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

Why did the beggar address the king as his brother?

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

An old beggar reached the gate of the king’s palace. He told the gateman to go and tell the king that his brother had come to see him. The gateman thought that he must be a distant brother of the king. On getting the information, the king called the beggar in and offered him a seat near him. He said to the king, “Hello, older brother! How are you?” The king smilingly said, “I am very comfortable. How about you?” The beggar answered, “I am a little bit in trouble. The palace in which I reside, has worn itself out. It can fall anytime. I had thirty two servants. All of them have left me one by one. All the five queens have also grown old.

On hearing this, the king ordered to give one hundred rupees to the beggar. The beggar said, “one hundred rupees are very less.” At this the king said, “This time the kingdom has faced a drought”. The beggar said, “Come with me across the seven seas. There are gold mines. As soon as I step into the oceans, they will get dry up. You have already seen the power of my feet.” Then the king ordered that the beggar be paid one thousand rupees. After the beggar left, the king said, “The beggar was very wise. Fortune has two sides – king or pauper. From this angle, he called me his brother. By the worn out palace, he referred to his old body; thirty two servants were his teeth and five queens were his senses. He said that as soon as he put a foot in my kingdom, his coffers went dry. That is why I was giving him one hundred rupees. On seeing his wisdom, I gave him one thousand rupees. Tomorrow, I shall appoint him my advisor. Many a time, people looking very simple are very deep. So, a person should be understood not by his dress, but by his character.”

  1. Because he was one of the subjects of the king.

  2. Because fortune has two sides - king or pauper.

  3. Because the beggar was a king once.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option 2 is the correct answer as it is mentioned in the passage "Fortune has two sides – king or pauper. From this angle, he called me his brother".  

Multiple choice

The story teaches us to be

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

How to be successful?
A poor boy lived in a village. He was very hard-working, but was not well educated. Because of this he was not able to get any job. In such a condition, once he reached a wood-merchant. Seeing the poor condition of the boy, the wood-merchant employed him and gave him the task of cutting wood in the forest. The boy was very excited because of his new job. He went into the jungle and on the very first day, he felled eighteen trees. The merchant also braved him. On getting this appreciation, he worked harder than before but he was able to fell only fifteen trees. The merchant only said, “No problem! Keep doing hard work.”
On the third day, he put in more hard work but he could cut down only ten trees. This made the boy unhappy because everyday he did more labour but was able to cut down less trees. At last, he asked the merchant, “Sir, I do hard work everyday, but the number of cut down trees is decreasing.” The merchant asked him, “When did you sharpen your axe last?” The boy said, “Sharpening! I get no time to sharpen the axe. I am always busy cutting the trees.” The merchant said, “That is it! That is why the number of trees cut down is getting less and less.”

Friends, this very fact applies to our lives also. Everyday we go out for work and do hard work but we never sharpen our axe i.e. knowledge and ability. We get so lost in living our life that we never get time to improve or sharpen our ability and that is why we remain dejected and sad. It is not unwise to work hard but smart work is always better than hard work.

  1. good

  2. wise

  3. alert
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The boy in the story was not getting desired results because he was not wise enough.

Multiple choice

Complete the following sentence.

Everyday, the boys cut down more and more trees. It is ________.

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

How to be successful?
A poor boy lived in a village. He was very hard-working, but was not well educated. Because of this he was not able to get any job. In such a condition, once he reached a wood-merchant. Seeing the poor condition of the boy, the wood-merchant employed him and gave him the task of cutting wood in the forest. The boy was very excited because of his new job. He went into the jungle and on the very first day, he felled eighteen trees. The merchant also braved him. On getting this appreciation, he worked harder than before but he was able to fell only fifteen trees. The merchant only said, “No problem! Keep doing hard work.”
On the third day, he put in more hard work but he could cut down only ten trees. This made the boy unhappy because everyday he did more labour but was able to cut down less trees. At last, he asked the merchant, “Sir, I do hard work everyday, but the number of cut down trees is decreasing.” The merchant asked him, “When did you sharpen your axe last?” The boy said, “Sharpening! I get no time to sharpen the axe. I am always busy cutting the trees.” The merchant said, “That is it! That is why the number of trees cut down is getting less and less.”

Friends, this very fact applies to our lives also. Everyday we go out for work and do hard work but we never sharpen our axe i.e. knowledge and ability. We get so lost in living our life that we never get time to improve or sharpen our ability and that is why we remain dejected and sad. It is not unwise to work hard but smart work is always better than hard work.

  1. true

  2. false

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

Option 2 is the correct answer because everyday the number of trees cut down kept on decreasing instead of increasing.

Multiple choice

Complete the following sentence.

The king thought of appointing the old beggar as his advisor because _________.

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

An old beggar reached the gate of the king’s palace. He told the gateman to go and tell the king that his brother had come to see him. The gateman thought that he must be a distant brother of the king. On getting the information, the king called the beggar in and offered him a seat near him. He said to the king, “Hello, older brother! How are you?” The king smilingly said, “I am very comfortable. How about you?” The beggar answered, “I am a little bit in trouble. The palace in which I reside, has worn itself out. It can fall anytime. I had thirty two servants. All of them have left me one by one. All the five queens have also grown old.

On hearing this, the king ordered to give one hundred rupees to the beggar. The beggar said, “one hundred rupees are very less.” At this the king said, “This time the kingdom has faced a drought”. The beggar said, “Come with me across the seven seas. There are gold mines. As soon as I step into the oceans, they will get dry up. You have already seen the power of my feet.” Then the king ordered that the beggar be paid one thousand rupees. After the beggar left, the king said, “The beggar was very wise. Fortune has two sides – king or pauper. From this angle, he called me his brother. By the worn out palace, he referred to his old body; thirty two servants were his teeth and five queens were his senses. He said that as soon as he put a foot in my kingdom, his coffers went dry. That is why I was giving him one hundred rupees. On seeing his wisdom, I gave him one thousand rupees. Tomorrow, I shall appoint him my advisor. Many a time, people looking very simple are very deep. So, a person should be understood not by his dress, but by his character.”

  1. he found the beggar to be a wise man

  2. he found the beggar to be having supernatural powers

  3. he found the beggar to be a great story-teller
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option 1 is the correct answer because the answers given by the beggar proved his wisdom.

Multiple choice

Complete the following sentence.

The king gave a lesson that a person should be judged ______.

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

An old beggar reached the gate of the king’s palace. He told the gateman to go and tell the king that his brother had come to see him. The gateman thought that he must be a distant brother of the king. On getting the information, the king called the beggar in and offered him a seat near him. He said to the king, “Hello, older brother! How are you?” The king smilingly said, “I am very comfortable. How about you?” The beggar answered, “I am a little bit in trouble. The palace in which I reside, has worn itself out. It can fall anytime. I had thirty two servants. All of them have left me one by one. All the five queens have also grown old.

On hearing this, the king ordered to give one hundred rupees to the beggar. The beggar said, “one hundred rupees are very less.” At this the king said, “This time the kingdom has faced a drought”. The beggar said, “Come with me across the seven seas. There are gold mines. As soon as I step into the oceans, they will get dry up. You have already seen the power of my feet.” Then the king ordered that the beggar be paid one thousand rupees. After the beggar left, the king said, “The beggar was very wise. Fortune has two sides – king or pauper. From this angle, he called me his brother. By the worn out palace, he referred to his old body; thirty two servants were his teeth and five queens were his senses. He said that as soon as he put a foot in my kingdom, his coffers went dry. That is why I was giving him one hundred rupees. On seeing his wisdom, I gave him one thousand rupees. Tomorrow, I shall appoint him my advisor. Many a time, people looking very simple are very deep. So, a person should be understood not by his dress, but by his character.”

  1. by his clothes

  2. by his riches

  3. by his character

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

Option 3 is the correct answer as it is mentioned in the last line of the passage.

Multiple choice

In spite of doing hardwork, we remain sad because

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

How to be successful?
A poor boy lived in a village. He was very hard-working, but was not well educated. Because of this he was not able to get any job. In such a condition, once he reached a wood-merchant. Seeing the poor condition of the boy, the wood-merchant employed him and gave him the task of cutting wood in the forest. The boy was very excited because of his new job. He went into the jungle and on the very first day, he felled eighteen trees. The merchant also braved him. On getting this appreciation, he worked harder than before but he was able to fell only fifteen trees. The merchant only said, “No problem! Keep doing hard work.”
On the third day, he put in more hard work but he could cut down only ten trees. This made the boy unhappy because everyday he did more labour but was able to cut down less trees. At last, he asked the merchant, “Sir, I do hard work everyday, but the number of cut down trees is decreasing.” The merchant asked him, “When did you sharpen your axe last?” The boy said, “Sharpening! I get no time to sharpen the axe. I am always busy cutting the trees.” The merchant said, “That is it! That is why the number of trees cut down is getting less and less.”

Friends, this very fact applies to our lives also. Everyday we go out for work and do hard work but we never sharpen our axe i.e. knowledge and ability. We get so lost in living our life that we never get time to improve or sharpen our ability and that is why we remain dejected and sad. It is not unwise to work hard but smart work is always better than hard work.

  1. we aim at earning money only

  2. we get no time to be in the family

  3. we do not increase our knowledge and ability

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

Option 3 is the correct answer because the more we learn, the better we perform.

Multiple choice

Complete the following sentence.

The boy was putting in more and more hard work but the number of trees cut down did not rise because ______.

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

How to be successful?
A poor boy lived in a village. He was very hard-working, but was not well educated. Because of this he was not able to get any job. In such a condition, once he reached a wood-merchant. Seeing the poor condition of the boy, the wood-merchant employed him and gave him the task of cutting wood in the forest. The boy was very excited because of his new job. He went into the jungle and on the very first day, he felled eighteen trees. The merchant also braved him. On getting this appreciation, he worked harder than before but he was able to fell only fifteen trees. The merchant only said, “No problem! Keep doing hard work.”
On the third day, he put in more hard work but he could cut down only ten trees. This made the boy unhappy because everyday he did more labour but was able to cut down less trees. At last, he asked the merchant, “Sir, I do hard work everyday, but the number of cut down trees is decreasing.” The merchant asked him, “When did you sharpen your axe last?” The boy said, “Sharpening! I get no time to sharpen the axe. I am always busy cutting the trees.” The merchant said, “That is it! That is why the number of trees cut down is getting less and less.”

Friends, this very fact applies to our lives also. Everyday we go out for work and do hard work but we never sharpen our axe i.e. knowledge and ability. We get so lost in living our life that we never get time to improve or sharpen our ability and that is why we remain dejected and sad. It is not unwise to work hard but smart work is always better than hard work.

  1. he was actually not working hard

  2. he did not sharpen his axe

  3. he stole some of the trees
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

It is the correct answer. It is mentioned in the last two lines of the second paragraph.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the opposite of “never”?

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

How to be successful?
A poor boy lived in a village. He was very hard-working, but was not well educated. Because of this he was not able to get any job. In such a condition, once he reached a wood-merchant. Seeing the poor condition of the boy, the wood-merchant employed him and gave him the task of cutting wood in the forest. The boy was very excited because of his new job. He went into the jungle and on the very first day, he felled eighteen trees. The merchant also braved him. On getting this appreciation, he worked harder than before but he was able to fell only fifteen trees. The merchant only said, “No problem! Keep doing hard work.”
On the third day, he put in more hard work but he could cut down only ten trees. This made the boy unhappy because everyday he did more labour but was able to cut down less trees. At last, he asked the merchant, “Sir, I do hard work everyday, but the number of cut down trees is decreasing.” The merchant asked him, “When did you sharpen your axe last?” The boy said, “Sharpening! I get no time to sharpen the axe. I am always busy cutting the trees.” The merchant said, “That is it! That is why the number of trees cut down is getting less and less.”

Friends, this very fact applies to our lives also. Everyday we go out for work and do hard work but we never sharpen our axe i.e. knowledge and ability. We get so lost in living our life that we never get time to improve or sharpen our ability and that is why we remain dejected and sad. It is not unwise to work hard but smart work is always better than hard work.

  1. at no time

  2. in no degree

  3. always
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Option 3 is the correct answer because “never” means “not at all” and “always” means "at all times".

Multiple choice
Directions: The following question contains a paragraph with a sentence or phrase missing, indicated parenthetically. From the alternatives, select the sentence or phrase that best provides the missing link.
Jose Arcadio did not dare to leave the house for several days. It was enough for him to hear the rocking laughter of Pilar in the kitchen to run and take refuge in the laboratory, where the artifacts of alchemy had come alive again with Ursula's blessing. (__________). One afternoon, the boys grew enthusiastic over the flying carpet that went swiftly by the laboratory at window level, carrying the gypsy who was driving it and several children from the village who were merrily waving their hands, but Jose Arcadio Buendia did not even look at it.

  1. He lost his appetite and he could not sleep.

  2. Let them dream, she said.

  3. <div align="justify">Jose Arcadio Buendia received his errant son with joy and initiated him in the search for the philosopher's stone, which he had finally undertaken.

  4. From his accomplice and a communicative person he had become withdrawn and hostile.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The last sentence talks to Jose Arcadio Buendia. So, it is but natural that the sentences preceding it should have him in context. This is a direct pointer to option (3). Options (2) and (4) do not fit in the context. If option (1) is selected, then a further reading on to the last sentence indicates that Buendia has been suddenly introduced in the paragraph without prior reference. Hence (3) is the answer.

Multiple choice

What can we understand from the act of the old nurse?

Directions: Read the following poem carefully. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following sentences as briefly as possible. Write your answer against the correct question number.

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
'She must weep or she will die.'

Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.

Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.

Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

                        Alfred Tennyson

  1. The old nurse knew a lot about the working of a mother's heart.

  2. The old nurse knew a lot about the handling of new born babies.

  3. The old nurse had a lot of experience and must have seen such calamities in the past.

  4. The old nurse had a lot of love for the little child.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The 90-year-old nurse's immediate emotional response upon setting the child on her knee and saying 'Sweet my child, I live for thee' shows she has experienced similar tragic losses before. Her tears come instantly when she sees the child, unlike others who tried various methods to make the widow weep.

Multiple choice

Why did everybody assembled there want the widow to weep?

Directions: Read the following poem carefully. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following sentences as briefly as possible. Write your answer against the correct question number.

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
'She must weep or she will die.'

Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.

Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.

Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

                        Alfred Tennyson

  1. Because it is customary for a woman to weep at her husband's death.

  2. Because they believed that she must mourn the death of her husband.

  3. Because they believed that bottling one's emotions inside was dangerous.

  4. Because they wanted her to join them.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The maidens explicitly say 'She must weep or she will die' - they believe that suppressing emotions after such a traumatic loss could be physically or psychologically fatal. This reflects the understanding that bottling up grief can have severe consequences.

Multiple choice

Which word in the poem means “moved quietly”?

Directions: Read the following poem carefully. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following sentences as briefly as possible. Write your answer against the correct question number.

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
'She must weep or she will die.'

Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.

Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.

Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

                        Alfred Tennyson

  1. Swooned

  2. Uttered

  3. Stole

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

The word 'stole' appears in the line 'Stole a maiden from her place' where it means she moved quietly and stealthily, like stealing. The past tense of 'steal' is used here in its intransitive sense meaning to move secretly or quietly.

Multiple choice

Why did the people assembled there praise the slain soldier?

Directions: Read the following poem carefully. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following sentences as briefly as possible. Write your answer against the correct question number.

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
'She must weep or she will die.'

Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.

Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.

Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

                        Alfred Tennyson

  1. They praised him for his heroics in the battle field.

  2. Because he was a good friend of everybody.

  3. They praised him so that the widow could let out her emotions.

  4. Because it was a custom to praise the dead in their society.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The poem states they 'praised him, soft and low' right after saying the widow must weep or die. The context clearly shows their praising was an attempt to trigger her emotional release - they spoke positively about her husband hoping it would make her cry and thus save her from the perceived danger of suppressed grief.

Multiple choice

Why did the widow of the slain warrior not cry?

Directions: Read the following poem carefully. On the basis of your reading of the poem, complete the following sentences as briefly as possible. Write your answer against the correct question number.

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
Home they brought her warrior dead:
She nor swooned, nor uttered cry:
All her maidens, watching, said,
'She must weep or she will die.'

Then they praised him, soft and low,
Called him worthy to be loved,
Truest friend and noblest foe;
Yet she neither spoke nor moved.

Stole a maiden from her place,
Lightly to the warrior stepped,
Took the face-cloth from the face;
Yet she neither moved nor wept.

Rose a nurse of ninety years,
Set his child upon her knee—
Like summer tempest came her tears—
'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

                        Alfred Tennyson

  1. Because she fell unconscious at the sight of her dead husband.

  2. Because she was in such a shock that she could not react.

  3. Because as a brave lady of high birth she could control her emotions.

  4. Because she was not informed about the death of her husband.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The poem describes the widow in a state of shock - 'She nor swooned, nor uttered cry', 'Yet she neither spoke nor moved', 'Yet she neither moved nor wept'. This complete lack of response indicates she was in such deep shock that she was unable to react emotionally or physically.

Multiple choice
Directions: In the following question, five statements are provided. These statements form a coherent paragraph when properly arranged. Select the alternative representing the proper and logical sequencing of these statements.
A. But no matter who took possession of the sheet after the Resurrection, it was most probably then preserved by followers of Jesus, the most likely candidates being Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who had arranged for the body to be removed from the Cross and placed in the tomb.
B. The 'servant of the priests' was most probably given the priceless gift as a token of gratitude for some special service rendered.
C. But the cloth could not be allowed to remain in Palestine: the continual and vicious infighting with the forces of the hated Roman overlords presented too much of a threat.
D. According to the apocryphal Gospel of the Hebrews, which was used by the Nazarenes, Jesus gave the shroud described in the Gospels to the 'servant of the priests' after the Resurrection.
E. It is logical to assume that the recipient of so marked a favour was not one of the mortal enemies of Jesus.

  1. DEBAC

  2. BECAD

  3. DACBE

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

D begins the sequence as it introduces the subject - shroud given to 'servant of priests' after the Resurrection. E follows D as 'assumption' in E is a reference to D. BA link is apparent as A elaborates B further by providing a contrary view. Hence, (1) is the answer.