Grade 7 Non - Textual Reading Comprehension

Passage 1 

It was a fine Sunday in April. David and his sister, who were going to the zoo, crossed the main road and joined the queue at the bus stop. There were a lot of empty buses waiting by the side of the road. The drivers were standing about in groups talking and smoking. In the park nearby young mothers were with their children. There was someone selling balloons and someone else selling small cakes.

1. In the passage, we are given _____.

    A) an account of the animals in the zoo.

    B) the reasons for the drivers’ strike.

    C) a description of a street one Sunday.

2. David _____.

    A) is taking his sister to the zoo.

    B) would rather spend the afternoon in the park.

    C) is going to buy a balloon for his sister.

3. When David and his sister got to the bus stop _____.

    A) they decided to play with the other children.

    B) there were no buses in sight.

    C) there were a lot of people waiting for the bus.

Answer: 1- C, 2- A, 3-C

Passage 2

Fifty years ago, when I was a child, photographs were not of general interest. Photographs were taken of people on special occasions, at weddings and on birthdays, for instance. These pictures were usually kept in a box and brought out at intervals to show the family. Nowadays photography is regarded as an art. Many photographic exhibitions are held and there are many magazines dealing with the art of photography.

1. During recent years _____.

    A) photography has become a popular form of art.

    B) a lot of people have taken photographs of good paintings.

    C) photography has stopped being an art.

2. The passage compares _____.

    A) public interest in painting today and fifty years ago.

    B) wedding photographs and birthday photographs.

    C) photography today and photography fifty years ago.

3.  When the writer was young _____.

    A) he was very interested in photography.

    B) people didn’t think of photography as an art.

    C) he always took photographs on his birthday.

Answers: 1- A, 2- C, 3- B

Passage 3

Once a wise monkey lived on a big mango tree on a river bank. A crocodile was swimming in the river. They became intimate friends. Quite often the monkeys gave ripe mangoes to his friend. One day the crocodile demanded some mangoes for his wife. She had never tasted mangoes in her life. The generous monkey picked a big ripe mango and gave it to the crocodile. Mrs. Crocodile liked the delicious mango very much. She was very cunning and wicked. She thought of eating the monkey herself. “One who eats such sweet mangoes, his heart must be very sweet”, said she. The poor crocodile was upset. He told his wife clearly that he would never allow such a friend to be killed. But the wicket wife made the crocodile’s life really miserable. At last, he gave in. The next day he went to the mango tree. He invited the monkey to have lunch with them. He took the monkey on his back. When they were in the middle of the river, the crocodile revealed the truth. His wife actually wanted to eat his heart. The wise monkey was quiet for a moment. He hit upon a plan. He said, “I’ve left my heart hanging on the mango tree”. He wanted to go back and bring it. Soon they were under the tree. The monkey lost no time in climbing up on the topmost branch. He pointed to his heart and said, “My heart is inside me. Go away and never come near the mango tree again. It’s the end of our friendship”.

1. Who lived on a big mango tree on a river bank in the story?

2. How did the monkey and the crocodile become friends?

3. Why did the crocodile's wife want to eat the monkey?

4. How did the monkey react when the crocodile revealed the truth about his wife's intentions?

5. What plan did the monkey come up with to escape from the crocodile? 

6. What was the outcome of this incident for the monkey and the crocodile's friendship?

   Answers: 

1. A wise monkey lived on a big mango tree on a river bank.

2. The monkey and the crocodile became friends by sharing ripe mangoes quite often.

3. The crocodile's wife wanted to eat the monkey because she believed that someone who eats sweet mangoes must have a sweet heart.

4. The monkey hit upon a plan to save himself when the crocodile revealed the truth.

5. The monkey told the crocodile that he had left his heart hanging on the mango tree and convinced the crocodile to take him back to the tree. Then, he climbed to the topmost branch and pointed to his heart, stating that it was inside him. He used this ruse to save himself.

6. The monkey told the crocodile to go away and never come near the mango tree again, effectively ending their friendship.