Reading Comprehension Passages

Were you born after 1985? If so, how long do you expect to live? Most people born after 1985 can expect to live more than 70 years. Of course, this is just a guess based on past records. By the way, females can expect to live about six years longer than males. That’s taken from past records too!
What is the paragraph mostly about?

• how long you might expect to live

• about the health of females

• why people live to be 70

• tells that people live to be 100

What is this selection mainly about?

• Someday we will have robots that will be our personal servants.

• We will be able to talk to robots and they will be able to respond.

• You should give up if you are the Robots will look and behave much like real humans.

• Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital.  She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother.  Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.  She wants to help sick people get well. 
What is the main idea?

• Jenny got sick.

• Jenny wants to be a nurse.

• Her grandmother was in the hospital.

• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

The peregrine falcon is a beautiful wild bird. It is also one of the fastest. In 1978, the peregrine falcon was placed on the endangered species list. The main reason the peregrine falcon was dying out was the use of pesticides. 
Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail? 

• The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest wild birds

• It was placed on the endangered species list

• It was dying out because of pesticides

• The peregrine falcon is an amazing bird

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.
Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

The old man was walking down the street slowly. Since he was a pedestrian, he stayed along the outer edges of the lanes and was careful to keep to the crosswalks as he crossed to other streets.

What does the word "pedestrian" mean in the paragraph above?

• a person traveling on foot

• a person traveling in a car

• a person resting from traveling

Do you ever remember your dreams? You may not remember what you dream, but you probably dream every night—almost everyone does. Why do you have dreams? Scientists disagree on exactly why you dream. Some say it is your brain’s way of processing things. You learn a lot and have a lot of things happen to you, so while you sleep, your brain processes that information. Dreaming might be the way your brain makes sense of what happens to you. Some say that dreams are the way your brain solves problems. Suppose you are upset about something. Dreams may be a way for your brain to help you feel better. People may not agree on why you dream. But everyone agrees that dreaming is very important. You need to dream so that your brain is ready for the next day

• How to fall asleep

• Where to find a good bed

• How many hours of sleep you need

• Dreams

What is the main purpose of reading comprehension passages?

• To test vocabulary knowledge

• To assess understanding of a text

• To evaluate grammar skills

• To improve handwriting

Which of the following is a key skill needed for reading comprehension?

• Memorizing facts

• Identifying main ideas

• Writing essays

• Solving math problems