Comprehension: Non-Fiction Set 11
Comprehension: Non-Fiction Set 11 gives a further unseen non-fiction extract for 11+ practice, testing retrieval, structure, vocabulary in context and viewpoint in the GL Assessment / CEM / CSSE style, this time using a passage that explains a process step by step. Process explanations are a common non-fiction form and reward careful attention to the order events happen in.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Identify that the passage is explaining a process, and note the stages it moves through from beginning to end.
- Pay close attention to time or order words such as 'first', 'once', 'after this' or 'finally', since sequencing questions depend on these.
- For retrieval questions about a specific stage, find the exact sentence describing that stage rather than summarising the whole process from memory.
- For 'why' questions about a step in the process, look for the reason given in the same sentence or the one immediately before or after it.
- For vocabulary questions, work out the meaning of a technical or unfamiliar word from the surrounding sentence rather than guessing from the word alone.
- For higher-mark questions, explain the process in your own words in the correct order, since marks are often given for accurate sequencing as well as detail.
Worked example
Extract: 'Making paper by hand begins with pulping old fibres, such as scrap paper or plant material, in water until they form a thick, even mixture. This pulp is then poured onto a fine mesh screen and gently shaken, spreading the fibres evenly and letting the water drain away. Once most of the water has drained, the damp sheet is pressed and left to dry fully before it can be used.' Question: Explain, in your own words and in the correct order, the three main stages of making paper by hand described in the extract. (4 marks)
- Identify the first stage: fibres such as scrap paper or plant material are pulped in water to form a thick mixture.
- Identify the second stage: the pulp is poured onto a mesh screen and shaken so the fibres spread evenly and the water drains away.
- Identify the third stage: once mostly drained, the sheet is pressed and left to dry fully.
- Check the order matches the sequence words in the extract ('begins with', 'is then', 'once... has drained') to make sure no stage is missed or reordered.
- Final answer: paper is first made by pulping fibres in water into a thick mixture; this pulp is then spread evenly over a mesh screen and shaken so the water drains away; finally, the resulting damp sheet is pressed and left to dry completely before use.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1According to the extract, what two examples of material can be pulped to make paper?Show answer
Answer: Scrap paper or plant material.
Q2Give one word from the extract that means 'spread out equally across a surface'.Show answer
Answer: 'evenly'.
Q3True or False: according to the extract, the sheet of paper is used before it has fully dried.Show answer
Answer: False - the extract says it must be 'left to dry fully before it can be used'.
Q4What is the purpose of shaking the pulp gently on the mesh screen, according to the extract?Show answer
Answer: To spread the fibres evenly and let the water drain away.
Q5Which happens first, according to the extract: pressing the sheet, or pouring the pulp onto the screen?Show answer
Answer: Pouring the pulp onto the screen happens first; pressing happens later, after most of the water has drained.
Q6Why might a writer use words like 'begins with', 'then' and 'once' when explaining a process?Show answer
Answer: These words make the order of the stages clear to the reader, helping them follow a multi-step process accurately.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Extract: 'This pulp is then poured onto a fine mesh screen and gently shaken, spreading the fibres evenly and letting the water drain away.' Find and copy the phrase that shows what happens to the water at this stage. Then explain what this phrase tells the reader. (2 marks)
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
Explain why the order of the stages described in the extract matters for making paper successfully. (3 marks)
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 3 available
Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the comprehension: non-fiction set 11 worksheet pack - 9 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
This topic is chapter 25 of 11+ English Workbook 1, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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