Free EAP Reading Skills Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Television has been introduced to almost every country in the world, reaching a large number of viewers on every continent. About 600 million people saw the first person walk on the moon, and a billion people watched the twentieth Olympic Games. Television has in many ways promoted understanding and cooperation among people. It does this by showing educational and cultural programs. <br><br> From this passage, a reader can most reasonably conclude that the author believes that ______________.
- people spend too much time watching television
- people spend too much time watching television
- television can unify people from around the world (Correct answer)
- television is as important as schools
Correct answer: television can unify people from around the world
Explanation: <br> The passage discusses how television reaches a large number of viewers worldwide and promotes understanding and cooperation among people by showing educational and cultural programs. This suggests that the author believes television can bring people together across different regions and cultures.
Question 2: People have different ways of learning. Some are better at making mental pictures of new ideas. Others are more comfortable with writing lists of things to memorize. Certain people can learn best when listening to music, while others need silence to concentrate. <br><br> Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
- Mental pictures help many to learn.
- Some people prefer lists to make mental pictures.
- To learn well you need to be comfortable.
- Different individuals have different ways of acquiring information. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Different individuals have different ways of acquiring information.
Explanation: <br> The passage discusses how people have diverse learning styles, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. It highlights that individuals have varying preferences for how they learn best. Therefore, the main idea is that people have different ways of acquiring information.
Question 3: If you hold a piece of copper wire over the flame of a wooden match, heat will be conducted by the copper wire to your fingers, and you will be forced to drop the wire. You will, however, still be able to hold the match because wood is a poor conductor of heat. <br><br> Which of the following is implied in the passage above?
- Copper is a good conductor of heat. (Correct answer)
- Wood and copper conduct heat equally.
- Wood is an excellent conductor of heat.
- Matches should be made of copper.
Correct answer: Copper is a good conductor of heat.
Explanation: <br> The passage suggests that when holding a copper wire over a flame, heat is conducted quickly through the wire to your fingers, making it too hot to hold. This implies that copper is a good conductor of heat compared to wood. Therefore, the correct answer is A.
Question 4: Many people own different pets. Dogs, cats, birds, and fish are common household pets. Other pets are considered to be exotic animals. These include snakes, lizards, and hedgehogs. <br><br> According to the passage, snakes are _______________.
- uncommon pets (Correct answer)
- likely to be found in a household with dogs
- found only in zoos
- not allowed in people’s homes
Correct answer: uncommon pets
Explanation: <br> The passage categorizes snakes along with lizards and hedgehogs as "exotic animals," implying that they are not as common as dogs, cats, birds, and fish, which are referred to as "common household pets." Therefore, the correct answer is A.
Question 5: Cesar Chavez was an influential leader for farmworkers. He fought for their rights and better working conditions. Chavez led many strikes that angered farm owners. Eventually, he succeeded in getting increased wages and better living situations for farmworkers. <br><br> The passage indicates that Chavez changed lives by
- helping to end the farmworkers’ strikes
- fighting for the rights of farm owners
- working on the farms every day
- improving the conditions for farmworkers (Correct answer)
Correct answer: improving the conditions for farmworkers
Explanation: <br> The passage explicitly states that Cesar Chavez fought for the rights and better working conditions of farmworkers and succeeded in getting increased wages and better living situations for them. Therefore, the correct answer is D.
Question 6: When cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was a boy in elementary school, other boys teased him for being small and not very good at sports, and his art teacher told him he had no talent for drawing. He had few friends and was too shy to talk to a red-haired girl he admired. Later in life, Schulz used his childhood experiences in his comic strip Peanuts: the strip’s main character, the sad and lonely Charlie Brown, represents Schulz as a little boy. Peanuts was unique at the time because it contained no adult characters. Readers fell in love with Charlie Brown, and Peanuts eventually became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. <br><br> What is the main idea of the passage?
- Peanuts was the world’s most widely read comic strip.
- Schulz was a very famous cartoonist.
- Schulz turned the pain of his youth into success as an adult. (Correct answer)
- The comic strip Peanuts featured children as its only characters.
Correct answer: Schulz turned the pain of his youth into success as an adult.
Explanation: <br> The passage highlights how Charles M. Schulz, despite facing challenges and rejection during his childhood, used those experiences as inspiration for his iconic comic strip Peanuts. It emphasizes how Schulz transformed his difficult childhood into a successful career as an adult. Therefore, the main idea is that Schulz turned the pain of his youth into success as an adult, making option C the correct answer.
Question 7: Money has been used for thousands of years in nearly every culture as a means of exchange. However, today, the use of cash is becoming less and less common in modern societies all over the world. Every year, a higher percentage of purchases are made online, and even in stores customers are now using credit cards more often than cash. Many people today do all of their banking on the Internet rather than going to the bank in person. <br><br> The author of the passage probably assumes that _______________.
- cash will become virtually obsolete in the near future (Correct answer)
- using cash will become popular again
- paying with credit cards all the time is dangerous
- societies that do business online will struggle
Correct answer: cash will become virtually obsolete in the near future
Explanation: <br> The passage suggests a trend away from cash usage towards digital forms of payment, such as credit cards and online banking. Therefore, the author likely assumes that cash will become less common and may even become obsolete in the future, making option A the correct answer.
Question 8: Before giving first aid to an accident victim, you should obtain his or her consent. Asking for consent takes a simple question. Say to the victim, “I know first aid, and I can help until an ambulance arrives. Is that okay?” <br><br> According to the passage, it is wrong to _______________.
- use first aid on an accident victim without medical training
- attempt to help an accident victim without permission (Correct answer)
- help a victim before an ambulance arrives
- call for an ambulance instead of helping the victim
Correct answer: attempt to help an accident victim without permission
Explanation: <br> The passage emphasizes the importance of obtaining consent from the accident victim before providing first aid. Therefore, it suggests that it is wrong to attempt to help a victim without their permission, making option B the correct answer.
Question 9: Dr. Ellen Ochoa is an inventor and is also the first female Hispanic astronaut. Her inventions include technology to help robots inspect equipment in space to maintain safety and quality control on spacecraft. Before retiring, she logged more than 1,000 hours in space across several space missions. <br><br> According to the passage, Dr. Ochoa is the first __________.
- Hispanic person to travel into space
- inventor to travel into space
- woman to travel into space
- Hispanic woman to travel into space (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Hispanic woman to travel into space
Explanation: <br> The passage specifically states that Dr. Ellen Ochoa is the first female Hispanic astronaut, indicating that she is the first Hispanic woman to travel into space. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
Question 10: Dogs and cats make very different types of pets. Before deciding whether to buy or adopt a dog or a cat, prospective owners need to carefully consider their own lifestyles and personalities. Dogs may make more affectionate companions, but they require more care and attention. They must be taken out several times a day and should not be left alone for more than a few hours. Larger dogs require significant exercise to remain fit and healthy. Cats are usually more independent in nature and interact less with their owners. Also, a cat can be left on its own all day, or even for several days, as long as it has food and clean water to drink. <br><br> From this passage, a reader can conclude that ____________.
- owning a cat requires less work than owning a dog (Correct answer)
- people who are away from home during the day should not own a cat
- people who like to play with their pets should own a cat
- owning a cat is more responsibility than owning a dog
Correct answer: owning a cat requires less work than owning a dog
Explanation: <br> The passage contrasts the care requirements of dogs and cats, stating that cats are usually more independent and require less attention and care compared to dogs. It mentions that cats can be left alone for longer periods as long as they have food and water. Therefore, option A, stating that owning a cat requires less work than owning a dog, is the correct conclusion from the passage.
Question 11: The Industrial Revolution marked a significant turning point in human history. It began in Britain in the late 18th century and spread to other parts of the world, including Europe and the United States, in the 19th century. This period saw rapid advancements in technology, particularly in manufacturing and transportation. The invention of the steam engine revolutionized production processes, leading to the establishment of factories and the mass production of goods. The Industrial Revolution also had profound social and economic impacts, including urbanization, the rise of capitalism, and the emergence of the working class. <br><br> What is the main topic of the passage below?
- The impact of urbanization on society
- The origins and spread of the Industrial Revolution (Correct answer)
- The role of steam engines in transportation
- The effects of capitalism on manufacturing industries
Correct answer: The origins and spread of the Industrial Revolution
Explanation: <br> The passage discusses the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, its spread to other parts of the world, and its significant impacts on technology, manufacturing, and society. Therefore, the main topic of the passage is the origins and spread of the Industrial Revolution.
Free EAP Reading Skills Questions and Answers
Television has been introduced to almost every country in the world, reaching a large number of viewers on every continent.
About 600 million people saw the first person walk on the moon, and a billion people watched the twentieth Olympic Games.
Television has in many ways promoted understanding and cooperation among people.
It does this by showing educational and cultural programs.
From this passage, a reader can most reasonably conclude that the author believes that ______________.