4th grade reading comprehension worksheets

“New problems” picks a different passage.
Answer format
Inference questions are short answer; the rest are multiple choice.
Question types
Paper

4th grade reading comprehension passage with questions and an answer key · 2 pages + answer key

NameDateGrade 4 readingVolcanoesRead the article. Then answer the questions. Fill in the bubble or write your answer.Informational text · 4th grade · 242 wordsDeep beneath Earth’s surface, it is hot enough to melt rock. This melted rock is called1magma. When magma pushes up through an opening in Earth’s crust and spills out, it iscalled lava, and the opening is called a volcano.Earth’s outer layer is broken into giant pieces called tectonic plates. They fit together2like a cracked eggshell and move very slowly, about as fast as your fingernails grow.Many volcanoes form where plates pull apart or where one plate slides beneathanother. A large number of volcanoes circle the Pacific Ocean in a zone nicknamed theRing of Fire.Not all volcanoes erupt the same way. Some, like Kilauea in Hawaii, ooze rivers of runny3lava that flow downhill. Others explode violently, blasting ash, gas, and chunks of rockhigh into the sky. In 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington State erupted so powerfullythat it blew away the top of the mountain.Volcanoes can be dangerous, but they also build land. The Hawaiian Islands were made4by volcanoes that erupted on the ocean floor again and again until they rose above thewater. Volcanic ash can also make soil very rich, which is why farmers often grow cropsnear old volcanoes.Scientists called volcanologists study volcanoes to predict when they might erupt. They5measure small earthquakes, changes in the shape of the ground, and gases escapingfrom the volcano. Their warnings can help people get to safety in time.Questions1.What is magma called when it reaches the surface?AplatesBcrustClavaDashedulist.com/worksheets/reading-comprehension/4th-gradePage 1 of 2

Explore reading programs

See all reading programs →

Compare listed prices and grade ranges. Save favorites on this device; directory inclusion does not imply funding approval. Confirm current prices and availability with the provider.

ReadTheory

ReadTheory

Gr. K–12 · Adult · App

Free

Time4Learning

Cambium Learning Group

Gr. Pre-K–12 · Curriculum · Course

$39.95/mo

Fourth grade passages run about 240 to 300 words. Stories follow two kids who find their grandfather's time capsule, a basketball tryout, and a class bridge challenge that teaches why triangles are strong. Nonfiction explains the monarch butterfly migration to Mexico, how volcanoes build and destroy land, and the life of fossil hunter Mary Anning. A poem traces a river from mountain spring to ocean.

Fourth graders are expected to explain what a text says using details and examples, determine themes, and compare points of view. The questions push past recall: why does the author mention X, what does a phrase like "the river knows" mean, and how was a person treated unfairly. Written answers get three notebook lines. When your child is ready for more, move on to 5th grade reading passages, inference worksheets or 4th grade writing prompts.

Tips for using it

  • Ask your child to highlight the sentence that answers each question before choosing.
  • For poems, read aloud twice. Rhythm helps meaning.
  • Use the nonfiction passages as a springboard for a short research project.

Variations

All reading comprehension worksheets

Questions

What reading skills are taught in 4th grade?

Fourth graders refer to details and examples when explaining a text, summarize, determine theme, describe characters in depth, explain how events or ideas are connected, and figure out word meanings, including figurative language.

How many passages should my 4th grader read a week?

Two or three passages with questions is plenty alongside daily independent reading. The worksheets build skills; reading real books builds stamina and love of reading.

Get future opening updates.

Openings and deadlines for your state, plus new products. Free.