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SATs practice · Year 6Chapter 9 · Full mixed practice paper
Year 6 · Chapter 9

Full mixed practice paper

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Work through a full practice paper in about 60 minutes, with a timing guide
  • Answer every type of question: retrieval, vocabulary, inference, prediction, language, fact and opinion, summary and comparison
  • Give the marks a question is worth, with the evidence needed
  • Check your answers against the practice mark scheme and the feedback sheet

You should already know

  • Chapters 1 to 8 of this book

Where this leads

  • Reading more widely, and writing answers that give evidence for every point

KS2 SATs practice for reading (Year 6). Original questions in the style of the national tests. Content: Retrieve information from a story and from an information text, using paragraphs and headings (Y5-6 reading, R1, R4, R11), Explain unfamiliar words in context, and infer feelings and motives, with evidence (Y5-6 reading, R4, R6), Predict, explain language and structure, and tell fact from opinion (Y5-6 reading, R7, R9, R10), Summarise the main points of a passage and of a text, and compare two texts on a shared point (Y5-6 reading, R8, R12).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite the word for the title above a section of a text. Write one word.
2
FWhich word is an adjective in this phrase: the first heavy drops of rain? Write the word only.
3
FWrite the word that means a sentence that shows what someone thinks, rather than a fact. Write one word.
4
FWrite the word that means to make a shorter version of a text that keeps its main points. Write one word.
5
FWrite the word that means a detail that helps you to guess what will happen next. Write one word.
9.1

Fiction: retrieval from The Jam Stall

Year 6
Retrieve information from a story, using its numbered paragraphs (Y5-6 reading, R1, R4)
Video lesson: Fiction: retrieval from The Jam StallComing soon

This is practice material, not the official test.

This paper was written for practice. It is not a real test paper. The marks, the timing and the question types are a practice guide only, and the mark scheme is a practice scheme.

Timing guide (practice only): about 60 minutes in all: 10 minutes to read both texts, about 45 minutes to answer, and 5 minutes to check your answers against the feedback sheet at the end.

Count rule for this paper: 50 numbered questions in six sections, a check-up of 10 questions, 10 practice test questions with marks from 1 to 4, and 5 warm-up questions. Parts marked with letters count as one numbered question.

Story. Hana runs a jam stall at a village fete. The weather changes suddenly, and a stranger helps her. Read the story once, then answer the questions. The paragraphs are numbered.

The Jam Stall

1Hana had been planning the jam stall for a week. On Saturday morning, she carried the crate of jars across the village green, and her brother Tomi trailed behind, complaining about the weight. The jars clinked together with every step.

2The fete was already busy. Balloons bobbed above the cake tent, and a man with a huge tuba was practising a tune that nobody could quite recognise. Children ran between the stalls with sticky fingers, and a dog barked at a passing bicycle. The air smelled of toffee and warm sugar.

3Hana set out her jars in rows: strawberry, damson and ginger, each with a label in her neat handwriting. Tomi arranged the prices on a card, although he kept misspelling the word ‘pence’. Hana checked each label twice, because she wanted every jar to look perfect.

4By eleven o’clock, nobody had bought a single jar. Hana began to feel small and foolish, as though the whole village had forgotten she was there. She wondered whether she should pack up early and go home.

5Then the sky turned the colour of slate. A cold wind swept across the green, and the first heavy drops of rain splashed onto the tablecloth. Somebody shouted from the cake tent, and the balloons began to tug at their strings. Hana felt the cold drops on her cheeks.

6Hana grabbed the nearest jars and tried to shelter them under a tent flap. Tomi tugged at the tablecloth, and two damson jars rolled onto the grass, but neither of them broke. Hana held her breath until the last jar was safely in her arms.

7A tall man in a green raincoat stepped forward and held the tent pole steady. ‘Quick,’ he said, ‘before the wind takes everything.’ He had a kind voice and a crooked smile, and he did not seem to mind getting wet. Later, Hana would remember the way his coat dripped onto the grass, and how he never once looked at his watch.

8When the shower passed, the stall was soaked but safe. The man bought three jars of strawberry jam, and then, to Hana’s surprise, he bought all the damson left over. ‘Your jam will keep the winter away,’ he said, and he walked off across the wet grass, whistling. Hana watched him go, and she realised that the day had turned out better than she had dared to hope.

Start here. Read the story and then the information text in the next sections. Spend about 10 minutes reading both texts before you answer any question.

Key ideas

  • A fact the text states is written in a paragraph, so you can find it.
  • Copy the words that answer the question, and check the paragraph number.
  • Read the question, then read the paragraph it refers to.
Worked example 9.1.1
Where did Hana carry the crate of jars? Copy the words from paragraph 1.

Method. Find paragraph 1, and copy the words that give the place.

  1. Find paragraph 1. Hana carried the crate across the village green.
    carried the crate of jars across the village green
  2. Find the place. The place is the village green.
    the village green
  3. Copy the words. The answer is across the village green.
    across the village green
  4. Write the answer.
    across the village green

Check. The paragraph gives the place. ✓

Worked example 9.1.2
What did the rain do to the tablecloth? Use paragraph 5.

Method. Find the detail about the rain in paragraph 5.

  1. Find paragraph 5. The first heavy drops of rain fell.
    the first heavy drops of rain
  2. Find what they did. The drops splashed onto the tablecloth.
    splashed onto the tablecloth
  3. Write the answer. The rain splashed onto it.
    splashed onto it
  4. Write the answer.
    splashed onto it

Check. The paragraph states this. ✓

Worked example 9.1.3
True or false: Tomi was the one who misspelled the word pence. Use paragraph 3.

Method. Check the detail in paragraph 3 against the statement.

  1. Find the evidence. Tomi kept misspelling the word pence.
    kept misspelling the word
  2. Compare with the statement. The statement says the same thing.
    Tomi misspelled pence
  3. Write the answer. The statement is true.
    True
  4. Write the answer.
    True

Check. The paragraph states this. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a paragraph may mention a person without answering the question. Read the whole paragraph.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read one paragraph and to say the one fact in it that a question might ask about.

Exercise 9A  Practice: retrieval from the story

1
FWhere did Hana carry the crate of jars? Copy the words from paragraph 1.[1 mark]
2
FWhat instrument was the man practising? Copy the words from paragraph 2.[1 mark]
3
FWhat did Tomi misspell? Choose one: the word pence / the word damson / the word jam.[1 mark]
4
FWhat had nobody done by eleven o’clock? Copy the words from paragraph 4.[1 mark]
5
FWhat was the colour of the sky before the rain fell? Choose one: the colour of slate / bright yellow / pale pink.[1 mark]
6
FWhich two items rolled onto the grass? Copy the words from paragraph 6.[1 mark]
7
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: The man in the green raincoat wanted to be left alone.[2 marks]
8
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Hana bought all the damson jars for herself.[2 marks]
9.2

Fiction: vocabulary and inference

Year 6
Explain unfamiliar words in context, and infer feelings and motives, with evidence (Y5-6 reading, R4, R6)
Video lesson: Fiction: vocabulary and inferenceComing soon
Story. Hana feels small and foolish when nobody buys her jam. The writer does not say everything, so you must infer how Hana and the stranger feel and think.

An inference is a sensible conclusion from the evidence in a paragraph. Give the evidence, as well as the inference.

Key ideas

  • Read the words around an unfamiliar word, and test each meaning.
  • An inference needs evidence from the paragraph.
  • Choose the inference that the evidence supports best.
Worked example 9.2.1
What does shelter mean in tried to shelter them under a tent flap?

Method. Test each meaning against the paragraph.

  1. Read the sentence. Hana tries to put the jars under a tent flap as it rains.
    as it rains
  2. Test the meaning. Shelter means keep safe from weather.
    keep safe from weather
  3. Choose the meaning. It means protect from the rain.
    protect from the rain
  4. Write the answer.
    protect from the rain

Check. The meaning fits the rain. ✓

Worked example 9.2.2
How does Hana feel at eleven o’clock? Use paragraph 4 as evidence.

Method. Use the evidence in paragraph 4.

  1. Find the evidence. The whole village seemed to have forgotten her.
    forgotten she was there
  2. Work out the feeling. Being forgotten makes someone feel ignored and lonely.
    ignored and lonely
  3. Write the inference. Hana feels ignored and lonely.
    ignored and lonely
  4. Write the answer.
    ignored and lonely

Check. The evidence supports the inference. ✓

Worked example 9.2.3
What does the man’s kind voice suggest about him? Use paragraph 7.

Method. Look at what the man says and does.

  1. Find the evidence. He has a kind voice and held the tent pole steady.
    a kind voice
  2. Work out the inference. His actions show he wants to help Hana.
    wants to help
  3. Write the inference. He is kind and wants to help.
    he is kind and wants to help
  4. Write the answer.
    he is kind and wants to help

Check. The actions and voice support it. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an inference is not the same as a statement in the text. Give the evidence, and say what it suggests.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child why a character might do something, and to point to the sentence that makes them think so.

Exercise 9B  Practice: vocabulary and inference

1
FWhat does bobbed mean in this sentence: Balloons bobbed above the cake tent Choose one: bounced up and down gently / fell to the ground / shouted loudly.[1 mark]
2
FWhat does shelter mean in this sentence: tried to shelter them under a tent flap Choose one: protect from the rain / sell at the stall / hide from view.[1 mark]
3
FWhat does crooked mean in this sentence: a crooked smile Choose one: bent or twisted / very straight / hidden.[1 mark]
4
FWrite one word that could replace soaked in this sentence, without changing its meaning: the stall was soaked but safe[1 mark]
5
FWhat does the sentence as though the whole village had forgotten she was there suggest about how Hana feels? Choose one: she feels ignored and lonely / she is bored with the fete / she is proud of her jam.[2 marks]
6
FWhy does Hana try to shelter the jars? Copy one phrase from paragraph 6 as evidence.[2 marks]
7
FWhat does the man’s offer to hold the tent pole suggest about him? Choose one: he is kind and wants to help / he wants to sell his own jam / he is angry with the rain.[2 marks]
8
PSWhy might the man buy all the damson jars left over? Choose one: he wants to be kind and support Hana / he wants to sell them at a higher price / he is looking for a bigger stall.[2 marks]
9
PSWhat does the line walked off across the wet grass, whistling suggest about the man at the end?[2 marks]
9.3

Fiction: language, structure and prediction

Year 6
Explain the effect of language and structure, and predict what will happen from clues (Y5-6 reading, R7, R9)
Video lesson: Fiction: language, structure and predictionComing soon
Story. The writer uses images, a change of weather, and short sentences to make the reader feel the change in the story.

Name the language, and say what it makes the reader picture or feel. A structure choice, such as a sudden change, can also have an effect.

Key ideas

  • Name the language or structure, then explain its effect on the reader.
  • A prediction must be based on a clue in the text.
  • A short sentence after a longer one can stress a moment.
Worked example 9.3.1
Explain the effect of the sky turned the colour of slate (paragraph 5).

Method. Look at the colour and what it suggests.

  1. Find the language. The sky is compared to a colour of slate.
    the colour of slate
  2. Think about what slate looks like. Slate is a dark grey, so the sky looks gloomy.
    dark grey
  3. Explain the effect. The reader expects rain and trouble.
    expects rain and trouble
  4. Write the answer.
    it shows the weather is turning grey and gloomy, so the reader expects rain

Check. The effect on the reader is explained. ✓

Worked example 9.3.2
What is most likely to happen next after neither of them broke (paragraph 6)? Give a reason.

Method. Use the clue in paragraph 6.

  1. Find the clue. The jars did not break.
    neither of them broke
  2. Think about what it means. Safe jars mean the stall still has something to sell.
    something to sell
  3. Make the prediction. The stall can carry on.
    carry on
  4. Write the answer.
    the stall can carry on, because the jars are safe

Check. The clue supports the prediction. ✓

Worked example 9.3.3
Explain the effect of a kind voice and a crooked smile (paragraph 7).

Method. Name the language, then explain the picture it makes.

  1. Find the language. The man has a kind voice and a crooked smile.
    a kind voice
  2. Explain the picture. A kind voice and a warm smile suggest a friendly man.
    friendly man
  3. Explain the effect. The reader trusts him, as Hana does.
    trusts him
  4. Write the answer.
    he seems friendly and warm, so the reader trusts him

Check. The effect is explained. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a prediction without a clue is a guess. Always point to the paragraph that gives your clue.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say what happens next in a story, and which sentence gave the clue.

Exercise 9C  Practice: language, structure and prediction

1
FExplain the effect of the phrase the sky turned the colour of slate. Explain what effect it has on the reader. Write one or two sentences.[2 marks]
2
FWhy does the writer use the short sentence By eleven o’clock, nobody had bought a single jar.? Choose one: to show the stall is failing / to describe the weather / to show the fete is ending.[2 marks]
3
FExplain the effect of the image balloons bobbed above the cake tent. Explain what effect it has on the reader. Write one or two sentences.[2 marks]
4
PSWhich structure choice shows that the weather has suddenly changed? Choose one: Then the sky turned the colour of slate. / Hana had been planning the stall for a week. / The fete was already busy..[2 marks]
5
PSHana and Tomi have tried to protect the jars. Which outcome is most likely? Choose one: the jars are still safe, so the stall can carry on / all the jars will be lost / Hana will close the stall for ever.[2 marks]
6
RExplain the effect of the phrase a kind voice and a crooked smile. Explain what effect it has on the reader. Write one or two sentences.[3 marks]
7
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: The stall was soaked but safe at the end of the story.[1 mark]
8
PSPredict what Hana will do with the money from the jam. Give a reason from paragraph 8.[3 marks]
9.4

Information text: retrieval, fact and opinion

Year 6
Retrieve information from headings and paragraphs, and tell fact from opinion (Y5-6 reading, R10, R11)
Video lesson: Information text: retrieval, fact and opinionComing soon
Story. A geography club reads an information text about floods and rivers. Each heading tells you what the section covers. The club must tell which sentences are facts and which are opinions.

Floods and rivers

What is a floodplain?

A floodplain is the flat land beside a river. When a river rises after heavy rain, the water spreads across this land. The soil in a floodplain is often rich, because each flood leaves behind a layer of fine silt. Farmers have long valued these fields, because the water that spreads across them brings nutrients with it.

Why do rivers flood?

Rivers flood when more water arrives than the channel can carry. Heavy rain falls on hills and fields, and it runs quickly into streams. In towns, concrete and tarmac stop the water soaking into the ground, so more of it flows into rivers. Winter storms and melting snow can also raise a river quickly, especially after a long spell of wet weather.

Protecting homes

People protect homes in different ways. Some build high walls along the riverbank, while others create washlands, which are areas of land where water can spread safely. Many communities also have flood warnings, so that people can move their belongings in time. Some areas use barriers that can be raised before a flood, so that the water is held back for a while.

Staying safe

If a flood warning is issued, people should move to higher ground and avoid walking or driving through moving water. Even shallow water can be dangerous, because it can knock a person off their feet.

Living with floods

Floods are natural, but they can be dangerous. Scientists study past floods to predict how high the water may rise. The best approach is often to work with the river, rather than against it, by letting it spread in safe places. Local people often know the land best, and their knowledge can help planners decide where the water should go.

A fact can be checked. An opinion shows what someone thinks or believes. Look for words such as best and believe.

Key ideas

  • Use the headings to find the right section.
  • A fact can be checked; an opinion shows a judgement.
  • Copy the exact words when the question asks for them.
Worked example 9.4.1
What is a floodplain? Copy the words that define it.

Method. Find the heading and the definition under it.

  1. Find the heading. The heading is What is a floodplain?
    What is a floodplain?
  2. Find the definition. A floodplain is the flat land beside a river.
    A floodplain is the flat land beside a river.
  3. Copy the words. The words that define it are the flat land beside a river.
    the flat land beside a river
  4. Write the answer.
    the flat land beside a river

Check. The text gives the definition. ✓

Worked example 9.4.2
Is this a fact or an opinion? The best approach is often to work with the river. Write Fact or Opinion.

Method. Look for a judgement word such as best.

  1. Look for the judgement. Best is a judgement.
    The best approach
  2. Ask if it can be checked. It is a view of what works, so it is an opinion.
    a view
  3. Write the answer. It is an opinion.
    Opinion
  4. Write the answer.
    Opinion

Check. Best shows a judgement. ✓

Worked example 9.4.3
True, false or can’t tell: Washlands are areas where water can spread safely.

Method. Find the detail in the text and compare it.

  1. Find the evidence. Washlands are areas of land where water can spread safely.
    areas of land where water can spread safely
  2. Compare with the statement. The statement says the same thing.
    same thing
  3. Write the answer. The statement is true.
    True
  4. Write the answer.
    True

Check. The text states this. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a statement can be true in real life but not stated in this text. Use only the text.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read a heading and predict what the section will say, then to check it.

Exercise 9D  Practice: information text, fact and opinion

1
FWhat does the text say a floodplain is? Copy the words.[1 mark]
2
FWhat leaves a layer of silt? Copy the words.[1 mark]
3
FWhat happens when more water arrives than the channel can carry? Choose one: they flood / they dry up / they freeze.[1 mark]
4
FWhat stops water soaking into the ground in towns? Copy the words.[1 mark]
5
FWhich protection uses areas where water can spread safely? Choose one: high walls / washlands / flood warnings.[2 marks]
6
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Floods are always harmful.[2 marks]
7
FIs this sentence a fact or an opinion? Write one: The best approach is often to work with the river, rather than against it.[2 marks]
8
PSIs this sentence a fact or an opinion? Write one: Scientists study past floods to predict how high the water may rise.[2 marks]
9
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Washlands are areas where water can spread safely.[1 mark]
9.5

Information text: vocabulary and summary

Year 6
Explain unfamiliar words in context, and summarise the main points of a text (Y5-6 reading, R4, R8)
Video lesson: Information text: vocabulary and summaryComing soon
Story. The club must explain some words from the text, and write a short summary of one paragraph and of the whole text.

A summary keeps the main idea and the key details, in order. Leave out minor details and repetition, and keep to the word limit.

Key ideas

  • A summary keeps the main idea and the key details.
  • Leave out minor details and repetition.
  • Count the words, and keep to the limit.
Worked example 9.5.1
What does silt mean in a layer of fine silt? Choose the meaning: fine grains of mud and sand.

Method. Test the meaning against the sentence.

  1. Read the sentence. Silt is left behind by water in a layer.
    a layer of fine silt
  2. Test the meaning. A layer of fine grains is like mud or sand.
    fine grains
  3. Choose the meaning. Silt is fine grains of mud and sand.
    fine grains of mud and sand
  4. Write the answer.
    fine grains of mud and sand

Check. The meaning fits the layer. ✓

Worked example 9.5.2
Summarise the paragraph Why do rivers flood? in 15 to 25 words.

Method. Give the main idea and the key details.

  1. Find the main idea. Rivers flood when more water arrives.
    Rivers flood
  2. Add the key detail. Towns stop water soaking into the ground.
    stopping water soaking into the ground
  3. Count the words. The summary has 24 words, which is within 15 to 25.
    24 words
  4. Write the answer.
    Rivers flood when they carry more water than their channel can hold, and towns make this worse by stopping water soaking into the ground.

Check. The summary is within the limit. ✓

Worked example 9.5.3
Explain what predict means in to predict how high the water may rise.

Method. Use the words around the bold word.

  1. Find the clue. Scientists study past floods to work out the water level.
    study past floods
  2. Explain the meaning. To predict means to say what will happen in the future.
    what will happen
  3. Write the meaning. It means to work out what will happen.
    work out what will happen
  4. Write the answer.
    to say what will happen in the future

Check. The explanation fits the sentence. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a summary must not copy whole sentences. Use fewer words and your own phrases.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say the main point of each heading in one sentence.

Exercise 9E  Practice: vocabulary and summary

1
FWhat does silt mean in this sentence: leaves behind a layer of fine silt Choose one: fine grains of mud and sand / large stones / dry leaves.[1 mark]
2
FWhat does channel mean in this sentence: than the channel can carry Choose one: a narrow path for water to flow / a television station / a type of boat.[1 mark]
3
FWrite one word that could replace protect in this sentence, without changing its meaning: People protect homes in different ways[1 mark]
4
FWhat does predict mean in this sentence: to predict how high the water may rise Choose one: say what will happen in the future / remember the past / count the rain drops.[1 mark]
5
FWrite one word that could replace dangerous in this sentence, without changing its meaning: Floods are natural, but they can be dangerous[1 mark]
6
PSSummarise the whole information text in 25 to 35 words. Use your own words, and keep to 25 to 35 words.[3 marks]
7
FWhat does belongings mean in this sentence: move their belongings in time Choose one: their possessions / their families / their pets.[1 mark]
8
PSSummarise the heading section Protecting homes in 15 to 25 words. Use your own words, and keep to 15 to 25 words.[2 marks]
9.6

Comparing the texts and the whole paper

Year 6
Compare two texts on a shared point, and summarise the main points of the paper (Y5-6 reading, R8, R12)
Video lesson: Comparing the texts and the whole paperComing soon
Story. The club compares the story and the information text. Both texts mention heavy weather, so the club finds a shared point and a difference.

A shared point must be true of both texts. A difference is a way the texts are not the same.

Key ideas

  • A shared point must be true of both texts, with evidence from each.
  • A difference is a way the two texts are not the same.
  • Use the headings and paragraph numbers to find your evidence.
Worked example 9.6.1
Name one shared point about heavy weather in both texts.

Method. Find heavy weather in each text, and say what it causes.

  1. Find the story’s evidence. Heavy rain splashes onto the tablecloth and the jars are at risk.
    the first heavy drops of rain
  2. Find the text’s evidence. Heavy rain can run into streams and rivers and cause floods.
    Heavy rain falls on hills and fields
  3. Name the shared point. Both texts show heavy weather causing trouble.
    causing trouble
  4. Write the answer.
    heavy weather can cause trouble

Check. Both texts make this point. ✓

Worked example 9.6.2
Name one difference between the two texts.

Method. Think about the purpose of each text.

  1. Look at the story. The story follows Hana through a day.
    Hana had been planning
  2. Look at the text. The text explains what floods are and why they happen.
    A floodplain is the flat land
  3. Name the difference. The story is told as events; the text explains facts.
    events; facts
  4. Write the answer.
    the story is a narrative, while the text explains facts

Check. The difference is about purpose. ✓

Worked example 9.6.3
Which heading in the information text is the last one? Write the heading.

Method. Read the headings in order, and find the last one.

  1. Read the headings. The headings run from What is a floodplain? to Living with floods.
    Living with floods
  2. Find the last heading. The last heading is the one after Staying safe.
    after Staying safe
  3. Write the heading. The last heading is Living with floods.
    Living with floods
  4. Write the answer.
    Living with floods

Check. The last heading is Living with floods. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a shared point is not a shared word. Two texts can use a word and still say different things.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to compare the two texts in one sentence, using a word from each.

Exercise 9F  Practice: comparing the texts

1
PSName one shared point about heavy weather in both texts. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
2
RName one difference between the two texts. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
3
FWhich word is used in both texts to describe the rain? Write the word.[1 mark]
4
RWhich sentence best summarises the whole story? Choose one: Hana gives up her stall after a storm. / Hana’s stall survives a sudden storm, helped by a kind stranger who buys her jam. / Tomi runs the stall alone all day..[2 marks]
5
FIn the information text, which heading comes last? Write the heading.[1 mark]
6
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Scientists study past floods to predict how high the water may rise.[1 mark]
7
PSSummarise paragraphs 5 and 6 of the story in 20 to 30 words. Use your own words, and keep to 20 to 30 words.[3 marks]
8
FRead the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Tomi tried to help Hana protect the jars.[1 mark]

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Retrieval (sections 9.1, 9.4)Find the fact in its paragraph or under its heading; copy the words that answer the question.
Vocabulary (sections 9.2, 9.5)Read the words around the word and test each meaning in the sentence.
Inference and prediction (sections 9.2, 9.3)Give the evidence from the paragraph, and say what it suggests or makes likely.
Language and structure (section 9.3)Name the device or structure, and explain its effect on the reader.
Fact and opinion (section 9.4)A fact can be checked; an opinion shows what someone thinks or believes.
Summary (sections 9.5, 9.6)Main idea and key details, in order, within the word limit.
Comparison (section 9.6)A shared point is true of both texts, with evidence from each.

Can you…?

  • I can find facts in a story and an information text, and copy the evidence
  • I can explain unfamiliar words from their context
  • I can infer feelings and motives, and predict what will happen, with evidence
  • I can explain the effect of language and structure on the reader
  • I can tell fact from opinion, and judge statements against the text
  • I can summarise a passage within a word limit
  • I can compare two texts on a shared point, with evidence from each

Key terms

inference
a sensible conclusion from the evidence in the text
floodplain
the flat land beside a river that floods when the river rises
washlands
areas of land where water can spread safely
silt
fine grains of mud and sand left behind by water
fact
a statement that can be checked and proved
opinion
what someone thinks or believes
summary
a short version of a text that keeps the main points

Exercise 9Z  Check-up

1
What did Hana write her labels in? Copy the words from paragraph 3.
2
What did the man say the jam would do? Choose one: keep the winter away / cure a cold / make the stall famous.
3
Read the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: Silt is a kind of rock.
4
What does weight mean in this sentence: complaining about the weight Choose one: heaviness / colour / height.
5
What does Tomi’s misspelling suggest about him? Choose one: he is young and still learning / he is very clever / he is angry.
6
Explain the effect of as though the whole village had forgotten she was there. Explain what effect it has on the reader. Write one or two sentences.
7
Summarise paragraph 7 in 15 to 25 words. Use your own words, and keep to 15 to 25 words.
8
Is this sentence a fact or an opinion? Write one: Floods are natural, but they can be dangerous.
9
Read the statement. Write True, False or Can’t tell: The two damson jars broke when they rolled.
10
What does the text say is the best approach to floods? Choose one: to work with the river / to build a wall around the whole country / to ignore the water.

Total 23 marks. Allow about 23 minutes.

Exercise 9X  SATs-style questions

1
FA story says: Hana had been planning the jam stall for a week. How long had Hana been planning? Write the words.[1 mark]
2
FA story says: two damson jars rolled onto the grass, but neither of them broke. Did any jar break? Write Yes or No.[1 mark]
3
FA text says: A floodplain is the flat land beside a river. What is a floodplain? Write the words from the text.[1 mark]
4
PSA story says: Then the sky turned the colour of slate. Which is the best inference about the weather? Choose one: the weather is turning stormy / the weather is hot and sunny / the weather is very calm.[2 marks]
5
FA text says: Rivers flood when more water arrives than the channel can carry. Explain in your own words why a river floods.[2 marks]
6
RA text says: The best approach is often to work with the river, rather than against it. Is this a fact or an opinion? Write one word, and give one reason.[2 marks]
7
RA story says: He had a kind voice and a crooked smile, and he did not seem to mind getting wet. What does this suggest about the man? Explain, using both quotations.[3 marks]
8
PSA text says: A floodplain is the flat land beside a river. When a river rises after heavy rain, the water spreads across this land. Summarise these two sentences in 15 to 25 words.[3 marks]
9
RA story says: the stall was soaked but safe. A text says: Floods are natural, but they can be dangerous. Explain how both texts show that weather can cause problems, using both quotations.[4 marks]
10
RA story says: Hana began to feel small and foolish, as though the whole village had forgotten she was there. Explain how the writer makes the reader feel Hana’s loneliness, using one language or structure feature from the story.[4 marks]
← Chapter 8: Practice paper: non-fiction and poetry

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