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Matariki — Reading Comprehension — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 6 reading comprehension comprehension exercise.

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Year 6 · English · Reading Comprehension

Matariki — Reading Comprehension — Answers

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Part A — Find the facts

1.What is Matariki?[1 mark]

Answer: A cluster of stars (the Māori name for the Pleiades) that can be seen in the winter sky.

2.Give one other name for the Matariki star cluster.[1 mark]

Answer: The Pleiades or the Seven Sisters.

3.When does Matariki rise?[1 mark]
  1. Ain summer, at sunset
  2. Bin midwinter, before dawn
  3. Cin spring, at midday
  4. Devery night of the year

Answer: in midwinter, before dawn

The text says it rises 'in the middle of winter … in the early morning before dawn'.

4.In what year did Matariki first become a public holiday?[1 mark]

Answer: 2022.

5.The Matariki holiday is on the same date every year.

Answer: False

The date changes because it is set using the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

Part B — Explain it

6.Explain the three main ideas of Matariki in your own words.[3 marks]

Answer: Remembering people who have died in the past year; celebrating the present by gathering with whānau and friends; looking to the future and planning for the year ahead.

7.How did people in the past use Matariki to help them prepare for winter?[2 marks]

Answer: They looked at how clear the stars were. Bright, clear stars meant a good season; hazy stars meant a cold, hard winter, so they prepared their food stores carefully.

8.Why does the holiday fall on a different date each year?[2 marks]

Answer: Because it is set using the maramataka, which follows the phases of the moon, not the same date on the calendar each year.

Part C — Words in the text

9.Whānau most likely means...[1 mark]
  1. Afamily
  2. Bstars
  3. Cwinter
  4. Dholiday

Answer: family

People gather 'with whānau and friends'; whānau means family, including extended family.

10.A lunar calendar is based on...[1 mark]
  1. Athe sun
  2. Bthe moon
  3. Cthe seasons of the year
  4. Dthe stars

Answer: the moon

The text says the maramataka 'follows the phases of the moon'.

Part D — Your turn

11.Matariki is a time to look to the future. Write a short paragraph about one goal you have for the year ahead and how you will work towards it.[3 marks]

Model answer: This year I want to get better at swimming. I will go to lessons every Saturday and practise my breathing. By next Matariki I hope to swim 50 metres without stopping.

Success criteria:

  • States a clear goal
  • Explains at least one step towards the goal
  • Written in clear, complete sentences
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Marking tips

  • Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
  • For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
  • Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.

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