KS2 - Year 5 - English Comprehension - Reading Skills (A)

Question

Who are the two speakers in this passage?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• A clock and a cat

• Two friends

• Two clocks on the wall

• A person and a clock

Question

Which one of these is not a way that the clock describes itself?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• friendly

• trustworthy

• patient

• obliging

Question

What does the author mean when he says, "Life is short, improve it well"?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• You won't have enough time in your life to do what you want.

• Make the most of the time you have in life.

• Life is easier if you are well and not sick all the time.

• It is hard to make your life better because it is so short.

Question

How does the clock see itself differently than how the people see it?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• The clock thinks it is hardworking and the people think it is lazy.

• The clock thinks it is dependable and the people think it is talkative.

• The clock thinks it can't help others and the people think it is helpful.

• Both the clock and the people think it is noisy.

Question

What is this passage mostly about?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• A mother teaching her child how to read a clock.

• Two clocks arguing over which has the correct time.

• A broken clock that does not tell the correct time.

• A clock making noise that always has the correct time.

Question

How can you improve the time that you have in life?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• By doing your best whenever you can.

• By living a lazy life.

• By cheating to get ahead.

• By eating loads of food and drinking a lot.

Question

What does "improve" mean?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• to make something better

• a thought that something bad might happen or might have happened

• more than anything or anyone else

Question

What does "fear" mean?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• to make something better

• a thought that something bad might happen or might have happened

• more than anything or anyone else

Question

What does "most" mean?

Text - The Kitchen Clock

1. Listen to the kitchen clock!

To itself it ever talks,

From its place it never walks;

"Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

Tell me what it says.

2. "I'm a very patient clock,

Never moved by hope or fear,

Though I've stood for many a year;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

3. "I'm a very truthful clock:

People say about the place,

Truth is written on my face;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

4. "I'm a most obliging clock;

If you wish to hear me strike,

You may do it when you like;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

5. "I'm a very friendly clock;

For this truth to all I tell,

Life is short, improve it well;

Tick-tock-tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

6. What a talkative old clock!

Let us see what it will do

When the hour hand reaches two;

"Ding-ding—tick-tock: "

That is what it says.

• to make something better

• a thought that something bad might happen or might have happened

• more than anything or anyone else