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Year 6 comprehension: A design for every reader

Read this non-fiction passage, then answer six questions about details, word meanings, inferences and purpose.

Before you read

Read once for the main idea, then look back for details. You can use the passage while answering.

A design for every reader

A reading display may look attractive while still being difficult to use. Imagine a library notice announcing a storytelling session. Its pale lettering sits over a photograph, the time appears in a small corner, and a large decorative heading takes up most of the page.

The design team first lists the questions a visitor needs answered: What is happening? When is it? Where should I go? Does it need booking? These questions guide the order and size of the information. Decoration should support that job rather than compete with it.

The team then tests a draft at the distance from which people will see the notice. Reading it closely at a desk does not show whether a visitor across the entrance can find the time. A clear background behind the words can help separate the text from the photograph. Enlarging the essential details may be more useful than enlarging the decorative heading.

Feedback needs to be specific. “I like the colours” describes a preference. “I could not find the date” identifies a problem with the task. Both comments may matter, but they answer different questions.

No single layout will suit every reader equally well. A useful test includes people with different needs and checks whether the important information can be found. The team can then revise the notice, test it again and keep the version that better helps visitors act.

Print this passage

Download the original passage, six questions and a separate answer section. The PDF includes links back to this page and the free diagnostic.

Download A design for every reader PDF

Practise reading

Check your understanding

6 questions. Keep the passage open above and look back for evidence. This practice score stays on this page until you leave or restart. It is not an exam grade or a saved assessment.

Read all questions and answers

  1. 1. Where is the time placed on the first imagined notice?

    • A. Across the whole heading
    • B. On the back of the photograph
    • C. Beside the library desk
    • D. In a small corner
    Show answer 1

    In a small corner: The opening paragraph says the time appears in a small corner.

  2. 2. At what distance does the team test the draft?

    • A. Only at the closest possible distance
    • B. The distance from which visitors will see it
    • C. Only outside the building
    • D. The distance between the printer and desk
    Show answer 2

    The distance from which visitors will see it: The team tests where visitors will actually read the notice, rather than only looking closely at a desk.

  3. 3. What does “revise” mean here?

    • A. Remove every photograph from the library
    • B. Print the original without checking it
    • C. Ask visitors to memorise the date
    • D. Change the notice to improve it
    Show answer 3

    Change the notice to improve it: Feedback is used to change the design and then test the revised version.

  4. 4. Why might a clear background behind the words help?

    • A. It removes the need to state a location
    • B. It guarantees everyone likes the colours
    • C. It separates the text from distracting parts of the photograph
    • D. It makes all words equally important
    Show answer 4

    It separates the text from distracting parts of the photograph: The passage says a clear background helps distinguish text from the image underneath.

  5. 5. Why is “I could not find the date” especially useful for this task?

    • A. It identifies a failure to locate essential information
    • B. It proves that every colour is unsuitable
    • C. It gives the speaker’s favourite style
    • D. It shows that booking is unnecessary
    Show answer 5

    It identifies a failure to locate essential information: The team is checking whether visitors can answer key practical questions, including when the session happens.

  6. 6. What is the central contrast in the passage?

    • A. Photographs and notices printed without any words
    • B. Looking attractive and helping readers find information
    • C. Libraries and buildings that do not hold books
    • D. Visitors who book and visitors who arrive late
    Show answer 6

    Looking attractive and helping readers find information: The passage begins with an attractive but hard-to-use notice and develops testing for practical readability.

Explore comprehension skills

An original passage written for Trace Learn. Authored 2026-09-30. These are teaching questions, not a school entrance paper.

Questions parents ask

Does this practice save a score?

No. Answers are checked on this page. They are not sent to an assessment service or saved to a learner profile. Restarting or leaving clears the practice score.

Should I look back at the passage?

Yes. Find the words that support your answer. For an inference, explain how the details suggest your idea.

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