q4: B
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: B
Q7: B
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: C
Q15: B
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
Grade 6
— The Columbian Exchange
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: C
Q3: B
Q4: B
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: B
Q7: A
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: B
Q15: B
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
Grade 7
— Women's Suffrage
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: B
Q3: B
Q4: B
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: B
Q7: B
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: B
Q15: C
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
Grade 8
— The Space Race
Section A — Key Details MC
(Questions 1–5):
Q1: B
Q2: B
Q3: B
Q4: B
Q5: B
Section B — Main Idea /
Theme MC (Questions 6–10):
Q6: B
Q7: B
Q8: B
Q9: B
Q10: B
Section F — Vocabulary
(Questions 14–15):
Q14: C
Q15: B
Open-Response
Scoring: Apply DOK/CRM Rubric below.
DOK
/ CRM Open-Response Rubric
|
Score |
DOK |
Summary / Key Detail Accuracy |
Main Idea / Theme Analysis |
Register & Citation |
|
18–20 |
4 — Extended |
Complete, precise,
text-specific; no omissions |
Evaluates; synthesizes
across multiple paragraphs |
Tier 3 vocabulary; formal
register; cited accurately |
|
14–17 |
3 — Strategic |
Mostly accurate; minor
omissions |
Analytical; explains rather
than retells |
Tier 2; generally formal;
partial citations |
|
9–13 |
2 — Skills |
Partially accurate; some
paraphrase errors |
Some analysis; mixes summary
and interpretation |
Mixed register; general
references to text |
|
0–8 |
1 — Recall |
Inaccurate or absent |
Retelling only; no
analytical claim |
Informal; no textual
evidence |
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