Overview - How to Solve Reading Comprehensions | English Class 8 PDF Download

Introduction

• Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill essential for academic success, career development, and personal growth.
• It involves understanding, interpreting, and critically analyzing the text to grasp underlying messages and implications.
• This lesson aims to equip you with effective strategies and techniques to enhance your reading comprehension skills.
• By following a structured approach, you will learn to tackle different types of comprehension questions.

Important tips to solve Comprehensions Question

• Read the passage carefully and try to understand the contents.
• Try to understand the meaning of every word in context to the passage.
• After reading the passage thoroughly, turn to the questions that follow. Try to find the answers.
• Check your answers before writing them.
• Answer should be in the same tense, in which the question is given.
• Answer the questions on the basis of the information given in the passage. Do not add your own views, expressions and imagination.
• Try to answer the questions in your own words but strictly to the point and as briefly as possible. We See that every answer is clear and complete in itself.
• Revise your-answers carefully to avoid any mistake.
• Most importantly time management should be followed.

Let's have a look at few Comprehensions passages to understand the concept better. 

Passage 1

The culture of nuclear families is in fashion. Parents are often heard complaining about the difficulties in bringing up children these days. Too much of freedom in demand, too much independence; over night parties; excessive extravagance, splurging pocket money; no time for studies and family all this is a common cry of such families. Aren’t parents, themselves, responsible for this pitiful state ? The basic need of a growing youth is the family, love, attention and bonding along with moral values. One should not forget that ‘charity begins at home’.

Independence and individuality both need to be respected, in order to maintain the sanctity of family. Children, today are to be handled with tact in order to bridge the ever widening generation gap. Only the reasonable demands need to be fulfilled, as there are too many expenses to be met and top many social obligations to be taken care of by the parents. Our forefathers lived happily in joint families. Children loved to live with their cousins, learnt to adjust within means. There was perfect harmony between the generations. There never existed the concept of old-age homes. There was deep respect for the family elders and love, care and concern for the youngsters. Even the minor family differences were solved amicably.

Answer the following questions according to the given passage

Questions:

1. Mention any two major common concerns of a nuclear family. 
2. Who, according to the passage, are responsible for them ?
3. Explain the expression ‘charity begins at home’.
4. Describe the atmosphere in joint families.
5. Which word in the passage means ‘Holiness of life’ ?

Answers:

1. Too much independence and no time for studies and family.
2. Parents themselves are responsible for them
3. The parent should not forget that it is in giving that one receives.
4. In joint families, children get a friendly atmosphere and they also learn to adjust within means.
5.  Sanctity in the passage means ‘Holiness of life’.

Passage 2

When we enter New York harbour, the first thing we see is the Statue of Liberty. What impresses us the most is its size and magnificence. Have you ever wondered how it came to be there ? The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to mark the one hundred year anniversary of American Independence. In 1869, sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi began to plan his concept for the monument.

Bartholdi chose the look of classic Greek and Roman figures. He envisioned Liberty as a strong and proud figure, one who personified not only the majestic Greek goddesses of the past, but also the working men and women of the present. Finally, in 1884, the work was finished, and Liberty was packed into 214 crates and sent to New York city. Only one problem stood in the way. While the French had raised a lot of funds to build the statue, New York had not secured the funds to build its foundation. It was not until a New York newspaper implored people for donations that money became available. Finally, on 28th October 1886, Americans celebrated the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty.

Answer the following questions according to the given passage

Questions: 

1. Why was the Statue of Liberty given as a gift to America by France?
2. What is the name of the sculptor of the monument ‘the Statue of Liberty’ ?
3. What did the sculptor imagine the Statue of Liberty to be ?
4. How many years did it take to unveil the Statue of liberty ?
5. Trace the word from the passage which means the same as “imagined”.

Answers:

1. The Statue of Liberty was given as a gift to America by France to mark the one hundred year anniversary of American Independence.
2. The name of the sculptor of the monument ‘the Statue of Liberty’ is "Frederic Auguste Bartholdi".
3. The sculptor imagined the Statue of Liberty as the majestic Greek Goddesses of the past and also as the working men and women of the present.
4. It took about 2 years to unveil the Statue of Liberty.
5. Envisioned.

Passage 3

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his family. He would miss the pay cheque, but he needed to retire. The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said ‘yes’, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior material. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer handed over the key of the house to the carpenter— “This is your house, my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame ! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently! Now he had to live in a poorly built house. So it is with us. We build our lives, a day

at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently. But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!

Answer the following questions according to the given passage

Questions: 

1. What did the carpenter tell his employer? 
2. What favour did his employer ask from the carpenter ?
3. What surprise did the employer have for the carpenter ?
4. Why was the surprise a’shame’for the carpenter?
5. Which word in the first paragraph means the same as ‘art of skill of a workman’ ?

Answers:

1. The carpenter told his employer of his plans to retire from his house building business and live a leisurely life with his family.
2. The employer asked if he could build just one more house as a favour.
3. The employer handed over the keys of the new house to the carpenter.
4. As the carpenter resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior material.
5. workmanship.

Passage 4

Next to water, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world. This is a good news because tea offers important health benefits. Its benefits were first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung who declared that it gave one vigour of body, contentment of mind and determination of purpose. Today there is ample proof that tea in its many forms possesses a number of health benefits from supporting the immune, system to reducing the risk of cancer, to helping prevent tooth decay.

What makes tea such a healthy drink ? The star compounds are called catechins. Those are antioxidants ,  that help prevent cell damage by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Tea can be black, green and red and is derived from a warm-weather evergreen tree known as Camelia Sinensis. The more processing, tea leaves undergo, the darker they become. Green tea is the least processed tea. It is simply steamed quickly and offers the maximum healing powers because it isn’t fermented. It also helps prevent tooth decay and aids weight loss.

Answer the following questions according to the given passage

Questions: 

1. The most commonly consumed beverage in the world is…………………………..
2. Benefits of tea were first discovered by……………………………………..
3. Tea turns out to be a healthy drink due to the presence of…………………………….
4. Green tea leaves offer maximum healing powers because it is………………………..
5. The word to the last para which means the same as helps is………………………….

Answers:

1. The most commonly consumed beverage in the world is tea.
2. Benefits of tea were first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung.
3. Tea turns out to be a healthy drink due to the presence of catechins.
4. Green tea leaves offer maximum healing powers because it is not fermented.
5. The word to the last para which means the same as helps is aids.

Now, let's look at a few passages with multiple-choice questions.

Passage 1

For the mobility—impaired, highly trained canines called ‘service dogs’ can pick up dropped keys, open and close drawers, retrieve prepared meals, help a person in and out of bathtub, dial 911, push and pull wheelchairs, help operate a car or van and pull off gloves, shoes, socks and jackets. Other dogs provide specific assistance to those who suffer seizures (sudden attacks of illness) and require special medication. And, of course, the helping dogs provide companionship, play and give unconditional love to the people they assist.

It is thirty odd years now since the placement of the first assistance dog. But only in recent years, with the rising independent movement among disabled people has the idea begun to spread widely.

While most service-dogs are trained to work with people who rely on wheelchairs, other categories of helping dogs include hearing-dogs who alert their owners to sounds, such as doorbells, phones, cooking timers, alarm clocks, smoke alarms and seizure dogs which carry medication in their packs and are trained to dial 911 on large keypad phones.

Choose the correct option according to the given passage

Q1: The service-dogs were:

1. paid highly 
2. less in number 
3. multiple taskers 
4. employees

Q2: The idea of assistance dogs became popular due to the:

1. independent movement among the disabled
2. awareness by the hospitals
3. independence of the country
4. both 1 and 2

Q3: The categories of helping-dogs are:

1. domestic dogs, service dogs & seizure dogs
2. service, hearing and seizure dogs
3. hunting and domestic dogs
4. None of the above

Q4: There is a difference between:

1. the service dogs and the helping dogs
2. the serving dogs and canines
3. the canines and ordinary dogs
4. both 2 and 3 .

Q5: Give the noun form of ‘trained’:

1. train
2. trains
3. training
4. trainee

Answers:

1. multiple taskers
2. independence movement among the disabled
3. service, hearing and seizure dogs
4. The canines and ordinary dogs
5. trainee

Passage 2

An owl is a bird. There are two basic types of owls: typical owls and bam owls. Owls live in almost every country of the world. Owls are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are awake at night. Owls are predators—they hunt the food that they eat. Owls hunt for mice and other small mammals, insects and even fish. Owls are well adapted for hunting. Their soft, fluffy feathers make their flight nearly silent. They have very good hearing which helps them to hunt well in the darkness. The sharp hooked beaks and claws of the owl makes it very easy to tear apart their prey quickly, although owls also eat some prey whole.

Owl’s eyes are unusual. Like most predators, both the eyes of the owl face front. The owl cannot move its eyes. Owls are far—sighted, which means they can see very well far away………. but they can’t see dose very well at all. Fortunately, their distant vision is what they use for hunting and they can see far away even in low light. Owls have facial disks around their eyes, tufts of feathers in a circle around each eye. These facial disks are thought to help the Owl’s hearing. Owls can turn their heads 180 degrees. This makes it look like they might be able to turn their heads all the way around, but 180 degrees is all the owl needs to see what’s going on all around its. Perhaps because of the Owl’s mysterious appearance, especially its round eyes and flexible neck, there are a lot of myths and superstitions about owls. Many cultures believe that owls are unusually wise. Because owls are nocturnal, some cultures associate owls with bad omens. The screech of the bam owl is considered by many to sound eerily human, like a person screaming. However, owls probably do not interact with the fates of humans at all. In fact, some owl species may become extinct because of humans.

Choose the correct option according to the given passage

Q1 :Which of the following is not true about owls ?

1. Owls eat small animals
2. Owls are able to fly silently
3. Owls have the best hearing of all birds
4. Owls have poor vision

Q2: The eyesight of the owl is used for……………..

1. flying
2. hunting
3. sleeping
4. none of these

Q3: The purpose of this short article is…………….

1. to entertain
2. to inform
3. to persuade
4. none of these

Q4: Title for this story can be…………..

1. Owls hunt at night
2. Owls can fly silently
3. Owls are interesting animals
4. Owls have flexible necks

Q5: Which of the following is true ?.

1. The facial disks of the owl help them to see.
2. Owls have a strong, bent beak.
3. Most owls hunt for food during the day.
4. Owls are dangerous to humans.

Answers:

1. owls have poor vision
2. hunting
3. to inform
4. Owls are interesting animals
5. Owls have a strong, bent beak

Passage 3

This is a great lesson for all of us to learn, that in all matters the two extremes are alike. The extreme positive and the extreme negative are always similar. When the vibrations of light are too slow we do not see them, nor do we see them when they are too rapid. So with sound; when very low in pitch we do not hear it, when very high we do not hear it either. Of like nature is the difference between resistance and non-resistance. One man does not resist because he is weak, lazy and cannot; because he will not; the other man knows that he can strike an irresistible blow if he likes; yet he not only does not strike, but blesses his enemies. The one who from weakness resists not commits a sin, and as such cannot receive any benefit from the non-resistance, while the other would commit a sin by offering resistance.  —Swami Vivekananda.

Choose the correct option according to the given passage

Q1: “… in all matters two extremes are alike”, means:

1. Powerful men always gain success
2. All human beings are of same characters
3. Boys and girls are equally talented
4. The extreme positive and the extreme negative are alike

Q2: When the sound is in low pitch:

1. we fail to hear it
2. we can hear it easily
3. it pleases us
4. we feel dizzy

Q3: Too rapid vibrations of light:

1. can be easily seen
2. cannot be seen
3. should be enjoyed
4. both 2 and 3 are correct

Q4: The one who resists is different from a man who does not resist, because of his:

1. nature
2. weakness
3. strength
4. laziness

Q5: The word ‘irresistible’ mean:

1. tied so closely that it cannot be separated
2. so strong that it cannot be stopped
3. that cannot be changed back
4. so valuable that it cannot be replaced

Answers:

1. The extreme positive and the extreme negative are alike
2. we fail to hear it
3. cannot be seen
4. strength
5. so strong that it cannot be stopped