1000+ English Comprehension Passages for Competitive Exams - 1

Question: 1

Soft bodied animals like caterpillars often fall a prey to voracious hunters like birds or reptiles. Despite having no means to ‘actively’ defend themselves, with weapons like claws or jaws, they have nevertheless, evolved other equally effective deterrents. A particular species of the caterpillar lives at an altitudes of over 2,500 metres in the Himalayas. It uses prominent colours to inform would be predators of its inedibility. In the event that an inexperienced or adventurous bird did eat the caterpillar, it would probably vomit it out soon after, and subsequently desist from attacking similar species in the future. Though this would do the unfortunate victim no good, the species benefits. A rare example of the martyr among animals.
1. Caterpillars cannot defend themselves because they

(A) have no claws or jaws

(B) are passive animals

(C) cannot acquire weapons

(D) are lazy

Question: 2

The expression ‘other equally effective deterrants’ means

(A) mechanism which scares everyone equally well

(B) preventive equipment which is as effective as something that has been already mentioned in the passage

(C) preventive weapons which have equal effect of others

(D) deterrents that are as powerful as those the caterpillars have

Question: 3

The Himalayan caterpillar uses prominent colours to

(A) attack the predator

(B) reveal itself

(C) warn the predator

(D) defend itself

Question: 4

Experienced birds do not attack the Himalayan caterpillars because they are

(A) very aggressive

(B) repulsive

(C) inedible

(D) diseased

Question: 5

In the context of this passage, a martyr is one who dies

(A) to save others

(B) while defending one’s homeland

(C) without any gain to oneself

(D) without putting up resistance