Comprehension resources

Students read an extract from the narrative 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and answer a combination of multiple-choice and short answer questions.

Students read a narrative then complete three tasks that focus on one of the characters. Assessment focus: an evaluation of a character and the author's construction of that character. SJ-4-3-2004. Text provided.

Students read a short extract from a legend to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

Students unpack a picture, making inferences from its visual cues. SJ-1-2-1998. Text provided.

Students read a cartoon to answer retrieval and inferential questions about the story and the visual techniques used. SJ-1-1-1994.

Students interpret a series of road safety drawings with questions on visual cues, titles, emphasis and providing appropriate text.

Students study a poster about being safe in an earthquake and then answer retrieval and inferential questions.

Students read a text containing instructions then answer retrieval and inferential questions. SJ-2-2-1984. Text provided.

From visual stimuli and a series of simple statements that describe physical attributes, students identify which animal is being described.

Assessment focus: finding important information and the main idea of an informational text. The text used is about an introduced species of fish which has become a pest. SJ-2-4-2005. Text provided.

The assessment focus is on the ability to make inferences about character and justify these with evidence from text.

Students read a text on shoplifting to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

To answer mainly multiple choice questions, students retrieve information and make inferences from a text about Socrates.

Students read a poem, 'My Other Jandal', then answer inferential questions. The poem is provided with this resource. SJ-2-4-1994. Text not provided.

A joke about a parrot is the context for this resource that assesses understanding of idioms and the interpretation of humour.

Students read about a visit to the islands of Kiribati by a New Zealand flight inspection team to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

Students read a narrative about how a character copes with changes in her family dynamics. Students then complete three tasks focusing on that character. Assessment focus: an evaluation of a character and the author's construction of her. (The text used for this resource is reproduced under the "Working with Students" tab.) Reading age 10-12. SJ-4-2-2000. Text not provided.

This resource explores a poem written for two voices about a windy night. Text provided.

A recount about a whale watch is the context for comprehension questions that require making inferences. The recount is reproduced in the resource. SJ-1-1-1998. Text provided.

Students read an article about castles to complete a retrieval chart using information from the text. SJ-1-2-1995. Text provided.

Students read a report on a fisheries officer's work and make mainly short written responses. The assessment focus is on comprehension and vocabulary. SJ-3-3-1990. Text provided.

Students use the information in an article to interpret the body language of cats in nine different pictures. This task assesses student ability to bring together written and visual texts to show their comprehension. The text is reproduced in the Teacher information pages. SJ-3-1-1990. Text not provided.

The assessment focus is on students' abilities to identify the details in a text that support a given, main idea.

Students read an extract about gathering water in Sāmoa to find information to fill in a chart. SJ-3-3-1999. Text provided.

Students read an article on cold water survival and retrieve information from this text.