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

The seasons change because Earth is tilted. As Earth travels around the sun, first one half and then the other half leans towards the sun and gets more direct sunlight. Why do the seasons change?

1. AThe moon blocks the sun in winter.
2. BClouds cover Earth for half of each year.
3. CThe sun gets hotter and colder each year.
4. DEarth is tilted as it moves around the sun.

Nina had a sore throat and a runny nose. She stayed home from work, drank warm tea and rested on the sofa all day. What did Nina do because she was ill?

1. AShe stayed home and rested.
2. BShe went to work early.
3. CShe visited a friend.
4. DShe went for a long run.

“Rain had not fallen for three months. The river was so low that boats could not use it, and farmers worried about their crops.” What problem does the passage describe?

1. AA heat wave in winter
2. BA drought
3. CA flood
4. DAn earthquake

Mount Everest grows about 4 millimetres taller every year. This happens because the Indian plate is slowly pushing against the Eurasian plate, forcing the land upward. What causes Mount Everest to grow?

1. ASnow building up on the summit every year
2. BThe movement of two plates pushing together
3. CClimbers adding rocks to the peak
4. DVolcanic eruptions under the mountain

“Sofia remembered the day she arrived in the city ten years earlier, holding one small suitcase and not speaking a word of the language. Now she stood at the front of a classroom, teaching that language to others.” Which technique does the author use?

1. AA list of instructions
2. BA prediction about the future
3. CA conversation between two people
4. DA flashback to an earlier time

The author writes: “Hospitals should serve less sugary food. Some will say patients deserve treats, and that is fair. But a hospital should model the healthy habits it recommends.” How does the author handle the opposing view?

1. AAccepts part of it, then argues against it
2. BAgrees fully and changes position
3. CIgnores it and repeats the main claim
4. DMocks it as foolish and not worth discussing

Antibiotics kill bacteria, but they do not work on viruses. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed can help bacteria become resistant, making future infections harder to treat. What would the author most likely recommend?

1. ATaking antibiotics for every cold to prevent infection
2. BStopping antibiotics as soon as you feel slightly better
3. CSharing leftover antibiotics with family members who feel unwell
4. DUsing antibiotics only when a doctor confirms a bacterial infection