Elementary School Reading Quiz: Distinguish Stories From Informational Books
20 questions · exam conditions
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Distinguish Stories From Informational BooksQuestion 1 of 20

Text 1: Ollie the owl could not sleep in the day. He hooted softly. His friend brought him a soft leaf. Ollie felt cozy and slept. Text 2: Owls are birds that fly at night. Owls have big eyes to see in the dark. Owls hunt for food. Owls say hoo.

How can you tell Text 2 gives facts instead of telling a story?

It tells about Ollie's day and how he felt.
It tells true things about all owls, not a story about one owl.
It tells how Ollie's friend brought him a leaf.
It rhymes like a song.
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Elementary School Reading Quiz

Elementary School Reading Quiz: Distinguish Stories From Informational Books

Practice Distinguish Stories From Informational Books in Elementary School Reading with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Distinguish Stories From Informational Books, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Elementary School Reading.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Text 1: Ollie the owl could not sleep in the day. He hooted softly. His friend brought him a soft leaf. Ollie felt cozy and slept. Text 2: Owls are birds that fly at night. Owls have big eyes to see in the dark. Owls hunt for food. Owls say hoo.

How can you tell Text 2 gives facts instead of telling a story?

  1. It tells about Ollie's day and how he felt.
  2. It tells true things about all owls, not a story about one owl. (correct answer)
  3. It tells how Ollie's friend brought him a leaf.
  4. It rhymes like a song.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about all owls, like that they fly at night, not a story about one owl. Ollie and what happened to him are in the story, Text 1, and Text 2 does not rhyme.

Question 2

Text 1: Rex the dog wanted to play. He found his ball and wagged his tail. His friend threw the ball. Rex ran and caught it. Text 2: Dogs are animals that people keep as pets. Dogs bark and wag their tails. Dogs like to run and play. Dogs can learn tricks.

How can you tell Text 2 gives facts instead of telling a story?

  1. It tells about a dog named Rex and what he did.
  2. It tells true things about all dogs, not a story about one dog. (correct answer)
  3. It tells what happened when Rex caught the ball.
  4. It rhymes like a poem.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about all dogs, like that they bark and learn tricks, not a story about one dog. Rex and what he did are in the story, Text 1, and Text 2 does not rhyme.

Question 3

Text 1: One day, Nina saw a turtle by the pond. She watched it walk slowly to the water. The turtle slipped in with a splash. Nina giggled and waved goodbye. Text 2: Turtles have hard shells that keep them safe. Turtles can live in water and on land. Turtles move very slowly. Turtles lay eggs.

How can you tell Text 2 gives facts?

  1. It tells a made-up story about Nina.
  2. It tells true things about all turtles, not a story about one turtle. (correct answer)
  3. It tells what Nina did by the pond.
  4. It is a poem that rhymes.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about all turtles, like their hard shells, not a story about one turtle. Nina and what she did are in the story, Text 1, and Text 2 is not a poem.

Question 4

Text 1: Story. Zed the zebra ran fast in the field. He kicked up dust. His friends ran with him. Zed had fun. Text 2: Book of Facts. Zebras are animals with stripes. Every zebra has its own stripes. Zebras eat grass. Zebras live in big groups.

What makes Text 2 a book of facts?

  1. It has a zebra named Zed who has fun.
  2. It tells true things about all zebras to teach us, not a story about one. (correct answer)
  3. It tells what happened first, next, and last to Zed.
  4. It rhymes like a song.
Explanation: Text 2 teaches true things about all zebras, like their stripes, not a story about one. Zed and what he did are in the story, Text 1, and Text 2 does not rhyme.

Question 5

Text 1: Maya wore her new sun hat to the park. The sun felt hot, and Maya got thirsty. 'Let's sit in the shade,' she said. After a drink of water, she felt better. Maya played again when she cooled down.
Text 2: The sun gives heat and light. On sunny days, people feel warm outside. Shade can help keep people cooler. Sunlight helps plants grow. People can wear hats to protect their skin.

What makes Text 1 a story?

  1. It has a girl named Maya who does things. (correct answer)
  2. It tells real facts about the sun.
  3. It lists ways to stay cool in the sun.
  4. It tells how sunlight helps plants grow.
Explanation: Text 1 has a character, Maya, who does things like wear a hat and sit in the shade, so it is a story. Choice A is correct. Giving facts about the sun, listing ways to stay cool, and telling how sunlight helps plants all describe Text 2.

Question 6

Text 1: Story. Buzz the bee wanted nectar. He flew to a big flower. He sipped the sweet nectar. Buzz flew home happy.
Text 2: Informational Book. Bees are insects that make honey. Bees have wings to fly. Bees get nectar from flowers. Bees live in a hive.

How is the story different from the informational book?

  1. The story explains how bees make honey.
  2. The informational book tells make-believe events.
  3. The story has a bee with a name, but the book gives facts. (correct answer)
  4. Both texts are about rain.
Explanation: The story is about Buzz, a made-up bee with a name. The informational book gives real facts about bees. Choice C is correct. Buzz is only in the story, the book is real, and neither is about rain.

Question 7

Text 1: Emma had an apple in her lunch. She took a bite and shared some with her friend.
Text 2: An apple grows on a tree. It has seeds inside. We wash apples before we eat them.

Text 1 is a story. Text 2 gives facts. How can you tell Text 2 gives facts?

  1. It tells true things about real apples. (correct answer)
  2. It tells a story about a girl named Emma.
  3. It has animals that can talk.
  4. It is a poem that rhymes.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about apples, like how they grow and that they have seeds. Choice A is correct. Text 1 is the story about Emma, and Text 2 has no talking animals and does not rhyme.

Question 8

Text 1: One day, Theo saw snow falling. He put on his mittens and hat. Theo made a snowball and threw it. He laughed and played in the snow.
Text 2: Snow is frozen water that falls from clouds. Snow is cold and white. Snow can cover the ground. Snow melts when it gets warm.

How is the story different from the facts book?

  1. The story tells what Theo did. The facts book gives facts about snow. (correct answer)
  2. The facts book tells a story about Theo.
  3. Both are made-up stories.
  4. The story lists facts about snow.
Explanation: The story tells what Theo did in the snow. The facts book gives real facts about snow. Choice A is correct. Theo is only in the story, neither is fully made-up-facts, and the story does not list snow facts.

Question 9

Text 1: Freddy the Frog tried to jump onto a log. He slipped and felt upset. 'I can do it!' he said. He practiced again and again. At last, he landed on the log and felt proud.
Text 2: Frogs live near water. Frogs have strong back legs that help them jump. Frogs eat bugs like flies. Many frogs start life as tadpoles.

What makes Text 1 a story?

  1. It has a frog named Freddy who does things. (correct answer)
  2. It tells real facts about where frogs live.
  3. It names the frog's body parts.
  4. It tells how frogs start as tadpoles.
Explanation: Text 1 has a character, Freddy the Frog, who tries, practices, and feels proud, so it is a story. Choice A is correct. The other choices all describe Text 2, the facts book.

Question 10

Text 1: Remy the mouse found a big cookie. It was too heavy to carry alone. He called his friends, and they rolled it home.
Text 2: Mice are small, furry animals. Mice eat seeds and crumbs. Mice have long tails.

What makes Text 1 a story?

  1. It gives facts about mice's tails.
  2. It has a character named Remy. (correct answer)
  3. It teaches facts in a list.
  4. It tells only what mice eat.
Explanation: Text 1 is a story because it has a made-up character, Remy the mouse, who does things. Choice B is correct. The other choices describe facts, which are in the informational text.

Question 11

Text 1
Maya drew a picture of the sun, and clouds covered the sky. She felt sad, but later the clouds moved away. Maya smiled and played outside.

Text 2
The sun is a star that gives Earth light, and it helps keep Earth warm. Plants need sunlight to grow.

Read Text 1 and Text 2. The story is written to entertain. Text 2 is written to  .

  1. teach facts about the sun (correct answer)
  2. tell a make-believe problem for Maya
  3. show what Maya said in the story
Explanation: Text 2 gives real facts about the sun, so it is written to teach. Choice B is wrong because the make-believe problem happens in Text 1, not Text 2. Choice C is wrong because Maya and what she said only appear in Text 1.

Question 12

Text 1: Story. Gus the goat wanted to climb the hill. It was steep and rocky. Gus climbed slowly. He reached the top and felt happy.
Text 2: Book of Facts. Goats are farm animals. Goats can climb steep hills. Goats eat grass and leaves. Goats have horns on their heads.

Which is true about the story but NOT the book of facts?

  1. It has a goat with a name who feels happy. (correct answer)
  2. It tells that goats eat grass.
  3. It gives facts about real goats.
  4. It tells how many legs goats have.
Explanation: Only the story has Gus, a made-up goat with feelings. The book of facts gives real facts about goats. Choice A is correct. The other choices describe the book of facts.

Question 13

Text 1: Story. Andy the ant found a big crumb. He pushed it back to his home. His ant friends helped. They were happy.
Text 2: Fact Book. Ants are tiny insects. Ants live in the ground. Ants work together. Ants can carry big things.

How is the story different from the fact book?

  1. The fact book is about bees, not ants.
  2. The story tells about Andy the ant, but the fact book teaches facts about ants. (correct answer)
  3. The fact book tells that Andy found a crumb.
  4. Both are make-believe.
Explanation: The story tells about Andy, a made-up ant. The fact book teaches real facts about ants. Choice B is correct. The fact book is about ants (not bees), Andy is only in the story, and the fact book is real.

Question 14

Text 1: Story. Bella the butterfly wanted to find flowers. She flew over the garden. She saw red flowers. Bella landed and was happy.
Text 2: Informational Book. A butterfly is a bug with wings. It drinks from flowers. It starts as a caterpillar. Its wings have bright colors.

How is the story different from the informational book?

  1. The informational book has a butterfly named Bella.
  2. The story tells about Bella, but the book gives facts. (correct answer)
  3. Both texts are make-believe.
  4. The story lists facts about butterflies.
Explanation: The story tells about Bella, a made-up butterfly. The book gives real facts about butterflies. Choice B is correct. Bella is only in the story, the book is real, and the story does not list facts.

Question 15

Read Text 1 and Text 2.

Text 1: Story
Emma picked a shiny red apple from a tree. "Yum!" she said after one big bite. Emma shared the apple with her brother. They both felt glad.

Text 2: Informational Book
Apples grow on trees. Apples can be red, green, or yellow. Apples are a fruit that people eat. Many apples are picked in the fall.

Which shows that Text 1 is a story?

  1. It tells facts about when apples are picked.
  2. It has a character named Emma and tells what happened. (correct answer)
  3. It teaches real information using headings and labels.
Explanation: We need to find what makes a story. Text 1 has Emma as a character. It tells what happened when she ate an apple.

Question 16

Text 1: Bruno the bear cub wanted to cross the river. He stepped on the smooth rocks one by one. He wobbled but did not fall. Bruno reached the other side and felt proud. Text 2: Bears are big animals with thick fur. Bears can climb trees and swim in rivers. Bears eat fish, berries, and honey. Some bears sleep all winter.

How is the facts book, Text 2, different from the story?

  1. It tells about a bear cub named Bruno.
  2. It tells true things about all bears, not a story about one bear. (correct answer)
  3. It tells how Bruno crossed the river.
  4. It reads like a bedtime story.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about all bears, like that they climb trees and swim, not a story about one bear. Bruno crossing the river is in the story, Text 1, which reads like a bedtime story.

Question 17

Read Text 1 and Text 2.

Text 1: Story
One day, Emma picked a red apple from a tree. "Yum!" Emma said as she took a bite. The apple was sweet and crunchy. Emma shared it with her brother. They smiled and ate together.

Text 2: Informational Book
Apples grow on trees. Apples can be red, green, or yellow. Apples are a fruit people eat. Apples have seeds inside. Many apples grow in the fall.

What makes Text 2 an informational book?

  1. It tells facts about real apples. (correct answer)
  2. It tells what happened to Emma.
  3. It has a character who talks.
Explanation: We are learning what makes a fact book. Text 2 teaches us real things about apples. It tells us apples grow on trees and have seeds.

Question 18

Text 1: Story. Lulu the ladybug wanted to fly. She spread her tiny wings. She flew up to a green leaf. Lulu felt happy. Text 2: Book of Facts. Ladybugs are small bugs. Ladybugs are red with black spots. Ladybugs can fly. Ladybugs eat tiny bugs.

What makes Text 2 a book of facts?

  1. It tells what Lulu the ladybug said and did.
  2. It tells true things about all ladybugs, not a story about one. (correct answer)
  3. It is make-believe and has a problem to solve.
  4. It rhymes like a song.
Explanation: Text 2 tells true things about all ladybugs, like their spots and what they eat, not a story about one. Lulu and what she did are in the story, Text 1, and Text 2 does not rhyme.

Question 19

Read Text 1 and Text 2.

Text 1: Story
Emma and her dad went to an apple orchard. Emma picked a green apple and made a silly face. "It's sour!" she said. Then she picked a red apple that tasted sweet. Emma laughed and took another bite.

Text 2: Informational Book
Apples are fruit. They grow on apple trees. Apples can taste sweet or sour. Apples have skin, flesh, and seeds. People can eat apples raw or cooked.

How can you tell Text 2 is an informational book?

  1. It tells facts about apples in the real world. (correct answer)
  2. It tells what happened to Emma in order.
  3. It has a character who talks with quotation marks.
Explanation: We are finding clues for fact books. Fact books teach real facts about our world. This book tells true things about apples.

Question 20

Text 1: Story. Rosie the pig was hot in the sun. She rolled in the cool mud. The mud felt nice. Rosie was happy.
Text 2: Informational Book. Pigs are farm animals. Pigs roll in mud to stay cool. Pigs have a flat snout. Pigs eat plants and food.

How can you tell Text 2 is an informational book?

  1. It has a pig named Rosie who feels happy.
  2. It gives facts that teach about pigs. (correct answer)
  3. It tells a make-believe problem.
  4. It rhymes like a song.
Explanation: Text 2 gives real facts that teach about pigs, like how they roll in mud. Choice B is correct. Rosie and her feelings are in the story (Text 1), and Text 2 does not have a make-believe problem or rhyme.