Reading Comprehension Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the best option for a climber to overcome the difficulties arising from poor weather conditions in the high Himalayas?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

These two factors, the altitude and the weather, tend separately and together to defeat the climber. The height weakness slows him down. It forces him to ­spend days and nights in the course of his assault on the summit. The weather, besides adding to the ­demands on his energy and moral fortitude, conspires to deny him the time he needs to complete his mission. Whereas in lower mountains and on easy ground the weather may be no more than a handicap, in the high Himalayas it is decisive, regardless of terrain.

The deduction to be drawn from these two factors was clear enough. We must either fortify ourselves so that we could continue, without detriment, to live and have our being above the limit of natural acclimatisation, or, better still, we must solve the problem of speed. It was desirable, in fact, that we should meet both these requirements and thus give to those chosen to attempt the summit and to their supporting teams some measure of insurance against ­the vagaries of the weather, for safety in mountain climbing is as much a matter of swiftness as of sureness of foot. Either or both could be achieved only by the administration of oxygen in sufficient quantities to make up for the deficiency in the air, and for the duration of the upward journey above the limit of successful acclimatization.

  1. Make oneself courageous enough to face the difficulties

  2. Learn to accomplish the task as fast as possible

  3. Increase one's fortification and speed

  4. Try natural acclimatisation

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

The passage identifies two main challenges in high Himalayan climbing: altitude (causing weakness) and weather (consuming time and energy). The conclusion states climbers must address both by 'fortifying themselves' to handle altitude and 'solving the problem of speed' to beat weather constraints. The best option combines both approaches.

Multiple choice

The cap of the felt pen should be replaced when the pen is not in use

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

(This article was written in the late 20th century)

The chalkboard is by far the commonest teaching aid used at virtually all levels of education from the nursery to the university. It is the most enduring teaching aid and per­haps will be the most difficult to replace. In the advanced countries of the world, it is being threatened by the over­head projector However, the overhead projector requires constant supply of electricity - which is one reason we cannot rely on it yet. The chalkboard used to be black, that was why the name "blackboard" stuck for ages; but today, there are boards of various colours: blue, green, even white.

Now, most chalkboards are made of wood nailed to the wall, instead of the concrete board made of cement and fine sand that was more common. Some are also made of metal. The chalkboard has the advantages of low cost, availability and ease of maintenance, usually involving mere cleaning and occasional retouching of the surface with the renovator. However, if the board is metal, the felt marker should be protected against drying by replacing the cap when it is not in use. The major drawback in the use of the chalkboard is that the information on it can only be temporary. If there is only one board for the class, it is usually impossible to leave the information there for more than a few hours, since other teachers would want to use it.

It is not easy to draw complex diagrams showing minute details, such as parts of the body and contours, unless one is a good artist. Where one has succeeded with the laborious illustrations, using different colours, it could be painful when the board has to be cleaned by the next teacher. However, there are nowadays various innovations, including foldable boards made of plywood, which allow teachers more room to leave their materials for longer periods.

Finally, it is a great disadvantage that during the course of teaching, much time is spent in writing on the board than when one is using the overhead projector. So, in all, more time is needed for any lesson when one uses the board rather than the overhead projector.

 

  1. to avoid spilling the ink

  2. to protect the tip from getting dried up

  3. to avoid soiling the hands

  4. to avoid damage to the tip

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

The passage explicitly states: 'if the board is metal, the felt marker should be protected against drying by replacing the cap when it is not in use.' The cap prevents the felt marker tip from drying out, not from ink spillage, soiling hands, or physical damage.

Multiple choice

From the findings of the research described in the passage, one can come to the conclusion that

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

One of the most potent elements in body language is eye behaviour. You shift your eyes, meet another person's gaze or fail to meet it - and produce an effect out of all proportion to the trifling muscular effort you have made. When two people look searchingly into each other's eyes, emotions are heightened and  the relationship tipped toward greater intimacy.

In normal conversation, each eye contact lasts only about a second before one or both individuals look away. Because the longer meeting of the eyes is rare, it is weighted with significance when it happens and can generate a special kind of human-to-human awareness. Most of the time, a lingering look is inter­preted as a sign of attraction and this should be scru­pulously avoided except in appropriate circumstances. A young woman once complained. ‘That man makes me so uncomfortable, half the time when I glance at him he's already looking at me - and he keeps right on looking.'

Proper street behaviour requires a balance of at­tention and intention. You are supposed to look at a passer-by just enough to show that you are aware of his presence. If you look too little, you appear haughty or furtive; too much and you are inquisitive. Usually what happens is that people eye each other until they are about eight feet apart, at which point both cast down their eyes.

Much of eye behaviour is so subtle that we react to it only on the intuitive level. This has been demon­strated in elaborate experiments. Subjects sit and talk in the psychologist's laboratory, irrespective of the fact that their eye behaviour is being observed from be­hind a one-way vision screen. In one fairly typical ex­periment, subjects were induced to cheat while per­forming a task, then were interviewed and observed. It was found that those who. had cheated met the interviewer's eyes less often than was normal, an in­dication that 'shifty eyes' can actually be a tip-off to an attempt to deceive.

However, none of the `facts' of eye behaviour are cut and dried, for there are variations between indi­viduals. People use their eyes differently and spend different amounts of time looking at others. Besides, no pattern of eye behaviour is precisely predictable in any normal conversation.

  1. innocent people maintain longer eye contact than the guilty ones

  2. guilty people make frequent gazes during interrogation

  3. 'shifty eyes' indicate an intent to deceive

  4. 'shifty eyes' indicate a feeling of guilt

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Multiple choice
  1. Two

  2. Four

  3. Three

  4. Five

  5. Dummy

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

He was chosen three consecutive times.

Multiple choice
  1. immortal

  2. unbribable

  3. strict

  4. straightforward

  5. Dummy

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

Because these words are synonyms.

Multiple choice
  1. Four lakhs

  2. Three lakhs

  3. Five lakhs

  4. Six lakhs

  5. Dummy

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

Because nearly one lakh people gave Rs five per person.

Multiple choice

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

A river which is still a main part of Punjab is______

Punjab is a state of India, located in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest and by the country of Pakistan to the west. Punjab in its present form came into existence on November 1, 1966, when most of its predominantly Hindi-speaking areas were separated to form the new state of Haryana. The city of Chandigarh, within the Chandigarh union territory, is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The word Punjab is a compound of two Persian words, panj (“five”) and āb (“water”), thus signifying the land of five waters, or rivers (the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej). The word’s origin can perhaps be traced to panca nada, Sanskrit for “five rivers” and the name of a region mentioned in the ancient epic the Mahabharata. As applied to the present Indian state of Punjab, however, it is a misnomer: since the partition of India in 1947, only two of these rivers, the Sutlej and the Beas, lie within Punjab’s territory, while the Ravi flows only along part of its western border. The state of Punjab has also gained true recognition among all individuals due to the presence of forestry, tourism, agriculture, industries and minerals. Livestock is also one of the other key highlights of the state. However, the state of Punjab has scarcity of basic minerals and fuels. This is one of the prime factors behind the poor rate of industrial development. Agriculture has been always a strong point to the economy of the state. The state has indeed made a huge impact in the overall economy of the country as far as the production of wheat is concerned. A few of the agriculture-based industries associated with the state include paper, wood, beverages and food products.

  1. Jhelum

  2. Sutlej

  3. Ravi

  4. Chenab

  5. Dummy

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

Because the other three rivers are now major part of Pakistan.

Multiple choice
  1. consequence in Modi’s political career

  2. advantage in Modi’s political career

  3. fortune in Modi’s political career

  4. curse in Modi’s political career

  5. Dummy

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

Because curse means nemesis.

Multiple choice

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

Which sector is a major contributor to Punjab’s economy?

Punjab is a state of India, located in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest and by the country of Pakistan to the west. Punjab in its present form came into existence on November 1, 1966, when most of its predominantly Hindi-speaking areas were separated to form the new state of Haryana. The city of Chandigarh, within the Chandigarh union territory, is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The word Punjab is a compound of two Persian words, panj (“five”) and āb (“water”), thus signifying the land of five waters, or rivers (the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej). The word’s origin can perhaps be traced to panca nada, Sanskrit for “five rivers” and the name of a region mentioned in the ancient epic the Mahabharata. As applied to the present Indian state of Punjab, however, it is a misnomer: since the partition of India in 1947, only two of these rivers, the Sutlej and the Beas, lie within Punjab’s territory, while the Ravi flows only along part of its western border. The state of Punjab has also gained true recognition among all individuals due to the presence of forestry, tourism, agriculture, industries and minerals. Livestock is also one of the other key highlights of the state. However, the state of Punjab has scarcity of basic minerals and fuels. This is one of the prime factors behind the poor rate of industrial development. Agriculture has been always a strong point in the economy of the state. The state has indeed made a huge impact in the overall economy of the country as far as the production of wheat is concerned. A few of the agriculture-based industries associated with the state include paper, wood, beverages and food products.

  1. Tourism

  2. Livestock

  3. Industries

  4. Agriculture

  5. Dummy

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

Because agriculture has been the most important and strongest part of Punjab's economy.

Multiple choice

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

The Kaziranga Wildlife Sactuary is famous for the protection of_______

The wildlife conservation projects and programs

To promote wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects not only help to preserve our natural heritage, but encourage eco-tourism as well. Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park. Till date, the project has been the most successful one in preserving the tiger population at Tiger Reserves in Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Pench, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Bandipur, Panna, Dudhwa, Sunderbans, Manas and Sariska. All these reserves act as Conservation Centers for tigers in India. Besides, there is the Gir National Park, the only habitat for Asiatic lions in India. The Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is Assam is renowned for protecting the endangered one-horned Rhinoceros. There's also Dachigam National Park, which conserves the Hangul or Kashmiri Stag. Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across the country, is being implemented in 13 States and Union Territories in India, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

  1. hangul

  2. tigers

  3. rhinoceros

  4. elephants

  5. Dummy

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

Because this sanctuary has more rhinos than other animal species.

Multiple choice

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

Ranthambhore, Kanha and Sunderbans are conservation centres in India, for________

The wildlife conservation projects and programs

To promote wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects not only help to preserve our natural heritage, but encourage eco-tourism as well. Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park. Till date, the project has been the most successful one in preserving the tiger population at Tiger Reserves in Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Pench, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Bandipur, Panna, Dudhwa, Sunderbans, Manas and Sariska. All these reserves act as Conservation Centers for tigers in India. Besides, there is the Gir National Park, the only habitat for Asiatic lions in India. The Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is Assam is renowned for protecting the endangered one-horned Rhinoceros. There's also Dachigam National Park, which conserves the Hangul or Kashmiri Stag. Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across the country, is being implemented in 13 States and Union Territories in India, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

  1. Rhinoceros

  2. Stags

  3. Elephants

  4. Tigers

  5. Dummy

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

These are the tiger reserves in India.

Multiple choice

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

Which wildlife conservation project has been the most successful till date?

The wildlife conservation projects and programs

To promote wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects not only help to preserve our natural heritage, but encourage eco-tourism as well. Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park. Till date, the project has been the most successful one in preserving the tiger population at Tiger Reserves in Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Pench, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Bandipur, Panna, Dudhwa, Sunderbans, Manas and Sariska. All these reserves act as Conservation Centers for tigers in India. Besides, there is the Gir National Park, the only habitat for Asiatic lions in India. The Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is Assam is renowned for protecting the endangered one-horned Rhinoceros. There's also Dachigam National Park, which conserves the Hangul or Kashmiri Stag. Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across the country, is being implemented in 13 States and Union Territories in India, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

  1. Project Kashmiri Stag

  2. Project Elephant

  3. Project Tiger

  4. Project Asiatic Lions

  5. Dummy

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

It is evident from the paragraph.

Multiple choice

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

Project Elephant was launched in______

The wildlife conservation projects and programs

To promote wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects not only help to preserve our natural heritage, but encourage eco-tourism as well. Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park. Till date, the project has been the most successful one in preserving the tiger population at Tiger Reserves in Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Pench, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Bandipur, Panna, Dudhwa, Sunderbans, Manas and Sariska. All these reserves act as Conservation Centers for tigers in India. Besides, there is the Gir National Park, the only habitat for Asiatic lions in India. The Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is Assam is renowned for protecting the endangered one-horned Rhinoceros. There's also Dachigam National Park, which conserves the Hangul or Kashmiri Stag. Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across the country, is being implemented in 13 States and Union Territories in India, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

  1. April 1973

  2. February 1972

  3. November 1976

  4. February 1992

  5. Dummy

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

-

Multiple choice

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

The major reason behind a lesser growth in industry in Punjab is________

Punjab is a state of India, located in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest and by the country of Pakistan to the west. Punjab in its present form came into existence on November 1, 1966, when most of its predominantly Hindi-speaking areas were separated to form the new state of Haryana. The city of Chandigarh, within the Chandigarh union territory, is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The word Punjab is a compound of two Persian words, panj (“five”) and āb (“water”), thus signifying the land of five waters, or rivers (the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej). The word’s origin can perhaps be traced to panca nada, Sanskrit for “five rivers” and the name of a region mentioned in the ancient epic the Mahabharata. As applied to the present Indian state of Punjab, however, it is a misnomer: since the partition of India in 1947, only two of these rivers, the Sutlej and the Beas, lie within Punjab’s territory, while the Ravi flows only along part of its western border. The state of Punjab has also gained true recognition among all individuals due to the presence of forestry, tourism, agriculture, industries and minerals. Livestock is also one of the other key highlights of the state. However, the state of Punjab has scarcity of basic minerals and fuels. This is one of the prime factors behind the poor rate of industrial development. Agriculture has been always a strong point in the economy of the state. The state has indeed made a huge impact in the overall economy of the country as far as the production of wheat is concerned. A few of the agriculture-based industries associated with the state include paper, wood, beverages and food products.

  1. lesser tourism

  2. scarcity of industries

  3. lack of minerals and fuels

  4. Agriculture is very strong in the state.

  5. Dummy

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

because Punjab is good in other things.

Multiple choice

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

Punjab is bounded by which state to the south and south-east?

Punjab is a state of India, located in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. It is bounded by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest and by the country of Pakistan to the west. Punjab in its present form came into existence on November 1, 1966, when most of its predominantly Hindi-speaking areas were separated to form the new state of Haryana. The city of Chandigarh, within the Chandigarh union territory, is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The word Punjab is a compound of two Persian words, panj (“five”) and āb (“water”), thus signifying the land of five waters, or rivers (the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej). The word’s origin can perhaps be traced to panca nada, Sanskrit for “five rivers” and the name of a region mentioned in the ancient epic the Mahabharata. As applied to the present Indian state of Punjab, however, it is a misnomer: since the partition of India in 1947, only two of these rivers, the Sutlej and the Beas, lie within Punjab’s territory while the Ravi flows only along part of its western border. The state of Punjab has also gained true recognition among all individuals due to the presence of forestry, tourism, agriculture, industries and minerals. Livestock is also one of the other key highlights of the state. However, the state of Punjab has scarcity of basic minerals and fuels. This is one of the prime factors behind the poor rate of industrial development. Agriculture has always been a strong point in the economy of the state. The state has indeed made a huge impact in the overall economy of the country as far as the production of wheat is concerned. A few of the agriculture-based industries associated with the state include paper, wood, beverages and food products.

  1. Rajasthan

  2. Himachal Pardesh

  3. Jammu and Kashmir

  4. Haryana

  5. Dummy

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

It is evident from the paragraph.