Reading comprehension (entrance exams) worksheet with answers

Penguins cannot fly, but they are excellent swimmers. Their wings work like flippers, and they can dive deep to catch fish. How do penguins use their wings?

1. AFor flying long distances
2. BFor digging nests in the ice
3. CFor keeping their eggs warm
4. DAs flippers for swimming

Wool comes from sheep. Once a year, farmers shear the sheep, cutting off their thick coats. The wool is then cleaned, spun into yarn and used to make clothes. What happens to the wool right after it is cut off?

1. AIt is spun into yarn.
2. BIt is fed back to the sheep.
3. CIt is made into clothes.
4. DIt is cleaned.

Sharks have lived in the oceans for millions of years. Unlike most fish, their skeletons are made of cartilage, the same bendy material found in your nose and ears. What are shark skeletons made of?

1. AHard bone
2. BThin shell
3. CCartilage
4. DScales

“Leaves change colour in autumn because the trees stop making chlorophyll, the green pigment. As the green fades, yellow and orange pigments that were there all along become visible.” Where do the yellow and orange colours come from?

1. ASunlight that burns the green away
2. BNew pigments made only in autumn
3. CCold night air that paints the leaves
4. DPigments already present in the leaves

“The new phone is lighter, has a bigger screen and lasts longer on a single charge than the old model. It also costs more.” Which is a disadvantage of the new phone?

1. AIt is lighter.
2. BIts battery lasts longer.
3. CIt costs more.
4. DIt has a bigger screen.

Passage: “Cycling to work saves money on fuel and parking. It also gives regular exercise and produces no exhaust fumes.” Which title fits the passage best?

1. AThe Dangers of City Traffic
2. BA History of the Bicycle
3. CHow to Repair a Bicycle
4. DBenefits of Cycling to Work

“When the reporter asked the mayor about the delayed bridge project, the mayor talked at length about the new park and the town’s low crime rate.” What does the mayor’s answer suggest?

1. AThe park and the bridge are the same project.
2. BThe mayor avoided the question.
3. CThe bridge project is already finished.
4. DThe mayor answered the question fully.

“Many patients feel nervous before surgery. Nurses can help by explaining what will happen, answering questions and letting patients know that their feelings are normal.” What is the author’s purpose?

1. ATo criticise nurses for not explaining surgery to patients enough
2. BTo persuade patients to avoid having surgery
3. CTo explain how surgery is performed in detail
4. DTo describe how nurses can ease patients’ fears