Year 6 English Reading fiction and plays: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.

1. Find the words in the text. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.
   had done the job for thirty years
2. Check the answer. The text says the job.
   the job
3. Write the answer.
   the job

Check. The text states this detail. ✓

Watch out. Copy the detail from the text, and do not guess.

Method. Read the words around the word, and work out its meaning from the context.

1. Read the context. The words around flickered show what is happening.
   the flame flickered, nearly dying
2. Choose the meaning. In this text, flickered means moved unsteadily, as a small flame does.
   moved unsteadily, as a small flame does
3. Write the answer.
   moved unsteadily, as a small flame does

Check. The meaning fits the context. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence before and after the word, and check that your meaning fits both.

Method. Use the evidence in the text to work out what the character thinks or feels.

1. Find the evidence. The text says the following, which is a clue.
   counting kept her from thinking about the waves
2. Work out the inference. Counting distracts her from the danger.
   to stop herself thinking about the waves
3. Write the answer.
   to stop herself thinking about the waves

Check. The evidence supports the inference. ✓

Watch out. An inference is a sensible conclusion from the evidence, not a guess. Quote the evidence to show why.

Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.

1. Find the words in the text. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.
   a young hunter called Teo
2. Check the answer. The text names the hunter.
   Teo
3. Write the answer.
   Teo

Check. The text states this detail. ✓

Watch out. Copy the detail from the text, and do not guess.

Method. Look at the words, then explain the effect on the reader.

1. Find the words. The author uses this language: the sea rose like a grey wall
   the sea rose like a grey wall
2. Explain the effect. The words create a picture or feeling, and the reader responds to it.
   It makes the sea seem huge and threatening, so the reader feels the danger
3. Write the answer.
   It makes the sea seem huge and threatening, so the reader feels the danger

Check. The effect on the reader is explained. ✓

Watch out. Name the device, then say what it makes the reader feel or picture.

Method. Find the speaker before the line.

1. Find the line. Roco speaks the line about wishing for Maya.
   wish for you
2. Find the speaker. The speaker is ROCO.
   ROCO
3. Write the answer.
   ROCO

Check. ROCO speaks the line. ✓

Method. Use a clue from the text.

1. Find the clue. The cloud was soft and patient, and her pride hurt the sea.
   soft and patient
2. Make the prediction. She will learn to shine gently.
   shine gently
3. Write the answer.
   She will shine more gently, because she has been humbled by the cloud.

Check. The prediction uses a clue. ✓

Method. Read the stage direction.

1. Read the direction. Roco turns and looks at two things.
   turns, looks
2. Name the action. The main action is to look.
   look
3. Write the answer.
   look

Check. The action is to look. ✓

Method. Use the evidence in the text to work out what the character thinks or feels.

1. Find the evidence. The text says the following, which is a clue.
   I think I'll wish for you to be happy, Maya
2. Work out the inference. He changes his wish, which shows he cares for Maya.
   thoughtful and kind
3. Write the answer.
   thoughtful and kind

Check. The evidence supports the inference. ✓

Watch out. An inference is a sensible conclusion from the evidence, not a guess. Quote the evidence to show why.

Method. Think about what the story explains.

1. Think about what it explains. The Moon's soft light.
   soft light
2. Think about how it explains. Through characters and magic.
   characters and magic
3. Write the answer.
   It explains a natural thing, such as the Moon, in a fictional way with magic and characters.

Check. The myth explains by magic and characters. ✓

Method. Find the number in the text.

1. Find the number. The text says one hundred and twelve steps.
   one hundred and twelve
2. Copy the words. The words are one hundred and twelve steps.
   one hundred and twelve steps
3. Write the answer.
   one hundred and twelve steps

Check. The text states the number. ✓

Method. Read the words around the word, and choose the meaning.

1. Read the context. The sailors cannot see the rocks, so the horn is a call for help.
   a call for help
2. Choose the meaning. Desperate means urgent and hopeless.
   urgent and hopeless
3. Write the answer.
   urgent and hopeless, because the sailors need help.

Check. The meaning fits the situation. ✓

Method. Use the evidence to infer the motive.

1. Find the evidence. The text says counting kept her from thinking about the waves.
   counting kept her
2. Infer the motive. She counts to stop herself thinking about the danger.
   stop herself thinking
3. Write the answer.
   to stop herself thinking about the waves

Check. The evidence supports the motive. ✓

Method. Name the device, then say what it makes the reader picture.

1. Name the device. Like a grey wall is a simile.
   simile
2. Say the effect. The reader pictures a huge, threatening sea.
   huge and threatening
3. Write the answer.
   The simile makes the sea seem huge and threatening, so the reader feels the danger.

Check. The simile creates a threatening picture. ✓

Method. Find the hunter in the myth.

1. Find the hunter. The text says a young hunter called Teo asked the Moon.
   Teo
2. Write the name. The name is Teo.
   Teo
3. Write the answer.
   Teo

Check. Teo asked the Moon. ✓

Method. Find the speaker's name before the line.

1. Find the line. Careful! You might fall in. is the line.
   Careful!
2. Find the speaker. The name before it is MAYA.
   MAYA
3. Write the answer.
   MAYA

Check. MAYA speaks the line. ✓

Method. Read the direction, and explain its effect on the audience.

1. Find the direction. The direction is quietly, to herself.
   quietly, to herself
2. Explain the effect. The audience hears a private thought, not a line for the others.
   a private thought
3. Write the answer.
   The actor speaks softly, as if to herself, so the audience hears a private thought.

Check. The direction shows a private thought. ✓

Method. Use a clue from the text, and make a sensible prediction.

1. Find the clue. The cloud was soft and patient, and her pride hurt the sea.
   soft and patient
2. Make the prediction. She will shine more gently.
   shine more gently
3. Write the answer.
   She will shine more gently, because the cloud showed her that pride hurts others.

Check. The prediction uses a clue. ✓

Method. Name the short sentence, then explain its effect.

1. Find the short sentence. She struck a match is short.
   She struck a match
2. Explain the effect. The short sentence makes the reader pause and builds tension.
   pause and tension
3. Write the answer.
   She struck a match is a short sentence that makes the reader pause and builds tension.

Check. The short sentence builds tension. ✓

Method. Find the reason in the text.

1. Find the reason. After the cloud, the Moon chose to shine more gently.
   chose to shine more gently
2. Explain why. Her pride had hurt the sea, the stars and the hunters.
   pride had hurt
3. Write the answer.
   The Moon chose to shine gently after she realised her pride hurt the sea.

Check. The reason is in the text. ✓