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

Acclimatization

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

These two factors, the altitude and the weather, tend separately and together to defeat the climber. The height weakness slows him down; it forces him to­ spend days and nights in the course of his assault on the summit. The weather, besides adding to the ­demands of his energy and moral fortitude, conspires to deny him the time he needs to complete his mission. Whereas in lower mountains and on easy ground the weather may be no more than a handicap, in the high Himalayas it is decisive, regardless of terrain. The deduction to be drawn from these two factors was clear enough. We must either so fortify ourselves , that we could continue, without detriment, to live and have our being above the limit of natural acclimatization, better still, we must solve the problem of speed. It was desirable, in fact, that we should meet both these requirements and thus give to those chosen to attempt the summit, some measure of insurance against ­the vagaries of the weather.

  1. Accommodation

  2. Adaptation

  3. Rooting

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

'Acclimatization' refers to the physiological process of becoming adapted to a new climate or environment. In the context, the author speaks about living 'above the limit of natural acclimatization' - meaning beyond the body's natural ability to adapt to high altitudes. 'Adaptation' (Option B) correctly captures this meaning of adjusting to environmental conditions.

Multiple choice

Dilemma

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

This passage sums up the two problems peculiar to the book trade which made it different from any other trade - the problem of selection and the problem of stocking. How is the bookseller to tell what, in an enormous output, will prove saleable, before the full weight of unsold items affects the balance of his business, and how is he, at the same time, to hold a stock large enough to enable the public to choose freely? He may seek to escape from this dilemma by becoming the passive sales representative of large publishing houses or distribution networks, but he is then no longer a bookseller. He may take refuge in the sale of safe items to a restricted circle of customers, but he thereby cuts himself off from all that is vital in his trade and dooms him to mediocrity and stagnation. On the other hand, he may protect his business from the danger of idle stock by speculating on the latest publications, but this is a dangerous game in that it implies a constantly changing clientele. Readers remain faithful to their own discoveries. Failure to follow up a book, an author or a type of literature means dismissing the public responsible for their success.

  1. Quarrel

  2. Issue

  3. Puzzle

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

A 'dilemma' is a difficult situation or problem where a choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, all of which are undesirable. The bookseller faces the dilemma of balancing selection (knowing what will sell) and stocking (holding enough variety), with both options having drawbacks. 'Puzzle' (Option C) best captures this sense of a difficult problem requiring careful consideration.

Multiple choice

Refuge

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

This passage sums up the two problems peculiar to the book trade which made it different from any other trade - the problem of selection and the problem of stocking. How is the bookseller to tell what, in an enormous output, will prove saleable, before the full weight of unsold items affects the balance of his business, and how is he, at the same time, to hold a stock large enough to enable the public to choose freely? He may seek to escape from this dilemma by becoming the passive sales representative of large publishing houses or distribution networks, but he is then no longer a bookseller. He may take refuge in the sale of safe items to a restricted circle of customers, but he thereby cuts himself off from all that is vital in his trade and dooms him to mediocrity and stagnation. On the other hand, he may protect his business from the danger of idle stock by speculating on the latest publications, but this is a dangerous game in that it implies a constantly changing clientele. Readers remain faithful to their own discoveries. Failure to follow up a book, an author or a type of literature means dismissing the public responsible for their success.

  1. Shelter

  2. Opening

  3. Exit

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

'Refuge' means shelter or protection from danger or difficulty. In the context, the bookseller might 'take refuge' in selling safe items - meaning he seeks protection or safety by choosing a conservative approach, avoiding the risks of speculation. 'Shelter' (Option A) correctly captures this meaning of seeking protection or safety.

Multiple choice

Dooms

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

This passage sums up the two problems peculiar to the book trade which made it different from any other trade - the problem of selection and the problem of stocking. How is the bookseller to tell what, in an enormous output, will prove saleable, before the full weight of unsold items affects the balance of his business, and how is he, at the same time, to hold a stock large enough to enable the public to choose freely? He may seek to escape from this dilemma by becoming the passive sales representative of large publishing houses or distribution networks, but he is then no longer a bookseller. He may take refuge in the sale of safe items to a restricted circle of customers, but he thereby cuts himself off from all that is vital in his trade and dooms him to mediocrity and stagnation. On the other hand, he may protect his business from the danger of idle stock by speculating on the latest publications, but this is a dangerous game in that it implies a constantly changing clientele. Readers remain faithful to their own discoveries. Failure to follow up a book, an author or a type of literature means dismissing the public responsible for their success.

  1. Destines

  2. Ruins

  3. Pulls

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

'Dooms' means destines or condemns to a particular fate or outcome, typically negative. In the context, the bookseller 'dooms him to mediocrity' - meaning his choice of playing it safe destines/condemns him to being mediocre and stagnant. 'Destines' (Option A) correctly captures this meaning of being fated for a particular outcome.

Multiple choice

Assault

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

These two factors, the altitude and the weather, tend separately and together to defeat the climber. The height weakness slows him down; it forces him to­ spend days and nights in the course of his assault on the summit. The weather, besides adding to the ­demands of his energy and moral fortitude, conspires to deny him the time he needs to complete his mission. Whereas in lower mountains and on easy ground the weather may be no more than a handicap, in the high Himalayas it is decisive, regardless of terrain. The deduction to be drawn from these two factors was clear enough. We must either so fortify ourselves , that we could continue, without detriment, to live and have our being above the limit of natural acclimatization, better still, we must solve the problem of speed. It was desirable, in fact, that we should meet both these requirements and thus give to those chosen to attempt the summit, some measure of insurance against ­the vagaries of the weather.

  1. Crime

  2. Advance

  3. Beating

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

In this context, 'assault' means a determined or concerted effort to achieve something difficult. The climber's 'assault on the summit' refers to his organized advance or attempt to reach the top. 'Advance' (Option B) correctly captures this meaning of moving forward toward a goal with determination, rather than the violent connotations of 'attack'.

Multiple choice

Conspires

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

These two factors, the altitude and the weather, tend separately and together to defeat the climber. The height weakness slows him down; it forces him to­ spend days and nights in the course of his assault on the summit. The weather, besides adding to the ­demands of his energy and moral fortitude, conspires to deny him the time he needs to complete his mission. Whereas in lower mountains and on easy ground the weather may be no more than a handicap, in the high Himalayas it is decisive, regardless of terrain. The deduction to be drawn from these two factors was clear enough. We must either so fortify ourselves , that we could continue, without detriment, to live and have our being above the limit of natural acclimatization, better still, we must solve the problem of speed. It was desirable, in fact, that we should meet both these requirements and thus give to those chosen to attempt the summit, some measure of insurance against ­the vagaries of the weather.

  1. Joins

  2. Unites

  3. Works against

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

'Conspires' in this context means works together to produce a negative effect or outcome. The weather 'conspires to deny him the time' - meaning it works against him, combining with other factors to prevent his success. 'Works against' (Option C) correctly captures this sense of combining forces to create an obstacle, rather than the more neutral 'combines' or 'unites'.

Multiple choice

Withstanding

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

  1. Holding

  2. Resisting

  3. Enduring

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

The phrase 'confident of withstanding the strain' means being able to bear or endure the physical pressure of public speaking. 'Withstanding' here means 'enduring' or 'bearing up under' - similar to how a tree withstands a storm. 'Holding' and 'Resisting' are close but 'Enduring' best captures the sense of successfully bearing the strain without breaking down.

Multiple choice

Restore

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

  1. Hinder

  2. Repeat

  3. Spoil

  4. Re-establish
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the phrase 'restore self-confidence,' 'restore' means to bring back or re-establish something that was lost - like regaining confidence after fear or a mental blackout. 'Re-establish' perfectly captures this meaning - setting up again what was there before. 'Hinder,' 'Repeat,' and 'Spoil' are opposites or unrelated to the context.

Multiple choice

Laborious

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Lamps too, probably developed by accident. Early man may have had his first  conception of a lamp while watching a twig of fibre burning in the molten fat dropped from roasting carcass. All he had to do was to fashion a vessel to contain fat and float a lighted reed in it. Such lamps, which were made of hollowed stones or sea-shells, have persisted in identical form up to quite recent times

  1. Difficult

  2. Working

  3. Painful

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

In the passage about primitive fire-making, 'laborious' describes methods that were difficult, requiring much effort and hard work. The context suggests early humans had to work very hard to create and preserve fire before discovering easier ways. 'Difficult' correctly captures the sense of something requiring great effort. 'Working' is too neutral, while 'Painful' and 'Lengthy' don't accurately capture the core meaning of effort-intensive.

Multiple choice

Incidental

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Lamps too, probably developed by accident. Early man may have had his first  conception of a lamp while watching a twig of fibre burning in the molten fat dropped from roasting carcass. All he had to do was to fashion a vessel to contain fat and float a lighted reed in it. Such lamps, which were made of hollowed stones or sea-shells, have persisted in identical form up to quite recent times

  1. Happening

  2. Secondary

  3. Main

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

The passage states that discovering fire could be used for illumination (light) was 'incidental to' the original purpose of preserving a flame. This means it was a secondary, unplanned benefit that occurred accidentally while focusing on the main goal. 'Secondary' correctly captures this meaning - something less important or happening by chance. 'Main' and 'Sudden' don't fit the context.

Multiple choice

Reed

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Lamps too, probably developed by accident. Early man may have had his first  conception of a lamp while watching a twig of fibre burning in the molten fat dropped from roasting carcass. All he had to do was to fashion a vessel to contain fat and float a lighted reed in it. Such lamps, which were made of hollowed stones or sea-shells, have persisted in identical form up to quite recent times

  1. Twig

  2. Stick

  3. Splint

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

In the context of early lamps, a 'reed' refers to a splint or thin piece of plant material that could be burned as a wick in the fat (primitive lamp fuel). The passage describes floating a lighted reed in fat to create a lamp. 'Splint' correctly describes a thin piece of combustible material used as a wick. 'Twig' and 'Stick' are too general and don't specify the wick-like nature, while 'Design' is completely incorrect.

Multiple choice

Conception

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Lamps too, probably developed by accident. Early man may have had his first  conception of a lamp while watching a twig of fibre burning in the molten fat dropped from roasting carcass. All he had to do was to fashion a vessel to contain fat and float a lighted reed in it. Such lamps, which were made of hollowed stones or sea-shells, have persisted in identical form up to quite recent times

  1. Dream

  2. Flame

  3. Idea

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

In the passage, 'conception' means the initial idea or mental conception of creating a lamp. Early humans had their first idea for a lamp while watching burning fibers. 'Idea' correctly captures the meaning of a thought or mental concept. 'Dream' is too specific to sleeping, 'Flame' is the result not the thought, and 'Recognition' implies identifying something existing rather than conceiving something new.

Multiple choice

Affect

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

All animal life on planet earth depends on sufficient supply of oxygen for its day-to-day survival. The trees that now just sporadically dot our landscapes, but once heavily blanketed earth’s surface, still are able to provide a large portion of oxygen supply. Through a process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide from surrounding air and in return create a sizeable amount of oxygen. Ironically, human beings, who cut down large number of trees to create land, shelter, and energy, pose the most significant threat to survival of world–wide tree population.
But humans are not the only forces that threaten the survival of these mighty members of plant kingdom. Lighting, fire, volcanoes and earthquakes not only destroy many square miles of old growth forest in a matter of hours but may prevent new trees from going. Disease causing fungi and insect pests can either eradicate certain types of trees or weaken their branches.     
Climate also determines whether particular species of tree will prosper in a given area. Amount of rainfall and range of temperature also affect distribution of tree species.

  1. Impact

  2. Fake

  3. Change

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

The passage states that rainfall and temperature 'affect distribution of tree species.' In this context, affect means to influence or make a difference to. 'Impact' is the correct synonym here - to have an effect on or influence something. The climate conditions influence where trees can grow.

Multiple choice

Canned

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

During the scene where Kasturba passes away, Ben Kingsley had to emote silently. He heard my version of the script very sincerely and asked me five meticulous questions. As he faced the movie camera, he had all the sorrow in his heart which slowly came up to his eyes. Kingsley actually shed a couple of tears, reacting uniquely with his own emotion. It was one of the most intense shots I have ever canned. My objective of showing the human side of Mahatma Gandhi was fulfilled. Till date, it remains a cinematic journey for me.

  1. Preserved

  2. Bottled

  3. To open up

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

In film industry terminology, 'canned' is jargon for a shot or scene that has been recorded or filmed. The director is describing one of the most powerful shots they have ever captured on camera.

Multiple choice

Humanitarian

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

During the scene where Kasturba passes away, Ben Kingsley had to emote silently. He heard my version of the script very sincerely and asked me five meticulous questions. As he faced the movie camera, he had all the sorrow in his heart which slowly came up to his eyes. Kingsley actually shed a couple of tears, reacting uniquely with his own emotion. It was one of the most intense shots I have ever canned. My objective of showing the human side of Mahatma Gandhi was fulfilled. Till date, it remains a cinematic journey for me.

  1. Generous

  2. Personal

  3. Humble

  4. Leader

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

In this context, 'human' refers to the personal or individual aspects of Gandhi's character. The director wanted to show Gandhi's personal side, his emotions and individual humanity, not just his political leadership. This is the best contextual fit.