English Reading Comprehension

When Walter's mother asked him to take the puppy into his room, Walter was

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

Walter was riding a bicycle on the road in front of his house when he heard a whimpering sound from one of the bushes.  He got down from his bicycle to have a look.  He found a puppy lying among the bushes. The puppy had an injured leg. Walter wanted to help but he did not know what to do. He went home and told his mother about the puppy. She gave him a basket and asked him to bring the puppy home.
Walter went back to the puppy. He gently lifted it and put it in his basket.  He took it home to his mother. She took out the puppy from the basket, and cleaned it with a piece of damp cloth. She put some medicine on the wound that was there on its leg, and covered it with dressing. The puppy stopped whimpering and started to lick her hand.
Walter’s mother put the puppy back in the basket and covered it with a warm blanket. She asked Walter to take the puppy to his room. Walter had wanted to do just that, and he took the puppy to his room.  He also carried a bowl of milk for it in case it later got hungry.  Walter spent the whole day looking after the puppy. He stroked its fur, gave it food and water, and took care of it.
The next day, the puppy was looking better. It was able to walk, and though the wound was still there, it was healing. It licked Walter’s hand and all over his face. Walter wanted to keep the puppy with him forever. He asked his mother if he could keep the puppy as his pet. His mother was very happy at his decision.

From the information given in the passage, we know that Walter's mother

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

Walter was riding a bicycle on the road in front of his house when he heard a whimpering sound from one of the bushes.  He got down from his bicycle to have a look.  He found a puppy lying among the bushes. The puppy had an injured leg. Walter wanted to help but he did not know what to do. He went home and told his mother about the puppy. She gave him a basket and asked him to bring the puppy home.
Walter went back to the puppy. He gently lifted it and put it in his basket.  He took it home to his mother. She took out the puppy from the basket, and cleaned it with a piece of damp cloth. She put some medicine on the wound that was there on its leg, and covered it with dressing. The puppy stopped whimpering and started to lick her hand.
Walter’s mother put the puppy back in the basket and covered it with a warm blanket. She asked Walter to take the puppy to his room. Walter had wanted to do just that, and he took the puppy to his room.  He also carried a bowl of milk for it in case it later got hungry.  Walter spent the whole day looking after the puppy. He stroked its fur, gave it food and water, and took care of it.
The next day, the puppy was looking better. It was able to walk, and though the wound was still there, it was healing. It licked Walter’s hand and all over his face. Walter wanted to keep the puppy with him forever. He asked his mother if he could keep the puppy as his pet. His mother was very happy at his decision.

Walter wanted to keep the puppy as his pet because

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

Walter was riding a bicycle on the road in front of his house when he heard a whimpering sound from one of the bushes.  He got down from his bicycle to have a look.  He found a puppy lying among the bushes. The puppy had an injured leg. Walter wanted to help but he did not know what to do. He went home and told his mother about the puppy. She gave him a basket and asked him to bring the puppy home.
Walter went back to the puppy. He gently lifted it and put it in his basket.  He took it home to his mother. She took out the puppy from the basket, and cleaned it with a piece of damp cloth. She put some medicine on the wound that was there on its leg, and covered it with dressing. The puppy stopped whimpering and started to lick her hand.
Walter’s mother put the puppy back in the basket and covered it with a warm blanket. She asked Walter to take the puppy to his room. Walter had wanted to do just that, and he took the puppy to his room.  He also carried a bowl of milk for it in case it later got hungry.  Walter spent the whole day looking after the puppy. He stroked its fur, gave it food and water, and took care of it.
The next day, the puppy was looking better. It was able to walk, and though the wound was still there, it was healing. It licked Walter’s hand and all over his face. Walter wanted to keep the puppy with him forever. He asked his mother if he could keep the puppy as his pet. His mother was very happy at his decision.

The passage teaches us to be

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

Walter was riding a bicycle on the road in front of his house when he heard a whimpering sound from one of the bushes.  He got down from his bicycle to have a look.  He found a puppy lying among the bushes. The puppy had an injured leg. Walter wanted to help but he did not know what to do. He went home and told his mother about the puppy. She gave him a basket and asked him to bring the puppy home.
Walter went back to the puppy. He gently lifted it and put it in his basket.  He took it home to his mother. She took out the puppy from the basket, and cleaned it with a piece of damp cloth. She put some medicine on the wound that was there on its leg, and covered it with dressing. The puppy stopped whimpering and started to lick her hand.
Walter’s mother put the puppy back in the basket and covered it with a warm blanket. She asked Walter to take the puppy to his room. Walter had wanted to do just that, and he took the puppy to his room.  He also carried a bowl of milk for it in case it later got hungry.  Walter spent the whole day looking after the puppy. He stroked its fur, gave it food and water, and took care of it.
The next day, the puppy was looking better. It was able to walk, and though the wound was still there, it was healing. It licked Walter’s hand and all over his face. Walter wanted to keep the puppy with him forever. He asked his mother if he could keep the puppy as his pet. His mother was very happy at his decision.

Which of these fits gap 21?

Directions: Complete this passage by selecting the most suitable option for the corresponding gap.

Directions: Complete the story by filling the blank with a suitable article.

Once a cap seller went to ________ village to sell his caps. On the way, he felt tired and sat down under a tree to take rest. He put the bundle of caps beside him. Soon, he fell asleep. Some monkeys lived on that tree. They climbed down, tore open the bundle, wore the caps on their heads and climbed up on the tree.

Directions: Read the notice, then taking the information from it, complete the paragraph that follows. Choose from the options given below.

10^th April, 20xx, The school has decided to form a junior hockey team for boys. The students from class VI to VIII should report for the first round of trials on: Date : 15^th April, 20xx Time : 5 p.m. Place : Hockey ground School sports officer.

The school is planning to form a junior hockey team for boys. Interested students should reach ___________ on time, place and date notified in the notice.

Some villagers were carrying heavy pots on their heads back to their homes. Many of them complained that their heads ached badly due to the weight. A clever person among them suggested that they should remove their shirts, roll it and place it on their heads like a ring to carry the heavy pots. When this was done, the weight on their heads seemed easier to carry. What is the correct explanation for this?

Directions: Which of the given options best represents the information in the given reading passage? Choose the appropriate number (1 - 4).

The mystery of Bermuda Triangle has helped many

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

BERMUDA TRIANGLE
The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetent navigators, to be the cause of these missing ships and planes.
A few diehard rationalists believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such excessive traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched the Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.
Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides.
This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather, they all cashed on this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past, without pondering on them. Slowly, Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in the public eye. The mass media too displayed their phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon, the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantic the ‘cursed water’ which gobbled whoever came across. But, it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery, the Bermuda Triangle.

Directions: Which of the given options best represents the information in the given reading passage? Choose the appropriate number (1 - 4).

The print and the mass media has

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

BERMUDA TRIANGLE
The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetent navigators, to be the cause of these missing ships and planes.
A few diehard rationalists believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such excessive traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched the Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.
Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides.
This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather, they all cashed on this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past, without pondering on them. Slowly, Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in the public eye. The mass media too displayed their phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon, the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantic the ‘cursed water’ which gobbled whoever came across. But, it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery, the Bermuda Triangle.

Directions: Which of the given options best represents the information in the given reading passage? Choose the appropriate number (1 - 4).

The mystery started with

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

BERMUDA TRIANGLE
The Bermuda Triangle has always been shrouded in mystery. The missing ships and planes have roused irrevocable inquisitiveness among people. Many theories pertaining to extraterrestrials, evil humans, anti gravity, magnetic field, oceanic flatulence and other technical sounding and weird hypothesis have been put forth. But a few investigators contrive ill luck, pirates, incompetent navigators, to be the cause of these missing ships and planes.
A few diehard rationalists believe there is no mystery element that needs to be explained as the figures pertaining to wrecks is common when there is such excessive traffic on sea. The missing ships perhaps had never touched the Bermuda Triangle’s domain. No scientific derivations prove any aura of mystery enveloping Bermuda Triangle. The surprising subject rather is how Bermuda Triangle became so centralized a topic of mystery.
Probably it began with the disappearance of five Navy planes in 1945. Logic states they vanished due to bad weather and failure of compass field. The trainee pilots lacked the expertise to face the sudden ordeal. The other declaration was that the planes collapsed due to fuel shortage. But in no way any mystery element coincides.
This has been a revered subject for writers as a lot of written material can be found about it. It’s perhaps surprising that no one took the investigation on the mystery. Rather, they all cashed on this mystery to write their best sellers. They passed these derivations of the past, without pondering on them. Slowly, Bermuda Triangle mystery evolved as a farce as these irresponsible authors did not foresee how their accounts would change a myth into a truth in the public eye. The mass media too displayed their phlegmatic attitude in solving this. They plundered the mystery element to spice up their news items. Soon, the superstitious called it the ‘Devil’s Triangle’. Some considered it to be the alien’s domain and some called the Atlantic the ‘cursed water’ which gobbled whoever came across. But, it’s a fact that all these exaggerations have helped to lend fear and fascination to the world’s greatest mystery, the Bermuda Triangle.

Directions: Based on the information from the paragraph, choose the appropriate number 1 - 4 to complete the following statement.

Between the 16th and 17th centuries

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

WINDSOR PALACE
Windsor Palace is the world's largest and oldest, continuously inhabited castle. Occupying over 484,000 square feet, it is over 240 times the size of an average house. William the Conqueror built the first castle between 1070 and 1086, but the castle that exists today was largely built in 1350 by Edward of Windsor, who authorized the construction of a large chapel, and new fortifications. From a distance, the castle appears to be dominated by a massive round tower in its centre. In 1475, King Edward IV authorized construction of St. George’s Chapel as a cathedral and royal mausoleum. The chapel became an important destination for pilgrims in the late medieval period and is probably the most famous of the structures within Windsor Palace. During the 1500’s and 1600’s, Windsor Castle was damaged as a result of various wars. In 1660, however, Charles II became interested in restoring the castle and laid out plans for “The Long Walk,” a three-mile long avenue running from the south of the castle. Charles II also had the royal apartments and the St. George’s Hall rebuilt. The royal apartments were spectacular, with numerous carvings, frescoes, and tapestries. The artwork acquired during the rebuilding of Windsor Castle became known as the Royal Collection, which remains relatively unchanged today. In 1824, George IV moved into the castle and was granted 300,000 pounds to renovate the Windsor Castle. The entire castle was remodelled and the architect, Jeffrey Wyattville, succeeded in blending the castle to seem like one entity rather than a collection of buildings. Wyattville raised and lowered the heights of various buildings to give them symmetry and improved the appearance and structure of others.

Directions: Based on the information from the paragraph, choose the appropriate number 1 - 4 to complete the following statement.

The renovation of the castle under Charles II

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

WINDSOR PALACE
Windsor Palace is the world's largest and oldest, continuously inhabited castle. Occupying over 484,000 square feet, it is over 240 times the size of an average house. William the Conqueror built the first castle between 1070 and 1086, but the castle that exists today was largely built in 1350 by Edward of Windsor, who authorized the construction of a large chapel, and new fortifications. From a distance, the castle appears to be dominated by a massive round tower in its centre. In 1475, King Edward IV authorized construction of St. George’s Chapel as a cathedral and royal mausoleum. The chapel became an important destination for pilgrims in the late medieval period and is probably the most famous of the structures within Windsor Palace. During the 1500’s and 1600’s, Windsor Castle was damaged as a result of various wars. In 1660, however, Charles II became interested in restoring the castle and laid out plans for “The Long Walk,” a three-mile long avenue running from the south of the castle. Charles II also had the royal apartments and the St. George’s Hall rebuilt. The royal apartments were spectacular, with numerous carvings, frescoes, and tapestries. The artwork acquired during the rebuilding of Windsor Castle became known as the Royal Collection, which remains relatively unchanged today. In 1824, George IV moved into the castle and was granted 300,000 pounds to renovate the Windsor Castle. The entire castle was remodelled and the architect, Jeffrey Wyattville, succeeded in blending the castle to seem like one entity rather than a collection of buildings. Wyattville raised and lowered the heights of various buildings to give them symmetry and improved the appearance and structure of others.

The word in the passage that means ‘decaying meat of dead animal' is ______.

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The great white shark is at the top of the marine food chain. In the shark family, it is the king that will eat anything, even other sharks. But as it gets older, bigger and slower, it develops a preference for seals, penguins and carrion - especially dead whales.

In locating their food, most sharks use all their senses including excellent vision. Their sense of smell is incredible and their ears are aided by pressure-sensitive cells along each side of their body. Nothing escapes this eavesdropping system, which is attuned to vibrations in the water. Sharks also have a sixth sense which enables them to detect the weak electrical fields emanating from the beating heart or the muscles of a potential prey.

The white shark's most fearsome assets are its huge head, its black eyes, and its razor-sharp, serrated teeth. The circulatory system of the white shark is different from that of most other sharks. Its blood temperature is about three to five degrees Celsius above water temperature. This speeds up digestion and adds to its strength and endurance.

It is known that the white shark spits out its wounded prey after an initial, powerful bite. Then it waits for the victim to die before eating it. Why does it use this bite-and­ spit strategy? Experts speculate that this is because of its eye. Unlike other sharks, the white shark has no eyelid like membrane to protect its eyes. Rather, it rotates them in their­ sockets when a collision is imminent. At the moment of impact, the eye is exposed, perhaps to the flaying, claws of a seal. "Therefore for the white shark a quick mortal strike and release is common behaviour.”

The public image of sharks has been greatly coloured by the novel Jaws which was turned into a popular movie. Overnight the white shark became evil incarnate. However, it is not a demon craving human flesh. The smell of blood does not drive it into a feeding frenzy as it does certain other sharks. Nevertheless it is the dangerous animal that should be treated with caution and respect.

It is believed that ancestors of the Hunza people deserted the army of Alexander the Great because

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The earthly paradises of Bali and of the South Sea Islands, and the gentle, non-acquisitive civilization of Burma have been aptly described and romanticized. One can add to them the Nicobar Islands, where a small population lives happily on a very low cultural level. But perhaps the most remarkable and the least known of these earthly paradises is the small kingdom of Hunza in the Himalayas, which was recently visited and enthusiastically described by the journalist, Noel Barber (Daily Mail, 5, 6, 8 June 1962).

A fair-skinned population of 18,000,  live in a fertile and almost inaccessible valley not far from the Sinkiang border, 8,000 feet up. A legend has it that they are the descendants of three deserters from the army of Alexander the Great, who settled here with Persian wives - which make one inclined to believe that pacifism may be hereditary, because these people had no war in 2,000 years. They have no money, no crime, and no diseases, they rarely die before ninety. Their psychosomatic control is almost unbelievable, childbirth is painless and toothache, a joke. They keep their numbers stationary without contraceptives, and without abortion, but by sheer abstinence, though Noel Barber saw the new born son of a chuckling father aged eighty-nine. Their diet, which consists mostly of apricots and raw vegetables, may have something to do with their unshakeable serenity. It makes one gasp with surprise that human nature can be like this. One is reminded of Huxley's Island, but unlike the Palanese, the Hunza people have no art, only serenity.