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

Which of the following phrases would best replace ‘former times’ as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the related question.

I was sitting on the other side and as the train was standing still, I still could hear snatches (1) of their conversation when nobody was passing between us. The tradesman began by saying he was going to his estate (2) which was only one station farther on; then, as usual, the conversation turned to price and trade, and they spoke of the state of business in Moscow and then of the Nizhny Novgorod fair. The clerk began to relate how a wealthy merchant, known to both of them, had gone on a spree (3) at the fair. But the old man interrupted (4) him by telling him of the origins he had been at in former times (5) in Kunavin fair. He evidently prided himself on the part he had played in them and recounted (6) with pleasure how he and some aquintainces (7) together  with the merchant they had been speaking of, had once got drunk in Kunavinand and played such a trick that he had to tell of it in a whisper. The clerk’s roar of laughter filled the whole carriage, the old man laughed also, berring (8) two yellow teeth.

  1. first times

  2. earlier times

  3. earliest times

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

‘Former times’ means ‘earlier times’. ‘Former’ is of comparative degree hence, ‘earlier times’ is the best choice. Though all other options also mean the same, they are not in comparative degree.

Multiple choice

Fill blank (i).

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

The Temiar blowpipe is normally some two metres long and made ______(i)______ one single length of bamboo. It has a slender inner tube ______(ii)______ the outer covering so that one length warps against the other and it always remains true. From it they shoot a small dart, a splinter of wood some twenty or twenty-five centimetres in length; a pith cone at one end, the other sharpened end tipped with poison. Most aborigines are ______(iii)______ accurate with a blowpipe up to a range of nine to ten metres, though ______(iv)______ some reason they are more accurate if the target is moving vertically than if it moves horizontally.

  1. from

  2. of

  3. in

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

Whenever we use the derived root, we use ‘from’. ‘Of’ is used to indicate raw material. Here the reference is not to bamboo as a raw material, but to a single bamboo used, instead of two.

Multiple choice

Fill blank (iii).

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

The Temiar blowpipe is normally some two metres long and made ______(i)______ one single length of bamboo. It has a slender inner tube ______(ii)______ the outer covering so that one length warps against the other and it always remains true. From it they shoot a small dart, a splinter of wood some twenty or twenty-five centimetres in length; a pith cone at one end, the other sharpened end tipped with poison. Most aborigines are ______(iii)______ accurate with a blowpipe up to a range of nine to ten metres, though ______(iv)______ some reason they are more accurate if the target is moving vertically than if it moves horizontally.

  1. extremely

  2. sincerely

  3. memorably

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

The meaning is the height of accuracy; so ‘extremely’ is the right word.

Multiple choice

Fill blank (ii).

Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.

The Temiar blowpipe is normally some two metres long and made ______(i)______ one single length of bamboo. It has a slender inner tube ______(ii)______ the outer covering so that one length warps against the other and it always remains true. From it they shoot a small dart, a splinter of wood some twenty or twenty-five centimetres in length; a pith cone at one end, the other sharpened end tipped with poison. Most aborigines are ______(iii)______ accurate with a blowpipe up to a range of nine to ten metres, though ______(iv)______ some reason they are more accurate if the target is moving vertically than if it moves horizontally.

  1. above

  2. inside

  3. into

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

The meaning is 'within the outer covering'; so the other prepositions are not suitable.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘vague’ as used in line 7?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. indistinct

  2. huge

  3. confusing

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

‘Vague’ means ‘not clear or indistinct’. Tree shapes could be definitely made out in the distance, but they were not so clear.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘unaffected’ as used in line 9?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. uninfluenced

  2. unchanged

  3. carefree

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

‘Unaffected’ means ‘not affected or not influenced by’.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace ‘imagining’ as used in line 4?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. believing

  2. accepting

  3. making up

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

The writer is not sure whether he sees the hazy moon or is it his imagination. That is, he is uncertain whether he really sees the moon or is his mind making it up.

Multiple choice

Which of these options is opposite in meaning to the word ‘fringes’ as used in line 1?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. periphery

  2. core

  3. corners

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

The word ‘fringes’ means ‘periphery’ and its opposite is ‘core’.

Multiple choice

Which of the following options is closest in meaning to ‘hazy’ as used in line 3?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. misty

  2. foggy

  3. vague

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

The word ‘hazy’ means ‘unclear’ or ‘vague’. ‘Misty’ and 'foggy' could be true in the context of weather.

Multiple choice

Which of these options is closest in meaning to ‘mundane’ as used in line 8?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. routine

  2. exciting

  3. comfortable

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

‘Mundane’ means ‘routine’ or ‘ordinary’.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace ‘flailing’ as used in line 5?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question.

1. Panic hovered on the fringes of my brain.
2. I could barely see anything as it was pitch dark.
3. At times the hazy impression of the moon could be seen
4. or was I imagining things?
5. I was flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to warm up,
6. my eyes desperately scanning the lake. After a while I could
7. make out vague tree shapes on the lake’s edge. A few minutes ago,
8. life was smooth sail, as mundane as any other night.
9. I was shivering under layers of cloth but Mino seemed unaffected.

  1. waving wildly

  2. shaking worriedly

  3. rubbing vigorously

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

The word ‘flailing’ means ‘waving or swinging wildly’.

Multiple choice

What can be the title of the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

India is a tropical country. Here summer season is felt more prominently than any other season. Ordinarily, we begin to feel the summer heat from the month of April to the second week of June. This season is remarkable for the heat. People suffer from terrible heat right from the morning till the midnight. In the morning, people feel a gentle breeze. Then the sun rises and the horror of the heat commences. All the activities of the people are done with a little comfort only in the morning time. As the sun rises, heat is felt. People are afraid to go out. Due to terrible heat, streets and roads become lonely. Those who take up some journey in day time get tired very soon. Very often they are affected by the sun-stroke. Dehydration occurs as body sweats heavily. If we do not take plenty of water, we break down.
The mid-day is the most horrible and unbearable part of the day. Birds and other animals take rest. Sometimes, wind blows carrying hot particles of dust. Sometimes, there is no wind. There is only radiation and heat. People feel uncomfortable even at their home. They sit under the shade of trees. Still there is no relief from the heat. They frequently feel thirsty. People keep their cattle confined to the shed. 
In summer season, there is the fear of fire accident. Because of the shortage of water, the seriousness of the accident is felt more. Very often fire becomes uncontrollable. It destroys both life and property. Schools and colleges remain closed for summer vacation. Government offices function in the morning only.

  1. The Havoc of Summers

  2. The Importance of Summers

  3. The Problems of Summers

  4. The Summer Season
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The whole passage describes the season and how it disturbs the life of people in India. The passage shows summers in very poor light and shows how it puts life into disarray.

Multiple choice

Fill in the blank (v) with the help of the alternatives given.

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the question.

A rich merchant owned a beautiful horse. Now, one of his neighbours was keen to (i) this horse. He offered the merchant gold, (ii) the merchant refused. This angered the neighbour. He (iii) to trick the merchant. He disguised himself (iv) a beggar and lay down at the (v) of the road, that the merchant used everyday. (vi) at the sad plight of the beggar, he (vii) from his horse and gently lifted the beggar (viii) his horse. No sooner did the beggar get into the (ix) than the galloped away. But hearing the merchant (x) out to him, he stopped when he was a safe distance away. “Please don’t tell anyone how you came to possess this horse. Some day an ill man may be lying by the roadside and people who have heard about your trick, may not want to help,’’ said the merchant. The merchant’s neighbour was deeply ashamed, rode back and returned the horse to the merchant.

  1. middle

  2. gutter

  3. ending

  4. distance

  5. side
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The context describes someone lying down where the road passes. 'Side' is the correct answer as it refers to 'the side of the road' - a common phrase for the area alongside a road where someone might lie. 'Gutter', 'middle', 'ending', and 'distance' don't fit the context.

Multiple choice

Fill in the blank (ii) with the help of the alternatives given.

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the question.

A rich merchant owned a beautiful horse. Now, one of his neighbours was keen to (i) this horse. He offered the merchant gold, (ii) the merchant refused. This angered the neighbour. He (iii) to trick the merchant. He disguised himself (iv) a beggar and lay down at the (v) of the road, that the merchant used everyday. (vi) at the sad plight of the beggar, he (vii) from his horse and gently lifted the beggar (viii) his horse. No sooner did the beggar get into the (ix) than the galloped away. But hearing the merchant (x) out to him, he stopped when he was a safe distance away. “Please don’t tell anyone how you came to possess this horse. Some day an ill man may be lying by the roadside and people who have heard about your trick, may not want to help,’’ said the merchant. The merchant’s neighbour was deeply ashamed, rode back and returned the horse to the merchant.

  1. so

  2. unless

  3. otherwise

  4. but

  5. since
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence structure 'He offered the merchant gold, ___ the merchant refused' requires a contrast word. 'But' is correct because it shows the unexpected refusal after the offer. 'So', 'unless', 'otherwise', and 'since' don't create the right contrast relationship.

Multiple choice

Fill in the blank (iii) with the help of the alternatives given.

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the question.

A rich merchant owned a beautiful horse. Now, one of his neighbours was keen to (i) this horse. He offered the merchant gold, (ii) the merchant refused. This angered the neighbour. He (iii) to trick the merchant. He disguised himself (iv) a beggar and lay down at the (v) of the road, that the merchant used everyday. (vi) at the sad plight of the beggar, he (vii) from his horse and gently lifted the beggar (viii) his horse. No sooner did the beggar get into the (ix) than the galloped away. But hearing the merchant (x) out to him, he stopped when he was a safe distance away. “Please don’t tell anyone how you came to possess this horse. Some day an ill man may be lying by the roadside and people who have heard about your trick, may not want to help,’’ said the merchant. The merchant’s neighbour was deeply ashamed, rode back and returned the horse to the merchant.

  1. desires

  2. decided

  3. declined

  4. deliberately

  5. deceived
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

After being angered, the neighbor formed an intention to trick the merchant. 'Decided to trick' shows this intentional action plan. 'Desires' is a noun, 'declined' means refused politely, 'deliberately' is an adverb, and 'deceived' is the past tense but doesn't fit with 'to trick'.