Perestroika and Glasnost Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Why did the Soviet Union collapse so suddenly after decades as a superpower?
This engaging reading activity helps students uncover how Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms (Perestroika and Glasnost) were designed to save the Soviet Union but instead accelerated its downfall. Through structured questions and guided analysis, students will explore how attempts to modernize the USSR exposed deep economic weaknesses, weakened central authority, and triggered a chain reaction that reshaped Europe and the world.
Designed to accompany the History Skills article on the Fall of the Berlin Wall, this worksheet supports students in developing critical reading and historical analysis skills while mastering key Cold War content.

What’s Included:

• 18 comprehension and analysis questions, including:
• Factual recall questions to check understanding of key terms and events
• Short-answer questions examining Perestroika and Glasnost
• Analytical questions exploring cause and effect
• Questions connecting Soviet reforms to the 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe
• Critical thinking questions on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the USSR

Benefits for Teachers:

• Ready-to-use, no-prep resource
• Aligns directly with a high-quality online article
• Encourages higher-order thinking and historical analysis
• Perfect for classwork, homework, sub plans, or revision
• Supports structured discussion and written responses

Benefits for Students:

• Develops close reading and comprehension skills
• Strengthens understanding of cause and effect in history
• Builds confidence in explaining complex political and economic reforms
• Connects Soviet domestic policy to global Cold War consequences

Curriculum Fit:
Ideal for:

• Year 10 Modern History
• Cold War units
• Studies of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
• The collapse of communism in Eastern Europe
• The end of the USSR

Supports curriculum outcomes related to:

• Analyzing historical causes and consequences
• Evaluating political and economic reforms
• Understanding global change and shifting power structures

Help your students move beyond memorizing dates and instead understand why the Cold War ended the way it did.