Year 9 NAPLAN Reading Sample Questions

SAMPLE QUESTION 1 — Medium

Despite three failed attempts and a serious injury the previous year, the climber remained tenacious — returning each season and studying what had gone wrong. What does 'tenacious' most likely mean?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 2 — Medium

According to the passage, why was Warrabin Ridge chosen as the destination for the students' trip?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 3 — Medium

A newspaper editorial about urban planning concluded: 'We have spent years debating how to fix our cities — design, funding, timelines, density. Perhaps it is time to stop and ask why. Why do we want these cities, and for whom are we building them?' What is the MAIN PURPOSE of this closing passage?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 4 — Medium

The scientist is the miner of the invisible. She descends into the dark, lantern in hand, tapping walls, listening for hollow spaces, returning to the surface with what no one knew was there. What extended metaphor does the poem use?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 5 — Medium

A literary review praised the ambition of the author's ideas but described her prose as opaque — noting that the style made the book difficult to penetrate for most readers. What does 'opaque' most likely mean in this context?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 6 — Medium

The following sentence appears in a science report: 'The results suggest a possible link between increased screen time and reduced attention span in adolescents.' A journalist writing a news article about the same study uses the headline: 'Screen time destroys teenagers' attention spans, study finds.' Which statement BEST describes the difference between these two texts?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 7 — Medium

The scientist's tone was measured throughout the press conference — she presented the data clearly and without exaggerating either the risks or the potential benefits of the findings. What does 'measured' MOST likely mean in this context?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 8 — Medium

At a debate about a proposed freeway expansion, one councillor argued: 'My opponent has been heavily funded by environmental lobby groups, so his claims about the environmental damage should be dismissed.' A second councillor responded: 'You haven't addressed a single piece of data he presented — you've only attacked his funding.' What logical flaw does the second councillor identify?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 9 — Medium

A Year 9 student wrote in the school newspaper: 'A student council would give us a formal way to communicate concerns to teachers and the principal. Research shows that students in schools with councils feel more respected and are more engaged in their education. We deserve a voice in decisions that affect us.' What is the MAIN ARGUMENT of this article?

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SAMPLE QUESTION 10 — Medium

Amara's younger sister had won the regional science award for the third year running. At the ceremony, Amara clapped louder than anyone. She had failed to get past the school round herself. Later, at home, she asked her sister to explain the project from the beginning. When her sister finished — almost forty minutes later — Amara said only: 'Do you know what you've actually done here?' What does Amara's behaviour MOST suggest about her?

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