Name:______________________ Date:____________
COMPREHENSION POWER TEST
In this comprehension power test, read each of the following five passages and the
statements that follow each.
You need to decide whether each statement is true (based on what you’ve read),
false (based on what you’ve read), or whether what you’ve read doesn’t provide enough
information to answer one way or the other.
Base your answers only on the information you read in the passages and statements.
The information you are given may not be an accurate or a true reflection of the real
world.
If you decide that a statement is true write “T” to the left of the statement. For false
write “F” to the left statement. If you think it is impossible to say then write “I” to the left
statement.
1. Southern Elephant Seals
The population of the Southern Elephant Seals is probably less than a million
worldwide. They are found in the cold Southern Ocean, where they spend most of their
lives, and only come ashore to breed or moult. The largest known population can be
found on the island of South Georgia.
Females reach sexual maturity much more quickly than males, and typically suckle
their young for three or four weeks before leaving them to fend for themselves. Males
are larger than females and can grow to lengths of up to twenty feet.
Elephant seals can dive to an astonishing one and a half miles and travel widely,
often up to several thousand miles.
_____ (a) Southern Elephant Seals are present in the northern hemisphere.
_____ (b) fewer Southern Elephant Seals exist now than 100 years ago.
_____ (c) the Southern Ocean is warming.
_____ (d) Southern Elephant Seals have more than one cub at a time.
_____ (e) Southern Elephant Seals breed in the ocean.
_____ (f) female Southern Elephant Seals mature more quickly than males.
_____ (g) male Southern Elephant Seals take an active part in rearing the young.
_____ (h) female Southern Elephant Seals care for their young for up to a year.
_____ (i) Southern Elephant Seals can dive to surprising depths.
_____ (j) Southern Elephant Seals come ashore to moult.
_____ (k) Southern Elephant Seals spend their lives on South Georgia.
_____ (l) young Southern Elephant Seals are suckled for up to a month.
_____ (m) female Southern Elephant Seals do not grow as large as males.
_____ (n) male Southern Elephant Seals can grow to over 20 feet in length.
2. The Windscale Nuclear Accident
The Windscale nuclear accident happened in October 1957. A fire, the result of fuel
rods overheating in the reactor core, was discovered on the 10th, although it must have
been burning for up to 48 hours. As its peak, the temperature within the reactor
chamber reached 1300 degrees Celsius.
After several unsuccessful attempts to extinguish the fire, it was finally put out on the
11th October by flooding the reactor chamber with water. It remains Britain’s worst
nuclear accident.
_____ (a) the fire started on the 10th of October.
_____ (b) initially the fire could not put out.
_____ (c) the Windscale nuclear accident happened in the latter half of 1957.
_____ (d) the fire started before the 10th of October.
_____ (e) the temperature within the fire reached 1300 degrees.
_____ (f) the Windscale nuclear accident is the UK’s worst ever nuclear accident.
_____ (g) carbon dioxide was used to try and extinguish the fire.
_____ (h) water put the fire out.
_____ (i) putting the fire out took 3 days.
_____ (j) the reactor chamber was a dangerous place to be during the fire.
_____ (k) fuel rods were present in the reactor core.
_____ (l) there was an inquiry after the fire.
_____ (m) lots of people fought the fire.
_____ (n) the fire was extinguished on the 11th October.
3. The History of the Euro.
The Euro is the official currency of the European Union. Countries which use the
Euro include Spain, France Germany, Ireland, and Italy. The UK has not adopted the
Euro as a single currency, although many UK businesses will accept it as a method of
payment.
The Euro was introduced in 1999, but banknotes and coins were not issued until
2002. It is managed by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. All EU member states
who meet certain monetary requirements can join the Euro, but not all EU members
have chosen to do so, even though they meet the requirements. There are more than
600 Billion Euro in circulation.
_____ (a) the UK will adopt the Euro in 2012.
_____ (b) the European Central Bank is in Germany
_____ (c) some EU members do not want to join the Euro.
_____ (d) the Euro is a better investment than the dollar.
_____ (e) the Euro was introduced in 2002.
_____ (f) there are Euro notes and coins.
_____ (g) there are 600 Billion Euro in circulation.
_____ (i) the Euro is the official currency of the EU.
_____ (j) the plural of Euro is Euro.
_____ (k) the ECU was the predecessor of the Euro.
_____ (l) UK businesses pay in Euro.
_____ (m) one Euro is worth less than one UK Pound Sterling.
_____ (n) the Euro is issued by the European Central Bank.
