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Comprehension ExerciseYear 7Level 2 · Standard

Free Year 7 The Bottle — Reading Comprehension

After a storm, Lena finds a message in a bottle on the beach, and the address inside is one she knows very well. Students track the clues, infer characters' reactions, examine how the author builds suspense, and write a response from inside the story.

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

Students will practise

  • following plot clues to understand a twist
  • inferring characters' thoughts and feelings
  • analysing how an author builds suspense
  • writing in role from a character's point of view

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 Bottle — Reading Comprehension

  1. 1Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension
  2. 2Jean Batten: Flying Solo — Biography Comprehension
  3. 3Clauses and Sentence Editing
  4. 4Modal Verbs

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 30 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 Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension.

Preview

Year 7 · English · Reading Comprehension

The Bottle — Reading Comprehension

Success Tutoring

Student name:

Date:

Score: /

Read the story twice. Then answer the questions, going back to the text for evidence.

Part A — Right there in the text

Find each answer in the story.

1.Why was Lena searching the beach?[1 mark]
2.Which of these was NOT already in Lena's collection?[1 mark]
  1. Aa brass button
  2. Bthree fishing floats
  3. Ca green glass bottle
  4. Dthe skull of a seabird
3.How was the bottle sealed?[1 mark]
4.Where was the bottle thrown into the sea?[1 mark]
  1. Afrom Lena's beach
  2. Bfrom a boat
  3. Cfrom the jetty at Port Lincoln
  4. Dfrom Harbour Street
5.On what date was the note written?[1 mark]
6.Whose house is 14 Harbour Street?[1 mark]

Part B — Reading between the lines

Explain your answers using evidence from the story.

7.Why did Lena feel 'something cold slide down her back' when she read the address a third time?[2 marks]
8.Why does Lena ask her mother's name before she married Dad, instead of just showing her the note?[2 marks]
9.Why does Lena's mother laugh, and then stop laughing and put her hand over her mouth?[2 marks]
10.What does the detail that Nan 'said it would wash up by dinner time' add to the story?[2 marks]
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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    Open the Door to Another Language — Speech Comprehension

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    Time
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  • Comprehension Exercise

    Jean Batten: Flying Solo — Biography Comprehension

    A short biography of Jean Batten, the Rotorua-born aviator who in 1936 became the first person to fly solo from England to New Zealand.…

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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.