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

In the myth of Narcissus and Echo, what was the punishment inflicted upon Narcissus for his vanity?

  1. He was transformed into a beautiful flower.

  2. He was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection.

  3. He was banished to the underworld.

  4. He was struck by lightning.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

As punishment for his vanity and rejection of Echo's love, Narcissus was cursed by the gods to fall in love with his own reflection. This ultimately led to his demise as he pined away for an unattainable love.

Multiple choice

In the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night", what does the speaker urge his father to do?

  1. To accept death with grace and dignity

  2. To fight against death with all his might

  3. To seek revenge on those who have wronged him

  4. To leave a legacy for his children
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The speaker in "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" urges his father to fight against death with all his might. He wants his father to go down fighting, not to accept death passively.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart", what is the climax?

  1. The narrator confesses his crime to the police.

  2. The narrator hears the beating of the old man's heart.

  3. The narrator kills the old man.

  4. The narrator buries the old man's body under the floorboards.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The climax of the story occurs when the narrator hears the beating of the old man's heart, even though he has buried the body under the floorboards. This moment of intense fear and guilt drives the narrator to confess his crime.

Multiple choice

In the short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find", what is the climax?

  1. The grandmother is shot and killed by The Misfit.

  2. The family's car is run off the road by The Misfit.

  3. The grandmother tries to escape from The Misfit.

  4. The grandmother recognizes The Misfit as an escaped convict.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The climax of the story occurs when The Misfit shoots and kills the grandmother. This moment of violence is the culmination of the family's encounter with evil and marks the end of their journey.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Things They Carried", what is the climax?

  1. The soldiers are ambushed by the enemy.

  2. The soldiers are forced to march through a rice paddy.

  3. The soldiers are ordered to burn a village.

  4. The soldiers witness the death of a young girl.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The climax of the story occurs when the soldiers witness the death of a young girl. This moment of tragedy and loss is the culmination of the soldiers' experiences in Vietnam and highlights the horrors of war.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Swimmer", what is the climax?

  1. Ned Merrill swims across the pool.

  2. Ned Merrill is confronted by his wife.

  3. Ned Merrill is arrested by the police.

  4. Ned Merrill drowns in the pool.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The climax of the story occurs when Ned Merrill drowns in the pool. This moment of tragedy and loss is the culmination of his journey through the suburbs and marks the end of his life.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Death of Ivan Ilyich", what is the climax?

  1. Ivan Ilyich realizes that he is dying.

  2. Ivan Ilyich makes peace with his wife and children.

  3. Ivan Ilyich dies.

  4. Ivan Ilyich is visited by a priest.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The climax of the story occurs when Ivan Ilyich dies. This moment of death is the culmination of his illness and suffering and marks the end of his life.

Multiple choice

How did Orpheus react to Eurydice's disappearance?

  1. He stopped playing music.

  2. He became a hermit.

  3. He committed suicide.

  4. He continued to search for her.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Orpheus was heartbroken and stopped playing music after Eurydice's disappearance.

Multiple choice

What did Prometheus warn humanity about before giving them fire?

  1. To be wary of Zeus's wrath

  2. To use fire responsibly

  3. To not become too dependent on fire

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Prometheus cautioned humanity about Zeus's wrath, the importance of using fire responsibly, and the dangers of becoming overly reliant on it.

Multiple choice

How did Apollo react to Daphne's transformation?

  1. He was heartbroken and vowed never to love again

  2. He was angry and cursed the laurel tree

  3. He was indifferent and moved on

  4. He was relieved and stopped pursuing her
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Apollo was deeply saddened by Daphne's transformation and vowed never to love again.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator's obsession with the old man's "vulture eye" leads him to commit a gruesome act. What does the narrator do with the old man's body?

  1. Buries it in the backyard

  2. Hides it under the floorboards

  3. Chops it up and feeds it to the rats

  4. Throws it into the river
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In the story, the narrator dismembers the old man's body and hides the pieces under the floorboards of his house, believing that he has successfully concealed the crime.

Multiple choice

In "The Tell-Tale Heart," what does the narrator fear will reveal his guilt?

  1. The beating of his own heart

  2. The sound of footsteps

  3. The smell of blood

  4. The sight of the old man's eye
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The narrator is haunted by the sound of his own heartbeat, which he believes will betray his guilt and reveal the murder he has committed.

Multiple choice

In "The Monkey's Paw," what is the consequence of wishing for wealth?

  1. The family wins the lottery

  2. They receive a large inheritance

  3. Their son is killed in an accident

  4. Their house burns down
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The family's wish for wealth is granted, but it comes at a terrible cost: their son is killed in an accident.

Multiple choice

In "The Monkey's Paw," what is the consequence of wishing for wealth?

  1. The family wins the lottery

  2. They receive a large inheritance

  3. Their son is killed in an accident

  4. Their house burns down
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The family's wish for wealth is granted, but it comes at a terrible cost: their son is killed in an accident.

Multiple choice

What is the ironic twist in 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry?

  1. The gifts they give each other are useless for their current circumstances.

  2. They both sacrifice their prized possessions to buy gifts for each other.

  3. They realize the true value of their love and sacrifice.

  4. They both end up getting the gifts they originally wanted.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The irony in 'The Gift of the Magi' lies in the fact that the gifts Della and Jim give each other are rendered useless due to their sacrifices. Della sells her hair to buy Jim a platinum watch chain, while Jim sells his watch to buy Della a set of combs. This ironic twist highlights the selfless love and sacrifice between the couple.