4th grade reading comprehension

Example

Every pupil should learn to swim. Swimming keeps you fit, it is fun, and it could one day save your life. What is the author's main purpose?

1. The writer's choices show their purpose.
2. So the answer is: to persuade

Answer: to persuade

Example

The king had gold, jewels and a hundred rooms, yet he was lonely. The poor shepherd had only a hut, but his family filled it with laughter. What is the theme?

1. A theme is the message about life that the story explores.
2. So the answer is: Love matters more than wealth.

Answer: Love matters more than wealth.

Example

The desert is hot and dry. Sand dunes stretch for miles, cacti stand tall, and lizards dart between the rocks. How is this text organised?

1. Text structure is how a writer organises ideas.
2. So the answer is: description

Answer: description

Example

"I'm the fastest runner in the whole school," Kyle said for the tenth time that day. "Nobody can beat me." Which word best describes Kyle?

1. A character's words and actions reveal what they are like and what they want.
2. So the answer is: boastful

Answer: boastful

Example

A: Paris is the capital of France. B: Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. Which sentence is an opinion?

1. Arguments have a claim supported by reasons and evidence.
2. So the answer is: B

Answer: B

Example

In 2021, a small town opened a 'repair café'. Once a month, volunteers fix broken toasters, toys and bikes for free. In its first year, the café saved over two tonnes of items from being thrown away. Which is the best summary?

1. The best summary states the main idea and the most important points in your own words.
2. So the answer is: A town's monthly repair café fixes broken items for free and has kept tonnes of things out of the rubbish.

Answer: A town's monthly repair café fixes broken items for free and has kept tonnes of things out of the rubbish.

Example

Is this a first-hand or a second-hand account? We finally reached the top of the mountain. My legs were aching, but the view made me forget the pain.

1. A first-hand account is by someone who was there. A second-hand account is by someone who heard or read about it.
2. So the answer is: first-hand: written by someone who was there

Answer: first-hand: written by someone who was there

Example

The beach was turning gold as the sun went down. Captain Rosa ordered her crew to pull the boat higher up the sand. Finn, gasping, complained that it was too heavy, so they counted to three and heaved together. Is this a poem, a play or prose?

1. Poems, plays and prose are set out in different ways.
2. It is a paragraph of sentences, with the speech reported by a narrator.
3. So the answer is: prose

Answer: prose