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Comprehension ExerciseYear 4Level 1 · Easier

Free Year 4 Possum in the Roof — Reading Comprehension

Jack is sure there is a monster in the roof, until he meets it face to face. Students answer literal and inferential questions, explore how a character's feelings change, and work out word meanings from context. A warm, funny story with a satisfying ending.

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Year
Year 4
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 1 · Easier
Estimated time
25 minutes
Curriculum
New Zealand Curriculum
Questions
13
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4) + print

Students will practise

  • recalling key events from a story
  • inferring characters' motives and feelings
  • tracking how a character changes
  • using context clues to work out word meanings

Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Possum in the Roof — Reading Comprehension

  1. 1Every Child Should Learn to Swim — Reading Comprehension
  2. 2How to Grow a Bean Plant in a Jar — Reading Comprehension
  3. 3Finding Nouns in Sentences
  4. 4Conjunctions: and, but, so, because

How to use this comprehension exercise

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this comprehension exercise for?

Year 4 students (typically ages 8–9) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 1 · easier.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 25 minutes for 13 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Every Child Should Learn to Swim — Reading Comprehension.

Preview

Year 4 · English · Reading Comprehension

Possum in the Roof — Reading Comprehension

Success Tutoring

Student name:

Date:

Score: /

Read the story twice before you begin. Answer in full sentences where you can.

Part A — Right there in the text

Find each answer in the story.

1.What time did the scratching begin every night?[1 mark]
2.Who thought the noise was a monster?[1 mark]
  1. AMia
  2. BJack
  3. CDad
  4. DNan
3.What kind of possum did Mia say it was?[1 mark]
4.Where did Jack see the possum?[1 mark]
  1. Aon the roof
  2. Bin the wardrobe
  3. Cin the lemon tree
  4. Din the gum tree
5.What two things did Dad do to fix the problem?[2 marks]

Part B — Reading between the lines

Use clues from the story to explain your answers in a full sentence.

6.Why did Jack wait with a torch under the blanket?[2 marks]
7.Why did Jack laugh so loudly?[2 marks]
8.Why did Dad block the hole under the roof tiles?[2 marks]
9.How do you know Mia likes to feel clever? Find a clue in the story.[2 marks]
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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    Every Child Should Learn to Swim — Reading Comprehension

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    Time
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    Questions
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    Answers
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    A procedure for sprouting a bean seed against the glass of a jar so children can watch roots and shoots appear. Students read a materials…

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Reading Comprehension in other year levels

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.