Grade 7 Reading Comprehension Exercises

Reading comprehension passage followed by questions and answer key for grade 8 students. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions that follow.

Hot-air Ballooning

The excited passengers looked down and surveyed the colorful scene below. This was their first experience of being in a hot air balloon. Pushed along by a gently easterly breeze, the balloon sailed through the sky at an average speed of 12 kilometers an hour in the early morning sunshine. Ahead to the west, the passengers could see mountains looming up, while far below them, they observed masses of wildflowers forming a carpet of bright colors. Looking back in the direction they had come from, they saw the city becoming smaller and smaller. Cars, resembling tiny toys, zipped along the busy highway, transporting city workers to their offices.

It was so peaceful. Startled birds flew from the path of the gigantic balloon as it drifted onwards and upwards. Nobody spoke. They were all reluctant to disturb the stillness. The only sound breaking the silence for them was the occasional squawk of a bird in the vicinity. The soft hissing of the balloon, and the occasional soft humming of Mr. Burrows, the balloon operator, had become part of the general ambiance.

They drifted along at the mercy of the changing wind; sometimes high and sometimes low. Up and down, up, and down. The higher they sailed, the smaller everything below them seemed. The lower they sailed; frightened farm animals ran in all directions. A farmer looked skywards to see what was causing this fuss among the animals. He stood and waved to the air travelers, wishing he could join them.

Suddenly, Mr. Burrows noticed a power line looming ahead. Immediately, he pulled the steel handle and the bright orange flame of the gas burner burst into life, sending the balloon upwards to the safety of the open sky. “You’re quite safe,” he assured his passengers. There was only one other time when they came close to danger. The balloon had begun to drift towards an observation tower in the National Park, but a change of wind direction pushed them away from possible danger. The rest of the journey was trouble-free.

Mr. Burrows began to sing “Up, Up and Away In My Beautiful Balloon”. It was perfect for the occasion. His passengers joined in, singing merrily as they continued towards their destination.

Exactly one hour and fifteen minutes after take-off from the aerodrome, Mr. Burrows’s balloon touched down gently in a lush green paddock, causing a small flock of sheep to scatter. The flight was over. A small bus was waiting to pick up the six contented passengers.

Even though they had each paid Mr. Burrows $70.00 for the trip, they felt it had been money well spent. Some had even begun planning their next flight. They all agreed that this flight had been the experience of a lifetime.

Choose the correct answer and write its letter next to the questions.

1. In which direction would an easterly breeze be pushing the balloon?
a. South
b. North
c. West
d. East

2. Which of these phrases is closest in meaning to the words “looming up” in the first paragraph?
a. Getting higher and higher
b. Looking very tall and rugged
c. Becoming frighteningly close
d. Becoming stronger

3. What happened as you go further up the sky?
a. You begin to feel hotter
b. You notice more birds
c. Objects on the ground seem smaller d. You will feel like talking and singing

4. What danger did the hot-air balloonists avoid?
a. Upsetting animals in the fields
b. Being blown off course by the wind
c. Hitting a powerline
d. Colliding with birds

5. At the end of the trip, the hot-air balloonists felt:
a. The flight was too expensive
b. Satisfied and eager to go on another trip
c. Unhappy that their lives were put at risk
d. Relieved that the flight was over

Reach each statement carefully. Write “T” next to the statement if true and “F” if it is false.

6. The passengers were excited because this was their first ride in a hot-air balloon.

7. The birds were able to get out of path of the hot-air balloon in time.

8. A hot-air balloon ride can be bit bumpy.

9. To sail higher, Mr. Burrows let some of the air out of the hot-air balloon.

10. Apart from the two near accidents, the balloon landed its passengers safely.

Answer Key

• c
• c
• c
• c
• b
• T
• T
• T
• F
• T