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Year 5 English — Reading and putting events in order

Answer questions about a short passage and put what happened back into the order the passage gives.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.In the kite passage, what did Nila fetch from the shed? Answer in one or two words.

  2. 2.Read this passage. "A tailorbird builds a nest most people walk straight past. It chooses one large green leaf and pierces small holes along its edges with its beak. Then it draws the edges together, stitching them with plant fibre. Inside the pocket it has made, it lays a soft lining of grass. From the path, the nest looks like nothing but a folded leaf." Why do people walk past the nest without noticing it?

    • a) It looks like a folded leaf.
    • b) It is smaller than a coin.
    • c) It is built very high up.
    • d) It is only built at night.

  3. 3.Read this passage. "On Sunday Nila found a kite tangled in the neem tree outside her house. She fetched a long bamboo pole from the shed and lifted the kite free. The paper was torn, so she carried it inside and mended it with glue and a strip of newspaper. By evening the kite was flying again, higher than the rooftops." Pair each question with its answer.

    • Where was the kite stuck?
    • What did Nila use to reach it?
    • What was wrong with the kite?
    • When was it flying again?
    • a long bamboo pole
    • by evening
    • in the neem tree
    • the paper was torn

  4. 4.In the tailorbird passage, which word means the same as "pierces"?

    • a) paints
    • b) carries away
    • c) folds over
    • d) makes holes in

  5. 5.Read this passage. "On Sunday Nila found a kite tangled in the neem tree outside her house. She fetched a long bamboo pole from the shed and lifted the kite free. The paper was torn, so she carried it inside and mended it with glue and a strip of newspaper. By evening the kite was flying again, higher than the rooftops." Sort each statement by whether the passage says it.

    Groups: The passage says this · The passage does not say this

    • Nila bought a new kite from the market.
    • The kite was tangled in a neem tree.
    • The paper of the kite was torn.
    • The kite was flying again by evening.
    • Nila reached the kite with a bamboo pole.
    • The kite belonged to Nila's brother.

  6. 6.In the kite passage, what did Nila do straight after she lifted the kite free?

    • a) She flew it above the rooftops.
    • b) She carried it inside and mended it.
    • c) She climbed the neem tree.
    • d) She fetched a bamboo pole.

  7. 7.Which sentence best gives the main idea of the kite passage?

    • a) Kites are made of paper and string.
    • b) Bamboo poles are useful in a garden.
    • c) Nila lives next to a neem tree.
    • d) Nila found a damaged kite and got it flying again.

  8. 8.Read this passage. "A tailorbird builds a nest most people walk straight past. It chooses one large green leaf and pierces small holes along its edges with its beak. Then it draws the edges together, stitching them with plant fibre. Inside the pocket it has made, it lays a soft lining of grass. From the path, the nest looks like nothing but a folded leaf." Put the steps in the order the passage gives them.

    • It stitches the edges together with plant fibre.
    • It lays a soft lining of grass inside.
    • The bird chooses one large green leaf.
    • It pierces small holes along the edges.

Answer key — Year 5 English — Reading and putting events in order

  1. 1.
    • pole
    • bamboo pole
    • a pole
    • a bamboo pole
  2. 2. a) It looks like a folded leaf.
  3. 3. Where was the kite stuck? → in the neem tree; What did Nila use to reach it? → a long bamboo pole; What was wrong with the kite? → the paper was torn; When was it flying again? → by evening
  4. 4. d) makes holes in
  5. 5. The kite was tangled in a neem tree. → The passage says this; Nila reached the kite with a bamboo pole. → The passage says this; The kite belonged to Nila's brother. → The passage does not say this; The paper of the kite was torn. → The passage says this; Nila bought a new kite from the market. → The passage does not say this; The kite was flying again by evening. → The passage says this
  6. 6. b) She carried it inside and mended it.
  7. 7. d) Nila found a damaged kite and got it flying again.
  8. 8. 1. The bird chooses one large green leaf. 2. It pierces small holes along the edges. 3. It stitches the edges together with plant fibre. 4. It lays a soft lining of grass inside.