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Comprehension Exercise6th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 6th Grade The Longhorn and the Cattle Drives — Reading Comprehension

A history text about the Texas longhorn and the great cattle drives that followed the Civil War, when cowboys moved huge herds north on trails such as the Chisholm Trail to railroad towns in Kansas. Students identify causes and effects, sequence events, explain the contributions of Mexican vaqueros and Black cowboys, and write an evidence-based paragraph about why the cattle drives ended.

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Grade
6th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
35 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • identifying cause and effect in a history text
  • sequencing historical events
  • drawing conclusions from evidence
  • writing an explanatory paragraph

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: The Longhorn and the Cattle Drives — Reading Comprehension

  1. 1Bessie Coleman Biography — Reading Comprehension
  2. 26th Grade Grammar Quiz
  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?

6th Grade 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 35 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 Bessie Coleman Biography — Reading Comprehension.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets6th Grade · English · Reading Comprehension

The Longhorn and the Cattle Drives — Reading Comprehension

Name

Date

Score /

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

Part A: Find the facts

1.What two features are longhorns known for?[1 mark] (answer space)
2.Where did the ancestors of longhorns come from?[1 mark] (answer space)
3.Where did the Chisholm Trail end?[1 mark]
  1. AFort Worth, Texas
  2. BAbilene, Kansas
  3. CChicago, Illinois
  4. DOklahoma City
4.Name two dangers cowboys faced on the trail.[1 mark] (answer space)
5.The words “ranch,” “rodeo” and “lasso” come from Spanish. ☐ True   ☐ False

Part B: Think about it

6.Explain why a steer was worth so much more in the North than in Texas.[2 marks] (answer space)
7.Why did ranchers walk their cattle to Kansas instead of putting them on trains in Texas?[1 mark] (answer space)
8.Why did cowboys move the herd only about 10 to 15 miles a day?[1 mark] (answer space)
9.Give two reasons the great cattle drives came to an end.[2 marks] (answer space)
10.How did the hard conditions of South Texas shape the longhorn breed? Use evidence from the text.[2 marks] (answer space)
11.Which sentence best states the main idea of the paragraph “Who were the cowboys?”[1 mark]
  1. ACowboys liked to speak Spanish.
  2. BCowboys came from many backgrounds, and their skills owed a lot to Mexican vaqueros.
  3. CMost cowboys owned their own ranches.
  4. DCowboys did not need special skills.
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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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

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