Grade 2 English Reading Comprehension Exercises

Reading Comprehension Exercise 1

Fruits are the favorite food of people the world over. As juice or as cut slices, fruits are enjoyed, either fresh or frozen. Fruits are very nutritious. It is well known that fruits provide vitamins and minerals for our body. They are also low in calories and fat, which make them an excellent choice for people who try to lose weight. The vitamin C content of oranges is quite well known. The apple even has a proverb to its name that says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Water melon is high in water content. We are very fortunate to get to enjoy so many fruits around the world.

• What are the health benefits of fruits? Name two.
• Which fruit is famous for its vitamin C content?
• What is the proverb that uses the word apple in it?
• Which fruit is high in water content?
• Which word in the paragraph tells you that the author likes fruits?

Reading Comprehension Exercise 2

We are told that being engaged in a hobby in our spare time is very important. Indeed, a good hobby saves us from boredom. Reading, gardening, knitting, fishing, running, jogging, watching television and movies etc. are some of the most popular hobbies. Some hobbies are very useful as they double up as physical exercise. For example, a person who does gardening, running or jogging are likely to be quite fit as he or she gets a daily dose of physical exercise from the hobby itself. One hobby that is fast getting out of popularity is stamp collection. With the advent of email and text messages, writing letters and posting them using stamps is fast going out of fashion. Reading, on the other hand, has been a hobby that has enjoyed a lot of fans from time immemorial.

• What is good about having a hobby?
• Which are the hobbies that double up as physical exercise?
• Why is stamp collection not as popular as it was in the olden days?
• What is a hobby that has stood the test of time?

Reading Comprehension Exercise 3

Every school-going child is asked at some point in his life what his ambition is. Usually, the child will answer that his ambition is to become a pilot or a fire fighter or something along those lines. As the child grows, the desired occupation changes. Now it could be a doctor or a policeman. The following year it could be an astronaut. So, it goes on like that. What are the factors that are at play when choosing a career? Of course, glamour is one. An astronaut’s career may be more glamourous than that of say, a hairstylist’s. The second factor perhaps is the money involved, i.e. which profession pays more. That is why we see that when the child is past teen age, he may settle for one of the higher paid professions such as that of an engineer or a doctor. Then of course the child’s aptitude comes into play. Does he have an aptitude for the profession? Someone who does not have a head for numbers may not want to be an accountant. Or someone who hates being around people may not want to be a doctor. Parental expectations are another factor that come into play when a child wants to choose a career. In our society, many parents want their children to be either doctors or engineers. There are many doctors and engineers in our society who chose their career not because they wanted it but because their parents pressured them to choose it. This is a sad thing, but that is the reality.

• Write a summary of the factors that come into play when one chooses a career. Write not more than 60 words.

Answer Scheme

Reading Comprehension Exercise 1

• What are the health benefits of fruits? Name two.
  Fruits are high in vitamins and minerals. They are also low in calories and fat, which make them ideal food for people who want to lose weight.
• Which fruit is famous for its vitamin C content?
  Oranges
• What is the proverb that uses the word apple in it?
  An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
• Which fruit is high in water content?
  Watermelon
• Which word in the paragraph tells you that the author likes fruits?
  The word ‘fortunate’ tells us that the author likes fruits.

Reading Comprehension Exercise 2

• What is good about having a hobby?
  A good hobby saves us from boredom.
• Which are the hobbies that double up as physical exercise?
  Gardening, running and jogging
• Why is stamp collection not as popular as it was in the olden days?
  With the advent of email and text messages, writing letters and posting them using stamps is fast going out of fashion.
• What is a hobby that has stood the test of time?
  Reading

Reading Comprehension Exercise 3

• Write a summary of the factors that come into play when one chooses a career. Write not more than 50 words.

There are a few factors that come into play while choosing a career. First of all, how glamourous the job is, could be a factor. Another factor is how much the job pays in terms of money. A third factor is personal aptitude. Finally, there is also parental expectations.