Reading comprehension (entrance exams) worksheet with answers

Snakes flick their tongues in and out to pick up scents from the air. This helps them find food and sense danger. Why do snakes flick their tongues?

1. ATo pick up scents from the air around them
2. BTo warn other snakes away
3. CTo cool their bodies down
4. DTo clean dust off their faces and eyes

Many birds fly south in the autumn. They travel to warmer places where food is easier to find. In the spring, they return north to build nests and raise their young. Why do many birds fly south in the autumn?

1. ATo find food more easily in warmer places
2. BTo escape from larger birds that hunt them
3. CTo find cooler places to rest
4. DTo build nests and raise their young

In autumn, squirrels bury nuts in many places to eat during winter. They do not find all of them, and some of the forgotten nuts grow into new trees. What sometimes happens to forgotten nuts?

1. AFarmers dig them up.
2. BThey turn to stone.
3. CBirds eat them.
4. DThey grow into new trees.

The author writes: “Every student should learn basic first aid. A few simple skills, such as how to help someone who is choking, can save a life.” What is the author’s purpose?

1. ATo persuade readers that students should learn first aid
2. BTo entertain readers with a story about choking
3. CTo explain how to treat a broken bone
4. DTo describe the history of first aid training

“When the fire alarm sounded, the teacher calmly led the children down the stairs, counted them at the meeting point and reported that everyone was safe.” Which word best describes the teacher’s actions?

1. ACareless
2. BConfused and lost
3. COrganised
4. DPanicked

Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, yet they are home to about a quarter of all marine species. Warmer water can cause corals to lose the algae that feed them, a process called bleaching. What does the word “yet” signal in the first sentence?

1. AA contrast between the reefs’ small area and their many species
2. BAn example of a species that lives on a reef
3. CA cause-and-effect link between warmer water and coral bleaching
4. DA sequence of events in the life of a coral

“Dear Editor, I have lived on Elm Street for forty years. The council’s plan to cut down the old oak trees for wider pavements would destroy the character of our street. I urge readers to attend Thursday’s meeting.” What is the writer’s main goal?

1. ATo describe the writer’s forty years at home
2. BTo tell readers about the long history of oak trees
3. CTo get readers to oppose the plan at the meeting
4. DTo thank the council for wider pavements

“The ward needs at least one nurse for every four patients. Tonight there are 22 patients.” What is the smallest number of nurses needed?

1. A5
2. B6
3. C4
4. D7