Reading Comprehension Practice For Class 5 & 6

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

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

Reading Comprehension Practice For Class 5 & 6 (Level 2)

Reading Comprehension Test 1

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.

What is a volcano?
a. A mountain with an opening in the earth’s surface
b. A valley with an opening in the earth’s surface
c. A river with an opening in the earth’s surface
d. A lake with an opening in the earth’s surface

Where are volcanoes usually found?
a. Along the edges of tectonic plates
b. In the middle of tectonic plates
c. Along the coastlines
d. In the desert

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What are the three types of volcanoes?
a. Stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, and cinder cones
b. Stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, and shield cones
c. Shield volcanoes, cinder cones, and shield cones
d. Stratovolcanoes, shield cones, and cinder cones

What is the shape of a stratovolcano?
a. Tall and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a crater at the top
b. Broad and flat, with gently sloping sides and a broad base
c. Small and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a hole at the top
d. Tall and cone-shaped, with gently sloping sides and a crater at the top

What is the shape of a cinder cone?
a. Tall and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a crater at the top
b. Broad and flat, with gently sloping sides and a broad base
c. Small and cone-shaped, with steep sides and a hole at the top
d. Tall and cone-shaped, with gently sloping sides and a crater at the top

Reading Comprehension Test 2

A comet is a small, icy and dusty celestial body that orbits the Sun. It consists of a nucleus, which is the solid centre of the comet, and a coma, which is the cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus. When a comet passes close to the Sun, the Sun’s heat expands the coma and creates a bright, glowing halo called a coma. Comets are often called “dirty snowballs” because they are composed of water, methane, and other volatiles. They are believed to be remnants of the early solar system and may provide insight into the formation and evolution of planets.

What is a comet?
a. A small, icy and dusty celestial body that orbits the Sun
b. A large, rocky and dusty celestial body that orbits the Sun
c. A small, icy and rocky celestial body that orbits the Sun
d. A large, rocky and gaseous celestial body that orbits the Sun

What does a comet consist of?
a. A nucleus and a coma
b. A nucleus and a halo
c. A coma and a halo
d. A nucleus and a tail

What is the coma?
a. The solid centre of the comet
b. The cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus
c. The bright, glowing halo around the comet
d. The tail of the comet

What causes the bright, glowing halo around the comet?
a. The Sun’s heat expanding the coma
b. The Sun’s light reflecting off the coma
c. The collision of the comet with another celestial body
d. The eruption of the comet’s nucleus

What are comets believed to be?
a. Remnants of the early solar system
b. Debris from other planetary systems
c. Extraterrestrial spacecraft
d. Artificial satellites

Reading Comprehension Test 3

The Stone Age was a period of history that began approximately 2 million BC. and lasted until 3000 BC derives its name from the stone tools and weapons discovered by modern scientists. This period was divided into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. During the First Age (2 million to 8000 BC) the first hatchets and the use of fire for heating and cooking were developed.

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As a result of the Ice Age, which evolved about 1 million years into the Paleolithic era, humans were forced to shelter in caves, wear clothing, and develop new tools. During the Mesolithic period (8000 to 6000 BC) people made crude pottery and took dogs for hunting with the first fish hook and developed a bow and arrow, which was used until the fourteenth century BC. The Neolithic period (6000 to 3000 BC) saw mankind domesticating sheep, goats, pigs and cattle, becoming less nomadic than in earlier periods, establishing permanent settlements and forming governments.

When did the Stone Age begin?
a. Approximately 2 million BC
b. Approximately 3000 BC
c. Approximately 8000 BC
d. Approximately 6000 BC

How is the Stone Age period divided?
a. Into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods
b. Into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Bronze Age periods
c. Into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Iron Age periods
d. Into the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age periods

What were some developments during the First Age (Paleolithic period)?
a. The first hatchets and the use of fire for heating and cooking
b. Crude pottery and domesticated animals
c. The fish hook and the bow and arrow
d. Permanent settlements and government formation

What was the main impact of the Ice Age on human development during the Paleolithic period?
a. Humans were forced to shelter in caves, wear clothing, and develop new tools
b. Humans were forced to migrate to warmer regions, develop agriculture and form permanent settlements
c. Humans were forced to develop new hunting techniques, such as the bow and arrow
d. Humans were forced to develop new forms of art and writing

What were some developments during the Neolithic period?
a. Domestication of sheep, goats, pigs and cattle, becoming less nomadic and forming governments
b. Development of crude pottery, fish hook and bow and arrow
c. Development of advanced tools and weapons, such as bronze and iron
d. Development of permanent settlements, agriculture and writing

Reading Comprehension Test 4

In May 1966, the World Health Organization was authorized to launch a global campaign to eradicate smallpox. The goal was to eradicate the disease within a decade. Because similar projects for malaria and yellow fever had failed, few believed that smallpox could actually be eradicated, but eleven years after the initial organization of the campaign, no cases were reported in the field.

The strategy was not only to provide mass vaccination but also to isolate active smallpox patients to prevent the spread of the disease and break the chain of human transmission. Rewards for reporting smallpox help motivate the public to help health workers. One by one, each smallpox victim was found, removed from contact with the others, and treated. At the same time, all the villages where the victim lived were vaccinated.

Today, smallpox is no longer a threat to humanity. Routine vaccination has been discontinued worldwide.

When was the World Health Organization authorized to launch a global campaign to eradicate smallpox?
a. May 1966
b. May 1976
c. May 1986
d. May 1996

What was the goal of the global campaign to eradicate smallpox?
a. To eradicate the disease within a decade
b. To reduce the incidence of smallpox by 50%
c. To create a smallpox vaccine
d. To isolate active smallpox patients

What strategy was used to eradicate smallpox?
a. Mass vaccination and isolation of active smallpox patients
b. Mass vaccination only
c. Isolation of active smallpox patients only
d. Distribution of medication to treat smallpox

Was smallpox eradicated within a decade?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not mentioned
d. Not sure

Is smallpox a threat to humanity today?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not mentioned
d. Not sure

Reading Comprehension Test 5

Over the past 50 years, doctors around the world have adopted the practice of prescribing antibiotics at the first sign of a minor infection or treating patients with a handful of antibiotics. Nowadays it is not unusual that practitioners are prescribing multiple antibiotics without any real indication or relevance for such drug combinations.

Antibiotics have traditionally been known as miracle drugs, but there is growing evidence that they are overworked miracles, especially in countries like ours where there is easy access to over-the-counter drugs including antibiotics. We can’t imagine going back to the pre-antibiotic days. Yet the unbridled use of these agents is driving us in that direction.

How long has the practice of prescribing antibiotics at the first sign of a minor infection been in use?
a. The past 10 years
b. The past 20 years
c. The past 30 years
d. The past 50 years

What is the common practice of practitioners prescribing antibiotics?
a. Prescribing multiple antibiotics without any real indication or relevance for such drug combinations
b. Prescribing antibiotics only when necessary
c. Prescribing single antibiotics for minor infections
d. Not prescribing antibiotics at all

How have antibiotics traditionally been known?
a. As miracle drugs
b. As dangerous drugs
c. As unnecessary drugs
d. As over-the-counter drugs

What is the growing evidence about antibiotics?
a. They are overworked miracles
b. They are not overworked
c. They are not miracles
d. They are not necessary

What is the concern about the unbridled use of antibiotics?
a. It is driving us back to the pre-antibiotic days
b. It is not causing any concern
c. It is making antibiotics more effective
d. It is making antibiotics more affordable

Reading Comprehension Test 6

A recent investigation by scientists at the USA Geological Survey shows that strange animal behaviour can help predict future earthquakes. Investigators have found such phenomena within a ten-kilometre radius of the epicentre of a fairly recent earthquake. Some birds screamed and flew away, and dogs howled and ran wildly. Scientists believe that animals can perceive these environmental changes days before the accident.

The Chinese were able to predict a devastating earthquake in 1976 by observing animal behaviour. Although hundreds of thousands of people were killed, the government was able to evacuate millions and thus keep the death toll at a low level.

What have scientists at the USA Geological Survey found regarding animal behaviour and earthquakes?
a) It can predict future earthquakes
b) It has no relation to earthquakes
c) It causes earthquakes
d) It occurs after earthquakes

How far from the epicentre of an earthquake have strange animal behaviours been observed?
a) Within a ten-kilometre radius
b) Within a five-kilometre radius
c) Within a twenty-kilometre radius
d) Beyond a ten-kilometre radius

What is believed about the timing of animal perceptions of environmental changes before earthquakes?
a) They can perceive these changes days before the accident
b) They perceive these changes hours before the accident
c) They perceive these changes minutes before the accident
d) They do not perceive these changes before earthquakes

How did the Chinese use animal behaviour to predict a devastating earthquake in 1976?
a) By observing animal behaviour
b) By monitoring animal populations
c) By using technology
d) By studying animal migration patterns

What was the outcome of the evacuation efforts during the earthquake the Chinese predicted in 1976?
a) The death toll was kept at a low level
b) The death toll was not affected
c) The death toll was high
d) The death toll was not reported

Reading Comprehension Test 7

There are three main groups of oils – animal, vegetable and mineral. A large amount of animal oil comes from whales, those giants of the sea, the largest of the world’s remaining animals. To protect the whales from the cold of the Arctic sea, nature has provided them with a thick covering of fat, called blubber. The blubber is stripped and boiled after the whale is killed. It generates a large amount of oil, which can be converted into food for human consumption. A few other animals produce oil, but none as much as whales.

The livers of cod and halibut, two types of fish, provide nutritious oils. Sick children and other infirm who require specific vitamins are given both cod liver oil and halibut oil. Vegetable oil has been known since ancient times. No family can survive without it, as it is used in cooking. Perfumes can be made from the oils of certain flowers. Soaps are made from vegetable and animal products and certain flower oils.

What are the three main groups of oils?
A) Plant, animal and mineral
B) Mineral, animal and vegetable
C) Vegetable, mineral and animal
D) Animal, vegetable and mineral

What is the main source of animal oil?
A) Fish
B) Whales
C) Flowers
D) Soap

What is blubber used for?
A) Perfume
B) Cooking
C) Soap
D) Generating oil

What is cod liver oil used for?
A) Cooking
B) Soap
C) Supplement for sick children and infirm
D) Perfume

What are soaps made from?
A) Plant and animal products and flower oils
B) Whales
C) Fish
D) Flowers

Reading Comprehension Test 8

All art is, in an important sense, an escape. There is a sense in which his ability to escape from present experience, to use his accumulated consciousness of the past to project a vision of the future, is man’s greatest and most distinctive power. We must not forget the force of Aristotle’s argument that poetry is valuable precisely because it shows men not as they are, but as they ought to be or (more sympathetic to us today) they are capable of being.

What does art allow one to do according to the statement?
a) Live in the present moment
b) Experience the past
c) Escape from present experience
d) Live without imagination

How does Aristotle view the value of poetry?
a) As a reflection of reality
b) As a way to show men as they are
c) As a way to show men as they ought to be or capable of being
d) As a waste of time

What is man’s greatest and most distinctive power according to the statement?
a) Physical strength
b) Intelligence
c) The ability to escape from the present experience
d) Wisdom

Does the statement believe art is valuable for all people?
a) Yes, everyone should appreciate art
b) No, it is only valuable for some people
c) The statement does not address this
d) Art is only valuable for poets

What role does consciousness of the past play in creating art?
a) It is insignificant
b) It is used to create a vision of the future
c) It is the only source of inspiration
d) It is only important in historical art

Reading Comprehension Test 9

Radium is a white powder that has the appearance of table salt. A pound of it is worth a thousand pounds of gold. Radium is very expensive because it is very scarce. A pinch of it is worth a small fortune. There are only a few spoons in the world. But radium is so potent that excess amounts are dangerous. A pound or two gathered in one spot will kill anyone who approaches. With radium, scientists hope to learn how to change one element into another. Changing other metals into gold will be attractive and profitable. But it would be more valuable to learn how to get all the energy from atoms to do human work.

What is radium?
A. A type of metal
B. A white powder that resembles table salt
C. A rare mineral
D. A valuable gemstone

How much is a pound of radium worth?
A. A few dollars
B. A few thousand dollars
C. A thousand pounds of gold
D. The value of a small fortune

What is the significance of radium?
A. It is used to make gold
B. It has the potential to change elements into another
C. It has a high market value
D. It is a valuable source of energy

Can radium be dangerous if in excess amounts?
A. No, it is safe in any amount
B. It depends on how it is used
C. Yes, it can be deadly
D. It is only dangerous to certain individuals

What is the ultimate goal of scientists in studying radium?
A. To turn other metals into gold
B. To learn how to harness the energy from atoms
C. To increase its market value
D. To make perfumes and soaps

Reading Comprehension Test 10

“Science cannot reduce the magic of a sunset to arithmetic, nor can it express friendship with a formula,” noted Dr Lous Orr, an eminent medical researcher. He added, “Beyond science’s mastery of nature are insights into love and laughter, pain and loneliness, and truth and beauty”. This distance of science from the human condition perhaps explains why most foreign tourists to Britain are predicted to visit the hallowed homes of playwrights, writers and poets, but choose to ignore the abodes where its leading scientists lived and worked.

Who noted the statement “Science cannot reduce the magic of a sunset to arithmetic, nor can it express friendship with a formula”?
a. J.M. Barrie
b. Dr Louis Orr
c. William Shakespeare
d. Charles Darwin

What is the main argument made by Dr Louis Orr in his statement?
a. Science is superior to other forms of expression
b. Science is incapable of expressing human emotions and experiences
c. Science is limited to understanding the physical world
d. Science is better at predicting natural phenomena

According to the statement, why do most foreign tourists visit the homes of playwrights, writers, and poets in Britain?
a. They appreciate science
b. They are interested in the natural world
c. They are drawn to the human experience
d. They admire the beauty of nature

What is Peter Pan, according to the statement?
a. A Scottish novelist
b. A mischievous boy who can fly
c. A character created by a playwright
d. A leading scientist

In which work did the character of Peter Pan first appear?
a. The Little White Bird
b. Peter and Wendy
c. Peter Pan or The Boy Who Didn’t Grow Up
d. None of the above

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