Free Year 9 NAPLAN Reading Practice Questions

Question 1 — Easy

Hoa's grandfather never talked about the journey. He had arrived in Australia in 1979 on a boat so crowded that people had to take turns sitting down. When Hoa found his old photographs in a shoebox, she noticed his face in every image — always slightly turned away from the camera, always at the edge of the group. At family dinners, he laughed readily and told stories about his garden, but when the conversation moved toward Vietnam or the crossing, he would quietly excuse himself to make tea. What does Hoa's grandfather's behaviour most likely reveal about him?

Answer: Option C is correct — Multiple details point to unspoken pain: he 'never talked about the journey', positions himself at the edge of photos (perhaps distancing himself from being fully seen), and quietly leaves whenever the past comes up in conversation. These consistent patterns indicate difficult memories he avoids rather than anger (Option D) or indifference (Option B).

Question 2 — Medium

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.

Question 3 — Hard

Antarctic krill are small crustaceans that play a central role in the Southern Ocean food web. They feed on microscopic algae that grow beneath sea ice. Fish, penguins, seals, and whales all depend on krill as a primary food source. Scientists have recorded declines of over 80% in krill populations in some areas, linked to reductions in sea ice caused by rising ocean temperatures. According to the passage, why is the decline in krill populations considered a significant concern?

Answer: Option C is correct — The passage lists fish, penguins, seals, and whales as species depending on krill. A decline in krill threatens all of these — the concern is the cascading effect through the food web.