10RCCT

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Reading Comprehension-Critical Thinking




Beginners Critical Reading – PaperPaper has many uses. People draw onpaper. People paint on paper. People write onpaper. People clean with paper. People makeboxes out of paper. People blow their noseson paper. Books are made of paper.Magazines are made of paper. Some moneyis printed on paper. Sandpaper is made ofpaper. Wallpaper is made of paper.




Some paper is made from plants. Some paper is made from cotton. Some paper is made from bamboo. Some paper is made from wheat. Most paper is made from trees. 95% of paper is made from trees. Some paper is made from pine trees. Some paper is made from oak trees. Some paper is made from maple trees. Some paper is recycled. When paper is recycled, new paper is made from old paper.




Some people say they work in paper-free offices. Some people think computers will take away the need for paper. But people will always need to blow their noses. People will want to sand surfaces with sandpaper. People will want to paint or draw on paper. People will want to put things in paper boxes. So, people will probably need to use paper for many more years.




Questions1. According to the passage, which of the following

statements is/are true?I) Ninety-five percent of paper is made from pine

trees.II) Computers will take away the need for paper.III) There will probably always be uses for paper.A) I onlyB) II onlyC) III onlyD) I and II onlyE) II and III only




2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A) What is made of paperB) What paper is made ofC) What people think of paperD) The many uses of paperE) The future of paper




3.In line 12, sand most closely means

A) grainy mineralB) paint or colorC) polish or smoothD) use for storageE) draw




Intermediate Critical Reading – Hybrid Vehicles

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle which uses two or morekinds of propulsion. Most hybrid vehicles use aconventional gasoline engine as well as an electricmotor to provide power to the vehicle. These areusually called hybrid-electric-vehicles, or HEVs.Hybrids use two types of propulsion in order to usegasoline more efficiently than conventional vehiclesdo. Most hybrid vehicles use the gasoline engine asa generator which sends power to the electric motor.The electric motor then powers the car. Inconventional vehicles, the gasoline engine powersthe vehicle directly.




Since the main purpose of using a hybrid system is toefficiently use resources, most hybrid vehicles alsouse other efficient systems. Most hybrid vehicles haveregenerative braking systems. In conventionalvehicles, the gasoline engine powers the brakes, andthe energy used in braking is lost. In regenerativebraking systems, the energy lost in braking is sentback into the electrical battery for use in powering thevehicle. Some hybrid vehicles use periodic engineshutoff as a gas–saving feature. When the vehicle is inidle, the engine temporarily turns off. When the vehicleis put back in gear, the engine comes back on. Somehybrids use tires made of a stiff material which rollseasily and prevents drag on the vehicle.




Hybrid vehicles save up to 30% of the fuel used inconventional vehicles. Since hybrid vehicles use lessgasoline, the cost of operating them is less than thecost of operating conventional vehicles. Therefore,hybrid vehicles are gaining in popularity. According to arecent study, over the five years it typically takes for aperson to pay for a car, a typical hybrid car driver wouldsave over $6,000 in gasoline costs. Almost all theworld’s major automakers are planning and producingsafe and comfortable hybrid vehicles to meet thedemand for these increasingly popular vehicles.Although hybrid vehicles do represent a markedimprovement in environmentally conscious engineering,there still remains one significant potential drawback:battery disposal.




Batteries are difficult to dispose of in anenvironmentally safe manner. To properly dispose ofthe battery in a hybrid car requires substantial effort.If the battery is not disposed of properly, theenvironmental impact of a hybrid car can be equal, ifnot greater than, that of a regular gas only car. Sincehybrid vehicles use less gasoline than conventionalvehicles, they put fewer emissions into theatmosphere than conventional vehicles do. Ashybrids become more popular, conventional vehiclesare being used less, and the level of emissions beingput into the air is decreasing. Hybrid vehicles are anexample of an energy-efficient technology that isgood for both consumers and the environment.




1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is/are true?

I) Two braking systems are used in most hybrid vehicles.

II) Approximately 30% of vehicles on the road are hybrid vehicles.

III) Some HEVs have engines which turn off when the vehicle is not moving.

A) I onlyB) II onlyC) III onlyD) I and II onlyE) II and III only




2. According to the passage, HEVs use two types of propulsion mainly in order to

A) go faster.B) use gasoline efficiently.C) provide a comfortable ride.D) provide a safe driving experience.E) put fewer emissions into the atmosphere.




3. In line 9, regenerative most closely means

A) electricB) gasolineC) powerfulD) restorativeE) second–generation




4. In the context of the passage, which of the following best articulates how the author regards the topic?

A) Conventional vehicles may be more powerful than hybrid vehicles, but hybrid vehicles are the more socially responsible vehicles to operate.

B) Since hybrid vehicles use less gasoline and put fewer emissions into the atmosphere than conventional vehicles, they are better for drivers and for the environment.




C) Conventional vehicles are faster than hybrid vehicles, but hybrid vehicles are better for the environment than conventional vehicles.

D) Since hybrid vehicles are much less expensive to purchase and operate than conventional vehicles, they are a smarter buy than conventional vehicles.

E) Two sources of propulsion provide more power to a hybrid vehicle, making it more powerful and faster than a conventional vehicle, so it is more socially responsible to buy a conventional vehicle.




Advanced Critical Reading - Salt

Salt is a mineral that consists mostly of sodiumchloride (NACl). It is an essential nutrient for animals,yet it is toxic to most plants. In her novel Tongue,author Kyung Ran Jo recounts this legend about salt:“A long time ago, a princess told the king, ‘I love youas much as I love salt.’ Believing it to be an insult, theking banished his daughter from his kingdom. Butafter a long time, the king realized the value of saltand the depth of his daughter’s love for him.”Saltiness is one of the basic tastes perceived by thetongue, making it an esteemed and ubiquitous foodflavoring.




It also “retains vegetables’ vivid colors when parboiling,removes astringency from salad greens, freezes icecream, quickly cools boiling water, maintains thefreshness of cut flowers, removes stains on clothing,alleviates pain in your neck, is an ingredient in soap,”according to Jo. Darlene McFarlane in her article “15Household Uses for Table Salt” recommends testing anegg’s freshness by placing it in a cup of salt water. Anegg that floats is not fresh. Ants will not venture onto asalt-covered surface, according to McFarlane, so shesuggests sprinkling it on windowsills and in doorways torepel them from your residence. Salt’s historicaldistinction lies not so much in its taste or any of itsaforementioned amazing talents, however, as in itssuitability as a preservative.




Salt has been used as a food preservative for centuries.One of the oldest documented salt works is the XiechiLake near Yuncheng in Shanxi, China. Salt washarvested from its surface as early as 6000 B.C. Salt,along with salted birds and salt fish, was unearthed withfunereal offerings in ancient Egyptian tombs from the thirdmillennium B.C. Less than half a century later, Egyptinstituted exportation of salt fish to the Phoenicians, whoin turn traded Egyptian salt fish with their commercialpartners throughout North Africa, engendering theestablishment of wide-ranging trade associationsthroughout the Mediterranean region. Similarly, in the firstmillennium B.C., Celtic people exchanged salted meat forwine and other luxury goods from ancient Greece andRome.




The wide expanse of the Celtic salt trade is exemplified bythe shared Celtic, Greek, and Egyptian root word for salt,hal, which is iterated in the names of saltworks throughoutthe region: Halle and Schwäbisch Hall in Germany, Halychin Ukraine, and Galicia in Spain. Throughout history, salthas been deemed a precious commodity. In fact, theword“salary” is derived from the Middle English salaire, fromthe Latin salarium, which means a payment made in salt(sal) or for salt, from salarius which means “pertaining tosalt.” Many historians agree that the Latin word salarium isrelated to salt and soldiers, but stress that the originalassociation is unclear. Some surmise that soldiers wereremunerated in salt. Some postulate that the word soldieritself is derived from the word for salt. Even today, ahardworking employee might be said to be “worth his salt” ormight be commended for “soldiering on.”




1. The author’s primary purpose is to

A) relate the history of salt.B) describe the value of salt.C) enumerate the myriad uses of salt.D) discuss the areas where salt was traded.E) explain the etymology of the word “salt.”




2. In line 21, engendering most closely means

A) causing.B) encountering.C) requiring.D) restricting.E) stopping.




3.The function of the passage’s final sentence is to

A) summarize the main uses of salt discussed in the passage.

B) explain the etymological roots of several city names.

C) repeat the fact that Roman soldiers were paid in salt.

D) illustrate the modern uses of salt.E) emphasize the value of salt.




SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS I




Definition

SYNONYMS

Words that have the same (or nearly the same) meanings Example: large big

ANTONYMS

Words that have opposite meaningExample: Hot Cold




SYNONYMS- Beginning Choose the best synonym for the following words

1) skill

A. wish B. work C. ability D. task

2) courageous

A. powerful B. cowardly C. quick D. brave

3) honour

A. determination B. respect C. courage D. dignity




Choose the best synonym for the following words

4) required

A. terrible B. wicked C. doubtful D. necessary

5) watch

A. taste B. see C. smell D. hear

6) Furious

A. very playful B. very calm C. very angry D. very interested




ANTONYMS- Beginning Choose the best antonym for the following words

1) pathetic

A. careful B. concerned C. excellent D. mediocre

2) create

A. intend B. make C. destroy D. incite

3) cowardly

A. brave B. exceptional C. cautious D. friendly




Choose the best antonym for the following words

4) excel

A. achieve B. fail C. hinder D. repeat

5) reveal

A. invite B. obscure C. correct D. discover

6) cautious

A. careful B. foolhardy C. fitful D. wasteful




SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS II




Choose the correct synonym of the following words• COMPLEMENT

a. disapproval b. praise c. complaint d. completion• CONCEPT

a. idea b. belief c. deception d. control• DUMB

a. clear b. rouge c. mute d. stupid• DUBIOUS

a. cunning b. pretending c. resolved d. doubtful• INDUCE

a. trap b. influence c. resolved d. inflict




Choose the correct synonym of the following words• MUTTER

a. cry b. weep c. murmur d. blame• SUMMON

a. call b. weep c. punish d. order• COMPLIMENT

a. disapproval b. praise c. compliant d. completion• RECKON

a. withdraw b. calculate c. estimate d. exclude• INCULCATE

a. attract b. adapt c. cause d. exclude




Choose the correct synonym of the following words• SEA-CHANGE

a. complete change b. partial change c. favourable change d. unfavourable change

• ANONYMOUSa. Generous b. well-known c. reluctant d. One whose name is not known.

• ASSIDUITY a. diligence b. bitterness c. peace d. intelligence

• CENSORa. Deceive b. scold c. delete d. fabricate

• NOTHINGa. something b. cipher c. suffering d. everything




Choose the correct synonym of the following words• ANGUISH

a. insult b. anger c. suffering d. desire• COMPLACENCY

a.self-satisfaction b. negligence c. Carelessness d. hesitation

• FLAIRa. talent b. anger c. jealousy d. hatred

• JEOPARDYa. upset b. confusion c. danger d. demolition

• POSTHUMOUS CHILDa.Brilliant b. physically weakc. Illegitimate d. born after the death of the father




Choose the correct synonym of the following words• INEFFABLE

a. not erasable b. inadequate c. inexpressible d. not effective

• ORATORa. speaker b. singer c. debate d. critic

• NOSTALGICa. indolent b. diseased c. homesick d. soothing

• PROCUREa. preserve b. acquire c. recover d. harm

• ATHEISTa. Bachelor b. disbeliever in God c. heart doctor d. priest




Choose the correct Antonyms of the following words

• DISTANTa. remote b. far c. near d. yonder

• INEVITABLEa. certain b. unavoidable c. escapable d. absolute

• INCREASEa. augment b. decrease c. improve d. deceive

• NARROWa. broad b. thin c. slime d. slender

• EXCLUSIONa. omission b. elimination c. inclusion d. exemption





• DETERIORATEa. dwindle b. decrease c. increase d. diminish

• PROGRESSa. develop b. advance c. recede d. prolong

• FAITHa. trust b. doubt c. belief d. reliance

• FLUCTUATEa. vacillate b. change c. shift d. settle

• BIASa. equity b. impartiality c. prejudice d. unfairness





• CELESTIALa. heavenly b. divine c. supernatural d. earthly

• PROTESTa. objection b. disapproval c. assent d. contradiction

• LANKYa. lean b. thin c. sturdy d. bony

• LAVISHa. profuse b. miserly c. liberal d. bountiful

• GREATa. advance b. big c. large d. little





• IMPERFECTa. absolute b. complete c. profound d. consummate

• SIGNIFICANTa. important b. insignificant c. vital d. necessary

• ISOLATIONa. separation b. loneliness c. intimacy d. solitude

• UNIQUEa. ordinary b. common c. singular d. unequalled

• SURMOUNTa. surpass b. fail c. master d. overcome




Choose the correct Antonyms of the following words• JEALOUSY

a. tolerance b. aware c. jubilant d. rustic• AMBIGUITY

a. clarity b. certainty c. rationality d. perversity• FEASIBILITY

a.unsuitability b. cheapness c. impropriety d. impracticability

• CIRCUITIOUSa. round about b. aware c. complete d. direct

• GORGEOUSa.fashionable b. desperate c. plain d. sumptuous in appearance




Idiomatic Expressions




What are Idioms?

An Idiom is an expression or a phrase that has a figurative meaning. There are estimated to be at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language.




Some of the examples of idioms are given below:

Idiom: A Blessing In DisguiseMeaning: Something good that isn't recognized at first.

Idiom: A Leopard Can't Change His SpotsMeaning: You cannot change who you are.

Idiom: Crack Someone UpMeaning: To make someone laugh.

Idiom: Excuse my French Meaning: Please forgive me for cussing




Idioms of Time• Twenty-four seven adv. / adj.(informal) :

twenty-four hours a day, seven days a weekThe self-service station facing the supermarket is available twenty-four seven.

• At nine o'clock sharp (adv) : precise timeThe trial is adjourned until Wednesday morning at ten o'clock sharp.




• For ages adv. : for a long time That's wonderful; I hadn't seen a solar eclipse for ages!

• A month of Sundays: a long period of time ( literally thirty Sundays or thirty weeks)

I met Sarah yesterday. I hadn't seen her in a month of Sundays.

As long as a month of Sundays: a very boring (endless) day.

Never in a month of Sundays: never




• Just around the corner: that will happen very soon

Now that your baby's birth is just around the corner, I'll give you some advice on feeding him.

• Shelf life: it's the length of time a product can be kept before it becomes too old for use.

Bread, fruit, dairy products don't have a long shelf life.




Idioms of Money• To be broke : to have no money.My boyfriend often says he is broke. I think he is a bit stingy.

• Make a killing (informal): to make a lot of money in a short time.

My friend John made a killing on the stock market.




• Hand to mouth: a hand-to-mouth existence means that you have just enough money to live.

In that situation you have a hard time making ends meet. Make ends meet

• Penny-pinching: unwilling to spend moneySynonym: mean

The government is looking at every possible way to pinch pennies.




• Chicken feed : n. insignificant amount of money (= peanuts)

The amount of money I could lend him was chicken feed compared to what he needed.

• Keep the wolf from the door: to have enough money to be able to eat and live.

John and his wife didn't earn much, but it was enough to keep the wolf from the door.




Idioms using THROW• THROW/cast caution to the wind(s) : to stop

being careful and do something that you know has risks

• THROW someone in at the deep end = to make someone deal with something difficult without preparing them for it

• Have/THROW a fit = to get very angry and shout or become violent




• THROW down the gauntlet = to make it clear that you want to argue or fight with someone about something

• People who live in glass houses shouldn’t THROW stones = used for saying that people who have faults should not criticize other people for having the same faults

• THROW/toss your hat into the ring = to announce officially that you are going to compete in an election, a competition, etc.




Idioms using Chance

• the chances are (that)... - it is likely that...

• no chance - no possibility

• a fighting chance - a slight chance of success dependent on a struggle




• a sporting chance - a reasonable chance of success

• by any chance - used especially in questions, to ask whether something is true, possible, etc.

• stand a chance - to be likely to achieve something




Idioms using wait

wait your turn = to wait in a patient way for the opportunity to have or do something

an accident waiting to happen = a situation that is likely to cause an accident

can hardly wait = used to say that you are excited about something that will happen




• keep somebody waiting = to make somebody have to wait or be delayed, especially because you arrive late

• wait and see = used to tell somebody that they must be patient and wait to find out about something later

• wait a minute/moment/second = to wait for a short time OR used when you have just noticed or remembered something, or had a sudden idea




Idioms using wrongDon't get me wrong = used when you want to be sure that someone understands your comments correctly, especially if you are criticizing something

Get on the wrong side of someone = to make someone feels anger towards you

In the wrong place at the wrong time = used for saying that the reason something bad happened is because the person was unlucky not because of a mistake




• Correct me if I'm wrong = used as a polite way of saying that you think what you are going to say is correct

• Get off on the wrong foot = when something like a relationship, job, etc starts badly

• Take something the wrong way = to be offended by a remark because you have understood it wrongly




Exercise on "Expressions and idioms"




1.It has been raining………………… , I'm bored with staying in the house. I'm going out for a walk.

2.My grandson Peter got a job for the holidays, but the salary was………………………. .




3.My car is old so I'll have to save up money to buy a new one. But at the moment, I'm………………… .

4.Since Hannah lost her job, she has had to live……………………….. .




5.When the days lengthen and the air warms, spring is just………………………….. .

6.My great-uncle Derek is very rich, but he never gives presents to my children, he is a …………………




7.Having four children at home is a ……………………….job.

8.Don't forget, the boss will be expecting you at6 o‘ clock ………………………….!




9.Paranormal Activity 1, a supernatural horror film, wasmade …………………………. : two actors, sevendays of shooting.It earned $ 194 million worldwide and is the mostprofitable film ever made.

10.Stuart shaves every morning, but he has a ……………………… by midday. So he has to shave twice a day.




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