English: Practical Techniques for Solving Reading Comprehension Passages in Competitive Exams

Practical Techniques to Improve Your Reading Speed:

First let us try to answer one question. Why does the reading speed differ for person to person ? Let us take a statement.

" If you ask me to pin point one important quality that led me to success I will choose Patience."

A person whose reading habits are not honed, reads the above sentence, one word at a time, i.e., his span of vision allows him to read only one word for each eye movement he makes. This span of vision can be improved with conscious effort and can cover/ read three to five or more words at once i.e., in one eye movement. So, the span of vision is one main reason for the difference in reading speeds. Naturally, you should be interested in increasing you span of vision. Let's take the same statement considered above.

Try to focus your sight on the set of words and make an attempt to read one complete set of words at one time with out having to move your eye from left to right. Initially you might find it difficult to work on this technique. Regular practice will make you comfortable. Hold a pen or pencil in your hand when you are reading so that it helps you concentrate better on the passage. This habit also helps you to underline important points in the passage while you are reading.

Another simple technique which will develop your ability to absorb written words is reading a page by inverting it. You will not be able to understand anything that is written but this exercise helps you mind to pick up words faster than it is used to, as it develops acquaintance with words from different angle. You will experience it when you start reading the page in the ordinary reading position after such an exercise.

When you are learning some good reading habits you should unlearn certain bad reading habits also. Over a long period of time you might have acquired the habit of reading and re-reading the same set of words in the passage thinking that it helps you understand the passage better. This approach eats up yours precious time in the exams. Unless you make a conscious attempt to unlearn it you will not be able to perform at your best. You should also keep in mind the fact that the examiner is not going to ask you each and every details in the passage which implies that you need not have to read it " THOROUGHLY" to answer the questions in this section. So, even if you do not understand a part of the passage, you should continue reading the passage but not stop there or go back to read the sentence again.

While you should certainly adopt ways that improve your speed and reduce the "blocks" for improving your speed, regularly reading practice still remains to be the most important factor in improving your performance in reading comprehension.

More Tips for Solving Reading Comprehension Passage

Sample Comprehension Passages for Practice 

• Practice Comprehension Passage 3
• Practice Comprehension Passage 2
• Practice Comprehension Passage 1

English: Tips for Solving Reading Comprehension Passages in Competitive Exams

Tips for Solving Reading Comprehension Passages

Practical Techniques to Improve your Reading Comprehension

After reading the passage once, write down the time you have taken to complete the passage at the top of the page. (keep a separate page for each passage you read). Now count the number of words in the passage. Number of words divided by the number of minutes taken to read the passage given you your speed of reading in "Words per Minute". After this calculation, enter the same in a table. A formate of this table is given below. Maintaining a record of your reading speeds will give you a clear picture of how you are progressing in your reading practice over a period of time.

Table to Enter Reading speeds (in words per minute)
 

Topic (Enter your speed in WPM under the type of topic you have read)
SL.No	Date	Economic	Political	Social Science	Pure Science	Others
1	1-12-2014	5	3	8	6	8
2	2-12-2014	3	2	8	2	2
3	3-12-2014	2	1	3	1	1

     Make a conscious attempt to read a wide range of topics to develop your reading speed. You will note that your speeds will be higher in areas/topics with which you are familiar. Keep a copy of this table at the back of your exercise note book and observe the gradual improvement.

Make an entry of at least two passages in this table daily. A sample entry of speeds of three passages read on two days is shown in the table. After you read each passage and enter your speed in the table above, you should write down a few points about the passage just read. We already mentioned that you should use a separate page for each passage you read. You have already written down the number of words the passage has on this page. Your speed in WPM that you entered in the table should also be entered on this page because it pertains to this passage.

Now, write the following details on that page:

• Title of the passage
• Main idea of the passage in one sentence
• Important points from the passage (as a summary of the passage)
• Words given in the passage whose meanings you do not know.

These Important points can range from 10 to 20 depending on the length of the passage. After the important points are written down, check back with the passage and see whether all important points have been covered.

Check below Links for: 

Reading Comprehension Passages for Practice

• Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 1
• Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 2
• Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 3

English: Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 3 for Banking and Other Competitive Exams

Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 3

Directions: Read the Passage carefully and choose the best answers for questions

An organization must feel the need to change if it is to transform itself extensively. Typically the first people in the organization to senses this need are those who are in continuous contact with the external environment. They could be the company's front-line employees, working in the sales, marketing, or purchase functions. Or they could be senior executives involved in interacting with regulatory authorities.

     

     Whatever their functions these people are the harbingers of change. They communicate the message to the top management, either through formal structured meetings or unstructured personal encounters. This is a critical phase. The senior management team has to be convinced of the need to change. Very often, this process of building conviction is fraught with disagreements. Particularly if the  people concerned are not open to the signals they receive.

     It is easy to ignore the initial signals. most organizations start receiving these at the pre-pain stage, when their market shares and profits have not yet fallen. The organization can either opt for status quo, and break out into a rash of activities after its profits start falling or it can be proactive. An organization that opts for change enters the even more crucial second stage. The first requisite for implementing lasting change is a cross-functional and cross-hierarchical team which is empowered to lead the process of change. The second is that top managers must be prepared  to back that team's decisions. Large-scale organizational transformation is not possible without this.

Questions:

1) According to the passage, the people who sense the need for change in an organization are

1. front-line employees
2. marketing people
3. senior executives
4. All the above

2) The "Critical Phase", according to the passage, is

1. noticing change
2. bringing about change
   
3. communicating the message to change
4. interacting with the regulatory authorities

3) The words " External Environment" in the first para refers to

1. conditions of climate and weather
2. customers and others with whom the organization has contacts
3. other similar organizations
4. competition from abroad

4) The more crucial second stage for an organization is when

1. the top management keeps away from change
2. the people are open minded
3. an organization begins to implement change
4. it finds a cross functional and cross hierarchical team

5) "Pre-pain" stage in para 3 refers to the time.

1. when there is no need for change.
2. when the organization makes profit
3. when change becomes inevitable
4. when the organization does not suffer for not changing.

English: Reading Comprehension Practise Paper Set 2 for Banking and Competitive Exams

Reading Comprehension Practise Paper Set 2

Directions: Read the passage and choose the best answers for Questions

The internet has promoted the concept of electronic commerce. In principle, electronic commerce is no different from actual world commerce. The only difference is that electronic commerce uses the electronic medium, but the basic rules of commerce remain the same. It is true that the electronic environment has certain distinct requirement but they are merely procedural in nature and do not in any case impact the specific character of commercial transactions over the internet. Just as immovable property can be bought and sold in the actual world, so can immovable property be sold over the internet. This is evident from numerous examples that are available on the internet.

     Recently there were attempts to sell a town in California over the internet. The auction site e-Bay ended a month-long auction of the 150 acre Mojave desert town called Amboy. This town has seven residents and has a post office, motel, church, gas station, cafe, gift shop and two landing strips. The owners of the town - the celebrity photographer, Timothy White and his business partner Wilson - had put the town to action on e-Bay.Com. It is a different matter altogether that none of the bids could match the reserve selling price of the town. This example once again shows that immovable property can be bought and sold over the internet. However, this is the international position. 

     In India, we realize that the situation is dramatically different. In India, the Information Technology Act 2000 makes it clear that it does not apply to any contract for the sale or conveyance of immovable property or any interest in such property. This really means that no legal recognition is accorded to electronic transactions relating to the sale or conveyance of immovable property or any interest in such property.

Thus, legally speaking in India, you cannot bur or sell immovable property over the internet. The restriction is because of the inadequacy of the existing Indian law. The legislature may have excluded any contract for the sale or conveyance of immovable property from the ambit of the IT Act 2000 because it felt that the situation wasn't ripe for its inclusion as yet.

However, things are likely to change since India is in the process of coming up with laws relating to electronic fund transfer, etc, to further facilitate e-commerce and that includes sale of immovable property over the internet as well.

Questions:

1) The passage says that this has benefited from the growth of internet.

1. Photography
2. Commerce
3. Law
4. Education

2) The IT Act 2000

1. is the first act related to business.
2. has stopped all illegal internet transactions.
3. has legalized the property transactions over internet.
4. does not give legal recognition to electronic transactions of immovable property.

3) The word 'ambit' as used in the passage means

1. provision
2. territory
3. focus
4. scope

4) What is the notable difference between Indian and the US cyber law ?

1. The Indian cyber law is through unlike the US cyber low.
2. The US cyber law is fool proof unlike the Indian one.
3. Transaction related to immovable property are not legalized by Indian cyber law.
4. American cyber law was framed two decades ago whereas Indian cyber law was framed a few years ago.

5) The author's hope regarding e-commerce is that.

1. things are not likely to change in India.
2. the laws relating to fund transfer will be formulated in due course of time.
3. the internet laws will become more severe to tackle cyber crimes.
4. it will over take the real commerce in a few years

English: Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 1 for IBPS, SBI and Other Competitive Exams

Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 1

Directions: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer

Kashmir's highly perishable cherry crop has been damaged in the freak snowfall in late April. The situation worsened further as the subsequent rains coincident with the harvest. The fruit requires good winter precipitation and cool summers. "We were expecting a bumper crop this year, but the harvest disappointed us as nature intervened to our disadvantage," said growers from Ganderbal. Though the extent of the crop damage has not been quantified , officials put all losses to horticulture at around Rs. 200 crore. Kahmir grows over 7,1000 tonnes of cherries on 2,300 hectares, mostly in Kashmir valley where the climate conditions shit the fruit. Mr. Irfan Yasin, director, horticulture (planning and marketing) said the actual details of losses to the cherry crop were yet to be evaluated.

     The overall turnover of the cherry crop is worth less than Rs. 50 crore. The turnover could also be because only one-third of the total produce is sent to outside markets, especially Mumbai. Being highly perishable, cherries are supposed to reach the market within 50 hours. At present, Jammu and Kashmir lacks major cold storage facilities. The state has in recent years initiated a plan to set up two cold storage plants of 1,000 Metric Tons for Rs.6 crore each, but it failed as the southern firm quit the proposed joint venture. The project was later taken up with NABARD but the necessary spade work is yet to be begin. This facility would help growers manage the crop besides preventing slump in the market when supply outstrip demand. Moreover, the growers are totally depended on Indian Airlines and Railways for sending the crop to other markets.

Questions:

1) The reason for the failure of cherry crop this year is

1. abnormal snowfall and consequent rains
2. unseasonal snowfall
3. inclement weather condition prevailing at Kashmir
4. inadequate sun shine

2) Cherries are grown 

1. all over Jammu, Kashmir and Ladak.
2. on mountain slopes in Jammu and Kashmir.
3. mostly in Kashmir valley.
4. wherever the climate is pleasant.

3) What type of climate conditions suit the cherry fruit ?

1. Dry and humid
2. Warm and damp
3. Only warm
4. Good winter precipitation and cool summer conditions

4) The low turn over is not due to_________

1. limited market
2. limited transport
3. lack of major cold storage facilities
4. deteriorating flavour of cherries due to bad weather conditions

5) "Supply outstrip demand" means

1. supply is greater than demand
2. supply falls short in comparison to demand
3. supply is no match to demand
4. there is a supply without any demand