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Comprehension Exercise4th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 4th Grade Houston, We Have Liftoff — Reading Comprehension

An information text about NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, home of Mission Control, and its part in the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969. Students find facts, explain why astronauts talk to “Houston,” use context to work out technical words, and write about a job at Mission Control.

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Grade
4th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
30 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
13
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • finding facts in an information text
  • explaining the main idea of a paragraph
  • using context to work out technical words
  • writing an explanation using evidence

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: Houston, We Have Liftoff — Reading Comprehension

  1. 1Honey Bees — Reading Comprehension
  2. 2The Night the Power Went Out — Reading Comprehension
  3. 34th Grade Grammar Quiz
  4. 4Adverbs: How, When and Where
← Easier: Level 1 · Easier

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?

4th Grade students (typically ages 9–10) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 2 · standard; an easier version is linked above.

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 13 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 Honey Bees — Reading Comprehension.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets4th Grade · English · Reading Comprehension

Houston, We Have Liftoff — Reading Comprehension

Name

Date

Score /

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

Part A: Find the facts

1.In which city is NASA's Johnson Space Center?[1 mark] (answer space)
2.Who is the Johnson Space Center named after?[1 mark] (answer space)
3.Where do NASA's big rockets usually launch from?[1 mark]
  1. ATexas
  2. BFlorida
  3. Cthe Moon
  4. DHouston
4.Name the three astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission.[1 mark] (answer space)
5.What was the name of the lunar lander?[1 mark]
  1. ATranquility
  2. BHouston
  3. Cthe Eagle
  4. DApollo

Part B: Think about it

6.Michael Collins walked on the Moon with Neil Armstrong. ☐ True   ☐ False
7.Astronauts train at the Johnson Space Center. ☐ True   ☐ False
8.Why do astronauts often begin a radio message with the word “Houston”?[1 mark] (answer space)
9.Why do you think each flight controller watches only one part of the mission?[2 marks] (answer space)
10.How do you think the people in Mission Control felt before and after they heard “The Eagle has landed”? Use words from the text.[2 marks] (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.

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Reading Comprehension in other year levels

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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.