NAPLAN Reading is one of the four domains tested in the NAPLAN test.
NAPLAN Reading tests focus on the reading of written English. Knowledge and interpretation of language conventions in context are also an important part of reading and are drawn upon in many reading questions.
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Students read a range of informative, imaginative, and persuasive texts and then answer related questions. These Reading articles target the full range of student capabilities expected of students from Years 3 to 9.The format can be sentence-based, short paragraphs, etc. As there is a very wide range of reading ability levels at each school year level, the texts range from short and simple to longer and more complex.
NAPLAN Reading test is scheduled after the Writing test in the NAPLAN exam. Format and duration of Reading Test is as below:
| Student Year | Time Allotted | Mode of NAPLAN Reading Test |
| Year 3 | 45 mins | Online |
| Year 5 | 50 mins | Online |
| Year 7 | 65 mins | Online |
| Year 9 | 65 mins | Online |
How Is the NAPLAN Reading Test Marked?
The NAPLAN test is a tailored test. The responses of the students are electronically recorded and then scanned once they respond to multiple-choice questions. A professional and impartial panel of trained examiners will mark the reading assessment and all other submissions.
Assessors who have undergone extensive NAPLAN exam marking training evaluate students’ reading. Each state and territory’s test administration bodies are in charge of marking the Reading exams that fall within their purview. In Australia, every marker is subjected to the same training, quality control methods, and grading standards.
The reading magazine provides the paragraph to be read, followed by questions that must be answered in accordance with the passage. Let’s look at a couple of the questions asked in order to grasp the testing pattern.
NAPLAN Reading Magazine Year 3
The question below is from the NAPLAN Reading prompt 2016 for Year 3.
Boots the cat
Mina and Jack have a cat named Boots. Boots is white
with black feet.
Mina and Jack keep lots of toys for Boots in a big box. There is a
toy that looks like a carrot and there is a green ball too.
Sometimes Boots visits Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Grandma likes to toss a toy mouse for Boots. She gives Boots
cat treats that look like little fish.
Boots likes playing in the toy box the most!
Read ‘Boots the cat’ of the magazine and answer the following questions.
Q1. What colour is the cat’s ball?
a. green
b. white
c. orange
d. black
Q2. What does Boots have a lot of?
a. boxes
b. cats
c. carrots
d. toys
Q3. Boots likes to visit
a. a fish pond.
b. the pet store.
c. Mina and Jack’s house.
d. Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
Q4. Who gives Boots treats?
a. Mina
b. Grandma
c. Jack
d. Grandpa
Q5. What is the most likely reason the cat is named Boots?
a. He looks like he has boots on.
b. He eats treats that look like boots.
c. He has toys that look like boots.
d. He gets into boots if they are left out.
To know all about NAPLAN Year 3 exam pattern and have full access to NAPLAN style tests for Year 3 please read our article “Year 3 NAPLAN“.
NAPLAN Reading Magazine Year 5
The question below is from the NAPLAN Reading prompt 2016 for Year 5.
Brain freeze
Do you ever eat an ice-cream on a hot day and get a headache
from the cold? Some people call this a ‘brain freeze’.
The ice-cream makes your mouth very cold, very quickly. Your
body sends messages from your mouth to your brain. Blood then
rushes in to warm up your mouth. It hurts!
But there is something you can do to make the pain go away.
You need to warm the roof (or top part) of your mouth. You can
do this with your tongue. If you can, roll your tongue, then press
it on the roof of your mouth. It’s better to use the underneath of
your tongue because it’s warmer than the top. You could also
use your thumb. But be sure it’s clean.
A brain freeze should only ever last for about 30–60 seconds.
Read ‘Brain freeze’ of the magazine and answer the following questions.
Q1. When you eat ice-cream the underneath part of your tongue
a. feels like a ball.
b. touches the ice-cream first.
c. is colder than the top part.
d. is the warmest part.
Q2. To make a brain freeze go away you should press your tongue on
a. the tip of your thumb.
b. the roof of your mouth.
c. your teeth.
d. your ice-cream.
Q3. Before you use your tongue to warm your mouth you should
a. roll it.
b. warm it.
c. clean it.
d. squash it.
Q4. This text mostly helps you to
a. understand something about your body.
b. explain how to stop cold things melting.
c. choose the best kind of ice-cream.
d. find out why things freeze.
To know all about NAPLAN Year 5 exam pattern and have full access to NAPLAN style tests for Year 5 please read our article “Year 5 NAPLAN“.
NAPLAN Reading Magazine Year 7
The question below is from the NAPLAN Reading prompt 2016 for Year 7.
Penguins from outer space
Adélie penguins can now be spotted from space. Well, not the penguins themselves but a bright pink trail they leave behind. The pink ‘blanket’ is made by the birds’ guano (a scientific word for the penguins’ waste). Researchers can track the penguins in Antarctica by photographs taken from space.
Adélie penguins are birds of habit. This means they return to the same rocks each year to breed. As a result, the guano builds up where the colony builds nests on the rocks. The guano is very bright so it can be seen for a long time after the penguins have left.
What causes this strange thing to happen? You guessed it: the penguins’ diet. Adélies feed mainly on tiny sea creatures such as krill, as well as on fish and squid. The colours of the krill mix with the penguins’ digestive juices to make this bright colour. If the penguins lived only on fish, their guano would be white.
However, there are usually lots of brightly coloured krill for the penguins to feast on, so their guano is pink.
Read ‘Penguins from outer space’ of the magazine and answer the following questions.
Q1. Guano can be seen from space because of its
a. size.
b. colour.
c. shape.
d. location.
Q2. According to the text, researchers study these penguins by
a. weighing all the krill the penguins eat.
b. measuring how thick the guano is.
c. visiting Antarctica to watch the penguins.
d. using images taken from space.
Q3. The guano builds up because the penguins
a. go back to the same nest every year.
b. eat too much krill and squid.
c. use the guano to build their nests.
d. live too close to the sea.
Q4. From the information we know that krill
a. are small.
b. eat a lot.
c. can hurt penguins.
d. live on rocks
To know all about NAPLAN Year 7 exam pattern and have full access to NAPLAN style tests for Year 7 please read our article “Year 7 NAPLAN“.
NAPLAN Reading Magazine Year 9
The question below is from the NAPLAN Reading prompt 2016 for Year 9.
The Terracotta Army
In 1974, some farmers in the Shaanxi province in China were digging a well. Instead of water they uncovered something quite extraordinary; a site hidden underground for over 2000 years. Archaeologists began work, and the magnitude of the find gradually became clear.
What they had stumbled upon was the necropolis or burial ground for the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, who died over 2200 years ago. Three vast pits made from earth and wood held a huge army of over 8000 life-sized soldiers made from terracotta (a type of earthenware made from clay), all standing in military formation. Each figure was unique in appearance, with different facial expressions, haircuts, uniforms and weapons. There were chariots too, drawn by hundreds of terracotta horses, as well as offices and stables constructed in the style of the Imperial Palace.
The thousands of figures were produced in an early assembly-line manner, with head, arms, legs and torsos cast separately and then assembled. A number of basic moulds were used to cast the heads and faces, but after assembly each figure was made individual by further sculpting by hand.
Construction of the tomb began when the emperor ascended to the throne at age 13, and it continued for almost 40 years until his death. It is estimated that 700000 workers were needed over this period.
The emperor was buried with a whole city to accompany him into the afterlife. He believed the army would protect him and help him keep his power beyond his death. Like pharaohs of ancient Egypt, the emperor was buried surrounded by all the trappings of his earthly life.
Read ‘The Terracotta Army’ of the magazine and answer the following questions.
Q1. The farmers who discovered the terracotta army were actually looking for
a. oil.
b. water.
c. gold.
d. ancient ruins.
Q2. The soldiers in the tomb were made from
a. wood.
b. metal.
c. clay.
d. marble.
Q3. According to the text, what is special about the thousands of terracotta soldiers?
a. Each soldier has different features.
b. They are all made of different materials.
c. Every soldier is accompanied by a horse.
d. They are all able to fit inside such a limited space.
Q4. The construction of the tomb began when Emperor Qin Shi Huang
a. was born.
b. became emperor.
c. married.
d. died.
Q5. In the last paragraph, the emperor is compared to Egyptian pharaohs because the pharaohs also
a. possessed terracotta armies.
b. were buried in elaborate tombs in China.
c. were buried with things they would have used while alive.
d. became kings when they were teenagers.
Q6. What they had stumbled upon … (paragraph2) Who does they refer to?
a. sculptors
b. archaeologists
c. soldiers
d. farmers
To know all about NAPLAN Year 9 exam pattern and have full access to NAPLAN style tests for Year 9 please read our article “Year 9 NAPLAN“.
How To Practice for NAPLAN Reading Test
NAPLAN past papers are the best resource to prepare for the NAPLAN Reading Test.
Download NAPLAN Past Papers
It is advised to take the tests in a timed environment within the specified duration to replicate the real exam environment.
Wiingy provides NAPLAN practice tests and private online NAPLAN tutoring. You can Enrol for a free demo session to know more about our teaching plan.
NAPLAN Bands
Each NAPLAN scale is divided into 10 bands used to report student progress through Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. A national minimum standard is being provided and assigned to students on the assessment scale for each year level based on their performance. The chart of the assessment is given below:
Understanding the NAPLAN Result Bands
Year 3:
| Band 1 | Students are below the national minimum standard. |
| Band 2 | Students are at national minimum standards. |
| Band 3 and above | Students are above national minimum standards. |
Year 5:
| Band 3 | Students are below the national minimum standard. |
| Band 4 | Students are at national minimum standards. |
| Band 5 and above | Students are above national minimum standards. |
Year 7:
| Band 4 | Students are below the national minimum standard. |
| Band 5 | Students are at national minimum standards. |
| Band 6 and above | Students are above national minimum standards. |
Year 9:
| Band 5 | Students are below the national minimum standard. |
| Band 6 | Students are at national minimum standards. |
| Band 7 and above | Students are above national minimum standards. |
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