NAPLAN Year 9 Practice · Reading
Comprehension of short texts
49 practice questions, each with the answer and an explanation.
Practise Comprehension of short texts now
Random questions from this topic, one at a time. You see the answer and the explanation straight after each one.
All 49 questions
- Read: "The library opens at 9 a.m. on weekdays and closes at 5 p.m. On weekends it opens only on Saturday morning." On which day is the library NOT open?
- Read: "Maria packed her umbrella, a raincoat and two pairs of dry socks." What can be inferred about the weather?
- Read: "He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white as he watched the speedometer climb." How does the character most likely feel?
- Read: "The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year, many of whom travel from overseas." What does the word 'attracts' mean?
- Read: "Because the bridge was closed for repairs, commuters had to take a longer route." Why did commuters take a longer route?
- Read: "Though small, the island supports an astonishing variety of wildlife, including several species found nowhere else." What is the main idea?
- Read: "The report concluded that the new policy had little effect on traffic, contrary to the council's predictions." Which of the following is implied?
- Read: "Her voice trembled as she began to speak, but by the end the audience was on its feet." What does this suggest?
- Read: "While some critics praised the film's visuals, others felt the plot was thin." What is the writer's purpose?
- Read: "The recipe calls for two cups of flour, one cup of sugar and a pinch of salt." Which ingredient is used in the smallest quantity?
- Read: "Scientists have discovered that bees can recognise human faces, a surprising finding given the size of their brains." What does 'surprising' suggest about the finding?
- Read: "After weeks of drought, the first drops of rain were greeted with cheers." What is the mood of the sentence?
- Read: "Not only did the team win, but they also broke the club's scoring record." Which of the following is true?
- Read: "The path winds through dense forest before opening onto a wide, sunlit meadow." Which word best describes the forest?
- Read: "He claimed that he had never been to the city, yet the photograph told a different story." What does the writer imply?
- Read: "The museum offers free entry on the first Sunday of each month." Which statement is correct?
- Read: "Despite repeated warnings, the hikers continued up the mountain." What does 'despite' show?
- Read: "She folded the letter carefully and tucked it into her pocket without a word." What does this suggest about her actions?
- Read: "The village, once a thriving port, is now little more than a handful of empty houses." What does the word 'thriving' mean?
- Read: "Her explanation, though lengthy, left the class no wiser than before." What does this suggest about the explanation?
- Read: "Tom has three brothers and two sisters. His youngest brother is four." How many siblings does Tom have?
- Read: "The recycling program began in 2015 and has since reduced landfill waste by a third." Which of the following can be concluded?
- Read: "In his speech, the mayor spoke of 'a bright future', but offered no details of how it would be achieved." What criticism is implied?
- Read: "The kitten sprang from the sofa and chased the ball across the room." Which word describes how the kitten moved?
- Read: "Visitors are reminded that feeding the wildlife is prohibited." What does 'prohibited' mean?
- Read: "As dusk settled, the streetlights flickered on one by one." What time of day is described?
- Read: "The author's earlier novels were bleak; her latest is surprisingly hopeful." What is the writer comparing?
- Read: "He closed the book and sighed; the ending had not been what he expected." How did he feel about the ending?
- Read: "The new bus route will reduce travel times, but residents worry about increased noise." What is the main concern of residents?
- Read: "Though she was exhausted, Priya refused to give up, pushing herself through the final kilometre." Which word best describes Priya?
- Read: "The soup was too hot to eat, so Ben waited a few minutes." Why did Ben wait?
- Read: "The company's profits rose sharply after it cut costs, though critics said quality had suffered." Which of the following is a reasonable conclusion?
- Read: "The ferry departs every thirty minutes, with the first sailing at 6 a.m." Which of the following is a departure time?
- Read: "Many species survive the winter by hibernating; others, such as swallows, migrate to warmer regions." What do hibernation and migration have in common in this sentence?
- Read: "The coach praised the team for its determination, even though they lost by a single point." How did the coach feel about the team?
- Read: "The cave's walls were slick with moisture, and the air smelled of damp stone." Which sense does the writer mainly appeal to?
- Read: "The recipe is simple: mix, bake and serve." How many steps are there?
- Read: "While the first draft was rough, the final version was polished and persuasive." Which word is closest in meaning to 'polished'?
- Read: "The train was delayed because of a signal fault near the city." Which of the following is the cause of the delay?
- Read: "Her laughter filled the room, bright and infectious." What does 'infectious' suggest?
- Read: "The map shows the library is two blocks north of the station." If you stand at the station, which direction should you walk to reach the library?
- Read: "Rather than complain about the delay, Sam used the time to catch up on his reading." What does this reveal about Sam?
- Read: "The temperature fell sharply overnight, and by morning the puddles were frozen." What can be inferred?
- Read: "The new law, supporters argued, would protect consumers; opponents claimed it would raise prices." What is the best summary?
- Read: "He answered each question quickly and confidently." Which word is an adverb?
- Read: "Some viewers found the documentary moving, while others found it manipulative." What does 'manipulative' imply?
- Read: "The bakery sells bread, pastries and cakes, but not sandwiches." Which of the following does the bakery NOT sell?
- Read: "The experiment was repeated three times to ensure the results were reliable." Why was it repeated?
- Read: "Nina opened the window and let in the cool evening breeze." What time of day is it?