← Class 5 practice test lesson New set →

Unseen Passage for Class 5 – Mixed

Reading comprehension lesson 20: Class 5 practice test · Set 21 · 12 questions
TalentJR

Reading tip (Scan, then read closely): Read the passage once for the main idea. Scan for the key word of the question. Read that sentence closely and choose the option it proves.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 12
  1. 1.Joseph Pinto was the postman of a group of hill villages in Goa for thirty years. He walked about fifteen kilometres every day, because there were no roads for vehicles. In the rains, he wrapped the letters in plastic to keep them dry. Many old people could not read, so he read their letters aloud to them. He also wrote replies for them. When he retired, the villagers held a party under the big mango tree. They gave him a walking stick carved with all their names.

    Why did he walk every day?
    (a) Doctors told him to (b) He liked walking (c) There were no roads (d) He had no bicycle
  2. 2.Fatima lived in a village in Rajasthan where the nearest doctor was forty kilometres away. When she was eleven, her little brother fell very sick. They had to travel all night to reach a hospital. That night, Fatima decided to become a doctor. She studied by a kerosene lamp and walked five kilometres to school. Her teachers helped her prepare for the medical exam. She became a doctor at twenty-six. Then she came back and opened a small clinic in her own village.

    How old was Fatima when her brother fell sick?
    (a) Eleven (b) Nine (c) Twenty-six (d) Fifteen
  3. 3.Every winter, Sunil and his father go to the lake near their village in Rajasthan. Thousands of birds fly there from cold countries. Sunil counts the cranes and the ducks in his notebook. This year he saw a flamingo for the first time. Its legs were long and its feathers were pink. Sunil’s father told him never to throw stones at the birds. They watched quietly from behind the bushes. At sunset, the birds flew together across the orange sky.

    When do Sunil and his father go to the lake?
    (a) Every summer (b) In the rains (c) Every month (d) Every winter
  4. 4.Arjun wanted to win the school running race. Every evening, he ran three rounds of the playground. His grandfather timed him with an old watch. On the day of the race, Arjun started fast. Near the end, his friend Tenzin tripped and fell. Arjun stopped to help him up. They crossed the finish line together, last of all. The principal gave them a special prize for kindness.

    Which word in the passage is the opposite of “first”?
    (a) Late (b) Last (c) Next (d) Fast
  5. 5.Bhimrao was a farmer in a dry village in Maharashtra. For many years, his wells dried up before summer. He watched the rainwater rush away down the hill every monsoon. One year, he dug a small pond at the low end of his field. He also planted trees along the edges to hold the soil. The pond filled with rain and slowly soaked into the ground. The next summer, his well still had water. Soon, ten other farmers in the village dug ponds too.

    Why did he plant trees along the edges?
    (a) For shade (b) To hold the soil (c) To sell wood (d) For fruit
  6. 6.The Rann of Kutch is a huge salt desert in Gujarat. During the monsoon, it is flooded with sea water. When the water dries up in winter, a thick white layer of salt is left behind. On a full-moon night, the white land seems to glow. Every winter, a festival called Rann Utsav is held there. Visitors stay in tents and enjoy folk music and crafts. Flamingos come to the wetlands nearby to breed. Wild asses, found almost nowhere else, also live in this area.

    Which birds come nearby to breed?
    (a) Parrots (b) Flamingos (c) Peacocks (d) Eagles
  7. 7.Ananya and her friends went trekking in the hills near Shimla. Their guide, Bhola, walked in front with a stick. After two hours, thick fog covered the path. Bhola told everyone to hold hands and walk slowly. He knew the path by the sound of a small waterfall. Soon the fog cleared, and they saw snowy peaks far away. Ananya took a photo and shared her biscuits with Bhola.

    What covered the path after two hours?
    (a) Heavy snow (b) Tall grass (c) Big rocks (d) Thick fog
  8. 8.Baisakhi is a harvest festival celebrated mainly in Punjab. It falls on 13 or 14 April every year. By this time, the wheat crop is ripe and ready to be cut. Farmers thank God for a good harvest. For Sikhs, the day is also important because the Khalsa was founded on Baisakhi. People visit gurdwaras and share a free meal called langar. Men and women dance the bhangra and giddha to the beat of the dhol. Fairs with swings and food stalls are held in many villages.

    In which state is Baisakhi mainly celebrated?
    (a) Assam (b) Kerala (c) Punjab (d) Goa
  9. 9.Fatima lived in a village in Rajasthan where the nearest doctor was forty kilometres away. When she was eleven, her little brother fell very sick. They had to travel all night to reach a hospital. That night, Fatima decided to become a doctor. She studied by a kerosene lamp and walked five kilometres to school. Her teachers helped her prepare for the medical exam. She became a doctor at twenty-six. Then she came back and opened a small clinic in her own village.

    Where did she open her clinic?
    (a) In Jaipur (b) In a big city (c) Near the hospital (d) In her own village
  10. 10.Diwali is called the festival of lights. It is celebrated in October or November, on the darkest night of the month. Before Diwali, people clean their homes and buy new clothes. In the evening, rows of small clay lamps called diyas are lit everywhere. Many families draw rangoli patterns with coloured powder at the door. People share sweets with neighbours and friends. Many people now choose green celebrations without loud crackers. The lights stand for the victory of good over evil.

    What do the lights stand for?
    (a) Good winning over evil (b) The end of winter (c) A good harvest (d) A new school year
  11. 11.Riya and her brother found a lost puppy outside their building in Pune. It was wet and shivering after the rain. Riya wrapped it in an old towel. Her brother brought a bowl of warm milk. The puppy had a blue collar with a phone number on it. Their mother called the number. An hour later, a young girl came running to their door. She hugged the puppy and thanked them again and again.

    Why was the puppy shivering?
    (a) It was sick (b) It was wet after rain (c) It was scared of cars (d) It was hungry
  12. 12.In Goa, Christmas is a big festival celebrated on 25 December. Weeks before, families clean and paint their homes. They hang paper stars outside their windows. Many homes make a crib, a small model of the place where Jesus was born. On Christmas Eve, people go to church for midnight Mass. Families share special sweets like kulkuls and neureos with neighbours. Streets glow with lights, and choirs sing carols. Friends of all faiths join in the fun.

    On which date is Christmas celebrated?
    (a) 1 January (b) 31 December (c) 25 December (d) 25 January

Answer key

  1. There were no roads
  2. Eleven
  3. Every winter
  4. Last
  5. To hold the soil
  6. Flamingos
  7. Thick fog
  8. Punjab
  9. In her own village
  10. Good winning over evil
  11. It was wet after rain
  12. 25 December

Free reading comprehension lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/reading-comprehension