Short Reading Comprehension Passages

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Reading Passage 1 - Opera Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is through the lyrics. By contrast, in musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser role. The drama in opera is presented using the primary elements of theater such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.

1. It is pointed out in the reading that opera ----.

A) has developed under the influence of musical theater B) is a drama sung with the accompaniment of an orchestra C) is not a high-budget production D) is often performed in Europe E) is the most complex of all the performing arts 2. We can understand from the reading that ----.

A) people are captivated more by opera than musical theater B) drama in opera is more important than the music C) orchestras in operas can vary considerably in size D) musical theater relies above all on music E) there is argument over whether the music is important or the words in opera

3. It is stated in the reading that ----.

A) acting and costumes are secondary to music in musical theater B) many people find musical theater more captivating than opera C) music in musical theater is not as important as it is in opera D) an opera requires a huge orchestra as well as a large choir E) opera doesn't have any properties in common with musical theater Reading Passage 2 - Dolphins Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable creatures, the less we appear superior when we destroy them.

4. It is clear from the passage that dolphins ----.

A) don't want to be with us as much as we want to be with them B) are proven to be less intelligent than once thought C) have a reputation for being friendly to humans D) are the most powerful creatures that live in the oceans E) are capable of learning a language and communicating with humans 5. The fact that the writer of the passage thinks that we can kill dolphins more easily than they can kill us ----.

A) means that they are better adapted to their environment than we are

B) shows that dolphins have a very sophisticated form of communication C) proves that dolphins are not the most intelligent species at sea D) does not mean that we are superior to them E) proves that Dolphins have linguistic skills far beyond what we previously thought 6. One can infer from the reading that ----.

A) dolphins are quite abundant in some areas of the world B) communication is the most fascinating aspect of the dolphins C) dolphins have skills that no other living creatures have such as the ability to think D) it is not usual for dolphins to communicate with each other E) dolphins have some social traits that are similar to those of humans Reading Passage 3 - Unsinkable Ship Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger-andcar ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should have never have happened. It was well designed and carefully maintained. It carried the proper number of lifeboats. It had been thoroughly inspected the day of its fatal voyage. Yet hours later, the Estonia rolled over and sank in a cold, stormy night. It went down so quickly that most of those on board, caught in their dark, flooding cabins, had no chance to save themselves: Of those who managed to scramble overboard, only 139 survived. The rest died of hypothermia before the rescuers could pluck them from the cold sea. The final death toll amounted to 912 souls. However, there were an unpleasant number of questions about why the Estonia sank and why so many survivors were men in the prime of life, while most of the dead were women, children and the elderly.

7. One can understand from the reading that ----.

A) the lifesaving equipment did not work well and lifeboats could not be lowered B) design faults and incompetent crew contributed to the sinking of the

Estonia ferry C) 139 people managed to leave the vessel but died in freezing water D) naval architects claimed that the Estonia was unsinkable E) most victims were trapped inside the boat as they were in their cabins 8. It is clear from the passage that the survivors of the accident ----.

A) helped one another to overcome the tragedy that had affected them all B) were mostly young men but women, children and the elderly stood little chance C) helped save hundreds of lives D) are still suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder E) told the investigators nothing about the accident 9. According to the passage, when the Estonia sank, ----.

A) there were only 139 passengers on board B) few of the passengers were asleep C) there were enough lifeboats for the number of people on board D) faster reaction by the crew could have increased the Estonia's chances of survival E) all the passengers had already moved out into the open decks Reading Passage 4 - Erosion in America Erosion of America's farmland by wind and water has been a problem since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow in the nineteenth century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production. In the years ahead, soil erosion and the pollution problems it causes are likely to replace petroleum scarcity as the nation's most critical natural resource problem.

10. As we understand from the reading, today, soil erosion in America ----.

A) causes humans to place new demands on the land B) is worse than it was in the nineteenth century C) happens so slowly that it is hardly noticed D) is the most critical problem that the nation faces E) is worse in areas which have a lot of petroleum production 11. The author points out in the passage that erosion in America ----.

A) has damaged 282 million acres ever since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow B) has been so severe that it has forced people to abandon their settlements C) occurs only in areas with no vegetation D) can become a more serious problem in the future E) was on the decline before 1930s 12. It is pointed out in the reading that in America ----.

A) petroleum is causing heavy soil erosion and pollution problems B) heavy crop production is necessary to meet the demands and to prevent a disaster C) soil erosion has been hastened due to the overuse of farming lands D) water is undoubtedly the largest cause of erosion E) there are many ways to reduce erosion

Answer the questions according to the reading passage. When the air is clear, the sunset will appear yellow, because the light from the sun has passed a long distance through air and the blue light has been scattered away. If the air is polluted with small particles, natural or otherwise, the sunset will be more red. Sunsets over the sea may also be orange, due to salt particles in the air. The sky around the sun is seen reddened, as well as the light coming directly from the sun. This is because all light is scattered relatively well through small angles, but blue light is then more likely to be scattered twice over the greater distances, leaving the yellow, red and orange colors.
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1. As it is pointed out in the passage, the color of the sunset ----.

A) may be lighter than expected due to salt particles in the air B) is red if the sky is clear C) owes its blueness to the distance between the sun and the earth D) is a combination of all the colors E) depends on the weather conditions and the location where it takes place 2. One can infer from the passage that the sunset looks yellow because ----.

A) scattering does not play an appreciable role in determining the color of the transmitted light B) the blue light is scattered on the long way through the air at that time C) the light coming directly from the sun is blue D) the air is polluted to such a degree that the Earth's climate is actually changing E) sunsets generally take place on the sea 3. As it is pointed out in the passage, ----.

A) our eyes are more sensitive to light with blue frequencies B) the red light passes easily through the air without scattering at all

C) when the sun sets, only the blue light is left D) the sunset is likely to look orange when small particles, such as salt from sea spray, are in the air E) by the time the light from a sunset gets to you, only red light remainsBottom of Form

Answer the questions according to the reading passage. An ultralight airplane is very different from a conventional airplane. It looks like a lawn chair with wings, weighs no more than 254 pounds, flies up to 60 miles an hour, and carries about 5 gallons of fuel. Most ultralights are sold as kits and take about 40 hours to assemble. Flying an ultralight is so easy that a pilot with no experience can fly one. Accidents are rarely fatal or even serious because the ultralight lands so slowly and gently and carries so little fuel. Some models now have parachutes attached, while others have parachute packs which pilots can wear.
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1. According to the passage, pilots ----.

A) prefer to fly with ultralights rather than with regular aircraft B) can weigh up to 250 pounds, depending on the model of the ultralight airplane C) don't think that their ultralight airplanes are simple to use D) are reluctant to put their ultralights together E) don't need a special training to fly an ultralight airplane

2. We learn from the passage that an ultralight airplane ----.

A) provides the only opportunity to fly affordably B) doesn't fly very well if it weighs less than 254 pounds C) is inexpensive but difficult to fly

D) can be put together in a short time E) is only permitted to be used for private recreational flying 3. It is pointed out in the reading that ----.

A) there is more risk involved in flying ultralight aeroplanes than in flying general aviation aircraft B) ultralight airplanes can remain airborne for more than an hour C) the risk of injury to a passenger in an ultralight airplane is very low D) the gear an ultralight airplane carries can be more fragile than traditional equipment E) people who fly 'ultralights don't need a license

Answer the questions according to the reading passage. Modern scientific and technological developments in the practice of medicine and public health have drawn nursing into new and wider fields of activity, and its functions have been expanded accordingly. Therefore, nursing is no longer limited mainly to activities within the hospital, or to what is called curative nursing. It has become also a community service in which preventive and rehabilitative functions are a vital part of its program. The modern concept of nursing considers the hospital, however central, as only one of many health agencies in the community.
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1. As we understand from the reading, today ----.

A) the only reason people go to hospitals is for nursing care B) most of the nursing practice now takes place in people's homes C) hospitals are not the only setting where people receive care or support D) scientific and technological developments can't improve the quality of care that is delivered in hospitals E) nursing care is not vital to the core competency of hospitals any more

2. One can infer from the passage that ----.

A) nurses were treating more people in the patient's own home in the past B) hospitals are the only places where nursing care is crucial C) nurses don't see the hospital and clinic as important units in the community health program D) hospitals are still the most important component of the healthcare sector E) nursing shortage has had significant consequences during the past few years 3. According to the passage, the nurse's function has been expanded because of ----.

A) the nurse's activities in the hospital B) hospitals, which are the most common work environments for nurses C) the reluctance of nurses to work in the hospital D) the necessity of working longer hours E) the progress in science and technology in related fields

Answer the questions according to the reading passage. Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others. So the massacre on the road may be regarded as a social problem. Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture and through periodic road-worthiness inspections. In addition, speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures, the accident rate has decreased. But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave.
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1. According to the passage, traffic accidents may be regarded as a social problem since ----.

A) the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention B) the accidents have more to do with hazardous conditions than hazardous drivers C) most of the accidents are caused by drivers who don't pay attention to the traffic rules D) the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers E) traffic accidents can cause serious economic damage 2. According to the passage, the number of accidents has fallen because ----.

A) significant advances have been made towards safer driving B) many people now know that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration C) drivers are warned to take extra care on the roads D) drivers have finally learned how to behave E) there has been improvement in the way drivers behave 3. It is pointed out in the passage that those who violate traffic regulations ----.

A) are the most inexperienced drivers that we have on the roads B) always blame the road conditions C) don't have prior traffic violations or crashes on their records D) are the biggest threat to those with whom they share the road E) don't know most of the traffic rules and regulations

Answer the questions according to the reading passage. When early humans hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as lower organisms did. When humans learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel they stripped bark from trees, causing the trees to die. Clearings were burned in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that humans fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire also provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level of sophistication was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as the founding of cities.
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1. This passage is mainly concerned with ----.

A) the evolution of farming techniques B) the role of hunting as a source of food C) how the discovery of fire changed the development of mankind D) basic food-gathering techniques of early humans E) how people supplied themselves with food prior to the discovery of how to make fire 2. One can infer from the passage that the discovery of how to make fire ----.

A) improved the hunting skills of early humans B) caused early humans to interact with their surroundings as lower organisms did

C) taught early humans how to live with lower organisms D) increased alimentary options for early humans E) made easier for early humans to gather food 3. As we understand from the passage, early humans ----.

A) didn't eat plants before they learned how to control fire B) used fire as a tool to alter their surroundings C) gained better control of their environment when they learned to live with lower organisms D) started to maintain their food supply by hunting and gathering food when they started cooking with fire E) were the prey of many predators Answer the questions according to the reading passage. The Great Hanshin earthquake, or the Kobe earthquake as it is more commonly known overseas, was an earthquake in Japan that measured 7.2 on the Japanese Scale. It occurred on January 17, 1995 at 5:46 am 52 seconds in the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture and lasted for approximately 20 seconds. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the northern end of Awaji Island, near the cosmopolitan city of Kobe with a population of 1.5 million. A total of 6,433 people, mainly in the city of Kobe, lost their lives. Additionally, it caused approximately ten trillion yen in damage. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the costliest natural disaster. It was the worst .earthquake in Japan since the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, which claimed 140,000 lives.
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1. It is stated in the passage that the number of deaths in the city of Kobe ----.

A) was greater than that of Hurricane Katrina B) was not as high as in the Great Kanto earthquake C) exceeded that of any known earthquake D) was extremely high for an earthquake of this magnitude E) was small due to the type of construction

2. According to the passage, the Kobe earthquake is listed in the Guinness Book of Records because ----.

A) it has been the highest magnitude earthquake recorded so far B) it lasted less than 20 seconds C) it caused more financial damage than any other natural disaster in the world D) the city of Kobe suffered the highest number of deaths among affected regions E) its epicenter was on the northern end of Awaji island 3. We understand from the passage that the Kobe earthquake ----.

A) is internationally known as the Great Hanshin earthquake B) didn't cause any damage in the neighbourhood of Kobe C) was the first to cause widespread and serious damage to modern buildings D) is not the deadliest earthquake in the history of Japan E) had a higher magnitude than the Great Kanto earthquake First language, also known as mother tongue, is generally the language a person learns first. However, one can have two or more native languages thus being a native bilingual or indeed multilingual. The order in which these languages are learned is not necessarily the order of proficiency. Incomplete first language skills often make learning other languages difficult. Often a child learns the basics of his or her first language or languages from his or her family. The term mother tongue, however, should not be interpreted to mean that it is the language of one's mother. For instance, in some paternal societies, the wife moves in with the husband and thus may have a different first language or dialect than the local language of the husband. Yet their children usually only speak their local language.
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1. According to the passage, first language skills ----.

A) take a very long time to develop B) play an important role in learning a new language

C) are not transferable to the second language D) can also have negative effects in foreign language acquisition E) can aid children only in the beginning stages of learning a second language 2. We understand from the passage that ----.

A) most bilinguals don't have a dominant language B) the acquisition of a first language is the most complex skill anyone ever learns C) most children have learning difficulties in acquiring their first language D) one's mother tongue might not be the language of the parents E) it is very rare for bilinguals to have equal competence in both their languages 3. One can infer from the reading that ----.

A) one cannot be a native speaker of more than two languages B) very few children throughout the world learn to speak two languages C) it is possible for a bilingual to become more competent in his second language D) bilinguals use their two languages for different purposes and functions E) only a few people learn to speak his or her mother's language like a native

Many consider World War I to have been the first modern war, a total war where the civilian populations were deliberately endangered as a direct tactic of war, which has continued in all subsequent wars. While civilians have always died in wars, World War I made civilian casualties accepted and commonplace, from, for example, aerial bombardment. All aspects

of the societies fighting were affected by the conflict, often causing profound social change, even if the countries were not in the war zone.
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1. It is stated in the reading that World War I ----.

A) caused a major depression in countries that were against killing civilians B) introduced the killing of civilians as a method of warfare C) is the bloodiest war in history D) marked the end of the most peaceful period in modern history E) was not the first war to be fought on a worldly scale 2. It is pointed out in the passage that ----.

A) the war's economic impact was felt sharply in countries that were close to the war zone B) the aftermath of World War I brought more attempts to protect civilians in war C) unlike all subsequent wars, World War I was worldwide D) more civilians than soldiers were killed in World War I E) the impact of the World War I was felt even by the countries which were not close to the war fronts 3. We can understand from the passage that ----.

A) very few countries had designed or built aircraft specifically for war functions before World War I B) World War 1was not the first war in which civilians died C) many consider World War I the defining moment of modern life D) the aerial bombardment of civilians was , widely criticized

E) deaths in World War I usually resulted from mistake, accident, or being too close to a military target
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