Navrachana International School, Vadodara
CBSE (2022– 23)
Subject: English (Reading Comprehension Practice)
Grade: X
Date: 28/06/2022
Name: Om S Shrimali Roll. No. 19 Time: 20 mins
Factual Passages
Q. 1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions/complete the sentences
that follow:
Sniffer dog Tucker uses his nose to help researchers find out why a killer whale population
off the northwest coast of the United States is on the decline. He searches for whale faeces
floating on the surface of the water, which are then collected for examination. He is one of
the elite team of detection dogs used by scientists studying a number of species including
right whales and killer whales.
Conservation canines are fast becoming indispensable tools for biologists according to Aimee
Hurt, associate director and co-founder of Working Dogs for Conservation, based in Three
Forks, Montana.Over the last few years, though, so many new conservation dog projects have
sprung up that Hurt can no longer keep track of them all. Her organization’s dogs and their
handlers are fully booked to assist field researchers into 2012.
“Dogs have such a phenomenal sense of smell”, explained Sam Wasser, director of the
Center for Conservation biology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has worked
with scat-detection dogs since 199(g). Scientists have been using Conservation Canines in
their research since 199(g). These dogs have enabled them to non-invasively access vast
amount of genetic and physiological information which is used to tackle conservation
problems around the world. Such information has proved vital for determining the causes and
consequences of human disturbances on wildlife as well as the actions needed to mitigate
such impacts.
The ideal detection dog is extremely energetic with an excessive play drive. These dogs will
happily work all day long, motivated by the expectation of a ball game as a reward for sample
detection. The obsessive, high energy personalities of detection dogs also make them difficult
to maintain as pets. As a result, they frequently find themselves abandoned to animal shelters,
facing euthanasia. The programme rescues these dogs and offers them a satisfying career in
conservation research.
Answer the following questions:
(a) According to the text there are a few elite teams of detection dogs like Tucker.
(b) Tucker sniffs for whale faeces floating on the surface of water
(c) The dogs are special because they assist in research without invasion.
(d) The ideal detection dog is extremely energetic with an excessive play drive.
(e) The dogs expect a ball game as a reward of their hard work.
(f) The obsessive high energy personalities of these dogs make it difficult to keep them as pets.
(g) These dogs find career in conservation research.
(h) The word ‘euthanasia’ means painless killing
Q.2. Read the following passage carefully:
These days, it is not unusual to see people listening to music or using their electronic gadgets
while crossing busy roads or travelling on public transports, regardless of the risks involved. I
have often wondered why they take such risks: is it because they want to exude a sense of
independence, or is it that they want to tell the world to stop bothering them? Or is it that they
just want to show how cool they are? Whether it is a workman or an executive, earphones
have become an inseparable part of our lives, sometimes even leading to tragicomic
situations.
The other day, an electrician had come to our house to fix something. We told him in detail
what needed to be done. But after he left, I found that the man had done almost nothing. It
later turned out that he could not hear our directions clearly because he had an earphone on.
Hundreds of such earphones addicts commute by the Delhi Metro every day. While one
should not begrudge anyone their moments of privacy or their love for music, the fact is
‘iPod oblivion’ can sometimes be very dangerous.
Recently, I was travelling with my wife on the Delhi Metro. Since the train was approaching
the last station, there weren’t too many passengers. In our compartment, other than us, there
were only two women sitting cm the other side of the aisle. And then suddenly, I spotted a
duffel bag. The bomb scare lasted for several minutes. Then suddenly, a youth emerged from
nowhere and picked up the bag. When we tried to stop him, he looked at us, surprised. Then
he took off his earpieces, lifted the bag, and told us that the bag belonged to him and that he
was going to get off at the next station.
We were stunned but recovered in time to ask him where he was all this while. His answer:
he was in the compartment, leaning against the door totally immersed in the music. He had no
clue about what was going on around him. When he got off, earplugs in his hand, we could
hear strains of the song.
(A) Read the above passage and answer the questions that follow:
(i) What reasons does the author offer for the people taking risks on the road?
They take risks because they want to exude a sense of independence or to tell the
world to stop bothering them.
(ii) Why didn’t the electrician carry out the work properly?
He did not hear the instructions carefully and so did not do the work properly.
(iii) Why were the people in the Metro doubtful about the bag?
Nobody came forward to take the bag so, they thought it to be a bomb scare.
(iv) Why were the passengers stunned?
They were stunned at the carelessness and behaviour of the young boy.
(v) Explain the term ‘earphone addicts’?
People who always wear earphones and keep listening to music.
(B) Find words from the paragraph indicated which are similar in meaning to the
words given below:
(i) inspite of (para 1) regardless.
(ii) picked (para 3) immersed.
(iii) absorbed (para 4) lifted
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