English Reading Comprehension

Feast

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Suspected

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Marshy

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Rescue

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Wade

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Bank

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Ascetic

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Bait

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

Blunt

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once an old tiger found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to hunt; so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man. Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle, as he had no use for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied, "Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a gift."
The traveller said, "When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You are safe with me."
The traveller’s love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is telling the truth,” the traveller said to himself. "I will wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice tiger."
As he started to wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face, "Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the tiger had the greatest feast of his life.

United

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once there was a farmer. He had five sons. All of them were selfish and quarrelsome. The farmer advised them not to quarrel, but in vain. When he was about to die, he asked his sons to bring a bundle of sticks. Then he asked them one by one to break the bundle. They tried hard but could not break the bundle.
After that the farmer untied the bundle. Again he asked his sons one by one to break the sticks. The youngest son got up and broke the sticks quite easily.
“You”, said the farmer, “could not break the sticks, when they were united. Your younger brother could break them when they were not united. Thus none can harm you, when you stand together. Know that “Union is Strength.”
Thus the old farmer asked his sons “to be united like the bundle of sticks and always to remember that united they stand divided they fall.”

Quarrelsome

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once there was a farmer. He had five sons. All of them were selfish and quarrelsome. The farmer advised them not to quarrel, but in vain. When he was about to die, he asked his sons to bring a bundle of sticks. Then he asked them one by one to break the bundle. They tried hard but could not break the bundle.
After that the farmer untied the bundle. Again he asked his sons one by one to break the sticks. The youngest son got up and broke the sticks quite easily.
“You”, said the farmer, “could not break the sticks, when they were united. Your younger brother could break them when they were not united. Thus none can harm you, when you stand together. Know that “Union is Strength.”
Thus the old farmer asked his sons “to be united like the bundle of sticks and always to remember that united they stand divided they fall.”

Vain

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once there was a farmer. He had five sons. All of them were selfish and quarrelsome. The farmer advised them not to quarrel, but in vain. When he was about to die, he asked his sons to bring a bundle of sticks. Then he asked them one by one to break the bundle. They tried hard but could not break the bundle.
After that the farmer untied the bundle. Again he asked his sons one by one to break the sticks. The youngest son got up and broke the sticks quite easily.
“You”, said the farmer, “could not break the sticks, when they were united. Your younger brother could break them when they were not united. Thus none can harm you, when you stand together. Know that “Union is Strength.”
Thus the old farmer asked his sons “to be united like the bundle of sticks and always to remember that united they stand divided they fall.”

Untied

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

Once there was a farmer. He had five sons. All of them were selfish and quarrelsome. The farmer advised them not to quarrel, but in vain. When he was about to die, he asked his sons to bring a bundle of sticks. Then he asked them one by one to break the bundle. They tried hard but could not break the bundle.
After that the farmer untied the bundle. Again he asked his sons one by one to break the sticks. The youngest son got up and broke the sticks quite easily.
“You”, said the farmer, “could not break the sticks, when they were united. Your younger brother could break them when they were not united. Thus none can harm you, when you stand together. Know that “Union is Strength.”
Thus the old farmer asked his sons “to be united like the bundle of sticks and always to remember that united they stand divided they fall.”

Swooped

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

One day as a tiger was devouring the game he had killed; a bone got stuck in his teeth. A woodpecker that lived in the branches above watched him eating the game but did not realize what had happened. The tiger tried and tried but could not get the bone out.
"I will not be able to eat anything unless I get this bone out”, said the tiger. Days passed by and he was getting weaker and weaker. The woodpecker was wondering, what was wrong with the tiger?
"What is the matter with you? Why are you keeping your mouth open?" asked the woodpecker.
The tiger beckoned to the woodpecker to come near and pointed to the bone in his teeth.
"Oh! You are in a lot of pain", said the woodpecker. "I can remove the bone only if you promise to give me a portion of the flesh of the animal you hunt." The tiger nodded his head as he could not speak.
The woodpecker flew into the tiger's mouth, caught the bone firmly with his strong beak and came out of the tiger's mouth at full speed. Then the woodpecker perched on a tree. He dropped the bone on the tiger's head.
"I better get myself some food, I am starving" said the tiger.
A few hours later the tiger killed an animal and began to eat. The woodpecker tried to remind the tiger of his promise to share his food. But the tiger looked at the woodpecker and pretended to have never seen him.
"Who are you? Why should I offer any part of this?" said the tiger.
The woodpecker was shocked. The tiger was so ungrateful. He came down from the branches and said, "Don't you remember me? I pulled the bone out from your teeth! How could you forget me?"
The tiger laughed and said, "You know I am a wild animal. I could have easily eaten you up when you entered my mouth. Be grateful that I let you free."
The woodpecker was furious. "That's it. I must teach him a lesson. He took advantage of me. He thinks I am weak. But I have my sharp beak. "
The woodpecker patiently waited for the tiger to dose off after a heavy meal.
"Now is the time," said the woodpecker.
The woodpecker swooped down and peckedat one of the tiger's eyes blinding it. The tiger roared with pain "You have pierced my eyes. How can you be so cruel?" roared the tiger in pain.
"You know, I have a sharp beak. I could have easily blinded both eyes but I didn't, be grateful for that and stop roaring."

Pecked

Directions: Read the passage and select appropriate contextual meanings for the words underlined.

One day as a tiger was devouring the game he had killed; a bone got stuck in his teeth. A woodpecker that lived in the branches above watched him eating the game but did not realize what had happened. The tiger tried and tried but could not get the bone out.
"I will not be able to eat anything unless I get this bone out”, said the tiger. Days passed by and he was getting weaker and weaker. The woodpecker was wondering, what was wrong with the tiger?
"What is the matter with you? Why are you keeping your mouth open?" asked the woodpecker.
The tiger beckoned to the woodpecker to come near and pointed to the bone in his teeth.
"Oh! You are in a lot of pain", said the woodpecker. "I can remove the bone only if you promise to give me a portion of the flesh of the animal you hunt." The tiger nodded his head as he could not speak.
The woodpecker flew into the tiger's mouth, caught the bone firmly with his strong beak and came out of the tiger's mouth at full speed. Then the woodpecker perched on a tree. He dropped the bone on the tiger's head.
"I better get myself some food, I am starving" said the tiger.
A few hours later the tiger killed an animal and began to eat. The woodpecker tried to remind the tiger of his promise to share his food. But the tiger looked at the woodpecker and pretended to have never seen him.
"Who are you? Why should I offer any part of this?" said the tiger.
The woodpecker was shocked. The tiger was so ungrateful. He came down from the branches and said, "Don't you remember me? I pulled the bone out from your teeth! How could you forget me?"
The tiger laughed and said, "You know I am a wild animal. I could have easily eaten you up when you entered my mouth. Be grateful that I let you free."
The woodpecker was furious. "That's it. I must teach him a lesson. He took advantage of me. He thinks I am weak. But I have my sharp beak. "
The woodpecker patiently waited for the tiger to dose off after a heavy meal.
"Now is the time," said the woodpecker.
The woodpecker swooped down and peckedat one of the tiger's eyes blinding it. The tiger roared with pain "You have pierced my eyes. How can you be so cruel?" roared the tiger in pain.
"You know, I have a sharp beak. I could have easily blinded both eyes but I didn't, be grateful for that and stop roaring."