Practice Reading Comprehension - 2 | English Language for Grade 10 PDF Download

Passage - 1
(The Dust Bowl)

(1) The Dust Bowl was an eight-year period of drought and dust storms that plagued the Northern and Southern Plains of the United States. The catastrophe lasted from the summer of 1931 to the fall of 1939. The Dust Bowl was the result of poor land management and a lack of rain.
(2) Before the Great Plains were settled, plant and tree roots held the soil in place and prevented the water from running off. Settlers cleared the land, plowed deep into the ground, and planted cotton, wheat, and corn. In 1930, the plains farmers were harvesting bountiful crops. However, overuse of the land sapped it of nutrients needed to support the crops. In the summer of 1931, the decrease in rainfall and poor soil condition caused a lot of the crops to die. Strong winds blew away the dead and weakened plants.
(3) In 1932, the skies became brown and black with clouds of dirt. Deep blankets of dust covered homes, vehicles, and anything else that was out in the open. People and animals died of suffocation and pneumonia. In 1934, the government minimally compensated farmers for their livestock and rid them of the burden of caring for the animals. Masses of people left their homes in search of work and food. Bordering states did not welcome the migrant workers because their own economies and employment opportunities were in decline. Many of the displaced workers and their families lived in makeshift shacks without plumbing or electricity.
(4) In 1935, a conservationist by the name of Hugh Hammond Bennett led a strong campaign for better farming practices and land management. He spoke to Congress and succeeded in getting the Soil Conservation Act of 1935 passed. President Roosevelt also took action to prevent further harm to U.S. lands. The Roosevelt administration educated farmers on techniques to conserve the land. In 1937, the government began paying farmers to use new farming techniques. The farmers received a dollar an acre for trying crop rotation, strip farming, contour plowing, terracing, and other approved conservation methods. Also under Roosevelt's guidance, the Civilian Conservation Corps planted millions of trees between Canada and Abilene, Texas, to create a windbreak and to hold the soil in the ground. These efforts yielded a 65 percent reduction in the amount of soil being carried away by the wind by 1938. Although there was a lot of improvement in the quality of the land, the dry soil failed to produce adequate harvests.

The first banjos were created by Africans who were held as slaves in the southern United States and the Caribbean. Banjos were designed after African musical instruments, and they were an important part of African American traditional music. Early banjos had bodies carved out of gourds and long strings attached to bamboo sticks. Modern banjos have four, five, or six strings, and the circular bodies are made from wood. Banjos can be used to play many different musical styles. Bluegrass, southern gospel, and country music bands often include a banjo player. The design of modern banjos continues to evolve, and several different styles of electric banjos were created in the 1960s. 

Ronnie and Matthew are part of a neighborhood group that focuses on keeping the environment green by spreading awareness about "bicycle culture." The group calls themselves "The Cycling Club," and through their group they try to spread the message that cycling is not only economical and safe, but also helps keep the environment free from pollution. One evening Ronnie and Matthew are cycling around the neighboring locality. "I am glad we do this work, Matthew. It's a great feeling to know that we are doing our bit for the society." Ronnie replies cheerfully. "I agree and I am happy that Sam and Tony too have decided to join the group." They continue chatting as they cycle, then head home as it is getting dark. Ronnie looks at the darkening sky, enjoying the sight of flocks of birds flying to their nests.

Ronnie applies the brakes and stands still, listening carefully, but he can't hear anything. "I must be imagining it," he mutters to himself, as he is now alone on the deserted road, for Matthew has raced ahead and has left Ronnie behind. Suddenly he freezes, as he hears that faint sound again from near the bushes to his right. He parks his bicycle, and moves cautiously in the direction of the sound. To his surprise, he finds a small puppy in the bush. The poor creature is injured and needs help. Ronnie talks to it softly, strokes it, and hopes someone would come by to help him.

Matthew soon realizes that Ronnie is not with him. He isn't worried much, knowing that his friend would not be far. Instead of moving ahead, he decides to wait for him. But as time passes by and there is no sign of Ronnie, Matthew begins to get upset. Knowing that Ronnie is a nature enthusiast, Matthew thinks that Ronnie may have stopped somewhere to admire a flower, or a tree, or the night sky. As Ronnie is still nowhere to be seen, Matthew grows angrier, and decides that he wouldn't go cycling with Ronnie again, and that he needs to tell Ronnie how irresponsible he is.

A couple of minutes later, his eyes widen in surprise as he sees Ronnie cycling slowly toward him, holding a bundle in his left hand, which is wrapped in his shirt. "Now what craziness is this? Do you realize how long I have been waiting for you?" shouts Matthew angrily. "Couldn't you collect these flowers and leaves some other time?" he says, pointing at the bundle. Ronnie simply opens his shirt from one side.

Have you ever dreamed of owning a pet? Perhaps you have allowed yourself to be swayed by idyllic phrases and images such as "man's best friend" or "a boy and his dog." However, this is false advertising. Cats make much better pets than dogs do.
Owning a dog is much more work than owning a cat. Dogs typically require extensive exercise, but cats usually require very little exercise. As a result, dog owners must walk their dogs regularly. This can be hard to do each day if you have a busy lifestyle. Additionally, dogs require their owners to bathe and groom them regularly. People usually have to bathe and groom long-haired cats, but short-haired cats generally bathe and groom themselves. Because they are self-grooming, short-haired cats are usually clean animals and do not stink. Another example of how cats are low-maintenance pets is that they typically fare well if they are left alone for extended periods of time because they are independent. For instance, when a cat owner travels out of town for a few days, he or she can leave extra cat food and water, and the cat will be fine without the owner. Dogs, on the other hand, are fairly dependent on humans for survival. When a dog owner travels out of town, he or she must leave his or her dog in the care of another person. This often requires the use of a boarding or kennel service, which can be expensive. Because cats require less maintenance than dogs, they make better pets.
Granted, anyone who is shopping for a new pet should be allowed to make his or her own decision. However, I hope you can see that having a cat for a pet makes for a cleaner, easier living environment than having a dog.

(1) The Borobudur Temple was built in the 8th and 9th centuries on a hill in the Central Java region of Indonesia. The multi-leveled temple is filled with reliefs that depict historical tales of Buddhism. Stone statues and stupas, cone-shaped structures, also adorn the temple grounds. Millions of dollars are needed to preserve and restore this ancient site. If funding is not granted, the Borobudur Temple will be destroyed by vandals, environmental factors, and natural disasters.
(2) Despite the signs and loudspeaker announcements that warn visitors not to touch the carvings, vandalism still occurs simply by people touching the site's surfaces. Oils and dirt from human hands causes deterioration. Another problem for the temple is that rain causes soil erosion and undermines the structure of the temple. Earthquakes pose the greatest threat to the Borobudur Temple. Shock waves shake the ground and break apart the temple's foundation. Mount Merapi's eruption in November 2010 covered the temple in a one-inch-thick blanket of acidic ash. The fine ash got into the carved lines of the statues and into the drainage pipes. After it rained, the ash became like cement and hardened as it dried. The cement-like coating is very difficult to remove from the statues and carvings. Another concern is that the acid in the volcanic ash might eat away at the stone. Also, the blocked drainage system makes the site vulnerable to flooding.
(3) The Borobudur Temple is a significant part of Buddhist history. It also houses an unsurpassed collection of ancient Buddhist art. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, added the site to the World Heritage List in 1991. The ancient temple is constructed around a hilltop. The base contains detail wall carvings about aspects of Buddhism. Above the base, five square terraces, each one smaller than the one below it, form a pyramid. On top of the terraces are three circular platforms. Seventy-two carved stupas, each containing a statue of Buddha, sit on top of the circular platforms. At the very top of the monument, stairs lead to a 30-foot stupa with a large statue of Buddha inside of it. This ancient site is said to house the largest collection of Buddhist reliefs in the world. Buddhists make pilgrimages to the temple so they can see the carvings and statues. Every year, a major religious festival called Vesak is celebrated at the Borobudur Temple. Tourists from all over the world visit this unique place to learn about the culture and history of Central Java.
(4) While funds could create new development for the people of Central Java, doing so would not preserve a site that draws tourists to the area. Millions of tourists visit the Borobudur Temple each year. Tourists spend thousands of dollars in this area of Indonesia. Preserving the temple will ensure that tourists continue to visit the area. Without tourist dollars supporting the local economy, the people who live in the area would feel the economic impact.
(5) Although the Borobudur Temple is vulnerable to the elements and natural disasters, it has survived for hundreds of years. Restoration projects in the past have proven successful in maintaining the integrity of this ancient site. The sooner grant money is allocated, the more damage will be prevented. With more funding, even better measures can be taken to protect the monument from vandals, weather conditions, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. The existence of this unique monument is at stake.

In 1582, Pope Gregory ordained in his Gregorian calendar that January 1st would replace April 1st as New Year’s Day. News traveled slowly in Medieval Europe, so not all the people knew of the change. Some also were aware of the change yet chose not accept it. The phrase “April fool” was used to describe people who lived according to the old Julian calendar. These April fools were ridiculed, and others played jokes on them. The targets of these jokes were called poisson d’avril, or April fish. This practice became the custom of playing pranks on the first day of April. 

Dear Principal Sheffield:
I have been a student of at Ernest Meadows High for the past two years. I like the school very much, and I especially enjoy attending my music classes. However, I do have one concern about being in concert choir.
Currently, our high school choir plans a tour every spring that requires students to raise funds for an outof-state trip. I feel that is a waste of money. Most of the students in the choir would prefer it if we performed more locally or even throughout the state. There are plenty of schools, senior centers, and public gatherings that would enjoy hearing the students in our choir.
Ernest Meadows High is the best school I have ever attended. I love to going to school, and I love being in the choir. However, my classmates and I do not need the added burden of raising money for a trip that we don't really want to take.

Sincerely,
Tirzah Tyler

Evan and I rode in a 4X4 jeep up and over a series of steep hills. When we reached the border of a bamboo forest, our tour guide Apolo told us to get out of the vehicle. Evan looked at me with alarm. Admittedly, I felt a twinge of panic, but the brochure had said there would be some hiking before we reached our destination. Evan and I obeyed our guide and marched behind him into the thick jungle. Insects buzzed around us as Apolo hacked a path through the dense foliage. Suddenly, Apolo stopped and stood very still. He motioned us to step closer and take a look. There he was—the magnificent king of the jungle. He stood six feet high with a mass of about 400 pounds. His bulky arms, giant hands, broad chest, and enormous head would strike fear into any adversary. Fortunately, we were not his adversaries.
“He is called Jabari—Fearless One,” Apolo said.
“He’s beautiful. His fur is as black as coal,” I said.
“I have to confess, Jabari is an extraordinary animal,” Evan said.
We observed Jabari for hours. Some female gorillas came and lounged about with him. All of them happily ate bamboo shoots and rested on the ground.
“We must go. Sun will set soon,” Apolo said.
Evan and I reluctantly turned our backs to the gentle giants and began our trek back to the jeep. We arrived back at camp a few hours later.
“Did we help or hinder?” Evan asked me when we were alone.
“What do you mean?” I asked with the feeling that my husband was about to deflate our life-changing experience into a pile of mushy moral dilemmas.
“We gave our money to rebels who fight the local government so they would take us to see the mountain gorillas. Don’t you see a problem with that?” Evan asked.
“You’re asking this now? After the fact?” I snapped the questions at him like a crisp, white, sheet.
“I knew how much you wanted to see them—so I didn’t mention this before,” Evan explained.
“Why bring it up at all? You’re ruining the most amazing adventure of my life!” I yelled.
“I’m sorry. But I don’t think we should let our selfish desires blind us from the truth,” he said.
“Now you’re calling me selfish? You’re making me regret this entire trip,” I said on the verge of tears.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think it was a mistake. We saw some truly remarkable creatures that are endangered. The rebels keep the mountain gorillas safe because of tourists like us,” Evan said.
“Yes, but our money helps the rebels buy weapons that keep them in power,” I said.
“The truth is difficult to find, and it’s even harder to face. Let’s keep searching and see if we can find a way to help the local people regain control of their homeland,” Evan said. 

Oral hygiene is a window to good health. Unfortunately, many people take this aspect of health for granted. First, we need to understand what oral health is.
Good oral health indicates having a healthy set of teeth and gums. It also means being free of pain and discomfort that is caused, directly or indirectly, due to tooth decay, tooth loss, and infection in the gums.
Our mouth is a home to a lot of bacteria, most of which are harmless. However, we need to keep these bacteria under control, which we can do by brushing our teeth twice a day—in the morning and at night. Cleaning between the teeth with dental floss or an interdental cleaner should be done regularly once a day.
The kind of food we eat plays an important role in maintaining good oral health. Raw fruits, salads, yogurt, and vegetables help clean the teeth and gums and freshen the breath. We should eat a balanced diet, limit snacks between meals, and rinse our mouth after every meal. Lastly, a regular visit to a dentist for oral examination and cleaning is a must.