These eight questions ramp from main message to ruling out distractors. Answer each one, underline your evidence line, then open the explanation.
The lessons are in reading short texts. For timed practice, use the timed original practice session builder.
Questions 1 to 4: purpose, context and paraphrase
Question 1. Text: “Attention cyclists: the path beside the river is closed for repairs until further notice. Please use the main road.” What is the purpose of the text?
Answer
To inform and to give an instruction (warn and redirect). The evidence is “closed for repairs” and “Please use the main road”.
Question 2. Text: “Puan Zaleha thanks all parents who helped at the school fair. Your generosity raised funds for new books.” Who is the audience, and what is the tone?
Answer
The audience is the parents who helped. The tone is grateful, shown by “thanks” and “generosity”.
Question 3. Text: “The recipe calls for a pinch of salt, which is a very small amount.” What does “pinch” mean here?
Answer
A very small amount. The clue is the explanation “a very small amount” right after it.
Question 4. Text: “The theatre will not admit latecomers after the show begins.” Which option is a paraphrase? (a) People who arrive after the start cannot enter. (b) The theatre admits latecomers quietly.
Answer
(a). “Will not admit latecomers after the show begins” means the same as “cannot enter after the start”. Option (b) says the opposite.
Questions 5 to 8: distractors and mixed skills
Question 5. Text: “The science lab is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students must bring their own lab coats.”
Which is true? (a) The lab is open every day. (b) Students bring lab coats. (c) The school supplies lab coats.
Answer
(b). The text says “must bring their own lab coats”. Option (a) contradicts “Tuesdays and Thursdays”, and (c) contradicts “their own”.
Question 6. Text: “Although the trip was cancelled because of rain, the class enjoyed a film in the hall.” Why was the trip cancelled?
Answer
Because of rain. The word “because” points to the reason. The film is what they did instead, and it is a distractor.
Question 7. Text: “Membership of the chess club is free, but players must buy their own timers.” Which option goes too far? (a) Joining costs nothing. (b) Everything in the club is free.
Answer
(b). The text says timers must be bought, so “everything is free” is too strong. Option (a) matches “membership is free”.
Question 8. Text: “Dear neighbours, the water supply will be cut on Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm. Please store enough water beforehand.” State the purpose and the main message, then give the audience.
Answer
Purpose: to warn and advise. Main message: the water supply will be cut on Sunday morning, so store water beforehand. Audience: neighbours, shown by “Dear neighbours”.
If you got these wrong
Match the question to the lesson and retry only those questions.
- Questions 1, 2 and 8: finding purpose, audience and main message.
- Question 3: using context to infer vocabulary.
- Question 4: recognising paraphrase instead of identical words.
- Questions 5 to 7: eliminating distractors using evidence.
Log repeated slips in the mistake log and paper-error review. For a teacher to read with you, see online one-to-one English tuition.