The Circulatory System

Reading Comprehension

Read the questions and specific instructions carefully. Refer to the Functions of the Circulatory System
Information Sheet.

1. What are the three mains parts of the circulatory system?

2. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer.

3. What is the function of the circulatory system? Explain in one sentence only.

4. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion?

5. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system?

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2
 The Circulatory System
Reading Comprehension Answer Sheet
The general reading objectives for Year 5/6 that are covered are:
• Continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range non-fiction
• Asking questions to improve their understanding. Children will get a chance to do in the lesson.

Q1. What are the three mains parts of the circulatory system? (retrieve, record and present information
from non-fiction)
A1. The heart, lungs and blood vessels.

Q2. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer. (provide
reasoned justifications for their views)
A2. Any of the three parts can be stated. The reasons should focus on the functions.
Examples:
The heart is the most important part of the circulatory system because without it blood would not be
pumped throughout the body.
The blood vessels are the most important part as they carry the blood with nutrients and oxygen to the
cells.

Q3. What is the function of the circulatory system? Explain in one sentence only! (summarising the main
ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph)
A3. The answer should contain reference to circulating blood with oxygen and nutrients through the body
and taking waste away.

Q4. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion? (distinguish between statements of fact and opinion)
A4. The answer should make reference that this is an opinion. While the capillaries do connect arteries
and veins, that is not their main function. The capillaries carry oxygen and nutrients to cells and remove
the waste they discharge. The ideas that the capillaries are not important is unsupported which again
makes this statement an opinion rather than a fact.

Q5. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system? (exploring the meaning of words in context)
A5. Answers should make reference to the word circulatory and its meaning –
E.g. it is called the circulatory system because the blood circulates through the body.

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2
 The Circulatory System
Reading Comprehension

Read the questions and specific instructions carefully. Refer to the Functions of the Circulatory System
Information Sheet.
1. What are the three mains parts of the circulatory system?

2. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer.

3. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system?

4. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion?

5. Which part of the lungs are directly connected to another part of the circulatory system? How do
you know?

6. What is the role of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm?

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2
 The Circulatory System
Reading Comprehension Answer Sheet
The general reading objectives for Year 5/6 that are covered are:
• Continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range non-fiction
• Asking questions to improve their understanding. Children will get a chance to do in the lesson.
Q1. What are the three mains parts of the circulatory system? (retrieve, record and present information
from non-fiction)
A1. The heart, lungs and blood vessels.
Q2. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer. (provide
reasoned justifications for their views)
A2. Any of the three parts can be stated with reasons focusing on the functions.
Examples:
The heart is the most important part of the circulatory system because without it blood would not be
pumped throughout the body.
The blood vessels are the most important part as they carry the blood with nutrients and oxygen to the
cells.
Q3. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system? (exploring the meaning of words in context)
A3. Answers should make reference to the word circulatory and its meaning –
E.g. it is called the circulatory system because the blood circulates through the body.
Q4. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion? (distinguish between statements of fact and opinion)
A4. The answer should make reference that this is an opinion. While the capillaries do connect arteries
and veins, that is not their main function. The capillaries carry oxygen and nutrients to cells and remove
the waste they discharge. The ideas that the capillaries are not important is unsupported which again
makes this statement an opinion rather than a fact.
Q5. Which part of the lungs are directly connected to another part of the circulatory system? How do you
know? (retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction, summarising the main ideas drawn
from more than 1 paragraph)
A5. The air sacs (alveoli) as this is where the exchange of gases takes place in the blood.
Q6. What is the role of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm? (retrieve, record and present information
from non-fiction)
A6. They expand to enable the lungs to fill up with air when breathing in and contract in order to enable
air to be pushed out.

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2
 The Circulatory System
Reading Comprehension

Read the questions and specific instructions carefully. Refer to the Functions of the Circulatory System
Information Sheet.
1. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer.

2. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system?

3. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion?

4. What makes the pulmonary arteries and veins special?

5. What are vena cavae – veins or arteries? How do you know?

6. Which is the largest chamber in the heart? Why is it the largest?

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2
 The Circulatory System
Reading Comprehension Answer Sheet
The general reading objectives for Year 5/6 that are covered are:
• Continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range non-fiction
• Asking questions to improve their understanding. Children will get a chance to do in the lesson.
Q1. Which is the most important part of the circulatory system? Give reasons for your answer. (provide
reasoned justifications for their views)
A1. Any of the three parts can be stated with reasons focusing on the functions.
Examples:
The heart is the most important part of the circulatory system because without it blood would not be
pumped throughout the body.
The blood vessels are the most important part as they carry the blood with nutrients and oxygen to the
cells.
Q2. Why is it called the ‘circulatory’ system? (exploring the meaning of words in context)
A2. Answers should make reference to the word circulatory and its meaning –
E.g. it is called the circulatory system because the blood circulates through the body.
Q3. ‘The capillaries just connect arteries and veins so aren’t very important.’ Is this statement a fact or
an opinion? (distinguish between statements of fact and opinion)
A3. The answer should make reference that this is an opinion. While the capillaries do connect arteries
and veins, that is not their main function. The capillaries carry oxygen and nutrients to cells and remove
the waste they discharge. The ideas that the capillaries are not important is unsupported which again
makes this statement an opinion rather than a fact.
Q4. What makes the pulmonary arteries and veins special? (retrieve, record and present information
from non-fiction)
A4. The pulmonary arteries and veins are special because they work differently to normal arteries and
veins. The pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs and the pulmonary veins carry
oxygenated blood back to the heart.
Q5. Why are vena cavae – veins or arteries? How do you know? (summarising the main ideas drawn
from more than 1 paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas)
A5. The vena cavae are veins as they carry deoxygenated blood rather than oxygenated blood. The word
vena is similar to the word veins. In the paragraph on pulmonary arteries and veins, it states that veins
normally carry deoxygenated blood.
Q6. Which is the largest chamber in the heart? Why is it the largest? (retrieve, record and present
information from non-fiction)
A6. The left ventricle is the largest chamber. Oxygenated blood is pushed from the left ventricle to the
rest of the body. This requires more force than pushing blood to the lungs.

Science | Year 6 | Animals Including Humans | The Circulatory System: Functions | Lesson 2