Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 495 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (No problem, no story): Find the moment where something goes wrong — usually just after the beginning. Say it in a few words: a kite gets stuck in a tree. A place, a time or the way it gets fixed is not the problem.

1. 1.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off. Rohan sat down and studied the chain slowly. Mr Das, a kind farmer, showed him how to fix it. Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (a) Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (b) One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. (c) Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off.
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) a tall building (b) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) early one Saturday
3. 3.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. The seat of the old swing had cracked in two. Ishaan asked the other children to help him mend it. Mrs Rao gave them a strong plank and some rope. By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (a) Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. (b) By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (c) The seat of the old swing had cracked in two.
4. 4.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one warm evening (b) Nani’s orchard (c) A lift stops between two floors
5. 5.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   During a dry summer, Aisha saw a problem in the washroom. A tap was dripping, and water was being wasted. Aisha wrote a note and took it to the principal. Mr Khan, the plumber, fixed the tap the next day. Aisha smiled, because every drop of water matters. (a) A plumber fixes the dripping tap (b) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (c) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach
6. 6.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard. Every morning, ripe mangoes were missing from the trees. Priya hid behind a bush and saw a monkey, Bholu, take one. She left bananas for Bholu, and he left the mangoes alone. Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan. (a) Bananas are left out for the monkey instead (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank
7. 7.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Nani’s orchard (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) one foggy morning
8. 8.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   On competition day, Nisha stood on stage in the town hall. Her mind went blank on the word “necessary”. Nisha recalled the rhyme Mrs Sen had taught her. She spelt it slowly, letter by letter, and got it right. Nisha won the silver cup and thanked Mrs Sen. (a) Her mind went blank on the word “necessary”. (b) On competition day, Nisha stood on stage in the town hall. (c) Nisha won the silver cup and thanked Mrs Sen.
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The lights go out and her little brother cries (b) on a festive night (c) Nani’s orchard
10. 10.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a Friday afternoon, Dev walked into the school library. His puppy had torn a page of the book he borrowed. Dev was scared, but he told the librarian the truth. Ms Fernandes smiled and showed him how to tape it. Dev mended the page neatly and felt proud of himself. (a) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (b) A baby bird falls out of its nest (c) The torn page is mended with tape
11. 11.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Homework is left at home (b) on a festive night (c) his hill village
12. 12.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a busy Monday, Meera rode the school bus to class. At lunch, Meera saw that her tiffin box was missing. Meera and her friend Tenzin searched seat by seat. The red box was hiding under the very last seat. Meera shared her parathas with Tenzin to say thank you. (a) The box is found under the last seat (b) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Blue paint spills over a poster (b) the village pond (c) one stormy night
14. 14.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) after the lunch bell (b) his hill village (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
15. 15.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a hot summer night, Sneha read in her flat in Pune. Suddenly the lights went out, and her little brother cried. Sneha found a torch and made shadow animals on the wall. Her brother Arjun giggled at a shadow rabbit. Sneha told stories until the lights came back on. (a) On a hot summer night, Sneha read in her flat in Pune. (b) Sneha told stories until the lights came back on. (c) Suddenly the lights went out, and her little brother cried.
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her flat in Pune (b) during the Christmas holidays (c) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Friday afternoon (b) A boat starts to leak (c) the playground
18. 18.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (b) one busy morning (c) her balcony
19. 19.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Tuesday evening (b) the school library (c) A boy gets lost in a big crowd
20. 20.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one bright morning (b) the school bus (c) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank
21. 21.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One misty dawn, Tenzin woke up in his hill village. A baby yak had wandered away from the herd. Tenzin followed its hoofprints down the muddy path. He found it by a stream and gently led it back. His sister Pema gave Tenzin the first cup of butter tea. (a) Hoofprints lead to the lost baby yak (b) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (c) A baby yak wanders away from the herd
22. 22.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. The seat of the old swing had cracked in two. Ishaan asked the other children to help him mend it. Mrs Rao gave them a strong plank and some rope. By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (a) A strong plank and rope make a new seat (b) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
23. 23.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a Wednesday evening, Meher went to the music school. She was too shy to sing in front of the others. Meher closed her eyes and pictured singing at home. Mr Bose, the teacher, asked everyone to sing with her. Meher sang the whole song and felt brave. (a) Everyone sings along with her (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others
24. 24.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the garden shed (b) one misty dawn (c) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water
25. 25.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One windy afternoon, Aarav flew his kite in the playground. A strong gust blew the kite into the top of a neem tree. Aarav jumped and jumped, but he could not reach it. His friend Kiran brought a bamboo pole to poke it free. Aarav thanked Kiran, and the kite flew high again. (a) Nobody buys anything from the stall (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) A bamboo pole pokes the kite free
26. 26.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the hill road (b) on the first day of school (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
27. 27.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. A long snake was curled up near the door. Imran stepped back slowly and did not touch it. Mr Reddy, a snake rescuer, carried it away safely. Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts. (a) A long snake was curled up near the door. (b) One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. (c) Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts.
28. 28.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. Simran put on gloves and lifted it very gently. Dadi held the stool while she put it back in the nest. Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home. (a) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (b) A baby bird falls out of its nest (c) The baby bird is put back in the nest
29. 29.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On the first day of school, Isha walked into a new school. She knew nobody and sat all alone at lunch. Then Isha saw another girl sitting alone too. Isha smiled and asked Maria to share her lunch. By evening, Isha and Maria were best friends. (a) A marble rolls into a deep drain (b) She makes a friend by sharing her lunch (c) A new girl has no friends at lunch
30. 30.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the bakery (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) after the lunch bell
31. 31.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a hot summer night, Sneha read in her flat in Pune. Suddenly the lights went out, and her little brother cried. Sneha found a torch and made shadow animals on the wall. Her brother Arjun giggled at a shadow rabbit. Sneha told stories until the lights came back on. (a) Shadow animals on the wall make him laugh (b) The lights go out and her little brother cries (c) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A butterfly is trapped at a window (b) the sports ground (c) one summer holiday
33. 33.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach. Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away. Maria thought hard and moved further up the sand. Her friend Kunal dug a moat to keep the water out. This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (a) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) It is built higher up with a moat (c) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away
34. 34.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One spring morning, Tara potted a bean in the school garden. Two weeks later, nothing had come up at all. Tara asked Mr Nair, the gardener, what was wrong. He helped her move the pot into the sunshine. Soon a green shoot peeped out, and Tara danced. (a) The pot is moved into the sunshine (b) Nobody buys anything from the stall (c) A bean seed does not sprout
35. 35.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One rainy morning, Ayaan walked down the muddy lane. A passing scooter sprayed mud all over his white uniform. Ayaan ran home and told Maa what had happened. Maa quickly gave him a clean spare uniform. Ayaan reached school just as the bell rang. (a) One rainy morning, Ayaan walked down the muddy lane. (b) Ayaan reached school just as the bell rang. (c) A passing scooter sprayed mud all over his white uniform.
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The village well has dried up (b) the city fair (c) one summer holiday
37. 37.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. Simran put on gloves and lifted it very gently. Dadi held the stool while she put it back in the nest. Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home. (a) A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. (b) One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. (c) Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home.
38. 38.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A baby bird falls out of its nest (b) the vegetable market (c) after the lunch bell
39. 39.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a festive night, Zoya danced in the wedding hall. Aunt Lata cried out that she had lost a gold earring. Zoya looked carefully under every chair and table. The earring was shining beside the flower stand. Zoya gave it back, and Aunt Lata thanked her warmly. (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) The earring is found beside a flower stand (c) A boat starts to leak
40. 40.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard. His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. Tanmay could not reach it with his arm or a stick. His sister Gita stuck clay on a stick and lifted it out. Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe. (a) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain

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