Worksheet Solutions: Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Reading Comprehension  1 

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
One morning, Rajat woke up to the sound of chirping birds outside his window. He got up, washed his face, and went to the balcony to enjoy the fresh morning breeze. As he looked around, he noticed a tiny bird's nest on a tree branch near his balcony. Rajat was fascinated by the nest and decided to observe the birds closely.
He noticed that the birds were busy flying in and out of the nest, carrying twigs, leaves, and worms. They were building the nest and preparing it for their eggs. Rajat watched in amazement as the birds worked tirelessly, taking turns to bring materials and build their cozy home. He learned that the birds were Sparrows, known for their small size and cheerful chirping.
Rajat decided to help the birds by keeping a bowl of water and some grains on his balcony. He watched as the birds happily sipped water and pecked at the grains. He felt a sense of joy and satisfaction in being able to contribute to the well-being of the birds.

(i) What did Rajat hear outside his window in the morning?
(a) Chirping birds
(b) Barking dogs
(c) Blaring horns
(d) Roaring thunder

Correct Answer is option (a)
When Rajat woke up in the morning, the first thing he heard was the sweet sound of birds chirping outside his window. That sound is what got him out of bed!

(ii) What did Rajat notice on the tree branch near his balcony?
(a) A tiny bird's nest
(b) A squirrel
(c) A bee hive
(d) A butterfly

Correct Answer is option (a)
While standing on his balcony and enjoying the fresh air, Rajat looked around carefully and spotted a tiny bird's nest sitting on a nearby tree branch.

(iii) What were the birds busy doing near Rajat's balcony?
(a) Searching for food
(b) Flying in circles
(c) Sleeping
(d) Building a nest

Correct Answer is option (d)
The birds were working very hard - flying back and forth, carrying twigs, leaves, and worms to build their nest. They were getting their home ready for their eggs!

(iv) What kind of birds did Rajat observe near his balcony?
(a) Eagles
(b) Sparrows
(c) Peacocks
(d) Flamingos

Correct Answer is option (b)
Rajat found out that the little birds he was watching were Sparrows. Sparrows are small birds famous for their cheerful chirping sounds - just like the ones that woke Rajat up!

(v) How did Rajat decide to help the birds?
(a) By scaring them away
(b) By building a nest for them
(c) By keeping water and grains on his balcony
(d) By capturing them in a cage

Correct Answer is option (c)
Rajat had a kind heart! He kept a bowl of water and some grains on his balcony so the birds could drink and eat. The birds happily enjoyed what he offered them.

Reading Comprehension 2

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Once upon a time, there lived a famous holy man. He was a very religious and learned person. His name was Naman. One day, he decided to go to another village. He took with him only three things. The first was a lamp so that he could read the holy books in the evening. The next was a cock to wake him up in the morning so that he could offer his prayers. The last was a donkey who could carry him on its back.
After travelling for many miles, he came to a small village. Nobody gave him shelter there. So he went out of the village and sat under a tall tree. Naman had no food to eat and nothing to drink. He lit the lamp to read the holy book but a strong wind blew out the lamp. He said, "God is great and whatever he does must we for the best". And he stretched himself out on the cold earth and went to sleep. Next morning when he woke up the sun was shining brightly. He saw some villagers coming towards him. "Are you all right"? They asked him. "No, I'm not", complained Naman, "You wouldn't give me any shelter. So I had to sleep under this tree without any food or drink. And the wind blew out my lamp so I could not read my holy book." 'Is that all?" cried the villagers. "During the night some robbers attacked us and took away everything we had. Anyone who tried to stop them was beaten up and three men were killed. Naman once again knelt on the ground and thanked God.

Answer the following questions briefly.          

(i) What three things did Naman take with him?
Ans: Naman took with him a lamp to read the holy books in the evening, a cock to wake him up in the morning to offer prayers and a donkey to carry him on its back.

(ii) Where did Naman stay?
Ans: Naman stayed under a tall tree, stretched himself out on the cold earth and went to sleep.

(iii) What did Naman eat?
Ans: Naman ate nothing. He had no food to eat and nothing to drink. The villagers hadn't given him anything to eat or drink.

(iv) What did Naman believe in?
Ans: Naman believed in God. He thought that God is great and whatever he does must be for the best.

(v) What did the villagers tell Naman in the morning?
Ans: In the morning, the villagers told Naman that during right some robbers attacked them and took away everything they had. Anyone who tried to stop them was beaten up and three were killed.

(vi) Write the word from the passage which means 'lad down'.
Ans: Stretched out is the word from the passage which is similar to 'lad down'.

(vii) Write the word from the passage which means 'bowed down on knees'.
Ans: 'Knelt' is the word from the passage which is similar to 'bowed down on knees'.

Reading Comprehension 3

Once upon a time, there was a small village located next to a dense forest. The villagers were simple and hardworking people. They lived in harmony with nature and relied on the forest for their food and other resources. One day, a stranger came to the village. He brought with him a mysterious box that was said to have magical powers. The stranger told the villagers that the box could grant them anything they desired, but warned them not to become greedy. The villagers were curious and excited about the magical box. They started using it to fulfil their small needs and desires. Soon, they began to depend on the box for everything. They stopped working and started making endless demands from the box. The once hardworking villagers became lazy and careless. They did not realize that they were losing their connection with nature.

One day, the stranger returned to the village. He saw the villagers fighting over the box and the village in chaos. The stranger warned the villagers that they had become too greedy and had forgotten the value of hard work. He took the magical box away, and the villagers were left with nothing. They realized their mistake and started working hard again. They re-established their bond with nature and lived happily ever after.

A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
(i) What did the stranger bring to the village?
(a) A magical box
(b) A magical wand
(c) A magical stone
(d) A magical book

Correct Answer is option (a)
When the stranger arrived at the village, he was carrying a mysterious box that was believed to have magical powers. It could grant the villagers anything they wished for!

(ii) What was the warning given by the stranger?
(a) Not to use the box
(b) Not to become greedy
(c) Not to open the box
(d) Not to share the box

Correct Answer is option (b)
Before leaving the magical box with the villagers, the stranger gave them one important warning - to never become greedy. Sadly, the villagers did not listen to this advice.

(iii) What happened when the villagers started using the magical box?
(a) They remained hardworking
(b) They became lazy and careless
(c) They became more responsible
(d) They became more intelligent

Correct Answer is option (b)
Since the box fulfilled every wish, the villagers stopped working altogether and kept making endless demands. Over time, they turned lazy, careless, and lost their bond with nature.

(iv) What did the stranger do when he returned to the village?
(a) He gave them another box
(b) He took the magical box away
(c) He punished the villagers
(d) He granted them more wishes

Correct Answer is option (b)
When the stranger came back, he found the villagers fighting over the box and the whole village in a mess. He warned them about their greed and took the magical box back with him.

(v) How did the villagers live after the stranger took the box away?
(a) They were unhappy
(b) They were angry
(c) They worked hard and lived happily
(d) They looked for another magical box

Correct Answer is option (c)
Losing the box was a big lesson for the villagers. They understood their mistake, went back to working hard, reconnected with nature, and eventually lived a happy and peaceful life again.

B. On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions.
(i) Describe the villagers before the stranger came to their village.

The villagers were simple, hardworking people who lived in harmony with nature and relied on the forest for their food and other resources.

(ii) What did the stranger tell the villagers about the magical box?

The stranger told the villagers that the magical box could grant them anything they desired, but warned them not to become greedy.

(iii) How did the villagers change after using the magical box?

After using the magical box, the villagers became lazy and careless, depending on the box for everything and making endless demands.

(iv) What did the stranger see when he returned to the village?

When the stranger returned to the village, he saw the villagers fighting over the box and the village in chaos.

(v) What lesson did the villagers learn after losing the magical box?

The villagers learned the importance of hard work and the value of living in harmony with nature after losing the magical box.

Reading Comprehension 4

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor farmer named Ram. He had a small piece of land where he grew vegetables and fruits. Ram worked very hard on his land from dawn to dusk. One day, while digging the land, Ram found a golden goose. The goose had magical powers and could lay one golden egg every day. Ram was thrilled with his newfound wealth and decided to share it with the villagers. He would sell the golden eggs and use the money to help the poor and needy.
As the days passed, Ram became very popular in the village, and everyone admired his generosity. However, the village head, Ratan, was jealous of Ram's fame and fortune. He hatched a plan to steal the golden goose from Ram. Ratan sneaked into Ram's house one night and stole the goose, but he couldn't control his greed. Instead of waiting for the goose to lay golden eggs, he decided to kill the goose and take all the gold inside it. But when he cut the goose open, there was no gold inside. Ratan had killed the magical goose in his greed, and now there was no more wealth for Ram or the village.
Ratan realized his mistake, but it was too late. Ram forgave Ratan, but the village had lost its magical source of wealth. The villagers learned a valuable lesson that day - greed can lead to the loss of everything.

A. Choose the correct option for each question.
(i) What did Ram find while digging the land?
(a) A treasure chest
(b) A golden goose
(c) A diamond
(d) A magical tree

Correct Answer is option (b)
One day, while Ram was digging his small piece of land, he made a surprising discovery - a golden goose with magical powers! It was a completely unexpected gift for the hardworking farmer.

(ii) What was the magical power of the golden goose?
(a) It could talk
(b) It could fly
(c) It could lay golden eggs
(d) It could turn anything to gold

Correct Answer is option (c)
The golden goose had a very special power - it laid one golden egg every single day! Ram would sell these eggs and use the money to help poor and needy people in the village.

(iii) Why was Ratan jealous of Ram?
(a) Ram had a bigger house
(b) Ram was more popular and wealthy
(c) Ram had more land
(d) Ram was smarter than Ratan

Correct Answer is option (b)
Because of his kindness and golden eggs, Ram became very famous and well-liked in the village. Ratan, the village head, could not bear to see Ram getting so much love and wealth, and that made him extremely jealous.

(iv) What did Ratan do out of jealousy?
(a) He stole Ram's land
(b) He kidnapped Ram
(c) He spread rumours about Ram
(d) He stole the golden goose

Correct Answer is option (d)
Blinded by jealousy and greed, Ratan hatched a wicked plan. He sneaked into Ram's house in the middle of the night and quietly stole the magical golden goose away from him.

(v) What lesson did the villagers learn from this story?
a) Hard work pays off
b) Greed can lead to the loss of everything
c) Sharing is caring
d) Honesty is the best policy

Correct Answer is option (b)
Ratan's greed made him kill the goose hoping to find all the gold at once - but there was nothing inside! This taught everyone a very important lesson: being greedy can make you lose even what you already have.

B. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions. [2 marks each]
(i) Describe the life of Ram before he found the golden goose.

Ram was a poor farmer living in a small village. He had a small piece of land where he grew vegetables and fruits, and he worked very hard on his land from dawn to dusk.

(ii) How did Ram plan to use the money from the golden eggs?

Ram planned to sell the golden eggs and use the money to help the poor and needy in the village.

(iii) How did Ratan plan to steal the wealth of the golden goose?

Ratan sneaked into Ram's house one night and stole the golden goose.

(iv) What happened when Ratan killed the goose?

When Ratan killed the goose, there was no gold inside. He had killed the magical goose in his greed, and now there was no more wealth for Ram or the village.

(v) How did Ram react to Ratan's actions?

Ram forgave Ratan for his actions, but the village had lost its magical source of wealth.

C. Find words or phrases from the passage that mean the opposite as the following. [1 mark each]
(i) Lazy (paragraph 1)

Hardworking

(ii) Unpopular (paragraph 2)

Popular

(iii) Content (paragraph 3)

Greedy

(iv) Save (paragraph 3)

Lose

(v) Early (paragraph 4)

Late

Reading Comprehension  5

Conversation is a fine art. It is the art of exchanging thoughts. It is an art which anybody can cultivate or master. Not everybody can paint or play music, but almost everyone can talk. Thus it affords the greatest pleasure to the greatest number. 'To talk", says R.L. Sleversan, "is our chief business in the world. And talk is by far the most accessible of pleasures. It costs nothing in money, it is all profit. It completes our education, makes friends and can be enjoyed at any age. Conversation is indeed the most teachable of all the arts. All you need to do is to find a subject that interests you and your listeners.

Hobbies are, for example, numberless hobbies to talk about. But the important thing is that you must talk about the other fellow's hobby rather than your own. Therein lies the secret of your popularity. There is nothing that pleases people so much as your interest in their interest.

It is just as important to know what subjects to avoid and what subjects to select for good conversation. If you don't want to be set down as a bore, avoid certain unpleasant topics. Avoid talking about yourself unless you are asked to do so. Sickness or death bores everybody. The only one who willingly listens to such talk is, the doctor, but he gets paid for it. You must also know not only what to say but also how to say it.

A. Answer the following questions briefly:

(i) How does the author define and explain the art of conversation?

Conversation is a fine art easier to learn and within everybody's reach.

(ii) How is talking easier to learn than other fine arts?

It is easier to become a good talker than a master painter or musician.

(iii) What are the subjects one can easily talk about?

One can easily talk about hobbies of the listener.

(iv) Which topics usually bore the listener?

One should avoid discussing unpleasant topics like sickness or death.

(v) What should be avoided unless you are asked to do so?

Avoid talking about yourself unless you are asked to do so.

B. Find words from the above passage similar in meaning to the following:

(i) acquire or develop

cultivate

(ii) within reach

accessible

(iii) make happy

please