English for Bank Exam: Comprehension Passage 7

Question on English Reading Comprehension asked in every  competitive examination.  Here the Banking team of Jagran josh  are providing sample English Reading Comprehension . Candidates are advised to solve the passage and strengthen your preparation for upcoming bank examinations.

Passage 7

On the death of Alexander the great his vast empire was almost immediately broken up into three main divisions. In the East, his General Seleucus Nikator founded an empire comprising Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria and part of Asia Minor, that is, almost all the area from the Hellespont to the Indus. The capital of this empire was Antioch, which became one of the greatest commercial centres of those times, through which merchandise for Arabia, India and China flowed into the Mediterranean.

The second division of the Alexandrian empire was the Graeco-Egyptian kingdom founded by Ptolemy I, another general of Alexander. Its chief city was Alexandria which, with its safe harbour and splendid library, became for a long time the most important centre of Greek civilization and culture in the ancient world.

The third and the smallest division was Macedon, ruled by Autigonus and his successor, who had partial control over Greece till 146 B.C. In that, year Greece was made a Roman province under name of Achaea. Later, both Syria and Egypt were also conquered by the Romans.

1.    When Alexander died, his empire :
    (A)    Was disintegrated to several pieces.
    (B)    Was broken into three divisions.
    (C)    Was expanded by his son.
    (D)    Went totally out of existence.
    (E)    Did not die but remained intact tocontinue for several centuries thereafter.

Ans (b)    
2.    Seleucus Nikator founded an empire in the :
    (A)    South
    (B)    West
    (C)    East
    (D)    North
    (E)    North-West

Ans (c)   
3.    Which of the following was not included inthe empire of Seleucus Nikator ?
    (A)    Persia   
    (B)    Egypt
    (C)    Mesopotamia    
    (D)    Syria
    (E)    Part of Asia Minor

Ans (b)   
4.    The capital of Seleucus Nikator's empire was :
    (A)    Macedonia
    (B) Athens
    (C)    Sparta
    (D) Antioch
    (E)  Troy

Ans (d)    
5.  The second division of Alexandrian empire was:
    (A)    Babylonian kingdom
    (B)    Graeco-Turkish kingdom
    (C)    Assyrian kingdom
    (D)    Graeco-Egyptian kingdom
    (E)    Persia

Ans (d)    
6.  The second division of Alexandrian empire was founded by :    
    (A)    Alexander's eldest son
    (B)    Alexander's youngest son
    (C)    Alexander's grandson
    (D)    Ptolemy I
    (E)    A Mesopotamian prince

Ans (d)    
7.    The chief city of Graeco-Egyptian kingdomwas :
    (A)    Cairo
    (B) Damascus
    (C)    Alexandria
    (D) Antioch
    (E)    Macedonia

Ans (c)   
8.    Which of the following cities was for a longtime the most important centre of Greek civilization and culture in the ancient world ?
    (A)    Athens
    (B) Sparta
    (C)    Constantinople  
    (D)    Macedonia
    (E) Alexandria

Ans (a)    
9.    Who was Antigonus ?
    (A)    The General who was responsible for thedeath of Alexander
    (B)    The great warrior to whom goes the credit of successes in Alexander's military expeditions
    (C)    He was the founder of the third division of Alexandrian empire, known as Macedon
    (D)    The Roman emperor who conquered Greece and annexed it into the Romanempire
    (E)    The fictitious king  of Greece,  who figures in the tragedies of Sophocles

Ans (c)    
10.    When did Greece become a Roman province ?
    (A)    In 326 BC
    (B) In 186 BC
    (C)    In 206BC
    (D) In 171 BC
    (E)    In 146 BC

Ans (e)    
Pick out the most appropriate equivalent (synonym) of the following words taken from the above passage:

11.    Comprising :
    (A)    Complicating   
    (B)    Embracing
    (C)    Including   
    (D)    Comprehending   
    (E)    Calculating

Ans (c)    
12.    Splendid :
    (A)     Affluent
    (B) Glorious   
    (C)    Magnificent
    (D) Grand
    (E)    Mellifluous

Ans (c)    
13.    Immediately :
    (A)    Instantaneously  
    (B)    Hurriedly
    (C)    Unhurriedly       
    (D)    Quickly
    (E)    Swiftly

Ans (a)    
14.    Flowed:
    (A)    Fell
    (B)    Entered into
    (C)    Filled with
    (D)    Flushed with
    (E)    Crept

Ans (b)    
15.    Conquerred :
    (A)  Defeated
    (B) Won
    (C)    Overcame
    (D)    Overpowered
    (E)    Overwhelmed

Ans (c)    
Pick out the most appropriate word exactly opposite in meaning (antonym) of the following words taken from the passage :

16.    Broken up :
    (A)    Split up
    (B) Joined up
    (C)    Founded
    (D) Severed
    (E)    Pierced

Ans (b)    
17.    Founded :
    (A)    Uprooted
    (B) Stabilized
    (C)    Devastated
    (D) Discarded
    (E)    Disgraced

Ans (a)    
18.    Ancient:
    (A)    Old
    (B) Modern
    (C)    Upto-date
    (D)    Contemporary
    (E)    Posterior

Ans (b)    
19.    Successors :
    (A)    Precursors
    (B) Inheritors
    (C)    Predecessors      
    (D)    Ancestors
    (E) Elders

Ans (c)    
20.    Partial:
    (A)    Piecemeal
    (B) Fractional
    (C)    Biased
    (D) Prejudiced
    (E)    Favoured

Ans (b)