Reading Comprehension – (Easy-01)

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.
The new school of political history that emerged in the 1960’s and 1970’s sought to go beyond the traditional focus
of political historians on leaders and government institutions by examining directly the political practices of ordinary
citizens. Like the old approach, however, this new approach excluded women. The very techniques these historians
used to uncover mass political behavior in the nineteenth century United States—quantitative analyses of election
returns, for example—were useless in analyzing the political activities of women, who were denied the vote until
1920.
By redefining “political activity,” historian Paula Baker has developed a political history that includes women. She
concludes that among ordinary citizens, political activism by women in the nineteenth century prefigured trends in
twentieth century politics. Defining “politics” as “any action taken to affect the course of behavior of government or
of the community,” Baker concludes that, while voting and holding office were restricted to men, women in the
nineteenth century organized themselves into societies committed to social issues such as temperance and poverty.
In other words, Baker contends, women activists were early practitioners of nonpartisan, issue-oriented politics and
thus were more interested in enlisting lawmakers, regardless of their party affiliation, on behalf of certain issues than
in ensuring that one party or another won an election. In the twentieth century, more men drew closer to women’s
ideas about politics and took up modes of issue-oriented politics that Baker sees women as having pioneered.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to
this passage.
The new school of political history that emerged in the 1960’s and 1970’s sought to go beyond the traditional focus
of political historians on leaders and government institutions by examining directly the political practices of ordinary
citizens. Like the old approach, however, this new approach excluded women. The very techniques these historians
used to uncover mass political behavior in the nineteenth century United States—quantitative analyses of election
returns, for example—were useless in analyzing the political activities of women, who were denied the vote until
1920.
By redefining “political activity,” historian Paula Baker has developed a political history that includes women. She
concludes that among ordinary citizens, political activism by women in the nineteenth century prefigured trends in
twentieth century politics. Defining “politics” as “any action taken to affect the course of behavior of government or
of the community,” Baker concludes that, while voting and holding office were restricted to men, women in the
nineteenth century organized themselves into societies committed to social issues such as temperance and poverty.
In other words, Baker contends, women activists were early practitioners of nonpartisan, issue-oriented politics and
thus were more interested in enlisting lawmakers, regardless of their party affiliation, on behalf of certain issues than
in ensuring that one party or another won an election. In the twentieth century, more men drew closer to women’s
ideas about politics and took up modes of issue-oriented politics that Baker sees women as having pioneered.

2. The passage suggests which of the following concerning the techniques used by the new political historians
described in the first paragraph of the passage?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

The new school of political history that emerged in the 1960’s and 1970’s sought to go beyond the traditional focus
of political historians on leaders and government institutions by examining directly the political practices of ordinary
citizens. Like the old approach, however, this new approach excluded women. The very techniques these historians
used to uncover mass political behavior in the nineteenth century United States—quantitative analyses of election
returns, for example—were useless in analyzing the political activities of women, who were denied the vote until
1920.
By redefining “political activity,” historian Paula Baker has developed a political history that includes women. She
concludes that among ordinary citizens, political activism by women in the nineteenth century prefigured trends in
twentieth century politics. Defining “politics” as “any action taken to affect the course of behavior of government or
of the community,” Baker concludes that, while voting and holding office were restricted to men, women in the
nineteenth century organized themselves into societies committed to social issues such as temperance and poverty.
In other words, Baker contends, women activists were early practitioners of nonpartisan, issue-oriented politics and
thus were more interested in enlisting lawmakers, regardless of their party affiliation, on behalf of certain issues than
in ensuring that one party or another won an election. In the twentieth century, more men drew closer to women’s
ideas about politics and took up modes of issue-oriented politics that Baker sees women as having pioneered.

3.It can be inferred that the author of the passage quotes Baker directly in the second paragraph primarily in order
to

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.
The new school of political history that emerged in the 1960’s and 1970’s sought to go beyond the traditional focus
of political historians on leaders and government institutions by examining directly the political practices of ordinary
citizens. Like the old approach, however, this new approach excluded women. The very techniques these historians
used to uncover mass political behavior in the nineteenth century United States—quantitative analyses of election
returns, for example—were useless in analyzing the political activities of women, who were denied the vote until
1920.
By redefining “political activity,” historian Paula Baker has developed a political history that includes women. She
concludes that among ordinary citizens, political activism by women in the nineteenth century prefigured trends in
twentieth century politics. Defining “politics” as “any action taken to affect the course of behavior of government or
of the community,” Baker concludes that, while voting and holding office were restricted to men, women in the
nineteenth century organized themselves into societies committed to social issues such as temperance and poverty.
In other words, Baker contends, women activists were early practitioners of nonpartisan, issue-oriented politics and
thus were more interested in enlisting lawmakers, regardless of their party affiliation, on behalf of certain issues than
in ensuring that one party or another won an election. In the twentieth century, more men drew closer to women’s
ideas about politics and took up modes of issue-oriented politics that Baker sees women as having pioneered.

4. According to the passage, Paula Baker and the new political historians of the 1960’s and 1970’s shared which of
the following?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.
The new school of political history that emerged in the 1960’s and 1970’s sought to go beyond the traditional focus
of political historians on leaders and government institutions by examining directly the political practices of ordinary
citizens. Like the old approach, however, this new approach excluded women. The very techniques these historians
used to uncover mass political behavior in the nineteenth century United States—quantitative analyses of election
returns, for example—were useless in analyzing the political activities of women, who were denied the vote until
1920.
By redefining “political activity,” historian Paula Baker has developed a political history that includes women. She
concludes that among ordinary citizens, political activism by women in the nineteenth century prefigured trends in
twentieth century politics. Defining “politics” as “any action taken to affect the course of behavior of government or
of the community,” Baker concludes that, while voting and holding office were restricted to men, women in the
nineteenth century organized themselves into societies committed to social issues such as temperance and poverty.
In other words, Baker contends, women activists were early practitioners of nonpartisan, issue-oriented politics and
thus were more interested in enlisting lawmakers, regardless of their party affiliation, on behalf of certain issues than
in ensuring that one party or another won an election. In the twentieth century, more men drew closer to women’s
ideas about politics and took up modes of issue-oriented politics that Baker sees women as having pioneered.

5. Which of the following best describes the structure of the first paragraph of the passage?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

Exactly when in the early modern era Native Americans began exchanging animal furs with Europeans for European-
made goods is uncertain. What is fairly certain, even though they left no written evidence of having done so, is that

the first Europeans to conduct such trade during the modern period were fishing crews working the waters around
Newfoundland. Archaeologists had (5) noticed that sixteenth-century Native American sites were strewn with iron
bolts and metal pins. Only later, upon reading Nicolas Denys’s 1672 account of seventeenth-century European
settlements in North America, did archaeologists realize that sixteenth-century European fishing crews had
dismantled and exchanged parts of their ships for furs.
By the time Europeans sailing the Atlantic coast of North America first documented the fur trade, it (10) was
apparently well underway. The first to record such trade—the captain of a Portuguese vessel sailing from
Newfoundland in 1501—observed that a Native American aboard the ship wore Venetian silver earrings. Another early chronicler noted in 1524 that Native Americans living along the coast of what is now New England had become
selective about European trade goods: they accepted only knives, fishhooks, and sharp metal. By the time Cartier
sailed the Saint Lawrence River (15) ten years later, Native Americans had traded with Europeans for more than
thirty years, perhaps half a century.

1. The passage suggests that which of the following is partially responsible for the difficulty in establishing the
precise date when the fur trade in North America began?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

Exactly when in the early modern era Native Americans began exchanging animal furs with Europeans for European-
made goods is uncertain. What is fairly certain, even though they left no written evidence of having done so, is that

the first Europeans to conduct such trade during the modern period were fishing crews working the waters around
Newfoundland. Archaeologists had (5) noticed that sixteenth-century Native American sites were strewn with iron
bolts and metal pins. Only later, upon reading Nicolas Denys’s 1672 account of seventeenth-century European
settlements in North America, did archaeologists realize that sixteenth-century European fishing crews had
dismantled and exchanged parts of their ships for furs.
By the time Europeans sailing the Atlantic coast of North America first documented the fur trade, it (10) was
apparently well underway. The first to record such trade—the captain of a Portuguese vessel sailing from
Newfoundland in 1501—observed that a Native American aboard the ship wore Venetian silver earrings. Another early chronicler noted in 1524 that Native Americans living along the coast of what is now New England had become
selective about European trade goods: they accepted only knives, fishhooks, and sharp metal. By the time Cartier
sailed the Saint Lawrence River (15) ten years later, Native Americans had traded with Europeans for more than
thirty years, perhaps half a century.

2. The author of the passage draws conclusions about the fur trade in North America from all of the following
sources EXCEPT

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

Exactly when in the early modern era Native Americans began exchanging animal furs with Europeans for European-
made goods is uncertain. What is fairly certain, even though they left no written evidence of having done so, is that

the first Europeans to conduct such trade during the modern period were fishing crews working the waters around
Newfoundland. Archaeologists had (5) noticed that sixteenth-century Native American sites were strewn with iron
bolts and metal pins. Only later, upon reading Nicolas Denys’s 1672 account of seventeenth-century European
settlements in North America, did archaeologists realize that sixteenth-century European fishing crews had
dismantled and exchanged parts of their ships for furs.
By the time Europeans sailing the Atlantic coast of North America first documented the fur trade, it (10) was
apparently well underway. The first to record such trade—the captain of a Portuguese vessel sailing from
Newfoundland in 1501—observed that a Native American aboard the ship wore Venetian silver earrings. Another early chronicler noted in 1524 that Native Americans living along the coast of what is now New England had become
selective about European trade goods: they accepted only knives, fishhooks, and sharp metal. By the time Cartier
sailed the Saint Lawrence River (15) ten years later, Native Americans had traded with Europeans for more than
thirty years, perhaps half a century.

3. Which of the following best describes the primary function of lines 6–8?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

Exactly when in the early modern era Native Americans began exchanging animal furs with Europeans for European-
made goods is uncertain. What is fairly certain, even though they left no written evidence of having done so, is that

the first Europeans to conduct such trade during the modern period were fishing crews working the waters around
Newfoundland. Archaeologists had (5) noticed that sixteenth-century Native American sites were strewn with iron
bolts and metal pins. Only later, upon reading Nicolas Denys’s 1672 account of seventeenth-century European
settlements in North America, did archaeologists realize that sixteenth-century European fishing crews had
dismantled and exchanged parts of their ships for furs.
By the time Europeans sailing the Atlantic coast of North America first documented the fur trade, it (10) was
apparently well underway. The first to record such trade—the captain of a Portuguese vessel sailing from
Newfoundland in 1501—observed that a Native American aboard the ship wore Venetian silver earrings. Another early chronicler noted in 1524 that Native Americans living along the coast of what is now New England had become
selective about European trade goods: they accepted only knives, fishhooks, and sharp metal. By the time Cartier
sailed the Saint Lawrence River (15) ten years later, Native Americans had traded with Europeans for more than
thirty years, perhaps half a century.

4. The passage supports which of the following statements about sixteenth century European fishing crews
working the waters off Newfoundland?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following comprehension and select the best possible option for the questions pertinent to this passage.

Exactly when in the early modern era Native Americans began exchanging animal furs with Europeans for European-
made goods is uncertain. What is fairly certain, even though they left no written evidence of having done so, is that

the first Europeans to conduct such trade during the modern period were fishing crews working the waters around
Newfoundland. Archaeologists had (5) noticed that sixteenth-century Native American sites were strewn with iron
bolts and metal pins. Only later, upon reading Nicolas Denys’s 1672 account of seventeenth-century European
settlements in North America, did archaeologists realize that sixteenth-century European fishing crews had
dismantled and exchanged parts of their ships for furs.
By the time Europeans sailing the Atlantic coast of North America first documented the fur trade, it (10) was
apparently well underway. The first to record such trade—the captain of a Portuguese vessel sailing from
Newfoundland in 1501—observed that a Native American aboard the ship wore Venetian silver earrings. Another early chronicler noted in 1524 that Native Americans living along the coast of what is now New England had become
selective about European trade goods: they accepted only knives, fishhooks, and sharp metal. By the time Cartier
sailed the Saint Lawrence River (15) ten years later, Native Americans had traded with Europeans for more than
thirty years, perhaps half a century.

5.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Native Americans mentioned in line 12?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following passage and choose the correct answers for each of the following reading comprehension questions.
For millennia, the Nile River flooded nearly every year as a natural consequence of heavy summer rains on the
Ethiopian Plateau; in the last century, as the population in the region exploded, the cycle of flooding interspersed
with periodic drought caused widespread suffering for the local population. In the mid-1950s, the Egyptian government
concluded that a significant dam was necessary to enable the country’s economic development to be on a par with
that of Western nations. The Aswan Dam would prevent the annual flooding, generate hydroelectric power and supply
a steady source of water for residents and agricultural activities, though it would also have other, less positive effects.
By the 1970s, most Egyptian villages had electric power, and the dam provided approximately half of Egypt’s entire
output of electricity. The benefits were counteracted, however, by consequences which were sometimes slow to
appear but ruinous in their long-term effects. Dams prevent silt from flowing through to downstream lands. The silt is
essential for renewing the minerals and nutrients that make the land fertile; before the dam, the Nile floodplain was
famously productive. Farmers have had to substitute artificial fertilizers, reducing profits and causing pervasive
chemical pollution with deleterious effects for the human, animal and plant populations living near or in the river. It is
difficult to draw definite conclusions about a project with such substantial and varied results, but it would be untenable
to assert that the Egyptian government should never have built the Aswan Dam.

1.Based upon the content of the passage, the author would most likely agree with which of the following
propositions?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following passage and choose the correct answers for each of the following reading comprehension questions.
For millennia, the Nile River flooded nearly every year as a natural consequence of heavy summer rains on the
Ethiopian Plateau; in the last century, as the population in the region exploded, the cycle of flooding interspersed
with periodic drought caused widespread suffering for the local population. In the mid-1950s, the Egyptian government
concluded that a significant dam was necessary to enable the country’s economic development to be on a par with
that of Western nations. The Aswan Dam would prevent the annual flooding, generate hydroelectric power and supply
a steady source of water for residents and agricultural activities, though it would also have other, less positive effects.
By the 1970s, most Egyptian villages had electric power, and the dam provided approximately half of Egypt’s entire
output of electricity. The benefits were counteracted, however, by consequences which were sometimes slow to
appear but ruinous in their long-term effects. Dams prevent silt from flowing through to downstream lands. The silt is
essential for renewing the minerals and nutrients that make the land fertile; before the dam, the Nile floodplain was
famously productive. Farmers have had to substitute artificial fertilizers, reducing profits and causing pervasive
chemical pollution with deleterious effects for the human, animal and plant populations living near or in the river. It is
difficult to draw definite conclusions about a project with such substantial and varied results, but it would be untenable
to assert that the Egyptian government should never have built the Aswan Dam.

2. The author’s attitude toward the Aswan Dam Project is best reflected by which of the following phrases?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following passage and choose the correct answers for each of the following reading comprehension questions.
For millennia, the Nile River flooded nearly every year as a natural consequence of heavy summer rains on the
Ethiopian Plateau; in the last century, as the population in the region exploded, the cycle of flooding interspersed
with periodic drought caused widespread suffering for the local population. In the mid-1950s, the Egyptian government
concluded that a significant dam was necessary to enable the country’s economic development to be on a par with
that of Western nations. The Aswan Dam would prevent the annual flooding, generate hydroelectric power and supply
a steady source of water for residents and agricultural activities, though it would also have other, less positive effects.
By the 1970s, most Egyptian villages had electric power, and the dam provided approximately half of Egypt’s entire
output of electricity. The benefits were counteracted, however, by consequences which were sometimes slow to
appear but ruinous in their long-term effects. Dams prevent silt from flowing through to downstream lands. The silt is
essential for renewing the minerals and nutrients that make the land fertile; before the dam, the Nile floodplain was
famously productive. Farmers have had to substitute artificial fertilizers, reducing profits and causing pervasive
chemical pollution with deleterious effects for the human, animal and plant populations living near or in the river. It is
difficult to draw definite conclusions about a project with such substantial and varied results, but it would be untenable
to assert that the Egyptian government should never have built the Aswan Dam.

3.The passage implies which of the following about the effects of the Aswan Dam?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following passage and choose the correct answers for each of the following reading comprehension questions.
For millennia, the Nile River flooded nearly every year as a natural consequence of heavy summer rains on the
Ethiopian Plateau; in the last century, as the population in the region exploded, the cycle of flooding interspersed
with periodic drought caused widespread suffering for the local population. In the mid-1950s, the Egyptian government
concluded that a significant dam was necessary to enable the country’s economic development to be on a par with
that of Western nations. The Aswan Dam would prevent the annual flooding, generate hydroelectric power and supply
a steady source of water for residents and agricultural activities, though it would also have other, less positive effects.
By the 1970s, most Egyptian villages had electric power, and the dam provided approximately half of Egypt’s entire
output of electricity. The benefits were counteracted, however, by consequences which were sometimes slow to
appear but ruinous in their long-term effects. Dams prevent silt from flowing through to downstream lands. The silt is
essential for renewing the minerals and nutrients that make the land fertile; before the dam, the Nile floodplain was
famously productive. Farmers have had to substitute artificial fertilizers, reducing profits and causing pervasive
chemical pollution with deleterious effects for the human, animal and plant populations living near or in the river. It is
difficult to draw definite conclusions about a project with such substantial and varied results, but it would be untenable
to assert that the Egyptian government should never have built the Aswan Dam.

4.What is the significance of the author’s statement that the dam generated half of Egypt’s output of electricity by
the 1970s?

INSTRUCTION – Read the following passage and choose the correct answers for each of the following reading comprehension questions.
For millennia, the Nile River flooded nearly every year as a natural consequence of heavy summer rains on the
Ethiopian Plateau; in the last century, as the population in the region exploded, the cycle of flooding interspersed
with periodic drought caused widespread suffering for the local population. In the mid-1950s, the Egyptian government
concluded that a significant dam was necessary to enable the country’s economic development to be on a par with
that of Western nations. The Aswan Dam would prevent the annual flooding, generate hydroelectric power and supply
a steady source of water for residents and agricultural activities, though it would also have other, less positive effects.
By the 1970s, most Egyptian villages had electric power, and the dam provided approximately half of Egypt’s entire
output of electricity. The benefits were counteracted, however, by consequences which were sometimes slow to
appear but ruinous in their long-term effects. Dams prevent silt from flowing through to downstream lands. The silt is
essential for renewing the minerals and nutrients that make the land fertile; before the dam, the Nile floodplain was
famously productive. Farmers have had to substitute artificial fertilizers, reducing profits and causing pervasive
chemical pollution with deleterious effects for the human, animal and plant populations living near or in the river. It is
difficult to draw definite conclusions about a project with such substantial and varied results, but it would be untenable
to assert that the Egyptian government should never have built the Aswan Dam.

5.What is the primary purpose of the passage?