NAPLAN Year 5 Reading Practice Test PDF

Try each question first, then open the worked solution to check your answer and see how to reach it.

1. 1.Read the text: "The old clock in the hallway had been there for over a hundred years. Its wood was dark and polished, and its brass pendulum swung back and forth with a steady rhythm. Every hour, it chimed a deep, melodious song that echoed through the house." What is the clock made of?

   • APlastic and glass
   • BDark wood and brass
   • CMetal and stone
   • DSilver and gold
   Show answer and working

   Answer: B (Dark wood and brass)

   Combine two details from the text: 'Its wood was dark and polished' and 'its brass pendulum swung back and forth'. Together these tell us the clock is made of dark wood and brass. The other options name materials such as plastic, stone or silver that never appear in the description, so they can be ruled out.

2. 2.Read the text: "Sarah's grandmother taught her how to knit. They sat together on the porch, the clicking of needles the only sound. Sarah struggled at first, dropping stitches, but her grandmother was patient and showed her how to fix them." How did Sarah find knitting at first?

   • AEasy
   • BBoring
   • CDifficult
   • DFast
   Show answer and working

   Answer: C (Difficult)

   The text does not use the word 'difficult', so you need to infer it. It says Sarah 'struggled at first, dropping stitches', and that her grandmother had to show her how to fix them. Struggling and making mistakes show that knitting was difficult for her. 'Easy' and 'fast' contradict the evidence, and nothing suggests she was bored.

3. 3.Read the text: "Koalas are native to Australia and spend most of their time in eucalyptus trees. They are picky eaters and only eat certain types of eucalyptus leaves. Because these leaves don't give much energy, koalas sleep for up to 20 hours a day." Why do koalas sleep so much?

   • AThey are lazy
   • BTheir food gives little energy
   • CThey are hiding
   • DIt is too hot
   Show answer and working

   Answer: B (Their food gives little energy)

   The key word is 'Because': 'Because these leaves don't give much energy, koalas sleep for up to 20 hours a day.' This sentence links the cause (low-energy food) to the effect (lots of sleep). The text never calls koalas lazy, and hiding or heat are not mentioned, so those options are not supported.

4. 4.Read the text: "Before electricity, people used candles and oil lamps to light their homes. This meant that once the sun went down, it was difficult to do work or read. Life was much quieter and slower-paced in the evenings." What was a challenge before electricity?

   • AIt was too noisy
   • BIt was hard to see at night
   • CCandles were expensive
   • DOil lamps were bright
   Show answer and working

   Answer: B (It was hard to see at night)

   The text explains that without electricity, 'once the sun went down, it was difficult to do work or read.' This means it was hard to see at night. The text describes evenings as 'quieter', so option A is the opposite. The cost and brightness of candles and lamps are never discussed.

5. 5.Read the text: "The soccer team was down by one goal with only a minute left. The crowd cheered loudly as the striker dribbled the ball past the defenders. He took a powerful shot, and the ball sailed into the top corner of the net!" What happened at the end of the text?

   • AThe game ended
   • BThe team lost
   • CThe striker scored a goal
   • DThe crowd left
   Show answer and working

   Answer: C (The striker scored a goal)

   The last sentence describes the final event: the striker 'took a powerful shot, and the ball sailed into the top corner of the net!' That means he scored a goal. The text does not tell us whether the game ended, and scoring to tie the match means the team did not lose at this point. Answer only from what the text shows.

6. 6.Read the text: "Elephants are highly intelligent animals with strong family bonds. They live in herds led by the oldest female, known as the matriarch. She uses her memory to lead the herd to water sources during droughts." Who leads an elephant herd?

   • AThe strongest male
   • BThe youngest female
   • CThe matriarch
   • DThe solitary male
   Show answer and working

   Answer: C (The matriarch)

   The text says elephant herds are 'led by the oldest female, known as the matriarch.' The phrase 'known as' gives the special name. A matriarch is a female leader of a family. The options about males are wrong because the text says the leader is female, and she is the oldest, not the youngest.

7. 7.Read the text: "The library was hosting a book fair. Tables were piled high with colourful books about space, dinosaurs, and magic. Children wandered around, their eyes wide with excitement, trying to decide which story to take home." Why were the children excited?

   • AThey were playing games
   • BThere were many books to choose from
   • CIt was lunch time
   • DThey were going home
   Show answer and working

   Answer: B (There were many books to choose from)

   The children's 'eyes wide with excitement' as they were 'trying to decide which story to take home' shows why they were excited: there were many books to choose from. The tables were 'piled high with colourful books'. Games and lunch are not mentioned, and they were choosing books to take home, not leaving.

8. 8.Read the text: "Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. They are a renewable energy source, meaning they do not run out. Using solar energy helps reduce pollution compared to burning coal." What is a benefit of solar energy mentioned in the text?

   • AIt is expensive
   • BIt works at night
   • CIt reduces pollution
   • DIt uses coal
   Show answer and working

   Answer: C (It reduces pollution)

   The question asks for a benefit mentioned in the text, so look for a positive statement. The final sentence says solar energy 'helps reduce pollution compared to burning coal'. Option D is wrong because solar replaces coal, and the text does not discuss cost or night-time use, so A and B are not supported.

9. 9.Read the text: "Honeybees are vital for pollination. They fly from flower to flower collecting nectar. As they move, they transfer pollen, which helps plants grow fruits and seeds." What do honeybees collect from flowers?

   • APollen
   • BSeeds
   • CNectar
   • DLeaves
   Show answer and working

   Answer: C (Nectar)

   Read closely, because two similar words appear. Bees 'fly from flower to flower collecting nectar', and as they move 'they transfer pollen'. The question asks what they collect, which the text says is nectar. Pollen is the tempting wrong answer because it is mentioned, but the text says bees transfer it, not collect it.

10. 10.Read the text: "The platypus is a unique animal found in Australia. It has a bill like a duck, a tail like a beaver, and it lays eggs. It is one of the few mammals that lay eggs." What makes the platypus unique among mammals?

    • AIt has fur
    • BIt swims
    • CIt lays eggs
    • DIt eats fish
    Show answer and working

    Answer: C (It lays eggs)

    The text says the platypus 'lays eggs' and that 'It is one of the few mammals that lay eggs.' That is what makes it unique among mammals. Having fur, swimming and eating fish are things many other mammals do, so they cannot make the platypus unique, and some are not mentioned at all.