Short Reading Comprehensions

Last year, a circus owner, Bill Turnbull, decided to surprise children Last month my wife and I were holidaying in India. After
with presents who were staying in hospital during Christmas holiday. exploring a number of fascinating places, we stopped at a
Dressed up as Father Christmas, he set off down a main street of square to have a rest and get something to eat. While we were
Manchester riding a baby elephant called Zumba. He had a feeling the eating, we noticed a snake charmer with two large baskets on
police would never agree to his plan. So, within minutes, a policeman the other side of the square. Curiously we decided to see what
approached Bill and told him he should have taken a side-street as was going to happen. As soon as he saw our interested faces,
Zumba was causing a traffic jam. Although, Bill agreed to go at once, he picked up a long pipe and opened one of the baskets. When
Zumba refused to budge. Ten policemen and a few padestrians had to he began to play a smooth tune, we had our first glimpse of the
push very hard to get him off the main street. 'Zumba must weigh a snake. It rose out of the basket and began to follow the
few tons,' said a policeman afterwards, 'so it was fortunate that we movements of the pipe. We were astonished when the snake
didn't have to carry him. Of course, we should arrest him, but as he charmer suddenly began to play jazz tunes and popular modern
has a good record, we shall let him off this time.' songs. The snake, however, continued to 'dance' slowly. It
Are these sentences true or false? obviously could not tell the difference between Indian music
1. Mr Turnbull was a doctor. and jazz. It was an experience we will both talk about for years
2. Zumba was an adult elephant. to come.
3. This story happened in Manchester. Answer the following in full sentences:
4. Only pedestrians pushed Zumba.
5. Mr Turnbull was arrested. 1. Where were the couple holidaying?
2. Where were they resting?
3. What did they see?
A poor hard working young man in Nigeria saved up for years to buy a 4. What did the charmer hold?
real bed after sleeping on the floor for years. For the first time in his 5. What came out of the baskets?
life, he became the proud owner of a bed and a mattress. As it was 6. How was it moving?
summer, the weather was very hot, so he carried the bed on to the 7. Did the charmer change the tune?
roof of his house. He slept very well for the first two weeks, but one
8. Do you think the snake recognise different tunes?
night, a storm suddenly began. A strong gust of wind swept the bed off
9. Do you think the couple enjoyed the experience?
the roof and sent it crashing into the garden below. The young man did
not feel a thing until the bed hit the ground. Although the bed was 10. Have you ever seen a dancing snake?
smashed to pieces, the man was amazingly unhurt. When he woke up,
he was still on the mattress. Looking at the bits of wood and metal that
lay around him, the man sadly picked up the mattress and carried it My old primary school has announced in the local
into his house, put it on the floor and went back to sleep. newspaper that the current head teacher, Mr Simon
Answer the following in full sentences: Woodhouse, will be retiring at the end of the month.
Students, old and new, will be contributing towards
1. Where did this story happen? buying him a present to mark the event. All those who
2. What did the young man dream of having? have taken part will sign their names on a framed
3. Why did he have to wait so long? certificate, which will be given to him at the farewell
4. What happened one night? gathering. We are all grateful to Mr Woodhouse for his
5. Where was the man sleeping? Why? patience and guidance and above all encouragement when
6. What happened to the bed? we reluctantly went to school. A large number of former
7. Was he hurt? students will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour
8. What do you think saved his life? next Friday. The day before his retirement, Mr
Woodhouse will have been teaching for a total of forty
years. After he has retired, he will turn his attention to
The Beatles are a group of popular singers. They are currently touring gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby,
all parts of the UK. They will be arriving in Leeds tomorrow by train and having no time for hobbies before. For he has often
most of the young people in the town will be welcoming them at the
remarked, one is never too old to learn.
station. In the evening they will be singing at the town hall. The group
Answer these questions in full sentences after
will be staying for two days. During this time, they will give two
performances. Unsurprisingly, the police will have a difficult time. They reading the story above:
will be trying to keep order. It is always the same on these occasions. 1. Who is retiring?
2. Where has he been working?
Are these sentences true or false? 3. What will they give him?
1.The Beatles are British. 4. Where will the contributors write their names?
2. The are visiting London. 5. What are they all grateful for?
3.The group will be welcomed at the airport. 6. Who will attend the dinner?
4. The police will have two difficult days ahead. 7. When is the gathering?
5. There will be chaos. 8. How long has he been teaching?
6. It is always exciting to have a famous group in town. 9. Does he have any hobbies?
10. What is his newly found hobby?