Australia · Year 9 entry

HAST Year 9 Reading Comprehension free practice questions with answers

Read question 1 and its full worked answer from paper 1 of our 20-paper HAST Year 9 Reading Comprehension set, then download the 4-page PDF. These are original practice questions, not official past papers. Page updated 3 November 2026.

Question 1

The furnace is said to roar “like a trapped animal”. This simile suggests that the furnace is

A quiet and calm

B small and weak

C fierce and powerful

D cold and distant

Worked answer

[Figurative]

Correct answer: C — fierce and powerful

  • What is the question asking? It asks what the simile suggests.
  • Go back to the text and find the evidence: “the furnace roared like a trapped animal”
  • A trapped animal is fierce and dangerous.
  • So the correct answer is C (fierce and powerful).
  • Why the other options are wrong:
  • A (quiet and calm): A trapped animal is wild.
  • B (small and weak): The roar is loud.
  • D (cold and distant): The heat presses on her face.

Figurative language means something other than the literal words: ask what two things are being compared and what they share.

Download the free sample: 3 questions and answers (PDF)

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Questions about this sample

What is in the HAST Year 9 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 HAST Year 9 Reading Comprehension papers are there?

20 original papers for students preparing for Year 9 entry (HAST (High Achievers Selection Test)). Each is 36 multiple-choice questions in 45 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.