EduTest Year 8 Reading Comprehension free practice questions with answers
Read question 1 and its full worked answer from paper 1 of our 20-paper EduTest Year 8 Reading Comprehension set, then download the 4-page PDF. These are original practice questions, not official past papers. Page updated 3 November 2026.
Why does Marnie find Mr Okafor's murmuring to the clock “baffling”?
A She prefers to fix problems with tools rather than by talking to them.
B She thinks he is speaking to her but cannot hear what he says.
C She suspects he is hiding a secret about how the clock works.
D She is worried that the noise will disturb people in the square.
Correct answer: A — She prefers to fix problems with tools rather than by talking to them.
- What is the question asking? It asks for the reason behind Marnie's puzzlement.
- Go back to the text and find the evidence: “Marnie, who preferred problems she could solve with a screwdriver, found this baffling.”
- The sentence that contains the word 'baffling' explains why: Marnie preferred problems she could solve with a screwdriver. Talking to a machine is the opposite of that approach.
- So the correct answer is A (She prefers to fix problems with tools rather than by talking to them).
- Why the other options are wrong:
- B: The text says he murmurs to the clock as if it were an ailing relative, not to Marnie.
- C: Nothing suggests a secret; her puzzlement comes from her own preference for practical fixes.
- D: Neighbours and noise are never mentioned; the text gives her screwdriver preference as the reason.
Characters' motives come from what they want and what they fear: look at their choices under pressure.
Your sample is downloading. Liked it? EduTest Year 8 Reading Comprehension Paper 1 is the full paper: 52 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes (4 options each), with a worked solution for every question.
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Questions about this sample
What is in the EduTest Year 8 Reading Comprehension free sample?
The first 3 questions from paper 1 of the set, in the real exam layout, followed by the step-by-step worked answers. It is a 4-page PDF; this page shows question 1 with its answer.
How many full EduTest Year 8 Reading Comprehension papers are there?
20 original papers for students preparing for Year 8 entry (EduTest). Each is 52 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes (4 options each), with a worked solution for every question. Papers start at A$11.99 and download instantly as a PDF.
Are these official past papers?
No. The sample is taken from our own original practice paper and is not an official past paper or affiliated with any exam authority.