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 and choose the option that replaces the following.

To give satisfaction

THE AGE OF THE CLASSIC CARS
The 1920s saw the emergence of the great European producers—Austin, Morris, Singer, Fiat, and Citroën. Universal motor transportation, that is, transportation for all, was a long way off, but the idea of the small car was made real in the Austin Seven and the Fiat Topolino. These two cars were modelled on the Italian Ettore Bugatti's tiny Bébé Peugeot of 1911, which was to have a very deep effect.
The decade 1925–35 was notable not only for the appearance of many new small automobiles but also for the building of many ultra-large ones. The years from 1925 to 1942 are remembered by collectors of automobiles as the classic years, a period that saw the rise of the luxurious fast motorcar to a peak it seemed unlikely to reach again.
The first name in this field was Rolls-Royce, founded in 1904. Most Rolls-Royce chassis are designed for limousine and large sedan bodies, but the firm once made a comparatively light car, called the Twenty, and it has throughout its history produced fast models in addition to its regular line—e.g., after World War II, the Continental, built under the Bentley Motors Ltd. label.
Other motorcars of this type included the Hispano-Suiza of Spain and France; the Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Hotchkiss, Talbot (Darracq), and Voisin of France; the Duesenberg, Cadillac, Packard, and Pierce-Arrow of the United States; the Horch, Maybach, and Mercedes-Benz of Germany; the Belgian Minerva; and the Italian Isotta-Fraschini. These were costly machines, priced roughly from $7,500 to $40,000; fast (90 to 130 miles per hour); as comfortable as the state of the art would allow; and limited in luxury only by the purse of the purchaser. The great custom coach (made according to the demands of the customer) builders of England who made bodies for Rolls-Royce machines, were able to meet any thing that their clients asked, and were prepared to satisfy any request, whether for upholstery in matched ostrich hide with ivory buttons or for a dashboard in rosewood.
The most expensive standard automobile of which there exists convincing record was the Type 41 Bugatti, produced in the 1920s by Ettore Bugatti, an Italian of extraordinary gifts who built cars in France, most of them racing and sports types, from 1909 to 1939. The Type 41 Bugatti, also called La Royale, was cataloged at a chassis price of 500,000 francs, about $20,000. Only six of the cars were built.

The market collapse of 1929 ended the era of the really luxurious motorcar. After World War II even Rolls-Royce abandoned its policy of producing a standard chassis with custom-made bodies and offered a standard sedan that could be bought straight off the showroom floor.
  1. Satisfy

  2. Mollify

  3. Rectify

  4. Sanctify

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The phrase 'to give satisfaction' means to fulfill someone's needs or desires. 'Satisfy' means exactly this - to give pleasure or fulfillment. The passage states builders were 'prepared to satisfy any request.' 'Mollify' means to soothe or calm anger. 'Rectify' means to correct a wrong. 'Sanctify' means to make holy.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the passage and choose the option that replaces the following.

Customers or patrons

THE AGE OF THE CLASSIC CARS
The 1920s saw the emergence of the great European producers—Austin, Morris, Singer, Fiat, and Citroën. Universal motor transportation, that is, transportation for all, was a long way off, but the idea of the small car was made real in the Austin Seven and the Fiat Topolino. These two cars were modelled on the Italian Ettore Bugatti's tiny Bébé Peugeot of 1911, which was to have a very deep effect.
The decade 1925–35 was notable not only for the appearance of many new small automobiles but also for the building of many ultra-large ones. The years from 1925 to 1942 are remembered by collectors of automobiles as the classic years, a period that saw the rise of the luxurious fast motorcar to a peak it seemed unlikely to reach again.
The first name in this field was Rolls-Royce, founded in 1904. Most Rolls-Royce chassis are designed for limousine and large sedan bodies, but the firm once made a comparatively light car, called the Twenty, and it has throughout its history produced fast models in addition to its regular line—e.g., after World War II, the Continental, built under the Bentley Motors Ltd. label.
Other motorcars of this type included the Hispano-Suiza of Spain and France; the Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Hotchkiss, Talbot (Darracq), and Voisin of France; the Duesenberg, Cadillac, Packard, and Pierce-Arrow of the United States; the Horch, Maybach, and Mercedes-Benz of Germany; the Belgian Minerva; and the Italian Isotta-Fraschini. These were costly machines, priced roughly from $7,500 to $40,000; fast (90 to 130 miles per hour); as comfortable as the state of the art would allow; and limited in luxury only by the purse of the purchaser. The great custom coach (made according to the demands of the customer) builders of England who made bodies for Rolls-Royce machines, were able to meet any thing that their clients asked, and were prepared to satisfy any request, whether for upholstery in matched ostrich hide with ivory buttons or for a dashboard in rosewood.
The most expensive standard automobile of which there exists convincing record was the Type 41 Bugatti, produced in the 1920s by Ettore Bugatti, an Italian of extraordinary gifts who built cars in France, most of them racing and sports types, from 1909 to 1939. The Type 41 Bugatti, also called La Royale, was cataloged at a chassis price of 500,000 francs, about $20,000. Only six of the cars were built.

The market collapse of 1929 ended the era of the really luxurious motorcar. After World War II even Rolls-Royce abandoned its policy of producing a standard chassis with custom-made bodies and offered a standard sedan that could be bought straight off the showroom floor.
  1. Clients

  2. Businessmen

  3. Clergy

  4. Parents

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The phrase 'Customers or patrons' refers to people who buy goods or services. 'Clients' means exactly this - people who purchase services, especially professional services. The passage mentions 'their clients' when discussing coach builders. 'Businessmen' is too specific. 'Clergy' refers to religious leaders. 'Parents' refers to family members.

Multiple choice
  1. Ashamed

  2. Disappointed

  3. Slurped

  4. Easy

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage to be the answer. "Being hungry and disappointed, the crane made up his mind."

Multiple choice
  1. In a narrow necked jar

  2. In a flat dish

  3. In a golden jar

  4. In a long flat plate

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage to be the answer. "The fox served a liquid in a flat dish."

Multiple choice
  1. To let her drink water

  2. To get out of the well

  3. To teach her a lesson

  4. To smile at her

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it can inferred from the passage. "The fox at once jumped on her back, and with another jump he was out of well."

Multiple choice
  1. To make fun out of him

  2. To teach him a lesson

  3. To slurp him

  4. To make him ashamed

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage. "Being hungry and disappointed, the crane made up his mind to teach a lesson to the fox. The crane invited fox to dine at his residence."

Multiple choice
  1. By smiling at the poor goat

  2. By asking the fox what he was doing

  3. By thinking about the result

  4. By jumping on the back of the goat

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage. "The fox at once jumped on her back, and with another jump he was out of well."

Multiple choice
  1. Ashamed

  2. Dine

  3. Slurp

  4. Gladly

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

it means drink or eat (something) with a loud sucking noise.

Multiple choice
  1. Because she knew about the well

  2. Because she was feeling very thirsty

  3. Because the fox was smiling at her

  4. Because she wanted to help the fox

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage. The goat was thirsty and the fox invited her to drink water from the well. "a very thirsty goat passed by the well...If you want to drink sweet and cold water, come down and experience the pleasure here."

Multiple choice
  1. Because he had a big beak

  2. Because he did not have a big beak

  3. Because the dish was served in a flat dish

  4. Because the fox did not serve him anything

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage. "The crane served dinner in a tall, thin jar and the fox could not get his mouth in the jar."

Multiple choice
  1. He smiled at the sheep.

  2. He smiled at the goat and went away.

  3. He felt cool and pleasant.

  4. He could not get out.

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct as it is stated in the passage. "The fox smiled at the poor goat..."

Multiple choice
  1. Leap

  2. Repent

  3. Pleasure

  4. Cunning

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Cunning means clever and shrewd.

Multiple choice
  1. he wanted to go to town

  2. he wanted to read

  3. he wanted to visit the shopkeeper's place

  4. he was illiterate

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

"He thought that if he had spectacles, he could also read like others."

Multiple choice
  1. he did not like the shopkeeper

  2. he could not find the perfect glasses for him

  3. his eyesight was extremely weak

  4. he was illiterate

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct

Multiple choice
  1. Because he came to know why the villager wanted reading spectacles

  2. Because he realised that the villager was illiterate

  3. Because the villager was holding the book upside down

  4. Because he could not see even after changing a number of spectacles

  5. dummy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Correct