English Base

Test 016

Reading Practice: The Blue Bicycle

Reading Text

The blue bicycle stands near the wall of the garage. It is old, but it is clean, and Tom loves it. Tom is seven, and he wants to ride it today.

His father comes out of the garage and smiles. He holds the seat with one hand and walks. Tom puts both feet on the pedals. The bicycle moves, and Tom rides two metres. Then he rides three metres and says, "Look, I go!"

Then the front wheel turns left, and Tom falls into the grass. The grass is soft, so Tom is not hurt at all. He stands up and looks at his father.

His father holds the seat again, and Tom tries once more. At last the bicycle goes straight, and Tom rides alone.

Comprehension Test

Question 1. Where is the blue bicycle?

✗ IncorrectThe text opens with "The blue bicycle stands near the wall of the garage", so the kitchen is not correct.

✓ CorrectThe first sentence says it stands "near the wall of the garage".

✗ IncorrectThe park is not in the text at all, and the bicycle is at the garage.

✗ IncorrectThe text gives one place only: the wall of the garage, not the back of the house.

Question 2. How old is Tom?

✓ CorrectThe text says "Tom is seven, and he wants to ride it today."

✗ IncorrectThe number five is not in the text; Tom is seven.

✗ IncorrectNine is wrong because the text gives Tom's age as seven.

✗ IncorrectTen is not Tom's age in the text; he is seven years old.

Question 3. Who comes out of the garage?

✗ IncorrectOnly Tom's father is in the text; his mother is not there.

✗ IncorrectNo friend comes out; the person who comes out is Tom's father.

✓ CorrectThe text says "His father comes out of the garage and smiles."

✗ IncorrectA neighbour is not mentioned; the garage door opens and Tom's father comes out.

Question 4. What does Tom's father hold?

✗ IncorrectThe wheel is not in his hand; the text says "He holds the seat with one hand".

✓ CorrectThe text says "He holds the seat with one hand and walks."

✗ IncorrectHe does not hold the boy's hand; he holds the seat of the bicycle.

✗ IncorrectThe door is not in his hand; the text says he holds the seat.

Question 5. Where are Tom's feet?

✗ IncorrectThe grass comes later, when he falls; at the start his feet are on the pedals.

✗ IncorrectThe text never says his feet are in the air; they are on the pedals.

✗ IncorrectThe bicycle moves, so his feet are not on the ground but on the pedals.

✓ CorrectThe text says "Tom puts both feet on the pedals."

Question 6. How far does Tom ride at first?

✗ IncorrectTen is not the first distance; the text says "Tom rides two metres".

✗ IncorrectA kilometre is far too long; the first ride is only two metres.

✓ CorrectThe text says "The bicycle moves, and Tom rides two metres."

✗ IncorrectFifty metres is much more than the two metres in the text.

Question 7. Why does Tom fall?

✓ CorrectThe text says "Then the front wheel turns left, and Tom falls into the grass."

✗ IncorrectThe text says the bicycle is old but clean, and the seat does not break.

✗ IncorrectThere is no dog in the text; the wheel turns left and that makes him fall.

✗ IncorrectTiredness is not the reason; the front wheel turns left.

Question 8. Why is Tom not hurt?

✗ IncorrectHis father holds the seat, not the boy; Tom falls and the grass is soft.

✗ IncorrectThe coat is not in the text, and it is not the reason he is fine.

✗ IncorrectThere is no mat; Tom falls into the grass.

✓ CorrectThe text says "The grass is soft, so Tom is not hurt at all."

Question 9. What does Tom want after the fall?

✗ IncorrectHe does not want to stop; the text says "Tom tries once more" and his father holds the seat again.

✓ CorrectAfter the fall he stands up and looks at his father, and the text says "Tom tries once more".

✗ IncorrectHe stays near the garage and does not go home; he wants another try on the bicycle.

✗ IncorrectHis mother is not in the text, and he does not call for help; he tries again.

Question 10. What happens at the end?

✗ IncorrectThe bicycle stays outside; at the end Tom rides it by himself.

✗ IncorrectHis father only holds the seat and walks; the boy is the rider.

✓ CorrectThe last sentence says "At last the bicycle goes straight, and Tom rides alone."

✗ IncorrectHe falls into the grass in the middle of the text, but at the end he is on the bicycle.
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