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Reading comprehension of a given passage MCQ — 15 Practice Questions with Answers

Reading comprehension of a given passage is a General English topic in the RAS/RPSC syllabus. This page gathers exam-style Reading comprehension of a given passage multiple-choice questions with correct answers and explanations, so aspirants can test recall and revise frequently examined concepts.

Practice 15 Reading comprehension of a given passage multiple-choice questions with detailed answers and explanations. Ideal for RAS/RPSC exam preparation.

15 Questions General English

Reviewed by: Aspirant Academy Editorial Team

Practice Questions

Q1. Read the passage and answer the question that follows. When the district archive digitised its old land records, the project was praised as a modernising step. Yet the archivist warned that scanning documents was only the first stage. Several records had faded seals, marginal notes in older scripts, and inconsistent spellings of village names. If these features were ignored, the digital catalogue would look complete while remaining unreliable for serious research. The archive therefore paired each scanned file with a short editorial note. Which of the following is the most valid inference from the passage?

A Digitisation reduces the need for careful interpretation of historical records.
B A digital archive may be misleading if it preserves images without explaining textual uncertainties. Correct
C Old land records should not be digitised until every spelling has been standardised.
D Editorial notes are useful only when original documents are physically damaged beyond repair.

Explanation

An inference must follow from the passage without adding an extreme claim. The archivist warns that scanned records can appear complete while still being unreliable if faded seals, older scripts, and inconsistent spellings are not explained. This directly supports the idea that images alone may mislead serious researchers unless textual uncertainties are noted. Option B states that balanced inference. Options A and C distort the argument in opposite directions, while option D narrows the usefulness of editorial notes beyond what the passage says.

Q2. Read the passage and answer the question. A small publishing house rejected automated summaries for its history titles, not because the summaries were always inaccurate, but because they flattened the author's uncertainty. In one chapter, a historian repeatedly used phrases such as 'the evidence suggests' and 'a cautious interpretation would be'. The draft summary turned these into confident declarations. The editor argued that a truthful summary must preserve both the information and the degree of certainty with which it is presented. Statement 1: The editor's objection was mainly to the loss of nuance rather than to every factual detail being wrong. Statement 2: The historian's original language indicated caution about the strength of the evidence. Which of the following is correct?

A Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are true. Correct
B Statement 1 is true, but Statement 2 is false.
C Statement 1 is false, but Statement 2 is true.
D Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are false.

Explanation

For a statement-combo item, test each statement separately against the passage. Statement 1 is true because the passage says the summaries were not rejected for being always inaccurate; the main objection was that they flattened uncertainty. Statement 2 is also true because the historian used cautious markers such as 'the evidence suggests' and 'a cautious interpretation would be'. These phrases show limited confidence, not categorical certainty. Hence, both statements are correct.

Q3. Read the passage and answer the question that follows. The museum's new exhibition avoided a triumphalist account of the old trading town. Instead of presenting merchants as uniformly enterprising and officials as uniformly obstructive, it displayed letters, tax registers, and travellers' notes that complicated both images. One panel showed how a prosperous guild funded public wells, while another recorded its attempts to exclude smaller traders. The curator said the aim was not to diminish local pride, but to make it less brittle. List I: 1. triumphalist 2. obstructive 3. complicated 4. brittle List II: a. resistant to pressure because it allows no complexity b. creating difficulty or delay c. presenting success in an uncritical, celebratory way d. made less simple or one-sided Which matching is correct?

A 1-c, 2-b, 3-d, 4-a Correct
B 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-a
C 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-d
D 1-d, 2-b, 3-c, 4-a

Explanation

In vocabulary-in-context matching, use the surrounding contrast. The exhibition avoided a 'triumphalist' account, so the word means an uncritical celebration of success. Officials described as 'obstructive' are those who create difficulty or delay. The letters and registers 'complicated' both images, meaning they made the story less simple or one-sided. Finally, pride that is 'brittle' is pride that cannot bear complexity. These contextual meanings align with 1-c, 2-b, 3-d and 4-a.

Q4. Read the passage and answer the question. When the training institute moved its classes online, several instructors feared that discipline would collapse. Yet the first term produced an unexpected pattern. Students who rarely spoke in crowded classrooms began posting precise questions after recorded lectures, while the most confident classroom speakers often submitted hurried responses. The director concluded that the platform had not made students uniformly better or worse; it had simply made different habits visible. She warned against using one form of participation as the sole measure of engagement. In the passage, the word 'uniformly' most nearly means:

A in the same way across all students Correct
B with strict institutional discipline
C through an official classroom rule
D with visible enthusiasm

Explanation

For vocabulary-in-context, replace the word with each option and test the sentence. The director says the platform had not made students 'uniformly better or worse'; this means it did not affect all students in the same manner. The following clause confirms the sense: it made different habits visible. Options about discipline, official rules, or enthusiasm are attracted by nearby words in the passage, but they do not fit the logic of the sentence.

Q5. Read the passage and answer the question. Meera inherited a small orchard whose previous owner had used the same fertiliser every season. The first harvest after she took over was disappointing, so her neighbours advised her to increase the quantity. Meera instead tested the soil and discovered that the real problem was poor drainage, not lack of nutrients. She dug shallow channels, reduced watering, and used less fertiliser the following season. The fruit yield improved modestly, but the trees showed stronger new growth. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct according to the passage?

A Meera improved the orchard mainly by increasing the quantity of fertiliser. Correct
B The disappointing harvest led Meera to investigate the condition of the soil.
C The soil test showed that drainage was a more relevant issue than nutrients.
D The next season brought only a modest rise in fruit yield, though the trees looked healthier.

Explanation

A 'NOT correct' question asks for the statement that contradicts the passage. The neighbours advised Meera to increase fertiliser, but she did the opposite after testing the soil: she improved drainage, reduced watering, and used less fertiliser. Therefore, option A is the incorrect statement. The other options are supported by direct cues: the soil test followed the disappointing harvest, the problem was drainage rather than nutrients, and the next season showed modest yield improvement with healthier growth.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many Reading comprehension of a given passage MCQ questions are available?
There are 15 Reading comprehension of a given passage practice MCQs available on Aspirant Academy, with detailed answers and explanations for each question.
Are answers and explanations provided for Reading comprehension of a given passage MCQs?
Yes, every Reading comprehension of a given passage question comes with the correct answer and a detailed explanation to help you understand the underlying concept.
How is Reading comprehension of a given passage relevant to the RAS/RPSC exam?
Reading comprehension of a given passage falls under the General English section of the RAS/RPSC syllabus. It is a frequently tested area and regular practice with these MCQs will strengthen your preparation.
Can I practice Reading comprehension of a given passage questions in Hindi?
Yes, Aspirant Academy offers bilingual support. You can practice Reading comprehension of a given passage MCQs in both English and Hindi, including questions, options, and explanations.

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