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Comprehension Exercise8th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 8th Grade Volunteers Keep the Doors Open — Newspaper Report Comprehension

A newspaper-style report about a small country town whose residents volunteer to keep their library open after council funding is cut. Students locate facts and figures, analyze how the journalist balances the views of volunteers, the mayor and a union, infer tone from word choice, and write about how quotations shape a reader's response.

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Grade
8th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
30 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • locating facts, figures and sources in a news report
  • analyzing how a journalist balances perspectives
  • inferring tone and attitude from quotations and word choice
  • evaluating the effect of structure and selected detail

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: Volunteers Keep the Doors Open — Newspaper Report Comprehension

  1. 1Active and Passive Voice
  2. 2Relative Clauses: Essential and Non-Essential Information
  3. 3Parallel Structure: Keeping Lists and Comparisons Balanced
Harder: Level 3 · Challenge →

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?

8th Grade students (typically ages 13–14) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 2 · standard; a harder 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 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 Active and Passive Voice.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets8th Grade · English · Reading Comprehension

Volunteers Keep the Doors Open — Newspaper Report Comprehension

Name

Date

Score /

Read the report twice. Then answer the questions, quoting the text where you can.

Part A: Right there in the text

Find each answer in the report.

1.In which month did the council announce it could no longer afford to staff the library?[1 mark] (answer space)
2.How many members does the Friends of Carrow Flats Library have?[1 mark]
  1. A25
  2. B42
  3. C120
  4. D1,800
3.How much money did the council expect to save by replacing the branch with a mobile van?[1 mark] (answer space)
4.What does the council still pay for under the April arrangement?[1 mark] (answer space)
5.Who started the Tuesday homework club?[1 mark]
  1. AMargaret Osei
  2. BAnita Karan
  3. Ca librarian from Dunmore
  4. DLiam Fenech
6.How many visits did the library record between May and September this year, and how many in the same period last year?[1 mark] (answer space)

Part B: Reading between the lines

Use evidence from the report to explain your answers.

7.What does the Mayor mean by "Something had to give"? What does the phrase suggest about his attitude?[2 marks] (answer space)
8.Why does the journalist include the union's view? What effect does it have on the article?[2 marks] (answer space)
9.Ms. Osei "agrees, up to a point". Explain what she agrees with and where she disagrees.[2 marks] (answer space)
10.Why do you think the journalist chose to end the article with the cardboard sign and Ms. Osei's final quote?[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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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.