Comprehension practice

Submitting a photograph

221 words · 5 questions · Open book

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The office photo display has a new theme each month. This month's theme is 'An ordinary object seen differently'. To enter, send your photograph to the display organiser by 16:00 on Monday. Include a short title and your name in the message, and add one sentence explaining what you noticed about the object.

Normally, each person may submit one photograph. If your entry depends on showing two views of the same object, you may send two photographs. Put 'PAIR' at the start of the subject line and attach both files to the same message. Two unrelated photographs do not qualify for this exception.

Send JPEG files, with each file no larger than 5 MB. The file limit still applies when you submit a pair. Do not place the pictures inside a document, because the organiser needs the image files to prepare the display. A filename such as 'green-cup-side.jpg' will help distinguish two views.

The automatic reply will acknowledge your submission. It confirms that your message has arrived, not that your photograph has been selected. If you have not received that reply by 09:00 on Tuesday, contact the organiser before sending the files again.

Selected photographs will appear beside their titles. The explanatory sentence helps the organiser understand your choice, but it will not be printed on the display.

Start questions

Look back at the passage

Selected photographs will appear beside their titles. The explanatory sentence helps the organiser understand your choice, but it will not be printed on the display.

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Check your understanding

Answer these five questions, then open the key to check your answers.

When must the photograph be sent?
1. By 09:00 on Monday.
2. By 16:00 on Tuesday.
3. By 09:00 on Tuesday.
4. By 16:00 on Monday.
What is the largest permitted size of each image file when submitting a pair?
1. 2 MB.
2. 2.5 MB.
3. 5 MB.
4. 10 MB.
What is the main purpose of these instructions?
1. To explain how the organiser chooses the winning photograph.
2. To explain how to submit an entry, including the paired-photo exception.
3. To teach readers how to edit two photographs into one image.
4. To explain how to print every entry for the office.
Tess's entry needs two views of the same teapot. She puts 'PAIR' at the start of the subject line and attaches both views to one message. What can we conclude about the number of photographs?
1. The two photographs fit the stated exception.
2. Only one view can be considered in any entry.
3. The two views must be sent in separate messages.
4. Both photographs will be selected for the display.
What does 'acknowledge your submission' mean here?
1. Confirm that the message has arrived.
2. Confirm that the photograph has been selected.
3. Check whether the photograph's title is suitable.
4. Ask for the image files to be sent again.

Study the answer key

This shows the answers. For a self-check, try the questions first.

1. When must the photograph be sent?

Correct answer: By 16:00 on Monday.

The submission deadline is 16:00 on Monday. Tuesday at 09:00 is the time to follow up if the automatic reply has not arrived.

In the passage: “To enter, send your photograph to the display organiser by 16:00 on Monday.”

2. What is the largest permitted size of each image file when submitting a pair?

Correct answer: 5 MB.

Each file may be up to 5 MB. The text explicitly keeps that per-file limit for a pair; it does not divide the limit between the two files.

In the passage: “Send JPEG files, with each file no larger than 5 MB. The file limit still applies when you submit a pair.”

3. What is the main purpose of these instructions?

Correct answer: To explain how to submit an entry, including the paired-photo exception.

The instructions cover sending an entry, its identifying information, the allowed number of images and the exception for a pair. They do not explain selection criteria or teach photo editing.

In the passage: “To enter, send your photograph to the display organiser by 16:00 on Monday. Include a short title and your name in the message, and add one sentence explaining what you noticed about the object. Normally, each person may submit one photograph. If your entry depends on showing two views of the same object, you may send two photographs. Put 'PAIR' at the start of the subject line and attach both files to the same message.”

4. Tess's entry needs two views of the same teapot. She puts 'PAIR' at the start of the subject line and attaches both views to one message. What can we conclude about the number of photographs?

Correct answer: The two photographs fit the stated exception.

The situation meets the stated conditions for sending two views of one object. This conclusion concerns the number of photographs only; it does not establish file compliance or guarantee selection.

In the passage: “Normally, each person may submit one photograph. If your entry depends on showing two views of the same object, you may send two photographs. Put 'PAIR' at the start of the subject line and attach both files to the same message. Two unrelated photographs do not qualify for this exception.”

5. What does 'acknowledge your submission' mean here?

Correct answer: Confirm that the message has arrived.

The next sentence explains 'acknowledge': the automatic reply confirms receipt. It does not report a selection decision.

In the passage: “The automatic reply will acknowledge your submission. It confirms that your message has arrived, not that your photograph has been selected.”

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Submitting a photograph

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