KS2 SATs Reading Comprehension — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a text, the author describes a character's hands as 'trembling like autumn leaves.' What technique is being used?
- Metaphor
- Simile (Correct answer)
- Alliteration
- Personification
Correct answer: Simile
A simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as'. Here, the trembling hands are compared to autumn leaves using the word 'like'.
Question 2: What does the word 'reluctantly' suggest about how a character performs an action?
- They do it eagerly
- They do it unwillingly (Correct answer)
- They do it quickly
- They do it secretly
Correct answer: They do it unwillingly
'Reluctantly' means with hesitation or unwillingness. It suggests the character does not want to do the action but does it anyway.
Question 3: Which of these is an example of a fact rather than an opinion?
- The sunset was beautiful
- London is the best city in the UK
- The River Thames flows through London (Correct answer)
- Reading is more enjoyable than maths
Correct answer: The River Thames flows through London
A fact can be proven to be true or false. The River Thames flowing through London is a verifiable geographical fact. The other options express personal judgements.
Question 4: An author writes: 'The old house groaned in the wind.' What technique is this?
- Simile
- Onomatopoeia
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Personification gives human qualities to non-human things. A house cannot actually 'groan' — this is a human action given to a building.
Question 5: In a non-fiction text about polar bears, which subheading would best introduce a section about what polar bears eat?
- Where Polar Bears Live
- The Polar Bear's Diet (Correct answer)
- Baby Polar Bears
- Threats to Survival
Correct answer: The Polar Bear's Diet
'The Polar Bear's Diet' directly relates to what polar bears eat. 'Diet' means the food that an animal regularly eats.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a glossary in a non-fiction book?
- To list the chapters in order
- To show pictures related to the text
- To explain the meanings of key words (Correct answer)
- To give the author's biography
Correct answer: To explain the meanings of key words
A glossary is an alphabetical list of specialist or difficult words used in the text, along with their definitions.
KS2 SATs Reading Comprehension
In a text, the author describes a character's hands as 'trembling like autumn leaves.' What technique is being used?