Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Related

Review Reading Comprehension related questions and content

The ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a
round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with
each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are
considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two cards
being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a
total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if
possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all
four cards. If a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more
interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a
card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the
highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. Obviously, the team with the most tricks wins
the hand.

The passage implies that

  • A. Playing bridge requires concentration.
  • B. Bridge is an extremely easy game to play.
  • C. Bridge is only for older people.
  • D. Bridge is only for women.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'Playing bridge requires concentration.' The passage mentions that Bridge requires the player's undivided attention, indicating that concentration is necessary to play the game effectively. The intricate details provided about the rules and gameplay of Bridge emphasize the need for focus and mental engagement. While the passage does not suggest that Bridge is easy or exclusively for older people or women, it highlights the complexity and attention required to excel in the game.

You may also like to solve these questions

Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is passed down through families. It is caused by a defective gene
that makes the body produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds
up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas. The buildup of mucus results in
life-threatening lung infections and serious digestion problems. The disease may also affect the
sweat glands and a man's reproductive system. Millions of Americans carry a CF gene, but do
not have symptoms. This is because a person with CF must inherit two defective genes, one from
each parent. About 1 in 29 Caucasian Americans have the CF gene. It is more common among
those of northern or central European descent. Most children with CF are diagnosed by age 2.
For a small number, the disease is not detected until age 18 or older. These children often have a
milder form of the disease.

Which of the following describes the purpose of the passage?
A. To describe the causes of cystic fibrosis
B. To explain how cystic fibrosis is passed down through families
C. To overview the causes of CF and how it is carried
D. To review why some Americans have CF, but others do not

Which of the following groups is most likely to carry the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene?

  • A. African Americans
  • B. Asian Americans
  • C. Caucasian Americans
  • D. Native Americans
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is more common among those of northern or central European descent, making Caucasian Americans most likely to carry the CF gene. The passage mentions that about 1 in 29 Caucasian Americans have the CF gene. While individuals of any ethnic background can carry the CF gene, it is more prevalent in Caucasian populations, as stated in the passage.

Electrocardiogram
The rhythmic sounds of "beep... beep... beep..." signify the measurement of the heart muscle's strength. This rhythmic signal varies from person to person and is recorded as an electrocardiogram (ECG). Within the body, a complex array of systemic neural responses generates electric currents that can be detected on the skin's surface. When a person is connected to an amplifier, these impulses are captured by an electrocardiograph. Most of the information gathered pertains to the heart, as it emits electric currents in waves. This "wave of excitation" propagates through the heart wall and is associated with electrical changes. The process occurs in three distinct phases. First, the "wave of excitation," accompanied by an electrical change, lasts for about 1 to 2 seconds following the contraction of the cardiac muscle. These electrical impulses are rhythmically discharged from the sinoatrial (SA) node, which acts as the heart's natural pacemaker, signaling the atrium to contract. The peak of the ECG reading is attributed to the atrioventricular (AV) node, which triggers the excitation of the ventricles. Finally, as the ventricles relax, any changes in the wave pattern can alert trained medical personnel to potential abnormalities within the heart.

Which statement is not listed as a detail within the passage?

  • A. Changes in the ECG are typically used for diagnosis of abnormal cardiac rhythm.
  • B. The signal has a characteristic record called the electrocardiogram.
  • C. The "wave of excitation" starts at the SA node.
  • D. The "wave of excitation" spreads through the heart wall and is accompanied by electric changes.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. The passage discusses how the electrocardiogram (ECG) records the electrical activity of the heart, starting with the wave of excitation originating at the SA node, spreading through the heart wall, and leading to the ventricles relaxing. It does not mention that changes in the ECG are typically used for diagnosing abnormal cardiac rhythm. Therefore, option A is not a detail listed within the passage, making it the correct choice. Choices B, C, and D are all supported by the information provided in the passage.

The Water Cycle
Water is needed to sustain practically all life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is composed of an oxygen atom that shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms.
The cycle starts when precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, descends from the sky onto the ground. Water that is not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in groundwater reservoirs, rivers, streams, and oceans.
Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants.
Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation ensues.

According to the passage, which statement is false?

  • A. Puffy, cotton clouds are the result of a heating process.
  • B. The compound for a single drop of water is H2O.
  • C. Lake water is produced as a result of the runoff.
  • D. Water is an essential element for living things.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The passage explains that puffy, cotton clouds are formed by condensation, not by a heating process. Therefore, statement A is false. The other statements (B, C, and D) are true according to the information provided in the passage. The compound for a single drop of water is indeed H2O, runoff contributes to the production of lake water, and water is essential for living things as stated in the passage.

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he
invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison
Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at
Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and
ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC
generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the
solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company
Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon
had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the
1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the
Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of
Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of
Niagara Falls. He worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. He created his own obscurity by relinquishing
royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.

What is the meaning of the word 'mammoth' as it is used in the fourth paragraph?

  • A. Dangerous
  • B. Raw
  • C. Unused
  • D. Massive
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In the context of the fourth paragraph, the word 'mammoth' is used to describe the potential energy of Niagara Falls. The term 'mammoth' means massive or huge, emphasizing the enormous scale and power of the energy source. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D: Massive.' This word choice highlights the immense size and significance of the energy source being harnessed by Tesla, aligning with the description of Niagara Falls as a massive potential energy resource.

One of the best ways to understand a group of people is to know what makes them laugh. Laughter encompasses the limits of the soul and serves social, psychological, and physiological functions. In humor, life is redefined and accepted. Irony and satire provide much keener insights into a group's collective psyche and values than do years of research. It has always been a great disappointment to Native Americans that the humorous side of their life has not been mentioned by experts on native American affairs. Rather, the image of the stern-faced redskin has been presented by the American Westerns.

What is implied by this paragraph?

  • A. Native Americans really are as stern and serious as white men make them out to be.
  • B. Humor is the same all over the world.
  • C. Native American humor deserves more attention.
  • D. The subject has a fear of heights.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The passage highlights the importance of understanding a group of people through their humor, emphasizing that Native American humor has been overlooked and deserves more recognition. It mentions the disappointment that Native Americans feel due to the stereotypical portrayal of them as stern-faced in American Westerns, indicating a need for a deeper exploration of their humorous side. Therefore, the correct implication is that Native American humor deserves more attention, making option C the correct answer.

Copyright © 2025 Nokea. All rights reserved.