Creating Reading Comprehension High School Practice Worksheets takes tons of time and effort. They are not simple, nor are they easy, yet they are necessary! I don’t know about you, but it can seem overwhelming to constantly try to connect every activity with the standards and make them rigorous!
When it comes down to it though, students need to consistently come into contact with what they will experience on test day. They will never get a question about identifying a protagonist, a type of conflict, or a literary device. Instead, students will be questioned about how the characterization develops the theme, the impact of the conflict on the meaning, and the purpose for a specific description. You can help students by providing critical thinking questions with reading comprehension stems that mirror the standardized test. That way they will feel and actually BE more prepared when they see the questions on the exam!
Tips for Creating Reading Comprehension High School Worksheets
1. INCLUDE TEXT VARIETY
Make sure you include literary texts: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, novels, etc. Literature is fun to use as reading is one of the main reasons we became teachers! We love literature and reading in general! You can also include informational passages that link to literary passages, instead of rote information test prep passages. For example, you could choose excerpts from The Declaration of Independence or the speech Ain’t I a Woman? instead of random articles that you find across the internet. Additionally, be sure to include PAIRED PASSAGES that link 2 types of texts together as these seem to be the most difficult for students to read and comprehension; they require synthesis, which is a higher level skill! As William Cowper once said, “Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all it’s flavour.”
2. USE GOOD LITERATURE
Instead of preparing for state tests throughout the year, there is usually a push to begin test prep in January. I am not a fan of that, usually because teachers are “encouraged” to use district test prep materials. I like doing the unconventional as I have seen HUGE results by avoiding what other people are told to do. Why not incorporate test prep throughout the year by using literature students enjoy and love? My favorite texts are usually poems and short stories from Poe, Jack London, and O. Henry as well as my own narratives! 
3. INCORPORATE WRITING WHENEVER YOU CAN
Typically, students who can respond in writing can answer any question! Think about it; if I can respond in a paragraph or a couple of paragraphs, I am thinking critically beyond what even a multiple-choice question might even present. Whether you ask for a couple of sentences or a paragraph, make sure students are ALWAYS writing and providing TEXTUAL EVIDENCE for all of their responses!
4. ASSIGN PRE-QUIZ QUESTIONS
Before you expose students to the reading comprehension questions AND answers, how about just giving them the questions? If they can answer the questions before they see possible responses, they will usually have a better idea of what the actual answer will look like!
5. PROVIDE ANSWERS IN DIVERSE FORMATS
Most standardized tests are NOT simple multiple-choice questions and answers anymore. Now, they typically include multiple-choice, multi-select, HOT text, 2 Part, 2 Part HOT text, and open / short responses. Plus, there may be a writing prompt for a full essay! Students need to see all types of questions and answers; they don’t have to see all of them every day, but you may want to take a day or week to go over each for practice. Even if you only do 2 of each per day, students will become old-hats by the time the state test arrives!
6. MAKE STANDARDS-BASED READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Unlike many quizzes that students see, there is no “studying” in the traditional sense for a reading test. Students can only practice with various standards, skills, and strategies. Because of the nature of the standardized test, the focus of questions should be on the standard. See below for question types for Citing Evidence, Central Idea, Words & Phrases, Structure, and Purpose!
5 Types of Questions with Answers for Reading Comprehension High School Worksheets
- Citing Evidence-At all times, make sure students are citing evidence for EVERY answer! They can use details from the text for a paraphrase or direct quotations. Be sure to include both in your reading comprehension high school worksheets. Also, make sure to include multiple-choice, multi-select, open responses, HOT Text, and/or 2 Part Questions. Here is an example from my Paired Passages: Death and Plague Pack!
Ex. Which 2 quotations highlight how Edwin challenges Hare-Lip’s views in Passage 1?
- “I tell you I seen ’em, last winter, when I was wolf-hunting with dad”
- “Look here, Hare-Lip, you believe in lots of things you can’t see”
- “And you can’t see these germ-things, Granser”
- “You’re just as bad as Granser and his germs”
- “’My feet! All sensation has left them”
- “That’s to keep off bad luck”
2. Central Idea or Theme-The biggest issue with Central Idea or Theme seems to be the complexity required. You can’t just let students say “Love” is the theme of Romeo and Juliet or “Feuding Families” is the central idea of this iconic play. The central idea and/or theme should contain a complete sentence that captures the main idea or message of the text. Here is an example from my Romeo and Juliet Digital Quiz Pack!
Ex. What is the central idea of Romeo’s speech when Juliet appears at the window?
- A. He ponders the beauty of Juliet and his love for her.
- B. He recognizes that he and Juliet can never be together.
- C. He understands why Juliet might reject his declaration of love.
- D. He recounts the many girls who came before and wishes they were Juliet.
3. Words & Phrases-This type of question can be tricky as there is no ONE type! There are so many parts to this standard from meaning and tone to description and context clues. With this type of question, you really want students to hyper-focus on the word choice or diction. Whatever the author says, there is a purpose, and it is our job to figure it out! Plus, you want to be able to use textual evidence to support your ideas. For instance, if you are asking students to analyze tone, you should ALWAYS encourage them to find the evidence. I mean, they should cite every word that indicates a specific tone. Here is a 2-Part Question & Answer from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” Quiz Pack!
Check out my post on teaching Edgar Allan Poe’s Love Poems!
Ex. This question has 2 parts.
Part A: What is the speaker’s tone at the beginning of the poem?
- A. Mournful
- B. Comical
- C. Joyous
- D. Kind
Part B: Which 2 quotations support your answer to Part A?
- “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary”
- “From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore”
- “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping”
- “As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door”
- “Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore”
- “Only this and nothing more”
4. Structure-This type of question can focus on order of events, tension, meaning of organization, etc. Most students struggle with these questions because they typically ask for the purpose of the structure. You will rarely see a question like “What is the first event?” Instead, students will be asked to analyze the purpose for a specific event. We need to cover the various types of structures, but knowing chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast is not enough. What is the purpose for each type of structure? How does it contribute to the meaning or theme? This situation is why students need exposure to a variety of texts. Here is an example from Sailing Paired Passages Pack!
Ex. How does the author develop his ideas in Passage 1?
- A. He uses descriptions of various places he has lived.
- B. He incorporates comparisons of experiences on different ships.
- C. He presents varied details about difficulties sailing with his father.
- D. He writes about the process of becoming a shipbuilder since he was a kid.
5. Author’s Purpose-I don’t know about you, but before teaching, I thought Author’s Purpose consisted of INFORM, PERSUADE, and ENTERTAIN! Boy, was I in for a shocker when I saw the answers had NOTHING to do with these words. But that is what I had been taught! Rather, I saw explain, emphasize, and clarify. I saw convince, argue, and influence. I saw illustrate, highlight, and depict. These verbs are clearly synonyms, but these are the words my students encountered. Check out my FREE Verb List for a list of purpose words! Here is an example from the reading comprehension high school worksheets Mark Twain’s “Life on the Mississippi” Pack!
Ex. What is the author’s purpose in this passage?
- A. To relay his amazing adventures on the Mississippi River.
- B. To share his experiences traveling on the Mississippi River.
- C. To convey his story of taking a boat ride on the Mississippi River.
- D. To illustrate the incredible characteristics of the Mississippi River.
Although making and incorporating Reading Comprehension High School Practice Worksheets is a tough task, it is well worth it! Ultimately, we want our students to be successful, and STANDARDIZED TEST PREP is a necessary evil. When we include test prep into a small part of our instruction instead of making it the focus, we kill two birds with one stone without sacrificing our students’ educations and love of literature.
By Kristin Menke, The Integrated Teacher