Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition

Practice Passage 1
Jump right into the task of finding facts. The following
brief passage is similar to something you might see in
a newspaper. Read the passage carefully, and then
answer the questions that follow. Remember, careful
reading is active reading (see the Introduction), so
mark up the text as you go. Underline key words and
ideas; circle and define any unfamiliar words or phrases;
and record your reactions and questions in the margins.
–
G E T T I N G T H E E S S E N T I A L I N F O R M AT I O N
–
2 0
On Friday, October 21, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Judith Reynolds, owner of
The Cupcake Factory, arrived at her establishment to find that it had been
robbed and vandalized overnight. The front window of the shop at 128 Broad
Street was broken, and chairs and tables were overturned throughout the café
area. Additionally, the cash register had been pried open and emptied of money.
The thieves attempted to open the safe as well, but were unsuccessful. Ms.
Reynolds used her cell phone to report the crime to the police. She also phoned
the proprietor of Primo Pizza, located at 130 Broad Street, as she noticed that the
door of that restaurant showed signs of forced entry. The police department is
asking anyone with information to call 555-2323.
1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory?
2. When was the crime discovered?
3. Where did it happen?
4. What was stolen?
5. Who called the police?
6. What other businesses were affected?

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Remember, good reading is active reading. Did you mark up the passage? If so, it may have looked something
like this:
–
G E T T I N G T H E E S S E N T I A L I N F O R M AT I O N
–
2 1
On Friday, October 21, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Judith Reynolds, owner of
The Cupcake Factory, arrived at her establishment to find that it had been
robbed and vandalized overnight. The front window of the shop at 128 Broad
Street was broken, and chairs and tables were overturned throughout the café
area. Additionally, the cash register had been pried open and emptied of money.
The thieves attempted to open the safe as well, but were unsuccessful. Ms.
Reynolds used her cell phone to report the crime to the police. She also phoned
the proprietor of Primo Pizza, located at 130 Broad Street, as she noticed that the
door of that restaurant showed signs of forced entry. The police department is
asking anyone with information to call 555-2323.
You’ll notice that the answers to the questions
have all been underlined, because these are the key
words and ideas in this passage. But here are the
answers in a more conventional form.