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Comprehension ExerciseYear 7Level 2 · Standard

Free Year 7 Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension

A persuasive speech by a Year 7 student council representative asking the school to start a language program. Students identify the speaker's requests and reasons, analyse techniques such as rhetorical questions, direct address and the rule of three, and evaluate how the speaker handles objections. Finishes with planning a short speech of their own.

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Year
Year 7
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
25 minutes
Curriculum
New Zealand Curriculum
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4) + print

Students will practise

  • identifying the purpose and audience of a speech
  • recognising persuasive techniques in spoken texts
  • evaluating how a speaker answers objections
  • planning a persuasive speech with a clear structure

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

What's next?

Completed: Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension

  1. 1Jean Batten: Flying Solo — Biography Comprehension
  2. 2Clauses and Sentence Editing
  3. 3Modal Verbs
  4. 4Year 7 Grammar Quiz

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 7 students (typically ages 11–12) 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 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 Jean Batten: Flying Solo — Biography Comprehension.

Preview

Year 7 · English · Reading Comprehension

Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension

Success Tutoring

Student name:

Date:

Score: /

Read the speech twice, once silently and once as if you were delivering it. Then answer the questions.

Part A — Right there in the text

Find each answer in the speech.

1.Who is the speaker and what is his role?[1 mark]
2.What is the speaker asking the school to provide?[1 mark]
  1. Aa new library
  2. Ba language program for every student from Year 4 up
  3. Cmore maths lessons
  4. Da trip to Vietnam
3.According to the speech, what three skills improve when children learn a second language?[1 mark]
4.Which four languages does the speaker name as useful for the future?[1 mark]
5.What is the speaker's first request?[1 mark]
  1. Aa new teacher next week
  2. Ba lunchtime language club run by volunteer parents
  3. Ca trip overseas
  4. Da budget meeting
6.What does the speaker ask every student to do by the end of the week?[1 mark]

Part B — Reading between the lines

Use evidence from the speech to explain your answers.

7.Why does the speaker ask the audience to raise their hands near the start?[2 marks]
8.What does the speaker mean by 'a language lesson is a maths lesson and an English lesson in disguise'?[2 marks]
9.Why does the speaker say 'I know the school cannot hire a teacher overnight' before making his requests?[2 marks]
10.How does the ending connect to the title of the speech? What effect does it have?[2 marks]
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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    Jean Batten: Flying Solo — Biography 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

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