Reading comprehension: passages and documents: open practice pack: learner worksheet

1. reading-comprehension-s01-q01

Notice: 'The library will close at 5 pm on Friday 12 June for staff training. Normal opening hours resume on Saturday morning.' On which day does the library close early?

1. Thursday
2. Friday
3. Saturday
4. Monday

Answer:

2. reading-comprehension-s01-q02

Announcement: 'Passengers for the 09:40 coach to Leeds should wait at bay 6. The 10:15 coach to York departs from bay 2.' From which bay does the coach to Leeds depart?

1. Bay 6
2. Bay 2
3. Bay 9
4. Bay 4

Answer:

3. reading-comprehension-s01-q03

Notice: 'Dr Osei's clinic runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments must be booked at least two days in advance by telephone.' How must appointments be booked?

1. In person
2. Online
3. By telephone
4. By post

Answer:

4. reading-comprehension-s01-q04

Recipe note: 'The recipe makes twelve muffins. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, then leave to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.' For how long should the muffins bake?

1. 10 minutes
2. 12 minutes
3. 18 minutes
4. 25 minutes

Answer:

5. reading-comprehension-s01-q05

Sign: 'Visitors must sign in at the main reception on Compton Street. Deliveries, however, should go to the goods entrance on Weaver Lane.' Where should deliveries go?

1. The goods entrance on Weaver Lane
2. The main reception on Compton Street
3. The car park
4. The sign does not say

Answer:

6. reading-comprehension-s01-q06

Pool notice: 'The pool is open from 6:30 am on weekdays and from 8:00 am at weekends. Lane swimming finishes at noon every day.' At what time does the pool open on Saturdays?

1. 6:30 am
2. 8:00 am
3. 12:00 noon
4. It does not open on Saturdays

Answer:

7. reading-comprehension-s01-q07

Ticket desk notice: 'Tickets cost £12 for adults and £7 for children. Members receive a £2 discount on any ticket.' How much does an adult member pay?

1. £5
2. £7
3. £12
4. £10

Answer:

8. reading-comprehension-s01-q08

Council leaflet: 'Recycling is collected on alternate Mondays; general waste is collected every Wednesday. Garden waste collections pause during December and January.' How often is general waste collected?

1. On alternate Mondays
2. Once a month
3. Every Wednesday
4. Only in December and January

Answer:

9. reading-comprehension-s01-q09

Museum policy: 'Hand-held cameras are allowed in all permanent galleries. Flash photography and tripods are not permitted anywhere in the building.' Which of the following is permitted?

1. A hand-held camera in a permanent gallery
2. Flash photography in a permanent gallery
3. A tripod in the entrance hall
4. Flash photography in the café

Answer:

10. reading-comprehension-s01-q10

Station notice: 'Platform 4 is closed for resurfacing this week. Trains to Airedale will instead leave from platform 1, and all other services are unaffected.' Which platform will trains to Airedale use this week?

1. Platform 4
2. Platform 1
3. Platform 2
4. None: they are cancelled

Answer:

11. reading-comprehension-s02-q01

Instructions: 'To reset the router: unplug it, wait ten seconds, plug it back in, and then wait for the light to turn green before reconnecting your devices.' What should you do immediately after plugging the router back in?

1. Unplug it again
2. Reconnect your devices
3. Wait for the light to turn green
4. Wait ten seconds

Answer:

12. reading-comprehension-s02-q02

Form guidance: 'Complete sections A and B in black ink. Section C should be filled in only by applicants renewing an existing licence. Sign and date the form at the bottom of page 2.' Who should complete section C?

1. All applicants
2. First-time applicants
3. Nobody: it is for office use
4. Applicants renewing an existing licence

Answer:

13. reading-comprehension-s02-q03

Gardening guide: 'Water the seedlings every morning until the first true leaves appear. After that, water twice a week, and feed them fortnightly.' How often should you water once the first true leaves have appeared?

1. Every morning
2. Twice a week
3. Fortnightly
4. Once a week

Answer:

14. reading-comprehension-s02-q04

Medicine label: 'Take two tablets with food every eight hours. Do not exceed six tablets in 24 hours. If symptoms persist beyond three days, consult a pharmacist.' What is the maximum number of tablets allowed in 24 hours?

1. Six
2. Two
3. Eight
4. Three

Answer:

15. reading-comprehension-s02-q05

Assembly guide: 'Attach the legs to the underside of the table top using the four long bolts, but leave them loose. Fit the cross-brace between the legs, then tighten all bolts fully.' When should the bolts be fully tightened?

1. Before attaching the legs
2. As soon as the legs are attached
3. They should stay loose
4. After the cross-brace is fitted

Answer:

16. reading-comprehension-s02-q06

Submission rules: 'Before submitting your assignment, convert the file to PDF, name it using your student number, and upload it via the portal. Email submissions are accepted only if the portal is down.' Under what circumstances is an email submission accepted?

1. Whenever the student prefers email
2. Never
3. Only if the portal is down
4. When the file is too large

Answer:

17. reading-comprehension-s02-q07

Evacuation notice: 'On hearing the alarm, leave by the nearest staircase, not the lifts. Assemble in the courtyard and wait for the roll call before re-entering.' Which route should you use to leave the building?

1. The nearest staircase
2. The lift
3. The courtyard entrance
4. Whichever exit is unlocked

Answer:

18. reading-comprehension-s02-q08

Seed packet: 'Sow the seeds 2 cm deep in trays in March. Harden the plants off outdoors for a week in May before planting them out.' What should you do in May before planting out?

1. Sow more seeds in trays
2. Harden the plants off outdoors for a week
3. Replant them 2 cm deeper
4. Keep them indoors until June

Answer:

19. reading-comprehension-s02-q09

Expenses policy: 'Claims under £50 need a receipt and a line manager's signature. Claims of £50 or more also require the budget holder's approval. Submit all claims within 30 days.' What extra step applies to a £75 claim compared with a £30 claim?

1. It needs a receipt
2. It must be submitted within 30 days
3. It needs a line manager's signature
4. It also needs the budget holder's approval

Answer:

20. reading-comprehension-s02-q10

Tool manual: 'Charge the battery fully before first use. Afterwards, top up the charge whenever the indicator shows one bar, and avoid leaving the tool on the charger overnight.' After first use, when should you top up the charge?

1. Every night
2. Once a week
3. Whenever the indicator shows one bar
4. Only when the battery is completely flat

Answer:

21. reading-comprehension-s03-q01

Passage: 'The community garden began as a single allotment behind the church hall. Ten years on, it covers two acres, supplies the food bank with fresh vegetables, and runs weekly sessions for local schools. What started as one neighbour's project now involves hundreds of residents.' What is the main idea of the passage?

1. The garden supplies the food bank with vegetables
2. Allotments are usually found near church halls
3. Schools should teach gardening
4. A small local project has grown into a wide community effort

Answer:

22. reading-comprehension-s03-q02

Passage: 'Many people assume that bats are blind, yet every bat species has working eyes, and some see very well in low light. Echolocation supplements their vision rather than replacing it.' What is the main point?

1. Echolocation is more useful to bats than vision
2. The common belief that bats are blind is mistaken
3. Bats cannot see in daylight
4. All animals that echolocate have poor eyesight

Answer:

23. reading-comprehension-s03-q03

Council notice: 'From April, garden waste collections will require an annual subscription of £35. Households can sign up online or at the library. Unsubscribed bins will not be emptied.' What is the primary purpose of the notice?

1. To tell residents about a new subscription charge and how to register
2. To persuade residents that gardening is worthwhile
3. To explain how compost is made
4. To apologise for missed collections

Answer:

24. reading-comprehension-s03-q04

Passage: 'The night sky in most cities now glows with artificial light. Astronomers struggle to observe faint stars, migrating birds are disoriented, and many people have never seen the Milky Way. Light pollution, unlike many environmental problems, could be reduced quickly and cheaply with better-designed street lighting.' What is the main idea?

1. Astronomers should move their telescopes out of cities
2. Migrating birds avoid brightly lit cities
3. Light pollution is harmful but comparatively easy to fix
4. Street lighting should be switched off at night

Answer:

25. reading-comprehension-s03-q05

Passage: 'Repair cafés pair visitors who own broken items with volunteers who enjoy fixing things. Toasters, trousers and bicycles are mended free of charge over tea and biscuits. Organisers say the point is not just saving money but keeping skills alive and objects out of landfill.' Which title best fits the passage?

1. The rising cost of small appliances
2. Repair cafés: mending goods, sharing skills
3. Why volunteering is declining
4. How to fix your own toaster

Answer:

26. reading-comprehension-s03-q06

Passage: 'A recent trial in three hospitals replaced paper drug charts with electronic prescribing. Prescription errors fell by a third, but staff reported the new system was slower during ward rounds. The report concludes that electronic prescribing improves safety yet needs better design to save clinicians' time.' What is the trial's main finding as reported?

1. Paper charts are safer than electronic ones
2. Staff refused to use the new system
3. Prescription errors increased during the trial
4. The electronic system reduced errors but cost staff time

Answer:

27. reading-comprehension-s03-q07

Charity letter: 'Last winter your donations funded 4,000 hot meals. This year, demand at our shelters has doubled while food costs have risen sharply. A gift of any size before December will help us keep every kitchen open.' What is the letter's purpose?

1. To report last winter's spending in detail
2. To announce that a shelter is closing
3. To persuade readers to donate again
4. To explain why food costs have risen

Answer:

28. reading-comprehension-s03-q08

Passage: 'Handwriting is disappearing from daily life, and some educators see no reason to mourn it. Yet studies suggest that forming letters by hand helps young children recognise them, and that students who take handwritten notes often process ideas more deeply than those who type. The case for keeping handwriting in schools is practical, not nostalgic.' What is the main idea?

1. There are practical, evidence-based reasons to keep teaching handwriting
2. Typing is faster than handwriting
3. Nostalgia should guide education policy
4. Children can no longer write by hand

Answer:

29. reading-comprehension-s03-q09

Passage: 'The village shop survives because it refuses to specialise. It is a post office counter, a bakery, a parcel point and, on Friday evenings, a pizza takeaway. Each sideline alone would fail; together they bring in enough custom to keep the doors open.' What is the main idea?

1. Pizza is the shop's most profitable line
2. The shop stays open by combining many small services
3. Village post offices are closing across the country
4. Specialised shops always fail

Answer:

30. reading-comprehension-s03-q10

Passage: 'It is tempting to judge a proposal by the enthusiasm of its supporters, but the noisy few rarely represent the quiet many. Consultations that rely on public meetings alone tend to hear from the same confident voices. Surveys, sampled fairly, reach the residents who never attend.' What is the main point?

1. Consultations should use fair sampling, not just public meetings, to hear the wider community
2. Public meetings should be abolished
3. Enthusiastic supporters are usually wrong
4. Residents dislike completing surveys

Answer:

31. reading-comprehension-s04-q01

Sentence: 'The committee reached a unanimous decision: all nine members voted to approve the plan.' As used here, 'unanimous' most nearly means:

1. Reluctant
2. Delayed
3. Agreed by everyone
4. Provisional

Answer:

32. reading-comprehension-s04-q02

Sentence: 'Rather than tackle the leak properly, the landlord made a series of makeshift repairs with tape and putty.' As used here, 'makeshift' most nearly means:

1. Temporary and improvised
2. Expensive and thorough
3. Carried out illegally
4. Permanent

Answer:

33. reading-comprehension-s04-q03

Sentence: 'Attendance at the evening classes has dwindled from forty students to barely a dozen.' As used here, 'dwindled' most nearly means:

1. Risen sharply
2. Stayed steady
3. Doubled
4. Gradually shrunk

Answer:

34. reading-comprehension-s04-q04

Sentence: 'The instructions were so ambiguous that half the class built the model upside down.' As used here, 'ambiguous' most nearly means:

1. Detailed and precise
2. Unclear: open to more than one reading
3. Written in another language
4. Very brief

Answer:

35. reading-comprehension-s04-q05

Sentence: 'She gave a candid account of the project's failures, admitting her own mistakes first.' As used here, 'candid' most nearly means:

1. Honest and open
2. Brief
3. Exaggerated
4. Cautious

Answer:

36. reading-comprehension-s04-q06

Sentence: 'The new booking system was meant to simplify things, but in practice it has added another layer of bureaucracy.' As used here, 'in practice' most nearly means:

1. During rehearsals
2. In theory
3. Occasionally
4. In real use, as things actually turned out

Answer:

37. reading-comprehension-s04-q07

Sentence: 'The article's author is sceptical of the claims, noting that the study involved only twelve participants.' As used here, 'sceptical' most nearly means:

1. Supportive
2. Doubtful and questioning
3. Unaware
4. Furious

Answer:

38. reading-comprehension-s04-q08

Sentence: 'The negotiations were delicate, so both sides agreed to keep the talks confidential until a deal was reached.' As used here, 'delicate' most nearly means:

1. Fragile in structure
2. Light in flavour
3. Requiring careful, sensitive handling
4. Unimportant

Answer:

39. reading-comprehension-s04-q09

Sentence: 'Funding for the scheme is contingent on the council's approval; without it, the project cannot begin.' As used here, 'contingent on' most nearly means:

1. Opposed to
2. Unrelated to
3. Guaranteed regardless of
4. Dependent on

Answer:

40. reading-comprehension-s04-q10

Sentence: 'After the scandal, the minister's support ebbed away until even close allies distanced themselves.' As used here, 'ebbed away' most nearly means:

1. Surged suddenly
2. Remained loyal
3. Gradually drained away
4. Shifted overseas

Answer:

41. reading-comprehension-s05-q01

Passage: 'Harber & Sons has traded from the same corner shop since 1962. The firm is now run by the founder's granddaughter, who took over in 2019.' Statement: 'The business has been running for more than fifty years.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

42. reading-comprehension-s05-q02

Passage: 'The ferry crossing takes forty minutes in calm weather. In rough conditions the service is sometimes suspended entirely.' Statement: 'The ferry is the fastest way to cross.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

43. reading-comprehension-s05-q03

Passage: 'All entries to the poetry contest must be previously unpublished and no longer than forty lines. Winners will be announced in October.' Statement: 'Poems of any length may be entered.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

44. reading-comprehension-s05-q04

Passage: 'Nadia's bakery uses only flour milled within thirty miles of the shop. Her sourdough sells out most Saturdays before noon.' Statement: 'All the flour the bakery uses is milled within thirty miles of the shop.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

45. reading-comprehension-s05-q05

Passage: 'The council planted three hundred trees along the ring road last year as part of its air-quality plan.' Statement: 'The tree planting has improved air quality.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

46. reading-comprehension-s05-q06

Passage: 'Membership of the astronomy society is open to anyone aged sixteen or over. Telescopes are provided at all observing evenings.' Statement: 'Members must bring their own telescopes to observing evenings.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

47. reading-comprehension-s05-q07

Passage: 'Every apprentice at the yard completes a two-week safety induction before touching any machinery. Callum, an apprentice, started operating the lathe last month.' Statement: 'Callum has completed the safety induction.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

48. reading-comprehension-s05-q08

Passage: 'The report found that cycling to work rose by 40 per cent in the city between 2020 and 2024. The rise coincided with the opening of three protected cycle routes.' Statement: 'The new cycle routes caused the rise in cycling.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

49. reading-comprehension-s05-q09

Passage: 'Grants from the heritage fund may be used for repairs to listed buildings only. The Corn Exchange, a Grade II listed building, received a grant this year.' Statement: 'The Corn Exchange grant may be spent on new furniture.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

50. reading-comprehension-s05-q10

Passage: 'Interviews for the technician post will be held on 4 and 5 September. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email at least a week beforehand.' Statement: 'More candidates applied than were shortlisted.'

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot say

Answer:

51. reading-comprehension-s06-q01

Passage: 'The council proposed closing the branch library, and campaigners collected five thousand signatures against the plan. This forced a rethink.' What does 'This' refer to?

1. The council's proposal
2. The collection of five thousand signatures
3. The closure of the library
4. The rethink itself

Answer:

52. reading-comprehension-s06-q02

Passage: 'Marta emailed the supplier on Monday. Having received no reply by Thursday, she telephoned, and the missing parts arrived the following morning.' On which day did the parts arrive?

1. Monday
2. Thursday
3. The following Monday
4. Friday

Answer:

53. reading-comprehension-s06-q03

Passage: 'The two candidates could hardly differ more. Whereas Okafor promises to freeze fares, Lindqvist argues that fares must rise to fund new rolling stock.' Who argues that fares must rise?

1. Lindqvist
2. Okafor
3. Both candidates
4. Neither candidate

Answer:

54. reading-comprehension-s06-q04

Passage: 'Before the bridge was built, villagers crossed by ferry. The ferry ceased operating two years after the bridge opened, and the old slipway was converted into a picnic area last summer.' Which event happened after the bridge opened but before the slipway was converted?

1. The ferry began operating
2. The villagers stopped crossing the river
3. The ferry stopped operating
4. The bridge closed

Answer:

55. reading-comprehension-s06-q05

Passage: 'The engineers warned the directors that the turbines would need replacing within a decade because they were already running beyond their design life.' What does 'they' most naturally refer to?

1. The engineers
2. The directors
3. The warnings
4. The turbines

Answer:

56. reading-comprehension-s06-q06

Recipe: 'Sift the flour. Once the butter has melted, this should take about a minute, stir it into the flour along with the sugar. Chill the mixture before rolling it out.' What is done immediately before chilling?

1. Sifting the flour
2. Stirring the butter and sugar into the flour
3. Rolling out the mixture
4. Melting the butter

Answer:

57. reading-comprehension-s06-q07

Passage: 'The report was drafted by Iqbal, revised by Chen after the client's comments, and finally signed off by Novak.' Which sequence correctly orders their involvement?

1. Novak, then Chen, then Iqbal
2. Iqbal, then Novak, then Chen
3. Iqbal, then Chen, then Novak
4. Chen, then Iqbal, then Novak

Answer:

58. reading-comprehension-s06-q08

Passage: 'Sales rose steadily until the recall, after which they halved in a single quarter. Recovery took three years.' What does 'they' refer to?

1. Sales
2. The recalls
3. The quarters
4. The three years

Answer:

59. reading-comprehension-s06-q09

Passage: 'By the time the inspectors arrived, the leak had already been sealed. The night crew had spotted it during their final round and called the duty engineer at once.' Which of these events happened first?

1. The inspectors arrived
2. The leak was sealed
3. The duty engineer was called
4. The night crew spotted the leak

Answer:

60. reading-comprehension-s06-q10

Passage: 'The panel rejected the first design as too costly and the second as too cramped. The third, though slower to build, met the budget and the space requirements, and it was this one they approved.' Why was the approved design chosen?

1. It was the quickest to build
2. It satisfied both the budget and the space requirements
3. It was the cheapest of all the designs considered
4. The panel had designed it themselves

Answer:

61. reading-comprehension-s07-q01

Policy: 'Staff may work from home up to two days a week. Requests for additional remote days need written approval from a head of department.' Leah wants to work from home three days next week. What does the policy require?

1. Written approval from a head of department
2. Nothing: three days is within the allowance
3. Approval from the HR team
4. That she reduce her request to one day

Answer:

62. reading-comprehension-s07-q02

Refund policy: 'Unused tickets are refundable up to 48 hours before the performance, minus a £3 fee. Within 48 hours, tickets may be exchanged but not refunded.' Theo asks for a refund 24 hours before the performance. What is he entitled to?

1. A full refund
2. A refund minus the £3 fee
3. An exchange, but no refund
4. Neither a refund nor an exchange

Answer:

63. reading-comprehension-s07-q03

Parking rules: 'Zone B permits are valid in zones B and C, but not zone A. Visitor scratch cards are valid in any zone for up to four hours.' Where may a Zone B permit holder park using the permit?

1. Zone A only
2. Any zone
3. Zone B only
4. Zones B and C

Answer:

64. reading-comprehension-s07-q04

Library rules: 'Loans run for three weeks and may be renewed twice unless the item has been reserved by another borrower. Reserved items must be returned by the original due date.' Amir's book has been reserved by another borrower. Can he renew it?

1. Yes, twice
2. No: he must return it by the original due date
3. Yes, once
4. Only if he pays a fee

Answer:

65. reading-comprehension-s07-q05

Travel policy: 'Employees may claim standard-class rail fares. First-class fares are reimbursed only when a standard-class ticket was unavailable at booking, and evidence of this must be attached.' Dana bought a first-class ticket for comfort while standard-class tickets were still available. Will her fare be reimbursed under the policy?

1. Yes: comfort is a valid reason
2. Yes: first class is always allowed
3. No: standard class was available at booking
4. Yes, but only half the fare

Answer:

66. reading-comprehension-s07-q06

Warranty: 'The warranty covers manufacturing faults for two years. It does not cover accidental damage, unauthorised repairs, or normal wear. Claims require proof of purchase.' A kettle's heating element failed after 14 months of normal use, and the owner has the receipt. Is the claim covered?

1. Yes: a manufacturing fault within two years, with proof of purchase
2. No: kettles are excluded
3. No: 14 months is beyond the warranty period
4. Only if the owner still has the original box

Answer:

67. reading-comprehension-s07-q07

Competition rules: 'Entrants must be amateurs: anyone paid for photography in the past five years may not enter. Each entrant may submit up to three images, taken by themselves within the past twelve months.' Priya was paid for a wedding shoot four years ago. May she enter?

1. Yes, if she submits only one image
2. Yes: wedding photography does not count
3. Yes, provided her photos are recent
4. No: she was paid for photography within the past five years

Answer:

68. reading-comprehension-s07-q08

Tenancy policy: 'Tenants may keep one small pet with the landlord's written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld. Dangerous or exotic animals are not permitted in any circumstances.' Which request could the policy allow?

1. Two dogs, without asking the landlord
2. One cat, with the landlord's written consent
3. An exotic snake, with written consent
4. Any pet, since consent cannot be withheld

Answer:

69. reading-comprehension-s07-q09

Exam regulations: 'Candidates arriving up to 30 minutes late may be admitted but receive no extra time. Candidates more than 30 minutes late may not sit the paper and must apply for the next sitting.' Rosa arrives 40 minutes late. What happens under the regulations?

1. She is admitted with full time
2. She is admitted with 40 minutes of extra time
3. She is not admitted and must apply for the next sitting
4. She is admitted but loses 30 minutes

Answer:

70. reading-comprehension-s07-q10

Store policy: 'The loyalty discount is 10 per cent. It cannot be combined with promotional codes; where both apply, the till automatically uses whichever saves the customer more.' A customer with a loyalty card has a £60 basket and a promotional code worth £8 off. What does the till apply?

1. Both discounts, saving £14
2. The loyalty discount, saving £6
3. Neither discount
4. The promotional code, saving £8

Answer:

71. reading-comprehension-s08-q01

Passage: 'The café stopped printing menus last spring. Regulars barely noticed, but visitors now cluster at the counter photographing the chalkboard, and the queue at busy times stretches out of the door.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. The café has lost most of its regulars
2. Ordering has become slower for people unfamiliar with the café
3. Printed menus will soon be reintroduced
4. The quality of the food has declined

Answer:

72. reading-comprehension-s08-q02

Passage: 'Although the orchard's apple harvest was the smallest in a decade, the farm shop's cider sales hit a record, helped by stock pressed from previous years.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. Some of the cider sold was made from earlier harvests
2. The apple harvest was the largest in a decade
3. Cider prices fell during the year
4. The farm shop is about to close

Answer:

73. reading-comprehension-s08-q03

Passage: 'Marisol checked the departure board, sighed, and rejoined the queue at the coffee kiosk for the third time that evening.' What does the passage most strongly suggest?

1. Marisol dislikes coffee
2. Her departure left exactly on time
3. The coffee kiosk is about to close
4. Her departure has been delayed

Answer:

74. reading-comprehension-s08-q04

Passage: 'The landlord replaced the locks on Tuesday. By Friday, three tenants had already reported jammed keys, and the locksmith's van was back outside the building.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. The tenants lost their keys
2. The building was burgled on Thursday
3. The new locks have been causing problems
4. The landlord replaced the locks again on Friday

Answer:

75. reading-comprehension-s08-q05

Passage: 'No one at the meeting opposed the proposal, yet when the vote was called, only half raised their hands in favour; the rest abstained.' What does the passage most strongly suggest?

1. Silence in the discussion did not mean full support
2. The proposal was rejected
3. Half of those present voted against
4. The vote was postponed

Answer:

76. reading-comprehension-s08-q06

Passage: 'The trial's authors note that participants knew which drink they had been given, and that those expecting the caffeinated one reported feeling more alert even when they had actually received decaf.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. Caffeine has no effect on alertness
2. Participants' expectations affected what they reported
3. The decaf drinks secretly contained caffeine
4. The trial was abandoned early

Answer:

77. reading-comprehension-s08-q07

Passage: 'Ana's second novel sold modestly on release. After a television adaptation aired last year, her publisher reprinted it four times in six months.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. The novel was rewritten for television
2. Ana's first novel sold better than her second
3. The reprints were needed to correct printing errors
4. The adaptation boosted demand for the book

Answer:

78. reading-comprehension-s08-q08

Passage: 'The bakery advertises "baked fresh on site daily". An early customer, though, watched the driver carry in trays of part-baked loaves from a van marked with a wholesaler's logo.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. The bread is stale
2. The wholesaler owns the bakery
3. The slogan may not tell the whole story
4. The customer made a formal complaint

Answer:

79. reading-comprehension-s08-q09

Passage: 'Attendance at the free lunchtime concerts has tripled since the hall moved them from Mondays to Fridays. The programme itself is unchanged.' What is the most reasonable conclusion?

1. A new programme attracted bigger audiences
2. The change of day is the likely reason for the rise
3. The concerts only became free this year
4. The hall was enlarged

Answer:

80. reading-comprehension-s08-q10

Passage: 'When the ferry fare doubled, commuter numbers barely changed, but weekend leisure crossings fell by half.' What can reasonably be inferred?

1. Leisure passengers responded to the price more than commuters did
2. Commuters stopped using the ferry
3. The fare rise was quickly reversed
4. Weekend sailings were cancelled

Answer:

81. reading-comprehension-s09-q01

Passage: 'Cycling deaths in the city fell last year. Before crediting the new junction designs, note that total cycling journeys also fell by a fifth after buses were made cheaper. Fewer riders can produce fewer casualties without any road becoming safer.' What is the writer doing in the final sentence?

1. Proposing a further change to the junction designs
2. Conceding that the new junctions are unsafe
3. Reporting the city's official explanation of the fall
4. Offering an alternative explanation for the fall in deaths

Answer:

82. reading-comprehension-s09-q02

Report extract: 'The scheme cost £2.4 million and was delivered eleven months behind schedule. In the authors' view, that delay was the inevitable result of awarding the contract before the survey work was finished.' Which part of the extract is presented as opinion rather than fact?

1. That the delay was the inevitable result of the early award
2. That the scheme cost £2.4 million
3. That delivery ran eleven months behind schedule
4. That survey work formed part of the scheme

Answer:

83. reading-comprehension-s09-q03

Claim: 'A school reports that pupils who attend its breakfast club score higher in end-of-year tests, and concludes that free breakfasts raise attainment.' Which finding, if true, would most weaken the conclusion?

1. The club runs on four mornings a week rather than five
2. Some club members also eat breakfast at home
3. Places in the club went to pupils already scoring above average
4. The end-of-year tests were marked by teachers from another school

Answer:

84. reading-comprehension-s09-q04

Argument: 'The high street will recover once parking is free again, because shoppers deserted it as soon as charges were introduced.' Which assumption does the argument depend on?

1. That free parking would cost the council nothing to provide
2. That the charges, rather than something else, drove the shoppers away
3. That shoppers prefer the high street to out-of-town retail parks
4. That the shopkeepers themselves support removing the charges

Answer:

85. reading-comprehension-s09-q05

Review extract: 'The building is undeniably striking, and the atrium will photograph beautifully. Whether the staff who must spend their days in the windowless offices behind that atrium will forgive it is another matter.' What is the reviewer's attitude to the building?

1. Wholly enthusiastic
2. Indifferent to how the building looks
3. Hostile to modern architecture in general
4. Admiring of its appearance but doubtful about living and working in it

Answer:

86. reading-comprehension-s09-q06

Passage: 'In a survey of 1,200 commuters, 68 per cent said they would switch to rail if journey times fell by fifteen minutes. Only 11 per cent said the same about a comparable cut in fares.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

1. Among those surveyed, time savings were named far more often than fare cuts
2. Rail fares are already too low to influence commuters
3. Two-thirds of the country's commuters will switch to rail
4. Journey times are going to fall by fifteen minutes

Answer:

87. reading-comprehension-s09-q07

Passage: 'A magazine invited its readers to vote online for the country's favourite hobby. Gardening won by a wide margin, and the magazine reported that gardening is the nation's favourite pastime.' What is the main weakness in the magazine's conclusion?

1. Online voting is quicker than voting by post
2. Readers who chose to vote are unlikely to represent the nation
3. Gardening is hard to define precisely
4. The winning margin was not given as a number

Answer:

88. reading-comprehension-s09-q08

Passage: 'Towns with more ice-cream vans record more cases of sunburn. A columnist concludes that the vans somehow encourage people to neglect sunscreen.' What is the most likely explanation of the pattern?

1. Sunburn makes people crave cold food
2. Ice-cream vans tend to park where there is no shade
3. Warm, sunny weather raises both van numbers and sunburn cases
4. Towns with vans keep more careful health records

Answer:

89. reading-comprehension-s09-q09

Passage: 'Since the helpline extended its opening hours, the number of calls answered within a minute has risen from 900 to 1,500 a month.' Which further information would be most useful in judging whether the service has improved?

1. How many calls were made in total each month
2. Which software the helpline uses to route calls
3. How many years the helpline has been running
4. Where the helpline's offices are located

Answer:

90. reading-comprehension-s09-q10

Passage: 'A three-month pilot on one ward found that patients given a printed discharge summary were less likely to telephone the surgery with questions afterwards. The team describe the result as promising and call for a larger trial.' Which conclusion goes furthest beyond what the pilot supports?

1. The finding is worth testing on a larger scale
2. Patients on the pilot ward made fewer follow-up calls
3. Printed summaries may reduce follow-up calls
4. Printed summaries should be issued in every hospital at once

Answer:

91. reading-comprehension-s10-q01

Grant scheme: 'Awards are open to organisations with an annual income under £250,000 that have been constituted for at least two years and operate in the borough. Groups that received an award in either of the previous two rounds may apply again only for a different project.' The Fairholme Singers were constituted six years ago, have an income of £41,000, are based in the borough, and won an award in the last round for their outreach project. They wish to apply again for that same outreach project. May they?

1. Yes: their income and their age both qualify them
2. No: a recent award holder may only return with a different project
3. Yes: the repeat rule applies only to groups outside the borough
4. No: their income is too low to qualify

Answer:

92. reading-comprehension-s10-q02

Fee schedule: 'Room hire is £30 an hour for the first three hours and £22 an hour thereafter. Registered charities pay 25 per cent less on all hours. A £40 refundable deposit is taken at booking and returned after inspection.' A registered charity books the room for four hours. Ignoring the deposit, what is the hire charge?

1. £90.00
2. £112.00
3. £120.00
4. £84.00

Answer:

93. reading-comprehension-s10-q03

Records policy: 'Departments retain routine correspondence for three years and contracts for seven. Where a document is subject to an open legal claim, it must be retained until that claim is closed, regardless of any shorter period above. Destruction is carried out only on the records officer's written authorisation.' A supplier contract signed nine years ago is named in a claim that remains open. What does the policy require?

1. Retain the contract until the claim is closed
2. Destroy it, since more than seven years have passed
3. Retain it for a further seven years from today
4. Destroy it as soon as the records officer authorises it

Answer:

94. reading-comprehension-s10-q04

Project note: 'The public consultation runs for six weeks from 1 March. The design team cannot begin detailed drawings until the consultation has closed, and the drawings take four weeks. The planning submission may be made at any point within a fortnight of the drawings being finished.' At the earliest, in which month can the planning submission be made?

1. April
2. July
3. May
4. June

Answer:

95. reading-comprehension-s10-q05

Two extracts. Council report: 'Household recycling in the district reached 48 per cent last year, our highest figure yet.' Campaign group: 'The council's 48 per cent counts material collected, not material actually reprocessed; once rejected loads are taken out, the true rate is nearer 39 per cent.' What can safely be concluded from the two extracts together?

1. The council has deliberately falsified its figures
2. The district's true recycling rate is 39 per cent
3. Neither figure can be relied upon for any purpose
4. The two figures measure different things and are not directly comparable

Answer:

96. reading-comprehension-s10-q06

Harbour regulation: 'Vehicles may not be parked on the quayside. This does not apply to vehicles loading or unloading, which may remain for up to twenty minutes. However, no vehicle of any kind may stand on the quayside while a vessel is being fuelled.' A delivery van is ten minutes into unloading crates on the quayside while the trawler alongside takes on fuel. What does the regulation require?

1. Nothing: unloading is permitted for twenty minutes
2. The van must move, because fuelling is under way
3. The van may remain for its final ten minutes
4. The van may remain provided the driver stays with it

Answer:

97. reading-comprehension-s10-q07

Study summary: 'Across 14,000 participants followed for nine years, those reporting more than seven hours of sleep a night had a slightly lower rate of heart disease. The association weakened once smoking, income and existing illness were accounted for, and the authors note that sleep was self-reported.' Which statement most accurately reflects the summary?

1. A modest association was found, and it shrank once other factors were allowed for
2. Sleeping more than seven hours a night prevents heart disease
3. The study found no association between sleep and heart disease
4. Self-reported data cannot support any conclusion at all

Answer:

98. reading-comprehension-s10-q08

Contract clause: 'Where the specification, the drawings and the bill of quantities conflict, the specification prevails over the drawings, and the drawings prevail over the bill of quantities. Any written variation signed by both parties prevails over all three.' The drawings show a steel handrail, the specification shows timber, and a variation signed by both parties shows glass. Which material governs?

1. Steel, as shown on the drawings
2. Timber, as shown in the specification
3. Whichever material the bill of quantities prices
4. Glass, as shown in the signed variation

Answer:

99. reading-comprehension-s10-q09

Passage: 'A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, so a unit drawing one kilowatt of electricity may deliver three or four kilowatts of heat. That ratio, the coefficient of performance, falls as the outdoor temperature drops and as the flow temperature the system must reach rises. A well-insulated house with large radiators therefore suits a heat pump better than one with small radiators, which need a high flow temperature to give out the same heat.' Why do large radiators suit a heat pump?

1. They let the pump generate heat instead of moving it
2. They raise the coefficient of performance by drawing more electricity
3. They deliver the same heat at a lower flow temperature, keeping the ratio high
4. They stop the outdoor temperature from affecting the unit

Answer:

100. reading-comprehension-s10-q10

Scheme document, two extracts. Extract 1: 'Households qualify for the insulation grant if the property was built before 1990 and holds an energy rating of E, F or G. Owners and private tenants may both apply, and the owner's written consent is required in every case.' Extract 2: 'Properties already fitted with cavity wall insulation are eligible for loft measures only.' Ms Adeyemi rents privately, holds her landlord's written consent, and lives in a 1974 house rated F that already has cavity wall insulation. What may she apply for?

1. Nothing: private tenants cannot apply
2. Any measure in the scheme, since her rating is F
3. Nothing: cavity-insulated properties are excluded entirely
4. Loft measures only

Answer: