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

What was Tantalus's punishment?

  1. He was forced to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree.

  2. He was turned into a stone.

  3. He was banished to the underworld.

  4. He was eaten by a monster.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tantalus was punished by the gods to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree, but whenever he tried to drink or eat, the water and fruit would recede.

Multiple choice

What happened to Narcissus when he saw his reflection in a pool of water?

  1. He fell in love with it

  2. He was turned to stone

  3. He drowned

  4. He became invisible
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection and became so obsessed with it that he eventually died, staring at it in the pool of water.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Fight against death and embrace life

  2. Accept death with grace and dignity

  3. Seek comfort and solace in religion

  4. Leave a legacy for future generations
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The speaker implores his father to fight against death and embrace life, urging him to resist the temptation to surrender to the inevitability of death.

Multiple choice

In "The Chimney Sweeper," William Blake portrays the harsh realities of childhood labor through the eyes of a young chimney sweep. What is the speaker's attitude towards the child's situation?

  1. Sympathetic

  2. Indifferent

  3. Critical

  4. Condemning
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

William Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper" expresses sympathy for the plight of the young chimney sweep, highlighting the harsh conditions and exploitation of child labor.

Multiple choice

In the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart', what is the narrator's primary motivation for murdering the old man?

  1. Jealousy

  2. Revenge

  3. Greed

  4. Fear
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' is driven by an intense fear of the old man's 'vulture eye', which he believes is constantly watching him.

Multiple choice

In the elegy "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night", Dylan Thomas implores his father to:

  1. Accept death with grace

  2. Fight against death

  3. Seek solace in religion

  4. Embrace the afterlife
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" is a powerful elegy urging his dying father to resist death and fight for life.

Multiple choice

In "The Tell-Tale Heart," what does the narrator repeatedly hear after the murder?

  1. The beating of his own heart

  2. The sound of footsteps

  3. The victim's voice

  4. The ticking of a clock
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The narrator's guilt and paranoia manifest as an auditory hallucination, causing him to hear the beating of his own heart as if it were the sound of the victim's heart.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Financial ruin

  2. Loss of loved ones

  3. Unforeseen misfortunes

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

The Monkey's Paw grants wishes, but with dire consequences. Wishing for wealth leads to a series of tragic events, including financial ruin, loss of loved ones, and unforeseen misfortunes.

Multiple choice

What are the consequences of Aiden's choice on the Path of Love?

  1. He finds true love and happiness.

  2. He experiences heartbreak and disappointment.

  3. He sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of others.

  4. He discovers his true purpose in life.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

On the Path of Love, Aiden finds the love of his life and experiences true happiness and fulfillment.

Multiple choice

How does Sarah initially respond to the challenges she encounters?

  1. She rebels against her parents.

  2. She becomes withdrawn and isolated.

  3. She seeks support from her friends.

  4. She gives up on her dreams of independence.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Initially, Sarah reacts to the challenges by withdrawing from her family and friends, feeling overwhelmed and alone.

Multiple choice

What is Sisyphus's punishment?

  1. He is forced to roll a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down again

  2. He is chained to a rock and forced to watch as vultures eat his liver

  3. He is condemned to spend eternity in Tartarus, the deepest part of the underworld

  4. He is forced to listen to the same story over and over again for all eternity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sisyphus is punished by being forced to roll a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down again. This punishment is a metaphor for the futility of human existence. No matter how hard we try, we can never achieve lasting happiness or meaning.

Multiple choice

How does Sisyphus respond to his punishment?

  1. He despairs and gives up

  2. He accepts his fate and continues to roll the boulder

  3. He rebels against the gods and tries to escape from Tartarus

  4. He finds meaning in his punishment by embracing the absurdity of his existence
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sisyphus finds meaning in his punishment by embracing the absurdity of his existence. He realizes that his punishment is futile, but he also realizes that it is the only thing that gives his life meaning. By continuing to roll the boulder, Sisyphus is rebelling against the gods and asserting his own freedom.

Multiple choice

In the novel "The Lord of the Flies", what is the name of the island where a group of schoolboys are stranded after a plane crash?

  1. The Island

  2. The Coral Island

  3. The Desert Island

  4. The Lost Island
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Island is the name of the island where a group of schoolboys are stranded after a plane crash.

Multiple choice

In which fictional county does the majority of the action in the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling take place?

  1. Surrey

  2. Kent

  3. Sussex

  4. Oxfordshire
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Surrey is the county in England where the Dursleys, Harry's aunt, uncle, and cousin, live in the "Harry Potter" series.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the fictional town in which the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is set?

  1. Maycomb

  2. Atticus

  3. Scout

  4. Jem
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Maycomb is the fictional town in Alabama where the story of "To Kill a Mockingbird" takes place.