Grade 5 Reading comprehension worksheet

What is on the worksheet

1. Labels for the seed swap At a school seed swap, Pavi noticed three envelopes labelled simply flowers. The owners could describe the plants but did not know their names. Pavi made a second label with the colour, height and place where each plant had grown. She also wrote name unknown. A visitor said the descriptions were useful, but they should not be treated as certain plant identifications. The class kept the uncertain envelopes separate from packets with reliable names and growing instructions. Why did Pavi write name unknown?

   1. to claim a scientific identification
   2. to make the uncertainty clear
   3. to pretend the plants had no features
   4. to change their colour

2. The tired gate groaned is an example of

   1. a table heading
   2. numerical proof
   3. personification
   4. a direct quotation of data

3. The audio labels A small museum replaces some long wall labels with short summaries and optional audio. Visitors who prefer reading can still request the full text. The first feedback form receives praise for the shorter labels, but almost all replies come from people who used the audio. Staff decide to ask non-audio users and visitors with different access needs before extending the change. Why do staff seek people with different access needs?

4. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? A narrative shift to events earlier than the current story time.

   1. Flashback
   2. Protagonist
   3. Mood
   4. Climax

5. The shortest route Two routes connect a school and a sports centre. The riverside path is 1.2 km but includes steps. The street route is 1.6 km and has controlled crossings and a continuous step-free surface. A class trip includes a student using a wheelchair. The group chooses the street route and allows extra travel time rather than treating distance as the only measure of a suitable route. How much longer is the street route in km?

6. Two clocks at the station The hall clock showed 10:12, but the platform clock showed 10:17. Arun's train was listed for 10:20. He was tempted to trust the hall clock because it gave him more time. Instead, he checked the station's current information display and asked a staff member. The platform clock was correct; the hall clock had stopped briefly after a power fault. Arun reached the platform without running. Later he noted that the more convenient answer had not been the more reliable one. Which conclusion best expresses the ending?

   1. A preferred answer still needs reliable checking.
   2. Running is the only solution.
   3. The earliest clock is always correct.
   4. All station clocks are unreliable.

7. The folded bridge Sana and Theo tested paper bridges between two equal stacks of books. They first laid a flat sheet across the gap. It bent under three counters. Theo wanted thicker paper, but Sana suggested folding another sheet of the same paper into pleats. They kept the gap and the counters the same. The folded bridge held nine counters before bending. Their note said that the folded design held more counters in this test. They did not claim that every folded shape would always be stronger. What did the pupils deliberately change?

   1. the paper's folded shape
   2. the counter material
   3. the book titles
   4. the gap and paper type

8. The folded bridge Sana and Theo tested paper bridges between two equal stacks of books. They first laid a flat sheet across the gap. It bent under three counters. Theo wanted thicker paper, but Sana suggested folding another sheet of the same paper into pleats. They kept the gap and the counters the same. The folded bridge held nine counters before bending. Their note said that the folded design held more counters in this test. They did not claim that every folded shape would always be stronger. What is the difference between the two reported counter counts?

9. Two ways to count At noon, Sam counts 14 people using a shaded bench and 4 using an unshaded one. Sam says everyone prefers shade. Jo points out that the unshaded bench has only four seats and the shaded area includes several benches. They agree to record the number of available seats and repeat the count at other times. Why is Sam’s conclusion too strong?

10. Seed packets A class has 6 packets with 15 seeds each. It plants 54 seeds and divides the remaining seeds equally among 4 groups. How many seeds were there at first?

11. Two model bridges Ravi made two paper bridges of the same length using the same paper. One was flat; the other was folded into an accordion shape. He added equal coins one at a time. The folded bridge held more coins. Ravi repeated the comparison before writing down his conclusion. Why was repeating the comparison useful?

12. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? Descriptive language that evokes sensory experience.

    1. Symbol
    2. Summary
    3. Imagery
    4. Foreshadowing

13. The folded bridge Sana and Theo tested paper bridges between two equal stacks of books. They first laid a flat sheet across the gap. It bent under three counters. Theo wanted thicker paper, but Sana suggested folding another sheet of the same paper into pleats. They kept the gap and the counters the same. The folded bridge held nine counters before bending. Their note said that the folded design held more counters in this test. They did not claim that every folded shape would always be stronger. Which next step would best strengthen their comparison?

    1. Change every factor at once.
    2. Repeat both designs under the same conditions.
    3. Hide the flat result.
    4. Use unrelated materials without recording them.

14. Leo planted a seed in a pot and watered it. A week later, a green shoot appeared. What happened after Leo watered the seed?

    1. A green shoot appeared
    2. The pot disappeared
    3. It snowed indoors
    4. He bought a bicycle

15. The watering list The seedlings beside Room Four drooped on Monday. Each pupil thought someone else had watered them over the weekend. The class made a roster with a named person for each day and a box to tick after checking the soil. The teacher warned them not to water merely because a box was empty; the soil might still be wet. The following week, the roster showed who had checked the plants, and the notes explained whether water had been added. What was checked before deciding whether to add water?

16. The second pond count On Tuesday, a class counted twelve visible frogs around a pond. On Friday, they saw seven. Tomas said five frogs must have left. Aisha pointed out that Friday was cooler and that they had watched for only half as long. Some frogs might also have been hidden. The class changed its report to say that fewer frogs were observed on Friday. They planned another count using the same viewing points and observation length, while recording the weather. Why record weather even if it cannot be kept identical?

17. The repair table At a community repair table, volunteers placed objects in three trays: ready to repair, needs more information, and cannot be repaired here. A visitor disliked the third label, saying it sounded like failure. The coordinator explained that some items needed specialist tools or expertise the volunteers did not have. Pretending otherwise could damage the object or create risk. The group kept the tray but added a note explaining possible next steps. Visitors now received a clear reason instead of an unexplained refusal. Why could pretending to repair every item be harmful?

18. The repair table At a community repair table, volunteers placed objects in three trays: ready to repair, needs more information, and cannot be repaired here. A visitor disliked the third label, saying it sounded like failure. The coordinator explained that some items needed specialist tools or expertise the volunteers did not have. Pretending otherwise could damage the object or create risk. The group kept the tray but added a note explaining possible next steps. Visitors now received a clear reason instead of an unexplained refusal. Which tray fits an object whose owner cannot explain the fault?

    1. no tray is possible
    2. needs more information
    3. ready to repair automatically
    4. repaired already

19. Reading and literary analysis: which term fits this description? A meaningful contrast between what is expected, stated or understood and what actually occurs or is meant.

    1. Antagonist
    2. Inference
    3. Irony
    4. Theme

20. Which question asks for evidence?

    1. What is your favourite colour?
    2. Which words support your interpretation?
    3. Do you like the character?
    4. How long is your pencil?