BKSB Reading Comprehension Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read this sentence: 'Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert continued.' What does 'despite' tell you about the relationship between the rain and the concert?
- The rain caused the concert to happen
- The concert happened because of the rain
- The concert continued even though rain was a problem (Correct answer)
- The concert was cancelled due to rain
Correct answer: The concert continued even though rain was a problem
'Despite' signals a contrast — something happened even though an obstacle existed.
Question 2: A recipe instruction reads: 'Fold the egg whites gently into the batter to avoid deflating them.' What is the main reason for folding gently?
- To mix flavors evenly
- To speed up baking time
- To prevent the egg whites from losing their volume (Correct answer)
- To cool the batter down
Correct answer: To prevent the egg whites from losing their volume
The instruction says to avoid 'deflating' them, meaning the goal is to preserve their air and volume.
Question 3: Which reading strategy helps you understand an unfamiliar word by examining surrounding sentences?
- Skimming
- Using context clues (Correct answer)
- Scanning for keywords
- Summarizing the passage
Correct answer: Using context clues
Using context clues means looking at surrounding words and sentences to infer the meaning of an unknown word.
Question 4: A job listing states: 'Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office.' What does 'proficient' mean in this context?
- Interested in learning
- Skilled and competent (Correct answer)
- Briefly familiar with
- Certified by Microsoft
Correct answer: Skilled and competent
'Proficient' means having a high level of skill or competence in something.
Question 5: A text includes a bar chart showing sales figures for four quarters. What is the primary purpose of this chart?
- To replace the written explanation entirely
- To visually compare data across the four quarters (Correct answer)
- To show which products were sold
- To list the names of sales representatives
Correct answer: To visually compare data across the four quarters
Bar charts are used to make comparisons between categories or time periods visually clear.
Question 6: A notice reads: 'This medication must not be taken on an empty stomach.' What does this instruction require the reader to do?
- Take the medication before eating anything
- Eat food before or with the medication (Correct answer)
- Take the medication only in the morning
- Avoid taking the medication altogether
Correct answer: Eat food before or with the medication
If medication must not be taken on an empty stomach, the reader must eat before or with taking it.
Question 7: When skimming a long document, a reader should focus primarily on which of the following?
- Every word in each paragraph
- Headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph (Correct answer)
- Footnotes and references
- The last paragraph only
Correct answer: Headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph
Skimming involves quickly reading structural elements like headings and topic sentences to get the overall gist.
Read this sentence: 'Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert continued.' What does 'despite' tell you about the relationship between the rain and the concert?