2005 NAEP Reading Sample Questions
The sample questions below give a brief introduction to the materials that were used to assess the reading ability of students in grades 4 and 8. All questions are based on the NAEP reading framework, which defines the test design and content. The framework was developed through an extensive national consensus process and adopted by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). Visit the NAGB website to download the full text of the reading framework.
Several other tools are available to help students, parents, and teachers look more closely at NAEP questions. View the item maps that provide concrete examples of what students at various achievement levels likely know and can do. Visit the NAEP Questions Tool to search over 1,600 items in all NAEP subject areas.
Sample Grade 4 Multiple-Choice Question
Sample question 1 is a multiple-choice question, which asked students to recognize detail from the passage.
1. According to the passage, what was the purpose of the space station
Mir program?
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A)
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To learn how the body reacts to long-term travel in space
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B)
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To observe how people from different cultures live
together
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C)
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To see what the seasons look like from outer space
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D)
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To take pictures of the Earth and of water currents
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See more about this question or read the passage.
View this question, at score 238, on a map of NAEP reading items.
Sample Grade 4 Short Constructed-Response Question
Sample question 2 is a short constructed-response question, which asked students to make an inference about a lesson that can be learned and support that inference with information from the passage. Responses to this task were rated according to a scoring guide as being one of the following three categories: "Evidence of full comprehension," "Evidence of partial comprehension," or "Evidence of little or no comprehension." The sample below was rated as demonstrating "Evidence of full comprehension."
2. What is one lesson that could be learned from reading this passage?
Use information from the passage to support your answer.
See more about this question or read the passage.
View this question, at score 229, on a map of NAEP reading items.
Sample Grade 8 Multiple-Choice Question
Sample question 3 is a multiple-choice question, which asked students to recognize the meaning of descriptive language used in a poetic comparison.
3. When the poet says "Like medals with their ribbons frayed and
wavering" (lines 61–62), she is referring to
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A)
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victory
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B)
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fishhooks
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C)
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trophies
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D)
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fish scales
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See more about this question or read the passage.
View this question, at score 297, on a map of NAEP reading items.
Sample Grade 8 Short Constructed-Response Question
Sample question 4 is a short constructed-response question, which asked students to explain the action of a character in a poem and provide textual support. Responses to this task were rated according to a scoring guide as being one of the following three categories: "Evidence of full comprehension," "Evidence of partial comprehension," or "Evidence of little or no comprehension." The sample below was rated as demonstrating "Evidence of full comprehension."
4. Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you
think so?
See more about this question or read the passage.
View this question, at score 327, on a map of NAEP reading items.