Exhibit 2.4 contains the description of comprehension skills and strategies demonstrated by ePIRLS
students at the High International Benchmark. At the High International Benchmark, students
demonstrated that they could distinguish relevant information to provide comparisons; interpret and
integrate information across webpages to make contrasts; and evaluate how graphic elements and
language choices support content.
Exhibits 2.4.1 through 2.4.4 contain examples of the types of items successfully answered by
students achieving at the High International Benchmark. Each exhibit shows achievement results for
the countries that participated in ePIRLS, with up and down arrows indicating a significantly higher
or lower percentage of success than the international average. The reading comprehension process and
scale anchoring description are provided above the item. For multiple-choice items, the correct
response is indicated. Constructed response questions were worth 1, 2, or 3 points. Each constructed
response item is shown with an illustrative student response and the amount of credit awarded the
response is shown across the bottom of the exhibit, usually full credit.
Example Item 2.4.1 illustrates that students were able to make an inference to recognize a
definition presented via text and images. In Example Item 2.4.2 they could provide either a positive
or negative reason to live in New York in the 1850s. Example 2.4.3 is a complex example, where
students demonstrated that they were able to navigate across four sets of images and text to
describe the capabilities of different parts of a Mars rover. In Example 2.4.4, they evaluated the
purpose of the animated diagram showing Earth and Mars orbiting around the Sun.
