Reading comprehension (entrance exams) worksheet with answers

“The sun was setting over the desert, and the camels rested near a small pool of water surrounded by palm trees.” What is the setting of this sentence?

1. AA desert in the evening
2. BA snowy mountain at night
3. CA beach at midday
4. DA forest at sunrise

Ants live in large groups called colonies. Each colony has a queen, whose main job is to lay eggs. Worker ants find food, care for the young and protect the nest. What is the queen ant’s main job?

1. ALaying eggs
2. BProtecting the nest from enemies
3. CCaring for the young ants
4. DFinding food for the colony

Tomás wanted to grow tomatoes. First, he planted the seeds in small pots indoors. When the plants were 15 cm tall, he moved them outside into the garden. Finally, he tied the stems to sticks so they would not fall over. What did Tomás do first?

1. AHe planted seeds in small pots indoors.
2. BHe bought young tomato plants at a garden market.
3. CHe tied the stems to sticks.
4. DHe moved the plants into the garden.

A recipe says: “Preheat the oven to 180 °C. While the oven heats, mix the flour and sugar. Add the eggs and milk, stir until smooth, and pour into a greased tin.” What should be done while the oven is heating?

1. AMix the flour and sugar
2. BGrease the oven shelves
3. CAdd the eggs and milk
4. DPour the batter into the tin

“Sound travels as vibrations. It moves faster through water than through air, and faster still through solids such as steel.” Through which material does sound travel fastest, according to the passage?

1. AEmpty space
2. BWater
3. CSteel
4. DAir

“The patient’s blood pressure was stable throughout the night, with every reading close to the one before.” What does “stable” mean here?

1. AToo low to measure
2. BNot changing much
3. CGetting harder to read
4. DRising quickly

“Researchers gave half of a group of volunteers a new vitamin and the other half a dummy pill. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew who got which until the end.” Why did the researchers keep this secret?

1. ATo stop expectations from affecting the results
2. BTo keep the volunteers from talking
3. CTo make the study finish more quickly
4. DTo save money on vitamins

“The nurse explained the new inhaler to Mr. Brown and then asked him to show her how he would use it.” Why did the nurse most likely ask him to demonstrate?

1. ATo save time during the teaching session
2. BTo test whether the inhaler was faulty
3. CTo check that he had understood correctly
4. DTo find out whether he liked the inhaler