Reading Comprehension Multiple Choice Questions Exercise 6

(Please note: The following questions are related to a specific reading passage, available solely before the first question. Remember, referring back to the reading text while answering the questions may be helpful to ensure accuracy.)

Occasionally during the night, one can see meteors. They resemble streaks of light and for this reason, are called falling stars. As meteors travel through space, they sometimes fall into the Earth's gravitational pull and the friction between these rocks and the atmosphere causes most of them to burn up before they reach the surface of the Earth. At times, however, very large pieces of meteors fall to Earth and although they are burned up to a large extent, some pieces do reach the surface. These are then called meteorites. The largest meteorite to have been found is the Hoba meteorite. It was found in Namibia and weighs 60 tons.

Meteors that hit the Earth _____.

The Earth's atmosphere _____.

Meteors are _____.

One of the most famous fossil sites in the world is the Olduvai Gorge. It is located in Tanzania and is considered one of the major archaeological excavation sites in the world. The famous Dr Louis Leakey and his family have worked in this gorge since 1931. Its archaeological value comes from the fact that over fifty Hominoidea remains have been found here, along with the earliest known stone tools. The gorge was carved out by a river that flowed into a lake. The sediments found in the gorge are of two types: lake and volcanic deposits. Both of these sediment types are extremely valuable to scientists. The volcanic rocks help establish accurate dates, while the deposits from the ancient lake provide a rich source of bones and other forms of fossils.

The Olduvai Gorge is _____.

According to the passage, _____.

The importance of this site _____.

There are about 980 species of flying mammals referred to as bats. They are the only true flying mammals on Earth. Most bats feed on a diet of insects. Some feed on flowers and fruits, but the most interesting are the vampire bats of the Americas, which suck the blood of large birds and other mammals. Unfortunately, these vampire bats are capable of transmitting rabies and are, for this reason, considered dangerous. The other types of bats pose no danger to humans and are even considered helpers of nature due to their diet, which helps control the insect population in various areas of the world. Although the misunderstood bat has represented fear and terror in the west, it is seen as a sign of good luck and long life in the east.

The majority of the bat population _____.

According to the passage, the bat is misunderstood because _____.

The insect population of the world _____.

In 1924, Thomas Watson Sr. changed the name of his company to International Business Machines. The company produced many types of electronic machines. In 1952, Watson’s son, Thomas Jr., became the head of the company and proceeded to manufacture their first computers. This first computer was produced for scientists. Many other forms of the computer were produced, and in 1981, this firm marketed its first personal computer. Unfortunately, this world-renowned and respected company, better known as IBM, is now like many other companies: in financial difficulty.

A good TITLE for this passage is _____.

IBM’s first personal computer _____.

IBM _____.

Sumo wrestling is an extremely popular sport in Japan. The Sumo champions are exceptionally large men who are not only tall but also weigh 130 kilograms or more. The reason these wrestlers are so big is that the object of the game is for one wrestler to either throw his opponent out of the ring or force him to the ground. The larger a wrestler is, the greater his chances of winning a match. These matches are usually very short, most lasting less than one minute.

Sumo wrestlers are extremely large _____.

The length of these matches _____.

To win the match, _____.

Although all spiders kill their prey by injecting them with venom, only a few are dangerous enough to cause people or large animals any harm. The venom of the spider is injected by way of the pair of powerful fangs it possesses. This venom is injected into its prey and for most insects and sometimes small animals, it is fatal. The most dangerous spiders are the black widow spiders. The European black widow can cause serious illness in a human victim, whereas the North American black widow is known to have caused the death of people on several occasions.

Most spiders _____.

The venom of the spider _____.

The black widow spiders _____.

Jesse Owens was one of the world's most famous track stars. The newspapers of his day called him 'the world's fastest human.' This was because he could run faster and jump further than any other man of the time. He was born in 1913. The son of a poor black family with six other brothers and sisters, the first years of his life were very difficult. He was close to death many times during his youth due to illness. However, the care of his mother and father helped him to pull through each time. He started running and training in school and while in college at Ohio State University, he entered a national competition. During this competition, he set four world records. In 1936, the Olympic Games took place in Germany. This was the Germany of Hitler who did not believe that any race of people was superior to the Germans. Jesse won the gold medal for each of the events he entered during the games and became one of the most popular athletes in the world.

Hitler _____.

Jesse Ownes's _____.

According to the passage, _____.