Success TutoringWorksheets
Comprehension Exercise10th GradeLevel 3 · Challenge

Free 10th Grade Argumentative Essay Reading Comprehension: In Defense of Boredom

An original argumentative essay that claims boredom is useful rather than something to be eliminated, and that constant screen use robs people of the empty time in which ideas form. Students identify the claim and reasons, analyze the writer's use of anecdote, concession and rebuttal, evaluate the strength of the evidence, examine tone and word choice and write their own argument in response.

Instant download · No sign-up · Free for personal, classroom and homeschool use

Grade
10th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 3 · Challenge
Estimated time
45 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • identifying a claim, reasons and evidence
  • analyzing concession and rebuttal
  • evaluating the strength of an argument
  • analyzing tone and word choice
  • writing an argument that responds to a text

Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Argumentative Essay Reading Comprehension: In Defense of Boredom

  1. 1The Dust Bowl and Black Sunday — Reading Comprehension
  2. 2Unseen Prose: The Way It Is Said
  3. 3Editing for Clarity and Concision
  4. 4Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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?

10th Grade students (typically ages 15–16) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 3 · challenge.

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 45 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 The Dust Bowl and Black Sunday — Reading Comprehension.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets10th Grade · English · Reading Comprehension

Argumentative Essay Reading Comprehension: In Defense of Boredom

Name

Date

Score /

Read the essay first. Then answer the questions in order.

Part A: Literal comprehension

1.State the writer's main claim in your own words.[1 mark] (answer space)
2.List the three reasons the writer gives to support the claim.[2 marks] (answer space)
3.What does the writer propose that readers do?[1 mark]
  1. Agive up their phones completely
  2. Bonce a day, let a gap in their time stay empty
  3. Ccomplain to schools about boring classes
  4. Dwrite a story every day
4.What happened when the tablet died on the family's drive?[1 mark] (answer space)

Part B: Analyze the argument

5.Why does the writer open with a personal anecdote rather than with the claim? Explain two effects.[2 marks] (answer space)
6.Identify the writer's concession and explain how the writer responds to it (the rebuttal).[2 marks] (answer space)
7.How does the concession make the essay more persuasive?[2 marks] (answer space)
8.Evaluate the evidence for the first reason (“boredom is where ideas come from”). Is it strong, weak or somewhere in between? Explain.[2 marks] (answer space)
9.How does the conclusion connect to the introduction?[1 mark]
  1. AIt contradicts the opening story.
  2. BIt returns to the “girl who talks to windmills,” creating a circular structure.
  3. CIt introduces a new reason.
  4. DIt quotes an expert.
10.The writer calls the proposal “modest.” Why might the writer choose this word?[1 mark] (answer space)
Free worksheets at worksheets.successtutoring.com · © Success Tutoring · Free for personal and classroom use

Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

More 10th Grade reading comprehension resources

  • Comprehension Exercise

    The Dust Bowl and Black Sunday — Reading Comprehension

    An original historical feature article about the Dust Bowl of the 1930s on the southern Great Plains, including the Texas Panhandle, and…

    Difficulty
    Level 3 · Challenge
    Time
    45 min
    Questions
    15 questions
    Answers
    Answers included
  • Comprehension Exercise

    Unseen Prose: The Way It Is Said

    An unseen prose practice set built around an original short story extract in which a student decides whether to correct a teacher who has…

    Difficulty
    Level 3 · Challenge
    Time
    40 min
    Questions
    13 questions
    Answers
    Answers included

Reading Comprehension in other year levels

Was this resource helpful?

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.