READING COMPREHENSION TEST

Submitted by : Natwadee Puncha-Arnon (Mint)

Passage 1

Philadelphia is a city known for many things. It is where the Declaration of Independence was
signed in 1776, and it was also the first capital of the United States. But one fact about Philadelphia is
not so well-known: it is home to nearly 3,000 murals painted on the sides of homes and buildings
around the city. In fact, it is said that Philadelphia has more murals than any other city in the world,
with the exception of Rome. How did this come to be?
Line 6 More than 20 years ago, a New Jersey artist named Jane Golden started a program pairing
troubled youth with artists to paint murals on a few buildings around the city. From this small project,
something magical happened. The young people involved helped to create magnificent pieces of art,
but there were other, perhaps more important benefits. The young people learned to collaborate and
get along with many different kinds of people during the various steps required to paint and design a
mural. They learned to be responsible, because they needed to follow a schedule to make sure the
murals were completed. They also learned to take pride in their community. It is hard for any resident
to see the spectacular designs and not feel proud to be a part of Philadelphia.
Take a walk around some of the poorest neighborhoods in Philadelphia, neighborhoods full of
Line 15 broken windows and littered front steps, and you will find beautiful works of art on the sides and
fronts of buildings. Of course the murals are not just in poor neighborhoods, but more affluent ones as
well. Special buses take tourists to different parts of the city to see the various murals, which range
from huge portraits of historical heroes, to cityscapes, to scenes depicting the diverse ethnic groups
that call Philadelphia home.
As a result of its success, the mural program created by Jane Golden has now become the
Line 21 nations largest public art program and a model for other cities throughout the country seeking to help
troubled youth.

source: http://englishforeveryone.org/

1) The word depicting in line 21 is closest in meaning to

a. downgrade
b. report
c. portray
d. memorize

2) The word affluent in line 19 is closest in meaning to

a. destitute
b. wealthy
c. alluring
d. significant

3) The word it in line 3 refers to

a. one fact
b. Philadelphia
c. United States
d. Declaration of Independence
4) Which of the following wasnt mentioned as a benefit of the art program?

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a. The young people learned to become more responsible.
b. The young people learned to take pride in their community.
c. The young people learned to create arts.
d. The young people learned to take risks and try new things.

5) Which of the following wasnt mentioned as what Philadelphia is known for?

a. Its the first capital of the United States.
b. Its a city with thousands of paintings.
c. Its superior to Rome in term of arts.
d. The Declaration of Independence was signed at the city.

6) The murals of the art program were painted by

a. the troubled youth
b. the artists
c. both the troubled youth and the artists
d. Jane Golden

7) According to the first paragraph, how many murals are painted on buildings in Philadelphia?
a. 20
b. 2,000
c. almost 3,000
d. more than 3,000

8) What was the main purpose of the art program?

a. To create more murals than Rome
b. To improve the poor neighborhoods in Philadelphia
c. To impress tourists
d. To help troubled young people through arts

9) Whats the main idea of this passage?

a. The art program in Philadelphia
b. The origin of Philadelphia
c. The famous artists in Philadelphia
d. The neighborhoods in Philadelphia

10) What can be inferred from the second paragraph?

a. People of Philadelphia are proud to be a part of the city because of the impressive arts.
b. The art program created by Jane Golden was a project with a lot of support.
c. The process of designing murals was scattered.
d. The residents werent proud to see the arts.

Passage 2

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 One of the ancient worlds great river valley civilizations originated along the Indus River, in
modern day India. The Northern Plains cover the middle of the country, where society first developed
in India. This area is covered by rich soil deposited by floods from the Indus, Ganges, and
Brahmaputra rivers. Flooding in the Northern Plains is caused by heavy rains. These rains are
brought by seasonal winds, called monsoons. Monsoon winds during the summer bring warm air from
the Indian Ocean, along with most of the annual rainfall. In the winter, northeast monsoons blow cool,
Line 7 dry air from Central Asia.
Indias first civilizations depended on the monsoons to bring water. Monsoons rain flooded
rivers, leaving behind fertile soil, which was able to produce abundant crops. However, they could
also destroy crops and homes. If rains came too late or were not heavy enough, crops would not grow.
If that happened, famine, or an extreme lack of food, became a threat.
Line 12 Settlements near the Indus River were planned and laid out carefully, suggesting that a strong
central authority was in power. Streets ran in a grid pattern and people shared wells and a drainage
system. In the largest cities, a walled elevated fortress protected government buildings. Homes,
workshops, and shrines were built outside the fortresss walls. The Indus people also developed a
system of writing and developed the Hindu religion.
The economy or wealth of the Indus civilization focused on agriculture and trade. Most
Line 18 people farmed and herded livestock. Others made pottery, metalwork, and jewelry. Trade took place
with nearby communities and distant peoples. The Indus Valley civilization thrived from about 2500
BC to 2000 BC. Repeated flooding, the disappearance of a river that ran through the valley, invasion,
and disease may have been factors in the decline of the civilization.

source: https://historycat.wikispaces.com/

1) The word fortress in line 15 is closest in meaning to..

a. barrier
b. mistress
c. divinity
d. mansion

2) The word thrived in line 21 is closest in meaning to..

a. flourish
b. exist
c. inhere
d. abolish

3) The word they in line 10 refers to..

a. abundant crops
b. flooded rivers
c. monsoons
d. fertile soil

4) What was the cause of the flooding in Northern Plains?

a. rivers
b. heavy rains

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c. monsoons
d. Indian Ocean

5) Which of the following was not mentioned as what people in the Indus valley did?
a. made pottery and jewelry
b. developed a system of writing
c. farmed and herded livestock
d. decorated buildings

6) Why would the crops not grow?

a. People didnt pay respect to the God.
b. Rains came too late.
c. Rivers flooded.
d. The drainage system was ruined.

7) What was the religion of the Indus Valley?

a. Christianity
b. Buddhism
c. Hinduism
d. Islam

8) Which of the following was not mentioned as a factor of the decline of the Indus Valley?
a. disease
b. invasion
c. disappearance of river
d. earthquake

9) What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

a. A monarch ruled the Indus Valley civilization.
b. The settlements were organized poorly.
c. There werent any fortresses in small cities.
d. There was equality in the society.

10) What is the main idea of this passage?

a. A brief history of the Indus Valley civilization
b. Why the Indus Valley civilization collapsed
c. Achievements of the Indus people
d. Geographical features of the Indus Valley civilization