Reading Comprehension

Why was Warren used to big numbers?

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

It was before dawn in California, and the always - restless Rick Warren was at work on his home computer, exchanging e-mails with some of the 250,000 pastors in his vast network around the world. Suddenly a message from a minister in Colombo, Sri Lanka, flashed up on his screen. “Rick, please pray for us,” he wrote on that December day in 2004. “We had a huge earthquake two minutes ago, and I’m sure a tidal wave is coming.”
Warren, founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, did more than pray. He immediately had his staff contact church leaders in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India with a directive: “Head for high ground. There is a disaster.” The e-mails arrived before the tsunami hit. The following Sunday, he stood up at Saddleback and said, “Folks, we need to help these people who have gone through this tidal wave. Please give a little extra.” The donations that morning totalled US $ 1.6 million ($2.3 million), about US \$ 1 million more than the usual Sunday offering. Warren sent it to the churches in the stricken region; it paid for everything from fishing nets to boat repairs. When Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans nine months later, Warren raised \$ 2.5 million.
Saddleback, a mega church in the hills of affluent Orange County, is one of the few in the world with the members and the means to manage such generosity. But then, Warren is used to big numbers.
Some 83, 000 people worship at Saddleback, choosing from 28 church services on four campuses each week. Warren’s first book – The Purpose Driven Church, published in 1995 and aimed at pastors – has sold a million copies. In 2002 he released The Purpose Driven Life, which sold 30 million, making it one of the best - selling books of all time. He and his wife, Kay, give away 90% of their income to charity, much of it anonymously; in 2004, the last year the figures were made public, they donated nearly $20 million.

What was the name of Warren’s first book?

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

It was before dawn in California, and the always - restless Rick Warren was at work on his home computer, exchanging e-mails with some of the 250,000 pastors in his vast network around the world. Suddenly a message from a minister in Colombo, Sri Lanka, flashed up on his screen. “Rick, please pray for us,” he wrote on that December day in 2004. “We had a huge earthquake two minutes ago, and I’m sure a tidal wave is coming.”
Warren, founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, did more than pray. He immediately had his staff contact church leaders in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India with a directive: “Head for high ground. There is a disaster.” The e-mails arrived before the tsunami hit. The following Sunday, he stood up at Saddleback and said, “Folks, we need to help these people who have gone through this tidal wave. Please give a little extra.” The donations that morning totalled US $ 1.6 million ($2.3 million), about US \$ 1 million more than the usual Sunday offering. Warren sent it to the churches in the stricken region; it paid for everything from fishing nets to boat repairs. When Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans nine months later, Warren raised \$ 2.5 million.
Saddleback, a mega church in the hills of affluent Orange County, is one of the few in the world with the members and the means to manage such generosity. But then, Warren is used to big numbers.
Some 83, 000 people worship at Saddleback, choosing from 28 church services on four campuses each week. Warren’s first book – The Purpose Driven Church, published in 1995 and aimed at pastors – has sold a million copies. In 2002 he released The Purpose Driven Life, which sold 30 million, making it one of the best - selling books of all time. He and his wife, Kay, give away 90% of their income to charity, much of it anonymously; in 2004, the last year the figures were made public, they donated nearly $20 million.

Why does the author mention that she was petrified?

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

“What’s wrong?” asked my customer as I covered one eye, then the other, and stared at her in disbelief. “Your head is missing,” I said anxiously. I slumped on the stool behind the counter of my fashion boutique and placed my palm over my left eye. Sure enough, there was a large black area at the top of my vision in my right eye.
A phone call to an ophthalmologist’s office started the ball rolling and a dye test to look at the retina was performed that afternoon. That night I couldn’t sleep with worry, petrified that I might go blind. The eye specialist confirmed that there was damage to the retina and he wasn’t sure exactly what the cause was – a virus, perhaps? He stressed that it could happen again and cautioned me to keep my immune system strong. I was given a dose of antibiotics and told to rest.
That was in 1986. I was 36 years old, married with three children and working full time. While it didn’t take long for me to grow accustomed to my vision impairment, the shock of partially losing my sight made me rethink my life, and I left my marriage of 19 years. Moving to northern New South Wales in 1990 gave me the chance to experience living in a small community. Perhaps it was the pressure of a new job, a new relationship, and raising a family that took their toll, but by 1993 the vision in my right eye had become more cloudy and blurry. The specialist asked me if I’d ever been to the Wheat Belt in America, as the scars in my retina were similar to a disease from that area. I hadn’t, and so we remained in the dark about what was causing my loss of vision. But I did notice that I was often tired and found it an effort to keep my head upright. I wanted to sleep all the time.

What did the silver fantail do every morning to attract attention?

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

I’ve grown fond of my two fish. They swim to the side of the tank every morning to watch me put on the jug for breakfast, begging silently to be fed. The big silver fantail goldfish does somersaults, as if putting on a show for his meal. He is a beautiful iridescent white that shines with every colour of the rainbow as he darts around. His friend is a golden, sleeker model, with smaller fins and tail – built for speed.
Once, while cleaning their tank, I scooped them into a clean tank while I rinsed their home and replaced the weeds. The next day I noticed my beautiful fantail was sick. He moped at the bottom of the tank with none of his usual antics to get my attention. His little friend didn’t seem to mind – he ate all the food flakes while the fantail watched. A short while later, the sleeker goldfish began to nip the fantail on the fins, forcing him to move. At first I thought this was aggression towards a sicker fish, but I soon realised he was helping his buddy keep moving, to oxygenate his blood and help him heal. He’s a physiotherapist, I thought.

What is a kookaburra, as inferred from the passage?

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

While hiking in Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland, my family and I noticed a small group of birds diving in and out of the branches of a gum tree. They were chirping very loudly and obviously in distress. We could see a nest in the branches with baby birds inside and a very large goanna walking up the tree trunk, having eyed what he wanted for lunch. The small birds were desperate to chase the goanna away but had little hope because of their size. As we were contemplating what to do, a kookaburra flew down and thumped the goanna very solidly in his side, knocking him off the tree trunk. The small birds quickly settled down to care for their young.

What does the author mean by calling Happy a ‘matriarch’?

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

One morning when I went down to the paddocks to feed the horses, I saw Happy, our fat black Welsh pony, standing near the fence by herself. At 19 years old, she’s the matriarch and usually stays close to the younger ones. When I threw down the hay she didn’t move, which was out of character as she’s usually the first to eat. However, I didn’t think too much of it. A couple of hours later when I went back to check the water in the troughs, she was in exactly the same spot. At 4pm when I went down to feed the horses, Happy still hadn’t moved so I walked across the paddock to see if she was OK.
As I got closer, I noticed that the two top railings of the fence were missing and there was a big gap where it had been kicked down by the over - exuberant stallion in the neighbouring paddock. He could have got through the gap and caused a lot of damage to the younger horses, chasing them or even killing them. Happy had stood all day guarding the gap so that he couldn’t get in.
She didn’t move away until I’d fixed the fence and she was confident the other horses were safe. Then she came to the gate and neighed for her dinner. It’s awful to think what could’ve happened if she wasn’t there to watch the fence.

Who did the author think was a ‘physiotherapist’?

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

I’ve grown fond of my two fish. They swim to the side of the tank every morning to watch me put on the jug for breakfast, begging silently to be fed. The big silver fantail goldfish does somersaults, as if putting on a show for his meal. He is a beautiful iridescent white that shines with every colour of the rainbow as he darts around. His friend is a golden, sleeker model, with smaller fins and tail – built for speed.
Once, while cleaning their tank, I scooped them into a clean tank while I rinsed their home and replaced the weeds. The next day I noticed my beautiful fantail was sick. He moped at the bottom of the tank with none of his usual antics to get my attention. His little friend didn’t seem to mind – he ate all the food flakes while the fantail watched. A short while later, the sleeker goldfish began to nip the fantail on the fins, forcing him to move. At first I thought this was aggression towards a sicker fish, but I soon realised he was helping his buddy keep moving, to oxygenate his blood and help him heal. He’s a physiotherapist, I thought.

Where were the birds chirping?

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

While hiking in Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland, my family and I noticed a small group of birds diving in and out of the branches of a gum tree. They were chirping very loudly and obviously in distress. We could see a nest in the branches with baby birds inside and a very large goanna walking up the tree trunk, having eyed what he wanted for lunch. The small birds were desperate to chase the goanna away but had little hope because of their size. As we were contemplating what to do, a kookaburra flew down and thumped the goanna very solidly in his side, knocking him off the tree trunk. The small birds quickly settled down to care for their young.

What are Happy’s eating habits?

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

One morning when I went down to the paddocks to feed the horses, I saw Happy, our fat black Welsh pony, standing near the fence by herself. At 19 years old, she’s the matriarch and usually stays close to the younger ones. When I threw down the hay she didn’t move, which was out of character as she’s usually the first to eat. However, I didn’t think too much of it. A couple of hours later when I went back to check the water in the troughs, she was in exactly the same spot. At 4pm when I went down to feed the horses, Happy still hadn’t moved so I walked across the paddock to see if she was OK.
As I got closer, I noticed that the two top railings of the fence were missing and there was a big gap where it had been kicked down by the over - exuberant stallion in the neighbouring paddock. He could have got through the gap and caused a lot of damage to the younger horses, chasing them or even killing them. Happy had stood all day guarding the gap so that he couldn’t get in.
She didn’t move away until I’d fixed the fence and she was confident the other horses were safe. Then she came to the gate and neighed for her dinner. It’s awful to think what could’ve happened if she wasn’t there to watch the fence.

When did Gypsy establish her place firmly in their family?

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

We found our tabby cat, Gypsy, at a cat shelter when she was 14 weeks old and she has been with the family for 12 years. Gypsy is everything I could ask for in a cat – affectionate, sweet natured, gentle and loyal.
One Christmas, Gypsy firmly cemented her place in our family. After helping us decorate the tree and place presents underneath, she started to pace the house, mewing loudly and eventually disappearing out the cat window. Once in bed, I could hear a strange rustling sound coming from the garden just outside my window.
Imagine our surprise the next morning when we discovered that Gypsy, determined to contribute, had deposited a very large rat neatly under the tree among the presents.
As she is not much of a hunter and is a lady of larger proportions, I can’t imagine the effort it took for her not only to catch our Christmas gift, but to bring it through the window and drag it under the tree.

Where did the author’s family find Gypsy?

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

We found our tabby cat, Gypsy, at a cat shelter when she was 14 weeks old and she has been with the family for 12 years. Gypsy is everything I could ask for in a cat – affectionate, sweet natured, gentle and loyal.
One Christmas, Gypsy firmly cemented her place in our family. After helping us decorate the tree and place presents underneath, she started to pace the house, mewing loudly and eventually disappearing out the cat window. Once in bed, I could hear a strange rustling sound coming from the garden just outside my window.
Imagine our surprise the next morning when we discovered that Gypsy, determined to contribute, had deposited a very large rat neatly under the tree among the presents.
As she is not much of a hunter and is a lady of larger proportions, I can’t imagine the effort it took for her not only to catch our Christmas gift, but to bring it through the window and drag it under the tree.

What can be said about Gypsy's hunting skills?

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

We found our tabby cat, Gypsy, at a cat shelter when she was 14 weeks old and she has been with the family for 12 years. Gypsy is everything I could ask for in a cat – affectionate, sweet natured, gentle and loyal.
One Christmas, Gypsy firmly cemented her place in our family. After helping us decorate the tree and place presents underneath, she started to pace the house, mewing loudly and eventually disappearing out the cat window. Once in bed, I could hear a strange rustling sound coming from the garden just outside my window.
Imagine our surprise the next morning when we discovered that Gypsy, determined to contribute, had deposited a very large rat neatly under the tree among the presents.
As she is not much of a hunter and is a lady of larger proportions, I can’t imagine the effort it took for her not only to catch our Christmas gift, but to bring it through the window and drag it under the tree.

Which of the following is correct about Pepsi?

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

I adore animals but live in a small unit, so I had little choice when choosing a pet for company. After reading some articles about birds and what good company they can be, I decided to get a budgerigar.
Pepsi is a show bird and quite big but, when I first brought him home, he was very timid and scared. So I spoke to him for a few minutes and assured him everything would be fine. Eventually Pepsi approached me and we have been flatmates and best friends ever since.
He is very intelligent and, learning one word at a time, he is now able to string a sentence together, such as “Who is the gorgeous, precious, special boy in the mirror?” When I am cleaning the unit and his cage, he says it is “nice and clean”. He seems to notice when I am down and asks, “What’s the matter?” When he sees me getting ready to go out he asks, “Where are you going?”
I look forward to coming home from work and miss him when I am away. When I come home Pepsi tells me he has missed me, too. We are one happy, little family.

What kind of pet did the author decide to keep?

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

I adore animals but live in a small unit, so I had little choice when choosing a pet for company. After reading some articles about birds and what good company they can be, I decided to get a budgerigar.
Pepsi is a show bird and quite big but, when I first brought him home, he was very timid and scared. So I spoke to him for a few minutes and assured him everything would be fine. Eventually Pepsi approached me and we have been flatmates and best friends ever since.
He is very intelligent and, learning one word at a time, he is now able to string a sentence together, such as “Who is the gorgeous, precious, special boy in the mirror?” When I am cleaning the unit and his cage, he says it is “nice and clean”. He seems to notice when I am down and asks, “What’s the matter?” When he sees me getting ready to go out he asks, “Where are you going?”
I look forward to coming home from work and miss him when I am away. When I come home Pepsi tells me he has missed me, too. We are one happy, little family.

What kind of behaviour did Pepsi first exhibit?

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

I adore animals but live in a small unit, so I had little choice when choosing a pet for company. After reading some articles about birds and what good company they can be, I decided to get a budgerigar.
Pepsi is a show bird and quite big but, when I first brought him home, he was very timid and scared. So I spoke to him for a few minutes and assured him everything would be fine. Eventually Pepsi approached me and we have been flatmates and best friends ever since.
He is very intelligent and, learning one word at a time, he is now able to string a sentence together, such as “Who is the gorgeous, precious, special boy in the mirror?” When I am cleaning the unit and his cage, he says it is “nice and clean”. He seems to notice when I am down and asks, “What’s the matter?” When he sees me getting ready to go out he asks, “Where are you going?”
I look forward to coming home from work and miss him when I am away. When I come home Pepsi tells me he has missed me, too. We are one happy, little family.