HESI A2 READING COMPREHENSION 2024/2025 QUESTIONS
WITH 100% ACCURATE ANSWERS.
White Elephant _
Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
animal was could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
cases they became impoverished. This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings, and the gifts are
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1) How did the people regard a white elephant?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) If a village elder received a white elephant, the entire village shared in the supply
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
of meat. _ _
B) People tried very hard not to offend the king, so they would not receive a white
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
elephant _ _
C) White elephants were highly prized as they were very hard workers in the cane
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
fields.
D) The people of Siam vied for the honor of receiving the king's gift or a white
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
elephant. People tried very hard not to offend the king so they would not
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
receive a white elephant. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2) Where is Thailand?
_ _ _
A) Africa
B) Europe
C) Asia _
D) South America -- Correct Answer ✔✔ C _ _ _ _ _ _
, 3) What is implied by the article? (Elephant) -- Correct Answer ✔✔ People enjoy
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
giving/receiving gifts. _
4) What is the meaning of the word "impoverished" in the first paragraph? -- Correct
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ financially ruined _ _ _
5) Why is an unwanted gift called a white elephant? -- Correct Answer ✔✔ It is rare
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
thing to get an unwanted gift. _ _ _ _ _
Golden Gate Bridge _ _
Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the most famous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. Prior to the bridge, people traveled
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
by ferry boat across the strait.
_ _ _ _ _ _
Although most people thought a bridge was necessary to expedite travel, some
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
residents of the bay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Strauss believed that nothing was impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_if risks weren't taken. So, he decided to gather the best and brightest builders,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
architects, and workers to embark on the challenge of building a bridge across the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Golden Gate Strait. _ _ _
With safety nets in place, the construction began in 1937. Building the anchorages first,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the builders then move on to the towers on each end, and then to the three-foot
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
thick cables to s GGB
_ _ _ _
1) The author's reason for writing this piece seems to be? (GGB)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) Inform the reader _ _ _
B) Teach the reader _ _
C) persuade the reader _ _
D) entertain the reader -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2) What body of water does The Golden Gate Bridge cross?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) San Francisco Bay _ _
B) Pacific Ocean _
C) Marin Strait _
D) Golden Gate Strait -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WITH 100% ACCURATE ANSWERS.
White Elephant _
Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
animal was could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
cases they became impoverished. This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings, and the gifts are
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1) How did the people regard a white elephant?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) If a village elder received a white elephant, the entire village shared in the supply
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
of meat. _ _
B) People tried very hard not to offend the king, so they would not receive a white
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
elephant _ _
C) White elephants were highly prized as they were very hard workers in the cane
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
fields.
D) The people of Siam vied for the honor of receiving the king's gift or a white
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
elephant. People tried very hard not to offend the king so they would not
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
receive a white elephant. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2) Where is Thailand?
_ _ _
A) Africa
B) Europe
C) Asia _
D) South America -- Correct Answer ✔✔ C _ _ _ _ _ _
, 3) What is implied by the article? (Elephant) -- Correct Answer ✔✔ People enjoy
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
giving/receiving gifts. _
4) What is the meaning of the word "impoverished" in the first paragraph? -- Correct
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ financially ruined _ _ _
5) Why is an unwanted gift called a white elephant? -- Correct Answer ✔✔ It is rare
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
thing to get an unwanted gift. _ _ _ _ _
Golden Gate Bridge _ _
Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the most famous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. Prior to the bridge, people traveled
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
by ferry boat across the strait.
_ _ _ _ _ _
Although most people thought a bridge was necessary to expedite travel, some
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
residents of the bay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Strauss believed that nothing was impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_if risks weren't taken. So, he decided to gather the best and brightest builders,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
architects, and workers to embark on the challenge of building a bridge across the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Golden Gate Strait. _ _ _
With safety nets in place, the construction began in 1937. Building the anchorages first,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the builders then move on to the towers on each end, and then to the three-foot
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
thick cables to s GGB
_ _ _ _
1) The author's reason for writing this piece seems to be? (GGB)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) Inform the reader _ _ _
B) Teach the reader _ _
C) persuade the reader _ _
D) entertain the reader -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2) What body of water does The Golden Gate Bridge cross?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A) San Francisco Bay _ _
B) Pacific Ocean _
C) Marin Strait _
D) Golden Gate Strait -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D _ _ _ _ _ _ _
