Free Year 9 Comprehension — compare and contras... Practice | Skillo

Question 1 — Easy

Read the following passage, then answer the question. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, a consequence of the nation's high UV radiation levels and historically outdoor-oriented culture. The 'Slip, Slop, Slap' public health campaign, launched in 1981, successfully shifted community attitudes toward sun protection by encouraging Australians to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The campaign is widely credited with reducing melanoma incidence rates among younger Australians in subsequent decades. However, dermatologists warn that tanning remains aspirationally popular among teenagers, and that many young people continue to underestimate the cumulative risk of UV exposure over a lifetime. According to the passage, what ongoing challenge do dermatologists identify despite the success of the 'Slip, Slop, Slap' campaign?

Answer: Option C is correct — The passage states that dermatologists warn about tanning remaining aspirationally popular among teenagers and young people underestimating cumulative UV risks. The other options are not supported by information in the passage.

Question 2 — Medium

Read the following passage, then answer the question. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300 kilometres along the Queensland coastline, making it the world's largest coral reef system. Despite its fame, scientists warn that rising ocean temperatures are causing widespread coral bleaching — a stress response in which corals expel the algae living in their tissues, turning ghostly white. Without the algae, corals lose their primary food source and can starve. While bleaching does not immediately kill coral, prolonged exposure to warm water makes recovery increasingly unlikely. Marine researchers emphasise that local actions, such as reducing agricultural runoff, can help, but argue that meaningful protection ultimately requires global reductions in carbon emissions. According to the passage, coral bleaching is best described as:

Answer: The passage explicitly states that bleaching is a stress response in which corals expel algae and then risk losing their primary food source, potentially starving. It does not say bleaching is seasonal, permanent, or immediately lethal.

Question 3 — Hard

Read the following passage, then answer the question. Permafrost — ground that remains frozen for at least two consecutive years — covers approximately a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere's land surface and stores vast quantities of organic carbon accumulated over thousands of years. As global temperatures rise, permafrost is thawing at an accelerating rate, releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. This process represents what climate scientists call a 'feedback loop': warming causes thawing, which releases greenhouse gases, which causes further warming. What makes the permafrost feedback particularly concerning is its self-sustaining nature — once significant thawing begins, it is extremely difficult to reverse, even if human emissions were dramatically reduced. Australian researchers contribute to global permafrost monitoring efforts through remote sensing and modelling partnerships. Why does the passage describe permafrost thawing as a 'feedback loop'?

Answer: The passage explicitly explains that warming causes thawing, which releases greenhouse gases, which causes further warming — a self-reinforcing cycle. Option B correctly describes this feedback loop as defined in the passage.