11+ Entrance Reading Comprehension Skills Questions and Answers

Question 1

Read the following passage and answer the question below.

Liam zipped up his rucksack with a final, decisive tug. Inside, packed with military precision, were his waterproof trousers, a Tupperware box of carefully cut sandwiches, and a brand new bird-watching guide. He had been checking the weather forecast for Pembrokeshire every hour since Monday. He glanced at the clock; it was only 6:00 a.m., but his coach wasn't due to leave the school until 8:30 a.m. He paced to the window, peering through the curtains at the pre-dawn gloom, hoping to see the first signs of a clear sky.

Based on the passage, how is Liam most likely feeling about his school trip?

Accepted Answer

Excited and thoroughly prepared.

Answer

The text describes Liam's 'military precision' packing, his new guide, and his early wake-up time not as annoyances, but as signs of eagerness. His constant checking of the weather and pacing show anticipation rather than anxiety. These details collectively point to him being excited and well-prepared.

Question 2

Read the following passage and answer the question below.

The construction of the London Underground was a monumental undertaking in the 19th century. Engineers had to contend with a labyrinth of existing sewers, water pipes, and building foundations. Tunnelling through the soft London clay was a perilous task, and the initial method, known as 'cut and cover', caused immense disruption to the city's streets. Despite these formidable challenges, the Metropolitan Railway opened in 1863, forever changing urban transport.

In the passage, what does the word 'formidable' mean?

Accepted Answer

Intimidating and difficult

Answer

The context of the passage lists several serious difficulties: a 'labyrinth' of pipes, a 'perilous task', and 'immense disruption'. The word 'formidable' is used to summarise these challenges, indicating they were very difficult and daunting to overcome.

Question 3

Read the following passage and answer the question below.

Many local libraries, the cornerstones of our communities, are facing threats from funding cuts. These are not merely buildings filled with books; they are vital hubs offering free access to computers for jobseekers, quiet study spaces for students, and rhyme time sessions for toddlers. They provide a safe, warm space for everyone, regardless of their background. To lose them would be to tear a hole in the fabric of our society, one that could not be easily mended.

What is the main purpose of this passage?

Accepted Answer

To persuade the reader of the importance of libraries.

Answer

The author uses emotive and persuasive language (e.g., 'cornerstones', 'vital hubs', 'tear a hole in the fabric of our society') to build a strong argument for why libraries are essential and should be protected. While it does list services, the primary aim is to convince the reader of their value.

Question 4

Read the following passage and answer the question below.

The old oak tree stood at the crest of the hill, a gnarled sentinel watching over the sleeping valley. Its branches, twisted by a hundred winters, were skeletal fingers scratching at the bruised purple sky of twilight. A lone barn owl swooped from its perch, a silent, feathered ghost against the rising moon.

What literary device is used in the phrase 'skeletal fingers scratching at the bruised purple sky'?

Accepted Answer

Personification

Answer

Personification is a literary device where human qualities or actions are attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. In this case, the tree branches are given the human-like quality of 'fingers' and the action of 'scratching', and the sky is described as 'bruised'.

Question 5

Read the following passage and answer the question below.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founded in 1824, it is one of the oldest and most respected charities in the region. The lifeboats are crewed almost entirely by volunteers, who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their distinctive blue and orange lifeboats are a familiar sight, launching in all weathers to go to the aid of those in peril.

According to the text, who primarily crews the RNLI lifeboats?

Accepted Answer

Volunteers

Answer

The passage contains the sentence: 'The lifeboats are crewed almost entirely by volunteers...'. This directly answers the question.

11+ Practice Test

11+ Practice Test

11+ Entrance Reading Comprehension Skills Questions and Answers