English Reading Comprehension

Directions: In the question, the first and the last sentences are numbered 1 and 6. The rest of the sentence is split into four parts lablelled P, Q, R and S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the parts and find out which of the four combinations is correct.

(1) Most people are afraid of snakes. (P) There may be some truth in this theory, because monkeys have a deep, instinctive fear of pythons and other tree snakes. (Q) But this fear is as irrational as the fear of ghosts. (R) Any way, snakes have been feared and hated for thousands of years. (S) The fear of snakes, according to some biologists, may be an instinct passed on to us by our ancestors. (6) In the literature of many countries the snake is regarded as the symbol of evil.

Duty comes from�

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and pick out the best answer out of the
four choices given in the questions that follow.

A duty is an obligation. It is something we owe to others as social beings when we live together. We must let others live with us. My right of living implies my duty to my fellow beings to allow them the same conditions of life. In fact, rights and duties are correlated. What is a right in regard to one may be a duty in regard to others. Rights and duties are two sides of the same coin. We should always observe from the standpoint of others. Moral duty is more effective than legal rights. A moral duty is that which is binding upon the people on moral grounds. It is my moral duty to help the poor because of being a member of the society.

I must try to create conditions that contribute to the welfare of humanity. Similarly, I owe a duty to my parents—to be obedient and respectful to them. This duty originates from the sense of responsibility which is directly related to our conscience. So this is concerned with a moral duty which any person owes without a legal bondage.

Which word in the passage means 'concerned with or engaged in trade'?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The Indian Elephant is the largest and the heaviest of all terrestrial mammals. It is found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala and similar states. Elephants move in herds forming a single file. A herd ranging from five to eleven elephants or at times even up to seventeen forms a family. They are usually three and a half meters high at the shoulder. They feed generally on all species of bamboo and several species of grasses. The animal cannot tolerate high temperature and its average life span is around seventy years. Its population is rapidly declining because it is hunted out for tusk which has commercial value. Their habitat loss is attributed to the increasing human population and its need for fuel wood and timber, which has had a severe impact on the wild elephant population. The demand for elephant ivory for making tourist items is higher than ever before, which is a major reason for their decline in population.

One of the frogs died in the pit because

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, because they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

Who fell into the well?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

They decided to cover up the donkey with soil because

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

What does 'might' mean in the passage?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, because they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

The two frogs fell into a

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, because they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

What did the farmer do when his donkey fell into a well?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

Which word in the passage is the synonym of 'surprised'?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

What helped the other frog save his life?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, because they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

What was the reaction of the donkey when they were throwing dirt on him?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

What was the reaction of the group of frogs when the other frog was jumping to come out?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the following question.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, because they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

The passage is an introduction to the

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.


The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past, when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, mountains or deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner. Geography teachers see it differently. Geologists see it from their own viewpoint and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names and their areas. For example, in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic flag. However, Americans divide the Earth’s land mass into seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable and easiest for studying the world.

The author wants to emphasise that

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows.


The word “continent” actually meant mainland in the past, when the Greeks and Romans ruled the western world. The common view is that a big mass of land that is bigger than a single country and separated from other big masses of land either by sea, mountains or deserts should be a continent. However, a continent is defined upon the needs of a person. Historians divide the world into continents in a different manner. Geography teachers see it differently. Geologists see it from their own viewpoint and people of different countries divide the world into continents to suit their own purposes. There is quite a bit of confusion in the world over the number of continents, their names and their areas. For example, in Europe, they still believe the world to be divided into five continents as represented in the five rings of the Olympic flag. However, Americans divide the Earth’s land mass into seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, for such division is the most reasonable and easiest for studying the world.