English Language

English Reading Comprehension

2,692 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

Which of the following could replace 'clumps' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. chunks

  2. crowd

  3. bunches

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

A collection of fruits is being talked about. Therefore bunches of the glossy red fruits is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'washed' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. cleaned

  2. filled

  3. bathed

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

'Washed' means totally covered or bathed. So the tree looked totally bathed in pink, white and red.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace ‘resist’ as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. disobey

  2. accept

  3. hold back

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

‘Resist’ means to hold back.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'covered' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. enclosed

  2. exposed

  3. layered

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

'Covered' means completely formed a layer of the leaves, such that the surface beneath the leaves was not visible. Therefore, covered means layered in this case.

Multiple choice

Different members had different tastes and likings which led to

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE BIRTH OF FAMILIES

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences between them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking.

To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

  1. search for new food items

  2. dissatisfaction among members

  3. the end of common cooking

  4. scarcity of food
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Since the same thing was not being cooked for everybody, end of common cooking was Inevitable.

Multiple choice

It became impossible for the tribesmen to continue living under the same roof because

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE BIRTH OF FAMILIES

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences between them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking.

To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

  1. there were differences among them

  2. the members kept on increasing

  3. the houses were very small

  4. the head of the tribe was very cruel
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

“When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short”.

Multiple choice

Tribesmen started moving to far off places from their home for food because

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE BIRTH OF FAMILIES

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences between them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking.

To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

  1. they enjoyed covering long distances in jungle

  2. they wanted new food items every day

  3. while chasing animals they had to cover long distances

  4. the hunting grounds close to the home were no more enough to feed all
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The most important need of the early man was food and they kept on changing places in search of the same.

Multiple choice

The text highlights that

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE BIRTH OF FAMILIES

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences between them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking.

To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

  1. increase in population is the root of all evils

  2. greed and envy grow in our roots

  3. families were born out of growing necessities

  4. rivalry among tribes created smaller families
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The whole passage lays the ground work to explain this fact. “Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider”.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace ‘pretty well’ as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. fictionally

  2. practically

  3. unknowingly

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

‘Pretty well’ here means effectively or efficiently. Therefore, the correct option is ‘practically’, which is similar in meaning.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the opposite in meaning to ‘fallen’ as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

It was October. The pink-white leaves of the flowering dogwood covered (1) the entire yard. The clumps (2) of glossy red fruits, peaping (3) from gaps between its leaves, made the tree look like a giant sundae. A flock of bluebirds flying over the town’s sky couldn’t resist (4) the temptation and nosedived for the tree. The tree looked washed (5) in pink, white and red, with busy blue dots moving all over. The bluebirds were back again. The little six inch birds ate grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. But, the fruits of the flowering dogwood surely (6) topped their list of favourites. Their numbers had fallen (7) recently, and may be the starlings and sparrows were giving them a hard time to find nests. But everybody in the town started putting out nesting boxes - and that seems to have worked pretty well (8). The bluebirds have returned to the town.

  1. stood up

  2. increased

  3. moved

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

Fallen here is related to decrease and the only option that is opposite to it is ‘increased’.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'keep on' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

The rolling waves of lush (1) green grass stretching from Montana to Mexico is the home (2) to prairie dogs. They are actually very big scquirals (3) that live together in large numbers. They live in holes in the ground, and connect the holes to each other by tunnels. Such tunnels connect all ground holes in a prairie dog town with each other. Prairie dogs are very conservative (4) and defensive. Before letting any other prairie dog into their homes, they hug and kiss each other to make sure that it (5) is family! Each prairie dog family has its own hole in the ground and they really are proper homes. Each has separate entry and exit tunnels and rooms for the family to stay. Each home has a special hole dug (6) near the bottom of the ceiling. These special holes trap in (7) pockets of air, if water floods the holes. They trap enough air for the family to keep on (8) breathing until the water goes down.

  1. stay

  2. continue

  3. achieve

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

Keep on means to keep something or continuing.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'trap in' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

The rolling waves of lush (1) green grass stretching from Montana to Mexico is the home (2) to prairie dogs. They are actually very big scquirals (3) that live together in large numbers. They live in holes in the ground, and connect the holes to each other by tunnels. Such tunnels connect all ground holes in a prairie dog town with each other. Prairie dogs are very conservative (4) and defensive. Before letting any other prairie dog into their homes, they hug and kiss each other to make sure that it (5) is family! Each prairie dog family has its own hole in the ground and they really are proper homes. Each has separate entry and exit tunnels and rooms for the family to stay. Each home has a special hole dug (6) near the bottom of the ceiling. These special holes trap in (7) pockets of air, if water floods the holes. They trap enough air for the family to keep on (8) breathing until the water goes down.

  1. expel

  2. capture

  3. catch

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

To be trapped means to be captured or stuck. Therefore, the correct option is (2).

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill I, II, III, IV with P, Q, R, S to make a meaningful story.

Once there lived a poor shoemaker with his wife. They were going through a bad time and (I) hungry many a times. Things continued the same way but the couple did not lose hope. One day, the shoemaker was left with leather for only one pair of shoes. So in the evening, he cut out the leather for shoes which he wished to begin making the next morning, thanked God, and (II).In the morning, after having said his prayers, he went to his little shop (III). Can you guess what he saw? The pair of shoes was lying finished on his table. He took the shoes in his hands to observe them closely and found that they were very neatly made. Soon after, a buyer came in, and as the shoes were a masterpiece, he (IV) amount for them.

P. fell asleep Q. had to sleep R. paid a handsome S. to work

  1. QPSR

  2. RSPQ

  3. PQRS

  4. RSQP

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

“They were going through a bad time” suggests (Q). “In the evening“suggests (P). "He went to his little shop" suggests (S). “A buyer came in” suggests (R). 

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill I, II, III, IV with P, Q, R, S to make a meaningful story.

Once, there lived a spider called Anansi. He was a very greedy spider and did not like sharing any of his things with others. One day, he collected some lovely yams from his garden and cooked them with utmost care. The I made Anansi hungrier. He somehow managed to wait till lunch time. Just as he sat down to consume his delicious meal, he heard a knock II. Anansi was irritated and III hurriedly. It was the turtle standing at the door. He had been travelling for a very long time and looked IV and hungry.

P. opened the door Q. delicious smell of the yams R. very tired S. at his door

  1. PQSR

  2. PQRS

  3. RSQP

  4. QSPR

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

"Collected some lovely yams from his garden" suggests (Q). "He heard a knock" suggests (S). "Heard a knock" suggests (P). "Had been travelling for a very long time" suggests (R). 

Multiple choice

Who cried out aloud with joy?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follows.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful forest. In the forest, there were three princesses. They were called Sam, Vic and Liana. They loved to go into the forest and play there. They would bring home many stones and flowers for their mother. The trees were their friends and they would watch them play the whole day long. The sun would shine brightly not only in the forest but in their village too.
One day, something different happened. The sun did not shine. There was a strong wind and it rained the whole day. The princesses could not go to the forest and they hated it. They waited for the next day.
For the next many days, it rained and rained. The princesses complained to their mother. They were lonely without the trees and animal friends from the forest. Their mother told them to smile and not to complain. She said that if the wind-gods were to hear the princesses complaining, then they might take the sun away. All of them listened to their mother and began to do something indoors. Sam drew a beautiful design, Vic sang songs and Liana danced.
The next morning, their mother woke them up and asked them to open their bedroom windows. They cried out aloud with joy, as they saw the sun shining brightly. That day, they could go to the beautiful forest and meet their friends.

  1. The king and princess

  2. The three princesses

  3. The mother of the princesses

  4. The trees in the forest

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

'They' in the last paragraph refers to 'the three princesses'. So, option 2 is the correct answer.