Reading and understanding a text presents a variety of processing problems for L2 learners. The organizational pattern of a text has been considered by some researchers to have an important influence in this process. This article describes an experimental study of a group of Hong Kong schoolchildren and presents evidence that learners reading in English as a second language experience unexpected comprehension problems that may be related to L1-L2 rhetorical differences. Results indicate predilections which favour particular rhetorical patterns: it is suggested that specific teaching strategies should be employed to raise reader awareness of this aspect of comprehension. (Contains 4 tables.)