Sample Reading Comprehension - 1 | English Language for Grade 10 PDF Download

Passage - 1

Leading members of the U.S. Senate are considering new legislation to tax certain popular drinks. This federal tax would be added to the cost of sodas, sports drinks, and sugar-sweetened fruit drinks. Supporters claim that the few extra cents per beverage will decrease consumption of unhealthy processed sugar, improve the economy, and lower health-care costs. Approximately twelve states have already instituted taxes on sugary beverages, but beverage tax proposals in other states have met with serious opposition. Many opponents believe that taxing unhealthy products doesn’t teach people how to live healthy lives. The American Beverage Association, a lobbying group for the beverage industry, opposes the federal tax proposal, but it does support programs to remove sugary drinks from schools. U.S. lawmakers are also considering other proposals, including a bill to limit trans fat and sodium, both of which have been linked to health problems, in packaged and restaurant food.

Passage - 2

(Down in the Dumps)

"Does anyone want to trade lives with me?" asked Jasper as he sat down at the lunchroom table. Iolanthe and Trixie exchanged amused looks.
"That's a pretty terrible attitude," Trixie replied as she patted Jasper on the shoulder. "Cheer up. Iolanthe has great news." Jasper barely glanced up from his plate.
"What news?" he mumbled as he stuffed french fries in his mouth.
"I made captain of the wheelchair rugby team!" exclaimed Iolanthe with a huge grin.
"You play wheelchair rugby?" asked Jasper in surprise.
"For the past five years," said Iolanthe. "You of all people should know that. Trixie and I are going to Frosty Palace after school to celebrate. Why don't you come with us?"
"I don't have anything to celebrate," said Jasper glumly. "I can't figure out this poetry stuff to save my life. If I don't get a good grade on tomorrow's test, I'll fail the class."
"Poor thing," Trixie cried compassionately. "It feels terrible to fail something. I should know! It took me twelve tries to get onto the cheerleading squad, after all. Even though I'm just an alternate, I still show up to every game. I know I'll get on the field one of these days."
"Why don't we help you study, Jasper?" suggested Iolanthe. "We're both pretty good at poetry."
"It won't help," he said. "I haven't bought the book yet."
"How do you expect to pass if you don't have the book?" asked Trixie.
"I thought I could bluff my way through the test," said Jasper. "The new World of War Skill video game came out, and I spent all my allowance on it. I didn't want to spend my money on some stupid book." Iolanthe shook her head in amazement.
"That is the most irresponsible thing you've ever done," she told Jasper. "And I didn't think you could get any more irresponsible."
"I agree completely," said Trixie. "I have helped you out of jams since you were a kid, Jasper, but this is just ridiculous. Iolanthe and I have better things to do than listen to you complain." Iolanthe rolled her wheelchair back from the table and joined Trixie in leaving the lunchroom. Jasper's head drooped as he contemplated his french fries.
"My friends abandoned me for no reason," Jasper moaned out loud. "Why does everything always happen to me?"

Passage - 3

(Texas Facts)

(1) Texas is an important agricultural state. It is a leading producer of a large number of farm products like cotton lint, cottonseed, watermelons, cabbage, spinach, horses, sheep and lambs, goats, and beef cattle. Many chickens and hogs are raised in the state. Corn, wheat, hay, rice, oats, peanuts, pecans, soybeans, citrus fruit, lettuce, sugar beets, sugarcane, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions are also important agricultural products. Wheat, corn, sorghum grain, poultry, and dairy products are other leading sources of farm income in Texas. 

(2) Despite this, the number of farms in Texas has decreased since 1940. As the number of farms has lessened, the size of the average working farm has increased. Texas is known for its large ranches, such as King Ranch, which covers a greater land area than the state of Rhode Island. 

(3) Most people don't think about Texas when it comes to producing timber. However, consider how big Texas is. Most of the lumber cut in the state of Texas makes its way all over the U.S. as paper, lumber, and plywood. The majority of trees harvested are pine. East Texas, the area known as the Piney Woods, is the most valuable spot for producing timber. 

(4) Fishing is also an important industry in Texas due to its coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Shellfishing, especially for shrimp, makes up the biggest portion of the industry. Smaller quantities of oysters are taken. The most important catch includes snapper, flounder, and tuna. Commercial fishing ports can be found in Port Arthur, Palacios, Brownsville, Port Isabel, and Galveston. 

(5) The travel industry depends on Texas. The state is one of the leaders in national and international tourism. State attractions include Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains national parks. More than 130 state parks and recreation areas bring in more than 21 million visitors to the state each year. The Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington is a favorite attraction. Also, Six Flags AstroWorld and WaterWorld amusement centers in Houston and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio draw tourists.
Texas is also the center for hundreds of fairs, shows, and special events like the Texas State Fair and the Wurstfest in New Braunfels. In addition, many traveling to Mexico often make Texas a required stop on their way south.

Passage - 4

"The next presenter is...Katy Rios," Mr. Tucker announced. Gina watched her best friend move to the front of the room. Katy was presenting on Marie Antoinette. Gina would be next, presenting her research on Elizabeth I. Gina smiled as Katy started her speech.
"One of the most impressive monarchs in England was Queen Elizabeth I," Katy began. Gina almost fell out of her chair. That was exactly how her speech was supposed to start, not Katy's! She sat at her desk with her mouth open, unable to believe what happened.
The class applauded Katy's presentation. Mr. Tucker started to announce Gina's name, but before he could finish, the bell rang. Katy raced out of the door, but Gina sat rooted to her desk. She could not move, could not speak.
Mr. Tucker walked down the aisle to Gina's desk. "Is something wrong, Ms. Lang?"
Gina tried to speak several times. Finally, she mumbled, "That was my speech." "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."
Gina took a deep breath. "The speech that Katy gave was mine. She was supposed to present on Marie Antoinette. I spent weeks researching and even had pictures to show the class."
Mr. Tucker asked to see Gina's speech. He looked at the two speeches. Katy's speech was identical to Gina's in every way except her source list. Gina's source list was detailed, full of sources and explanations for the sources. Katy's was a short list of five books with no explanation. "Thank you, Ms. Lang," Mr. Tucker said. "I will take care of this from here."
Gina nodded and left the room. She did not know what she would say when she saw Katy next. 

Passage - 5

(Marie Marvingt)

Marie Marvingt was one of the most accomplished women in France’s history. She was born in Aurillac, France in 1875. When she was only five years old, her father encouraged her to start competing in sports. She became an athlete who participated in many sports, including mountain climbing, swimming, boxing, football, and rifle shooting.
Even though Marie could compete and win awards in many sports, there were some sports that people thought were only for men. Marie tried to enter the Tour de France, a long distance bicycle race, in 1908. However, she was told that women were not allowed to race with men. She waited for the men to finish the race, and then she rode the entire course on her own. Two years after she rode the Tour de France course, Marie became the third woman in the world to earn her airplane pilot’s license.
During World War I, Marie used her unique talents to serve her country. She volunteered to fly bombing missions and became one of the first women to fly an airplane in a combat mission. Marie also served as a nurse with the Red Cross. Her experiences during the war led Marie to campaign for the use of airplanes as air ambulances. As both a pilot and a nurse, Marie knew that many soldiers’ lives could be saved if they could be flown from the battlefield to the hospital. She worked for many years to develop programs and training for the use of air ambulances in France and other countries across the world.
Marie was not a woman to let age slow her down. She continued to fly airplanes, and at the age of 80, she earned her helicopter pilot’s license. Over the course of her lifetime, Marie won over 30 awards and medals for her athletic ability, her aviation skills, her medical service, and her courageous acts during wartime. She also earned the nickname, "The Fiancée of Danger." Marie Marvingt died in 1963 at the age of 88. In the years since her death, her home country of France has celebrated this amazing woman by naming streets, schools, and apartment complexes after her. 

Passage - 6

Ragtime music began just prior to the twentieth century. It enjoyed a brief craze before its popularity declined amid the Roaring Twenties. The music first entered the American consciousness on a national level when Scott Joplin published "Maple Leaf Rag" in 1899. It was the first instrumental piece to sell over a million copies. Scott Joplin’s work saw a revival during the 1970s with the success of the movie The Sting. Joplin did not invent ragtime, however. The music's origins can be traced to the African American music of the late nineteenth century. Ragtime incorporated the rhythms and beats of African American music with the march music of the era, which had its origins in European classical. Once the dance music of ragtime became popular, it didn’t take long to spread from the Southern hubs of New Orleans and St. Louis to the metropolitan centers of New York and Chicago.
By the 1920s, the ragtime craze was fading. It continued to be performed and recorded, but it was being replaced with new kinds of music. However, it had a lasting influence, evident in the early jazz styles that emerged. Some might argue that ragtime is the starting point for all popular music in America. Before ragtime, American music lacked individuality and character. The advent of this music instilled a new rhythm and style into popular American music that continues to this day. 

Passage - 7

(The Night Witches)

During World War II, the Soviet Union created three regiments of female combat pilots to fly dangerous night bombing missions against German forces. The pilots, mechanics, and bomb loaders of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment were all women, and they were nicknamed Nachthexen, or “Night Witches,” by German soldiers for their cunning and successful attacks. These Soviet pilots wore ill-fitting clothing and boots passed down from male soldiers, and they conducted their missions in wood and canvas Polikarpov PO-2 biplanes, which were originally intended for crop dusting and had to be adapted to carry bombs. Although these planes were slow and poorly suited for air combat, they were very maneuverable and could fly close to the ground for concealment.
Throughout the war, the Night Witches primarily flew harassment bombing missions. When the sun went down, these pilots would take to the skies and bomb camps, supply depots, and enemy airplanes. One of the favorite tactics of the Soviet pilots was to fly near an enemy encampment, shut down the engines, and glide silently over their bombing site. The canvas and wood surfaces of their airplanes and their ability to fly close to the ground made the Night Witches difficult to detect on radar. The 588th Regiment conducted many bombing raids each night, and by the end of the war, they were credited with dropping 23,000 tons of bombs.
Many of the Soviet women pilots and navigators lost their lives in battle or on official missions. The entire regiment distinguished itself as a model of courage and patriotism. Night Witches earned a total of 23 Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union medals, and the 588th Regiment was the most highly decorated in the Soviet Air Force. After the war, many of the female pilots continued to fly as civilian test pilots. Other members of the 588th Regiment retired to family life or factory work. Today, the Night Witches are still remembered as skilled warriors who fought bravely for their country. 

Passage - 8

Six years after his first practice, Jermaine was ready for his big shot. He took a deep breath and remembered what his coach said the first day. "Practice helps you learn the skills, but loving the game makes you a great player."
More than anything, Jermaine loved soccer. He started playing when he was eight years old. While he was not the best technical player on any team, he had more heart for the game than half the professional players in the world. He quickly accelerated his skills through practice every day. Jermaine's parents were proud of him, and his friends cheered him at every game.
Now, Jermaine was the only freshman playing on his high school varsity team. He had not played a single game, but he was so proud of his position. With two minutes left in the final game of the season, Jermaine was in the game. He played fantastically and almost scored the winning goal when he was illegally tripped. Jermaine had a penalty shot.
Jermaine took another deep breath and took his shot. Before he knew what happened, the crowd erupted into cheers, and he was lifted onto the shoulders of two teammates. Jermaine grinned from ear to ear. Now that was a soccer game!