Humanities Berkeley City College
Practice Questions for reading comprehension
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 accompaniedby a musical ensemble ranging from a
small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.
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
Explanation:The answer to this question lies in the 3 rd line of the passage: "By contrast, in
musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser
role".Since the contrast is made to the opera, therefore, we can conclude that music plays a
lesser role in musical theaters than in opera. OR, in musical theater is not as important as it is in
opera.
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.
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
, Explanation: The answer to this question lies in the 1 st line of the passage: "Dolphins are
regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors
have been common since Roman times".
Passage 3 - Unsinkable Ship
Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger-and-car
ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should 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.
One can understand from the reading that :
a) The lifesaving equipment did not work well and lifeboats could not be lowered.
b) people managed to leave the vessel but died in freezing water.
c) Naval architects claimed that the Estonia was unsinkable.
d) Most victims were trapped inside the boat as they were in their cabins .
Explanation: The answer lies in the 4th line: "it went down so quickly that most of those on
board, caught in their dark, flooding cabins, had no chance to save themselves"
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.
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
Explanation: The answer lies in the 3rd line: "After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion
has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production".
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Practice Questions for reading comprehension
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 accompaniedby a musical ensemble ranging from a
small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.
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
Explanation:The answer to this question lies in the 3 rd line of the passage: "By contrast, in
musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser
role".Since the contrast is made to the opera, therefore, we can conclude that music plays a
lesser role in musical theaters than in opera. OR, in musical theater is not as important as it is in
opera.
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.
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
, Explanation: The answer to this question lies in the 1 st line of the passage: "Dolphins are
regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors
have been common since Roman times".
Passage 3 - Unsinkable Ship
Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger-and-car
ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should 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.
One can understand from the reading that :
a) The lifesaving equipment did not work well and lifeboats could not be lowered.
b) people managed to leave the vessel but died in freezing water.
c) Naval architects claimed that the Estonia was unsinkable.
d) Most victims were trapped inside the boat as they were in their cabins .
Explanation: The answer lies in the 4th line: "it went down so quickly that most of those on
board, caught in their dark, flooding cabins, had no chance to save themselves"
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.
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
Explanation: The answer lies in the 3rd line: "After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion
has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production".
2
