READING COMPREHENSION

Ex. No. :
Date :
Read the following passages and answer the questions given below.

EXERCISE 1:
Television and picture
Televisions show sounds and pictures. They get data from cables, discs, or over-the-air
signals. They turn this data into sounds and images. People watch news and shows on them. You
probably call them TVs.
John Baird made the first TV in 1925. It had one color. It could only show 30 lines. This
was just enough room for a face. It didn't work well, but it was a start.
The first TV station was set up in 1928. It was in New York. Few people had TVs. The
broadcasts were not meant to be watched. They showed a Felix the Cat doll for two hours a day.
The doll spun around on a record player. They were experimenting. It took many years to get it
right.
By the end of the 1930s, TVs were working well. America got its first taste at the 1939
World's Fair. This was one of the biggest events ever. There were 200 small, black and white
TVs set up around the fair.

By 1948 there were 4 big TV networks in America. They aired their shows from 8 to 11
each night. Local shows were aired at other times. Most of the time, nothing was shown at all.
TV was not "always on" like it is now.

Color TVs came out in 1953. They cost too much money for most. Also, shows were
aired in black and white. By 1965, color TVs were cheaper. TV stations started airing shows in
color. People had to switch if they wanted to see the shows.
Now most TVs are high-def. This means that they have many lines on them. This makes
the image clear. TVs have come a long way since Baird's 30 line set. High-def TVs have 1080
lines. There are state of the art sets called 4K TVs. These TVs have 3,840 lines. Some people
watch TV in 3D. I wonder what they will come up with next. Smell-o-vision anyone?
The U.S. President gave a speech over the TVs. The TVs were only five inches big but
the people loved it.
They wanted TVs. But World War II was going on during this time. Factories were busy
making guns and bombs. When the war was over, TV spread across the country.
QUESTIONS:
1. When did color TVs come out?
a. 1925 b. 1953
c. 1939 d. 1965

2. Which was not true about the first TV?

a. It could only show one color. b. It only had 30 lines.
c. It did not have sound. d. It did not work well.

3. When did networks start showing programs in color?

a. 1948 b. 1953
c. 1965 d. 1939
4. Why did the first TV station only show Felix the Cat for two hours a day?
a. They were running tests.
b. Felix the Cat was really popular.
c. Felix the Cat had been a big radio star.
d. Felix the Cat was the only show that they had.

5. Which of these events slowed the spread of TVs?

a. The World's Fair of 1939 b. The Civil War
c. The election of the U.S. President. d. World War II

6. What is the author's main purpose in writing this?

a. He is trying to explain how a TV works. b. He is telling readers how TVs became
popular.
c. He is describing the history of the TV. d. He is trying to get people to watch more
TV.

7. Why did many families switch to color TVs in 1965?

a. Color TVs cost a lot of money. b. Many shows were only shown in color.
c. Color TVs came out in 1965. d. World War II ended and troops returned home.

8. Why was 1939 an important year for TV?

a. Many Americans were introduced to TV. b. The first color TV was released.
c. The first TV station began broadcasting. d. John Baird created the first TV.

9. How many lines does a 4K TV have?

a. 30 b. 1,080
c. 4,000 d. 3,840

10. Which happened first?

a. The 1939 World's Fair b. The release of high-def TVs
c. The end of World War II d. The release of color TVs
EXERCISE 2:
The Coliseum

The Coliseum is an ancient stadium in the center of Rome. It is the largest of its kind. It is
very old. They started building it in the year 70. It took ten years to build. It is still around today.

The Coliseum has been used in many ways. In ancient Rome, men fought each other in it.
They fought against lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my! It was dreadful. But most of the people
loved it. As many as 80,000 Romans would pack inside to watch. These gruesome events went
on until 523.

The Coliseum has been damaged many times over the years. It was struck by lightning in
the year 217. This started a fire. Much of the Coliseum is made of stone. But the fire damaged
the upper levels. They were made of wood. This damage took many years to repair. It was not
finished until the year 240.

The worst damage happened in 1349. A mighty earthquake shook Rome and the
Coliseum. The south side of the building collapsed. Pieces of the arena were all over the ground.
Many people took the fallen stones. Others took stones from the seating areas. They used them to
repair houses and churches.

The Romans of those days were not connected to the Coliseum. It had last been used as a
castle. Before that it was a graveyard. It has been hundreds of years since the games. The damage
to the Coliseum was never repaired. It's a good thing the outer wall of it still stands strong.

Today the Coliseum is one of Rome's most popular attractions. People from all over the
world come to Italy to see it. The Pope leads a big march around it every Good Friday. It is a
symbol that many know. It has even appeared on the back of a coin. I guess that makes it a
symbol that many people want too.

QUESTIONS:
1. Which happened first?

a. An earthquake damaged the Coliseum. b. The Coliseum was struck by lightning.

c. The Coliseum appeared on the back of a coin. d. The Coliseum was used as a castle.

2. When did the Romans finish building the Coliseum?

a. The year 70 b. The year 523

c. The year 80 d. The year 240

3. What caused the fire that damaged the upper levels of the Coliseum?

a. A bolt of lightning b. Rowdy people who came to watch the events

c. An attacking army d. An angry mob

4. For which purpose was the Coliseum not used?

a. People fought other people in it. b. It was a private castle.

c. People fought animals in it. d. It was a meeting place for the government.

5. Which caused the most damage to the Coliseum?

a. Fires b. Earthquakes c. Wars d. Hurricanes

6. What did the people do with the stones that they took from the Coliseum?

a. They repaired buildings. b. They sold them.

c. They used them as weapons. d. They used them as tombstones.

7. Which best defines the word gruesome as it is used in the second paragraph?

a. Exciting b. Funny

c. Horrifying d. Boring

8. Which best describes the main idea in the last paragraph?

a. This is about all the things the Coliseum has been used for throughout history.

b. This is about how the Coliseum is a popular place to visit today.

c. This is about how the Coliseum is a symbol that many people know.

d. This is about how the Coliseum is used today.

9. Which was not a way in which the Coliseum was damaged over the years?

a. Earthquake b. Tornado c. Lightning d. Fire

10. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. The Coliseum should be replaced with a building that is not damaged.

b. The Coliseum has its place in history but it is not useful today.

c. The Coliseum should be used for fighting once again.

d. The Coliseum is very old and has been used for many purposes.
EXERCISE 3:
Chess

Chess is called the game of kings. It has been around for a long time. People have been
playing it for over 500 years. Chess is based on an even older game from India. The chess we
play today is from Europe.
Chess is a two-player game. One player uses the white pieces. The other uses the black
pieces. Each piece moves in a special way. One piece is called the king. Each player has one.
The players take turns moving their pieces. If a player lands on a piece, he or she takes it. The
game ends when a player loses his or her king. There are a few more rules, but those are the
basics.
Some people think that chess is more than a game. They think that it makes the mind
stronger. Good chess players use their brains. They take their time. They think about what will
happen next. These skills are useful in life and in chess. Chess is kind of like a work out for the
mind.
You don't always have lots of time to think when playing chess. There is a type of chess
with short time limits. It's called blitz chess. In blitz chess, each player gets ten minutes to use for
the whole game. Your clock runs during your turn. You hit the time clock after your move. This
stops your clock. It also starts the other player's clock. If you run out of time, you lose. Games of
blitz chess are fast-paced.
Chess is not just for people. Computers have been playing chess since the 1970s. At first
they did not play well. They made mistakes. As time went on they grew stronger. In 1997, a
computer beat the best player in the world for the first time. It was a computer called Deep Blue.
Deep Blue was big. It took up a whole room. By 2006 a cell phone could beat the best players in
the world. Chess sure has come a long way. Don't you think so?

QUESTIONS:
1. What is the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. To explain the rules of chess b. To compare different types of games
c. To talk about game pieces d. To persuade people to play chess

2. Which is not a reason that chess is a good workout for the mind according to the text?
a. Good chess players think about what will happen next.
b. Good chess players take a lot of risks.
c. Good chess players take their time.
d. Good chess players use their brains.

3. How long have people been playing chess?

a. Over 100 years b. Over 500 years
c. Over 1000 years d. Over 5000 years

4. Where did the game that chess is based on come from?

a. Europe b. America
c. India d. All of these
5. Which best describes the main idea in the fourth paragraph?
a. This paragraph argues that players should think less.
b. This paragraph explains how blitz chess is played.
c. This paragraph explains time clocks work.
d. This paragraph describes many different ways to play chess.

6. How does a game of chess end according to the text?

a. One player takes all of the other player's pieces.
b. One player makes it to the end of the board.
c. One player becomes king.
d. One player loses his or her king.

7. Which happened first?

a. Computers did not play chess well. b. Deep Blue won an important game.
c. Cell phones got good at playing chess. d. Deep Blue took up a whole room.

8. How is blitz chess different from regular chess?

a. Each player has two kings. b. Players are blindfolded.
c. Players only have ten minutes to play. d. Players start from a random position.

9. If it's your turn in blitz chess, what happens when you hit the clock?
a. Both your clock and the other person's clock keep running.
b. The other person's clock stops running and yours starts.
c. Both clocks stop running.
d. Your clock stops running and the other person's clock begins.

10. When did a computer first beat a strong human player in chess?
a. 2006 b. 1997
c. 1970 d. 1976