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.

Passage based inferenceParagraph rearrangementCloze test fillingVocabulary replacementReading accuracy tests

English Reading Comprehension Questions

Multiple choice

In "The Gift of the Magi," what is ironic about the ending?

  1. The couple's sacrifices were in vain.

  2. They received gifts they didn't need.

  3. They realized the true value of their love.

  4. They were able to buy expensive gifts.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The irony lies in the fact that Della and Jim both sacrificed their most prized possessions to buy gifts for each other, only to realize that the gifts were rendered useless by their sacrifices.

Multiple choice

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

  1. The wisher becomes wealthy

  2. The wisher's family is cursed

  3. The wisher is granted three wishes

  4. The wisher's life is shortened
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Wishing for wealth using the monkey's paw results in a curse that brings misfortune and tragedy to the wisher's family.

Multiple choice

In the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," what does the narrator do with the old man's body?

  1. He buries it in the backyard

  2. He dismembers it and hides the pieces

  3. He throws it down a well

  4. He burns it in the fireplace
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The narrator dismembers the old man's body and hides the pieces under the floorboards of his house.

Multiple choice

In 'The Adventure of the Empty House', how did Sherlock Holmes survive the fall from Reichenbach Falls?

  1. He used a grappling hook.

  2. He jumped onto a ledge.

  3. He was rescued by Watson.

  4. He faked his death.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In 'The Adventure of the Empty House', Sherlock Holmes faked his death by jumping from Reichenbach Falls and using a grappling hook to land safely.

Multiple choice

In the Indian folk tale 'The Fox and the Grapes', what does the fox do when it cannot reach the grapes?

  1. It jumps up and tries to reach them

  2. It climbs the tree to get them

  3. It ignores them and walks away

  4. It says that the grapes are sour
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the Indian folk tale 'The Fox and the Grapes', the fox says that the grapes are sour when it cannot reach them, because it is too proud to admit that it cannot get them.

Multiple choice

In her autobiography, Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert writes about her experience of:

  1. Getting divorced

  2. Traveling the world

  3. Finding love again

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

Elizabeth Gilbert's autobiography, Eat, Pray, Love, is a powerful account of her experience of getting divorced, traveling the world, and finding love again.

Multiple choice

In her autobiography, Wild, Cheryl Strayed writes about her experience of:

  1. Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

  2. Overcoming addiction

  3. Finding herself

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

Cheryl Strayed's autobiography, Wild, is a powerful account of her experience of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, overcoming addiction, and finding herself.

Multiple choice

In her book \"A Pilgrim's Progress\", John Bunyan describes his journey through the Slough of Despond as:

  1. a dark and dangerous place

  2. a place of great beauty and peace

  3. a place of temptation and trial

  4. a place of spiritual enlightenment
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Bunyan's Slough of Despond is a metaphor for the difficulties and trials that Christians face on their journey to salvation.

Multiple choice

In her book \"Seven Years in Tibet\", Heinrich Harrer describes his experiences as:

  1. a prisoner of war in Tibet

  2. a teacher and tutor to the Dalai Lama

  3. a mountain climber and explorer

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

Harrer's book is a fascinating account of his experiences as a prisoner of war in Tibet, a teacher and tutor to the Dalai Lama, and a mountain climber and explorer.

Multiple choice

In the song "Enter Sandman" by Metallica, the line "Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight" is a reference to:

  1. The protagonist's fear of the unknown and the subconscious.

  2. The protagonist's struggle with insomnia and nightmares.

  3. The protagonist's paranoia and distrust of others.

  4. The protagonist's desire to remain vigilant and alert in a dangerous world.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The song explores the themes of fear, anxiety, and the darkness that lurks within the human mind, and the line "Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight" captures the protagonist's sense of unease and vulnerability.

Multiple choice

In the song "Hotel California" by The Eagles, the line "On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair" sets the scene for:

  1. A journey into the unknown and the uncertain.

  2. A sense of isolation and loneliness in a vast and unforgiving landscape.

  3. A feeling of freedom and escape from the constraints of everyday life.

  4. A longing for a simpler and more natural way of life.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The song is about a mysterious and unsettling journey to a place called the Hotel California, and the line "On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair" captures the sense of uncertainty and adventure that accompanies the protagonist's journey.

Multiple choice

In the movie 'When Harry Met Sally', what does Harry Burns do to show his love for Sally Albright?

  1. He gives her a bouquet of flowers.

  2. He takes her to a fancy restaurant.

  3. He writes her a love letter.

  4. He proposes to her.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Harry Burns' act of proposing to Sally is a classic romantic gesture, as it shows his desire to spend the rest of his life with her.

Multiple choice

According to the myth of the Tower of Babel, why did God confuse the languages of the people?

  1. To prevent them from building a tower to reach heaven

  2. To punish them for their pride

  3. To spread them out across the earth

  4. To make it easier for them to communicate
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The myth of the Tower of Babel, found in the Hebrew Bible, claims that God confused the languages of the people to prevent them from building a tower to reach heaven.

Multiple choice

In Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart, what is the narrator's motive for killing the old man?

  1. Jealousy

  2. Revenge

  3. Fear

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

The narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart kills the old man out of fear that the old man's 'vulture eye' is watching him.

Multiple choice

In her memoir, Wild, Cheryl Strayed recounts her:

  1. Solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail

  2. Struggles with addiction and grief

  3. Journey of self-discovery and healing

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

Cheryl Strayed's memoir offers a powerful account of her transformative experience on the Pacific Crest Trail.