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

What is the meaning of bribed in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Lured

  2. Buy off

  3. Pacified

  4. Fixed

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

In the passage, Sarah is given bubblegum to stop her complaints during shopping. Bribed here means persuading someone to act in a desired way by offering them something. Lured means tempted or enticed, which fits the context - Sarah was enticed with bubblegum to behave. Pacified (calmed down) is contextually close but the question uses 'lured' as the intended answer. Buy off typically means to pay someone to not cause trouble.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of pleased in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Delighted

  2. Grateful

  3. Unhappy

  4. Thankful

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

In the passage, Tom imagines the dragon would be 'pleased' when it tasted the food. Pleased means happy, satisfied, or content. Delighted is a strong synonym meaning very pleased or happy. Grateful and thankful are similar but involve appreciation for something received. Unhappy is the opposite.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of hide in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Conceal

  2. Lock up

  3. Flaunt

  4. Take cover

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

Tom wants to secretly save some lunch for the dragon, so he thinks about how to 'hide' it. Hide means to conceal or put out of sight. Conceal is the direct synonym meaning to keep something from being seen. Lock up implies securing with a lock. Flaunt means to display ostentatiously (opposite meaning). Take cover means to seek protection, not to hide something.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of tasted in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Perceived

  2. Relished

  3. Disliked

  4. Flavoured

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

Tom thinks the dragon would be 'pleased' when it 'tasted' the food. In this context, tasted means to experience or perceive through the sense of taste. Perceived means became aware of through the senses, which aligns with experiencing the taste. Relished means enjoyed greatly, which relates to the dragon being pleased but 'tasted' itself refers to the sensory experience. Disliked is opposite. Flavoured means added flavor to something.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of perfectly?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Best

  2. Model

  3. Ideal

  4. Ultimate

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

Perfectly here refers to the best.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of bubbles in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Air pockets

  2. Globule

  3. Fizz

  4. Blister

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

In the context of bubblegum, 'bubbles' are pockets of air created when blowing gum. Sarah blows bubbles with her bubblegum, and these are literally air pockets trapped in the gum. 'Globule' typically refers to small round masses of a liquid, not air pockets. 'Fizz' refers to bubbles in carbonated drinks, and 'blister' is a raised area on skin containing fluid.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of substitute in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Replacement

  2. Reserve

  3. Original

  4. Main

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

Tom is thinking of pork as a substitute for Sarah - meaning it would replace her as food for the dragon. The dragon likes the taste of girls, so pork would serve as a replacement. 'Reserve' means something kept for later, 'original' is the opposite of substitute, and 'main' doesn't convey the replacement meaning.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of convince?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Satisfy

  2. Make certain

  3. Cajole

  4. Assure

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

Here, it means to satisfy.

Multiple choice

How did Tom look at Sarah?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. With narrowed eyes

  2. Glanced

  3. Peeped

  4. Broad eyes

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

The passage explicitly states 'He looked at her with narrowed eyes.' Tom is studying Sarah carefully to figure out what animal she resembles, so he narrows his eyes in concentration. 'Glanced' suggests a quick look, 'peeped' means looking secretly, and 'broad eyes' is not a standard expression.

Multiple choice

What is the meaning of enormous in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Gigantic

  2. Many

  3. Small

  4. A lot of

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

In the passage, Sarah blows 'an enormous pink bubble.' Enormous means extremely large or gigantic in size. 'Many' refers to quantity, not size. 'Small' is the opposite. 'A lot of' is also a quantity phrase, not describing size.

Multiple choice

What did Tom had to do with the vegetables?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. To cook

  2. To boil

  3. To cut

  4. To steam

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Multiple choice

What is the meaning of popped in context to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Cracked

  2. Bursted

  3. Snapped

  4. Exploded

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Multiple choice

What is the meaning of concentrating in context to the pssage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Focusing on

  2. Paying attention to

  3. Diluting

  4. Be engrossed

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

Tom was concentrating on how to hide his Sunday lunch. Concentrating means focusing mental attention on something. 'Focusing on' is the most direct synonym. 'Paying attention to' is very similar and also correct. 'Diluting' means weakening, and 'be engrossed' is a state but not a direct synonym for the action.

Multiple choice

How did the bubble sound?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. like a balloon bursting

  2. like a bomb burst

  3. like a cracker burst

  4. like a balloon rupture

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

The passage directly states the bubble made 'a noise like a balloon bursting' when Sarah popped it with her tongue. The other options (bomb burst, cracker burst, balloon rupture) are not mentioned in the text.

Multiple choice

What was Sarah doing with the bubblegum?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the following questions:

Tom was an ordinary seven-year-old boy, who had a big sister called Sarah. He also had a friend, a perfectly ordinary dragon
On Saturday morning, Tom and Sarah went with their parents to do the weekly shopping. As they went round the supermarket, Tom kept his eyes open for food that might interest a dragon. It was very difficult.
Take vegetables, for a start. Tom couldn’t convince himself that a dragon with taste for girls was going to look with much enthusiasm at cabbage or cauliflower. The same went for carrots – however good for the scales. Chips might be better, but how could Tom organize cooking them?
Tom’s mother paused in front of the meat counter.
“What shall we get for Sunday lunch?” she asked Tom. Secretly she was amazed at the interest he was taking in choosing food. He was being especially good if you compared him with Sarah, who hated food shopping and had already had to be bribed with stick of bubblegum to silence her complaints. “Shall we have chicken? Or a shoulder of lamb? Or what about a joint of pork?”
This required serious thought. The sort of meat that a dragon would like would have to taste rather Sarah. It was a pity that he couldn’t see what she looked like inside. Would she be pale colour like chicken, or a dark brown, like roast lamb? He looked at her with narrowed eyes. At the moment Sarah blew an enormous pink bubble, and then popped it with her tongue, making a noise like a balloon bursting.
If Sarah were an animal, thought Tom, what would she be? Not a chicken, certainly not a lamb …Suddenly the answer came to him.
“Can we have pork for dinner tomorrow?” he asked his mother.
She bought the pork, and a lot of other things, until the trolley was almost too heavy to push. Tom went on being good for the rest of the trip. He was concentrating on how best to hide some of his Sunday lunch, and thinking how pleased the dragon would be when he tasted the Sarah - substitute

Sarah went on blowing bubbles and popping them. There’s no doubt about it, thought Tom as he watched her, pork was the right thing to choose.
  1. Blowing bubbles and popping them

  2. Chewing

  3. Blowing bubbles

  4. Popping them

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

The passage describes Sarah as 'went on blowing bubbles and popping them' with her bubblegum. The complete answer includes both actions - blowing and popping. Option C only mentions blowing, and Option D only mentions popping. 'Chewing' is not what she was actively doing in that moment.