COMPREHENSION 3

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension is defined as the understanding Factual n

A set of facts n
Newspapers, magazines
of a passage or a text. It includes a passage followed by a passage n
Instructions n
Brochures
few questions. The nature of comprehension asked in n
Report n
Reference books
the examination are descriptive, narrative, explanatory, n
Description n
Encyclopaedias
persuasive and argumentative and the word limit of Discursive n
Opinions n
Newspapers, magazines
passage is 250 to 300 words. passage n
Persuasive text n
Reference books
Basically, comprehension tests the reader’s ability to
n
Argumentative text
understand the content as well as style and theme of the
n
Interpretative text
passage. It is meant to test the understanding powers Literary n
Extract from fiction, n
Novels
and intellectual skills of a student. Passage drama, essay, n
Short stories
biography, etc n
Dramas
n
Biographies
Types of Passages n
Other literary books
Narrative n
Sequence of n
Imagined tale with flash
The passage could be of any one of the following types Passage events backs or multiple timelines
(i) Factual A factual passage includes some facts
about the physical aspects of a subject. It
includes instructions, descriptions and reports. Steps to Attempt Reading Comprehension
It helps the student to get a detailed view of the The following steps have to be attempted while reading
subject and develop a complete mental picture of comprehension
a specific person, place, object or being. 1. Read each and every line in the passage carefully.
(ii) Discursive A narrative passage includes Reading the passage twice is always favourable as it
argumentative, interpretative and persuasive helps in better understanding and makes it easier for
text. Such passages may include opinions or a student to find answers. If the title of the passage
feedback. It allows students to arrive at a is given, read it first as it gives the central insight of
conclusion through reasoning and understanding the passage.
rather than intuition. It presents a balanced and 2. Underline all the difficult words while reading the
objective approach towards the subject being passage, as you might be tested on these words in the
discussed. vocabulary questions.
(iii) Literary A literary passage may include an 3. Always give emphasis on the beginning and end of
extract from fiction, drama, biography, the passages. These paragraphs often hold the most
autobiography, travelogue, poetry etc. important information of the passage.
(iv) Narrative Narrative passage is one of the 4. While answering be sure that you’ve clearly
easiest to identify as they are written in form of understood the question. Answer must be relevant to
a story. Such passages includes bibliophile, the question.
novels, anecdotes, autobiographies, histories etc.
5. Ensure that you answer the question according to
These passages relate a series of events either
the marks it carries. Subjective questions should be
real or imaginary or chronologically arranged
answered in complete sentences.
information is provided to the readers.
 4 CUET (UG) Section IA : English Language

6. Try to use your own language and modify the
answer according to the question.
7. Answers should be based on information given/
inference derived from the information in the
passage.
8. Make sure that you use the same tense in which the
question has been asked.
9. In MCQ’s analyse the questions and options carefully
before selecting the correct option because some of
the four options are often closely related.
10. Write the correct question number on each answer
sheet to avoid mistakes.
Pluto is the last and was considered a planet after its
discovery in 1930. In 2006, Pluto was demoted and
reclassified as a dwarf planet. Pluto exists in the Kuiper
belt. That’s just a fancy name for the band of rocks, dust
and ice that lies beyond the gas giants. Scientists have
found objects bigger than Pluto in this belt. Thus, the
outer solar system has many secrets to explore.
1. When it is said that “Pluto was demoted and
reclassified”, it is meant that
(a) Pluto is no longer considered a planet
(b) Pluto was categorised as a different kind of planet
(c) Pluto was renamed
(d) Pluto was removed from our planetary system

Examples 2. The two gases which make up most of Jupiter and

Saturn are ............ .
Read the following passages carefully and answer the
(a) hydrogen and ammonia
questions that follow.
(b) hydrogen and methane
(c) hydrogen and helium
Passage 1 (Factual) (d) None of the above
The outer solar system is the name of the planets beyond 3. According to the passage, our planet is made up of
the asteroid belt. These planets are called gas giants gases and ice. Choose the option that lists the
because they are made up of gas and ice. gases not found on the planets mentioned in the
The first stop of our tour is the fifth planet, Jupiter. passage.
Jupiter is bigger than three hundred Earths! It is made up 1. Ammonia 2. Methane
of hydrogen and helium and a few other gases. There are 3. Oxygen 4. Hydrogen
violent wind storms that circle around Jupiter. The most 5. Carbon
famous storm is called the Great Red Spot. It has been (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
churning for more than four hundred years already. At (c) 3 and 5 (d) 3 and 4
last count, Jupiter has sixty-three known moons and a
4. Based on your understanding of the passage,
faint ring around it too.
choose the option that gives the correct sequence of
Next in our space neighbourhood comes Saturn. It is planet in the ascending order of moons.
well-known for the series of beautiful rings that circle it. 1. Earth 2. Jupiter
They are made up of tiny bits of frozen dirt and ice. Like 3. Pluto 4. Uranus
Jupiter, Saturn is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium.
5. Saturn
It is smaller though, at only ninety-five times the size of
(a) 3,1, 4, 5,2 (b) 1,3,4 2,5
Earth. Saturn has sixty-two moons.
(c) 1,4,3,5,2 (d) 4,1,3,5, 2
The seventh planet, Uranus and its twenty-seven moons
orbit very far from the sun. In addition to helium and 5. The Kuiper belt is an area of rocks, dust, and ice
hydrogen, Uranus atmosphere also contains ammonia ice that ............ .
and methane ice. It is a very cold planet, with no internal (a) is between Jupiter and Saturn
(b) is beyond Pluto
heat source. One of the strangest things about Uranus is
(c) includes Pluto
that it is tipped over and orbits the sun on its side at a
(d) surrounds Saturn’s rings
ninety-degree angle. The twenty-seven moons it has orbit
from top to bottom, instead of left to right like our moon. 6. ................... is the name of a band of rocks, dust
The eighth planet is Neptune. Like Uranus, it is made up and ice lying beyond Neptune.
of hydrogen, helium, ammonia ice and methane ice. But (a) Asteroid belt (b) Great red Spot
unlike Uranus, Neptune does have an inner heat source, (c) Kuiper belt (d) Gas giants
just like Earth. It radiates twice as much heat as it 7. Which of the following options list the planets
receives from the sun. Neptune’s most distinctive quality without any internal heat source?
is its blue colour. Most of the information we know about (a) Jupiter and Uranus (b) Earth and Neptune
it came from the Voyager 2 spacecraft passing close by it (c) Saturn and Pluto (d) Jupiter and Saturn
in 1989.