The Explorer - Session 4 - Reading Comprehension

In the fourth session of "The Explorer" reading comprehension, students delve into a section called "The River," where they are tasked with answering a series of questions to test their understanding of the text. The questions range from inquiring why Fred was sent to Brazil, to the reason behind the children's decision to follow a trail of ants. Each question is labelled with an RS (Reading Strategy) number, indicating the specific strategy to be employed or skill to be demonstrated by the students when answering.

The comprehension exercise also prompts students to consider character actions and narrative details, such as how Con manages to surprise Fred and why the exact ages of the children are not disclosed to the reader. Additionally, students are asked to interpret the phrase 'all dog-eared and food-stained' to infer what it suggests about the condition of Fred's books. The urgency of the children's exit from the river and the hope it instills in Fred are also points of discussion. The session culminates with a challenge for the students to concisely summarise "The River" in no more than 50 words, demonstrating their ability to distill the essence of the text while practicing brevity and comprehension.