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Reading Comprehension questions for IPMAT, with solutions

10 free Reading Comprehension practice questions for IPMAT Indore, Rohtak and JIPMAT, each with the answer and a full worked solution. No sign-in. Try each one first, then open the solution. The lessons for this chapter are in Reading Comprehension on Learn.

1. Question 1Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   A passage has four paragraphs. Their opening sentences are:

   1. For most of the last century, cities were designed around the car.
   2. The costs of that choice are now hard to ignore.
   3. A handful of cities have begun to reverse course.
   4. Their experience suggests that the change is cheaper than it looks.

   Without reading further, which of the following is most likely the main point of the passage?

   1. A.Designing cities around cars has had real costs, and the cities that have changed course suggest that changing is affordable.
   2. B.Cars remain the most efficient way to move people around a city.
   3. C.Most cities were planned by engineers who disliked walking.
   4. D.Every city should ban private cars within a decade.
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: A. Designing cities around cars has had real costs, and the cities that have changed course suggest that changing is affordable.

   Answer: (A) Designing cities around cars has had real costs, and the cities that have changed course suggest that changing is affordable.

   Why (A) is right: Topic sentences carry the argument: history (designed around the car), problem (costs), turn (cities reversing course), conclusion (cheaper than it looks). (A) joins all four.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (B) This reverses the passage, which says the car-centred choice has costs.
   • (C) Engineers' tastes are nowhere in the topic sentences.
   • (D) Too strong. Nothing in the skim supports a universal ban or a deadline.

2. Question 2Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   Which type of RC question can you most safely answer after only skimming a passage (reading the first and last sentence of each paragraph), before reading it closely?

   1. A.A question about the meaning of a word in the third paragraph
   2. B.A question about the main idea or primary purpose of the passage
   3. C.A question asking which detail is NOT mentioned in the passage
   4. D.A question asking what a particular figure in the passage refers to
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: B. A question about the main idea or primary purpose of the passage

   Answer: (B) A question about the main idea or primary purpose of the passage

   Why (B) is right: Topic and concluding sentences carry the structure and thesis, which is what main-idea and purpose questions test. The other types depend on specific sentences you may have skipped.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) Vocabulary-in-context needs the sentences around the word, which a skim usually skips.
   • (C) NOT/EXCEPT questions need every option checked against the full text.
   • (D) Figures sit inside paragraphs, so you have to locate and read them.

3. Question 3Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   In the IPMAT Indore VA section you have 14 minutes left and two RC passages untouched. Passage P is 360 words on a business topic with six mostly 'according to the passage' questions. Passage Q is 520 words of abstract philosophy with six mostly inference and 'author would least agree' questions. What is the best plan?

   1. A.Read both passages fully before answering any question.
   2. B.Attempt Q first, because harder questions carry more marks.
   3. C.Finish P first, then attempt only the clearly answerable questions in Q.
   4. D.Skip both passages and guess all twelve answers to save time.
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: C. Finish P first, then attempt only the clearly answerable questions in Q.

   Answer: (C) Finish P first, then attempt only the clearly answerable questions in Q.

   Why (C) is right: Every MCQ carries the same +4/−1, so the easier passage gives more correct answers per minute. Bank P first, then take only the questions in Q you can answer with confidence.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) Reading both before answering wastes time, and you will have to reread for details anyway.
   • (B) Indore marks every MCQ equally. Harder questions earn no extra marks.
   • (D) With −1 for each wrong answer, blind guessing on twelve questions has a negative expected score.

4. Question 4Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   You read exam passages at about 200 words a minute and spend about 50 seconds on each RC question. Roughly how long should a 450-word passage with six questions take you?

   1. A.About 4 minutes
   2. B.About 5 minutes
   3. C.About 7 minutes
   4. D.About 10 minutes
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: C. About 7 minutes

   Answer: (C) About 7 minutes

   Why (C) is right: Reading: $450 \div 200 = 2.25$ min. Questions: $6 \times 50 = 300$ s $= 5$ min. Total $\approx 7.25$ min, about 7 minutes.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) This is roughly the reading time plus only a few questions. It leaves out most of the question time.
   • (B) This counts only the question time and forgets the 2¼ minutes of reading.
   • (D) This overestimates both parts (it would mean roughly 100 words a minute).

5. Question 5Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   In a VA section you plan to attempt three RC passages of 450, 540 and 630 words, with six questions each. You read exam passages at about 180 words a minute and spend about 45 seconds on each RC question. Roughly how much of the section should you set aside for the three passages?

   1. A.About 13.5 minutes
   2. B.About 22.5 minutes
   3. C.About 9 minutes
   4. D.About 27 minutes
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: B. About 22.5 minutes

   Answer: (B) About 22.5 minutes

   Why (B) is right: Total words = 450 + 540 + 630 = 1,620, so reading takes 1,620 ÷ 180 = 9 minutes. There are 3 × 6 = 18 questions at 45 seconds each = 810 seconds = 13.5 minutes. Together: 9 + 13.5 = 22.5 minutes.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) Counts only the time for the questions and forgets the reading.
   • (C) Counts only the reading time.
   • (D) Uses a full minute per question (9 + 18) instead of 45 seconds.

6. Question 6Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   While previewing the RC passages in a section where every question carries the same marks, which passage is usually the best one to attempt first?

   1. A.A 380-word passage on a familiar topic whose questions mostly ask about stated details.
   2. B.The longest passage, because it has the most questions.
   3. C.The passage with the most unfamiliar words, to finish the hardest one while you are fresh.
   4. D.A passage on a topic you know nothing about, so that your own opinions cannot mislead you.
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: A. A 380-word passage on a familiar topic whose questions mostly ask about stated details.

   Answer: (A) A 380-word passage on a familiar topic whose questions mostly ask about stated details.

   Why (A) is right: When every question carries the same marks, the best first passage is the one that yields the most sure answers per minute. A short, familiar passage with detail questions is quick to read and its answers can be checked against the text.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (B) More questions also take more reading time; length alone says nothing about marks per minute.
   • (C) Spending your freshest minutes on the slowest passage risks running out of time for the easier ones.
   • (D) Unfamiliar topics are slower to read and harder to infer from; knowing a topic helps more than it misleads.

7. Question 7Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   You skim a passage by reading only the first and last sentence of each paragraph. Which of the following question types is LEAST likely to be answerable from the skim alone?

   1. A.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
   2. B.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a cause of the problem?
   3. C.What is the main idea of the passage?
   4. D.What is the author's overall attitude to the proposal?
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: B. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a cause of the problem?

   Answer: (B) Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a cause of the problem?

   Why (B) is right: A NOT-mentioned question requires you to confirm that three options do appear somewhere in the passage, often in the middle of a paragraph. Skimming the first and last sentences cannot do that, while title, main idea and overall attitude are usually carried by those sentences.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) A title follows the main idea, which topic sentences usually carry.
   • (C) Main-idea questions are exactly what a skim of topic and closing sentences is for.
   • (D) The overall attitude usually shows in the opening and closing sentences; only a fine shade of tone needs close reading.

8. Question 8Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   You have 12 minutes left. Untouched are one RC passage (600 words, 6 questions) and 8 short grammar questions. Every question carries the same marks. You read at 200 words a minute, need about 75 seconds per RC question once the passage is read, and about 30 seconds per grammar question. Which plan lets you attempt the most questions carefully?

   1. A.Do the whole passage first, then as many grammar questions as time allows.
   2. B.Do only the passage, slowly, to make sure all six answers are right.
   3. C.Do only the grammar questions and leave the remaining time unused.
   4. D.Do all 8 grammar questions first, then read the passage and attempt as many of its questions as time allows.
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: D. Do all 8 grammar questions first, then read the passage and attempt as many of its questions as time allows.

   Answer: (D) Do all 8 grammar questions first, then read the passage and attempt as many of its questions as time allows.

   Why (D) is right: Plan (D): 8 grammar questions take 4 minutes; reading the passage takes 600 ÷ 200 = 3 minutes; the remaining 5 minutes allow 4 RC questions at 75 seconds each. Total 12 questions. Do the cheapest questions first when every question is worth the same.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) Passage first: 3 + 6 × 1.25 = 10.5 minutes for 6 questions, then 1.5 minutes for 3 grammar questions: 9 in all.
   • (B) Only 6 questions attempted.
   • (C) Only 8 questions attempted, with 8 minutes wasted.

9. Question 9Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

   A passage has four paragraphs. Their opening sentences are:

   1. It has become common to blame social media for the decline in young people's reading.
   2. The evidence for this is weaker than it seems.
   3. Surveys show that the decline began years before smartphones became widespread.
   4. This does not mean that screens are harmless; it means the causes lie elsewhere as well.

   Without reading further, which of the following is most likely the author's position?

   1. A.Social media is the main reason young people read less.
   2. B.Social media plays no part in the decline of reading.
   3. C.The decline in reading has causes beyond social media, which gets more of the blame than the evidence supports.
   4. D.Young people today read more than earlier generations did.
   Show the answer and solution

   Answer: C. The decline in reading has causes beyond social media, which gets more of the blame than the evidence supports.

   Answer: (C) The decline in reading has causes beyond social media, which gets more of the blame than the evidence supports.

   Why (C) is right: The skim shows a common view (para 1), doubt about it (para 2), evidence against it (para 3) and a qualification (para 4): screens are not harmless, but the causes "lie elsewhere as well". (C) keeps both the doubt and the qualification.

   Why the others are wrong:

   • (A) This is the common view the author sets out to question.
   • (B) Too strong: paragraph 4 says screens are not harmless.
   • (D) The passage assumes a decline in reading; it never claims reading has increased.

10. Question 10Multiple choiceWritten by IPMATwayReading strategy

    You have 6 minutes left and two unread passages. Passage X has 300 words and 4 questions; passage Y has 600 words and 6 questions. You read at 200 words a minute and need about 1 minute per question. Every question carries the same marks. Which choice gets the most questions attempted after a full reading?

    1. A.Passage Y, because it has more questions.
    2. B.Read both passages quickly and answer whatever time allows.
    3. C.Passage Y, but read only its first half.
    4. D.Passage X: reading takes 1.5 minutes, so all 4 questions fit in the time.
    Show the answer and solution

    Answer: D. Passage X: reading takes 1.5 minutes, so all 4 questions fit in the time.

    Answer: (D) Passage X: reading takes 1.5 minutes, so all 4 questions fit in the time.

    Why (D) is right: Passage X needs 300 ÷ 200 = 1.5 minutes of reading and 4 minutes of questions: 5.5 minutes for 4 questions, within the 6 minutes. Passage Y needs 3 minutes of reading, leaving 3 minutes for only 3 of its 6 questions.

    Why the others are wrong:

    • (A) Y's longer reading time leaves only 3 minutes, so only 3 questions get done.
    • (B) Reading both takes 4.5 minutes, leaving time for only 1 question.
    • (C) Reading half the passage breaks the condition of a full reading and risks wrong answers on questions about the unread half.