The effect of passage topic and task demands on elementary school students' monitoring of their own comprehension was examined. Second, fourth, and sixth grade students read a short passage about a well-known event (playing checkers) or one about which they had little existing information (making lye soap). Half of the students in each grade were presented with questions about their passage before they read it, while the others saw the questions only after reading. Students in the first condition could consult the questions while reading; all participants could refer to the passage read when answering comprehension questions. Students' spontaneous efforts to engage in either of these behaviors were recorded. Very few participants consulted the questions while reading, although more sixth grade students did so, as did more of the students who read the passage about the unfamiliar event. Significantly more students who read the lye soap story referred to the text when responding to comprehension questions than did students who read the checkers passage. Comprehension of the story about the more familiar situation was better; and sixth grade students answered more questions correctly than did second or fourth grade students. (RL)