EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Name : __________________________________
Class : ___________________
1127/02
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
EL 102 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
“1127/02 Comprehension” is the second part of the English O Level examinations and arguably the most
carelessly done paper for most students. This module tackles the philosophy behind the Comprehension paper,
the breakdown of various genres of questions. Students should expect heavy reading, exercises and tests.
Index
Contents
Page
A
What is Comprehension?
2
B
Comprehension Questions - WHAT, WHY & HOW
2
C
The Concept of Ws + 1H
3
D
One Word Question : I + K = A
5
Direct Question : IK + C = A
6
Imagery Question : IK + Q°(adj) = A
7
Quoting Question : IK + Q° = A
8
Why Do You Think Question : IK + W2 = A
9
In Your Own Words Question : IK + C° = A
10
Explain Fully Question : IK + S = A
11
Pun Question : IK + S(p) = A
11
Irony Question : IK + S(ir) = A
11
Synonyms Question : I + K° = A
12
1
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
A. What is Comprehension?
Comprehension is __________________ with _______________________ . The comprehension O level paper
takes up ______ % of the entire grade. Students have to answer questions and then write a 150 word
_______________ (to be learnt in EL 103). The questions are made up of different types, like IYOW
_____________________________ , direct and indirect and I _ _ _ _ _ . Students need to learn how to
________________ these different types of questions, according to what is required.
B. Comprehension Questions - WHAT, WHY & HOW
“WHAT” is usually a straightforward, listing sort of question. Unless it is phrased in a more complicated way,
the answer should be easily found in the comprehension paragraph.
E.g. What did you have this morning for breakfast?
What is the fastest animal in the world?
What do you think is the biggest problem in society today
How about this one : WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HER ANSWERS??
“WHY” is a cause and effect sort of question. It always asks for either the cause or the effect of the question.
You should be able to test your reasoning in these questions. The answer is usually found before or after the
quote or keywords in the paragraph.
E.g. Why did you have bread and eggs this morning?
Why is the cheetah so fast?
Why is the biggest problem in society poverty?
How about this one : WHY DO YOU THINK HE ANSWERS IN THIS WAY?
“HOW” is a method question. It usually requires you to explain a method. You may have to slow down and reread the paragraph in order to trace the steps or method that the question requires. There may be other
questions that asks the “how” question without using the word itself.
E.g. How did you prepare the bread and eggs for breakfast?
How does the cheetah run?
How can poverty be eradicated?
HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?
2
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
C. The Concept of Ws + H
(column 1)
(column 2)
The following passage is taken from Aboard a Slave Ship, 1829
EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2000).
Paragraph 1
_ _ _ _ thing(s),
feature(s)
or reason(s)...
−
−
the answers
are often
found in the
passage
it can be
disguised as
a Why or How
question
In 1807 the British Parliament passed a bill prohibiting the slave trade. In January the
following year the United States followed suit by outlawing the importation of slaves. The
acts did nothing to curtail the trade of slaves within the nation's borders, but did end the
overseas commerce in slaves. To enforce these laws, Britain and the United States jointly
patrolled the seas off the coast of Africa, stopping suspected slave traders and confiscating
the ship when slaves were found. The human cargo was then transported back to Africa.
1. What was the bill passed? (1)
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. What did the governments of Britain and United States do to ensure the bill? (2)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2
But the circumstance which struck us most forcibly was how it was possible for such a
number of human beings to exist, packed up and wedged together as tight as they could
_ _ _ is the
cram, in low cells three feet high, the greater part of which, except that immediately under
reason...
the grated hatchways, was shut out from light or air, and this when the thermometer,
exposed to the open sky, was standing in the shade, on our deck, at 89'. The space
− many are
between decks was divided into two compartments 3 feet 3 inches high; the size of one was
16 feet by 18 and of the other 40 by 21; into the first were crammed the women and girls,
inference
questions that into the second the men and boys: 226 fellow creatures were thus thrust into one space 288
require you to feet square and 336 into another space 800 feet square, giving to the whole an average Of
23 inches and to each of the women not more than 13 inches. We also found manacles and
imagine the
fetters of different kinds, but it appears that they had all been taken off before we boarded.
situation
−
1. Why do you think the slaves were “packed together”? (2)
imagery is
often asked
________________________________________________________________
as well. Be
aware what is
2. Why do you think they found “manacles and fetters of different kinds”? (1)
real and what
is not, and
what is being ________________________________________________________________
compared to.
Paragraph 7
_ _ _ many steps
are there...
3
The heat of these horrid places was so great and the odor so offensive that it was quite
impossible to enter them, even had there been room. They were measured as above when
the slaves had left them. The officers insisted that the poor suffering creatures should be
admitted on deck to get air and water. This was opposed by the mate of the slaver, who,
from a feeling that they deserved it, declared they would murder them all. The officers,
however, persisted, and the poor beings were all turned up together. It is impossible to
conceive the effect of this eruption - 517 fellow creatures of all ages and sexes, some
children, some adults, some old men and women, all in a state of total nudity, scrambling
out together to taste the luxury of a little fresh air and water. They came swarming up like
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
bees from the aperture of a hive till the whole deck was crowded to suffocation front stem to
stern, so that it was impossible to imagine where they could all have come from or how they
could have been stowed away. On looking into the places where they had been crammed,
there were found some children next the sides of the ship, in the places most remote from
light and air; they were lying nearly in a torpid state after the rest had turned out. The little
creatures seemed indifferent as to life or death, and when they were carried on deck, many
of them could not stand.
1. How did the slaves managed to get out for air and water? (1)
________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 10
While expressing my horror at what I saw and exclaiming against the state of this vessel for
conveying human beings, I was informed by my friends, who had passed so long a time on
the coast of Africa and visited so many ships, that this was one of the best they had seen.
Vocab Questions :
The height sometimes between decks was only eighteen inches, so that the unfortunate
beings could not turn round or even on their sides. In such a place the sense of misery and
- Always
suffocation is so great that the Negroes, like the English in the Black Hole at Calcutta, are
exchange the
driven to a frenzy. They had on one occasion taken a slave vessel in the river Bonny; the
suitable form :
slaves were stowed in the narrow space between decks and chained together. They heard
Adjectives,
a horrible din and tumult among them and could not imagine from what cause it proceeded.
Nouns, Verbs or
They opened the hatches and turned them up on deck. They were manacled together in
Adverbs.
twos and threes. Their horror may be well conceived when they found a number of them in
different stages of suffocation; many of them were foaming at the mouth and in the last
- always fit your
agonies-many were dead. The tumult they had heard was the frenzy of those suffocating
answer back into
wretches in the last stage of fury and desperation, struggling to extricate themselves. When
the
they were all dragged up, nineteen were irrecoverably dead. Many destroyed one another in
comprehension
the hopes of procuring room to breathe; men strangled those next them, and women drove
passage and see
nails into each other's brains. Many unfortunate creatures on other occasions took the first
if it works
opportunity of leaping overboard and getting rid, in this way, of an intolerable life."
- check to see the
Give another word, or explain in not more than 7 words, the following :
spelling is correct
conveying (1) ____________________________________________________________
frenzy (1) ________________________________________________________________
din (1) ___________________________________________________________________
rrecoverably (1) ___________________________________________________________
procuring (1) _____________________________________________________________
Evaluate
Which kind of questions were easy?
Which kind of questions were particularly difficult for you?
Who in class would you turn to for help?
Remember :
1. For tips to study on comprehension, you can get assessment books and study carefully page 2 of this
handout.
2. It takes common sense, a fair bit of reading and thinking in depth to conquer Comprehension Questions.
4
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
D. Type : One Word Question
Formula : I + K = A (Instruction + Keywords = Answer)
The one word question refers to questions that ask you to look for a certain number of words
e.g. a word, consecutive words (words that follow each other), a short phrase (2 – 7 words).
Always write your answer in full sentences. E.g. The word is “____”.
Answer the following one word questions :
Silk-making traces its roots to prehistoric China. For many centuries the Chinese closely guarded the secrets of
their laborious craft. As China's main currency, silk was used to pay taxes, fines, and wages, and even to buy
public office. Silk ceremonies played an important role in imperial culture. A host of Buddhist deities associated
with silk and silk-making received offerings at special altars reserved for them. The Silk Road—a well-trodden
system of ancient trade routes, many over treacherous terrain—brought silk to Westerners hungry for these
exotic luxuries. Many observers consider silk to be one of China's greatest contributions to world civilization.
Source : The Ancient Art of Chinese Silk by Laura Morelli
1. What is the word that tells us silk has been in China for “many centuries”?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Give two consecutive words that show silk was very important in the daily trade of China.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Give a short phrase that tell us the Silk Road was extensively used during the ancient times.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which are the two words that show why foreigners desired silk as “luxuries”.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on One Word Questions to do.
5
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : Direct Question
Formula : IK + C = A (instructions.keywords + copy = answer)
The direct question refers to questions whose answers are found directly in the passage. You may copy the
answer from the passage, but make sure that the copied answer is related to the question!
Answer the direct questions below.
Paragraph 1
Cats lounge on the doorstep of my favorite goldsmith's studio, a stone's throw from the gentle rushing of the
Tiber. A shaft of sunlight streaks across the closet-size space, capturing air heavy with the flavor of the ancient
world. On this artisan's rustic workbench, I discovered what is now one of my most treasured possessions: a
gold ring I indulged myself in after a summer spent teaching in the Eternal City.
Paragraph 2
What captured my imagination was the sight of a modern goldsmith holding an ancient Roman seal—carved by
an artisan predecessor some two thousand years ago—and stamping an impression into the molten gold. When
I wear my ring, I admire the miniscule mythological figures and the accompanying cryptic inscription, and I feel a
powerful, palatable connection to the past.
Source : Roman Gold by Laura Morelli
From Paragraph 1
1. What did the author see, that lit up the room, in the studio?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the author's “most treasured possession?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
From Paragraph 2
3. How did the author's ring resemble the “ancient Roman seal”?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. How did wearing the ring make the author feel?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on Direct Questions to do.
6
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : Imagery Question
Formula : IK + Q°(adj) = A
instructions.keywords + quote <change to> (adjective) = answer
The imagery question refers to questions which are asking you to decode an imagery. An imagery is a bunch of
words behaving like an image to make the description more interesting. You are to decode that image into an
adjective.
Example 1
He was like a brick wall. Nothing I said went in. I told him later, “Your failure to listen will be the cause of your
downfall!” Nick turned to me and said nothing still. At this point, I threw the cushion at him and wished my
teenage son was a baby again.
Why is Nick described “like a brick wall”?
(Obviously Nick is a person and not a brick wall. Did you understand that “like a brick wall” is an imagery?)
1. Change the quote into an adjective.
2. “Like a brick wall” could mean stubborn.
3. Therefore, the answer is “Nick is stubborn”.
Answer the imagery questions below.
She knows how much he loves her. He looks at her at like a little puppy just after she said yes to his holiday
plans. She twists the rings on her fingers. Her late husband would not have approved of her lavish methods and
used to call her “that kind of philanthropist”. She knows otherwise. If she is not giving enough, he will be
wayward – he might turn into a gangster like his older brother, god knows where, smoking pot, hurting girls, and
especially his mother whom he hates and does not call mother. She knows how much of an abyss is her heart.
There is no sound if you drop a stone. The bottom is almost not found. She cannot bring herself to say no to him
this time. She wants to hug him, and embrace him into a cottony cocoon.
1. What does “like a little puppy” tell us about the attitude of the woman's younger son?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Her late husband used to call the woman “that kind of philanthropist”. What does the phrase mean?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. “She knows how much of an abyss is her heart.” What does “abyss” tells us about the woman's
condition?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What does “cottony cocoon” tell us about the way the woman wants to hug her younger son?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on Imagery Questions to do.
7
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : Quoting Question
Formula : IK + Q° = A
instructions.keywords + quote <change to> __ = answer
Quoting Questions refer to questions that require the use of a quote to decode, and then answer the question.
The quote does not refer to an imagery.
Example 1
Pigs are creatures of the night. They scavenge hungrily in the dark for edible bits that the farmers throw. On a
good night, they find scraps of fruit and vegetables. One such pig had the fortune of picking up the remains of a
box of strawberries, courtesy of a wasteful eater. The aforesaid animal dived its snout into the box and gobbled
up red bits voraciously. After that miraculous find, we can imagine that a smart animal like a pig would return for
another surprise.
What does “voraciously” tell you about the way it ate?
1. Change the ______________ into another word that means the same thing.
2. “Voraciously” could mean “_____________________ “.
3. Therefore, the answer should be _________________________________________ .
Answer the Quoting Questions below.
The basic process of batik involves creating designs in wax in order to prohibit dye from coloring the cloth in
those areas. Artisans begin by stretching the fabric—usually cotton but sometimes silk or linen—over a wooden
or metal frame. In Malaysia, batik artisans are known for their hand-drawn designs, a technique known as batik
tulis. The artisan draws the design using a pencil, then traces over the design using a traditional, stylus-like tool
called a canting. The canting, invented in Java, has a small copper receptacle with a spout that allows artisans to
apply the hot wax in a controlled stream. Alternatively, they apply the hot wax with a brush. After waxing, the
fabric is immersed in a vat of dye, dried, then waxed and dyed again until the desired effect is achieved.
Traditionally batik-makers created natural dyes made from the highly prized indigo plant, as well as roots, bark,
leaves, and seeds, though today synthetic dyes are common. The fabric is rinsed in hot water to remove the
wax, then hung to dry. Often the design is embellished with hand-embroidery or sequins.
Source : Malaysian Batik by Laura Morelli
1. What does “hand-drawn” tell us about the way the batik artisans design?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. “...until the desired effect is achieved.” What does “desired” mean?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. The indigo plant “highly prized”. What does that mean?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on Quoting Questions to do.
8
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : Why Do You Think Question
Formula : IK + W2 = A
(______________________ . _____________________ + Why x 2 = A)
This type of question requires you to read between the lines in the passage. Usually the answer could include an
emotion or a motive. (If the answer is found so easily in the passage, they won't ask you to think!)
Use the formula if the question carries 2 marks, and the second answer CANNOT be found in the pasage.
Example 1
Mark fell down the stairs. He cried because his ice-cream was gone. His grandmother chided him for being
careless and quickly got him up again. The five-year-old boy sniffled and stomped behind her reluctantly. The
next day, when his grandmother walked past the ice-cream man, Mark tugged at her blouse and said quietly, “I
won't do it again.”
Why do you think he said “I won't do it again?” (2)
1. Since the question is 2 marks, we'll find the first answer from the passage.
2. It's obvious that Mark is saying he won't be careless again.
3. Now we use the formula and ask WHY a second time.
4. Why would Mark say that he won't be careless again to his grandmother as she walked past the icecream man?
5. It could be because he would like her to buy another ice-cream.
6. Therefore, the answer is : He said “I won't do it again” because he would like to assure his grandmother
that by buying him another cone, he won't be careless and drop it.
Try the Why Do You Think questions below.
Only in Paris… I know of no other place on Earth where frog's legs can be turned into a delicacy, where silkworm
cocoons can be spun into robes befitting the Sun King, and where something as banal as a tassel can be
transformed into a masterpiece. It's a combination of inspired artisanship and an undeniable urge to embellish
that makes passementerie so purely Parisian. The term passementerie encompasses a broad range of trims for
interior decoration, from tassels to multicolored fringe, curtain tie-backs, and other ornate minutiae.
Passementerie stands at the heart of a long tradition of embellishment among Parisian craftspeople. Through
the centuries, Paris has put its greatest décorateurs to work decorating buildings, furniture, and interiors with
style and flair. The French monarchy and noble classes kept the city's artisans busy churning out deluxe interior
fabrics and table settings, prestigious coaches, along with shimmering jewelry, lace collars and cuffs, custom
shoes, and powdered wigs to adorn themselves as fancifully as their abodes.
Source : Passementerie: Purely Parisian by Laura Morelli
1. Why do you think the author says “Only in Paris...”? (1)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do you think “the French monarchy and noble classes kept the city's artisans busy” with so much
work? (2)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on Why Do You Think Questions to do.
9
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : In Your Own Words Question
Formula : IK + C° = A
(instructions.keywords + copy <change to> = Answer
IYOW questions are popular in O Levels because they test your ability to rephrase the answer in a way that tells
the examiner, “I understand what the passage is about.” There are 2 types of IYOW questions.
The first type rephrases the quoted part of the question directly :
From the passage : William was taking a closer look at the ball. It was not small nor red nor round, like what
his neighbours had. Instead, it was furry, distinguished by yellowish spots and expanding at slow but
alarming rate.
Q. Explain in your own words, what the author means William “taking a closer look” at the ball.
1. The question above requires you to rephrase the quoted part only.
2. The quoted part is “taking a closer look”.
3. Rephrase the quoted part only.
The answer should be :
A. The author means that William examined carefully the ball.
You should still answer the question in a full sentence, and according to its requirement.
The second type looks for the answer in the passage which requires rephrasing :
From the passage : The whale could not swim backwards and had to head south, even though its head was
trapped in a huge net. The problem was that the net also covered part of the blowhole which affected its
breathing. The poor creature made do with a half hearted pull from side to side while awaiting rescue from
the divers.
Q. Explain in your own words, why the whale could not change directions.
1. The question above requires you to look for the answer in the passage.
2. You need to find the correct answer. (The correct answer is “the whale could not swim backwards”
but you cannot simply copy this because you are supposed to answer in your own words.)
3. Rephrase the answer.
A. The whale was unable to reverse.
You should still answer the question in a full sentence, and according to its requirement.
If you are unable to handle IYOW questions, you need to read a lot to prepare for the examinations.
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on In Your Own Words Questions to do.
10
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type :
Explain Fully Question : IK + S = A
Pun Question : IK + S(p) = A
Irony Question : IK + S(ir) = A
where S = steps, p = pun, ir = irony
For these types of questions, you have to put your answer in steps to make it clear.
For Explain Fully questions, try answering like this :
Firstly, ______________ . Secondly. _______________ .
Pun refers to a word with double meaning.
For Pun questions, try answering like this :
The word “______ “ has a double meaning. It means __________ and ____________ in the passage.
Irony refers to a contradiction between reality and what is being said.
For Irony questions, try answering like this :
There is a contradiction. At first, we know that _______________ , but it turns out that ___________________ .
Try the questions below.
I was thrilled to open my mailbox to find a dinner party invitation from Sharmini. She's a fabulous cook and my
mouth waters to think of her cumin-tinged roasted eggplant. But mostly, I'm eager to see what she's wearing.
This time it's embellished with embroidered swirls and tiny reflective mirrors, the kind of textile decoration
associated with her native Rajasthan. Her eggplant meal is also resplendent with amazing sauces.
What was funny about the dinner that night was the fact that Sharmini's husband, Billy, still could not get used to
the spicy tones during his decade long stay in India. However, he gulped down the Mexican peppers in chicken
roast without so much a burp because the dish was “fairly familiar”. My own husband was especially a sight next
to Billy. Red from head to toe, he had been at the beach in the afternoon, and was, according to Billy, “a close
contender for the roast”, a fact that all of us noticed and laughed.
1. From paragraph 1, explain fully why the author was “thrilled” to get the dinner party invitation. (2)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. From paragraph 2, explain what is so ironic about Billy's eating habits. (2)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. From paragraph 2, explain why the expression “close contender for the roast” was funny. (2)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on the type of questions above to do.
11
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10
EL 102 Comprehension Questions
www.englishcafe.wordpress.com
Type : Synonym Question
Formula : I + K° = A
(instructions + keywords <change to> __ = answer)
This is very straightfoward. Just change the word in the passage to another word or a short phrase that means
the same thing.
Always check that the tenses and forms tally!
Adjective = Adjective, Adverb = Adverb, Noun = Noun, Verb = Verb
Answer the following synonym questions :
Matilda House is one of the oldest houses in Singapore. Located in Punggol, it is very close to the Soo Teck LRT
Station. The house was originally built in 1902 for Mr Joseph Cashin, whose family history in Singapore can be
traced back to the early 1840s. It has entrances on two sides of the main building, an open balcony at the front
facade, and a long verandah. The house is now uninhabited and is currently in ruins.
Matilda House was given conservation status by Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority in February 2000.
Despite redevelopments in the surrounding area, it stands as a reminder of the past to the residents of Punggol.
It is a frequent haunt for photographers, especially for those who want to take night shots of the place.
Originally, manicured lawns, tropical blooms, clipped hedges lay to the front with neat tennis courts to the
sides. And a long staircase ran down the garden - which was on several levels - to the sandy beach, which was
a mere 200m away. Even this was not all of it. The Cashin family owned about 350 hectares of land in the area
on which there were also rubber and coconut plantations.
'It was my grandfather, Joseph William Cashin, who made the money,' he explained. Once a lawyer's clerk, his
grandfather invested in opium farms - legal in the 1880s - and made a fortune there before investing in real
estate. Cashin Street, off North Bridge Road, was named after him. 'My father followed suit, but without benefit
of the opium,' quipped Mr Cashin. 'He built Matilda House, and my memories of Singapore as a small boy
revolve vastly around it. We could swim in the sea, but in pagars (a swimming enclosure in the sea) to keep out
sharks or the occasional crocodile which would appear.'
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_House
Give a word or a short phrase that means the same thing for the following :
1. uninhabited = ____________________
2. haunt = ____________________
3. manicured = ____________________
4. clipped = ____________________
5. vastly = ____________________
Your teacher may pass you an exercise on Synonym Questions to do.
12
Revised by Ms Dawn Fung for City College, 04/20/10