Reading Comprehension Practice For Class 11 & 12

Reading comprehension is the act of understanding what you are reading. Communication skills help to understand a particular language, process it, and use it effectively.

Reading comprehension practice is very important for students because it improves academic performance, critical thinking skills, vocabulary, communication skills and confidence.

Reading Comprehension Practice Test For Class 11 & 12 (Level 5)

Comprehension Practice #1

Rabies is spread only by the bite of an infected animal. The virus of the disease is introduced into the nerves torn by the bite. It takes three to six weeks to develop though sometimes much longer. The victim of the disease has a wild overpowering desire for water but has fits at its very sight. It is useless to attempt at pouring water down his throat because it leads to more fits that close the muscles around his throat and force him to fight for every breath he takes.

In the end, death mercifully puts an end to his suffering. The bitten dogs show typical signs of rabies. They become restless, they wander aimlessly, hitting against objects; they eat strange things-cloth, sticks, and stones. They bark as if something were struck in their throats. They bite other dogs and so the circle of infection widens.

The vaccine for the treatment of rabies was first discovered by Louis Pasteur, the celebrated French scientist. Since then, the terror of rabies has been controlled. But the dogs must be taken proper care of, and, if necessary, killed. It is not possible to vaccinate everybody, because vaccine sometimes makes people very ill. According to a study made in the United States, it was found that one person in each seven hundred who was vaccinated became ill. Only for someone bitten is the chance worth taking. [Adapted from Morgan’s ‘Doctors to the World”]

MCQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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What is the primary mode of transmission of rabies?
A) Direct contact with infected animals
B) Ingestion of contaminated food
C) Inhalation of infected air particles
D) Blood transfusion

What is the incubation period for rabies?
A) 1-2 days
B) 1-2 weeks
C) 3-6 weeks
D) 6-8 weeks

What is the most prominent symptom of rabies in humans?
A) High fever
B) Seizures
C) Wild desire for water
D) Skin rash

Why is it useless to pour water down the throat of a rabies victim?
A) It causes more fits
B) It leads to uncontrollable vomiting
C) The victim will refuse to drink water
D) The virus becomes more active in the presence of water

What are the typical signs of rabies in infected dogs?
A) They become lethargic and sleepy
B) They become excessively friendly with humans
C) They wander aimlessly and hit objects
D) They become hyperactive and playful

Who discovered the vaccine for rabies?
A) Alexander Fleming
B) Louis Pasteur
C) Marie Curie
D) Albert Einstein

Why is it not possible to vaccinate everyone against rabies?
A) The vaccine is too expensive
B) The vaccine has not been proven effective
C) The vaccine can make people very ill
D) The vaccine is only effective in certain age groups

How many people out of 700 who are vaccinated for rabies become ill, according to a study in the United States?
A) 1
B) 10
C) 100
D) 500

What is the recommended course of action for dogs infected with rabies?
A) Take them to a veterinary hospital for treatment
B) Quarantine them for a certain period of time
C) Take proper care of them and, if necessary, kill them
D) Release them into the wild

How does the circle of infection widen in infected dogs?
A) They become more aggressive towards humans
B) They start to eat contaminated food
C) They bark as if something is stuck in their throat
D) They bite other dogs

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Comprehension Practice #2

Once a king saw an old man planting an apple tree. He asked the old man, “Why are you planting a fruit tree when you cannot hope to see it bear fruit ?” The old man replied that perhaps God willing he might live long enough to taste the fruit of the tree, and even if he himself died, his children and grandchildren could surely eat the fruit. The king told him, “In any case, if you happen to live long enough to see the tree bear fruit, please do not forget to send me some.”

The old man promised and fortunately, he lived long enough to see the tree bear fruit. He then plucked some of the best ripe apples from the tree and carried them in a basket to the king as he had promised. The king was extremely happy to accept the gift. He also ordered that the basket of the old man be filled with gold and given back to him.

Now, very close to the house of this old man lived a very jealous woman who, seeing the good fortune of her neighbour, purchased some apples and put them in a basket and persuaded her husband to carry them to the king with the hope that this time also he would fill the basket with gold to give it to her husband.

But when the king received the message from the husband through the sentry at the gate, he kept him waiting in the courtyard and made him eat the apples himself. When the man returned home and reported to his wife what had happened, she consoled him with the words. “Fortunately you were made to eat the sweet apples and not the hard shells of the cocoa.”

MCQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Why did the king ask the old man why he was planting a fruit tree?
A) Because the king was interested in gardening
B) Because the king wanted to know why the old man was planting the tree at his age
C) Because the king wanted to discourage the old man from planting the tree
D) Because the king was curious about the old man’s intentions

What was the old man’s response to the king’s question about planting the apple tree?
A) He said that he was planting the tree for no particular reason
B) He said that he hoped to sell the apples for profit
C) He said that he hoped to live long enough to taste the fruit
D) He said that he was planting the tree for his grandchildren

What did the king ask the old man to do when the tree bore fruit?
A) To send him some of the apples
B) To sell the apples in the market
C) To share the apples with his neighbours
D) To keep the apples for himself and his family

What did the old man do when the tree bore fruit?
A) He sold all the apples in the market
B) He ate all the apples himself
C) He sent some of the best apples to the king
D) He gave all the apples to his grandchildren

How did the king react to receiving the basket of apples from the old man?
A) He was angry and refused to accept the gift
B) He was pleased and ordered the old man to be rewarded with gold
C) He was confused and did not know what to do with the apples
D) He was disappointed and expected more from the old man

Who lived very close to the old man?
A) A jealous woman
B) A kind old man
C) A wealthy merchant
D) A poor farmer

What did the jealous woman do when she saw the old man’s good fortune?
A) She asked the old man to share some of the apples with her
B) She purchased some apples and gave them to her husband to take to the king
C) She tried to steal the apples from the old man’s tree
D) She complained to the king about the old man’s success

What did the king do when the jealous woman’s husband brought the basket of apples?
A) He immediately filled the basket with gold and gave it to the husband
B) He made the husband wait in the courtyard and eat the apples himself
C) He ignored the husband and sent him away
D) He scolded the husband for bringing him apples

Why did the jealous woman console her husband after he returned home from the king’s palace?
A) Because the king had given them gold
B) Because they had achieved their goal of impressing the king
C) Because the apples were sweet and tasty
D) Because they had not been given the hard shells of the cocoa

Comprehension Practice #3

As two men were walking by the seashore they found an oyster and began to quarrel over it. “I saw it first”, said one man, “so it is mine.

“I picked it up; said the other.” “I have a right to keep it.”

As they were quarrelling, a lawyer came up, and the two men asked him to divide the oyster between them.
The lawyer agreed to do so. But he at first wanted the men to give him assurance that whatever he might decide, they would be quite satisfied with it. Then the lawyer said, “It seems that both of you have a claim to the oyster, so I will divide it between you and you will be quite satisfied.”

Opening the oyster, he quickly ate the flesh from within it and very seriously handed to each of the men one of the empty shells.
“But you have eaten the oyster!” cried the men. “Ah, that was my fee for deciding the case”, said the lawyer, “But I have divided all that remains in a perfectly just and fair manner.”

That is what happens when quarrelsome persons go to law about something that they cannot agree upon between themselves.

MCQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What were the two men quarrelling over?
a) A pearl
b) A seashell
c) An oyster
d) A crab

Who came up to the two men while they were quarrelling?
a) A doctor
b) A policeman
c) A lawyer
d) A fisherman

What did the lawyer ask the two men to do before dividing the oyster?
a) Fight for it
b) Agree to his decision
c) Sell it to him
d) Divide it themselves

How did the lawyer divide the oyster between the two men?
a) He gave one man the shell and the other man the oyster
b) He gave both men a shell and kept the oyster for himself
c) He ate the oyster and gave both men an empty shell
d) He gave both men half of the oyster each

What did the men say when they realized the lawyer had eaten the oyster?
a) “You’re a thief!”
b) “That’s not fair!”
c) “You cheated us!”
d) “You’re a clever man!”

What did the lawyer say was his fee for deciding the case?
a) A seashell
b) An oyster
c) Money
d) A pearl

What lesson can be learned from the story?
a) It is better to fight than to ask for help.
b) Lawyers are always right.
c) It is better to settle disputes between oneself.
d) It is important to share and be fair.

Why did the lawyer eat the oyster?
a) He was hungry.
b) He wanted to teach the men a lesson.
c) He thought it was the fairest way to divide the oyster.
d) He was being selfish.

What did the lawyer do after dividing the oyster?
a) He left the two men alone.
b) He took the shells and left.
c) He offered to buy the shells from the men.
d) He explained his reasoning to the men.

What is the main idea of the story?
a) Two men quarrelled over an oyster and asked a lawyer to divide it.
b) A lawyer divided an oyster in a fair way.
c) The importance of sharing and being fair.
d) The consequences of going to the law over something small.

Comprehension Practice #4

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you.
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
On being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise,

If you can dream and not make dreams your master
If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same,
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;

MCQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What is the poem titled?
A) “Keep Your Head”
B) “Triumph and Disaster”
C) “If”
D) “Don’t Give Way”

What does the poet advise to do when others doubt you?
A) Doubt them in return
B) Ignore them completely
C) Make allowances for their doubts
D) Argue with them

What does the poet advise against doing when being lied about?
A) Telling lies in the return
B) Ignoring the lies
C) Believing the lies
D) Dealing in lies

What is the meaning of “Triumph and Disaster” in the poem?
A) They are two people the speaker knows
B) They represent extremes of success and failure
C) They are the two main characters in the poem
D) They are two opposing forces in nature

What is the meaning of “knaves” in the line “Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools”?
A) Cowards
B) Liars
C) Thieves
D) Tricksters

What does the poet advise against when watching things you gave your life to be broken?
A) Walking away and giving up
B) Blaming others for the situation
C) Trying to fix them with worn-out tools
D) Finding new things to give your life to

What is the overall theme of the poem?
A) The importance of self-reliance and perseverance
B) The value of honesty and integrity
C) The unpredictability of life and how to cope with it
D) The dangers of relying on dreams and ideals

Who is the author of the poem?
A) William Wordsworth
B) Robert Frost
C) Alfred Lord Tennyson
D) Rudyard Kipling

What is the message of the poem?
A) To always trust others and believe in their good intentions
B) To never give up on your dreams, no matter the cost
C) To stay grounded and level-headed in the face of adversity
D) To always seek revenge on those who wrong you

What literary device is used in the line “And treat those two impostors just the same”?
A) Metaphor
B) Alliteration
C) Personification
D) Simile

Comprehension Practice #5

We all know that the Eskimos have 50 different words for ‘snow’. Or is it 500? However, an awful lot. This is one of those interesting little facts that say something about the amazing ingenuity of humans. Where we see snow, the Eskimo perceives an endlessly changing realm of white texture and possibility.

Other than that, it’s not true. Talk to the average Eskimo and you will find that he has about the same number of words about snow as we do. I discovered this when I took a sledge dog team through the Russian Arctic and asked the locals. And it gets worse: Eskimo-Inuit doesn’t live in igloos. They don’t rub their noses together! Hearing this, I began to wonder what other myths surround the far-flung places of the world.

Snow shelters are actually made and built from snowy bricks, just as we like to imagine. Few except the Eskimo-Inuit lived among them for long and, disappointingly, I never heard of the ones I met. In fact, they are coastal people who traditionally build their camps for driftwood, whale bones, stones and turf, reserving snow houses for hunting trips or migrations.

The chameleon also attracts numerous myths. Although many of them change colour, it often has less to do with camouflage and more to do with their mood and temperature. If a chameleon is too cold, it may turn a darker shade to absorb more heat. Or it may become lighter in colour to reflect the sun and therefore be cooler. Furthermore, chameleons often change colour as a signalling device – some such as the panther chameleon turning a vibrant orange to scare off predators, while others flash bright colours to attract mates. The brighter the colour a partner is able to display, the more dominant. Thus the act of standing out may be more important than blending in.

MCQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What is the common misconception about the Eskimo-Inuit people?
A) They live in igloos.
B) They rub their noses together.
C) They have 50 words for snow.
D) All of the above.

What did the author discover about the Eskimo Inuit’s words for snow?
A) They have a lot more words than we do.
B) They have about the same number of words as we do.
C) They don’t have any words for snow.
D) The author didn’t ask them about their words for snow.

What are snow shelters made of according to the passage?
A) Igloos.
B) Driftwood, whale bones, stones, and turf.
C) Snowy bricks.
D) All of the above.

Why do chameleons change colour?
A) To blend in with their surroundings.
B) To reflect the sun and cool down.
C) As a signalling device.
D) All of the above.

What do chameleons use bright colours for?
A) To attract prey.
B) To attract mates.
C) To scare off predators.
D) All of the above.

What is the purpose of standing out for chameleons?
A) To attract prey.
B) To blend in with their surroundings.
C) To scare off predators.
D) To be more dominant.

What is the author’s opinion of the myths surrounding the Eskimo-Inuit and chameleons?
A) The myths are mostly true.
B) The myths are mostly false.
C) The myths have some truth but are exaggerated.
D) The author does not give an opinion.

What did the author do in the Russian Arctic?
A) Interviewed Eskimo-Inuit people about their words for snow.
B) Discovered the truth about chameleons’ colour-changing abilities.
C) Built a snow shelter.
D) All of the above.

Why do chameleons change their colour when they’re too cold?
A) To absorb more heat.
B) To scare off predators.
C) To attract mates.
D) None of the above.

What is the main idea of the passage?
A) The Eskimo-Inuit people have many words for snow.
B) Chameleons change colour for camouflage.
C) Many myths surround far-flung places in the world.
D) The author’s experiences in the Russian Arctic.

Comprehension Practice #6

Bats are the only mammals that truly fly. Bats are found throughout the world. One group lives mainly on insects and the other on fruits.

A typical bat is the Pipistrelle. It has a wing span of 8 inches and is covered with silky fur, reddish-brown above and paler below. It has a broad head, a blunt muzzle and triangular ears. Pipistrelles are active in summer from dusk to just before sunrise, when they retire to sleep, either alone or many together, in crevices, on roofs, behind pipes or gutters, or in hollow trees.

When they sleep they hang their heads downwards from the long curved claws of their hind limbs, and they also use these claws to groom their fur. They feed on flies, gnats and small beetles which they catch in the air. From the end of October to about the end of March, when there are no insects about, they hibernate.

Pipistrelles and all night-flying insects-eating bats have small, weak eyes and they catch their food and avoid flying, into things by what we call ‘echolocation. The bat squeaks while it flies, but its squeaks are ultrasonic, that is, so high-pitched that the average human ear cannot hear them. The echoes of its squeaks give the bat a kind of sound picture of everything that is round about it.

Bats have babies once a year. When the baby bat is born, blind and naked, the mother first puts it in a pouch made by bending her tail forward. Then she places it on her breast, where it hangs clinging to her fur with its claws. It stays there for about two weeks while she flies about. Then, when it is bigger, she hangs it by its feet in some safe place while she flies off to find food. When she returns, she replaces it on her breast. In about three months the young bat begins to fly.

What is the only mammal that truly flies?
a) Bats
b) Birds
c) Squirrels
d) Monkeys

What are the two groups of bats found throughout the world?
a) Insect-eaters and fruit-eaters
b) Diurnal and nocturnal
c) Warm-blooded and cold-blooded
d) Carnivores and herbivores

What is the wing span of a typical Pipistrelle bat?
a) 8 inches
b) 12 inches
c) 16 inches
d) 24 inches

When do Pipistrelles typically become active?
a) From dawn to dusk
b) From dusk to just before sunrise
c) During the day
d) During the night

What do Pipistrelles do during the months when there are no insects?
a) They migrate
b) They hibernate
c) They sleep
d) They die

How do bats catch their food and avoid flying into things?
a) By using their small, weak eyes
b) By using echolocation
c) By using their sense of smell
d) By using their sense of taste

What do bats squeak while they fly?
a) High-pitched sounds
b) Low-pitched sounds
c) No sounds at all
d) Loud sounds

How often do bats have babies?
a) Once a month
b) Once a year
c) Twice a year
d) Every three years

How does a mother bat take care of her baby when it is first born?
a) By placing it in a pouch made by bending her tail forward
b) By placing it on her breast
c) By placing it in a nest
d) By leaving it alone

How long does it take for a young bat to begin flying?
a) Two weeks
b) Three months
c) Six months
d) One year

Comprehension Practice #7

Nobody comes to Novastoshnah except on business, and the only people who have regular business there are the seals. They come in the summer months by hundreds and hundreds of thousands out of the cold grey sea, for Novastoshnah Beach has the finest accommodation for seals of any place in the world.

Sea Catch knew that, and every spring would swim from whatever place he happened to be in-would swim like a torpedo boat straight for Novastoshnah, and spend a month fighting with his companions for a good place on the rocks as close to the sea as possible. Sea Catch was fifteen years old, a huge grey fur- seal with almost a mane on his shoulders, and long, wicked dog teeth. He was scarred all over with the marks of savage fights, but he was always ready for just one to fight more.

Yet Sea Catch never chased a beaten seal, for that was against the Rules of the Beach. He only wanted room by the sea for his nursery; but as there were forty or fifty thousand other seals hunting for the same thing each spring, the whistling, bellowing, roaring, and blowing on the beach were something frightful.

From a little hill called Hutchinson’s Hill, you could look over three and a half miles of ground covered with fighting seals; the surf was dotted all over with the heads of seals hurrying to land and begin their share of the fighting. They fought in the breakers, they fought in the sand, and they fought on the smooth-worn basalt rocks of the nurseries; for they were just as stupid and unaccommodating as men.

Why do seals come to Novastoshnah?
a) To mate
b) To rest
c) To find the best accommodation for seals
d) To hunt for food

How does Sea Catch reach Novastoshnah every spring?
a) He walks on land
b) He takes a boat
c) He swims like a torpedo boat
d) He flies

How old is Sea Catch?
a) 5 years old
b) 10 years old
c) 15 years old
d) 20 years old

What is Sea Catch’s physical appearance like?
a) Small and weak
b) Large and grey with a mane and long teeth
c) Black and sleek
d) White and fluffy

How does Sea Catch behave towards defeated seals?
a) He chases them away
b) He leaves them alone
c) He kills them
d) He fights them more

How many seals come to Novastoshnah every spring?
a) A few hundred
b) A few thousand
c) Tens of thousands
d) Hundreds of thousands

What is the noise like on Novastoshnah Beach during the spring?
a) Calm and peaceful
b) Loud and chaotic
c) Silent and eerie
d) Melodic and harmonious

What is the name of the hill from which one can view the seals on Novastoshnah Beach?
a) Seal Hill
b) Novastoshnah Hill
c) Hutchinson’s Hill
d) Fighting Hill

How far can one see from Hutchinson’s Hill?
a) 1 mile
b) 2 miles
c) 3 miles
d) 3.5 miles

How do the seals behave towards each other on Novastoshnah Beach?
a) They live in harmony
b) They are peaceful and accommodating
c) They are aggressive and unaccommodating
d) They are shy and hide

Comprehension Practice #8

Mills and factories in industrial areas give out smoke and ash which thicken the air and increase the amount of Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Moving automobiles also emit smoke and kick up dust. Road-side garbage and effluent etc. stink. All these polluting air and air pollution cause people great harm.

Man in his eagerness for immediate gain often disturbs the balance in nature with disastrous effects in the long run. Indiscriminate killing of birds and wild animals for food or sport has long been disturbing the balance in nature. China killed all her sparrows to stop them from destroying crops. Now safe from sparrows worms and insects have their heyday and cause extensive damage to paddy plants.

The senseless cutting of trees and the consequent disappearance of forests are responsible for the scarcity and irregularity in rainfall in different parts of the world in recent years. Drought in many areas of northern India and in countries of eastern Africa these years opens our eyes once again to the necessity of trees. Extensive plantation of trees and re-creation of the forest should have to be undertaken on a war footing.

What do industrial areas contribute to the air?
a) Clean air
b) Smoke and ash
c) Freshwater
d) Green plants

How do automobiles affect the air?
a) They clean the air
b) They emit smoke and kick up dust
c) They purify the air
d) They increase oxygen levels

What are some examples of air pollution caused by human activity?
a) Road-side garbage and effluent
b) Fresh flowers and rain
c) Clean water and solar energy
d) Green grass and butterflies

How does the indiscriminate killing of birds and wild animals affect nature?
a) It improves the balance in nature
b) It has no effect on nature
c) It disturbs the balance in nature
d) It enhances the biodiversity

What happened in China as a result of killing all the sparrows?
a) The crops were protected
b) The worms and insects destroyed the paddy plants
c) The rainfall increased
d) Biodiversity improved

How does cutting down trees affect the climate?
a) It makes it cooler
b) It causes scarcity and irregularity in rainfall
c) It increases the amount of oxygen
d) It improves the soil quality

What is the solution to the problem of scarcity and irregularity in rainfall?
a) Cutting down more trees
b) Building more factories
c) Extensive plantation of trees and re-creation of the forest
d) Using more fossil fuels

What is the importance of Trees?
a) They help to control climate
b) They are not important
c) They are just for looking at
d) They are a source of wood only

How should the tree plantation be done?
a) Slowly over time
b) On a war footing
c) Not at all
d) In a small scale

What are the effects of drought in northern India and eastern Africa?
a) It improves the agricultural productivity
b) It shows the importance of trees
c) It has no effect on the environment
d) It makes the land more fertile

Comprehension Practice #9

It is not easy to give any fixed definition of literature. But it may be suggested that any writing of fictional or non-fictional nature that deals with human life and has the power to engage the interest of all kinds of human beings can be called literature.

Generally, books meant for specific subjects like chemistry, geography, political science or astronomy cannot be called literature because they do not have any universal appeal. But a novel by Tolstoi or Bibhutibhusan, a poem by Tagore or an essay by Lamb is certainly a work of literature because it can arouse feelings that are universal.

Literature can take many forms. It can be an epic like the Mahabharata, a novel like Pather Panchali, a poem like the ones in Rabindranath’s Geetanjali or a short story like O, Henry’s Gift of the Magi. The study of literature is both pleasurable and profitable, provided one reads selectively.

Literature helps us pass time pleasurably with its good story, interesting characters and pictures of various places and cultures past and present. From great literary works, we can gain profound insight into human nature as well as vital truths about different aspects of life.

It is a pity that the habit of reading literature is on the decline among today’s youth. They spend more time watching TV and films than reading the classics of literature. They would rather see a film on Shakespeare’s Hamlet than read the play itself. But a film version of a literary classic, however well-made, cannot give the viewer the same depth of impression as the book itself can.

But it appears that young people today are more interested in building up a successful career than in enjoying literature or gathering wisdom from it. But there should be a coordination between the studies of science and literature to promote a more balanced and healthy attitude to life.

What is the definition of literature according to the provided passage?
A) Any writing that deals with human life and has universal appeal
B) Books meant for specific subjects like chemistry or geography
C) Films and TV shows
D) A successful career

Which of the following is not considered to be literature?
A) A novel by Tolstoi
B) A book on political science
C) A poem by Tagore
D) A film version of Hamlet

According to the passage, what is the benefit of studying literature?
A) Building a successful career
B) Passing time pleasurably
C) Gaining insight into human nature
D) All of the above

How does the passage suggest that young people spend their time?
A) Reading literature
B) Watching TV and films
C) Building a successful career
D) Both B and C

Why is the film version of a literary classic not as effective as the book itself?
A) It does not give the viewer the same depth of impression
B) It is not as well-made
C) It is not as interesting
D) None of the above

What is the suggestion made in the passage about balancing studies in science and literature?
A) That they should be coordinated
B) That they should be separate
C) That literature should be studied more than science
D) That science should be studied more than literature

What is the attitude towards literature among today’s youth according to the passage?
A) They enjoy reading literature
B) They are not interested in the literature
C) They spend more time reading literature than watching TV and films
D) They are indifferent to literature

Who is an example of a literary classic author mentioned in the passage?
A) O. Henry
B) Shakespeare
C) Rabindranath Tagore
D) All of the above

What is the purpose of literature according to the passage?
A) To build a successful career
B) To pass time pleasurably
C) To gain insight into human nature
D) All of the above

What is the main concern expressed in the passage about literature?
A) That it is on the decline among today’s youth
B) That young people are not interested in literature
C) That reading literature is not profitable
D) Both A and B

Comprehension Practice #10

The negro king of Kamera in Africa was a proud man. His subjects were afraid of him. They at once carried out whatever he wanted them to do. But one day when he was boasting that all his people were his servants, an old and wise black man named Boukabar scolded him with the words. “All the people are the servants of one another.”

“What am I your servant ?” The king replied in anger. “All right, prove the correctness of your statement. Compel me to work for you before the sun sets and I will give you a hundred cows. If you fail, I will kill you and show you that I am your master.”
“All right,” replied Boukabar. Being very old Boukabar had to use a stick for walking and as he took it before going out, a beggar appeared at the door.

“Let me give something to eat to this poor man”, he said, and taking the food in his two hands he staggered near the king, his cane having fallen from his hand. He then cried out to the king, “Please pick up my staff or I am going to fall down.”
The king picked up the cane without stopping to think, and Boukabar laughed in joy and shouted, “Now, Sir, you see that all charitable men are servants of their neighbours, I serve the poor beggar and you serve me. But I don’t want your hundred cows. Give them to this poor man.”

The king did as much and he appointed Boukabar his Prime Minister to learn from him how to rule his kingdom better.

Who is the main character in the story?
a) The negro king of Kamera
b) Boukabar
c) The poor beggar
d) The Prime Minister

What does the negro king claim about his subjects?
a) They are afraid of him
b) They are his equals
c) They are his servants
d) They are his friends

What is the challenge that Boukabar gives to the king?
a) To make him his servant before the sun sets
b) To give him a hundred cows
c) To make him Prime Minister
d) To give a hundred cows to the poor beggar

How does Boukabar prove his point to the king?
a) By making the king serve him
b) By giving the king a hundred cows
c) By giving a hundred cows to the poor beggar
d) By making the king serve the poor beggar

What does Boukabar do when the king picks up his cane?
a) He becomes angry
b) He kills the king
c) He laughs in joy
d) He becomes sad

What does the king do after Boukabar proves his point?
a) He kills Boukabar
b) He appoints Boukabar as Prime Minister
c) He gives a hundred cows to the poor beggar
d) He becomes sad

What does the king hope to learn from Boukabar?
a) How to be a better king
b) How to be a better servant
c) How to be a better Prime Minister
d) How to be a better beggar

What does Boukabar use to help him walk?
a) A stick
b) A cane
c) A crutch
d) A wheelchair

How does Boukabar feel when the king picks up his cane?
a) Angry
b) Sad
c) Joyful
d) Confused

What is the main lesson of the story?
a) All men are equal
b) All people are servants of one another
c) Charity is important
d) The king should be kind to his subjects

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