Comprehension

Comprehension:

We always say that intelligence means being able to solve problems. Some animals seem able to do this. For example, dogs and cats often find their way home from long distances. To do this they have to use their intelligence. They have to remember and think. But many birds find their way over long distances, too. They travel thousands of kilometers every year when they move from cool to warmer countries. We do not know how they do this but we know that they do not use their intelligence. They do not remember places and direction and then make decisions. Young birds are able to make these journeys without help as soon as they can fly. They are born with this ability.
Often we cannot be sure whether an animal is acting intelligently or instinctively. Many animals, however, can be taught to solve problems, especially when they are given rewards such as pigeons.
Animals in circuses have been trained to do all sorts of tricks to amuse an audience. In all these cases we may say that an animal is using intelligence.
Some animals, however, show a much higher kind of intelligence: they solve problems without any help such as chimpanzees.

1- How can some animals be taught to solve problems?
………………………………………………………………………….
2- Why are circus animals trained to do tricks?
………………………………………………………………………….
3- What is the ability of birds finding their way called?
…………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Cats and dogs find their way home by using their …
-instinct
-intelligence
-inability
b- Chimpanzees show ……
-higher kind of intelligence
-no kind of intelligence
-low kind of intelligence
c- solve means ……(find the answer to- increase all- make more )
d- remember means …..( regret- refuse- recall)






Chen, a boy of ten, had to work selling oil because of his poor family. Being tired, he took a nap after putting his wooden bucket with the money on a rock. After waking up, Chen discovered that his money had been stolen. He went to the judge, Pin, who was wise and clever. The judge accused the rock of the robbery and ordered it to be brought to the court. People came to see this strange trail. Hearing Pin’s accusation of the rock, they laughed. They were fined of their disrespect and made to pay a silver coin which had to be put in a pot of water. Pin sat near it and at one point noticed a drop of oil come to the surface of the water. The judge caught the thief who had stolen Chen’s money by this clever method.

1- What did the people do when they heard Pin’s accusation?
…………………………………………………………………..
2- Where did Chen put his bucket and money?
………………………………………………………………….
3- Who was accused of the robbery?
…………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Pin was ….
- a wise judge - a strong trial - a drop of oil
b- A silver coin was put …..
- near a bucket - in a pot - under a rock
c- fined means ….( given-stolen-punished)
d- nap means ….(a long walk-a short sleep-a small stick)

We had a big old tree in our garden near the kitchen window. “We really must cut that tree down”, my husband said, soon after we moved into the house. “I’m sure it’s dangerous”. “Don’t be afraid,” I said. I liked the tree myself. “It’s quite safe. It isn’t going to fall down on the house!”
After a long discussion, we asked some workmen to cut the tree down. It was not an easy job. In fact, it took them all morning. But at last the tree was lying on the ground, leaving a big hole in its place.
My husband went down into the hole and began to look around. “there is a small metal box!” he shouted. We opened it. It was full of gold. “I suppose someone hid this box in the ground. The gold is probably worth a lot of money!” my husband said.
In the end, we decided to take the box to the police.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
……………………………………………………………………..
2- What did the writer and her husband finally decide to do with the box?
……………………………………………………………………………
3- Where was the old tree?
……………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- soon after means ….(a short time after-many years after-a long time after)
b- quite means … (rarely-hardly-completely)
c- cutting the tree down was … (easy-simple-difficult)
d- the writer’s husband was sure that the tree was …( safe – dangerous- beautiful)

Nora moved to a new town with her family, and so she was going to a different school from the one she had been at before. It was a few kilometers from her house. She always went there by the school bus that went around picking up pupils every morning. She had to be ready by half past eight everyday because the bus was always on time.
One Saturday morning, Nora’s mother wake up at nine o’clock and ran to Nora’s room. She woke her up and asked her to get ready so that her brother could drive her to school.
Since Nora’s brother had never been to her school, Nora guided him by asking him to turn each time they came to a place she knew. In this way she made him drive round most of the town before they get to her school. When they arrived, her brother saw that it was really not far from their house.
“Why did you make me go such a long way round?” her brother asked. “Because I didn’t know how else to get here. That’s the way our bus always goes to pick up the other children on the way to school.” Nora answered.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
……………………………………………………
2- Why did Nora change schools?
…………………………………………………………………………
3- How did Nora guide her brother to her school?
…………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- On time means …….( at the right time - from time to time - after a long time)
b- Guide means ….…….. ( to forget the way - to show the way - to lose the way)
c- Nora’s brother saw that her school was really ( very far – many kilometers – not far) from their house.
d- One Saturday morning, Nora’s mother woke up ( early – late – before nine o’clock)

The pupils stopped talking as Miss Nora entered the classroom. Then they stood up and said, “Good morning, teacher.” “I suppose you want to know my name,” she said. But before she could tell them, someone in the class called out, “It’s Miss Nora.” She opened her notebook and called their names in turn. When she came to the last name on the list, Aisha, she noticed that Aisha had been absent for over a month. “ What’s the matter with Aisha?” she asked looking up. “She’s in hospital Miss Nora,” said one of the girls. “She’s broken her leg.” “Has anyone been to see her in hospital?” Miss Nora asked. No one replied.
It was time to start the lesson. “Oh! Please tell us a story,” said one of the girls. “Very well,” Miss Nora said. “But first of all I want everyone of you to write a letter to Aisha. We’ll send the best letters to cheer her up in hospital. After that I’ll tell you a story.”
After choosing the best letters, Miss Nora immediately sent them to Aisha in the hospital. Aisha spent a lovely time reading all the letters sent by her classmates.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………
2- What did Miss Nora promise her pupils to do after sending the best letters to Aisha?
………………………………………………………………………………..
3- Why was Aisha absent from school for a long time?
………………………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- When Miss Nora was about to tell her pupils her name….
- someone in the class shouted her name.
- All the pupils stood up saying good morning.
- The girls opened their notebooks.
b- Miss Nora asked her pupils to write letters to Aisha….
- to tell her about the new teacher.
- to blame her for being absent
- to cheer her up in hospital.
c- Immediately means ..( later- at once- often)
d- Suppose means …..(pretend- discover- think)


When I got to the airport, I learnt that the plane from Paris, on which my brother was coming, had been delayed with engine trouble. It was supposed to arrive at 11 a.m. but it would be late for about two hours. As a rule, I can pass the time quite happily watching the planes land and take off, but that evening I had a headache which I thought the noise of the engines might make worse. I decided, therefore, to walk around to make the time pass quickly.
First of all I went back to the place where I had left my car to make sure that all the doors were locked. The walk in the fresh air did me good and I felt better as I entered the main airport building again. I made my way to the café where I ordered a cup of coffee. Suddenly, I heard someone calling me. To my surprise, it was my brother! He told me he had come on an earlier plane that had arrived at 10 a.m. before its appointed time.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………
2- What was wrong with the plane that was expected to come from Paris?
…………………………………………………………………………….
3- Why did the writer return to his car?
……………………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- That evening in order to make the time pass quickly, the writer decided to ……
- watch the planes land and take off.
- walk around the place.
- order a cup of tea.
b- The writer’s brother arrived at the airport ……..
- late.
- on time
- early.
c- As a rule means ……. ( usually – rarely – seldom )
d- Main means…… ( secondary – principal – beautiful )


Mr. Tom used to travel by train and always liked more comfort. So, when he got into a train he used to put his suitcase on the seat beside him and pretend it belonged to another passenger who had gone to buy something.
One day he did this when the train was very crowded. Other passengers came and sat on the other seats except the one that his suitcase was lying on. Then an old man arrived, looked at Mr. Tom’s case and said, “Is this somebody’s seat?”. “Yes”, answered Mr. Tom. “A friend of mine is traveling with me, and he has gone to buy a newspaper. He will return soon..” Mr. Tom opened the window and looked out to make the old man think that he was anxious about his friend. “All right”, said the old man. “I will sit here until your friend comes back, and then I’ll stand somewhere”. Mr. Tom could say nothing and all the other passengers were watching and listening.
Several minutes passed, the whistle blew, and the train began to move. Mr. Tom’s friend did not come back. The old man jumped and said, “I’m sorry, your friend seems to have missed the train. We don’t want him to be separated from his suitcase. So I’ll throw it out of the window”. Mr. Tom couldn’t say a word but he decided not to play this game again.

1- When did the train move?
……………………………………………………………………….
2- Whom did the suitcase belong to?
………………………………………………………………………..
3- Why did the old man throw the suitcase out of the window?
………………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Tom’s friend did not come because ………
- he went to buy a newspaper.
- there wasn’t any friend traveling with him.
- he missed the train.
b- one that day, there were ………people on the train.
- few
- only
- many
c- Except means …( including - not including – concluding )
d- Anxious means….( relaxed – calm – worried )


When Ali was young, he was thin, strong and active but when he was forty-five, he began to get fat and slow. He was not able to breath as well as before, and when he walked rather fast, his heart beat painfully.
He did not do anything about this for a long time, but finally he became anxious and went to see a doctor, who sent him to hospital. Another doctor examined him there and said, “ I don’t want to mislead you, Ali, you are very ill, and I believe that your case is very serious.” Ali did not trust him. Then the doctor added, “ Would you like me to arrange for one of your relatives to see you?”
Ali thought for a few seconds and then answered, “ I would like a more experienced doctor to come and see me.”

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………………….
2- What was Ali like when he was young?
…………………………………………………………………………
3- Why did Ali distrust the other doctor in the hospital?
……………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- When Ali was forty-five, he …..
- became very healthy.
- got fat and slow
- had no trouble in running.
b- When Ali had trouble in breathing and walking, he ……
- immediately went to see a doctor.
- waited for a long time to see a doctor.
- went to see his relatives
c- anxious means ….. ( pleased – worried – interested )
d- arrange means ……. ( plan – prevent – challenge )

Today, supermarkets are found in almost every city in the world. The first supermarket was opened fifty years ago. It was opened in New York by a man named Michael Cullen.
A supermarket is different from other shops. In supermarkets, goods are placed on open shelves. The customers choose what they want and take them to the check-out counter. This means that fewer assistant are needed than in other shops.
There are usually special shelves in supermarkets for inexpensive items just in front of the check-out counter: chocolate, magazines, books and so on.
Most customers who go to a supermarket buy from a shopping list. When they reach the check-out counter, the customers feel glad because their shopping is finished.
To give comfort to the customers, many supermarkets provide parking areas and stay open until very late at night.

1- give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………………………….
2- Who opened the first supermarket?
…………………………………………………………………………..
3- Why do many supermarkets have parking areas?
…………………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- when the customers finish shopping, they feel ……
- annoyed
- nervous
- happy
b- fewer assistants are needed in a supermarket than in other shops because ……..
- customers help themselves to the goods they need
- customers cannot choose what they want
- goods are not at hand.
c- types means ……..( shelves – kinds – products )
d- inexpensive means ……..( cheap – valuable – precious )

People need food, water and air which are all essential for survival. They cannot live without food to eat and oxygen to breathe.
Hundreds of years ago, it was easy to get food and housing. Population was low and there was little industry. There was enough good land, clean water and fresh air. However, in the eighteenth century, the industrial revolution began in England. The western world changed from an agricultural world to an industrial one. Many people moved from villages to cities in order to work. Industry grew very quickly. Since 1850, both the population and industry have increased very rapidly. People need more land, more water and more resources daily. Industry affects the environment. Some of the effects are harmful, such as pollution.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………………………..
2- Mention an example of the bad effects of industry on the environment.
……………………………………………………………………………..
3- What do people need in order to stay alive? (mention three)
……………………………………………………………………………..
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Industry has increased since …………..
- the beginning of the 20^th century
- the end of the 19^th century
- the middle of the 19^th century.
b- As a result of the change from agricultural world to an industrial one …………..
- population decreased in cities
- population increased in cities
- many people moved from cities to villages
c- Essential means……( necessary – unimportant – useless )
d- Rapidly means …….( slowly – quickly – gradually )

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 at Stradford-on-Avon in England. We do not know much about Shakespeare’s life. However, we do know that his father was a shopkeeper and that his mother was a daughter of a farmer. William went to Stradford Grammar School, where he learnt Latin, scripture and mathematics.
When he left school, William was employed by his father. He married a local girl when he was eighteen. Three years later he left Stradford and went to London.
We do not know anything about Shakespeare’s life between the years 1585 and 1590. We are certain, however, that by the end of 1590 he had joined a group of actors and had started writing plays. During the next twenty years he wrote thirty-two plays. He wrote possibly more plays, which he did not have published or performed.

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
………………………………………………………………………..
2- How old was Shakespeare when he married?
…………………………………………………………………………
3- What had Shakespeare done by the end of 1950?
…………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Who worked as a farmer?
- Shakespeare’s father
- Shakespeare
- Shakespeare’s grandfather
b- When Shakespeare left school, he worked for ……
- his uncle
- his father
- the government
c- Certain means ….. ( doubtful – sure – proud )
d- Performed means ……….( plyed – written – translated )


Mrs. Saleh had two children. Sammy was seven years old, and his sister Nora was four. Sammy went to school, but Nora did not. When Sammy was at home, he often played with Nora while their mother was cooking or washing or cleaning. Mrs. Saleh was usually free to do her work quietly because Sammy was very nice to his small sister.
One Friday morning, the two children were playing in the garden while their mother was cooking the lunch. They were quite happy until Nora suddenly began to cry and ran into the kitchen to her mother.
Mrs. Saleh stopped cooking and said, “ Why are you crying, Nora?”. “Sammy’s broken my toy,” Nora answered, crying more loudly. “How did he break it?”, her mother asked. Nora stopped crying, but did not answer for a few seconds. Then she said, “ I hit him on the head with it.”

1- Give a suitable title to the above passage.
…………………………………………………………………..
2- Why was Mrs. Saleh usually free to do her work quietly?
………………………………………………………………………………
3- How old was Sammy’s sister?
…………………………………………………………………………………

4- Choose the correct answer:
a- Loudly means …..( calmly – noisily – kindly )
b- Hit means ……..( struck – laid – held )
c- When Nora cried, her mother was in the ( garden – bedroom – kitchen )
d- The toy was ………… ( repaired – cleaned – broken )

Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets.
Childhood is the time when there are few responsibilities. A child finds pleasure in playing in the rain or in the snow. But a child has his pains: he is not free to do as he wishes, he is always being told not to do things or being punished for what he has done wrong.
When a young man starts to earn his own living, he becomes free from the discipline of school and parents but at the same time he is forced to accept responsibilities. If he spends his time playing about in the way he used to as a child, he will go hungry. If however, he works hard, he can have the great happiness of seeing himself make steady progress in his job and of building up for himself his own position in society.
With old age should come wisdom and the ability to help others. The old can have the joy of seeing their children making progress in life; and perhaps best of all, they can feel the happiness of having come through the battle of life safely.

1- How can a young man build his own position in society?
………………………………………………………………………………
2- What does an old man enjoy?
………………………………………………………………………………
3- Who is the happiest person?
………………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- A child likes
-reading newspapers
-playing in the rain
-being punished
b- When a young man starts to earn his living,………….
-he is forced to accept his responsibilities.
-he spends most of his time playing.
-he is always being told not to do things.
c- Discipline means (troubles/ rules/ pleasures)
d- Steady means ( breaking/ changing/ continuing)









It was hot in a small room and everybody was feeling sleepy. The clerks were anxious to get off to lunch and even the judge must have felt relieved when the last case came up before the court. A short middle-aged man with gray hair and small blue eyes was standing before him. The man had a foolish expression on his face and looked around stupidly as if he was trying to understand what was going on.
He was accused of breaking into a house and stealing a watch. The witness, who was called, did not give a clear amount of what happened. He claimed to have seen a man outside the house one night, but he confessed that he was not sure whether this was the man. The judge considered that there was no real proof. The man could not be found guilty of any crime. Then he rose to go. Meanwhile, the accused looked very puzzled. It was clear that he had not understood a thing. So, the judge paused for a moment and the man said suddenly, “ Excuse me, sir, but do I have to give the watch back or not.”

1- What was the man accused of?
………………………………………………………………………..
2- How old is the suspect?
………………………………………………………………………..
3- Why could not the man be found guilty of any crime?
…………………………………………………………………………
4- Choose the correct answer:
a- the accused show a foolish expression on his face, because…….
- he was feeling sleepy
- he did not understand what was going on.
- He was very anxious to go for lunch.
b- Although it was hot, the judge felt relieved because………
- there was no proof
- they found the stolen watch.
- It was the last case.
c- Anxious means ( keen/ honest/ wise)
d- Puzzled means (embarrassed/ stressed/ confused)