Reading Comprehension Exercises

Passage A: My First Job

Waking at 7:00 am was unpleasant. On the car journey, I was feeling too sorry for myself for conversation.

The first few days I'd be working with the 'grunts' (officially called 'apprentices'). Most were just months older than me, but judged immediately I'd no skill of any use to them. It turned out the factory owner had only agreed as a favour to Dad. Other guys who'd asked for their kids to work there during school holidays had been refused.

1. By calling the apprentices "grunts", what is the narrator implying about his initial perception of them?

A) They were physically strong and noisy.

B) They were unimportant, low-level workers.

C) They were unfriendly and communicated in low sounds.

D) They were experienced and skilled in their trade.

Dad ensured I was kitted out in fetching, lightest-blue overalls. Escorting me, he skirted the factory floor to avoid dirtying his suit, but chatted and seemed to get on with everyone from the grunts to the surliest darkest-blue-overall-clad supervisor.

2. The word "fetching" is used to describe the overalls. What is the effect of this word choice?

A) It shows the narrator genuinely found the overalls attractive.

B) It suggests the overalls were practical and well-made for factory work.

C) It creates a sarcastic tone, implying the narrator felt awkward and the overalls were anything but attractive.

D) It indicates the overalls had to be brought from a long distance.

Initially, I'd be helping in the coil-winding department by not getting in the way and fetching coffee from the machine. I guessed they chatted more freely when I was on a coffee-fetching run, but I did learn there was discontent amongst the workforce, even talk of strike action. The morning dragged by. Eventually, Dad turned up announcing lunchtime. Usually he took a packed lunch, but our respective lethargy and stress that morning meant the sandwiches were still on the kitchen table at home.

3. The phrase "The morning dragged by" is used to describe the narrator's experience. What does this suggest?

A) The narrator was physically pulling heavy objects all morning.

B) Time seemed to pass very slowly because the narrator was bored and disengaged.

C) The morning was full of exciting and fast-paced activities.

D) The narrator was tired and found it difficult to stay awake.

Finally, we reached the holiest place in the entire company, the Accounts Department, occupied by The One with Absolute Power (the clerk who put together the pay packets). Sufficiently important in the company, Dad was granted an audience. I was told to not say anything stupid as we entered the sanctum. The One issued my number, chiding me for not visiting her immediately after I'd arrived and warning of perilous doom awaiting mortals who failed to clock in on time.

4. What is the main effect of the language used to describe the Accounts Department and its clerk (e.g., "holiest place," "Absolute Power," "sanctum")?

A) To accurately describe the religious significance of the department.

B) To show the narrator's genuine respect and admiration for the clerk.

C) To create a humorous and exaggerated sense of the department's importance from the narrator's intimidated perspective.

D) To suggest that the company was managed like a strict monarchy.

Passage A: Fishing with Royer

People spend hours packing to go fishing, engaged in a kind of military manoeuvre, gear piled strategically and checklists in hand. On the eve of our campaign, I just made sure I'd packed a rod and reel, confident that comrade Royer would have invested heavily in a car-boot full of flashy state-of-the-art equipment as always.

1. What is the effect of describing the packing as a "military manoeuvre" and the trip as a "campaign"?

A) It suggests the fishing trip was dangerous and involved conflict.

B) It humorously exaggerates the seriousness and detailed planning that some people put into a simple leisure activity.

C) It shows that the narrator and his friend were actually soldiers.

D) It implies that fishing requires the same level of discipline as the army.

The sky, unseasonably cloudless and omen-less when we set out, stretched out beyond the suburbs and responsibilities, moving into farming country and onto the highway. The camera lens of life was opening before my eyes, delivering more space and light, exposing an astounding panorama ahead. We coasted through rolling hills, past fragrant wild grasses surfed by the breeze.

2. The metaphor "The camera lens of life was opening before my eyes" primarily suggests that the narrator is feeling:

A) A sense of expanding freedom and a richer, wider perspective on life as he leaves the city.

B) Worried that he is being watched or recorded on the journey.

C) That the view is becoming clearer and more focused, like a camera adjusting its lens.

D) Nostalgic, as if he is looking at an old photograph of his life.

His yipping got louder as the crumbling road downwards narrowed still further. In minutes, it was scarcely wide enough for one car, much less two should anybody come driving up from below – if anyone ever had survived the drive down. The cliffs were sheer. The phrase 'margin for error' was meaningless. In the end it was too much for him. He froze.

3. What is the effect of the statement "The phrase 'margin for error' was meaningless"?

A) It suggests the driver was not skilled enough to make any mistakes.

B) It implies that making a mistake was acceptable because the road was so difficult.

C) It emphasizes the extreme danger of the road, where even the slightest mistake would lead to disaster.

D) It means the narrator did not understand the concept of a 'margin for error'.

1. The phrase "his stomach was churning with nerves" is a metaphor. What does it effectively convey about Bo's physical and emotional state?

A) He was feeling hungry and needed to eat before the hike.

B) He was physically ill and about to be sick from something he ate.

C) He was experiencing a strong physical sensation of anxiety and fear.

D) He was excited and his stomach felt unsettled due to anticipation.

2. What is the main effect of describing the trees as "stern sentinels of the trail"?

A) It makes the forest seem welcoming and protective.

B) It suggests the trees were planted in straight, organized rows like soldiers.

C) It personifies the trees as serious, intimidating guards, making Bo feel watched and out of place.

D) It implies that the trees are old and have witnessed many events on the trail.

3. The darkness is described as a "gaping throat... ready to be swallowed." What is the effect of this metaphor?

A) It suggests that the darkness was making it difficult for Bo to breathe.

B) It personifies the darkness as a monstrous creature, emphasizing Bo's intense fear and feeling of being vulnerable and consumed.

C) It implies that Bo was very thirsty and was looking for something to drink in the darkness.

D) It creates a peaceful image of the night swallowing up the last of the daylight.

Reading Comprehension: Word Choice & Effect

Passage A: My First Job

Passage A: Fishing with Royer

Passage A: Walk on the Wild Side