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Comprehension ExerciseYear 5Level 1 · Easier

Free Year 5 The Night the Power Went Out — Reading Comprehension

A warm narrative about a family whose evening changes when a storm cuts the power. Students track events in order, infer how characters feel from what they do and say, notice how the writer uses sound and light to build atmosphere, and write their own ending. Suits readers moving from simple stories to richer description.

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Year
Year 5
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 1 · Easier
Estimated time
25 minutes
Curriculum
New Zealand Curriculum
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4) + print

Students will practise

  • sequencing events in a narrative
  • inferring characters' feelings from actions and dialogue
  • noticing descriptive language for sound and light
  • writing a narrative scene with description

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

What's next?

Completed: The Night the Power Went Out — Reading Comprehension

  1. 1School Camp Diary — Reading Comprehension
  2. 2Apostrophes for Contractions
  3. 3Adverbs: How, When and Where

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 5 students (typically ages 9–10) 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 14 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 School Camp Diary — Reading Comprehension.

Preview

Year 5 · English · Reading Comprehension

The Night the Power Went Out — Reading Comprehension

Success Tutoring

Student name:

Date:

Score: /

Read the story twice. Then answer the questions, quoting the text where you can.

Part A — Right there in the text

Find each answer in the story.

1.What was Priya doing when the power went out?[1 mark]
2.Where did the children find the candles?[1 mark]
  1. Ain the kitchen drawer
  2. Bin the cupboard under the stairs
  3. Cin Arun's bedroom
  4. Din the garage
3.List three things the children found in the cupboard.[1 mark]
4.What did Dad stand the candles in?[1 mark]
5.How did Mum heat the milk for hot chocolate?[1 mark]
  1. Ain the microwave
  2. Bon the gas stove
  3. Cover a candle
  4. Dshe didn't; it was cold
6.What time did the lights come back on?[1 mark]

Part B — Reading between the lines

Use evidence from the story to explain your answers.

7.How did Arun feel at the start of the blackout? Give two clues from the text.[2 marks]
8.Why do you think Priya said 'Let's find the candles' instead of waiting for Dad?[2 marks]
9.Why did Arun groan when the lights came back on?[2 marks]
10.What does the last line tell you about Priya?[2 marks]
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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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.