Comprehension has the following meanings:

 In general usage, and more specifically in reference to education and psychology, it has
roughly the same meaning as understanding.
 Reading comprehension measures the understanding of a passage of text.

Reading Comprehension (also known as Critical Reading) questions test your ability to understand

a passage and answer question on the basis of what is stated and implied in the passage.

You need to read the passage first so that you can identify the main idea of the passage and

appreciate features such as the author's tone and attitude as well as the organization of the passage.

Scroll back to the relevant point in the text as you do each question.

Passages on the SAT vary in length from short paragraphs that take 3 minutes to read and answer

two questions, to ones that take 15 minutes to read and answer 13 questions. One section will

contain two related long passages. Mini tests 11 - 14 contain one paragraph reading comprehensions.

Be sure to read the directions and the time allowed at the beginning of each of our mini tests.

There is no shortcut to improving your critical reading ability. Practice does help - but if you are

making too many errors on our mini tests, consult your teacher or just choose some good books

and get down to some serious reading.

Tips for Students Taking a Reading Test

Read these tips to help you when you take a reading test. Think of these tips as you take the practice
reading test.

 Be sure to read all directions carefully. If you do not understand directions, ask your teacher
for help.
 It is normal to be nervous when you take a test. Try to relax and think about the readings.
 Read the whole passage once before you answer any of the questions.
 You are allowed to go back and read the passages as many times as you want to. Read them
carefully.
 Be careful not to leave marks around the answer bubbles. Try to fill them in neatly.
 When you answer the "Read, Think, and Explain" questions, think and organize what you
want to say before writing down your ideas.
 Write your short and long answers neatly so that anyone can read them.

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 1
  After you read the passage, first answer the questions you know. Skip the ones that are too
hard and go back later.
 Do not worry if you do not know the answers to questions. Keep going! Partial credit is given
for "Read, Think, and Explain" questions, so write whatever you know.

Passage-1
Julie’s Race

he dogsled race was about to begin. Julie’s team of dogs was lined up at the starting gate.

Julie stood behind them. The air was so cold that she could see her breath. Other teams were lined up,

too, and the dogs were excited. Julie kept her eyes on the clock. At exactly ten o’clock, she and the

other racers yelled, "Mush!" The dogs knew that meant "Go!" They leapt forward and the race began!

Julie had trained months for this race, and she hoped she and her dogs would win. Hour after hour,

day after day, Julie’s dogs pulled the sled in order to get in shape for the race.

Now, they ran over snowy hills and down into frozen valleys. They stopped only to rest and eat.

They wanted to stay ahead of the other teams. The racers had to go a thousand miles across Alaska.

Alaska is one of the coldest places on Earth. The dogs’ thick fur coats helped keep them warm in the

cold wind and weather. In many places along the route, the snow was deep. Pieces of ice were as

sharp as a knife. The ice could cut the dogs’ feet. To keep that from happening, Julie had put special

booties on their feet.

At first, the dogs seemed to pull the sled very slowly. They were still getting used to the race.

But on the third day out, they began to pull more quickly. They worked as a team and passed many

of the other racers. Once, one of the sled’s runners slid into a hole and broke. Julie could have given

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 2
up then, but she didn't. She fixed it and they kept going.

When they finally reached the finish line, they found out that they had come in first place!

It was a great day for Julie and her dogs.

Now answer Numbers 1 through 8. Base your answers on the story "Julie’s Race."

(1)The author of "Julie’s Race" wrote the story in order to

A.describe how dogs stay warm in cold weather.

B. tell about a dogsled race.

C.explain how cold it can be in winter.

D.entertain the reader with funny stories about dogs.

(2)Where does the dogsled race take place?

A.in Antarctica

B.on a track

C.in Alaska

D.in a field

(3)What happened BEFORE the dogs began running?

A.The dogs pulled the sled slowly.

B.Julie and the dogs lined up at the starting gate.

C.The runner on Julie’s sled broke.

D.The dogs pulled the sled over hills and into valleys.

(4)Read this sentence from the story.

Julie’s team of dogs was lined up at the starting gate.

A.What does team mean?

B.friends and family

C.to join together

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 3
 D.many dogs

E.a group working together

(5)Why did Julie and her dogs win the race?

Use the story to explain your answer.

(6)Why don’t the dogs freeze in the cold weather?

A. Julie puts special booties on their feet.

B. They sleep by the fire at night.

C. Their thick fur coats keep them warm.

D. It doesn’t get very cold in Alaska.

(7)Read this sentence from the story.

The dogs’ thick fur coats helped keep them warm in the cold wind and weather.

What does thick mean?

A.Thin B.hard C.fat D.skinny

(8)What kind of person is Julie?

Use the story to help explain your answer.

Passage-2
The Post Office
The colony of Massachusetts established the first post office within the United States in 1639. In
1789 Congress authorized the postal service under the U.S. Constitution. At the time, the nation had
75 local post offices and delivered mail over an area of 1875 mi.

Today, the postal service is an independent agency responsible for postal regulation and delivery.
The Postal Services main responsibilities are the collection and delivery of printed material and hard
goods. The Postal Service also issues domestic and foreign money orders. In a single year, the Postal
Service handles more than 160 billion pieces of mail.

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 4
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

1. What U.S. State is credited with the Invention of the post office?

a. New Hampshire b. Maine

c. Massachusetts d. New Jersey

2. About how long was it between when the first post office was in operation and when the U.S.
congress authorized the postal service?

a. 50 years b. 75 years
c. 100 years d. 150 years

3. How can you send and receive money through the post office?

a. with a postal money order b. with postal crazy bucks

c. with a postal check d. with a postal decoder ring

4. The post office handles just over 160 _________ pieces of mail a year.

a. thousand b. million
c. billion d. trillion

Passage-3
The man leaned over the balcony looking out over the vast array of buildings in front of him: Tall
ones, small ones, Shinning glass ones, dull brick ones, old ornate ones and modern impossible
shaped ones. All different yet really all the same. The man sighed and he remembered back many
years. The skyline had been different then he had been able to see the end of the concrete jungle and
the beginning of the real one.

Here are four typical questions.

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 5
1. What does the man see when he looks out?

2. Is the man young or old?

3. Do you think the man likes what he sees?

4. Where do you think this story is set?

Ans1. In the passage we know that the man is looking at buildings. It says so in the text.

Ans2. We are not told the man's age so we have to infer. Do you think that the man is old or young
and why do you say your answer? It says …The man sighed and he remembered back many years.
The skyline had been different then…

Ans3. Again we are not told the man does not like them however he looks at all the different ones
and sees they are all the same. We infer that he does not like them. Also from his sigh we could
infer he would prefer them not to be there.

Ans4. The story would seem to be set in a country that has a jungle. Again we are not told which
country only that the concrete jungle (built up area) ends and the real jungle begins. This means that
we infer that the country has got or had a jungle. So the answer would be a country that has a jungle.

Passage-4
Eurystheus, King of Tiryns, sighed as he looked at the man in front of him. There he stood,
Hercules, proud and defiant. "Twelve tasks I have agreed to complete. Eleven are accomplished.
What is your final task?"

Hercules was cousin to Eurysthesus but no love was lost between them. Eurystheus hated Hercules,
and he hated the fact that Hercules was popular and yet may remove him from his throne. Most of all
Eurysthesus feared Hercules. Every task that had been set for Hercules had meant to send him to the
underworld, yet every task was completed and Hercules remained alive and became even more
popular.

Then Eurystheus had a thought, a smile crossed his face and with a great shout announced his final
task.

"Hercules! Cousin, bring me the guardian of the very gates of Hades, Cerberus, the three headed
monster.

Without complaint or any show of fear at his final task, Hercules turned and left the palace.

Questions. 1 who was the king? 2. How many tasks had Hercules completed? 3. How did
Eurystheus feel about Hercules? 4.What had Eurystheus tried to do to Hercules with every task he

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 6
set? 5. Why did Eurystheus smile when he thought of the final task 6. What do you think Hercules
thought of his last task? 7. What do you think Hercules thinks of Eurystheus? .

Passage-5
A modern international airport is a vast complex the size of small town. Each year, it will process
through its system hundreds of thousands of aircraft movements, several million passengers and many tones
of freight.
Each aircraft movement is controlled from a tower in which there are air traffic controllers in charge of all
taking-off and landing movements. The controllers have a radio link with all the aircraft and monitor their
airborne movements by radar. Planes are getting faster and runways are growing longer, and modern airports
must have a runway of at least 50 meters wide and 4 kilometers long.
The process such huge numbers of people each day an airport must employ a staff of many thousands.
Amongst these are ground hostesses to0 help the people with their enquiries and custom officials to check that
certain goods do not go out of or come into the country without their knowledge. Caterers supply their
restaurants and cafeterias, as well as providing pre-packed meals for passengers in the flight. Maintenance
engineers, whose vital job is to ensure the safety of the aircraft, run into several thousands.
Freight is often handled at a separate terminal, where aircraft are usually specially fitted out. Type of freight
varies enormously and may include anything from a gorilla bound for a foreign zoo to gold bullion in transit
to an overseas bank.
Air travel increases annually and airport facilities are continually being extended. Today’s international
airport, already a scene of endless, teeming activity, promises to be even busier in the future.

Give the answer of following questions from above paragraph.

1. With what may a modern international airport be compared in size?
2. Explain fully the function of an airport?
3. What is the task of the aircraft controller?
4. From where does the controller operate?
5. How are airborne planes contacted?
6. In what way does the radar assist the controller?
7. What is the task of custom officials?
8. Why do you think meals for passengers in flight are pre-packed?
9. Who is responsible for the safety of the aircraft?
10. In what way do you think aero planes are specially fitted out to carry freight?

Passage-6 Study the graph and answer the questions given below.

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 7
 1. What is the condition of share market on 15th January?
2. On which day the index was highest?
3. What was the condition of the market at the beginning of the month?
4. When the market reduced less than 17.500?
5. Write three sentences based on the graph about the condition of the market during January
2008?

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH-II (SYBCA)

COMPILED BY: Nishant Pandya
Page 8