Reading Comprehension Exercises

Welcome to our guide for reading comprehension exercises, suitable for all levels, from beginners to experts.

Discover reading comprehension levels and choose the level you want to start your reading comprehension journey.

Beginner Level for Grades 2, 3, & 4

Intermediate Level for Grades 5, 6, & 7

Advanced Level for Grades 8, 9, & 10

Expert Level for Grades 11 & 12

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Beginner Level for Grades 2, 3, & 4

Reading Comprehension Exercise #1

Home is the place where we return to rest after a day’s work, and where parents and children meet together and have a carefree and joyful time. Our family consists of three members—father, mother, and brother. We live in a rural area. It is free from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is especially famous for its scenic beauty. I am the most important member of the family. Everyone trusts my judgment and agrees to follow my suggestions.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Who are the three members of the family mentioned in the passage?
   a) Father, mother, and sister
   b) Father, mother, and brother
   c) Grandfather, grandmother, and uncle
   d) Father, mother, and friend

2. Where does the family live?
   a) In a city
   b) In a rural area
   c) In a bustling neighborhood
   d) In a coastal town

3. What is the passage’s description of the family home?
   a) It is crowded and noisy.
   b) It is famous for its modern amenities.
   c) It is a place for rest, joy, and family gatherings.
   d) It is located in the heart of the city.

4. Who is considered the most important member of the family in the passage?
   a) The father
   b) The mother
   c) The brother
   d) The author (the narrator)

5. What is the rural area famous for according to the passage?
   a) Its crowded streets
   b) Its hustle and bustle
   c) Its scenic beauty
   d) Its modern technology

True/False Questions

(True/False) The family in the passage consists of four members.

(True/False) The family’s home is located in a rural area.

(True/False) The family’s home is known for its modern amenities.

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(True/False) The author is considered the most important member of the family.

(True/False) The rural area where the family lives is famous for its scenic beauty.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #2

Family is where you learn your first life lessons. Your family members are the only assets that will always be with you. Whatever the circumstances, family members are always there to support one another. In a family, good values and morals are always instilled. We are prepared in the family to respect our elders and love our children. Our family consistently teaches us lessons about honesty, dependability, kindness, and so on. Family always gives us the feeling of being loved and cared for.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What is one of the key lessons mentioned in the passage that families teach?
   a) How to cook
   b) How to play sports
   c) Good values and morals
   d) How to make money

2. According to the passage, who are the ones always there to support you in a family?
   a) Friends
   b) Pets
   c) Family members
   d) Teachers

3. What feeling does the family always provide, as mentioned in the passage?
   a) The feeling of being alone
   b) The feeling of being loved and cared for
   c) The feeling of competition
   d) The feeling of boredom

4. What are some of the lessons that families consistently teach, as per the passage?
   a) Lessons about advanced mathematics
   b) Lessons about honesty, dependability, and kindness
   c) Lessons about cooking gourmet meals
   d) Lessons about video game strategies

5. What do family members teach each other to do with respect to elders and children?
   a) Ignore them
   b) Respect elders and love children
   c) Argue with them
   d) Tease them

True/False Questions

(True/False) Family members are always there to support each other, regardless of circumstances.

(True/False) Families teach lessons about cooking gourmet meals.

(True/False) Family members consistently teach lessons about kindness and honesty.

(True/False) Families make you feel alone and isolated.

(True/False) Learning to respect elders and love children are important values taught in a family.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #3

Time and tide wait for none. Man has many responsibilities in his short life, so time is the most important factor in one’s life. We must remember that we cannot go back in time. We can stop the clock, but not the time. If we waste our time, our assigned work will suffer and success will be difficult to achieve. Time lost is time lost forever. We must complete our work as soon as possible. We must always remember the proverb “A stitch in time saves nine.”

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. According to the passage, what is the most important factor in one’s life?
   a) Money
   b) Friends
   c) Time
   d) Success

2. What happens if we waste our time, as mentioned in the passage?
   a) We can go back in time.
   b) Our assigned work will prosper.
   c) Success becomes difficult to achieve.
   d) We can stop the clock.

3. What does the proverb “A stitch in time saves nine” suggest?
   a) It’s better to complete work early to prevent bigger problems later.
   b) You should always be late to appointments.
   c) Sewing is a waste of time.
   d) Time is not important.

4. Can we go back in time according to the passage?
   a) Yes, easily
   b) Yes, with great effort
   c) No, not at all
   d) Only if we stop the clock

5. What happens to time that is wasted, according to the passage?
   a) It can be saved for later.
   b) It is lost forever.
   c) It becomes more valuable.
   d) It can be borrowed from others.

True/False Questions

(True/False) Time and tide wait for everyone.

(True/False) If you waste time, your work will suffer, and success will be easier to achieve.

(True/False) The proverb “A stitch in time saves nine” suggests that completing work early is beneficial.

(True/False) We can go back in time if we try hard enough.

(True/False) Time that is wasted can never be recovered, according to the passage.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #4

Unity means togetherness, a state of living and working together as one person. It is an arrangement of parts to form a whole. Unity is collective power which should be distinguished from individual power. Unity breeds strength and prosperity. Nothing great can be done without a unit. Even simple tasks can be overwhelming for a single person.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What does unity mean according to the passage?
   a) Working alone
   b) Living in isolation
   c) Living and working together as one
   d) Pursuing individual power

2. How is unity described in the passage?
   a) A source of confusion
   b) A collection of unrelated parts
   c) An arrangement of parts forming a whole
   d) A competition among individuals

3. What does unity breed, according to the passage?
   a) Loneliness
   b) Weakness
   c) Strength and prosperity
   d) Competition

4. What is emphasized as necessary for accomplishing great things in the passage?
   a) Individual power
   b) Simplicity
   c) Unity
   d) Isolation

5. How are simple tasks described in the passage?
   a) Overwhelming for a single person
   b) Easy for everyone
   c) Fun to do alone
   d) Not important

True/False Questions

(True/False) Unity means living and working together as one.

(True/False) Unity is the same as individual power.

(True/False) According to the passage, great things can be accomplished without unity.

(True/False) Unity breeds weakness and isolation.

(True/False) Simple tasks can be overwhelming for a single person, as per the passage.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #5

On a hot day, a fox walked by a vineyard where he saw ripe grapes hanging from the vines. He felt both hungry and thirsty and was delighted to see the juicy grapes. However, the grapes were out of his reach, and he jumped multiple times to try and get them but couldn’t. The fox was disappointed and told himself that the grapes were sour and that he didn’t want them after all.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Why was the fox delighted when he saw the grapes in the vineyard?
   a) Because he had eaten grapes before
   b) Because he was neither hungry nor thirsty
   c) Because the grapes were sour
   d) Because he was hungry and thirsty

2. What was the fox’s reaction when he couldn’t reach the grapes?
   a) He kept trying until he got them.
   b) He asked for help from another animal.
   c) He said the grapes were sour and didn’t want them.
   d) He decided to come back later.

3. What was the fox’s initial intention when he saw the grapes?
   a) To climb up and reach them
   b) To ask for assistance
   c) To wait for someone to give them to him
   d) To ignore them and walk away

4. Why did the fox jump multiple times to get the grapes?
   a) Because he enjoyed jumping
   b) Because the grapes were too high
   c) Because he wanted to exercise
   d) Because he was trying to reach them

5. What can you conclude about the fox’s attitude when he couldn’t reach the grapes?
   a) He remained determined to get them.
   b) He quickly found a way to reach the grapes.
   c) He became disheartened and dismissed the grapes.
   d) He called for help from other animals.

True/False Questions

(True/False) The fox in the story was neither hungry nor thirsty when he saw the grapes.

(True/False) The fox successfully reached the grapes after jumping multiple times.

(True/False) The fox asked for help from another animal to reach the grapes.

(True/False) The fox decided to come back later for the grapes.

(True/False) The fox concluded that the grapes were sour and didn’t want them because he couldn’t reach them.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #6

Trees form an important part of a country’s wealth. Trees provide a country with all the wood it needs for buildings and furniture and provide a lot of fuel for surrounding areas. But the greatest use of trees lies in their ability to attract rain and conserve moisture. A plant’s leaves are constantly evaporating moisture, which cools the surrounding atmosphere. As a result, when moisture-laden winds blow over trees, the moisture they carry condenses and forms clouds that eventually dissolve into the rain. To save the earth we must stop cutting trees.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. According to the passage, what is the greatest use of trees?
   a) Providing wood for buildings and furniture
   b) Supplying fuel for surrounding areas
   c) Attracting rain and conserving moisture
   d) Cooling the atmosphere with their leaves

2. What is the primary function of a plant’s leaves mentioned in the passage?
   a) To provide shade
   b) To cool the atmosphere
   c) To absorb sunlight
   d) To provide food for animals

3. How does the moisture-laden wind interact with trees, as described in the passage?
   a) It dries up the trees.
   b) It causes the trees to wither.
   c) It condenses and forms clouds.
   d) It increases the temperature around the trees.

4. What is the passage’s main message regarding the cutting of trees?
   a) Cutting trees is necessary for development.
   b) Cutting trees has no impact on the environment.
   c) To save the earth, we must stop cutting trees.
   d) Cutting trees helps in attracting rain.

5. According to the passage, what do trees provide a country with in terms of wood?
   a) All the wood it needs for buildings and furniture
   b) Some of the wood for buildings and furniture
   c) None of the wood for buildings and furniture
   d) Only wood for fuel

True/False Questions

(True/False) Trees play a significant role in attracting rain and conserving moisture.

(True/False) The primary function of a plant’s leaves is to provide food for animals.

(True/False) Moisture-laden winds cause trees to wither and die.

(True/False) Cutting trees has no impact on the environment, according to the passage.

(True/False) The passage suggests that to save the earth, it is important to continue cutting trees.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #7

Television is a wonderful scientific gift. It combines the advantages of cinema and radio. The most important and effective form of entertainment is television. It broadcasts live telecasts of major events. It is also the most effective advertising medium. It facilitates mass education. It is very important in the world of sports and games. However, it has some drawbacks. It is used to enhance the image of specific individuals. Some programs are inappropriate for pupils to watch. There is a danger of becoming addicted to television. As a result, academic performance suffers. It also has an impact on vision. As a result, programs must be carefully chosen.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. According to the passage, what is the most important and effective form of entertainment?
   a) Cinema
   b) Radio
   c) Television
   d) Books

2. What does television combine the advantages of, as mentioned in the passage?
   a) Books and cinema
   b) Cinema and radio
   c) Radio and books
   d) Theater and radio

3. What is one of the drawbacks of television mentioned in the passage?
   a) It enhances the image of specific individuals.
   b) It is used for mass education.
   c) Some programs are inappropriate for pupils.
   d) It has a positive impact on academic performance.

4. What danger is associated with television, according to the passage?
   a) Danger of becoming addicted to it
   b) Danger of improving academic performance
   c) Danger of enhancing vision
   d) Danger of promoting reading

5. What impact does television have on vision, as mentioned in the passage?
   a) It improves vision.
   b) It has no impact on vision.
   c) It can have a negative impact on vision.
   d) It enhances vision for sports and games.

True/False Questions

(True/False) Television combines the advantages of cinema and theater.

(True/False) Television is an important advertising medium.

(True/False) According to the passage, all television programs are suitable for pupils to watch.

(True/False) Becoming addicted to television can negatively affect academic performance.

(True/False) The passage suggests that viewers should choose television programs carefully.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #8

Our greatest asset is our own health. A healthy body can earn a lot of money, but a wealthy person cannot. We live in a fast-paced world where people have no time for themselves. The majority of their lives are spent in pursuit of materialistic wealth in order to outshine others, but they lose their health along the way. Wealth is important, but it is not as important as health. Spending a lot of money on junk food in five-star hotels or other forms of entertainment, such as watching movies for a day, has no benefits other than self-satisfaction.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. According to the passage, what is our greatest asset?
   a) Money
   b) Health
   c) Wealth
   d) Entertainment

2. What can a healthy body earn, as stated in the passage?
   a) Money
   b) Wealth
   c) Fame
   d) Respect

3. According to the passage, what do people often lose while pursuing materialistic wealth?
   a) Their friends
   b) Their time
   c) Their health
   d) Their hobbies

4. What is the main message of the passage regarding wealth and health?
   a) Wealth is more important than health.
   b) Both wealth and health are equally important.
   c) Health is more important than wealth.
   d) Health and wealth have no relation.

5. What does the passage say about spending money on junk food and entertainment?
   a) It has many benefits.
   b) It leads to wealth.
   c) It provides self-satisfaction but no other benefits.
   d) It improves health.

True/False Questions

(True/False) A healthy body can earn a lot of money, but a wealthy person cannot, according to the passage.

(True/False) People in the fast-paced world have a lot of time for themselves.

(True/False) Pursuing materialistic wealth always leads to good health.

(True/False) According to the passage, wealth is more important than health.

(True/False) Spending money on junk food and entertainment provides many benefits.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #9

Once there was a man who used to sell salt. He had an ass to carry loads of salt from a faraway town. On the way, they had to cross a stream every day. One day, the ass slipped and fell into the river, causing some of the salt to dissolve in the water. As a result, the load became lighter, which made the ass feel relieved.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What did the man in the story sell?
   a) Sugar
   b) Salt
   c) Clothes
   d) Toys

2. What did the man use to carry the salt from the faraway town?
   a) A horse
   b) A donkey (ass)
   c) A car
   d) A bicycle

3. What happened to the salt when the ass fell into the river?
   a) It became heavier.
   b) It dissolved in the water.
   c) It stayed dry.
   d) It turned into sugar.

4. How did the ass feel after some of the salt dissolved in the water?
   a) Anxious
   b) Angry
   c) Relieved
   d) Frightened

5. What did the ass carry for the man?
   a) Toys
   b) Clothes
   c) Salt
   d) Sugar

True/False Questions

(True/False) The man in the story sold sugar.

(True/False) The ass carried salt from a faraway town for the man.

(True/False) When the ass fell into the river, the salt became heavier.

(True/False) The ass felt relieved after some of the salt dissolved in the water.

(True/False) The story suggests that the ass was carrying toys for the man.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #10

Thinking it was clever, the ass started to deliberately let its feet slip into the water every day. As a consequence, the man suffered a huge loss. He became very angry and wanted to teach the ass a lesson. He decided to keep it without food for two days. After that, the ass realized its mistake and never repeated it again. The moral of the story is to not be foolish and act cleverly, or else it can lead to problems in the future.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Why did the ass deliberately let its feet slip into the water every day?
   a) To cool off on hot days
   b) To play in the river
   c) To make the man angry
   d) To make the load lighter

2. What did the man decide to do when he suffered a huge loss due to the ass’s actions?
   a) Buy another ass
   b) Teach the ass a lesson
   c) Reward the ass
   d) Sell the ass

3. How did the man plan to teach the ass a lesson?
   a) By giving it extra food
   b) By letting it play in the river
   c) By keeping it without food for two days
   d) By taking it on a long journey

4. What did the ass realize after being kept without food for two days?
   a) It was very clever.
   b) It should keep making the load lighter.
   c) Its mistake and never repeated it.
   d) It needed to play in the river more often.

5. What is the moral of the story, according to the passage?
   a) To always act cleverly
   b) To keep playing in the river
   c) To not be foolish and act cleverly
   d) To never trust the man

True/False Questions

(True/False) The ass deliberately let its feet slip into the water every day to cool off.

(True/False) The man decided to reward the ass for its actions.

(True/False) The man kept the ass without food for two days to teach it a lesson.

(True/False) After being kept without food, the ass realized its mistake and never repeated it.

(True/False) The moral of the story is to always act cleverly.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #11

One day, a dog found a bone and was happily eating it under a tree. A cunning crow saw the bone and wanted it for itself. The crow flew away and returned with another crow. Together, they approached the dog. One of the crows pulled the dog’s tail with its beak, annoying the dog. The other crow also bit the dog’s tail. The dog grew angry and dropped the bone, turning around to see what was happening. While the dog was distracted, the second crow snatched the bone and flew away with it. The dog tried to catch the crow but failed, and was left feeling sad.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What was the dog doing under the tree when the story began?
   a) Sleeping
   b) Playing with the bone
   c) Eating a bone
   d) Barking at crows

2. Why did the cunning crow want the dog’s bone?
   a) It was hungry.
   b) It wanted to play with it.
   c) It wanted to share it with the dog.
   d) It wanted the bone for itself.

3. How did the crows get the dog’s attention?
   a) They sang a song.
   b) They asked nicely.
   c) They pulled the dog’s tail.
   d) They barked loudly.

4. What did the dog do when the crows pulled its tail?
   a) It wagged its tail happily.
   b) It dropped the bone and turned around.
   c) It chased the crows away.
   d) It ignored the crows.

5. What happened while the dog was distracted?
   a) The crows played a game.
   b) The crows gave the bone back.
   c) One of the crows snatched the bone and flew away.
   d) The dog ate the bone.

True/False Questions

(True/False) The dog was happily eating a bone when the story began.

(True/False) The cunning crow wanted to share the bone with the dog.

(True/False) Both crows pulled the dog’s tail to get its attention.

(True/False) The dog successfully caught the crow that took the bone.

(True/False) In the end, the dog felt sad because it lost the bone.

Intermediate Level for Grades 5, 6, & 7

Reading Comprehension Exercise #12

A volcano is a mountain with an opening in the earth’s surface, through which molten rock, ash, and gases can escape. Volcanoes are usually found along the edges of tectonic plates, where the Earth’s crust is being pulled apart or pushed together. There are three types of volcanoes: stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, and cinder cones. Stratovolcanoes are tall and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a crater at the top. Shield volcanoes are broad and flat, with gently sloping sides and a broad base. Cinder cones are small and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a hole at the top.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. A volcano is a mountain with an opening in the earth’s surface through which __________, __________, and __________ can escape.

Answers: molten rock, ash, gases

2. Volcanoes are often found along the edges of __________ plates where the Earth’s crust is being pulled apart or pushed together.

Answer: tectonic

3. There are three types of volcanoes: stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, and __________ cones.

Answer: cinder

4. Stratovolcanoes are tall and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a __________ at the top.

Answer: crater

5. Shield volcanoes are broad and flat, with gently sloping sides and a broad __________.

Answer: base

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Volcanoes are found randomly all over the world. Answer: False
7. (True/False) Stratovolcanoes have broad and flat shapes with gently sloping sides. Answer: False
8. (True/False) Cinder cones are small, cone-shaped volcanoes with steep sides and a hole at the top. Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. What are the three types of volcanoes mentioned in the passage, and how do they differ from each other? Answer: The three types of volcanoes are stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, and cinder cones. Stratovolcanoes are tall and cone-shaped with steep sides and a crater at the top. Shield volcanoes are broad and flat with gently sloping sides and a broad base. Cinder cones are small and cone-shaped with steep sides and a hole at the top.
10. Why are volcanoes usually found along the edges of tectonic plates? Answer: Volcanoes are usually found along the edges of tectonic plates because that’s where the Earth’s crust is either being pulled apart or pushed together. These plate boundaries create conditions that allow molten rock, ash, and gases to escape to the surface, forming volcanoes.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #13

Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy. Her interest in nursing was evident from childhood. She would then spend time taking care of her injured dolls and animals as she gradually grew into a beautiful young woman and married a wonderful young man to enjoy life.

But she remained unmarried and devoted her life to serving the poor and sick. When the Crimean War broke out between England and Russia. She went to the field with several nurses. There they ministered to sick and wounded soldiers. Florence Nightingale worked there without rest and many a time with a candle in her hand she ministered all night to the poor sick soldiers. Hence, she was known everywhere as “The Lady with the Lamp”.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Florence Nightingale was born in __________, Italy, on May 12, 1820.

Answer: Florence

2. Florence Nightingale’s childhood interest in nursing led her to take care of her injured __________ and __________.

Answers: dolls, animals

3. Instead of getting married, Florence Nightingale dedicated her life to serving the __________ and __________.

Answers: poor, sick

4. During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale went to the field with several __________ to care for the sick and wounded soldiers.

Answer: nurses

5. Florence Nightingale was widely known as “The Lady with the __________” because she often worked with a candle in her hand, ministering to the sick soldiers all night.

Answer: Lamp

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Florence Nightingale was born in Rome, Italy. Answer: False
7. (True/False) Florence Nightingale chose to get married and enjoy a personal life. Answer: False
8. (True/False) Florence Nightingale became famous for her dedication to nursing during the Crimean War. Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. What childhood interest led Florence Nightingale to become interested in nursing? Answer: Florence Nightingale’s interest in nursing was evident from childhood, as she spent time taking care of her injured dolls and animals.
10. Why is Florence Nightingale known as “The Lady with the Lamp”? Answer: Florence Nightingale is known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because during the Crimean War, she often worked with a candle in her hand, ministering to the poor sick soldiers all night.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #14

Hermes is a Greek Olympian, god. Born to Zeus and Maya, Hermes is known for his quick thinking and cunning nature. He is the youngest of the Olympians and known for moving quickly between the divine and mortal worlds. Because of this power, Hermes often acted as a messenger between the men and the Olympians. A benevolent god, Hermes protects travelers and athletes. He is also known as mischievous as he often plays tricks on other gods. He does this for his own amusement or to save people from the wrath of the gods.

Hermes is also the fastest of all the gods because he has wings with his sandals. Interestingly, even when Hermes was a child he could not resist the urge to steal. Therefore, he is also credited as the patron god of all thieves.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Hermes is a Greek Olympian god known for his quick thinking and __________ nature.

Answer: cunning

2. Hermes is the __________ of the Olympians and serves as a messenger between the divine and mortal worlds.

Answer: youngest

3. Hermes often played tricks on other gods, either for his amusement or to protect people from the __________ of the gods.

Answer: wrath

4. Hermes has wings on his __________, which make him the fastest of all the gods.

Answer: sandals

5. Hermes is also considered the patron god of __________ because of his tendency to steal.

Answer: thieves

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Hermes is the eldest of the Olympian gods. Answer: False
7. (True/False) Hermes’ quick thinking and cunning nature make him a mischievous god. Answer: True
8. (True/False) Hermes uses his wings to fly and travel between the divine and mortal worlds. Answer: False

Questions and Answers Type

9. What roles did Hermes play as a god, and how did he use his powers? Answer: Hermes served as a messenger between humans and the Olympian gods. He used his quick thinking and cunning to carry messages and protect people from the wrath of the gods. He also played tricks on other gods for amusement.
10. Why is Hermes considered the patron god of thieves? Answer: Hermes is considered the patron god of thieves because even as a child, he could not resist the urge to steal. His mischievous nature and tendency to play tricks on others contributed to his association with theft.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #15

About a hundred years ago, whenever an operation was performed, the patient would cry out in agony because he felt the surgeon cut his flesh. But now serious operations are performed without pain, and thousands of lives are saved. James Simpson was the first to discover and use the pain-killing power of chloroform. James was born into a poor family. So in his childhood, he not only helped his father on holidays but also helped the village doctor.

But he was horrified by the dire suffering of the people who came to the hospital for treatment. He now made it his life’s mission to find new inventions that would prevent so much pain. Simpson did many experiments and finally discovered chloroform. Now the patient is not afraid of the operation.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. James Simpson was the first to discover and use the pain-killing power of __________.

Answer: chloroform

2. James Simpson, born into a poor family, helped both his father and the village __________ in his childhood.

Answer: doctor

3. James Simpson’s mission in life was to find new inventions that would prevent __________.

Answer: pain

4. Chloroform was discovered by James Simpson to make serious operations painless and save __________ of lives.

Answer: thousands

5. Thanks to the discovery of chloroform, patients undergoing operations are no longer afraid of experiencing __________.

Answer: pain

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) About a hundred years ago, patients did not feel pain during operations. Answer: False
7. (True/False) James Simpson came from a wealthy family. Answer: False
8. (True/False) James Simpson was inspired to find pain-killing solutions after witnessing the suffering of people coming to the hospital for treatment. Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. How did James Simpson’s childhood experiences influence his life’s mission? Answer: James Simpson’s childhood experiences of helping his father and the village doctor, as well as witnessing the suffering of people in the hospital, inspired him to make it his life’s mission to find new inventions that would prevent pain and alleviate the suffering of patients.
10. What was the significant contribution of James Simpson in the field of medicine, and how did it impact surgery? Answer: James Simpson’s significant contribution was the discovery and use of chloroform as a painkiller during surgery. This discovery revolutionized surgery by allowing serious operations to be performed without the patient experiencing agony and pain. It made surgery much safer and less traumatic for patients, ultimately saving thousands of lives.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #16

Atoms of radioactive elements can split. According to Albert Einstein, mass and energy are interchangeable under certain circumstances. When atoms split, the process is called nuclear fission. In this case, a small amount of mass is converted into energy. Thus the energy released cannot do much damage. However, several subatomic particles called neutrons are also emitted during this process.

Each neutron will hit a radioactive element releasing more neutrons in the process. This causes a chain reaction and creates a large amount of energy. This energy is converted into heat which expands uncontrollably causing an explosion. Hence, atoms do not literally explode. They generate energy that can cause explosions.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. The process in which atoms split is called __________.

Answer: nuclear fission

2. According to Albert Einstein, mass and energy are interchangeable under certain __________.

Answer: circumstances

3. During nuclear fission, a small amount of mass is converted into __________.

Answer: energy

4. Neutrons are emitted during nuclear fission and can trigger a chain reaction, releasing more __________ in the process.

Answer: neutrons

5. The energy generated during a chain reaction of nuclear fission is ultimately converted into __________, leading to an explosion.

Answer: heat

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) According to Albert Einstein, mass and energy cannot be converted into each other.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) Atoms literally explode during the process of nuclear fission.

Answer: False

8. (True/False) The chain reaction in nuclear fission generates heat, which can cause an explosion.

Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. What is nuclear fission, and how does it lead to the release of a large amount of energy?

Answer: Nuclear fission is the process in which atoms split. During this process, a small amount of mass is converted into energy. Neutrons are emitted, triggering a chain reaction where each neutron hits a radioactive element, releasing more neutrons. This chain reaction generates a large amount of energy, which is ultimately converted into heat, leading to an explosion.

10. How did Albert Einstein’s theory relate to the process of nuclear fission?

Answer: Albert Einstein’s theory stated that mass and energy are interchangeable under certain circumstances. In the context of nuclear fission, a small amount of mass from atoms is converted into energy, which aligns with Einstein’s theory. This conversion of mass into energy is a key aspect of the energy release during nuclear fission.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #17

You probably already know that it is important to have a king-size breakfast every morning. do you know why Your body is hungry in the morning because you haven’t eaten for about 8-10 hours? Breakfast is therefore the first meal of the day, and therefore, the most important. Imagine driving without fuel; This is exactly how your body feels without fuel from a nutritious breakfast. Nowadays many people skip breakfast to lose weight.

Nutritionists are alarmed by this trend, as it is mandatory to eat breakfast within two hours of waking up. Depriving the body of energy can lead to serious health problems in the long run. Forget silly celebrities and their absurd ways to lose weight. Never miss breakfast!

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day because your body hasn’t eaten for about __________ hours.

Answer: 8-10

2. Nutritionists recommend eating breakfast within __________ of waking up to avoid depriving the body of energy.

Answer: two hours

3. Skipping breakfast is a trend some people follow in an attempt to __________.

Answer: lose weight

4. The passage suggests that skipping breakfast can lead to serious __________ problems in the long run.

Answer: health

5. The passage advises against following the weight loss methods of __________ celebrities.

Answer: silly

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) According to the passage, breakfast is the least important meal of the day.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) Nutritionists recommend eating breakfast within two hours of waking up.

Answer: True

8. (True/False) The passage encourages skipping breakfast as a way to lose weight.

Answer: False

Questions and Answers Type

9. Why is breakfast considered the most important meal of the day, and what happens to your body if you skip it?

Answer: Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day because your body has been without food for about 8-10 hours during sleep. Skipping breakfast can lead to depriving the body of energy, and this can cause serious health problems in the long run. Without breakfast, your body may lack the necessary fuel and nutrients to function optimally.

10. What is the main message of the passage regarding breakfast and weight loss?

Answer: The main message of the passage is that breakfast is essential and should not be skipped, especially as a weight loss method. Skipping breakfast can lead to health issues, and the passage advises against following the weight loss methods of celebrities and emphasizes the importance of having a nutritious breakfast within two hours of waking up.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #18

Positive thinking is an attitude or mindset characterized by optimism and happiness. A positive person hopes for the best and expects success in his life. Although many may scoff at the idea of ​​staying positive all the time, it has a plethora of benefits not only for the mind but also for the body. Positivity brings happiness to the soul and lightens one. It evokes our goodwill and joy. People are attracted to such people. One sword and being negative inaction causes the exact opposite reaction. It is a known fact that people try to avoid people who exude negativity. They don’t want to be around someone who brings down the energy in the house.

Positive feedback to yourself can improve your health and increase your chances of success in life. It is recommended that one refrain from using harsh words in their thoughts or words. Be kind and gentle to yourself, encouraging and comforting. Only then can one achieve everything he wants in life.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Positive thinking is characterized by an attitude of __________ and happiness.

Answer: optimism

2. A positive person expects __________ in their life.

Answer: success

3. Positivity not only benefits the mind but also the __________.

Answer: body

4. People are attracted to those who exude __________ and joy.

Answer: goodwill

5. Using __________ words in thoughts or speech is discouraged in the passage.

Answer: harsh

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Positive thinking is characterized by pessimism and unhappiness.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) Positivity can have benefits for both the mind and the body.

Answer: True

8. (True/False) According to the passage, people are drawn to those who radiate negativity.

Answer: False

Questions and Answers Type

9. What are the benefits of positive thinking, as mentioned in the passage, and why is it recommended to avoid negativity?

Answer: The benefits of positive thinking mentioned in the passage include increased happiness, lightening of the soul, evoking goodwill and joy, and attracting people to you. Negativity, on the other hand, has the opposite effect and can repel people. It is recommended to avoid negativity because it brings down the energy in the house and can have adverse effects on one’s health and chances of success in life.

10. How can positive feedback to oneself improve health and increase the chances of success?

Answer: Positive feedback to oneself can improve health by reducing stress and promoting a positive mindset. When individuals are kind and gentle to themselves, it boosts their self-esteem and self-confidence, increasing their resilience and ability to cope with challenges. This positive self-view can lead to a more optimistic outlook on life, increasing the likelihood of success in various endeavors.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #19

There are many children in our country who are deprived of education and the normal joyous experiences of childhood. While upper-middle-class boys and girls attend school, they work in tea shops or small factories. They work as servants in middle-class and upper-class households. Parents are very poor, so children are forced to take up all these occupations.

The government should come up with strict laws to solve this problem. Along with the law, the government should introduce some economic reforms that will bring down the poverty line to some extent. Apart from this, to solve this problem, illiteracy needs to be eliminated and the birth rate must be controlled.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Many children in the country are deprived of education and normal childhood experiences because they are forced to work in tea shops, small factories, or as servants in middle-class and upper-class __________.

Answer: households

2. The main reason children are forced to work is that their parents are __________.

Answer: very poor

3. To address the problem of child labor, the government should introduce strict laws and economic __________.

Answer: reforms

4. Economic reforms should aim to bring down the __________ line to some extent.

Answer: poverty

5. In addition to laws and economic reforms, the passage suggests that addressing child labor requires eliminating __________ and controlling the birth rate.

Answer: illiteracy

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) The passage mentions that upper-middle-class boys and girls often work in tea shops and factories.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) The government should introduce economic reforms to increase the poverty line.

Answer: False

8. (True/False) According to the passage, eliminating illiteracy and controlling the birth rate are important steps to address child labor.

Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. What are some of the occupations that children are forced into due to poverty, as mentioned in the passage?

Answer: Children are forced to work in tea shops, small factories, and as servants in middle-class and upper-class households due to poverty.

10. What solutions does the passage suggest for addressing the problem of child labor?

Answer: The passage suggests that the government should introduce strict laws and economic reforms to address child labor. The economic reforms should aim to reduce the poverty line. Additionally, the passage highlights the importance of eliminating illiteracy and controlling the birth rate to solve this problem.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #20

Brilliant scientists have come and gone, but perhaps none have accomplished anything under the circumstances that Stephen Hawking has faced. When Hawking was 21, he was in his third year at Oxford when he was diagnosed with a severe Motor Neurone disease that broke his nerve cells and atrophied his muscles. His words became slurred. Other communication organs were also destroyed. Doctors only gave Hawking two more years to live. Despite this bleak prognosis, Hawking not only completed his course at Oxford, but also went on to complete his PhD thesis, marry, and have three children. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974, a rare honor for any scientist.

Hawking contracted pneumonia again during a research trip to Switzerland, and his windpipe was operated on. This resulted in a total loss of speech. ‘A Brief History of Time’ and ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’ are two books that popularised his epoch-making theories about the Creation and the Universe. Academic honors have been bestowed upon Hawking, who is widely regarded as the greatest physicist and mathematician since Einstein. Stephen Hawking has demonstrated how the human intellect and spirit can overcome the most severe physical handicaps.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with severe Motor Neurone disease at the age of __________.

Answer: 21

2. The disease that affected Hawking broke his nerve cells and caused his muscles to __________.

Answer: atrophy

3. Despite the bleak prognosis, Stephen Hawking completed his course at Oxford, obtained a __________, and had three children.

Answer: PhD

4. Stephen Hawking lost his ability to speak due to an operation on his __________.

Answer: windpipe

5. ‘A Brief History of Time’ and ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’ are two books that popularized Hawking’s theories about the __________ and the Universe.

Answer: Creation

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease when he was very young.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) Despite his diagnosis and a grim prognosis, Stephen Hawking completed his PhD and made significant contributions to science.

Answer: True

8. (True/False) Stephen Hawking’s books, ‘A Brief History of Time’ and ‘The Universe in a Nutshell,’ are about cooking and recipes.

Answer: False

Questions and Answers Type

9. How did Stephen Hawking’s diagnosis of severe Motor Neurone disease affect his life and academic pursuits?

Answer: Stephen Hawking’s diagnosis of severe Motor Neurone disease significantly affected his life by breaking his nerve cells, causing muscle atrophy, and impairing his ability to speak. Despite a grim prognosis and physical handicaps, he not only completed his course at Oxford but also obtained a Ph.D., married, had three children, and made significant contributions to science.

10. What is the significance of Stephen Hawking’s academic honors and his popular books, as mentioned in the passage?

Write the answer in the comment

Reading Comprehension Exercise #21

Tobacco was discovered in America for the first time. Its widespread cultivation with the assistance of negro-slaves made it one of the most important export items in the American economy. Tobacco was also grown in other parts of the world, including Burma and Cuba. Cigarettes made of tobacco rolled in tissue paper aided in the spread of a very harmful habit among the West’s so-called advanced countries. It then spread to various other countries around the world. Attractive packaging and expert advertising aided in spreading the addiction to smoking cigarettes even among the poorest segments of the population.

However, it has recently been discovered that smoking causes a variety of serious physical ailments, that includes from coughing, sore throat, laryngitis, and asthma to the fatal disease cancer. Furthermore, even people who are unintentionally exposed to cigarette smoke while in the company of a smoker can develop any of these diseases. This demonstrates how hazardous the habit of smoking cigarettes is. It has been discovered that quitting smoking can cure a variety of diseases. As a result, we should all avoid the bad habit of smoking cigarettes.

Fill in the Blanks Questions

1. Tobacco was discovered for the first time in __________.

Answer: America

2. The widespread cultivation of tobacco, aided by negro-slaves, made it a crucial export item in the American __________.

Answer: economy

3. Cigarettes made of tobacco rolled in tissue paper contributed to the spread of a harmful habit among the West’s so-called __________ countries.

Answer: advanced

4. Attractive packaging and expert advertising played a role in spreading the addiction to smoking cigarettes, even among the __________ segments of the population.

Answer: poorest

5. Quitting smoking has been discovered to cure a variety of __________.

Answer: diseases

True/False Questions

6. (True/False) Tobacco was only grown in America and not in other parts of the world.

Answer: False

7. (True/False) Smoking cigarettes has been found to cause physical ailments, including cancer.

Answer: True

8. (True/False) The passage suggests that even those who are unintentionally exposed to cigarette smoke can develop health problems.

Answer: True

Questions and Answers Type

9. How did the widespread cultivation of tobacco with the assistance of negro-slaves impact the American economy?

Answer: The widespread cultivation of tobacco, with the help of negro-slaves, made tobacco one of the most important export items in the American economy. It became a crucial economic contributor due to its cultivation and export.

10. What are some of the serious physical ailments mentioned in the passage that are associated with smoking cigarettes, and why is quitting smoking important?

Answer: Write the answer in the comment

Advanced Level for Grades 8, 9, & 10

Reading Comprehension Exercise #22

Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, was once the happiest young man in the land, but big trouble came into his life. His father suddenly dies mysteriously so Hamlet becomes very sad and upset. Hamlet was told that the old king, who was wise and good, was bitten by a snake one afternoon while sleeping in the garden. Soon after her death Claudius, the dead king’s brother and Hamlet’s uncle married the queen and was now king. Hamlet did not like his mother remarrying so soon and the more he thought about the relationship, the sadder he became.

He didn’t love his evil uncle as much as he loved his father, and it bothered him that his mother had married such a guy because he loved his mother as a dutiful son should. Hamlet slowly begins to wonder whether Claudius killed his father so that he could become king himself and whether his mother knew all about it – and his last thought drives him almost mad.

Gap Filling Questions

1. Hamlet’s father died mysteriously, and it was believed that he was bitten by a __ while sleeping in the garden.

Answer: snake

2. After the death of Hamlet’s father, his uncle Claudius married the queen and became the __.

Answer: king

3. Hamlet’s growing sadness was partly due to his suspicion that Claudius might have killed his father to become king and his concern about his mother’s __ in the matter.

Answer: involvement

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What is the main cause of Hamlet’s sadness and suspicion?
   a) His father’s remarriage
   b) His uncle’s marriage to the queen
   c) His father’s mysterious death
   d) His mother’s remarriage

Answer: c) His father’s mysterious death

5. Hamlet’s uncle Claudius becomes king after:
   a) The queen’s death
   b) Hamlet’s father abdicates
   c) Hamlet’s father’s mysterious death
   d) A successful rebellion

Answer: c) Hamlet’s father’s mysterious death

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. How did Hamlet’s father die, according to the passage?

Answer: According to the passage, Hamlet’s father died after being bitten by a snake while sleeping in the garden.

7. Why did Hamlet become increasingly sad and upset after his father’s death?

Answer: Hamlet became increasingly sad and upset because he suspected that his uncle Claudius might have killed his father to become king, and he was troubled by his mother’s involvement in the hasty marriage to Claudius.

8. How did Hamlet feel about his mother’s quick remarriage, and why did it bother him?

Answer: Hamlet did not like his mother’s quick remarriage to Claudius. It bothered him because he loved his mother as a dutiful son should, and he did not hold the same affection for his uncle Claudius as he did for his late father. He found it troubling that his mother had married Claudius so soon after his father’s death.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #23

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said:—Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Gap Filling Questions

1. In the poem, what is described as standing in the desert, two vast and trunkless legs of __?

Answer: stone

2. The sculptor’s skill is evident in the shatter’d visage with a frown, wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold __.

Answer: command

3. The words inscribed on the pedestal reveal the identity of the figure as __, king of kings.

Answer: Ozymandias

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. The poem describes the remains of a statue in the desert. What emotion or expression is attributed to the statue’s visage?
   a) Joy
   b) Cold command
   c) Warm welcome
   d) Love

Answer: b) Cold command

5. What is the overall message or theme of the poem?
   a) The enduring power of kings
   b) The greatness of Ozymandias
   c) The impermanence of human achievements
   d) The vastness of the desert

Answer: c) The impermanence of human achievements

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. Who is the traveler in the poem, and what does he describe?

Answer: The traveler in the poem is describing the remains of a statue in the desert, specifically two vast and trunkless legs of stone, a shattered visage with a frown and wrinkled lip, and a pedestal with inscribed words.

7. What do the inscribed words on the pedestal say, and what do they reveal about the figure?

Answer: The inscribed words on the pedestal say, “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!” These words reveal that the figure was Ozymandias, a powerful king who wanted others to admire his achievements.

8. What is the contrast between the description of the statue and its surroundings in the poem?

Answer: The description of the statue portrays it as a once-majestic and imposing figure, while its surroundings in the vast and empty desert emphasize its isolation and the impermanence of human achievements.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #24

When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee–and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings………………..by William Shakespeare

Gap Filling Questions

1. In the poem, what does the speaker beweep when in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes?

Answer: The speaker beweeps their outcast state.

2. The speaker wishes to be like someone else who is more rich in __ and featured like him.

Answer: hope

3. When the speaker thinks of someone, their state becomes like the __ at break of day arising.

Answer: lark

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. In the poem, what does the speaker do when feeling in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes?
   a) He curses his friends
   b) He looks upon himself and curses his fate
   c) He seeks revenge on his enemies
   d) He remains content and joyful

Answer: b) He looks upon himself and curses his fate

5. What is the effect of thinking about the person mentioned in the poem on the speaker’s state?
   a) It makes the speaker content with their own state.
   b) It causes the speaker to despise themselves even more.
   c) It fills the speaker with envy.
   d) It elevates the speaker’s state to a joyful one.

Answer: d) It elevates the speaker’s state to a joyful one.

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What does the speaker trouble heaven with in the poem?

Answer: The speaker troubles heaven with their bootless cries.

7. What is the transformation in the speaker’s state when they think of the person mentioned in the poem?

Answer: When the speaker thinks of the person mentioned in the poem, their state transforms from one of despair and self-cursing to a state of joy and contentment, similar to a lark singing hymns at heaven’s gate.

8. How does the speaker view their own state in comparison to that of kings?

Answer: The speaker views their own state as more desirable and joyful than that of kings when they think of the person mentioned in the poem.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #25

Not only sands and gravels
Were once more on their travels,
But gulping muddy gallons
Great boulders off their balance
Bumped heads together dully
And started down the gully.
Whole capes caked off in slices.
I felt my standpoint shaken
In the universal crisis.
But with one step backward taken
I saved myself from going.
A world torn loose went by me.
Then the rain stopped and the blowing,
And the sun came out to dry me………….By Robert Frost

Gap Filling Questions

1. In the poem, what bumped heads together dully and started down the gully?

Answer: Great boulders bumped heads together dully and started down the gully.

2. The speaker felt their standpoint shaken during the universal __.

Answer: crisis

3. How did the speaker save themselves from going during the crisis?

Answer: The speaker saved themselves from going by taking one step backward.

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What caused the speaker to feel their standpoint shaken in the poem?
   a) Rain
   b) Sunlight
   c) Boulders bumping together
   d) The blowing wind

Answer: c) Boulders bumping together

5. What happened after the world torn loose went by the speaker in the poem?
   a) The speaker was blown away
   b) The sun came out to dry the speaker
   c) The rain continued to fall
   d) The speaker started going forward

Answer: b) The sun came out to dry the speaker

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. Describe what happened to the great boulders in the poem.

Answer: In the poem, great boulders bumped heads together and started down the gully.

7. How did the speaker react to the universal crisis in the poem?

Answer: The speaker felt their standpoint shaken during the universal crisis but saved themselves from going by taking one step backward.

8. What changed in the weather at the end of the poem, and how did it affect the speaker?

Answer: At the end of the poem, the rain stopped, and the sun came out to dry the speaker, providing relief from the crisis.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #26

An underdeveloped economy is characterized by low per capita income and a low standard of living for its people. The majority of the population lives below the poverty line. Consequently, people in this economy live in miserable conditions. In most underdeveloped economies, the population growth rate is very high as compared to other economies. Also, because of improved medical facilities, the mortality rate among all sections of society is reduced. As a result, as the population increases, the consumption of limited resources also increases, resulting in less saving of resources and a slower growth rate.

For many underdeveloped economies enriched with large and sufficient resources, most of these resources remain underutilized because of a lack of skilled personnel and technology. Underdeveloped economies suffer from widespread unemployment. Because of various reasons, such as rapid population growth and lack of investment, unemployment prevails in such an economy. Inequality in the distribution of income is prevalent in these economies. As a large part of the national income goes to smaller sections of society, the larger sections of society have to be satisfied with whatever part of income is available to them.

Gap Filling Questions

1. In underdeveloped economies, the majority of the population lives below the __ line.

Answer: poverty

2. Due to improved medical facilities, the mortality rate in underdeveloped economies has decreased, leading to __ population growth.

Answer: high

3. The underutilization of resources in many underdeveloped economies is primarily attributed to a lack of skilled __ and technology.

Answer: personnel

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What is a common characteristic of underdeveloped economies?
   a) High per capita income
   b) Low standard of living
   c) Low population growth rate
   d) Abundant skilled personnel

Answer: b) Low standard of living

5. Why does unemployment prevail in underdeveloped economies according to the passage?
   a) Lack of investment
   b) Low population growth
   c) Abundance of skilled personnel
   d) Rapid industrialization

Answer: a) Lack of investment

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What are the consequences of rapid population growth in underdeveloped economies?

Answer: Rapid population growth leads to increased consumption of limited resources, resulting in less saving of resources and slower economic growth.

7. Why do underdeveloped economies often underutilize their resources despite having abundant resources?

Answer: Underdeveloped economies may underutilize their resources due to a lack of skilled personnel and technology.

8. What is a common issue related to income distribution in underdeveloped economies?

Answer: Inequality in the distribution of income is prevalent in underdeveloped economies, where a large portion of the national income goes to smaller sections of society, leaving the larger sections with limited income.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #27

Human evolution has been a remarkable journey, extensively studied using various tools like excavations, carbon dating, fossil analysis, and DNA sequencing to trace evolutionary relationships. The diversity in the human body and its features has always been vast.

Research indicates that early Homo sapiens originated in Africa. Over a hundred years ago, some of our ancestors migrated from Africa, while others remained. Thus, regardless of our current locations, all human species can be traced back to Africa. The earliest human fossils include Australopithecus, followed by Homo habilis, H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, and eventually modern-day Homo sapiens.

Around 25-30 million years ago, hominoid stock began transitioning from tree-dwelling to ground-dwelling creatures, leading to the evolution of apes and humans. The separation between apes and human ancestors is estimated to have started around 5 million years ago, which eventually led to the development of the Pongidae (apes) and Hominidae (humans) families.

Gap Filling Questions

1. Early Homo sapiens are believed to have originated in __.

Answer: Africa

2. The transition from tree-dwelling to ground-dwelling creatures marked the evolution of __ and humans.

Answer: apes

3. The separation between apes and human ancestors is estimated to have started around __ million years ago.

Answer: 5

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What tools have been extensively used to study human evolution?
   a) Satellites and radar
   b) Excavations and carbon dating
   c) GPS and navigation systems
   d) Weather balloons and telescopes

Answer: b) Excavations and carbon dating

5. According to the passage, where did early Homo sapiens originate?
   a) Asia
   b) Europe
   c) Africa
   d) South America

Answer: c) Africa

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What are some of the tools and methods used to study human evolution, as mentioned in the passage?

Answer: The tools and methods mentioned in the passage include excavations, carbon dating, fossil analysis, and DNA sequencing.

7. How does the passage explain the common origin of all human species?

Answer: The passage explains that all human species can be traced back to Africa, where early Homo sapiens originated.

8. What is the estimated timeframe for the separation between apes and human ancestors mentioned in the passage?

Answer: The passage mentions that the separation between apes and human ancestors is estimated to have started around 5 million years ago.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #28

I’m leaving now to slay the foe
Fight the battles, high and low
I’m leaving, mother, hear me go!
Please wish me luck today.
I’ve grown my wings, I want to fly
Seize my victories where they tie,
I’m going Mom, but please don’t cry
just let me find my way
want to see and touch and hear
Though there are dangers, there are fears.
I’ll smile my smiles and dry my tears –
Please let me speak my say
I’m off to find my world, my dreams,
Carve my niche, sew my seams,
Remember, as I sail my streams –
I’ll love you, all the way. – Brooke Muller

Gap Filling Questions

1. In the passage, the speaker mentions leaving to slay the foe and fight battles. What does the speaker want their mother to do?

Answer: The speaker wants their mother to wish them luck.

2. The speaker expresses a desire to find their world, dreams, and carve their niche. What do they ask their mother not to do?

Answer: The speaker asks their mother not to cry.

3. The speaker mentions that they’ll love their mother “all the way.” What is the context in which they use this phrase?

Answer: The speaker uses this phrase to express their love and reassurance to their mother.

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What is the speaker leaving to do in the passage?
   a) Attend school
   b) Slay the foe and fight battles
   c) Go on a vacation
   d) Visit friends

Answer: b) Slay the foe and fight battles

5. What does the speaker ask their mother not to do in the passage?
   a) Cry
   b) Leave
   c) Follow them
   d) Sing

Answer: a) Cry

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What is the speaker’s request to their mother in the passage?

Answer: The speaker requests their mother to wish them luck and not to cry as they leave to face challenges and pursue their dreams.

7. What does the speaker express a desire to do in the passage?

Answer: The speaker expresses a desire to find their world, dreams, and carve their niche.

8. How does the speaker reassure their mother in the passage?

Answer: The speaker reassures their mother by saying that they’ll love her “all the way,” indicating their enduring love and connection.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #29

Education is an essential part of our life. It not only helps us acquire knowledge and skills but also helps in building our character and values. Education plays an important role in our personal and professional development and is an investment in our future. Education is an essential part of our life. It not only helps us acquire knowledge and skills but also helps in building our character and values. Education plays an important role in our personal and professional development and is an investment in our future.

Education has many benefits. It helps us understand the world around us and think critically and creatively. It also gives us the skills we need to succeed in the workforce and contribute to our communities Education can open up new opportunities and give us a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction.

Additionally, education helps promote equality and social mobility. It gives individuals the tools and knowledge they need to rise out of poverty and achieve their full potential. Education is also a key factor in reducing discrimination and promoting understanding and tolerance between different cultures and groups. In short, education is an important part of our lives and has the power to transform individuals and communities.

Gap Filling Questions

1. Education not only helps us acquire knowledge and skills but also helps in building our __ and values.

Answer: character

2. According to the passage, education can open up new opportunities and give us a sense of __ and self-satisfaction.

Answer: accomplishment

3. Education helps promote equality and social __.

Answer: mobility

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What is the role of education in personal and professional development, according to the passage?
   a) It has no impact on personal and professional development.
   b) It helps build character and values.
   c) It only provides knowledge and skills.
   d) It promotes discrimination.

Answer: b) It helps build character and values.

5. What does education contribute to, as mentioned in the passage?
   a) It contributes to ignorance.
   b) It contributes to discrimination.
   c) It contributes to understanding and tolerance.
   d) It contributes to inequality.

Answer: c) It contributes to understanding and tolerance.

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What are some of the benefits of education, as mentioned in the passage?

Answer: Education helps us acquire knowledge, build character and values, develop critical and creative thinking, succeed in the workforce, and contribute to our communities. It also promotes equality, social mobility, and understanding between different cultures and groups.

7. How does education empower individuals, according to the passage?

Answer: Education empowers individuals by providing them with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to rise out of poverty, succeed in their careers, and achieve their full potential.

8. Why is education considered an important part of our lives, as mentioned in the passage?

Answer: Education is considered important because it has the power to transform individuals and communities by promoting personal and professional development, equality, social mobility, and understanding between different cultures and groups.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #30

The Roman Empire was one of the greatest and most influential civilizations in world history. At its height, it spanned three continents and included more than 50 million people. The Romans were known for their military prowess, their sophisticated system of government, and their impressive architectural achievements, including the construction of roads, aqueducts, and public buildings.

The Roman Republic, which lasted from the 6th century BC to the 1st century BC, was a model of governance that influenced many later civilizations. It was a federal system of government that divided power between the Roman Senate and the People’s Assembly.

In the 1st century BC, the Roman Republic was replaced by the Roman Empire, which was ruled by a dictator called the Roman Emperor. The Roman Empire saw the construction of many impressive buildings and the expansion of the Roman military. However, it has also seen numerous internal conflicts, including the rise of various factions vying for power.

Despite these challenges, the Roman Empire was able to endure for more than five centuries, until it finally collapsed in the 5th century. Today, the legacy of the Roman Empire can be seen in the many cultural and architectural achievements it left behind.

Gap Filling Questions

1. The Roman Republic was a model of governance that influenced many later __.

Answer: civilizations

2. In the 1st century BC, the Roman Republic was replaced by the Roman Empire, which was ruled by a dictator called the Roman __.

Answer: Emperor

3. Despite challenges, the Roman Empire endured for more than five __, until it finally collapsed in the 5th century.

Answer: centuries

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. What were the Romans known for, according to the passage?
   a) Agricultural innovations
   b) Artistic achievements
   c) Military prowess and architectural achievements
   d) Religious practices

Answer: c) Military prowess and architectural achievements

5. What form of government divided power between the Roman Senate and the People’s Assembly?
   a) Monarchy
   b) Dictatorship
   c) Federal system
   d) Democracy

Answer: c) Federal system

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What were some of the key characteristics of the Roman Empire mentioned in the passage?

Answer: The Roman Empire was known for its military prowess, sophisticated system of government, and impressive architectural achievements, including roads, aqueducts, and public buildings.

7. How did the Roman Republic influence later civilizations, according to the passage?

Answer: The Roman Republic served as a model of governance with its federal system that divided power between the Roman Senate and the People’s Assembly, influencing many later civilizations.

8. What led to the eventual collapse of the Roman Empire?

Answer: The passage mentions that the Roman Empire faced numerous internal conflicts, including the rise of various factions vying for power, which eventually contributed to its collapse in the 5th century.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #31

It is important that you recognize the signs of stress in your behavior, and be healthy enough to enjoy your success. Stress can strike anytime, in a fashion that may leave you unaware of its presence in your life. While a certain amount of pressure is necessary for performance, it is important to be able to recognize your individual threshold. For instance, some individuals accept competition healthily. Others collapse into weeping wrecks before an exam or compare mark sheets and find that their mates have scored better.

Whenever there is a change in the external environment such as temperature, pollutants, humidity, and working conditions, it leads to stress. In these days of competition, when a person makes up his mind to surpass what others have achieved, leading to an imbalance between demands and resources causes psycho-social stress. It is a part and parcel of everyday life.

Stress has a different meaning depending on the stage of life you’re in. The loss of a toy or a reprimand from the parents might create a stress shock in a child. An adolescent who fails an examination may feel as if everything has been lost and life has no further meaning. In an adult, the loss of a companion, job, or professional failure may appear as if there is nothing more to be achieved.

Stress can be seen in the attitude and behavior of the individual, such as muscle tension in various parts of the body, palpitation and high blood pressure, indigestion, and hyperacidity, and ultimately in self-destructive behavior such as eating and drinking too much, smoking excessively, relying on tranquilizers, trembling, shaking, nervous blinking, dryness of throat and mouth and difficulty in swallowing. The professional under stress behaves as if he is a perfectionist followed by depression, lethargy, and weakness for further work. Periodic mood shifts also indicate the stress status of students, executives, and professionals.

Gap Filling Questions

1. Stress can strike anytime, in a fashion that may leave you unaware of its presence in your __.

Answer: life

2. Whenever there is a change in the external environment, it leads to __.

Answer: stress

3. Stress can be seen in the attitude and behavior of the individual, such as muscle tension, palpitation, and high blood pressure, indigestion, and __.

Answer: hyperacidity

Multiple-Choice Questions

4. According to the passage, what is the importance of recognizing your individual threshold for stress?
   a) To avoid all forms of competition
   b) To maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy success
   c) To increase external environmental changes
   d) To achieve perfectionism in all aspects of life

Answer: b) To maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy success

5. How does stress manifest in an individual’s behavior, according to the passage?
   a) By becoming a perfectionist
   b) By experiencing periodic mood shifts
   c) By avoiding all social interactions
   d) By engaging in regular exercise

Answer: b) By experiencing periodic mood shifts

Short Questions and Answers Type

6. What does the passage suggest about the impact of stress on an individual’s professional life?

Answer: The passage suggests that stress can lead to negative behaviors in a professional, including perfectionism, followed by depression, lethargy, and weakness in their work.

7. How does stress affect different stages of life, as mentioned in the passage?

Answer: Stress can have varying effects depending on the stage of life. For a child, it might be triggered by small things like the loss of a toy or parental reprimand. Adolescents may experience stress from academic failures, while adults may feel stressed due to companion loss, job issues, or professional setbacks.

8. What are some physical symptoms of stress mentioned in the passage?

Answer: The passage lists various physical symptoms of stress, including muscle tension, palpitations, high blood pressure, indigestion, hyperacidity, trembling, shaking, and more.

Expert Level for Grades 11 & 12

Reading Comprehension Exercise #32

After dinner, my friends in the neighboring rooms in the hostel dropped in as usual for light talk. They were my colleagues. One was Rangappa who taught the boys philosophy, and the other was Gopal of the mathematics section. Gopal was sharp as a knife edge where mathematical matters were concerned, but poor fellow, he was very dumb and stupid in other matters. As a matter of fact, he paid little attention to anything else. We liked him because he was a genius, and in a vague manner, we understood that he was doing brilliant things in mathematics. Some day he hoped to contribute a paper on his subject which was going to revolutionize human thought and conceptions.

But God knew what it was all about. All that I cared for in him was that he was an agreeable friend, who never contradicted and who patiently listened for hours, though without showing any sign of understanding.

Tonight the talk was all about English spelling, and the conference we had with Brown. I was incensed as usual, much to the amazement of Rangappa. “But my dear fellow, what do you think they pay you for unless it is for dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s?” Gopal, who had been listening without putting in a word of his own, suddenly became active.

“I don’t follow you,” he said.
“I said the English department existed solely for dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”
“Oh!” he said, opening wide his eyes. “I never thought so. Why should you do it?” His precise literal brain refused to move where it had no concrete facts or figures to grip. Symbols, if they entered his brain at all, entered only as mathematical symbols.

Rangappa answered: “Look here, Gopal. You have come across the expression ‘Raining cats and dogs’?”
“Yes.”
“Have you actually seen cats and dogs falling down from the sky?”
“No, no. Why?”

Rangappa would have worried him a little longer, but the college clock struck ten and I said:
“Friends, I must bid you good night.”
“Good night,” Gopal repeated mechanically and rose to go. [Source: R.K. Narayan’s The English Teacher]

True/False Questions:

1. Gopal was known for his brilliance in English spelling. False. Gopal was known for his mathematical brilliance, not English spelling.
2. Gopal found it easy to grasp abstract concepts and symbols in subjects other than mathematics. False. Gopal had difficulty grasping abstract concepts and symbols in subjects other than mathematics.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “to provoke strong feelings of anger or annoyance.”

Answer: Incensed

4. Find a word in the passage that means “unable to be understood; not clear.”

Answer: Vague

5. Find a word in the passage that means “exact; precise; not rounded or approximate.”

Answer: Literal

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. Who were the two friends who joined the narrator for a chat after dinner?

Answer: Rangappa and Gopal were the two friends who joined the narrator.

7. What subject did Gopal excel in, and what did his friends appreciate about him despite his shortcomings?

Answer: Gopal excelled in mathematics. His friends appreciated his mathematical genius and his agreeable nature, despite his lack of understanding in other matters.

8. Why did the narrator become incensed during the conversation with his friends?

Answer: The narrator became incensed during the conversation because they were discussing English spelling and a conference with someone named Brown, and the narrator had strong feelings about the subject.

9. How did Gopal react when the narrator mentioned that the English department existed for “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s”?

Answer: Gopal, who had difficulty with abstract concepts, didn’t understand this expression and asked why it was necessary.

10. How did the conversation end, and what was Gopal’s response?

Answer: The conversation ended when the college clock struck ten, and the narrator said he had to leave. Gopal responded with a mechanical “Good night” and got up to go.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #33

The first two years of life are a critical ‘window of opportunity.’ In this period, it is possible to prevent the largely irreversible damage that follows early childhood undernutrition. There are 805 million undernourished people in the world today. That means one in nine people does not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life.

Hunger and malnutrition are in fact the number one risk to health worldwide—greater than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Three-quarters of all hungry people live in rural areas, mainly in the villages of Asia and Africa. An estimated 146 million children in developing countries are underweight—the result of acute or chronic hunger. Poverty trap, lack of investment in agriculture, natural calamities, war and displacement, unstable markets, and food wastage are the major causes of the presence of hunger in the world. Hunger leads to malnutrition, which in turn causes diseases. Malnutrition is the largest single, According to the UN’s Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN), a contributor to disease in the world.

Malnutrition at an early age leads to reduced physical and mental development during childhood. According to the World Bank, India is one of the highest-ranking countries in the world for the number of children suffering from malnutrition. One of the major causes of malnutrition in India is gender inequality. Because of the low social status of Indian women, their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity. Women who suffer from malnutrition are less likely to have healthy babies. In India, mothers generally lack proper knowledge of feeding children. Consequently, newborn infants are unable to get an adequate amount of nutrition from their mothers.

Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar have very high rates of undernutrition. Studies show that individuals belonging to Hindu, Jain, or Muslim backgrounds in India tend to be more malnourished than those from Sikh or Christian backgrounds. The Akshaya Patra Foundation runs the world’s largest NGO-run midday meal program serving freshly cooked meals to over 1.3 million schoolchildren in government and government-aided schools in India. However, the challenge for all these programs and schemes is how to increase efficiency, impact, and coverage.

True/False Questions:

1. Hunger and malnutrition are the leading causes of death worldwide, surpassing AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. True.
2. Malnutrition in India is primarily caused by a lack of investment in agriculture and natural disasters. False.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “the state of being without enough food.”

Answer: Undernutrition

4. Find a word in the passage that means “a state of being underweight due to lack of adequate food.”

Answer: Malnutrition

5. Find a word in the passage that means “a situation where people are unable to escape poverty due to various factors.”

Answer: Poverty trap

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. What is the significance of the first two years of life in terms of preventing irreversible damage from undernutrition?

Answer: The first two years of life provide a critical window of opportunity to prevent largely irreversible damage caused by early childhood undernutrition.

7. How does the number of undernourished people compare to the total world population?

Answer: There are 805 million undernourished people in the world today, which means one in nine people does not get enough food to be healthy.

8. What are the major causes of hunger in the world mentioned in the passage?

Answer: The major causes of hunger in the world include poverty trap, lack of investment in agriculture, natural calamities, war and displacement, unstable markets, and food wastage.

9. How does malnutrition in early childhood affect physical and mental development?

Answer: Malnutrition in early childhood leads to reduced physical and mental development during childhood.

10. What is one of the major causes of malnutrition in India, and how does it impact newborn infants?

Answer: Gender inequality is one of the major causes of malnutrition in India. Due to the low social status of Indian women, their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity, leading to unhealthy babies.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #34

My teenybopper has a phone;
She really never is alone.
It beeps and jitters day and night,
Emitting tiny bluish light.

Her ringtone is the latest rage,
As other preteens text and page.
One-liner messages appear
That makes her grin from ear to ear.

The latest crisis, who likes whom,
The rock star with the best perfume;
Such weighty matters cause her thrill
And elevate our monthly bill.

And yet, the silver lining glows,
For we have never come to blows.
I never have to raise my voice,
Because I have a high-tech choice.

If school assignments pile sky-high,
I exhale with a weighty sigh.
Like every modern mom who cares,
I simply telephone upstairs.

When chores demand her energies,
I simply text her, asking ―Please!
No alibis or missing words,
Because it‘s clear that she has heard.

And if my daughter goes outside
To visit friends, both far and wide,
Her curfew‘s easy to enforce
With her new cellular resource.

This beeping tether holds her close,
While helping her feel grandiose.
If separation e‘er occurs,
My speed-dial links my heart to hers.

Our handy cell phones help us out.
Convenient, easy, with no doubt.
Yes, certainly, they have their place.
But can‘t we talk once, face to face?

True/False Questions:

1. The speaker in the poem is frustrated by the use of cell phones by teenagers. False.
2. The speaker believes that cell phones have brought convenience and improved communication within their family. True.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “excessively concerned with oneself or one’s own desires; self-centered.”

Answer: Grandiose

4. Find a word in the passage that means “an excuse made by a person, typically one that is not true or legitimate.”

Answer: Alibis

5. Find a word in the passage that means “a link or connection.”

Answer: Tether

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. What does the speaker use the cell phone for when school assignments pile up?

Answer: The speaker uses the cell phone to contact their daughter upstairs and ask for help with school assignments.

7. How does the speaker enforce their daughter’s curfew using the cell phone?

Answer: The speaker can easily enforce their daughter’s curfew by using their cell phone to contact her when she’s outside visiting friends.

8. What does the speaker value about cell phones despite their concerns?

Answer: The speaker values the convenience and improved communication that cell phones bring to their family.

9. What kind of messages do the preteens exchange using their cell phones?

Answer: The preteens exchange one-liner messages about various topics, including who likes whom and the latest news about rock stars.

10. What is the speaker’s ultimate question or concern expressed in the last line of the poem?

Answer: The speaker questions whether it’s still possible to have face-to-face conversations in an age dominated by cell phones.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #35

It is important that you recognize the signs of stress in your behavior, and be healthy enough to enjoy your success. Stress can strike anytime, in a fashion that may leave you unaware of its presence in your life. While a certain amount of pressure is necessary for performance, it is important to be able to recognize your individual threshold. For instance, some individuals accept competition healthily. Others collapse into weeping wrecks before an exam or compare mark sheets and find that their mates have scored better.

Whenever there is a change in the external environment such as temperature, pollutants, humidity, and working conditions, it leads to stress. In these days of competition, when a person makes up his mind to surpass what others have achieved, leading to an imbalance between demands and resources causes psycho-social stress. It is a part and parcel of everyday life.

Stress has a different meaning depending on the stage of life you’re in. The loss of a toy or a reprimand from the parents might create a stress shock in a child. An adolescent who fails an examination may feel as if everything has been lost and life has no further meaning. In an adult, the loss of a companion, job, or professional failure may appear as if there is nothing more to be achieved.

Stress can be seen in the attitude and behavior of the individual, such as muscle tension in various parts of the body, palpitation and high blood pressure, indigestion, and hyperacidity, and ultimately in self-destructive behavior such as eating and drinking too much, smoking excessively, relying on tranquilizers, trembling, shaking, nervous blinking, dryness of throat and mouth and difficulty in swallowing. The professional under stress behaves as if he is a perfectionist followed by depression, lethargy, and weakness for further work. Periodic mood shifts also indicate the stress status of students, executives, and professionals.

True/False Questions:

1. Stress is only experienced by individuals who push themselves to compete and surpass others. False.
2. Stress can manifest in physical symptoms like muscle tension, high blood pressure, and indigestion. True.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from challenging situations.”

Answer: Stress

4. Find a word in the passage that means “an imbalance between demands and available resources, leading to psychological stress.”

Answer: Psycho-social

5. Find a word in the passage that means “a state of feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with life’s challenges.”

Answer: Lethargy

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. What can cause stress to individuals in the context of competition?

Answer: Some individuals may experience stress in a competitive environment, either by comparing themselves to others or by striving to surpass their peers.

7. How does stress manifest itself physically in individuals?

Answer: Stress can manifest physically through symptoms such as muscle tension, high blood pressure, indigestion, and hyperacidity.

8. How does stress affect an individual’s behavior and habits?

Answer: Stress can lead to self-destructive behaviors such as overeating, excessive drinking, smoking, and reliance on tranquilizers. It can also cause physical symptoms like trembling, nervous blinking, dryness of throat and mouth, and difficulty in swallowing.

9. What are some indicators of stress in the behavior of professionals?

Answer: Professionals under stress may exhibit perfectionism, followed by depression, lethargy, and weakness in their work. Periodic mood shifts can also indicate their stress status.

10. How does the meaning and experience of stress vary with different stages of life?

Answer: The meaning and experience of stress vary with different stages of life. For example, stress in children can be triggered by minor events like the loss of a toy or a reprimand from parents. Adolescents may experience stress when they fail an examination, while adults may feel stressed due to the loss of a companion, job, or professional failure.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #36

Both alligators and crocodiles are members of the reptilian order Crocodylia. But the families they belong to, Alligatoridae and Crocodylidae respectively, differ. Often, when people use the word “crocodile” what they really mean is “crocodilian.” This term encompasses not just the common alligators and crocodiles you might already know, but also the lesser-known Gavialidae family that contains the lone gavial, or gharial. All told, there are 23 species of crocodilians.

As a group, crocodilians are pretty impressive animals: Their lineage goes back 240 million years, meaning they’ve outlived the dinosaurs by a good 65 million years. Ideally suited for life in water and on land, members of the order can swim up to 20 mph (32 kph) and run up to 11 mph (17.6 kph). They’re most at home in the water and can hold their breath for up to an hour. Eyes situated atop their heads enable them to keep a lookout for prey, while their powerful tails swiftly propel them through the water.

Crocodiles and alligators are top-notch hunters and will eat just about anything they can get their teeth on, from fish and turtles to monkeys and buffalo. With teeth specialized just for spearing, neither family even bothers to chew its food — they swallow large chunks or the entire animal whole.

As if that weren’t scary enough, crocodilians have incredibly powerful senses to detect their prey. Their eyesight above water is top-notch, and thanks to vertical pupils that can open up extra wide to let in additional light, they also have keen night vision. And even though you can’t see their ears, don’t be fooled — these small slits are sensitive enough to hear offspring calling from inside their eggs Even their sense of smell is highly developed due to special organs in their snouts.

True/False Questions:

1. Crocodiles and alligators belong to different reptilian orders.False.
2. Crocodilians can hold their breath for up to an hour underwater.True.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “the ability to live both in water and on land.”

Answer: Amphibious

4. Find a word in the passage that means “sharp and pointed teeth specialized for spearing.”

Answer: Serrated

5. Find a word in the passage that means “outliving or surviving for a longer period.”

Answer: Outlasting

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. How many species of crocodilians are there in total?

Answer: There are 23 species of crocodilians.

7. What distinguishes crocodilians’ teeth when it comes to eating?

Answer: Crocodilians have teeth specialized for spearing, and they don’t chew their food; they swallow large chunks or the entire animal whole.

8. What is a unique feature of crocodilians’ eyesight that helps them detect prey?

Answer: Crocodilians have eyes situated atop their heads, which enables them to keep a lookout for prey both above and below the water’s surface.

9. How does crocodilians’ night vision work, and what feature of their eyes allows for it?

Answer: Crocodilians have keen night vision due to their vertical pupils, which can open up extra wide to let in additional light.

10. How do crocodilians use their sense of hearing during the reproductive process?

Answer: Crocodilians have sensitive ears, and even though you can’t see their ears, they can hear offspring calling from inside their eggs, which is crucial during the reproductive process.

Reading Comprehension Exercise #37

Poem: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

True/False Questions:

1. The speaker in the poem took both roads that diverged in the woods. False.
2. The speaker believes that the road he chose made no difference in his life. False.

Find Words in the Passage:

3. Find a word in the passage that means “a small plant or vegetation growing beneath larger plants.”

Answer: Undergrowth

4. Find a word in the passage that means “covered with marks or traces left by someone’s footsteps.”

Answer: Trodden

5. Find a word in the passage that means “a deep, often melancholic longing or desire.”

Answer: Sigh

Short Questions and Answers Type:

6. Why couldn’t the speaker travel both roads that diverged in the wood?

Answer: The speaker couldn’t travel both roads because he had to make a choice, and he couldn’t take both paths simultaneously.

7. What factor influenced the speaker’s decision to choose one of the roads?

Answer: The speaker chose the second road because it seemed just as fair as the first and had perhaps a better claim since it was grassy and less traveled.

8. Did the two roads the speaker had to choose from really differ in their wear?

Answer: No, both roads had been worn about the same by the morning.

9. What does the speaker plan to do with the first road he didn’t choose?

Answer: The speaker plans to keep the first road for another day, but he doubts if he will ever come back to it.

10. How does the speaker feel about the road he chose in the end?

Answer: The speaker feels that taking the less traveled road has made all the difference in his life, implying that it had a significant impact on his journey.

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