Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension
1. In Feng Shui, clutter is a big no-no. Clutter is consists of old toys, clothes, old
magazines and everything old which are no longer used. It hinders the free
circulation of the fresh energy inside the house, preventing it to enter every
room. It makes the energy inside the house stale and inactive, making the
residents of the house sickly and less aggressive. To avoid more unlucky
situations in the homes, clutter should be cleared once it starts to pile up. This is
good Feng Shui.
2. Myths are stories, the products of fertile imagination, sometimes simple, often
containing profound truths. They are not meant to be taken too literally. Details
may sometimes appear childish, but most myths express a culture's most serious
beliefs about human beings, eternity, and God.
A. Toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.
B. Studies have proven that many countries have ignored their own anti-pollution laws.
C. DDT and toxaphene are the two most toxic insecticides in the world.
D. More pollutants find their way into polar climates than they do into warmer areas.
4. There were only five sections for the subject Math 54. The sections were A, B, C,
D,and E. The teachers assigned to each section were Mr. Martin, Miss Garcia, Mrs.
Romulo, Miss Santos, and Mr. Apacible respectively. Students enrolling for the
subject were free to choose the section they want so they can adjust their
schedules. The quota for each section was 50 students and section A and D were
filled up easily, ahead of the three other sections. It seemed that Mr. Martin and
Miss Santos were popular with the Math students.
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A. Both sections A and D have 50 students each.
B. Mr. Martin and Miss Santos were the best in Math 54.
C. Miss Garcia was a terror teacher.
D. Mr. Apacible and Mrs. Romulo are not popular with the Math students.
5. The games we used to play when we were young have been sidelined by modern
gadgets. Nowadays, we no longer see children and teens playing piko, tumbang
preso, luksong baka, patintero and other enjoyable games our parents used to
play. The young generation of today is so hooked on gadgets that they even have
no time to talk to each other during their free time. This is very unhealthy
according to some social scientists.
6. Research suggests that there are creatures that do not know what light means at
the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel.
There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no
moon, and no stars. It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing
to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath
our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars,
lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices,
the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we
are!
7. In 1970 about sixty small and medium-sized factories in the United States
adopted a four-day workweek. According to the plan, workers work forty hours
but instead of the usual five-day week, they now work only four days. Workers are
enthusiastic about the three-day weekly vacation. According to management,
productivity has increased about 18% since the inception of the new plan.
Absenteeism has dropped by 69% and lateness is almost non-existent.
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The Spaniards found these Indians living in apartment houses, some of them on
the side of a cliff in order that they could be reached only by ladders. Whenever
they were attacked by Apaches, the Pueblos would pull up the ladders. They grew
corn, which they watered with water flowing down in ditches. They wove cloth,
made wonderful baskets, and created jars and pots out of clay proving how skillful
they were at hand-craft.
From the passage, the Spaniards called these Indians "Pueblos" because they:
9. Generation Xers are those people born roughly between 1965 and 1981. As
employees, Generation Xers tend to be more challenged when they can carry out
tasks independently. This makes Generation Xers the most entrepreneurial
generation in history.
10. One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United
States want an anthology that includes the complete works of William
Shakespeare. And what accounts for this renewed interest in Shakespeare? As
scholars point out, his psychological insights into both male and female
characters are amazing even today.
11. When faced with a challenging event like a disagreement with a colleague at
work, there are always two roads to go down; You can either approach the
situation as a problem, or as an opportunity for spiritual growth. This not-so-
subtle distinction can mean the difference between distress and eustress- always
try to choose the latter. A eustress is a moderate or normal psychological stress
interpreted as being beneficial for the one who experiences it.
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12. Research suggests that there are creatures that do not know what light means at
the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel.
There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no
moon, and no stars. It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing
to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath
our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars,
lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices,
the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we
are!
Judging from the passage, we can say that this story is mainly about
14. Huge beasts such as the dinosaur have never really become extinct. Mothra, a
giant caterpillar who later becomes a moth, destroys Tokyo, and stars in the 1962
Japanese film named for him. Mothra is born, dies, and reborn regularly on classic
movie channels. In Japan, Mothra is one of the most popular films ever made.
Mothra has survived the creation of more current scary creatures such as giant
apes, extraterrestrial beings and swamp creatures. More than 30 years after his
creation, Mothra still lives.
15. The Philippines is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years. Corn and rice
prices are expected to be very high this year.
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D. It gives an example.
16. Baby carriages were invented in 1848 by Charles Burton. He lived in New York
City and faced opposition to his invention from people who felt they were unsafe.
He believed in his idea and moved to England, where he opened a factory. He
made carriages for Queen Victoria of England, Queen Isabella II of Spain, and
other royalty. A factory opened in the United States ten years later but only 75
carriages were sold. Today, baby carriages are extremely popular and almost
every baby has at least one.
A. salitang Griyego
B. panggagamot
C. electromagnetic energy
D. Kristal
18. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. As such, it circles the sun faster than all
the other planets, which is why Romans named it after the swift-footed
messenger god Mercury. Mercury was known since at least Sumerian times
roughly 5,000 years ago, where it was often associated with Nabu, the god of
writing. Mercury was also given separate names for its appearance as both a
morning star and as an evening star. Greek astronomers knew, however, that the
two names referred to the same body. Heraclitus believed that both Mercury and
Venus orbited the Sun, not the Earth.
19. "Democracy's real test lies in its respect for minority opinions." Ellery Sedgwick
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Showing respect for a minority opinion _______________ democracy.
A. Defies
B. Validates
C. Invalidates
D. Intimidates
20. In the past, consumers would rarely walk into an ice cream store and order low-fat
ice cream. But that isn't the case today. An increasing health consciousness
combined with a much bigger selection of tasty low-fat foods in all categories has
made low-fat ice cream a very profitable item for ice cream store owners.
A. low-fat ice cream produces more revenue than other low-fat foods.
B. low-fat ice cream is more popular than other kinds of ice cream.
C. ice cream store owners would be better off carrying only low-fat ice cream.
D. ice cream store owners no longer think that low-fat ice cream is an unpopular item.
21. The movie Close to You, a romantic comedy, was graded A by the Films Rating
Board. It opened simultaneously in fifty theaters in Metro Manila on a Wednesday.
The following day, it was reported that not even one of the fifty theaters where it
was shown played to an SRO audience. The producers of the movie were shaking
their heads, asking one another how they could recoup their investments.
22. A dance instructor is holding an aerobics class every morning in front of the town
market where there is a big open space. There are many participants and he
charges them 10 pesos per session. In contrast, a Zumba class in the nearby
dance studio has only 10 participants because the enrollment fee is expensive.
Only the rich can afford to enroll in the Zumba class.
A. More people enroll in the aerobics class because the enrollment fee is affordable.
B. The participants of the aerobics class are all poor.
C. The aerobics class is more enjoyable than the Zumba class.
D. The aerobics class is more popular than the Zumba class.
23. If you're a fitness walker, there is no need for a commute to a health club. Your
neighborhood can be your health club. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to
get a good workout either. All you need is a well-designed pair of athletic shoes.
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A. fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.
B. fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.
C. a membership in a health club is a poor investment.
D. walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.
24. The advent of cellphone is perhaps the best contribution of modern technology to
our communication system. Back then, it would take a week or longer before we
can communicate with our loved ones if we are working in other countries. It was
through letters that we could communicate with them, and letters really took time
to reach their destinations. Today, if we want to talk to our loved ones, even of we
are living in another country, we can do so very easily with the use of cellphones.
In a matter of minute, we are connected with them.
25. A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a
public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members.
Profits are either reinvested for infrastructure or distributed to members in the
form of 'patronage' or 'capital credits', which are essentially dividends paid on a
member's investment into the cooperative. Each customer is a member and
owner of the business with an equal say as every other member of the
cooperative, unlike investor-owned utilities where the amount of say is governed
by the number of shares held.
A. A partnership.
B. A monarchy.
C. A dictatorship.
D. A military organization.
26. Ang mga taong ipinanganak sa Taon ng Dragon ay sinasabing may kakambal na
swerte, karaniwang dominante at matataas ang ambisyon. Mas gusto nilang
mamuhay ayon sa sarili nilang mga batas at kung sila at hahayaang mag-isa, mas
nagiging matagumpay sila sa buhay. Sila ay mga pursigido at hindi natatakot sa
mga hamon at laging handang makipagsapalaran, kaya hindi kataka-taka na
malapit sa kanila ang tagumpay. Sila ay matulungin sa mga nangangailangan
ngunit hindi sila hihingi ng tulong sa iba kung sila naman ang nangangailangan.
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A. gustong mamuhay ayon sa sarili nilang batas
B. laging handang makipagsapalaran
C. malakas ang kanilang karisma
D. hindi natatakot sa mga hamon
27. Most researches in needy countries are based on the thinking and approach of
the highly developed Western world, and seldom have they been directed toward
meeting the countries' own development needs.
A. needy countries need researchers to help them reach the status of the western
world.
B. most researches have universal application.
C. most researches done in needy countries are missing their objectives
D. highly developed countries offer the best guide for the development of needy
countries
28. In the words of Thomas De Quincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens
as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the
names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced,
plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each
person’s name to be sure I’ve got it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how
effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your
life.
29. Big shots in technology have more “eureka moments” per unit time than the little
shots. They are leaders and connectors. They are the charismatic inspirations for
new ideas who build consensus to forge ahead on new technology initiatives.
They have the ideas that create and shape the technology of the future. This
makes them sensationally valuable assets to any enterprise. The more valuable
you are, the more control you have over your destiny. Your employer, colleagues
and industrial associates will do more for you and give you that freedom, to keep
you happy and focussed on what you have excelled at. Notice that I said,
“freedom to work on what you want”, but I did not say the freedom to work the
amount you want. In software, successful people generally work hard. The climb
to fame and fortune in software generally exacerbates this fate until you decide
you have climbed enough, done enough, and earned enough, that you are willing
to let your contributions plateau.
Being in software industry, what would you do to have more control over your destiny?
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A. Work on important projects.
B. Increase your technical acumen.
C. Develop more value.
D. Keep your boss happy.
30. As the popularity of tattoos continue to grow, so does the concern about potential
risks. Some risks, such as the spread of infections through the use of unsterilized
needles, have long been known. But what isn't clear is the safety of tattoo inks.
Getting inked may have long-term consequences beyond just having to live with
your ex-girlfriend's name on your bicep for decades.
31. Have you ever wondered whether fish drink or not? All living things must drink,
and they require a fresh supply of water. A person can go without food for many
days, but he or she cannot go for long without water. Fish drink, and fish that live
in salt water must drink salt water. However, when we watch them in an
aquarium and see them opening and closing their mouths, we must not assume
that they are drinking. Fish need water for its oxygen. The water that they seem
to be gulping gives them oxygen, which is in the water. On the other hand, when
a fish drinks, it swallows water, just the way we do.
It is stated in the passage that a fish opens and closes its mouth
32. Deadweight tonnage is a measure of how much weight a ship is carrying or can
safely carry. It is the sum of the weights of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water,
provisions, passengers, and crew.
Which of the following does NOT go into the calculation of dead weight tonnage?
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de Lafayette when a messenger arrived on horseback to tell him that his wife was
gravely ill back at his home in Connecticut. The message had taken several days
to reach him because of the distance. Morse rushed to his home as fast as he
could, but his wife had already passed away by the time he arrived. Grief-stricken,
he gave up painting and devoted the rest of his life to finding ways to transmit
messages over long distances faster.
Morse left the art world and helped to invent the telegraph because he
34. It is difficult to reconcile the ideas of different schools of thought on the question
of education. Some people maintain that pupils of school should concentrate on a
narrow range of subjects which will benefit them directly in their subsequent
careers. Others contend that they should study a wide range of subjects so that
they not only have the specialized knowledge necessary for their chosen careers
but also sound general knowledge about the world they will have to work and live
in. Supporters of the first theory state that the greatest contributions to
civilization are made by those who are expert in their trade or profession. Those
on the other side say that, unless they have a broad general education, the
experts will be too narrow in their outlook to have sympathy with their fellows or
a proper sense of responsibility towards humanity as a whole.
According to the second school of thought education will not be very effective, if students
35. "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." - Desiderius Erasmus
A. Someone who can see will be able to take advantage of others who cannot see.
B. It's more advantageous to be able to see, even a little bit, than to be blind.
C. It would be easy for someone who can see to become king in a land of people who
cannot see.
D. Even someone with minor ability is considered special by those with no ability at all.
36. A rule change was enacted before the 1974 National Football League (NFL)
season to add one sudden death overtime period (15 minutes) to all preseason
and regular season games. If no team scored in this period, the game would
result in a tie. This rule was enacted to decrease the number of tie games. The
first ever regular season overtime, a September 22 game between the Pittsburgh
Steelers and the Denver Broncos, ended in a 35-35 draw. It was not until
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November 10, when the New York Jets defeated the New York Giants, 26-20, that
an overtime game would produce a winner.
A. The number of ties appear to have stayed the same after this rule change.
B. The number of ties appear to have been reduced after this rule change.
C. The number of ties appear to have increased after this rule change.
D. There's not enough information to determine if this rule change impacted the number
of ties.
37. Official records state that the Pueblo Indians lived in New Mexico and Arizona. The
word "Pueblo" comes from the Spanish word "pueblo," meaning town or village.
The Spaniards found these Indians living in apartment houses, some of them on
the side of a cliff in order that they could be reached only by ladders. Whenever
they were attacked by Apaches, the Pueblos would pull up the ladders. They grew
corn, which they watered with water flowing down in ditches. They wove cloth,
made wonderful baskets, and created jars and pots out of clay proving how skilful
they were at hand-craft.
From the passage we understand that the Pueblo Indians were afraid of:
A. Apache Indians
B. water flowing down in ditches
C. cliff dwelling
D. apartment houses
38. A person born in the Year of the Tiger is capable of earning large sums of money,
but he is rather a spendthrift and does not always put his money to best use. He
can also be most generous and will often shower lavish gifts on friends and
relations. That is why a Tiger person has many friends and acquaintances.
Which of the following is true about a person born in the Year of the Tiger?
39. It was a man who lived before the time of Christopher Columbus that was the
world's first great traveler. His name was Marco Polo. With his father and his
uncle, he traveled from Italy to China, crossing mountains and deserts to get
there. In China a king called Kublai Khan was pleased to see the Polos and had
them live near to him. They stayed for twenty-three years. Kublai Khan sent
Marco to other countries to do business for him. When Marco finally returned to
Italy, he wrote all about his adventures in a book, which was read by Columbus
and many other people, who also became interested in traveling to strange
countries.
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This story is mainly about:
40. People born under the zodiac sign Pisces are generous to a fault. They are always
ready to help anyone in need, even those whom they have just met. Because they
are kind and compassionate, they are often taken advantage of by people who
come to them with a tale of woes and sufferings. If it happens that they don't
have something to give, they will even borrow from friends so the people who
come to them for help will not go home empty-handed.
What does the paragraph say about the people born under the sign Pisces?
ANSWER:
1. C
2. C
3. A
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. C
8. D
9. B - Generation Xers like to work independently, which means they are self-directed.
10. C - The last sentence in the paragraph clearly gives support for the idea that the
interest in Shakespeare is due to the development of his characters.
11. B
12. D
13. D
14. A
15. B
16. C
17. D
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18. A
19. B
20. D - This choice is supported as the best answer because the paragraph indicates that
low-fat ice cream was once an unpopular item, but now, because consumers are
more health conscious and because there is a wider array of tasty low-fat foods, low-
fat ice cream is a profitable item for ice cream store owners.
21. C
22. A
23. B - By stating that fitness walking does not require a commute to a health club, the
author stresses the convenience of this form of exercise. The paragraph also states
that fitness walking will result in a good workout.
24. C
25. A
26. C
27. C
28. B
29. C
30. A
31. A
32. A
33. B
34. D
35. D
36. D
37. A
38. C
39. D
40. A
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