List of top English Questions on Reading Comprehension

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Gandhi's great aim in life was to improve the condition of poor and suffering people, and to aid people in any way he could, but always without using force. He was against every sort of evil, no matter of what kind. When he tried to find out about the condition among poor farm workers, the people crowded around him by the hundreds. A friend had come among them, someone who wanted to help them and to them this was something new. When the police ordered Gandhi to leave the place, he refused and in the court he explained why he could not obey. Then he asked the court to punish him for breaking the law. The court did not know what verdict to give in such a case, and so let him go free. This was the first step in what came to be an important and common event in many parts of India to refuse to obey a law considered to be unjust and at the same time calmly to accept any punishment that might be given and never to retaliate.

a) What was Gandhi's great aim in life? (2)
b) How did Gandhi help the poor and suffering people? (2)
c) Why did the farm workers crowd around him? (2)
d) Why did the police order Gandhi to leave the place? (2)
e) i) Which word in the passage means 'quietly'? (2)
  ii) Write the opposite for 'punishment'. (2)
   iii) Rewrite the underlined segment after replacing 'verdict' with another similar meaning word. (3)

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

e)(i) Find out the word from the passage which means 'Surroundings'.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

d) Why should you go to your class and for your meals punctually?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

e)(ii) Which word in the passage is the opposite of 'Generosity'?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

e)(iii) Rewrite the underlined segment after replacing the word 'exist' with another similar meaning word.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

b) What is the impact of affection?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

c) Why should people learn to love with affection?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: With most of us, love is possessiveness. Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred. Love can only exist and flower when there is no hate, no envy, no ambition. Without love, life is like the barren earth, arid, hard, brutal. But the moment there is affection, it is like the earth which blossoms with water, with rain, with beauty. One has to learn all this when one is very young, not when one is old, for then it is too late. Then you become prisoners of society, environment, of husband, wife, office. Find out for yourself if you can behave with affection. Can you go to your class punctually because you feel you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you be punctual for your meals because, again, you do not want to keep people waiting? Can you stop shouting while you are together because there are other people watching you, being with you?

a) "Where there is jealousy, envy, it breeds cruelty, it breeds hatred." What does this statement suggest?

A few years ago, a well-to-do man appointed an officer to look after the prisoners who worked in his fields. The officer was a man of good sense and sympathetic nature. He tried his best to manage the men by better means than fear. He gave them better food and paid them more for extra work. When a prisoner stole something, the officer called all the prisoners together and said, “There is a thief amongst you. Find him out yourselves and punish him as you like. I do not wish to punish him myself.” The prisoners realized that the officer was so good to them, he wanted that they should reform themselves. So they found out the thief and punished him. In this way, the prisoners gave up their evil habits and they became good citizens.

c) What did he do when one of the prisoners had stolen something?

A few years ago, a well-to-do man appointed an officer to look after the prisoners who worked in his fields. The officer was a man of good sense and sympathetic nature. He tried his best to manage the men by better means than fear. He gave them better food and paid them more for extra work. When a prisoner stole something, the officer called all the prisoners together and said, “There is a thief amongst you. Find him out yourselves and punish him as you like. I do not wish to punish him myself.” The prisoners realized that the officer was so good to them, he wanted that they should reform themselves. So they found out the thief and punished him. In this way, the prisoners gave up their evil habits and they became good citizens.

b) How did the officer treat the prisoners?

A few years ago, a well-to-do man appointed an officer to look after the prisoners who worked in his fields. The officer was a man of good sense and sympathetic nature. He tried his best to manage the men by better means than fear. He gave them better food and paid them more for extra work. When a prisoner stole something, the officer called all the prisoners together and said, “There is a thief amongst you. Find him out yourselves and punish him as you like. I do not wish to punish him myself.” The prisoners realized that the officer was so good to them, he wanted that they should reform themselves. So they found out the thief and punished him. In this way, the prisoners gave up their evil habits and they became good citizens.

d) How did his goodness influence the prisoners?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A few years ago, a well-to-do man appointed an officer to look after the prisoners who worked in his fields. The officer was a man of good sense and sympathetic nature. He tried his best to manage the men by better means than fear. He gave them better food and paid them more for extra work. When a prisoner stole something, the officer called all the prisoners together and said, “There is a thief amongst you. Find him out yourselves and punish him as you like. I do not wish to punish him myself.” The prisoners realized that the officer was so good to them, he wanted that they should reform themselves. So they found out the thief and punished him. In this way, the prisoners gave up their evil habits and they became good citizens.

a) What kind of officer did the well-to-do man appoint?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Machines were made to be man's servant, yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are on a fair way to become his master. Although most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And machines are very stern masters. They must be fed with coal and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. If they do not get their meals, they grow sulky and refuse to work or burst with rage and blow up and spread ruin and destruction all round them. So, we have to wait upon them very attentively and do all that we can to keep them in good temper. Already we find it difficult either to work or play without machines, and a time may come when they will rule us as we rule the animals.

(d) What can be the result if the machines are not kept in good temper?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Machines were made to be man's servant, yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are on a fair way to become his master. Although most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And machines are very stern masters. They must be fed with coal and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. If they do not get their meals, they grow sulky and refuse to work or burst with rage and blow up and spread ruin and destruction all round them. So, we have to wait upon them very attentively and do all that we can to keep them in good temper. Already we find it difficult either to work or play without machines, and a time may come when they will rule us as we rule the animals.

(e)(i) What meaning do you infer from 'they will rule us as we rule the animals'?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Machines were made to be man's servant, yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are on a fair way to become his master. Although most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And machines are very stern masters. They must be fed with coal and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. If they do not get their meals, they grow sulky and refuse to work or burst with rage and blow up and spread ruin and destruction all round them. So, we have to wait upon them very attentively and do all that we can to keep them in good temper. Already we find it difficult either to work or play without machines, and a time may come when they will rule us as we rule the animals.

(b) Why should the machines be kept at the right temperature?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Machines were made to be man's servant, yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are on a fair way to become his master. Although most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And machines are very stern masters. They must be fed with coal and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. If they do not get their meals, they grow sulky and refuse to work or burst with rage and blow up and spread ruin and destruction all round them. So, we have to wait upon them very attentively and do all that we can to keep them in good temper. Already we find it difficult either to work or play without machines, and a time may come when they will rule us as we rule the animals.

(c) In what condition do the machines blow up and spread ruin and destruction?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Machines were made to be man's servant, yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are on a fair way to become his master. Although most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And machines are very stern masters. They must be fed with coal and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. If they do not get their meals, they grow sulky and refuse to work or burst with rage and blow up and spread ruin and destruction all round them. So, we have to wait upon them very attentively and do all that we can to keep them in good temper. Already we find it difficult either to work or play without machines, and a time may come when they will rule us as we rule the animals.

(a) "Machines were made to be man's servant." What does it suggest?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(c) How does money fail to bring happiness in life?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(e)(ii) Which word in the passage means 'without greed'?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(e)(i) Which word in the passage is opposite to 'sell'?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(d) Where does one find love, affection and peace?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(b) What has puzzled the selfish rich?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(e)(iii) Rewrite the underlined segment 'the yearnings and hunger of the heart' after replacing the word 'yearnings' with another similar meaning word.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:
Money plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of human life. It helps pave the way to various pleasures of life. But one of the most inexplicable mysteries that has puzzled the selfish rich is their failure to find happiness where they expected to find it. The bitterest disappointment that comes to people who had made fortunes is that their hard-earned wealth could not bring happiness which it promised. They find that love and affection do not feed on material things and the heart would starve in the midst of the greatest luxuries of the world. They find that money can buy all the worldly pleasures, power and pelf but has little power to satisfy the yearnings and hunger of the heart and mind. There are a number of women, living in palatial homes in this country who are starving for happiness and peace in their life. They would be ready to exchange all their luxuries for the love of a good man, without a dollar. One finds love, affection and peace in common, simple and greedless life.

(a) Where and how does money play an important role?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows: A stout lady was walking with her basket down the middle of a street in Petrograd, to the great confusion of the traffic and with no small peril to herself. It was pointed out to her that the pavement was the place for foot passengers, but she replied, “I'm going to walk where I like. We have got liberty now.” It did not occur to the dear old lady that if liberty entitled the foot-passenger to walk down the middle of the road, it also entitled the cab driver to drive on the pavement, and that the end of such liberty would be universal chaos. Everybody would be getting in everybody else's way and nobody would get anywhere. Individual liberty would have become social anarchy.

d) What would be the result of this individual liberty?