The Brave Potter SSC Based- Reading Comprehension

AP SSC Board-Based Reading Comprehension For Grade 10
Unit 2 Reading C The Brave Potter

Reading Comprehension 1

It was dark. Thick black clouds covered the evening sky. The thunder roared and the strong wind shook the branches and leaves of the trees in the forest. Pit. . . pat . . . pit, drops of rain fell. Then the lightning flashed and split the black sky with its blinding light. Soon it was raining heavily.

An old tiger ran through the rain looking for shelter. He was wet and cold and his cave was far away. While hurrying to his shelter he saw an old hut. With a sigh of relief the tiger crawled under the thatched roof and lay down by the door. Except for the sound of the rain all was quiet. Before he could nod off, however, he heard something heavy being dragged inside the hut. This was followed by the voice of a woman.

'Oh, how terrible this leak is!' she complained. 'How terrible! I would rather meet a tiger in the forest than have this leak in my house!'

'A leak?' the tiger thought. 'What is a leak? It must be very dangerous and strong or the woman would not be more frightened of the leak than of me. Am I not rightly called the king of the forest? Aren't they all afraid of me? I wonder what a leak looks like . . . ?

1. Why does the old tiger seek shelter in the hut during the rainstorm?

A) He is wet and cold, and his cave is far away.

B) He is lost and looking for directions.

C) He is afraid of the thunder and lightning.

2. What does the old tiger infer about a "leak" based on the woman's reaction?

A) A "leak" is a small animal that scares people more than tigers.

B) A "leak" is a dangerous creature in the forest.

C) A "leak" is something that frightens people even more than encountering a tiger in the forest.

Answer: 1-A, 2-C

Reading Comprehension 2

Soon afterwards the tired tiger fell asleep. He was suddenly awakened by an angry voice shouting in his ear. He felt heavy blows fall upon his head and shoulders. 'You horrible beast!' a voice screamed angrily. 'How dare you run away? How dare you make me walk about in the middle of the night trying to find you! Be careful, one of these days I'll kill you! Now, go home!'

The old tiger shivered. 'This must be the leak who has come out of the hut. I'd better do as he says or he will kill me.' So the tiger allowed himself to be bound around the neck with a thick rope. The mysterious creature then climbed onto the tiger's back and pulled at the rope. 'Come on, head for home!' shouted the voice. The tiger felt a sharp kick on his side. The tiger was terrified and he ran through the dark forest.

1. Why does the tiger allow himself to be bound with a rope and guided by the mysterious creature?

A) He believes the creature will protect him from the woman.

B) He thinks the creature is stronger and more dangerous than him.

C) He is curious about the creature and wants to learn more.

2. What motivates the tiger to run through the dark forest?

A) Fear of being killed by the mysterious creature.

B) Desire to escape the angry woman from the hut.

C) Curiosity about what lies beyond the forest.

Answers: 1-B, 2-A

Reading Comprehension 2

On the afternoon of that day, a potter had arrived home after a hard day's work. He was tired and thirsty. He had asked his wife for some palm-wine. The more he drank, the better he felt. When he had drunk all the wine he no longer felt tired. When the storm began the potter suddenly remembered that he had left his donkey tied under a tree. He rushed out of his hut to take the animal into the stable. You can imagine his anger when he discovered that the donkey was not there anymore -- the only thing left was its chain!

'My stupid donkey must have run off into the forest,' he grumbled. 'When I catch him I'll give him a good beating!'

The potter walked through the wet forest. When it became dark he often stumbled over roots and fallen branches. With each step the potter felt angrier and angrier with his donkey.

'When I catch him, I'll tie him up under the tree all night,' he muttered to himself. Hours later, the potter reached the old woman's hut. There he saw an animal sleeping in front of the door.

'There he is!' he shouted. 'There he is, the stupid animal!' The drunken potter did not notice the difference between the donkey and a tiger. He kicked and beat the sleeping tiger. He then jumped onto the frightened animal's back, rode it home, and then tied it up with the iron chain.

1. What motivated the potter to leave his hut during the storm?

A) He wanted to retrieve his donkey.

B) He was searching for more palm-wine.

C) He was trying to escape the storm.

2. What did the potter mistake for his donkey outside the old woman's hut?

A) Another donkey

B) A tiger

C) A fallen branch

Answers: 1-A, 2-B

Reading Comprehension 3

Next morning the villagers who passed the potter's house looked in amazement at the tiger tied to the tree. Soon the news spread throughout the village that the potter had caught a tiger and tied it to a tree in his yard. All the villagers praised his courage. They also thanked him because the tiger had eaten many of their goats and buffaloes. They had tried to catch him for many years but had failed. Of course, the potter said that he had done nothing of the sort. He said that he had only brought his donkey home. He did not understand how a donkey could change into a tiger! When he saw the tiger, he fainted.

Nobody, however, believed the potter's story. The villagers even praised him for being modest. Soon the potter became famous. Everybody who met him called him the brave potter. The simple potter himself never understood why.

1. Why did the villagers praise the potter and call him the brave potter?

A) Because he caught a tiger and tied it to a tree.

B) Because he had a reputation for courage.

C) Because he claimed to have transformed his donkey into a tiger.

2. How did the potter feel about his newfound fame as the brave potter?

A) He was proud and enjoyed the attention.

B) He was confused and didn't understand why people praised him.

C) He was grateful for the villagers' appreciation.

Answers: 1-A, 2-B

Reading Comprehension 4

A few years later war broke out between the potter's country and a much stronger neighbour. The king immediately gathered a large army. But he realized that it was not strong enough to save his country from defeat. He needed a hero to lead his army. Where could he find such a brave man? The king hurriedly called his ministers together and asked their advice.

One of the ministers remembered the story of the brave potter. 'Your Majesty,' the minister said, 'I know someone who can lead our army.' The king immediately sent a messenger to the potter's house. When the potter realized that he had been made General of the Army, he became frightened. The king had ordered him to go to the palace the next day. How could he, a poor ignorant potter, become the General of the Army? He had never carried a sword, nor had he ever ridden a horse.

'Oh, I shall die because of that stupid donkey,' groaned the potter to his wife. 'He has only brought us trouble.'

1. Why did the king need a hero to lead his army in the war against the stronger neighbor?

A) Because the current army was too large.

B) Because the current army was too weak.

C) Because the king wanted to test the potter's courage.

2. How did the potter react when he learned he had been made General of the Army?

A) He was excited and couldn't wait to go to the palace.

B) He became frightened and unsure of his abilities.

C) He immediately started preparing for battle.

Answers: 1-B, 2-B

Reading Comprehension 5

The next day he went with his wife to the capital. The king was pleased to see him and ordered the potter to lead the army into battle the next day. The enemy were not far from the gates of the city. A splendid house had been prepared for the potter and his wife. The horse which would carry him into battle was ready in the stable.

That night the potter could not sleep. He was nervous and worried because he did not know how to ride a horse.

'If I fall off, everybody will laugh at me,' he thought. 'I will get up very early tomorrow and practise riding the horse.'

At dawn the potter woke up his wife and they went to the stable. They saw the beautiful black horse ready for its new master.

1. What had been prepared for the potter and his wife in the capital?

A) A grand parade.

B) A splendid house.

C) A lavish feast.

2. How did the potter feel about the prospect of falling off the horse in front of others?

A) He didn't care and was confident in his abilities.

B) He was determined to impress everyone with his riding skills.

C) He was worried that it might happen and people would ridicule him.

Answers: 1-B, 2-C

Reading Comprehension 6

'Oh, how tall he is!' sighed the potter. 'I shall never be able to climb onto his back.'

‘Put this bench beside him’, said his wife, ‘and use it as a step.’

Even with the help of the bench the potter had much difficulty climbing onto the horse's back. When he was finally seated, he found that the saddle was very slippery. 'Please tie my feet to the stirrups, dear wife,' said the potter, 'otherwise I shall certainly fall off.'

His wife found some rope and bound her husband's feet tightly to the stirrups. She then passed the rope underneath the horse and tied the two stirrups together. She also passed a length of rope around the potter's waist and tied him to the saddle.

'Now please tie my hands to his neck,' said the potter. Meanwhile the big black horse was impatiently pawing his hooves on the ground. When the potter's wife tried to pass another rope around its neck, the horse suddenly jumped free. It galloped out of the stable with the potter hanging like a sack of rice on its back. Only the ropes kept him from crashing to the ground.

1. Why did the potter ask his wife to tie his feet to the stirrups?

A) He was worried about falling off the horse.

B) He wanted to control the horse better.

C) He wanted to impress the king with his riding skills.

2. What happened when the potter's wife tried to pass a rope around the horse's neck?

A) The horse stood still and allowed her to do it.

B) The potter's wife accidentally fell off the horse.

C) The horse jumped free and galloped out of the stable.

Answers: 1-A, 2-C

Reading Comprehension 7

When they passed a young tree, the potter grabbed a branch. But the horse did not stop. Instead the tree was pulled out of the ground. A sentry from the enemy camp saw the potter galloping towards the camp with a tree in one hand and his reins in the other. 'That must be the General who captured a tiger with his bare hands,' he thought. 'Now he has uprooted a tree with only one hand! He is not an ordinary man-he's a giant!' 'Run, run, save yourselves! The famous Tiger-General is coming at the head of a large army to attack us. He has the strength of a giant! He has uprooted a tree with one hand!'

The frightened soldiers fled. Their king was left by himself in his tent. Hurriedly he wrote a letter begging for peace and apologizing for attacking the country. He left this letter in the tent. Then he jumped on his horse and followed his soldiers. When the potter's black horse reached the deserted camp it stopped. With shaking hands the potter untied his feet and fell to the ground. When he looked around he was surprised to find the camp empty. He looked in the king's tent and found the letter. The puzzled potter walked back to the city with the letter in his pocket. He went to his wife and gave her the letter.

1. Why did the sentry from the enemy camp believe the potter was not an ordinary man?

A) Because he was coming towards the camp on a tiger.

B) Because he was riding a black horse.

C) Because he uprooted a tree with one hand.

2. How did the king respond when he realized the potter was approaching with the tree in hand?

A) He left his tent and left a letter behind.

B) He surrendered and begged for peace.

C) He ordered his soldiers to capture the potter.

Answers: 1-A, 2-B

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