Short Advanced Reading Comprehension Test 26 With MCQs and Answers

(Please note: The following questions are related to a specific reading passage, available solely before the first question. Remember, referring back to the reading text while answering the questions may be helpful to ensure accuracy.)

Nobody knows when fiction started. Perhaps, the first storyteller was a prehistoric mother trying to explain the world to her children. Or maybe it was a hunter telling about his adventures around the campfire. Who can tell? What we do know, though, is that story-telling was a purely oral activity around 800 BC. Myths and tales were passed down by word of mouth and had to be memorized by each new generation of storytellers. This oral tradition only examples of Homer, a blind professional storyteller, who lived in the eighth century BC.

It is stressed in the passage that story-telling _____.

It is very clear from the passage that the Homeric epics _____.

We can infer from the passage that, throughout the oral tradition, professional story-tellers _____.

The printing press was invented by Gutenberg in the city of Mainz, Germany. He built and operated the printing press with moveable metal letters. Actually, simple printing methods had existed for centuries, but they had to be done by hand and took a long time. What made Gutenberg's press so different was that the individual letters themselves could swiftly and easily be moved to create different pages. This made it possible to print entire books more cheaply and more rapidly than ever before.

It is emphasized in the passage that the basic new feature of Gutenberg's printing press _____.

One can infer from the passage that actually, the history of printing _____.

It can be understood from the passage that the printing technique that was introduced by Gutenberg _____.

In many countries, in the process of industrialization, overcrowded cities present the main problem. The overpopulation of towns is generally caused by the drift of large numbers of people from rural areas. The only long-term solution is to make life in the rural areas more attractive, which would encourage people to stay there. This could be achieved by providing incentives for people to go and work in the villages. Furthermore, facilities in the rural areas, such as transport, health and education services, should be improved.

According to the passage, one important outcome of industrialization has been _____.

The author stresses that one way in which rural life might be made more attractive _____.

The writer suggests that, so as to solve the problem of overcrowding in cities, _____.

The famous English detective Tom Wilkinson was actually a great lover of music; he often played the violin and even composed some music. He would sometimes spend a whole afternoon listening to music, and this would make him extremely happy. On such occasions, he grew gentle and dreamy, quite unlike the sharp, clever and rather frightening detective that everybody knew him to be. But such a mood rarely lasted long and when it left him, he was more alert and business-like than ever.

The writer describes a side of Detective Wilkinson's character which _____.

The writer points out that after a quiet afternoon spent listening to music, Wilkinson _____.

We can understand from the passage that Wilkinson was generally regarded as _____.

During World War, Faye Goodman showed extraordinary qualities of determination and organizing ability. In the English hospital where she worked, conditions at first were terrible; dirt and disease probably caused more deaths among the soldiers than did the wounds received in battle. Still, under these circumstances, Faye Goodman gradually built up a highly disciplined nursing staff and, together with more adequate medical supplies, she was able to improve conditions and be of real service to the soldiers. However, the work was hard, and, as a result, her own health suffered.

One important point the passage makes is that Faye Goodman _____.

It is clear from the passage that because Faye Goodman was a determined person, with a gift from organising, she _____.

As the writer emphasizes in the passage, conditions in the military hospital were, in the beginning, so bad that _____.

Skiing is a popular sport, enjoyed by people of all ages. The best skiers, that is, the professionals, have recently been Europeans. The Austrians, the Norwegians and the Italians have generally been the fastest in international competitions: recently, however, skiers from other countries have also come to the fore and demonstrated their skills. As a result, interest in the sport has become worldwide, and this has led to a highly competitive ski industry.

It is shown from the passage that the European countries _____.

The passage writer emphasizes that the development of the ski industry in the world _____.

According to the text, as a sport, skiing _____.

The Amazon basin is a huge area in Brazil. It has always attracted businessmen on account of its valuable and rich resources such as rubber, coffee and cocoa. However, it is not easy to make money by starting an enterprise there. As the Brazilians say, "If you want to succeed, you must believe in the Amazon, and you must be young." Many rich men, including Hardy Folk, have poured money into the area and gone away with nothing.

The writer points out that many businessmen _____.

According to the passage, there has been a great deal of economic interest in the Amazon basin _____.

One can understand from the passage that the Amazon basin _____.

Nigeria is heavily dependent on the export of crude oil to finance industrial development. 95% of Nigeria's exports by value are crude oil. At current production rates, known reserves are only sufficient until the end of the century. Industrialization was boosted after 1973 following the fourfold increase, in oil prices. In the early 1980s prices fell, and Nigeria lost important income. Oil production peaked in 1974 when output reached 112 million tonnes.

It is emphasized in the passage that the sharp rise in oil prices in 1973 _____.

It is clearly understood from the given passage that only a fraction of Nigeria's exports _____.

The passage says that as long as the current rate of oil production is maintained, _____.