Reading Comprehension Test

Saint Patrick’s Day

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

Saint Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday celebrated on March 17 th. It commemorates

Saint Patrick (c. AD 387-461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland,
and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.
Little is known of Patrick’s early life, though it is known that he was born in Roman
Britain in the 4th century, into a Wealthy Romano-British family. His father and grandfather
were deacons in the church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and
taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed that he was held somewhere on the west coast
of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he
was told by God in a dream to run from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship
and return to Britain. Upon returning, he joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to
be a priest.
In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, but as a bishop, to christianise
the Irish from their native polytheism. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods
included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish
people. After near thirty years of evangelism, he died on 17 March 461, and according to
tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. Although there were other more successful missions to
Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held
in esteem in the Irish Church.

I. For each question choose the correct letter A, B, C or D

1. The text speaks about

A. The religious holiday called Saint Patrick’s Day.
B. The life of Saint Patrick
C. The Irish people
D. Christianity in Great Britain

2. Patrick’s early life

A. Is well known
B. Is not well known
C. Is unknown
D. Is not known at all.

3. It is believed that he Patrick was held somewhere

A. In Ireland, on the west coast
B. On the east coast of Ireland
C. On the west coast of Mayo
D. On the east coast of Great Britain
 4. He was told by God in a dream
A. To stay in captivity to the coast
B. Run from captivity and return to Mayo
C. run and board a ship and return to Britain
D. to become a priest

5. Irish folklore tells that Patrick

A. explained the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people
B. used unknown methods to explain Christianity to the Irish people
C. always intended to return to Ireland
D. Read French folktales to his followers.

II. Match the words in the text to their definitions given below. There is one extra
definition which you do not need to use.

A. patron 1. a member of the Christian clergy below

the rank of a priest, or a non-clerical officer
having various duties.
B. deacons 2. a three-leaved plant, esp. a small, yellow-
flowered clover
C. shamrock 3. avorable opinion or judgment;
respect or regard
D. esteem 4. saint who protects a certain group

III. Fill in the appropriate word(s) from the list below. Use the word(s) only once.
exact, coast, returning, esteem, teaching, board

1. ... methods 4. held in ...

2. upon ... 5. ... location

3. ... a ship 6. west ...