11+ Reading Comprehension Test 2.

(Multiple choice format)

Read this passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract from 'The Champion's Test' - A Tale of Cú Chulainn

The midnight bell tolled across the fortress of Emain Macha, its deep notes seeming to shiver in the autumn air. Beneath the star-strewn sky, Cathbad the druid emerged from the shadows, his silver staff gleaming like captured moonlight. The ancient man's white beard flowed over robes adorned with spiralling patterns that seemed to move in the darkness. Behind him stood Emer, daughter of the warrior-smith Forgall. Her cloak whispered against the flagstones as she moved.

"Young Cú Chulainn," she called softly, her voice barely louder than the rustling leaves. "The hour has come. Are you prepared for what lies ahead?"

"I am," came the steady reply from the warrior-boy, who stood straight-backed despite the weight of destiny upon his shoulders. "When one seeks to prove their worth to the Red Branch Knights, sleep holds little value. Besides," he added, "how could anyone rest when the shadow-beast's cry echoes through our dreams?"

"Then follow me," whispered Emer, "and tread with the silence of autumn leaves. The guards may be enchanted, but enchantments can break."

What had become of the sentries at the fortress gate, Cú Chulainn never discovered. The usual watch-fires burned in their holders, casting pools of flickering light across the empty battlements. Through the moonlit courtyard they walked, past the great feast hall where the Red Branch Knights would gather until morning, unaware that their newest potential member was embarking on this forbidden trial.

"You could leave now," Emer said, pausing beside an ancient standing stone. "The way to Ulster lies clear before you. The night is dark, the horses are swift, and none would fault a boy of your age for choosing wisdom over valour. Even the greatest warriors know when to wait for a better time."

"I cannot," replied Cú Chulainn, his young face set with determination that made him seem far older than his years, "not while the shadow-beast terrorises our people. Each night it stalks closer to our settlements, each dawn brings news of more missing cattle and ruined crops. If I flee now, I am not worthy of my name, nor of the weapons my father forged."

Drawing forth a wrapped bundle from beneath her cloak, Emer continued,

"Here is your father's spear, the one called Whisperer-of-Night. The guards took it, but I recovered it from the armoury. May it serve you as faithfully as it served him."

Cathbad led them along hidden paths until they reached a glen where even starlight feared to tread. Ancient oaks crowded close, their branches weaving in contorted embraces. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and moss, while strange shadows seemed to dance at the corner of every glance.

After walking through this darkness, they came upon a hill of grey stone, smooth as polished shields and seemingly without entrance. Without word or warning, Cathbad pressed his staff against a stone. The hill shuddered, and a doorway appeared, dark as a raven's wing.

"Beyond lies the secret shadow-path," said Cathbad, "carved by the Tuatha Dé Danann in ages past. Even I, with all my years of study and all the wisdom in my scrolls, could wander its twisted ways for a lifetime and never find my way back to this spot. Yet at its heart dwells the shadow-beast, and there you must go, brave one."

"How shall I find my way to this creature?" asked Cú Chulainn, peering into the shadows facing him. His hand tightened on his father's spear. From the gloom ahead came a sound that made the very air shiver - part wolf's howl, part battle cry, yet somehow deeper and more ancient than either. Though distant, it caused Emer to clutch her brooch tightly, her knuckles white as midwinter frost. Even Cathbad's staff trembled slightly in his grip.

“The beast knows you are here,” Cathbad warned, his voice barely a whisper.

“Take this,” Emer advised, removing a shimmering thread from her cloak. "One end for you, one end for me. Follow the beast's voice, but let this guide you home again. It was spun by my mother's mother from the wool of fairy sheep – no magic in these tunnels can break it."

"Now listen well, young warrior. The shadow-path shifts like water in a stream - what lies ahead when you enter may lie behind when you return. Trust not your eyes, for they will deceive you. Trust not your memory, for it will fail you. Trust only the thread and your own courage."

Cú Chulainn took the thread in his left hand, his father's spear gripped ready in his right. The metal felt warm to his touch. He squared his shoulders and stepped into the shadow-path, the darkness wrapping around him like a cloak. Behind him, the entrance began to fade, taking with it his last glimpse of Emer's concerned face and Cathbad's stern features.

Before he had taken ten paces, all trace of the outside world had vanished, and after five more, his sense of direction began to fade like morning mist. The walls around him seemed to pulse with their own inner light, casting strange shadows that moved when viewed directly but stood still when glimpsed from the corner of his eye. The shadow-beast's cry came again, closer now, its otherworldly sound echoing off walls that might have been near or far. Cú Chulainn moved forward, the thread trailing behind him like a silver lifeline, while ahead, the darkness waited with whatever dangers it held.

1. 'The midnight bell tolled across the fortress of Emain Macha, its deep notes seeming to shiver in the autumn air.' (lines 1-2) Which of the following statements is true?

A The bell rang quietly

B The sound trembled in the cold

C The fortress was called Emain

D It was a warm autumn night

E The bell rang multiple times

2. Which of the following best explains why Cú Chulainn was awake?

A He was waiting for the midnight bell

B He couldn't sleep because of the beast's cries

C He wanted to prove himself worthy

D He was afraid of sleeping

E Emer had woken him

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A The watch-fires were still burning

B The guards were under a spell

C No one challenged them in the courtyard

D The fortress was completely dark

E The Red Branch Knights were sleeping

4. Why did Cú Chulainn refuse to escape? Choose TWO answers

1 He wanted to protect the settlements

2 He wanted to honour his father

3 He wanted to join the Red Branch Knights

4 He wanted to prove his courage

5 He wanted to save the cattle

A 1 and 2

B 2 and 3

C 3 and 4

D 1 and 5

E 4 and 5

5. Which best describes Emer's feelings towards Cú Chulainn?

A She was worried for his safety but respected his courage

B She wanted him to escape to Ulster

C She was confident he would succeed

D She doubted his abilities

E She was angry at his stubbornness

6. Which statement about the journey to the hill is NOT true?

A They followed hidden paths

B The air smelled of moss

C The oaks had straight branches

D Strange shadows were visible

E The stone hill was smooth

7. "Beyond lies the secret, shady shadow-path," said Cathbad, "carved by the Tuatha Dé Danann in ages past." This sentence contains an example of:

A metaphor

B alliteration

C personification

D assonance

E simile

8. Why does Cathbad describe the shadow-path as significant? Choose the most appropriate answer.

A Because it runs through a stream

B Because it was built by ancient beings

C Because it's completely dark inside

D Because the Red Branch Knights live there

E Because it's incredibly complex

9. What were instructions Cú Chulainn received for finding his way in the shadow-path?

A Trust his memory

B Follow the beast's voice and use the thread

C Look for moving shadows

D Use Cathbad's staff for light

E Mark the walls as he went

10. Which best describes the shadow-beast's cry?

A Like a wolf's howl

B Like a battle cry

C A mixture of howl and cry, but more ancient

D A terrifying roar

E A magical sound

11. Why did Emer give Cú Chulainn the thread?

A To protect him from the beast

B To help him navigate back home

C To keep him connected to the outside

D To break the path's magic

E To give him magical powers

12. The passage suggests that Cú Chulainn is primarily:

A Reckless and impulsive

B Brave and dutiful

C Young and naive

D Scared but determined

E Proud and arrogant

13. Why did Cú Chulainn's sense of direction begin to fade?

A He was walking too quickly

B The magic of the path affected him

C He was losing his courage

D He was not used to walking alone

E The beast was affecting his mind

14. Which statement about the magical thread is NOT true?

A It was spun by Emer's grandmother

B It came from fairy sheep

C It glowed in the darkness

D It was unbreakable in the tunnels

E It was hidden in Emer's cloak

15. How does Cathbad's dialogue reveal his character?

A He speaks with wisdom and formal authority

B He shows fear of the shadow-beast

C He doubts Cú Chulainn's abilities

D He is angry about the trial

E He is excited about the adventure

16. How are the walls of the shadow-path described?

A They pulse with inner light

B They are completely dark

C They are made of stone

D They are wet and mossy

E They are covered in symbols

17. "The midnight bell tolled across the fortress..." Which word is closest in meaning to 'tolled' as used here?

A Struck

B Called

C Echoed

D Rang

E Chimed

18. "Her cloak whispered against the flagstones..." This is an example of:

A Metaphor

B Personification

C Simile

D Alliteration

E Onomatopoeia

19. Find a fronted adverbial in the following sentences:

A "Through the moonlit courtyard they walked..."

B "The usual watch-fires burned in their holders..."

C "If I flee now, I am not worthy of my name...”

D "The walls around him seemed to pulse..."

E "The shadow-beast's cry came again..."

20. "Ancient oaks crowded close, their branches weaving in contorted embraces." How many adjectives are there in this sentence?

A One

B Two

C Three

D Four

E Five