Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy Literacy Sample Reading Tasks at 2nd Level

What to do

o In this booklet there are 2 different reading tasks for you to do.

o Each task has a piece of text for you to read and then some questions for you

to answer. Please make sure you have the correct text before you start.

o You should either tick your answer or write your answer in the space

provided.

o Remember to look back at the text while you answer the questions.

o If a question is too hard, leave it, and go on to the next one.

o If you do not understand what you have to do, ask your teacher.

Task 1: Achoo (text)

Achoo...The question and answer below were posted on

‘The Last Word’ blog on the New Scientist website.

On Wednesday, 20 February Robin Brown of London, UK asked:

Do elephants sneeze?

This is one of the answers to that question –I frequently camp in the bush close to where I live in northern Botswana. By far the most pleasant way to experience the African night is to sleep under a mosquito net rather than in a tent, though you may end up, as I have, being investigated by lions, hyenas, hippos and elephants, which can be quite exciting.A friend told me of a time when, sleeping under a net, he woke in the middle of the night and, and not being able to see the stars, believed that it had clouded over and might rain. But as his eyes focused more clearly he realised that he was looking up at the underside of an elephant. Being inquisitive, the elephant was sniffing him through the net. Then, suddenly, there was an eruption from the elephant’s trunk and my friend’s face was covered in elephant mucus! The animal then carefully stepped over the net and went on its way.Sneezing is an involuntary response that serves to remove foreign or excess material from the nasal passages. Elephants are just as liable to experience foreign matter in their nasal passages as other mammals and presumably sneeze for the same reason as dogs, cats and humans.So yes, elephants do sneeze.John Walters, Rakops, Botswana

text adapted from Do Polar Bears Get Lonely? : And 101 Other Intriguing Science Questions by New Scientist. Copyright permission has been sought.

Task 1: Achoo (questions)

1. What does John Walters think is the best way to experience the African

night?

_____________________________________________________

2. What is the writer’s reaction to being investigated by animals during the night?

_____________________________________________________

3. What does the writer’s friend at first think he sees when he wakes up in the middle of the night?

_____________________________________________________

4. What is the effect of using the word ‘eruption’ to describe the elephant’s sneeze?

_____________________________________________________

5. What conclusion does John Walters come to about why elephants sneeze? (tick one answer)

a) They sneeze when frightened. b) They sneeze for fun. c) They can’t help sneezing. d) They sneeze when they meet strangers.

Task 2: Creature Feature (text)

For those people lucky enough to see a kingfisher it normally appears as a flash of brilliant blue and then disappears just as quickly. When most people see a kingfisher for the first time they are surprised by how small it is. This brightly coloured bird is only about the size of a robin!

The kingfisher’s bright colours are designed to put off predators by indicating that they taste horrible. Amazingly, the shiny blue and green colours of the kingfisher’s feathers do not really exist. It’s all a trick of the light ! The brown feathers absorb light in a special way so all you see are blue and greens. You can see the same effect on the bright reflected colours on your CDs at home.

Kingfishers normally live near rivers or streams although some are found on lakes and canals. Clean rivers are very important for the kingfisher population because the birds are extremely sensitive to river pollution. When rivers are polluted sticklebacks die out and these fish are the kingfisher’s favourite food. This means kingfishers may either starve or move to another river to find cleaner water and more food.

Right now, the United Kingdom has between 4 000 and 6 000 pairs of kingfishers, which is really good! These high numbers are as a result of our clean waterways; however, because kingfishers are so vulnerable to pollution, we must work hard to keep our rivers clean and protect our kingfisher population.

Kingfisher

Task 2: Creature Feature (questions)

1. Write a phrase from the first sentence which suggests that seeing a kingfisher is a rare experience.

_____________________________________________________ 2. What surprises people the first time they see a kingfisher?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ 3. What is the purpose of the kingfisher’s bright colours?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

4. What is surprising about a kingfisher’s bright colours?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

5. Why are kingfishers affected by pollution?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

6. What reason does the writer suggest for the high numbers of kingfishers?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

7. How does the writer include the reader in the last paragragh?

_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

8. Who is the main audience for this article? (tick one answer)

a) fishermen b) scientists c) birdwatchers d) conservationists

All SSLN Reading questions are written to address the CfE Experience and Outcomes and the SSLN cognitive domains detailed below.

• Access and retrieve This involves finding, selecting and sorting information. Learners will find information by using knowledge of the structures and features of texts. In print this may involve using headings and captions to locate the relevant section; in digital texts learners may use menus or tabs to navigate across several pages. (Lit 14a) • Integrate and interpret This involves making connections between different parts of a text to make sense of the whole. Learners may identify main concerns and supporting details, considering how they link together, as well as making inferences to read beyond what is directly stated. Learners will use their knowledge of language to work out implications and connotations. (Lit 16a) • Reflect and evaluate This involves using knowledge and personal experience to make judgements about a text. Learners may, for example, evaluate the reliability and credibility of a newspaper report or a website. (Lit 18a) The following table list relates each question to the relevant CfE experience & outcome and to the

SSLN cognitive domain. Task 1: Achoo

CfE experience & outcome SSLN Cognitive Domain 1 LIT2-16a Integrate and Interpret 2 LIT2-14a Access and Retrieve 3 LIT2-16a Access and Retrieve 4 LIT2-16a Integrate and Interpret 5 LIT2-18a Reflect and Evaluate

Task 2: Creature Feature

CfE experience & outcome SSLN Cognitive Domain 1 LIT2-16a Integrate and Interpret 2 LIT1-14a Access and Retrieve 3 LIT1-14a Access and Retrieve 4 LIT2-16a Integrate and Interpret 5 LIT2-14a Access and Retrieve 6 LIT2-14a Access and Retrieve 7 LIT2-18a Reflect and Evaluate 8 LIT2-18a Reflect and Evaluate