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Unseen Passage for Class 5 – Mixed

Reading comprehension lesson 20: Class 5 practice test · Set 235 · 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.

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  1. 1.Meghalaya is a hilly state in north-east India. Its name means “the abode of clouds”. Some places in Meghalaya get more rain than almost anywhere else on Earth. In the villages near Cherrapunji, people have made living root bridges. They guide the roots of rubber fig trees across streams. Over many years, the roots grow thick and strong enough to walk on. Some bridges are hundreds of years old. Unlike wooden bridges, they grow stronger with time.

    What are the living bridges made of?
    (a) Tree roots (b) Stone (c) Bamboo (d) Iron
  2. 2.Bihu is the main festival of Assam. There are three Bihus in a year, linked to the seasons of farming. Rongali Bihu, in April, marks the Assamese New Year and the start of spring. Young people perform the lively Bihu dance in bright clothes. The beat of the dhol and the sound of the pepa, a buffalo-horn pipe, fill the air. People give one another a gamosa, a white cloth with red borders. Homes make sweets called pitha from rice. Bihu is a time to welcome new crops and new hope.

    Bihu is the main festival of which state?
    (a) Assam (b) Bihar (c) Sikkim (d) Odisha
  3. 3.The backwaters of Kerala are a network of calm lakes, rivers and canals near the sea. Coconut palms line their banks. Many villages lie along the water, and people use boats to go to school, work and market. Houseboats called kettuvallams carry visitors slowly along the canals. Long ago, these boats carried rice and spices. Ducks swim beside the boats, and fishermen throw their nets. Alappuzha is one of the best places to see the backwaters. The quiet waters make it a peaceful place to visit.

    What did these boats carry long ago?
    (a) Rice and spices (b) Coal (c) Cars (d) Cattle
  4. 4.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 month is Baisakhi?
    (a) April (b) January (c) August (d) October
  5. 5.Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims at the end of Ramzan, the month of fasting. During Ramzan, people do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. Eid begins when the new moon is seen in the sky. On Eid morning, people wear new clothes and offer special prayers. Families give food and money to the poor. Friends hug one another and say “Eid Mubarak”. A sweet dish called sheer khurma is made with milk, vermicelli and dates. Children receive gifts called Eidi from elders.

    When is Eid ul-Fitr celebrated?
    (a) At the end of Ramzan (b) At the start of Ramzan (c) On a full moon (d) In the middle of winter
  6. 6.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 far away was the nearest doctor?
    (a) Ten kilometres (b) Five kilometres (c) Forty kilometres (d) Four kilometres
  7. 7.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.

    When do people go for midnight Mass?
    (a) On Christmas noon (b) On Sunday morning (c) On New Year (d) On Christmas Eve
  8. 8.The Hornbill Festival is held in Nagaland every year from 1 to 10 December. It is named after the hornbill, a large bird with a big curved beak. The bird is important in the stories and songs of the Naga people. The festival takes place at a heritage village called Kisama, near Kohima. Many tribes of Nagaland come together to show their dances, songs and crafts. Visitors can watch traditional games and taste local food. The festival helps keep old traditions alive.

    In which state is the Hornbill Festival held?
    (a) Manipur (b) Nagaland (c) Assam (d) Mizoram
  9. 9.Every Saturday, the children of Green Lane Colony cleaned their park. Some picked up plastic wrappers. Others swept the dry leaves into heaps. Gurpreet made a big sign that said, “Keep Our Park Clean.” Her friend Aditya painted the old benches blue. Soon, people stopped throwing litter in the park. The colony secretary gave the children a basket of fruit. Now the park is the cleanest in the town.

    What does “litter” mean here?
    (a) Rubbish thrown around (b) Small animals (c) Old paint (d) Fallen flowers
  10. 10.Ayesha’s cycle got a flat tyre on the way to school. She was far from home and the bell would ring soon. An old man at a small repair shop saw her worried face. He fixed the tyre in ten minutes. Ayesha had no money with her, but he said, “Pay me tomorrow.” She reached school just in time. The next day, she brought him the money and a box of sweets. He laughed and shared the sweets with her.

    What happened to Ayesha’s cycle?
    (a) It got a flat tyre (b) It was stolen (c) Its bell fell off (d) Its chain broke
  11. 11.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.

    What was the problem with his wells?
    (a) They overflowed (b) They were too deep (c) They dried up (d) They were dirty
  12. 12.Ayesha’s cycle got a flat tyre on the way to school. She was far from home and the bell would ring soon. An old man at a small repair shop saw her worried face. He fixed the tyre in ten minutes. Ayesha had no money with her, but he said, “Pay me tomorrow.” She reached school just in time. The next day, she brought him the money and a box of sweets. He laughed and shared the sweets with her.

    How long did the man take to fix it?
    (a) Ten minutes (b) One hour (c) Two hours (d) Five minutes

Answer key

  1. Tree roots
  2. Assam
  3. Rice and spices
  4. April
  5. At the end of Ramzan
  6. Forty kilometres
  7. On Christmas Eve
  8. Nagaland
  9. Rubbish thrown around
  10. It got a flat tyre
  11. They dried up
  12. Ten minutes

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