Reading Comprehension Questions

In this article we will try to learn RC in more detail, by solving some RC sets. Some of the concepts, that we aim to learn here are:

  • Understanding Keywords like - conclusion, inference, assumption, implication etc.
  • How to make use of options.
  • How to eliminate incorrect options, and zero in on the correct option.
  • How to select the most appropriate option, if more than 1 option are correct.
  • How to select the least incorrect option, if all the given options seem incorrect.

Understanding Assumption

Assumption is something that was kept in mind (taken into consideration) by the author when he wrote that passage.

Assumptions are things that we presume/presuppose and take for granted. There may be no fact, observation or evidence backing up the assumptions. So, assumptions may be justified or unjustified, logical or illogical.

They are kind of a prism through which we see the world around us. Same is true for an author who writes a RC passage.

When we are asked to find out the assumption(s) in a passage, it basically means that we have to find out the assumption(s) that the writer/author had in mind while writing that literary piece.

Let’s see an example.

Q. Read the following passage and answer the question that follows. Your answer to the given question should be based on the passage only.

Currently, Indian society is divided into those who feel that an insidious Western influence has turned us into stunted copycats and that we should carefully reexamine our glorious past to appreciate our uniqueness. The others, a far smaller number, fear that self-congratulatory ethnocentrism prevails, closing our minds to facts from around the world. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between. Even in India, the winds of change are impossible to miss. The stories we have been told about ourselves, family diktats on how we should live, seem unconvincing, at odds with global reality. Laws support LGBTQ rights, single working women are a potent force and you get the sense that the youth are impatiently shedding all inhibition. The ‘wise elder’ of Indian households commands respect but has lost the control he once exerted.

Q. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

  1. A section of the Indian population consider their culture superior to any other culture.
  2. Our culture has been completely influenced by western culture.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

Assumption 1 is incorrect. The passage nowhere mentions such a feeling of superiority. The lines, “those who feel that an insidious Western influence has turned us into stunted copycats and that we should carefully reexamine our glorious past to appreciate our uniqueness.” mean that such population does not want a blind copying of the west. Here, there is talk of a glorious i.e. valuable past. However, this cannot be equated with a feeling of superiority. There is a difference between valuing something and a feeling of superiority about it.

Assumption 2 is incorrect. The passage mentions, “The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.” This implies the present situation lies somewhere in between the influence of western culture and holding on to our culture. So, this assumption is incorrect due to the use of the term ‘completely’.

If you think that Assumption 1 is correct, then you probably are confused between:

  • Assumption of the passage
  • Assumption of the author

Well, they are the same. Whenever we are asked to find the assumption(s) behind a passage, we are basically being asked about the assumption(s) that the author had while he wrote that passage.

Let’s analyze what the author has written.

He’s basically mentioning two kinds of people in Indian society:

  • For the first group he writes - Currently, Indian society is divided into those who feel that an insidious Western influence has turned us into stunted copycats and that we should carefully reexamine our glorious past to appreciate our uniqueness. These people do not want to be copycats. They want to preserve their uniqueness. It does not mean that they feel superior. They just want to preserve their way of life.
  • For the second group he writes - The others, a far smaller number, fear that self-congratulatory ethnocentrism prevails, closing our minds to facts from around the world. They think that the first group has ***, which entails in it a sense of superiority. However, it’s just the opinion of the second group regarding the first group. The author has not assumed this to be true. He’s just writing what different groups of people think.

The author starts giving his views from the third line onwards, where he says “The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between."

So, the author has written the first two lines just to share with us what various sections of Indian society think. He’s sharing this as a fact. These are not his assumptions.

In fact, the author seems to disagree with both of them, when he says “The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between."

This is a tactic that many good authors and columnists in leading newspapers adopt. They will present you some views and opinions of others at the start of the article, only to refute them one by one in the rest of the article.

Answer: (d)


How to select the most appropriate option?

Q. Read the following passage and answer the question that follows. Your answer to the given question should be based on the passage only.

Adverse childhood experiences are the most important determinants of poor educational attainment, violent behaviors and mental health problems. The lack of nurturing environments and the exposure to toxic stress that is, when a child experiences intense, frequent or prolonged adversity such as emotional abuse or neglect, it directly impacts the development of a healthy brain architecture that is most sensitive to environmental influences in the early years of life.

Q. Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage given above?

(a) Unpleasant shocks to any child can impact his learning capabilities.
(b) Negative childhood blows can impact nature of a child in an adverse way.
(c) The stress caused by adverse childhood trauma can lead to aggressive behaviors in children.
(d) Childhood traumas can make a tremendous impact on psychophysical development.

Explanation:

Option (a) is incorrect. The option is true in the context of the first line of the passage. But this option covers only learning aspects. It does not cover behavior, stress and mental health.

Option (b) is incorrect. The option is true in the context of the passage. But the option covers only nature of a child, which is a very vague term. It may or may not cover psychological and physical development. Also, there’s no mention of the term “development”, which is the central idea of the passage. When we compare it with option (d), it looks a less likeable candidate. It’s not incorrect, but less correct.

Option (c) is incorrect. The option is true as the passage mentions ‘violent behaviors’ as an outcome of adverse childhood experiences. But again, this option does not cover other aspects like mental health, learning and psychological development. It is very narrow.

Option (d) is correct. The option mentions psychophysical development. The psychophysical development here covers educational attainment or learning level, behavior, mental health, stress and healthy brain. So, this option best reflects the crux of the passage, as it covers almost every aspect mentioned in the passage.

Answer: (d)


How to select the least incorrect option?

Read the following passage and answer the question that follows. Your answer to the given question should be based on the passage only.

Prioritizing sanitation is critical for multiple reasons. The lack of sanitation is the leading cause of diarrhea among children under five, leading to stunting among children and also results in several preventable child deaths. Sanitation is also critical for the safety and dignity of women. With India making massive strides towards becoming an economic superpower, ending the practice of open defecation is absolutely imperative. Unlike earlier-era sanitation programs, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is not a toilet construction program but a behavior-change mass movement.

Q. Which of the following are the most rational inferences that can be made from the passage?

  1. Sanitation is a vital element for the economic growth of the nation.
  2. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) does not include any infrastructure development.
  3. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) will help in improving the quality of life of people.
  4. The awareness campaigns are an important component of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
  5. The government ensures all citizens access to safe drinking water under this mission.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 5
(b) 3, 4 and 5
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. The line “With India making massive strides towards becoming an economic superpower, ending the practice of open defecation is absolutely imperative” highlights the importance of sanitation in the economic growth of a nation.
Though we cannot say for certain that sanitation is a “vital” element for the economic growth of the nation. So, this sentence cannot be said to be entirely correct, but it’s not incorrect either. Let’s keep it aside for now and move ahead.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The passage does not mention the features of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and not involving any infrastructural development in a sanitation drive implies an extreme feature of the mission. So, this cannot be a rational inference.

Statement 3 is correct. According to the passage the SBM is a sanitation drive that aims to promote cleanliness and hygiene among the people. The passage mentions the consequences of lack of sanitation which include health issues, compromise on safety and dignity of women, etc. Thus, it is logical to infer that with improved sanitary conditions, the quality of life of people will also improve.

Statement 4 is correct. The line “the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is not a toilet construction program but a behavior-change mass movement” highlights the importance of awareness campaigns to promote clean and hygienic practices among the people.

Statement 5 is incorrect. The passage does not describe the features of the SBM. So, it is not rational to infer if access to safe drinking water to all constitutes a part of this scheme.

Now, we know that statements 3 and 4 are correct for certain. So, the correct options must be either (b) or (d). Basically, it boils down to whether statement 1 is correct or 5, or which one of these is more correct or less wrong. We know for sure that statement 5 is incorrect, as it is out of context. Hence, we can eliminate option (b). The only option left is option (d).

Answer: (d)


Extra Books and Tools


1. Wren & Martin - This book has been around for long and is still considered one of the best.

Links for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries:

High School English Grammar and Composition Paperback

Key to Wren and Martin

Link for Indian readers: Wren and Martin


2. More advanced learners may refer to the following books. However, buy them only if you must.

A. Essential English Grammar by Raymond Murphy

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: Essential Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Essential English Grammar

B. Intermediate English Grammar by Raymond Murphy

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: English Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Intermediate English Grammar

C. Advanced English Grammar by Martin Hewings

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: Advanced Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Advanced English Grammar


So much so for Englsh Grammar. But what about Comprehension skills and Vocabulary?

For this, I prefer to read on gadgets like Kindle. We may just tap on any word and see its meaning there and then. It's also not taxing on the eyes. There are a multitude of Kindle models and versions available. Though, any model will meet our basic reading needs.

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries:

Link for Indian readers: Kindle

If you want to know more about such recommended books, you may read this article of ours.
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