Reading Comprehension: Short Passages Mastery Quiz Quiz

Sharpen your understanding of written texts with this reading comprehension quiz featuring short passages. Assess your ability to interpret information, infer meaning, and evaluate details in brief scenarios and examples.

  1. Identifying Main Idea

    Read the passage: 'Lena noticed the streets were empty and the shops had closed early. She realized a big storm was approaching.' What is the main idea of this passage?

    1. A storm is causing the town to prepare for bad weather.
    2. Shops in Lena's town are always closed early.
    3. Lena is afraid of storms.
    4. Lena likes to shop when streets are quiet.

    Explanation: The main idea centers on the town's preparations for an oncoming storm, as indicated by closed shops and empty streets. The answer about shopping habits is incorrect because there's no evidence Lena prefers shopping at any specific time. The idea that shops always close early is not supported by the passage. Lena's emotional response isn't described, so the option about her fear is less appropriate.

  2. Making Inferences

    After reading, 'Tom turned off the alarm clock and pulled his blanket up over his head,' what can you infer about Tom's feelings?

    1. Tom doesn't want to get out of bed.
    2. Tom is hungry for breakfast.
    3. Tom likes loud alarms.
    4. Tom is about to clean his room.

    Explanation: Tom's action of covering his head after turning off the alarm suggests reluctance to wake up and leave bed. There is no mention of hunger, so the breakfast option is an unrelated distractor. Whether Tom likes or dislikes alarms is never addressed. The scenario does not mention cleaning, making that choice unlikely.

  3. Understanding Vocabulary in Context

    In the sentence, 'The puppy was so energetic that it dashed all over the yard,' what does 'dashed' most likely mean?

    1. Ate slowly
    2. Barked loudly
    3. Ran quickly
    4. Slept quietly

    Explanation: The word 'dashed' is used to show that the puppy moved quickly, fitting with the context of being energetic. Sleeping quietly and eating slowly are both unrelated to 'dashed', as they describe opposite behaviors. Barking loudly refers to sound, not movement, so that answer is also incorrect.

  4. Recalling Details

    According to the passage: 'After the soccer match, Mia offered her water bottle to Ella, who had forgotten hers at home,' who forgot their water bottle?

    1. A spectator
    2. Mia
    3. Ella
    4. Their coach

    Explanation: The passage directly states that Ella forgot her water bottle, and Mia offered hers. Mia is mentioned as the one offering, not forgetting. The coach and spectator are not referenced in relation to water bottles, making them irrelevant distractors.

  5. Determining Author’s Purpose

    The passage states: 'The author describes how recycling can help communities by reducing waste and conserving resources.' What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this passage?

    1. To persuade people to stop recycling
    2. To explain how to build a recycling machine
    3. To entertain readers with a recycling story
    4. To inform readers about the benefits of recycling

    Explanation: The phrase 'describes how recycling can help' indicates the author aims to inform, not entertain or persuade against recycling. There is no narrative, so entertainment isn't the focus. Persuading people to stop recycling is the opposite of the passage’s message, and there is no instructional content about building a machine, making that option incorrect.