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English Comprehension Passages

Class 10 Practice Material

Instructions:

1. Read each passage carefully before attempting the questions.
2. Answer all questions based on the passage content.
3. Try to answer questions in your own words where required.
4. Check your answers by clicking the "Show Answer" buttons.

Suggested Time: 15 minutes per passage

Passage 1: The Power of Reading

In an age dominated by digital media, the importance of reading books might seem to be diminishing. However, numerous studies have shown that reading remains one of the most effective ways to gain knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and enhance empathy.

When we read, we engage with ideas that challenge our perspectives. Unlike passive consumption of visual media, reading requires active imagination and cognitive processing. Neuroscientific research has demonstrated that reading fiction, in particular, stimulates brain regions associated with language processing and also those connected with sensory experiences and movement. This phenomenon, known as embodied cognition, suggests that when we read about characters experiencing emotions or performing actions, our brains simulate these experiences.

Furthermore, reading enhances our ability to understand others' mental states—a skill psychologists call theory of mind. Regular readers show greater empathy and social perception than non-readers. This is because literature often provides deep insights into characters' thoughts, motivations, and emotional struggles, allowing readers to practice interpreting and understanding complex social situations.

Beyond these cognitive benefits, reading also improves concentration and focus in an increasingly distracted world. The sustained attention required to follow a narrative or argument strengthens our ability to concentrate on tasks in other areas of life.

Despite the allure of quicker forms of entertainment, the unique benefits of reading make it an invaluable activity for personal development and intellectual growth. Educational systems worldwide continue to emphasize reading not just as a source of information, but as a fundamental tool for developing well-rounded, empathetic, and critically thinking individuals.

Comprehension Questions

1. According to the passage, what is "embodied cognition" in the context of reading?

Answer: Embodied cognition refers to the phenomenon where reading about characters experiencing emotions or performing actions causes our brains to simulate these experiences, stimulating regions associated with language processing, sensory experiences, and movement.

2. How does reading fiction affect empathy according to the passage?

Answer: Reading fiction enhances empathy and social perception by providing insights into characters' thoughts, motivations, and emotional struggles, allowing readers to practice interpreting and understanding complex social situations.

3. What advantage does reading have over passive consumption of visual media?

Answer: Reading requires active imagination and cognitive processing, unlike passive consumption of visual media, which makes it more effective for developing critical thinking skills and knowledge acquisition.

4. Why do educational systems worldwide continue to emphasize reading?

Answer: Educational systems emphasize reading not just as a source of information, but as a fundamental tool for developing well-rounded, empathetic, and critically thinking individuals.

5. Find a word from the passage that means "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another".

Answer: Empathy

Passage 2: Climate Change and Biodiversity

Climate change represents one of the most significant threats to global biodiversity in the 21st century. As global temperatures rise, ecosystems around the world are experiencing dramatic shifts that affect species distribution, population dynamics, and ecological interactions.

One of the most visible impacts of climate change on biodiversity is the alteration of species' geographical ranges. Many plants and animals are moving poleward or to higher elevations in search of suitable climates. For example, numerous butterfly species have shifted their ranges northward by up to 200 kilometers in Europe and North America. Marine species are also moving to deeper waters or higher latitudes as ocean temperatures increase.

Phenological changes—shifts in the timing of biological events—represent another crucial impact. Many species are experiencing earlier springs, causing changes in migration patterns, breeding seasons, and flowering times. These shifts can create mismatches in ecological relationships. For instance, if flowers bloom before their pollinators emerge, both species may suffer. Similarly, if migratory birds arrive after their insect food sources have peaked, reproductive success may decline.

Climate change also exacerbates other threats to biodiversity. Habitat fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species interact with climate change to create compounded stresses on ecosystems. Coral reefs, for example, face not only warming waters but also ocean acidification, which weakens their skeletal structures and makes them more vulnerable to storms and predation.

Conservation strategies must adapt to address these climate-related challenges. Protected areas need to be designed with climate change in mind, potentially including corridors that allow species to move between habitats as conditions change. Conservation efforts may also need to focus on protecting climate refugia—areas that are expected to experience less severe climate changes—where species can persist despite broader environmental shifts.

Ultimately, addressing the biodiversity crisis in the age of climate change requires both mitigation—reducing greenhouse gas emissions—and adaptation—helping species and ecosystems adjust to new conditions. The complexity of these ecological challenges underscores the need for comprehensive, science-based approaches to conservation.

Comprehension Questions

1. What are two ways species are responding to climate change according to the passage?

Answer: Species are responding to climate change by altering their geographical ranges (moving poleward or to higher elevations) and experiencing phenological changes (shifts in the timing of biological events).

2. What are "phenological changes" and how do they affect ecosystems?

Answer: Phenological changes are shifts in the timing of biological events such as migration patterns, breeding seasons, and flowering times. They can create mismatches in ecological relationships, for example, if flowers bloom before their pollinators emerge or if migratory birds arrive after their insect food sources have peaked.

3. How does climate change interact with other threats to biodiversity?

Answer: Climate change exacerbates other threats to biodiversity such as habitat fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species, creating compounded stresses on ecosystems.

4. What are "climate refugia" and why are they important for conservation?

Answer: Climate refugia are areas that are expected to experience less severe climate changes. They are important for conservation because they provide places where species can persist despite broader environmental shifts.

5. What two approaches does the passage suggest for addressing the biodiversity crisis?

Answer: The passage suggests both mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (helping species and ecosystems adjust to new conditions) as approaches to address the biodiversity crisis.

Willer Academy English Department | Class 10 Reading Comprehension

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