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

Which of the following could replace 'inoculate' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

Vaccines
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. Vaccines were first used by Edward Jenner (England) in the 1770s to inoculate small pox using the cow microbe. Vaccines have resulted in the eradication of small pox, one of the most contagious and deadly diseases known to man.
A vaccine is usually made from a weakened or attenuated form of the microbe that it is intended to fight. When the body recognizes the virulent microbe attack, it neutralises the target microbe before it can enter body cells.

  1. instil

  2. treat

  3. inject

  4. protect
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Noc' is harm; so inoculate is strictly 'protect from harm'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'attenuated' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

Vaccines
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. Vaccines were first used by Edward Jenner (England) in the 1770s to inoculate small pox using the cow microbe. Vaccines have resulted in the eradication of small pox, one of the most contagious and deadly diseases known to man.
A vaccine is usually made from a weakened or attenuated form of the microbe that it is intended to fight. When the body recognizes the virulent microbe attack, it neutralises the target microbe before it can enter body cells.

  1. reduced

  2. narrowed

  3. enfeebled

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

Ten/tens is stretch, as in tensile. Attenuate is to weaken by stretching.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'antibiotics' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

What are Pimples?
Acne known as Pimples is a common disorder developed in teenagers and at times in young adults due to the inflammation of skin, as superficial skin eruption caused by the blockage of skin pores.

W hen dealing with the phenomenon of pimples it is usually youth pimples that come to mind. Youth pimples stand out from pimples in grown ups in that the latter variant is more likely to be accompanied by oily skin. Adults are considered to respond better to treatment with antibiotics than youths. The emergence of acne has its origin in the production of tallow in the skin on one hand, and in the fact that openings of the surface of the skin of sebaceous glands is stopped up, usually by horn cells (skin cells).

  1. analgesics

  2. fungicides

  3. bactericides

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

Antibiotics fight bacteria; fungicides fight fungus; analgesics are pain relievers.

Multiple choice

Bureaus

Directions: Some words in the news item below have been highlighted. Select the best contextual meaning of the related words.

A company’s failure to prevent bribery is likely to be a punishable offence as the government proposes to amend the prevention of Corruption Act to include bribing gives as much as those who receive it, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday while addressing the annual conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the State Anti-Corruption Bureaus.

  1. Authorities

  2. Administrators

  3. Officials

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

The passage mentions 'Central Bureau of Investigation and the State Anti-Corruption Bureaus.' Bureaus here refer to government agencies or offices with specific functions. 'Authorities' best captures this sense of official administrative bodies.

Multiple choice

Giant

Directions: Some words in the news item below have been highlighted. Select the best contextual meaning of the related words.

Global retail giant Wal-Mart, waiting for years to open its supermarkets in India has been lobbying with the US lawmakers since 2008 to facilitate its entry into the highly lucrative Indian market.

  1. Monster company

  2. Massive size

  3. Large enterprise

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

The phrase 'Global retail giant Wal-Mart' uses 'giant' metaphorically to mean a very large or major company. 'Large enterprise' correctly captures this business context of a major corporate entity.

Multiple choice

Clergy

Directions: Some words in the news item below have been highlighted. Select the best contextual meaning of the related words.

The apex clergy of the Sikh community and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) appeared to have stirred up another controversy on Wednesday as they once again honoured the assassins of the former Army Chief, General A.S. Vaidya, at Akal Takht in Amritsar.

  1. Clerics

  2. Administrators

  3. Saints

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

In the context 'apex clergy of the Sikh community,' clergy refers to the religious leaders or officials. 'Clerics' is the correct synonym for religious officials, as opposed to administrators (bureaucratic), saints (spiritually elevated individuals), or bureaucrats (government officials).

Multiple choice

Apex

Directions: Some words in the news item below have been highlighted. Select the best contextual meaning of the related words.

The apex clergy of the Sikh community and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) appeared to have stirred up another controversy on Wednesday as they once again honoured the assassins of the former Army Chief, General A.S. Vaidya, at Akal Takht in Amritsar.

  1. Reporting

  2. Supreme

  3. Spiritual

  4. Permanent
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In 'apex clergy,' apex means the highest or top level. 'Supreme' correctly captures this meaning of being at the peak or highest position. 'Reporting' is unrelated, 'spiritual' describes a quality not the position, and 'permanent' refers to duration, not hierarchy.

Multiple choice

Abode

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Home

  2. Bungalow

  3. Country

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

In the passage, 'abode' appears in the phrase 'road to God's abode.' The context is about the saint realizing the path to heaven and God's dwelling place. In this religious context, 'abode' means home or dwelling place - specifically heaven or God's home.

Multiple choice

Sermon

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Social preaching

  2. Historical preaching

  3. Religious preaching

  4. Economic Preaching

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

The passage states the saint 'needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers.' The context is about a religious saint with spiritual powers and a following. In this context, a 'sermon' is a religious discourse or preaching delivered to followers.

Multiple choice

Auspicious

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

The Auspicious Moment

Once upon a time, there lived an old couple. They were very simpleton and gullible people. They were stupid in many ways. One night, there was some noise in their house. The old couple wake up. The wife said, “Sounds as if there are thieves in the house, Should I shout for the neighbours for help.”
“No, no! Don’t be foolish, don’t you remember that we don’t do anything without checking the auspicious time. It is our family tradition for generations as our ancestors also have been doing it”, the husband said.
So they checked the time chart and the time for action was after six months. The couple went back to sleep and did not do anything. The thieves had a field day. They helped themselves to all they could lay their hands on and decamped.

  1. Harmful

  2. Cheerful

  3. Unlucky

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

In the passage, the old couple follows a family tradition of checking the "auspicious time" before taking any action. This means they wait for a favorable or lucky moment. The thieves stole everything because the couple waited six months for the "auspicious" time instead of acting immediately.

Multiple choice

Scriptures

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Holy writings

  2. Fiction

  3. Volumes

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

The passage describes a saint who gains followers and wealth, but ultimately learns from an unkempt man that the path to heaven isn't through scholarly texts. In this spiritual context, "scriptures" means holy writings - the sacred texts the saint had been relying on instead of genuine spiritual practice.

Multiple choice

Spiritual

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Evil

  2. Holy

  3. Mysterious

  4. Worldly
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The saint is described as having "spiritual powers" in the context of his religious following and sermons. In this passage about a sage's journey to understanding true devotion, "spiritual" refers to holy or sacred qualities connected to religious experience rather than worldly concerns.

Multiple choice

Gullible

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

The Auspicious Moment

Once upon a time, there lived an old couple. They were very simpleton and gullible people. They were stupid in many ways. One night, there was some noise in their house. The old couple wake up. The wife said, “Sounds as if there are thieves in the house, Should I shout for the neighbours for help.”
“No, no! Don’t be foolish, don’t you remember that we don’t do anything without checking the auspicious time. It is our family tradition for generations as our ancestors also have been doing it”, the husband said.
So they checked the time chart and the time for action was after six months. The couple went back to sleep and did not do anything. The thieves had a field day. They helped themselves to all they could lay their hands on and decamped.

  1. Trustful

  2. Lovable

  3. Good-natured

  4. Confident

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

The old couple is described as "gullible" and "stupid" because they're so naive they let thieves rob their house while waiting for an "auspicious time." In this context, "gullible" means being too trusting or easily fooled - they trusted their superstition more than the obvious need to protect their home.

Multiple choice

Unkempt

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Frail

  2. Infected

  3. Nasty

  4. Untidy

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

The passage describes a man with "a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn" - someone clearly neglected in appearance. "Unkempt" means untidy or messy, which perfectly matches this description of the ascetic who has devoted himself completely to spiritual seeking rather than personal grooming.

Multiple choice

Disciples

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

The Road to Heaven

Once upon a time, there lived a famous saint. He was blessed with spiritual powers. The saint had a large following and needed to travel a lot to give sermons to his followers. Realizing the saint’s needs for comfort on such journeys, he was promptly provided with a palanquin and bearers by one of his wealthy disciples. The comfort of travelling in shade overruled all his moral arguments. His popularity and wealth grew. One day on such a journey, he was stopped by a very unkempt figure of a man. “I want to go to heaven,” the man said. “Stretch your arms upwards and look towards the sky. You will find the way to heaven”, the Sage said.
Many years passed and the saint had an even larger following. One day he was passing through the same way, when he saw the same man standing in the middle of the road with his hands stretched towards the sky. The man had grown a beard up to his knees and his clothes were torn but on approaching him, the sage saw a strange light in his eyes. The man was in a trance.  Soon a miracle happened. He started to rise above the ground. The sage ran and caught hold of the feet of the mad man.
Later the sage gave his last sermon and said that the road to God’s abode is not through reading scriptures.

  1. Opponents

  2. Teachers

  3. Friends

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

The passage describes people who support the saint by providing him with comfortable transport - a palanquin and bearers. In this religious context, "disciples" refers to followers who devote themselves to a spiritual teacher and support his work.