QUESTIONNAIRE: READING THEORY

Name: ____________________________________ Grade and Section: ___________________

Instructions: Read and analyze each statement and question carefully. Identify the letter of your choice.

1. Comets
Comets are balls of ice. They move around in outer space. The most famous comet is Halley's Comet. You can
see it from Earth every 75 years. The next time you can see it will be in the year 2061. Mark your calendar!
Question: In this passage, the author talks about Halley's Comet to
A. form an argument
B. pose a question
C. make a conclusion
D. give an example
E. give a command
2. The Sphinx
The Sphinx is a monster from Greek and Egyptian mythology. The Sphinx had the body of a lion, the wings of a
bird, and the face of a person. According to Greek myth, the Sphinx asked everyone a riddle. If you could not
answer the riddle, the Sphinx would eat you. Those who could answer the Sphinx’s riddle were given a special
reward.
Question: According to the passage, the Sphinx DID NOT have

I. the body of a lion

II. the wings of a bird
III. the teeth of a crocodile
IV. the face of a person
V. the tail of a cat
 
A. I only
B. III only

C. III and IV
D. III and V
E. II, IV, and V

3. Mekong Cruise
We boarded the boat in Chiang Rai. A woman named Anh sat on the bow and paddled. We moved slowly down a
narrow canal that led out to the Mekong River. We woke the next day in Huay Xay. From there we boarded a
larger boat and moved east. We passed by hundreds of Buddhist monks dressed in bright orange robes. The next
stop was Pak Beng. There we saw herds of elephants moving freely along the water.
Days passed, and we arrived at Pak Ou. We got off the boat and stretched our legs. We spent the day exploring a
number of wondrous caves. After nine days on the boat, we arrived in Kuang Si. We took a short hike into the
jungle. We ended the trip with a day of sun and swimming in the waterfalls found there.
Question: Which of the following choices gives the correct order of places visited during the narrator's trip?
A. Chiang Rai, Pak Ou, Huay Xay
B. Huay Xay, Kuang Si, Pak Beng
C. Pak Ou, Kuang Si, Chiang Rai
D. Huay Xay, Pak Beng, Pak Ou
E. Kuang Si, Pak Beng, Pak Ou

4. Floating Bridges
Most bridges have legs. These legs extend into the water until they reach the ground below. By anchoring into the
ground, the legs can provide the support the bridge needs to remain standing. But what happens when the water is
deep—too deep to reach the ground below? To span these places, engineers have come up with a special bridge. It
is called a "floating bridge". Instead of resting on legs, a floating bridge rests on top of structures that float in the
water.
Question: Which of the following conclusions is supported by the passage?
A. Bridges with legs are short.
B. Not all bridges have legs that reach the ground.
C. Floating bridges are not as heavy as bridges with legs.
D. Floating bridges are more expensive to build than bridges with legs.
E. Bridges with legs can support more weight than floating bridges. bridge can thereby span places where the
water is very deep.

5. Animal Groups
You may know that a group of wolves is called a pack and a group of buffalo is called a herd. But there are many
other unusual names for groups of animals. Some of them make perfect sense. A group of porcupines, for
example, is called a prickle. Some of them are much more surprising: a group of crows is called a murder!
Question: The author apparently thinks that most people
A. do not know the name for a group of crows
B. think that a group of buffalo should not be called a herd
C. are afraid of groups of crows because they are called murders
D. think that it is strange for a group of porcupines to be called a prickle
E. are uninterested in learning about groups of animals

6. Yawn Theory
Why do people yawn? Scientists do not really know for sure. One idea is that yawning helps us bring more
oxygen into the body. When our bodies are tired, we do not breathe very deeply. This means our bodies take in
less oxygen. Yawning helps our tired bodies bring in more oxygen.
Another theory involves predation. Animals are most vulnerable when they are tired or asleep. Nowadays,
humans don't have to worry about predators. But when we lived in the wild long ago, we most certainly did.
Therefore, to ward off potential predators, we yawn. When we do, we open wide and show our teeth. This yawn
acts as an impromptu warning. It tells other animals: "I may be tired, but I am still dangerous!“.
The following word pair was excerpted from this passage.
idea: theory
Question: Which of the following word pairs holds the same relationship as the one shown above?
A. argument : question
B. defense : assault
C. game : entertainment
D. opinion : belief
E. problem : solution

7. Smoothies
Have you ever had a smoothie? If not, you might want to try making one—they're pretty tasty. A smoothie is a
cold drink made out of fruit, milk, and ice. To make a smoothie, put your ingredients in a blender. Then, mix
these ingredients together until they are smooth. (That's where the name comes from.) After blending, pour into a
cup and enjoy!
Question: Using the passage as a guide, which of the following ingredients would NOT be used to make a
smoothie?
A. strawberries
B. milk
C. bacon
D. ice
E. blueberries 

8. Have a Second?
There are 24 hours in every day. There are 60 minutes in every hour. There are 60 seconds in every minute. This
means that there are 86,400 seconds in every day. So the next time someone asks you: “Do you have a second?,”
you can say, “Yes, I have thousands of them!”
Situation: Imagine you need a ride to the library. Your friend Clyde says you can have one in 86,400 seconds.
Question: When will Clyde be driving you to the library?
A. tomorrow
B. in ten minutes
C. a week from now
D. in four hours
E. in two days