Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

READING INVENTORY FOR GRADE 7

FRUSTRATION AT THE AIRPORT

(Great Essays from Cengage Learning)

(1) I had never been more anxious in my life. I had just spent the last three endless hours trying to
get to the airport so that I could travel home. Now, as I watched the bus driver set my luggage on the airport
sidewalk, I realized that my frustration had only just begun.

(2) This was my first visit to the international section of the airport, and nothing was familiar. I could
not make sense of all the signs. Where was the ticket counter? Where should I take my luggage? I had no
idea where the customs line was. I began to panic. What time was it? Where was my airplane? I had to find
help because I could not be late!

(3) I tried to ask a passing businessman for help, but all my words came out wrong. He just scowled
and walked away. What had happened? I had been in this country for a whole semester, and I could not
even remember how to ask for directions. This was awful! Another bus arrived at the terminal, and the
passengers came out carrying all sorts of luggage. Here was my chance! I could follow them to the right
place and I would not have to say a word to them.

(4) I dragged my enormous suitcase behind me and followed the group. We finally got to the
elevators. Oh, no!! They all fit in, but there was not enough room for me. I watched in despair as the elevator
door closed. I had no idea what to do next. I got on the elevator when it turned and gazed at all the buttons.
Which one would it be? I pressed button. The elevator slowly climbed up to the third floor and jerked to a
stop. A high squeaking noise announced the opening of the door, and I looked around timidly

(5) Tears formed in my eyes as I saw the deserted lobby and realized that I would miss my airplane.
Just then an old airport employee shuffled around the corner. He saw that I was lost and asked if he could
help. He gave me his handkerchief to dry my eyes as I related my predicament. He smiled kindly, took me by
the hand, and led me down a long hallway. We walked up some stairs, turned a corner, and at last, there was
customs! He led me past all the lines of people and pushed my luggage to the inspection counter.

(6) When I turned to thank him for all his help, he was gone. I will never know that wonderful man’s
name, but I will always remember his unexpected courtesy. He helped me when I needed it the most. I can
only hope that one day I will be able to do the same for another traveler who is suffering through a terrible
journey.
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

READING INVENTORY FOR GRADE 7

FRUSTRATION AT THE AIRPORT

( Great Essays from Cengage Learning)

Direction: Read the questions below, then the letter with the correct answer on your paper

1. Where did the incident take place?

a. Domestic airport b. port harbor c. transport terminal d. International airport

2. How long did the narrator stay in that country?

a .1-3 months b. 5-6 months c. 8-10 months d. 12 months

3. What did the narrator realize when the bus driver set his luggage on the airport sidewalk?
a. His frustration had just begun c. He was tired of travelling 3 hours to the airport
b. He might be late on his flight d. His stay in that country was over

4. Which paragraph indicates that it was first time of the narrator to travel abroad?
a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

5. Why did the narrator panic?

a. He could not make sense of the sign in the airport c. He had no idea where the custom line was
b. He didn’t know where to take his luggage d. All of the given

6. What does the word scowled mean in the sentence, “I tried to ask a passing businessman for
help but he just scowled and walk away”.
a. frown b. look c. smile d. nod

7. Why did the narrator experience a terrible journey?

a. He was late in going to airport. c. He could not even remember how to ask for
direction.
b. He simply followed the other passengers. d. He was very timid to climb the elevator.

8. What place in the airport symbolized that the narrator would miss his airplane?
a. long hallway b. corner staircase c. inspection counter d. deserted lobby

9. The kind of polite action shown by the airport employee is an example of________.
a. courtesy b. humility c. generosity d. gentleness

10. Arrange in order how the following events appeared in the story.
1. We walked up some stairs, turned a corner until we reached the customs line.
2. He took me by the hand and led me down to the long hallway.
3. He led me pass all the lines of people and pushed my luggage to the inspection counter.
4. He gave me his handkerchief to dry the tears in my eyes.
a. 1234 b. 3124 c.4312 d. 4213
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

GRADE 8 READING INVENTORY

FISH CHEEKS
AMY TAN

(1) I fell in love with the minister’s son the winter I turned fourteen. He was Chinese, but as white as
Mary in the manger. For Christmas, I prayed for this blond-haired boy, Robert, and a slim new American
nose.

(2) When I found out that my parents had invited the minister’s family over for Christmas Eve dinner,
I cried. What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese Christmas? What would he think of our noisy
Chinese relatives who lacked proper American manners? What terrible disappointment would he feel
upon seeing not a roasted turkey and sweet potatoes but Chinese food?

(3) On Christmas Eve, I saw that my mother outdone herself in creating a strange menu. She was
pulling black veins out of the backs of fleshy prawns. The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of
raw food: A slimy rock cod with bulging fish eyes that pleaded not to be thrown into a pan of hot oil. Tofu,
which looked like stacked wedges of rubbery white sponges. A bowl soaking dried fungus back to life. A
plate of squid, their backs crisscrossed with knife markings so they resembled bicycle tires.

4) And they arrived- the minister’s family and all my relatives in a clamor of doorbells and rumpled
Christmas packages. Robert gruntled hello, and I pretended he was not worthy of existence.

(5) Dinner threw me deeper into despair. My relatives licked the ends their chopsticks and reached
across the table, dipping them into the dozen or so plates of food. Robert and his family waited patiently
for platters to be passed to them.

(6) My relatives murmured with pleasure when my brought out the whole steamed fish. Robert
grimaced. Then my father poked his chopsticks just below the fish eye and plucked out the soft meat.
“Amy your favorite,” he said, offering me the tender fish cheek. I wanted to disappear.

(7) At the end of the meal my father leaned back and belched loudly, thanking my mother for her fine
cooking. “It’s a polite Chinese custom show you are satisfied,“ explained my father to our astonished
guests. Robert was looking down at his plate with reddened face. The minister managed to muster up a
quiet burp. I was stunned into silence for the rest of the night.

(8) After everyone had gone, my mother said to me, “You want to be the same as American girls on
the outside.” She handled me an early gift. It was a mini skirt in beige tweed. “But inside, you must
always be Chinese. You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is only to have shame.

(9) And even though I didn’t agree with her then, I knew that she understand how much I had
suffered during the evening’s dinner. It wasn’t until many years later-long after, I had gotten over my
crush on Robert- that I was able to fully appreciate her lesson and the true purpose behind our particular
menu. For Christmas Eve that year, she had chosen my favorite foods.
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

Comprehension Questions-Reading Inventory for grade 8

Direction: Read the questions below, then write the letter with the correct answer on you paper.

1. Who was Robert?

a. An American classmate c. an American friend
b. Son of American minister d. a relative from America
2. Why was Amy restless and upset during that Christmas Evening?
a. Her parents invited the minister’s family for a Christmas eve dinner c. She didn’t know
how to entertain American visitors
b. She must help her mother in preparing the food d. She didn’t like to
meet Robert’s family
3. What figure of speech is used in the statement, “Tofu which looked like stacked wedges of rubbery white
sponges was notable in Chinese menu”.
a. Simile b. Metaphor c. Hyperbole d. Personification
4. Which paragraph indicates that Amy was so disappointed with the behavior of her relatives during the
dinner?
a. 4 b. 6 c. 5 d. 7
5. How will you describe Amy when father offered her the tender fish cheek?
a. She pretended not to mind father’s offer c. She was stunned into silence for the rest of
the night
b. She wanted to disappear in the dining table d. She regretted to be seated beside father
during dinner
6. Which word is not synonymous to shabby as mentioned in the statement, “Robert might not appreciate
our shabby Chinese Christmas.”
a. Traditional b. Old Fashioned c. Modern d. conventional
7. In the Chinese tradition, to belch or burp loudly after eating is a way of:
a. Requesting for another set of food c. Requiring the host to clean the table
b. Saying thank you for fine cooking d. Asking the host to pack the remaining foods
for take out
8. How did the minister show his appreciation of the Chinese dinner served to his family?
a. He literally thanked Amy’s family c. He requested for another dinner
b. He offered gifts d. He tried to make a quiet burp
9. What value did mother try to inculcate when she said to Amy, “You can be an American girl on the
outside but must always be Chinese inside.”
a. Pride of preserving one’s cultural identity c. Ability to socialize with foreigners
b. Appreciation of foreign culture d. share Chinese tradition to others
10. Which among the given titles is also appropriate for the selection?
a. A Chinese dinner to remember c. The most unforgettable dinner I ever had

b. The night I dine with my crush d. The dinner as expression of one’s identity
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

READING INVENTORY
GRADE 9

Better Living as a Vegetarian

(Great Essays from Cengage Learning)

(1) The hamburger is an American cultural icon that is known all over the world. Eating meat,
especially beef, is an integral part of daily life for majority of people in the United States. The consumption of
large quantities of meat is a major contributing factor toward a great many deaths in this country, including the
unnecessarily high number of deaths from heart-related problems. Though it has caught on slowly in this culture,
vegetarianism is a way of life that can help improve not only the quality of people’s lives but also their longevity.

(2) Surprising as it may sound, vegetarianism can have beneficial effects on the environment.
Because demand for meat animals is so high, cattle are being raised in areas when rain forest once stood. As
rain forest land is cleared in order to make room for cattle ranches, the environment balance is upset. This could
have serious consequences for humans. Studies show that much of the current global warming is due to
disturbing the rain forests.

(3) More important at an individual level is the question of how eating meal affects a person’s health.
Meat, unlike vegetables, can contain very large amounts of fat. Eating this fat has been connected in research
cases with certain kinds of cancer. If people cut down on the amounts of meat they ate, they would automatically
be lowering their risks of disease. Furthermore, eating animal fat can lead to obesity, and obesity can cause
numerous health problems. For example, blood pressure. Meat is high in cholesterol, and this only adds health
problem. With so much fat consumption in this country, it is no wonder that heart disease is a leading killer of
Americans.

(4) Some people argue that, human nature being what it is; it would be unhealthy for humans not to
eat meat. They say that humans are naturally carnivores and cannot help wanting to consume a juicy piece of red
meat. However, anthropologists have shown that early humans ate meat only when other food is not abundant.
Man is inherently an herbivore, not a carnivore.

(5) Numerous scientific studies have shown the benefits of vegetarianism for people in general, and
I know firsthand how my life has improved since I decided to give up meat entirely. Though it was difficult at first, I
have never regretted my decision to become a vegetarian. I feel better; my friends tell me that I look better than
ever before. More and more people are becoming aware of the risks associated with meat consumption. If you
become a vegetarian, your life will improve too.
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

Comprehension Questions-Reading Inventory for grade 9

Direction: read the questions below, then write only the letter of the correct answer on your paper.

1. Which is an American cultural icon known all over the world?

a. Pasta b. Pizza Pie c. Hamburger d. Fries
2. What specifically causes the clearing of rainforests in America?
a. The demand for animal meat is high
b. Cattle is raised where rainforests once stood
c. Rainforest is converted to villages and high rise condominiums
d. Deforestation rapidly reduces the number of rainforest in the United States
3. What leading killer disease in America is directly associated with high meat intake?
a. Cancer c. Heart disease
b. Obesity d. Hypertension
4. How do Americans promote vegetarianism as a way of life?
a. Eating vegetables reduces the chance of contracting colon cancer.
b. Vegetables do not contain cholesterol
c. Vegetarianism can improve not only the quality of people’s lives but also their longevity
d. Vegetables have no bad “fat” found in meat
5. There are native inhabitants who have lived longer for being vegetarians; in what republic do they
belong?
a. Soviet Russian Republic c. Union of Soviet Socialist Republic
b. Soviet Asian Republic d. all of the above
6. What is the meaning of longevity in the statement, “Vegetarianism can help improve the quality of
people’s lives but also their longevity”.
a. Long life b. Healthy life c. Contented life d. Disease-free life
7. Which paragraph argues that man by nature is a meat lover?
a. 3 b. 4 c. 5 d. 2
8. According to Anthropologists, early humans are herbivore, not carnivore because they
a. Did not eat meat at all
b. Ate meat only when there are were no abundant vegetables around
c. Didn’t like the taste of meat
d. Could not differentiate the taste of meat and vegetables
9. Based on the last paragraph, the benefits of vegetable diet is supported by
a. Scientific studies c. statistics
b. Testimonials d. reports
10. There are contrasting ideas presented in the essay; therefore, it is an example of
a. Persuasive essay c. Argument essay
b. Narrative essay d. Descriptive essay
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

READING INVENTORY
GRADE 10

BORDERLESS WORLD
Patricia Evengelista

(1) When I was little, I wanted what many Filipino children all over the country wanted. I wanted to be blond,
blue-eyed, and white. I thought – if I just wished hard enough and was good enough. I’d wake up on Christmas
morning with snow outside my window and freckles across my nose! More than four centuries under western
domination does that to you.
(2) I have sixteen cousins. In a couple of years, there will just be five of us left in the Philippines, the rest will
have gone abroad in search of “greener pastures.” It’s not just an anomaly; it’s a trend; the Filipino diaspora.
Today, about eight million Filipinos are scattered around the world. There are those who disapprove of Filipino
who choose to leave. I used to. Maybe this is a natural reaction of someone who was left behind, smiling for
family pictures that get emptier with each succeeding year. Desertion, I called it.
(3) My country is a land that perpetually fought for the freedom to itself. Our heroes offered their lives in the
struggle against the Spanish, the Japanese, and the Americans. To pack up and deny that identity is tantamount
to spitting on that sacrifice. Or is it? I don’t think so, not anymore.
(4) True, there is no denying this phenomenon, aided by the fact that what was once the other side of the
world is now a twelve-hour plane ride away. But this is a borderless world, where no individual can claim to be
purely from where he is now. My mother is of Chinese descent, my father is a quarter Spanish, and I call myself a
pure Filipino – a hybrid of sorts resulting from a combination of cultures. Seen this way, the Filipino Diaspora, or
any sort of dispersal of populations, is not as ominous as so many claim. It must be understood.
(5) I come from a Third World Country, one that is still trying mightily to get back on its feet after many years
of dictatorship. But we shall make it, given more time. Especially now, when we have thousands of eager young
minds who graduate from college every year. They have skills. They need jobs. We cannot absorb them all
(6) A borderless world presents a bigger opportunity, yet one is not so much abandonment but an extension
of identity. Even as we take, we give back. We are the 40,000 skilled nurses who support the UK’s national
Health Service. We are the quarter-of-a-million seafarers manning most of the world’s commercial ships. We are
your software engineers in Ireland, your construction workers in the Middle East, you Doctors and caregivers in
North America, and your musical artists in London’s west end.
(7) Nationalism isn’t about bound by time or place. People from other nations migrate to create new nations,
yet still remain essentially who they are. British society is itself an example of a multi-cultural nation, a melting pot
of races, religions, arts and cultures. We are, indeed, in a borderless world!
(8) Leaving sometimes isn’t a matter of choice. It’s coming back that is. The hobbits of the shire travelled all
over Middle-Erath, but they chose to come home, richer in every sense of the world. We call people like these
balikbayans or the ‘returnees’- those who followed their dream, yet choose to return and share their mature
talents and good fortune.
(9) In a few years, I may take advantage of whatever opportunities come my way. But I will come home. A
borderless world doesn’t preclude the idea of a home. I’m a Filipino, and I’ll always be one. It isn’t about just
geography; it isn’t about boundaries. It’s about giving back to the country that shaped me.
(10) And that’s going to be more important to me than seeing snow outside my windows on a bright Christmas
morning. Mabuhay. And thank you.
Name:______________________Section:_______________Parent’s Signature:__________

Comprehension Questions-Reading Inventory for Grade 10

Direction: Read the questions below, then write only the letter of the correct answer on you paper.

1. The rest will have gone abroad in search of greener pastures, the underlined expression means
a. To migrate and live America c. to travel worldwide
b. To earn a better living d. to work in other country
2. Refers to the rampant migration of Filipinos abroad
a. Desertion c. Dispersal
b. Diaspora d. Dislocation
3. “nationalism is not bound by time or place”; therefore, migration of Filipino workers abroad is no longer
taken as an anomaly, it is a
a. Practice c. trend
b. Tradition d. way of life
4. Smiling for family pictures that gets emptier with each succeeding year is called
a. Desertion c. Dispersal
b. Diaspora d. Dislocation
5. This statement does not present the idea of a borderless world.
a. There are no geographical borders that separate one country from the other
b. Living abroad is not an abandonment, but an extension of identity
c. Going out of the country does not preclude the idea of home
d. A borderless world is not about geography but it’s about giving back to the country that shaped us
6. It refers to the period in Philippine history impliedly mentioned in the third paragraph of this essay.
a. Colonization Period c. Commonwealth Period
b. Pre-Spanish Period d. Martial Law Period
7. This sentence explains the meaning of “We have thousands of graduates but we cannot absorb them
all”.
a. There are no available jobs in the Philippines for the new graduates
b. Most companies do not hire fresh graduates
c. New graduates have very slim chance of finding a job in the Philippines
d. The labor market offers jobs which are not enough to employ all the graduates
8. This paragraph explains that Filipinos are not only after on what they can take but more on what they
give
a. 3 b. 4 c. 5 d. 6
9. The borderless world presents a bigger opportunity for Filipinos because
a. Only Filipino workers are hired by foreign employers
b. Among the overseas Foreign Workers, Filipinos are proven to be the best
c. All Filipinos prefer to work abroad than in the Philippines
d. Working abroad gives Filipinos more chances to be employed
10. The writer is trying to convince the reader that even if Filipinos work abroad, they still keep their identity
and take pride of their culture. Therefore, this is an example of
a. Persuasive essay c. Argument Essay
b. Narrative essay d. Descriptive essay