High-Level Advanced Reading Exam - ESL worksheet by yasseralsaoud - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: High-Level Advanced Reading Exam - ESL worksheet by yasseralsaoud. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: High-Level Advanced Reading Exam - ESL worksheet by yasseralsaoud
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: High-Level Advanced Reading Exam - ESL worksheet by yasseralsaoud
Let's solve the two questions based on the provided excerpt from *The Gold Bug* by Edgar Allan Poe.
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"Here my friend, about whose madness I now saw, or fancied that I saw, certain indications of method" (line 1)
We are asked to interpret what this phrase means — specifically, what the narrator is realizing about his friend’s behavior.
#### Let's analyze the options:
A. The narrator finally realized his friend has gone mad.
✘ Incorrect. The narrator says he *saw or fancied* indications of method — meaning he is uncertain whether the madness is real or if there’s actually a method behind it. He hasn’t concluded that his friend is mad.
B. The narrator discovered the method or cause of his friend’s madness.
✘ Incorrect. The narrator doesn't discover the *cause* of the madness; he just sees signs that the behavior might not be entirely random.
C. The narrator realizes that his friend went mad only temporarily.
✘ Incorrect. There is no indication in the text that the madness is temporary. This is speculation not supported by the passage.
D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
✔ Correct. The key phrase is *"certain indications of method"*. The narrator is beginning to suspect that even though his friend seems mad, there might be a logical system or plan behind the actions. So he starts to see that the behavior isn’t purely chaotic — it may have a rational basis.
E. The narrator only believes his friend has gone mad.
✘ Incorrect. The word “fancied” shows doubt — he’s not sure if it’s madness or method. He’s open to the possibility that there’s logic behind it.
> ✔ Answer: D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
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What can be inferred by "removed, by several yards, from the point at which we had been digging" (lines 4–5)?
This sentence refers to the new spot they decided to dig after measuring from the tree trunk and the peg.
Let’s examine the options:
A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
✔ Correct. The sentence literally says the new spot was "removed, by several yards," from the original one. So the digging location was shifted.
B. The measurement of the tape had been incorrect initially.
✘ Incorrect. There's no evidence that the first measurement was wrong. The narrator is using a new method (based on the beetle's position), so the change is intentional, not due to error.
C. The previous diggings were failures.
🔶 Possibly true, but not directly inferable from this sentence alone. While they did dig before and found nothing, the sentence doesn't say anything about failure — it just describes a new location.
D. The digging mark was moved from the initial point.
🔶 Close, but misleading. The "mark" wasn't physically moved — the *digging site* was relocated based on a new calculation. The original peg stayed, but the new spot was several yards away.
E. The exact spot to dig was not easy to measure.
✘ No support for this. The narrator uses a tape measure and describes precise steps — no difficulty is mentioned.
> ✔ Answer: A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
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1. D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
2. A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
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- In Q1, the narrator is skeptical but beginning to see logic in Legrand’s seemingly mad behavior. The phrase “indications of method” suggests he’s reconsidering the nature of the madness.
- In Q2, the physical movement of the digging site is clearly described — they changed locations based on new measurements, hence the answer is straightforward.
These questions test close reading and inference skills, common in advanced reading exams.
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Question 1:
"Here my friend, about whose madness I now saw, or fancied that I saw, certain indications of method" (line 1)
We are asked to interpret what this phrase means — specifically, what the narrator is realizing about his friend’s behavior.
#### Let's analyze the options:
A. The narrator finally realized his friend has gone mad.
✘ Incorrect. The narrator says he *saw or fancied* indications of method — meaning he is uncertain whether the madness is real or if there’s actually a method behind it. He hasn’t concluded that his friend is mad.
B. The narrator discovered the method or cause of his friend’s madness.
✘ Incorrect. The narrator doesn't discover the *cause* of the madness; he just sees signs that the behavior might not be entirely random.
C. The narrator realizes that his friend went mad only temporarily.
✘ Incorrect. There is no indication in the text that the madness is temporary. This is speculation not supported by the passage.
D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
✔ Correct. The key phrase is *"certain indications of method"*. The narrator is beginning to suspect that even though his friend seems mad, there might be a logical system or plan behind the actions. So he starts to see that the behavior isn’t purely chaotic — it may have a rational basis.
E. The narrator only believes his friend has gone mad.
✘ Incorrect. The word “fancied” shows doubt — he’s not sure if it’s madness or method. He’s open to the possibility that there’s logic behind it.
> ✔ Answer: D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
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Question 2:
What can be inferred by "removed, by several yards, from the point at which we had been digging" (lines 4–5)?
This sentence refers to the new spot they decided to dig after measuring from the tree trunk and the peg.
Let’s examine the options:
A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
✔ Correct. The sentence literally says the new spot was "removed, by several yards," from the original one. So the digging location was shifted.
B. The measurement of the tape had been incorrect initially.
✘ Incorrect. There's no evidence that the first measurement was wrong. The narrator is using a new method (based on the beetle's position), so the change is intentional, not due to error.
C. The previous diggings were failures.
🔶 Possibly true, but not directly inferable from this sentence alone. While they did dig before and found nothing, the sentence doesn't say anything about failure — it just describes a new location.
D. The digging mark was moved from the initial point.
🔶 Close, but misleading. The "mark" wasn't physically moved — the *digging site* was relocated based on a new calculation. The original peg stayed, but the new spot was several yards away.
E. The exact spot to dig was not easy to measure.
✘ No support for this. The narrator uses a tape measure and describes precise steps — no difficulty is mentioned.
> ✔ Answer: A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
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✔ Final Answers:
1. D. The narrator understood his friend’s methods as not mad.
2. A. The point for digging had been changed by several yards.
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🔍 Explanation Summary:
- In Q1, the narrator is skeptical but beginning to see logic in Legrand’s seemingly mad behavior. The phrase “indications of method” suggests he’s reconsidering the nature of the madness.
- In Q2, the physical movement of the digging site is clearly described — they changed locations based on new measurements, hence the answer is straightforward.
These questions test close reading and inference skills, common in advanced reading exams.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of advanced reading comprehension worksheet.
