Reading Passage | Class 12 English Reading Skills

Reading Passage

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The great advantage of early rising is that one can start one’s work long before others. The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men have got out of bed. Early in the morning the mind is fresh and no sounds or noises disturb our attention. The work done at that time is generally well done. Also one finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air.

Exercise supplies him with a good deal of energy that enables him to work hard until the evening. By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to do his work thoroughly. He does not have to hurry over any part of his work. He gets to sleep long before midnight. At that time sleep is most refreshing. After a night’s sound rest, he rises early next morning in good health ready for the labour of a new day.

(i) What advantages does an early rise have over others? 1
Ans: The early risers can start their works long before others. Also, the early riser can complete a large amount of hard work before the other men have gone out of bed.

(ii) Why should one take exercise in the morning and begin one’s work so early? 2
Ans: One can find time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air. Morning Exercise supplies a good deal of energy that enables to work hard until the evening.
By beginning so early, it has plenty of time to do work thoroughly. One does not have to hurry over any part of work.

(iii) What are the uses of going to sleep long before midnight? 2
Ans: The uses of going to sleep long before midnight are that one can get to sleep long before midnight. At that time sleep is most refreshing. After a night’s sound rest, one can rise early next morning in good health ready for the labour of a new day.

2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Paper is one of the most important articles that we use in our day to day life. If there had been no paper our civilization would not have progressed so fast. Great scientists write their thoughts on paper first and then carry out their experiments. Great engineer draw their plans on paper first and then built houses, bridges, dams and so on.

Great thoughts are written or printed on paper for everyone to read. If there were no paper we would not have all the good books that are available in the world. Without paper it would be difficult for the people of one country to know about the people of another country.

(i) Mention three uses of paper. 1
Ans: Three uses of paper are—
• Great scientists write their thoughts on paper first and then carry out their experiments.
• Great engineer draw their plans on paper first and then built houses, bridges, dams and so on.
• Great thoughts are written or printed on paper for everyone to read.

(ii) Why is paper a most essential thing for mankind? 2
Ans: Paper is a most essential thing for mankind. Because/As, if there had been no paper then our civilization would not have progressed so fast. Great scientists write their thoughts on paper first and then carry out their experiments. Great engineer draw their plans on paper first and then built houses, bridges, dams and so on. Great thoughts are written or printed on paper for everyone to read.

(iii) What would have happened if there were no paper? 2
Ans: If there were no paper we would not have all the good books that are available in the world. Without paper it would be difficult for the people of one country to know about the people of another country.

3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Trees help to support man’s life by supplying the atmosphere with oxygen which is essential to life. The oxygen in the air is constantly being used up and turned into carbon-di-oxide which is the good that plants ‘eat’. The leaves of trees (in fact, of all green plants) absorb this carbon-di-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals. But for this animals would soon die for lack of oxygen.

Starch and other carbon compounds made in the green leaves of trees (and of other green plants too) serve as food for animals. The tiny green cells of plants are wonderful laboratories which produce all the starch in the world. But for this service done by plants, all animals would sooner or later die for lack of food.

(i) What is the food that the plants ‘eat’? 1
Ans: The oxygen in the air is constantly being used up and turned into carbon-di-oxide which is the good that plants ‘eat’.

(ii) How do the green cells of plants serve the animals? 2
Ans: Starch and other carbon compounds made in the green leaves of trees (and of other green plants too) which serve as food for animals. Also, the tiny green cells of plants are wonderful laboratories which produce all the starch in the world.

(iii) How do the leaves of trees break down carbon-di-oxide into carbon and oxygen? 2
Ans: The leaves of trees (in fact, of all green plants) absorb this carbon-di-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals.

4. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A good book always teaches us something, in fact many things directly or indirectly if the mind is willing to learn. Books are the best companion; they also give us the best society. They help us in establishing contact with many great men. We hear what such men said and did; through books we even see them as if they were really alive.

As we read, we hear great thoughts with great minds; we hope and grieve with great men. The scenes in which they appeared are described for us and as we turn the pages we come to know what nobleness is. Books work as agents and help us in being better than we are. Books should, therefore, be treated as friends and guides.

(i) How can books teach us? 1
Ans: A good book always teaches us something, in fact many things directly or indirectly if our minds are willing to learn.

(ii) How can one share the great thoughts through books? 2
Ans: The books help us in establishing contact with many great men. We hear what the great men said and did; through books we also see them as if they were really alive. As we read, we hear great thoughts with great minds; we hope and grieve with great men. The scenes in which they appeared are described for us and as we turn the pages we come to know what nobleness is.

(iii) Why should books be treated as friends and guides? 2
Ans: Books work as agents and help us in being better than we are. A good book always teaches us something, in fact many things directly or indirectly if the mind is willing to learn. Books are the best companion; they also give us the best society. Books should, therefore, be treated as friends and guides.

5. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Three-fourth of the Earth is covered by the sea which both separates and unites the various races of mankind. The sea is the great highway along which man may travel at his will, the great road that has now walls or hedges hemming it in. Nobody needs to keep it in good repair with the help of pickaxe and barrels of tar and steamrollers.

The sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and the unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and his love of gold. Its blue waters call to him and bid him fare forth in quest of fresh fields. Beyond their horizon he has found danger and death, glory and gain.

(i) How much of our planet is not covered by the sea? 1
Ans: One-fourth of our planet is not covered by the sea.

(ii) How does the sea help man? 2
Ans: The Sea is the great highway along which man may travel at his will, the great road that has now walls or hedges hemming it in. Nobody needs to keep it in good repair with the help of pickaxe and barrels of tar and steamrollers.

(iii) In what way does the sea appeal to man? 2
Ans: The Sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and the unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and his love of gold. Its blue waters call to him and bid him fare forth in quest of fresh fields.

6. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
So the ships were brought into the duck and the passengers began to go ashore. But Mr. Escombe had sent word to the captain that, as the whites were highly enraged against me and my life was in danger, my family and I should be advised to land at dusk, when the port superintendent Mr. Tatum would escort us home. The captain communicated the massage to me. And agree to me act accordingly. But scarcely half an hour after this, Mr. Laughton came to the captain.

He said : I would like to take Mr. Gandhi with me, should he have no objection. As the legal adviser of the agent company I tell you that you are not bound to carry out the massage you have received from Mr. Escombe.’ After this he came to me and said somewhat to this effect: If you are not afraid, I suggest that Mrs. Gandhi and the children should drive to Mr. Rustomji’s house. Whilst you and I follow them on foot. I don’t at all like the idea if your entering the city like a thief in the night. I do not think there is any fear of anyone hurting you. Everything is quiet now.

The whites have all dispersed. But in any case I am convinced that you ought not to enter the city stealthily.’ I readily agreed. My wife and children drove safely to Mr. Rustomji’s palce with the captain’s permission I went ashore with Mr. Laugthon. Mr. Rustomji’s house was about two miles from the duck.

On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the following questions:
(a) Who is the speaker in this passage?
Ans: Mr. Gandhi is the speaker in this passage.

(b) What word had Mr Escombe sent to the captain of the ship?
Ans: Mr Escombe had sent word to the captain of the ship that the whites or the white people/English People were highly enraged/very angry against him and his life was in danger. So, Mr. Gandhi should be advised to land at dusk when the Port Superintendent, Mr. Tatum would escort them home.

(c) Why did Mr Laughton come to the Captain?
Ans: Mr Laughton came to the Captain to take Mr. Gandhi with him. Because, he was the legal adviser of the Agent Company.

(d) What did Mr Laughton say to the speaker?
Ans: Mr Laughton said to the speaker that if he was not afraid, he suggested that Mrs. Gandhi and the children should drive to Mr. Rustomji’s house, whilst Mr. Gandhi and he followed them on foot. He also said that he did not at all like the idea of his entering the city like a thief in the night. He also said that he did not think there was any fear of anyone hurting him. As he said that everything was quiet then, the whites had all dispersed, but in any case he was convinced that he ought not to enter the city stealthily or moving like a thief.

(e) The speaker readily agreed to Mr Laughton’s suggestion. What does it tell us about the speaker’s character?
Ans: The speaker readily agreed to Mr Laughton’s suggestion. It tells us that the speaker also did not like the idea of entering the city like a thief in the night. Also, the speaker did not think that anyone hurt him. Besides, he had no any fear towards the whites or the English people like Mr Laughton.

(f) Find a word from the passage that means “moving secretly or moving like a thief”.
Ans: Stealthily .

7. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Today’s woman is a highly self-directed person, alive to the sense of her dignity and the importance of her functions in the private domestic domain and the public domain of the world of work. Women are rational in a approach, careful in handing situation and want to do things as best as possible.

The Fourth world Conference of Women held in Beijing in September 1995 had emphasised that no enduring solution of society’s most threatening social, economic and political problems could be found without the participation and empowerment of the women. The 1995 World Summit for Social Development had also emphasised the pivotal role of women in eradicating poverty and mending the social fabric.

The Constitution of India had conferred on women equal rights and opportunites – political, social, educational and of employment – with men. Because of oppressive traditions, superstitions, exploitation and corruption, a majority of women are not allowed to enjoy the rights and opportunities, bestowed on them. One of the major reasons for this state of affairs is the lack of literacy and awareness among women. Education is the main instrument through which we can narrow down the prevailing inequality and accelerate the process of economic and political change in the status of women.

The role of women in a society is very important. Women’s education is the key to a better life in the future. A recent World Bank study says that educating girls is not a charity, it is good economics and if developing nations are to eradicate poverty, they must educate the girls. The report says that the economic and social returns in investment in education of the girls considerably affect the human development index of the nations.

Society would progress only if the status of women is respected and the presence of an educated woman in the family would insure education of the family itself. Education and empowerment of women are closely related.

On the basis of your reading of passage answer the following questions:
(a) Mention some of the qualities of today’s women.
Ans: Some of the qualities of today’s women are:
• Today’s women are highly self-directed and self-dependant.
• They have the high dignity, the private domestic domain and the public domain of the world of work now.
• Women are rational in approach, careful in handling situations and want to do things as best as possible.

(b) Where was the Fourth World conference of women held and what did it emphasise?
Ans: The Fourth World conference of women was held in September 1995. It emphasized that no enduring solution of society’s most threatening social, economic and political problems could be found without the participation and empowerment of the women.

(c) What factors prevent a majority of women from enjoying their rights and opportunities?
Ans: Oppressive of traditions, superstitions, exploitations and corruptions are the major factors which prevent a majority of women from enjoying their rights and opportunities. The other major factors are the lack of literacy and awareness among the women.

(d) What can education do for the cause of women?
Ans: Education is the main instrument through which the women can narrow down the prevailing inequality. They can be accelerating the process of economic and political change in the status of women through education.

(e) What is the observation of World Bank on girl education?
Ans: According to the observation of World Bank, educating girls is not a charity. It is good economics and if developing nations are to eradicate poverty then it must educate the girls. As the report of World Bank, the economic and social returns on investment in education of the girls considerably affect the human development index of the nation.

8. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Among the natural resources which can be called upon in national plans for development, possibly the most important is human labour, Since the English language suffers from a certain weakness in its ability to describe groups composed of both male and female members, this is usually described as “manpower”.

Without a productive labour force, including effective leadership and intelligent middle management, no amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful development and modernization.

The manpower for development during the next quarter century will come from the world’s present population of infants, children and adolescent. But we are not sure that they will be equal to the task. Will they have the health, the education, the skills, the socio-cultural attitudes essential for the responsibilities of development?

For far too many of them the answer is no. the reason is basic. A child’s most critical years, with regard to physical, intellectual, social and emotional development, are those before he reaches five years of ago. During those critical formative years he is cared for almost exclusively by his mother, and many parts of the world the mother may not have the capacity to raise a superior child, she is incapable of doing so by reason of her own poor health, her ignorance and her lack of status and recognition of social and legal rights, of economic parity, of independence, one essential factor has been overlooked or ignored.

The forgotten factor is the role of women. Development will be handicapped as long as women remain second class citizens, uneducated, without any voice in family or communication, married when they are still practically children, and henceforth producing one baby after another, often to see half of them die before they are of school age.

We can enhance development by improving “women power by giving women the opportunity to develop themselves. Statistics show that the average family size increases in inverse ratio to the mother’s years of education-is lowest among college graduates, highest among those with only primary school training, or no education.

Malnutrition is most frequent in large families, and increases in frequency with each additional sibling. The principle seems established that an educated mother has healthier and more intelligent children, and that this is related to the fact this she has fewer children. The tendency of educated, upper class mothers to have fewer children operates even without access to contraceptive services.

The educational level of women is significant also because it has a direct influence upon their chases of employment, and the number of employed women in a country’s total labour force has a direct bearing on both the Gross National Product and the disposable income of the individual family. Disposable income, especially in the hands of women, influence food purchasing and therefore the nutritional status of the family. The fact that the additional a logical incentive to restrict of the passage answer the following the questions:

Choose the most appropriate option:
a) Among the natural resource which can be called upon in national plans for development—
i) the most important is certainly human labour.
ii) the most important is possibly human labour.
iii) the least developed is certainly human labour.
iv) the least developed is undoubtedly human labour.
Ans: (ii) the most important is possibly human labour.

(b) without a productive labour force, including effective leadership and intelligent middle management
i) no productive work is possible.
ii) entrepreneurs will incur heavy loss.
iii) economic development will not keep pace with national movements.
iv) no amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful development and modernization.
Ans: (iv) no amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful development and modernization

(c) the manpower development during the next quarter century.
i) will be adversely affected by the threat of war.
ii) will come from the world’s present population of infants, children and adolescent.
iii) will be taken care of by the current emphasis on free education for women.
iv) will be adversely affected by the country’s economic losses and political instability.
Ans: (ii) will come from the world’s present population of infants, children and adolescents.

(d) “Women power” means
i) giving women the opportunities to develop themselves.
ii) giving women the opportunities to fight themselves.
iii)giving women the opportunities to dominate others.
iv) giving women the opportunities to befool others
Ans: (i) giving women the opportunity to develop themselves

Answer the following questions briefly:
(a) What will be the source of the manpower development during the next quarter century?
Ans: The world’s present population of infants, children and adolescents will be the source of the manpower development during the next quarter century.

(b) During which period is a child’s growth maximum?
Ans: From born to before reaches of five years of age, in this period, a child’s growths maximum.

(c) Why can’t the first teacher be effective in some of the regions of India?
Ans: The first teacher or the mother cannot be effective in some of the regions of India. Because, she is incapable of doing so by reason of her own poor health, her ignorance, her lack of status and recognition of social and legal rights; lack of economic parity of independence etc. Also, the mother often remains second-class citizens, uneducated, without any voice in family or community and married at low age.

(d) What will happen to development if the womenfolk are neglected?
Ans: Development will be handicapped if the womenfolk are neglected.

(e) How can we accelerate the rate of progress?
Ans: We can accelerate the rate of progress by improving “women power by giving women the opportunity to develop themselves in every field along with education.

(f) What is the difference between an educated mother and an illiterate mother?
Ans: An educated mother has healthier, more intelligent children and fewer children than an illiterate mother. The tendency of educated, an educated mother has fewer children that operated even without access to contraceptive services.

9. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is a disturbing fact that today many different kinds of wild animals throughout the world are in danger of extinction. The reasons for this are many and varied, but we must largely blame pollution, pesticides, the disturbance of the animals’ natural environment and man’s greed and thoughtlessness.

Industry has grown enormously, and it has become common practice for factories to dispose of waste matter in streams and rivers, causing great loss of river life. Modern agricultural methods include the use of pesticides which effectively control insects classified as pests, but which also destroy many that are not. An increase in population has meant more building and with it the destruction of much of the countryside that provides habitat for wild animals.

To satisfy man’s selfish desires the polar bear in North America is under threat, hunted by sportsmen; in Borneo and Sumatra the orang-utan had become part of a smuggling racket; in South America the chinchilla is almost extinct because its fur is in demand; whales are massacred world-wide for the oil and the food they yield. These are only a few of the species under threat.

But the problem is receiving world-wide recognition, and some action is being taken. To name a few examples— sewage pollution in the river themes has been greatly reduced; a ban on trading in some furs has been agreed ; and organizations like Friends of the Earth do valuable work in this deserving cause.

On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the following questions:
(a) Cite the reasons as to why some species of wild animals are on the verge of extinction.
Ans: Pollution, pesticides, the disturbance of the animals’ natural environment, man’s greed and thoughtlessness etc are some of the reasons. For these, some species of wild animals are on the verge of extinction.

(b) What has brought about the destruction of much of the countryside?
Ans: Increasing of population has brought about the destruction of much of the countryside.

(c) Why are the polar bear and the whales under threat?
Ans: The polar bears are hunted by the sportsmen to satisfy man’s selfish desires and the whales are massacred for the oil and the food they yield. For these reasons, the polar bear and the whales are under threat.

(d) Which animal is hunted for its fur?
Ans: The chinchilla is hunted for its fur.

(e) Mention the ways in which life is currently helped.
Ans: Now a days, sewage pollution in the river Thames has been greatly reduced; a ban on trading in some furs has been agreed; and some organization like friends of the Earth do valuable ways in which wild life is currently helped.

(f) Give the adjective form of ‘habitat’.
Ans: The adjective form of ‘habitat’ is ‘habitable’, means suitable place to live.