English Language

English Reading Comprehension

3,503 Questions

English reading comprehension questions assess the ability to understand, analyze, and interpret written passages. Formats include paragraph rearrangement, cloze tests, and fact finding from text. Regular practice is essential for scoring well in the English sections of banking, SSC, and railway exams.

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English Reading Comprehension Questions

Multiple choice

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

Child: All my friends are allowed to watch cartoons and play videogames for longer duration than I am allowed. This practice is unjustifiable.

Mother: You are wrong. If you would complete your homework earlier in the afternoon, you would have plenty of time to watch the cartoons and play videogames.

Which of the following explains why the mother's response to her child is inappropriate?

  1. Some of the child's friends donot watch cartoons and play video games.

  2. The mother does not have to change her child's timing to watch cartoons and play video games.

  3. No matter what time the cartoons and video game's activity begin, the child still has restricted timings for the activities than all of his friends.

  4. On days when the child completed his homework earlier than usual, he stopped watching cartoons earlier than usual.

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The mother is not addressing the child's premise.

Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The flower of Venus Flytrap shuts when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other, after capturing its prey, allows it to escape if it is too small.

  1. shuts when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other,

  2. shuts when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other, but

  3. which shuts when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other, but

  4. which shuts when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other,

  5. shutting when at least two trigger hair on its surface are touched within 20 seconds of each other,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The option introduces a word necessary to imply the contrast in the Venus Flytrap's action of catching a prey but releasing it if it is too small.

Multiple choice

I think these images were mixed up with my early appreciation: there was a cool yet turbulent melancholy to them which I also found in the music, and which seemed to harmonize with my restless late-adolescent soul.

  1. I think these images were mixed up with my early appreciation: there was a cool yet turbulent melancholy to them which I also found in the music, and which seemed to harmonize with my restless late-adolescent soul.

  2. I think these images were mixed up with my early appreciation: there was a cool yet turbulent melancholy to these, and I also found them in the music, and which seemed to harmonize with my restless late-adolescent soul.

  3. I think these images were mixed up with my early appreciation: there was a cool yet turbulent melancholy to them which I also found in the music, and the music seemed to harmonize with my restless late-adolescent soul.

  4. I think these images were mixed up with my early appreciation: there was a cool yet turbulent melancholy to them which I also found in the music, and which seemed to harmonize with my restless late-adolescence soul.

  5. Like the cool yet turbulent melancholy I found in music, these images were also mixed up in my early appreciation which seemed to harmonize with my late adolescent soul.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

No error. The sentence is correct as it is.

Multiple choice

The movie tells the story of a young boy and his family that were given shelter by tribals living in the jungle, though they were eventually rescued.

  1. that were given shelter by tribals living in the jungle, though they were eventually rescued

  2. which was given shelter by tribals living in the jungle, though they were eventually rescued

  3. who were given shelter by tribals living in the jungle but were eventually rescued

  4. who were given shelter by tribals living in the jungle although they were eventually rescued

  5. who was given shelter by tribals living in the jungle though they were eventually rescued
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; uses correct pronoun 'they' to refer to a group of people; removes ambiguity about who was rescued by avoiding ambiguous pronoun 'they'.

Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Just as Shakespeare's plays and Alexander Scott's poetry give an insight into the English society of the time, Arthur Conan Doyle's crime and mystery stories takes the reader inside the nineteenth century London.

  1. Arthur Conan Doyle's crime and mystery stories takes the reader

  2. so do Arthur Conan Doyle's crime and mystery stories takes the reader

  3. reading Arthur Conan Doyle's crime and mystery stories takes the reader

  4. crime and mystery stories by Arthur Conan Doyle take the reader

  5. so do Arthur Conan Doyle's crime and mystery stories take the reader
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; makes the correct comparison by using correlative conjunction 'so' when referring to Arthur Conan Doyle's stories; Corrects Subject-Verb error by using plural verb 'take' for the subject 'stories'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the sentence that is incorrect in spellings/grammar.

(1) They sent me down victuals and drink, and took the government of the ship to themselves. (2) Thinking that I had seen enough about the land, full of contempt and aversion, I got up and pursued the beaten road. (3) A man who accuses everyone else besides himself of being mad and who is disposed to listen seriously to a tale of perpetatic graveyard can hardly be sane. (4) One of the attackers had a bootjack which he held like a baton.

  1. 4

  2. 1

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 3

  5. 1 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; the spelling of 'perpetatic' is incorrect. The correct spelling is 'peripatetic'.

Multiple choice

At the Bull Run, to escape the charging bull, the boys all jumped into a drain and all later emerged all covered in grime.

  1. At the Bull Run, to escape the charging bull, the boys all jumped into a drain and all later emerged all covered in grime.

  2. To escape a charging bull at the Bull Run, a drain was jumped into by all the boys and they emerged later all covered in grime.

  3. To escape the charge of the charging bull at the Bull Run, all the boys jumped into a drain and later emerged covered in all grime.

  4. All the boys jumped into a drain to escape the wrath of a charging bull and all emerged later covered in grime at the Bull Run.

  5. At the Bull Run, all the boys jumped into a drain to escape a charging bull and later emerged all covered in grime.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; the sentence is in active voice where the subject of the sentence (boys) is doing the action (jumping) into the drain. Also, the use of 'all' before 'covered in grime' suggest that the boys were totally covered in grime when they came out of the drain.

Multiple choice

Although the origin of the term, masochist, lies in the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, in psychology it is someone who likes to torture himself.

  1. the origin of the term, masochist, lies in the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, in psychology it is someone who likes to torture himself

  2. the origin of the term, masochist, lies in the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, in psychology it is used to refer to someone who likes to torture himself

  3. the term, masochist, comes from the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, in psychology it is someone who likes to torture himself

  4. the term, masochist, comes from the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch who was the author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, and in psychology, it is a person who likes to torture himself

  5. Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, author of a famous novella, Venus in Furs, is the source of the origin of the term masochist, in psychology it is used to refer to someone who likes to torture himself
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct; removes the ambiguity and correctly conveys that the term 'refers' to someone who likes to torture himself.

Multiple choice

Why did the author consider himself a cripple?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

For more than 3 decades, I achieved great success as a lawyer, till a stroke left my right side totally paralysed. Despite the doctor’s encouragement, I was consumed by rage and self-pity. I yearned to be active again. But what could a middle-age cripple like me do? One day, glancing at some paintings I owned, I thought suddenly, “what about painting”? In fact, I had always wanted to paint, but had never had the time. Now, I had plenty of time. In the last 25 years, I have completed 300 paintings-one of them appeared on the cover of the Reader’s Digest. The stroke, I realize, has helped me develop a latent talent and enjoy life.

  1. He could not go back to work.

  2. He could no longer use his right hand.

  3. He could not use his time properly.

  4. He could not lead an active life.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage states, 'till a stroke left my right side totally paralysed.' The author refers to himself as a cripple because of this physical limitation.

Multiple choice

Why did Swarn leave his friend Mohan in the waters ?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

It was Sunday. As usual, there was a great rush of merry makers who had come to the river to swim or to bathe. Those who knew how to swim were jumping into the water from the high bridge or the banks of the deep river. Mohan did not know how to swim so he was merely watching others who were enjoying the fun of swimming. However on the insistence of his friend Swarn, he sat on his shoulders and both jumped into the water. Unable to carry Mohan along, Swarn left him in the flowing water. Mohan shouted for help. There were so many swimmers but nobody came to his rescue since they were indifferent to the plight of a stranger. I had just reached there, so I was in my full dress. Without undressing I jumped into the river and swam up to the drowning boy. Holding his left arm, I brought him out of water in a way that he might not hinder me from swimming safely. The boy was saved which won me great applause from the people. I had jumped into the water without any fear or hesitation as I knew the art of saving drowning persons. I had already saved a few lives from drowning.

  1. Mohan wanted to learn how to swim.

  2. He wanted Mohan to learn how to swim.

  3. Because he was sure that Mohan would be able to swim across the river.

  4. Because he found it difficult to swim in the river with his friend on his shoulders.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage clearly states Unable to carry Mohan along, Swarn left him in the flowing water. This shows Swarn abandoned Mohan because he found it physically difficult to swim while carrying his friend on his shoulders, not because Mohan wanted to learn or could swim.

Multiple choice

Why did Swarn jump into the water carrying Mohan on his shoulders ?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

It was Sunday. As usual, there was a great rush of merry makers who had come to the river to swim or to bathe. Those who knew how to swim were jumping into the water from the high bridge or the banks of the deep river. Mohan did not know how to swim so he was merely watching others who were enjoying the fun of swimming. However on the insistence of his friend Swarn, he sat on his shoulders and both jumped into the water. Unable to carry Mohan along, Swarn left him in the flowing water. Mohan shouted for help. There were so many swimmers but nobody came to his rescue since they were indifferent to the plight of a stranger. I had just reached there, so I was in my full dress. Without undressing I jumped into the river and swam up to the drowning boy. Holding his left arm, I brought him out of water in a way that he might not hinder me from swimming safely. The boy was saved which won me great applause from the people. I had jumped into the water without any fear or hesitation as I knew the art of saving drowning persons. I had already saved a few lives from drowning.

  1. Mohan had insisted to swim.

  2. He wanted to enjoy the fun of seeing a drowning man.

  3. He simply wanted to drown him in the river.

  4. Swarn felt that his friend should also enjoy the fun of swimming in the river.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage says Mohan was watching others enjoying the fun of swimming, then on the insistence of his friend Swarn, he sat on his shoulders and both jumped. This shows Swarn wanted Mohan to also enjoy the swimming fun, not that Mohan insisted, or that Swarn wanted to drown him.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is correct ?

When big waves struck the raft the six people in it.

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Westward Ho!” we shouted as the sail of our crudely constructed raft, the Kon-Tiki caught the wind. The sail quickly filled and the Kon-Tiki began to move. The six of us were off to our great adventure.
As night fell, the troughs of the sea grew gradually deeper and our first duel with the elements began. Each time we heard the sudden deafening hiss of a roller closeby and saw a white crest come towards us out of the darkness, we held on tight and waited for the worst. But invariably the Kon-Tiki calmly swung up her stern and rose skyward unperturbed.

  1. started crying.

  2. Showed courage and patience.

  3. acted in a rash manner.

  4. showed passiveness.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage describes how when waves approached, we held on tight and waited for the worst, and the Kon-Tiki calmly swung up her stern and rose skyward unperturbed. This shows courage and patience in facing danger, not crying, acting rashly, or passive helplessness.

Multiple choice

How was the Kon-Tiki’s performance on the high seas?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Westward Ho!” we shouted as the sail of our crudely constructed raft, the Kon-Tiki caught the wind. The sail quickly filled and the Kon-Tiki began to move. The six of us were off to our great adventure.
As night fell, the troughs of the sea grew gradually deeper and our first duel with the elements began. Each time we heard the sudden deafening hiss of a roller closeby and saw a white crest come towards us out of the darkness, we held on tight and waited for the worst. But invariably the Kon-Tiki calmly swung up her stern and rose skyward unperturbed.

  1. Very shaky

  2. Extremely poor

  3. Stable and resolute

  4. Unpredictable
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The passage indicates this in the final sentence; "But invariably the Kon-Tiki calmly swung up her stern and rose skyward unperturbed."

Multiple choice

Why did nobody come forward to save the drowning boy,though there were many swimmers?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

It was Sunday. As usual, there was a great rush of merry makers who had come to the river to swim or to bathe. Those who knew how to swim were jumping into the water from the high bridge or the banks of the deep river. Mohan did not know how to swim so he was merely watching others who were enjoying the fun of swimming. However on the insistence of his friend Swarn, he sat on his shoulders and both jumped into the water. Unable to carry Mohan along, Swarn left him in the flowing water. Mohan shouted for help. There were so many swimmers but nobody came to his rescue since they were indifferent to the plight of a stranger. I had just reached there, so I was in my full dress. Without undressing I jumped into the river and swam up to the drowning boy. Holding his left arm, I brought him out of water in a way that he might not hinder me from swimming safely. The boy was saved which won me great applause from the people. I had jumped into the water without any fear or hesitation as I knew the art of saving drowning persons. I had already saved a few lives from drowning.

  1. They wanted some financial reward.

  2. They did not know the art of saving a drowning person.

  3. They were not experts in the art of swimming.

  4. The river was very deep and they did not want to take a risk for a stranger.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage explicitly states nobody came to his rescue since they were indifferent to the plight of a stranger. While option D mentions the deep river and risk, the core reason is the swimmers' indifference to someone they didn't know - the bystander effect where people don't help strangers.

Multiple choice

What does the word 'duel' in the passage mean ?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question:

“Westward Ho!” we shouted as the sail of our crudely constructed raft, the Kon-Tiki caught the wind. The sail quickly filled and the Kon-Tiki began to move. The six of us were off to our great adventure.
As night fell, the troughs of the sea grew gradually deeper and our first duel with the elements began. Each time we heard the sudden deafening hiss of a roller closeby and saw a white crest come towards us out of the darkness, we held on tight and waited for the worst. But invariably the Kon-Tiki calmly swung up her stern and rose skyward unperturbed.

  1. A battle

  2. A fortification

  3. A two-side contest

  4. Divided in two
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the passage, 'duel with the elements' means a conflict or struggle between the raft crew and natural forces (wind, waves). The word 'duel' here is used metaphorically to describe their first confrontation with the sea's power. 'A battle' correctly captures this sense of conflict or combat, unlike the other options which refer to physical structures or divisions.