Q1. Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and understand its meaning. Real reading has to do with thinking, learning, and expanding the reader’s knowledge and horizons. A passage has been given. Read the passage carefully and answer the multiple choice questions given below:
If a person suddenly encounters any terrible danger, the change of nature one undergoes is equally great. Sometimes fear numbs our senses. Like animals, one stands still, powerless to move a step in fright or to lift a hand in defense of our lives, and sometimes one is seized with panic, and again, act more like the inferior animals than rational beings. On the other hand, frequently in cases of sudden extreme peril, which cannot be escaped by flight, and must be instantly faced, even the most timid men at once as if by miracle, become possessed of the necessary courage, sharp quick apprehension and swift decision. This is a miracle very common in nature. Man and the inferior animals alike, when confronted with almost certain death ‘ gather resolution from despair’ but there can really be no trace of so debilitating a feeling in the person fighting, or prepared to fight for dear life. At such times the mind is clearer than it has ever been; the nerves are steel, there is nothing felt but a wonderful strength and daring. Looking back at certain perilous moments in my own life, I remember them with a kind of joy, not that there was any joyful excitement then, but because they broadened my horizon, lifted me for a time above myself.
1. The title that best suits the passage would be:
a. The Will to Fight
b. The Miracle of Confronting Danger
c. The Change of Nature
d. Courage and Panic
2. The distinction between ‘inferior animals’ and ‘rational beings’ is that:
a. The former are incapable of fighting
b. The latter are clever
c. The latter are stronger
d. The latter are capable of reasoning things out whereas the former cannot do so
3. What is the meaning of the word ‘debilitating’?
a. Enfeeble
b. Strengthen
c. Debase
d. Thriving
4. Explain the phrase ‘gather resolution from danger’.
a. Find peace in times of difficulty
b. A state of utter hopelessness makes one determined to face the difficulty
c. To remain calm and not to lose hope.
d. To be enthusiastic and brave the odds
5. The author feels happy in the recollection of dangers faced and overcome because:
a. They brought him a new experience.
b. They added a new perspective and lifted him above himself for a time.
c. These experiences boosted his confidence.
d. He felt elated as he was alive.
Q2. The transition words guide the reader and make it easier for him/her to follow the writer’s ideas. Transition words also give coherence to the paragraph. Identify FIVE transition signals from the following passage and write them in the box given below.
My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. Firstly, it is noted for the River, which is wide and beautiful. On either side of this river, there are willow trees which have long branches that move gracefully in the wind. In autumn, the leaves of these trees fall and cover the
riverbanks like golden snow. Secondly, on the other side of the town is a Hill, which is very steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous, because there are some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. However, there are no trees around this hill, so it
looks pretty bare. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and they have made my hometown a famous place.
