Study Guide
Reading Comprehension Strategies
Explains the three kinds of comprehension questions (literal, inferential and evaluative) and the strategies good readers use before,…
- Difficulty
- Level 2 · Standard
- Time
- 20 min
Comprehension ExerciseYear 6Level 2 · Standard
Free Year 6 Matariki — Reading Comprehension
An information text about Matariki, the star cluster whose rising in midwinter marks the Māori New Year and, since 2022, a public holiday in Aotearoa New Zealand. Students find facts, explain the three ideas at the heart of Matariki and use the text to explain why the holiday date changes each year.
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- Year
- Year 6
- Subject
- English
- Topic
- Reading Comprehension
- Difficulty
- Level 2 · Standard
- Estimated time
- 25 minutes
- Curriculum
- New Zealand Curriculum
- Questions
- 11
- Answers
- Included, with working
- Format
- PDF (A4) + print
Students will practise
- locating and summarising information
- explaining ideas in your own words
- using context to work out vocabulary
- writing a short explanation
Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
What's next?
Completed: Matariki — Reading Comprehension
How to use this comprehension exercise
- Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
- Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
- Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
- Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.
Common questions
Who is this comprehension exercise for?
Year 6 students (typically ages 10–11) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
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 11 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 Southerly — Poetry Comprehension.
Preview
Year 6 · English · Reading Comprehension
Matariki — Reading Comprehension
Success Tutoring
Student name:
Date:
Score: /
Read the text first. Then answer the questions in order.
Part A — Find the facts
1.What is Matariki?[1 mark]
2.Give one other name for the Matariki star cluster.[1 mark]
3.When does Matariki rise?[1 mark]
- Ain summer, at sunset
- Bin midwinter, before dawn
- Cin spring, at midday
- Devery night of the year
4.In what year did Matariki first become a public holiday?[1 mark]
5.The Matariki holiday is on the same date every year. ☐ True ☐ False
Part B — Explain it
6.Explain the three main ideas of Matariki in your own words.[3 marks]
7.How did people in the past use Matariki to help them prepare for winter?[2 marks]
8.Why does the holiday fall on a different date each year?[2 marks]
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
More Year 6 reading comprehension resources
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- Difficulty
- Level 2 · Standard
- Time
- 25 min
- Questions
- 14 questions
- Answers
- Answers included
- Comprehension Exercise
Southerly — Poetry Comprehension
An original poem about a cold southerly change sweeping over a city harbour. Students track how the weather changes from stanza to stanza…
- Difficulty
- Level 2 · Standard
- Time
- 25 min
- Questions
- 12 questions
- Answers
- Answers included
Reading Comprehension in other year levels
- A Letter to the Principal — Reading Comprehension
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- The Bottle — Reading Comprehension
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- Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension
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About this resource
- Created by
- Success Tutoring
- Last reviewed
- 1 October 2026
- How it was made
- Written by our team
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