Reading Comprehension Test

Submitted by Pimmada Siriwat (Benz/Broke) 10/08

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English
writer. She is known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those
revolving around her fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Christie also wrote the
world's longest-running play, a murder mystery, The Mousetrap, and, under the pen name Mary
Line 5 Westmacott, six romances. In 1971 she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British
Empire (DBE) for her contribution to literature.

Christie was born into a wealthy upper-middle-class family in Torquay, Devon. Before
marrying and starting a family in London, she had served in a Devon hospital during the First World
War, tending to troops coming back from the trenches. She was initially an unsuccessful writer with
Line 10 six consecutive rejections, but this changed when The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring Hercule
Poirot, was published in 1920. During the Second World War, she worked as a pharmacy assistant at
University College Hospital, London, acquiring a good knowledge of poisons which feature in many
of her novels.

Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling novelist of all time. Her novels have
Line 15 sold roughly 2 billion copies, and her estate claims that her works come third in the rankings of the
world's most-widely published books, behind only Shakespeare's works and the Bible. According to
Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author, having been translated into at
least 103 languages. And Then There Were None is Christie's best-selling novel, with 100 million
sales to date, making it the world's best-selling mystery ever, and one of the best-selling books of all
Line 20 time. Christie's stage play The Mousetrap holds the world record for longest initial run. It opened at
the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End on 25 November 1952, and as of September 2018 is still
running after more than 27,000 performances.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie)

Summary:
Agatha Christie, was an English author who was famous for her detective novels and short story
collections. She was first an unsuccessful writer, with six rejections but this changed when the Mysterious
Affair at Styles was published in 1920. Later on, Agatha Christie was listed as the best-selling novelist of all
time and third for world’s most-widely published books.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

a. Agatha Christie became the best-selling novelist.
b. Agatha sold 2 billion copies of cartoons.
c. Agatha’s novel had been translated into at least 103 languages.
d. Miss Marple became a popular name for a fictional character.

2. What is Agatha’s pen name?

a. Miss Marple
b. Dame Commander
c. Mary Westmacott
d. Clarissa Raoul

3. Who is Hercule Poirot?

a. Fictional detective of Agatha’s
b. Second best-selling novelist
 c. Name of a mysterious case found in Mousetrap
d. Name of Theatre in the West End

4. What event happened in 1920?

a. The Mousetrap holds the world record for longest initial run
b. Agatha Christie became a pharmacy assistant
c. Agatha Christie was named as the best novelist
d. The publish of ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’

5. What does the word “acquiring” in line 12 closest in meaning to?

a. Expressing
b. Gaining
c. Forfeiting
d. Applying

6. What does the word “estate” in line 15 closest in meaning to?

a. Coworker
b. Wealth
c. Company
d. Homeland

7. The word “she” in line 5 refers to

a. Miss Marple
b. Clarissa Raoul
c. Dame Commander
d. Agatha Christie

8. Which of the following statement is false about Agatha Christie?

a. Dame Agatha was born on 15 September 1890.
b. The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920.
c. In 1917 she was appointed DBE for her contribution in literature.
d. Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie died on 12 January 1976.

9. All of the following are the examples of Agatha’s achievement EXCEPT:

a. Publishing in the name of Mary Westmacott
b. Served Devon hospital during Second World War
c. Became world’s best-selling novelist
d. Join University College Hospital at London

10. Which of the following does not support the passage?

a. Agatha Christie had faced many failures before becoming successful.
b. Agatha Christie was known for 14 short story collections.
c. Agatha Christie chose her career over her husband and child.
d. Agatha Christie was famous for her romances.

Answer Key:
1. A 4. D 7. D 10. C
2. C 5. A 8. C
3. A 6. B 9. B