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KS1 · English - Reading and Comprehension

KS1.E4 Reading and Comprehension

STA KS1.E4 · Calculators not allowed · about 45 minutes

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

The Kind Fox and the Lost Duckling

Source written for Revision Library (original, copyright-free). A short original story for Key Stage 1 reading and comprehension practice.

It was a sunny Monday morning in Willow Wood. Fern the fox was walking by the stream, looking for juicy blackberries.

Near the reeds, Fern heard a small, sad sound. Peep, peep! She looked down and saw a tiny yellow duckling. The duckling was shivering and alone.

"What is the matter, little one?" asked Fern gently. The duckling looked up with big black eyes. "I have lost my mummy," it said. "I do not know the way home."

Fern felt sorry for the duckling. She did not want to eat it, even though she was hungry. Instead, she wanted to help.

"Do not worry," said Fern. "I will help you find your family." She picked up the duckling very carefully and popped it into her soft, warm scarf.

They walked past the old oak tree, over the wobbly bridge, and along the muddy path. The duckling told Fern all about its brothers and sisters.

At last, they reached the big pond. Six fluffy ducklings and a worried mother duck were waddling along the bank. "There you are!" quacked the mother duck happily.

The little duckling jumped for joy and waddled quickly to its family. "Thank you, Fern!" it called back.

Fern smiled and waved. Then she trotted home for tea, feeling warm and happy inside. Helping someone had felt even better than blackberries.

Practice question (not marked). Read the story, then tick the box that shows where the story takes place.

A) Willow Wood
B) A busy city
C) A school playground

What was Fern looking for at the start of the story? Find and copy one word or phrase.

(1)

Find and copy one word that tells you the duckling was cold.

(1)

Find and copy one word that tells you the sound Fern heard was an unhappy one.

(1)

When Fern and the duckling reached the pond, what could they see there? List two things.

(2)

Tick the animal that said 'There you are!'

A) the lost duckling
B) the mother duck
C) Fern the fox

Are the following sentences true or false, according to the story? Tick one box for each sentence.

(a)Fern was looking for blackberries at the start of the story.(1)

True
False

(b)Fern decided to eat the duckling because she was hungry.(1)

True
False

(c)Fern carried the duckling to the pond in her scarf.(1)

True
False

(d)The duckling found its family straight away, without any help.(1)

True
False

Number these events from 1 to 4 to show the order in which they happened in the story.

(a)Fern heard a small, sad sound near the reeds and found the duckling.(1)

(b)Fern was walking by the stream, looking for blackberries.(1)

(c)Fern carried the duckling safely in her scarf as they walked towards the pond.(1)

(d)The duckling was reunited with its mother and family at the pond.(1)

Find and copy a group of words that shows the journey to the pond was long, with several stages.

(1)

Draw a line to match each character to how they were feeling at that point in the story.

(a)The duckling, when Fern first found it near the reeds(1)

frightened and alone
proud and excited
cross and grumpy

(b)Fern, when she chose to help instead of eating the duckling(1)

kind and caring
scared and worried
bored and tired

(c)The mother duck, when she saw her duckling again(1)

relieved and happy
cross and upset
confused and lost

In the story, the duckling was asked, "What is the matter, little one?" asked Fern gently. What does the word 'gently' tell you about the way Fern spoke to the duckling?

(1)

Why did Fern decide to help the duckling instead of eating it, even though she was hungry? Explain your answer using the story.

(2)

How do you think the duckling felt when it saw its mother duck again? Explain how you know, using words from the story.

(2)

Tick the sentence that shows the duckling trusted Fern.

A) The duckling told Fern all about its brothers and sisters.
B) The duckling ran away from Fern as fast as it could.
C) The duckling would not let Fern come near it.

Which word means the opposite of 'happily', as used to describe how the mother duck quacked?

A) sadly
B) loudly
C) quickly

Tick two words that best describe Fern's character in the story.

kind selfish helpful lazy grumpy

(2)

Why do you think Fern felt 'warm and happy inside' at the end of the story? Explain your answer fully, using evidence from the story.

(3)

The story describes the ducklings 'waddling along the bank'. What effect does the word 'waddling' have on the reader?

(2)

What lesson do you think this story teaches us? Explain your answer, using ideas from the story to support what you say.

(3)

Imagine you are the little duckling. Write two sentences to tell your mummy duck about your adventure with Fern. Remember to use capital letters and full stops.

(3)

Mark scheme · KS1.E4 Reading and Comprehension

Question 1

- Practice question - not marked. Teacher may read the question aloud and check pupils understand what to do.
Answer: A

Question 2

B1 blackberries / juicy blackberries copied correctly from the text (oe, accept either)
Answer: blackberries (or juicy blackberries)

Question 3

B1 shivering copied correctly (cao)
Answer: shivering

Question 4

B1 sad copied correctly (cao)
Answer: sad

Question 5

B1 one acceptable thing seen at the pond, e.g. (fluffy) ducklings (oe)
B1 a second acceptable thing, e.g. the (worried) mother duck / the bank (oe)
Answer: Any two of: six fluffy ducklings, a worried mother duck, the bank, the pond.

Question 6

B1 B ticked only (cao)
Answer: B

Question 7

(a) B1 True ticked (cao)
(a) Answer: True
(b) B1 False ticked (cao)
(b) Answer: False
(c) B1 True ticked (cao)
(c) Answer: True
(d) B1 False ticked (cao)
(d) Answer: False

Question 8

(a) B1 numbered 2 (cao)
(a) Answer: 2
(b) B1 numbered 1 (cao)
(b) Answer: 1
(c) B1 numbered 3 (cao)
(c) Answer: 3
(d) B1 numbered 4 (cao)
(d) Answer: 4

Question 9

B1 'past the old oak tree, over the wobbly bridge, and along the muddy path' copied correctly, or an equivalent part showing more than one stage (oe)
Answer: past the old oak tree, over the wobbly bridge, and along the muddy path

Question 10

(a) B1 frightened and alone (cao)
(a) Answer: frightened and alone
(b) B1 kind and caring (cao)
(b) Answer: kind and caring
(c) B1 relieved and happy (cao)
(c) Answer: relieved and happy

Question 11

B1 an answer showing Fern spoke softly/kindly/calmly, not roughly or in a scary way (oe), e.g. 'kindly', 'softly', 'in a soft, kind voice'
Answer: It tells us Fern spoke in a soft, kind voice, not roughly or in a way that would frighten the duckling.

Question 12

Level 1 (1): Gives a simple reason with little or no explanation, e.g. 'she felt sorry for it' or 'she was kind', without linking to the text.
Level 2 (2): Gives a clear, explained reason that links Fern's feelings to the situation in the story, showing that she chose kindness over her own hunger.
Indicative content:
- Fern felt sorry for the duckling because it was lost and alone.
- The duckling was scared/shivering and needed help.
- Even though Fern was hungry, she chose not to eat it.
- This shows Fern is kind and puts the duckling's needs first.

Question 13

Level 1 (1): States a simple feeling (e.g. 'happy') with little or no evidence from the text.
Level 2 (2): States a clear feeling (e.g. joyful/excited/relieved) and supports it with a relevant quotation or reference from the story, such as 'jumped for joy' or 'waddled quickly to its family'.
Indicative content:
- The duckling felt very happy, joyful or excited.
- Evidence: 'The little duckling jumped for joy'.
- Evidence: 'waddled quickly to its family'.
- Shows relief at being safely reunited after being lost.

Question 14

B1 A ticked only (cao)
Answer: A

Question 15

B1 A ticked only (cao)
Answer: A

Question 16

B1 'kind' ticked (cao)
B1 'helpful' ticked (cao); no credit for selfish, lazy or grumpy
Answer: kind and helpful

Question 17

Level 1 (1): Gives a simple idea, e.g. 'because she helped the duckling', with no explanation or evidence.
Level 2 (2): Gives a clear explanation linking helping the duckling to Fern's happiness, with some reference to the story.
Level 3 (3): Gives a full, well-explained answer that uses specific evidence from the story (e.g. 'Helping someone had felt even better than blackberries') to show a clear understanding that Fern's kindness, not her own wants, was the true source of her happiness.
Indicative content:
- Fern is happy because she successfully helped the duckling get safely home to its family.
- The text directly says 'Helping someone had felt even better than blackberries'.
- This shows that doing something kind for someone else made her happier than satisfying her own hunger would have.
- Links back to her earlier choice to help rather than eat the duckling, even though she was hungry.

Question 18

Level 1 (1): Makes a simple comment about the word, e.g. 'it shows how ducks walk', with little explanation of effect.
Level 2 (2): Explains the effect clearly, showing how 'waddling' helps the reader picture the ducks' wobbly, side to side movement and creates a gentle, warm or amusing feeling in the scene.
Indicative content:
- 'Waddling' is a descriptive verb that shows the ducks' funny, wobbly, side to side way of walking.
- Helps the reader picture/visualise the ducks moving along the bank.
- Creates a warm, gentle or slightly comic feeling, fitting the happy ending of the story.
- Contrasts with the earlier worried, anxious mood, showing things are calm and happy again.

Question 19

Level 1 (1): States a simple lesson (e.g. 'be kind') with no support from the story.
Level 2 (2): States a lesson and gives some explanation, with limited reference to the story.
Level 3 (3): Gives a full, well-explained lesson supported by clear reference to events in the story, showing understanding that helping others, even when it is difficult for us, can make us feel good.
Indicative content:
- The story teaches us that it is good to help others, even when it is not easy for us.
- Fern was hungry but chose to help the duckling instead of eating it.
- Being kind made Fern feel happier in the end than eating blackberries would have.
- Shows that putting someone else's needs before your own can be rewarding.

Question 20

Content and organisation (AO5, 2 marks)
- Level 0 (0): No relevant content, or the response does not relate to the task.
- Level 1 (1): One relevant idea about the adventure with Fern (e.g. being lost, or being carried in the scarf), in the duckling's voice.
- Level 2 (2): Two clear, relevant sentences that recount the adventure with Fern in a sensible order, written in the duckling's voice.
Technical accuracy (AO6, 1 mark)
- Level 0 (0): Sentences are not correctly demarcated, or the writing does not make sense.
- Level 1 (1): Both sentences use a capital letter and a full stop correctly, and the writing makes sense.

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