Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 507 · 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. What is the problem in it?
   On a Tuesday evening, Pooja found a puppy in her building. The puppy had a collar, but no owner was nearby. Pooja drew posters and stuck them on every gate. A boy saw a poster and came running for Rocky, his puppy. Pooja waved goodbye as Rocky wagged his tail. (a) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) Posters help the owner find the puppy (c) A puppy cannot find its owner
2. 2.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 butterfly is trapped at a window
3. 3.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   One Sunday evening, Sahil took the lift in a tall building. The lift jerked and stopped between two floors. Sahil stayed calm and pressed the red alarm button. Mrs Bose, the guard, called the lift mechanic at once. Soon the doors opened, and Sahil stepped out safely. (a) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (b) The alarm button brings help (c) A lift stops between two floors
4. 4.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) his hill village (b) A snake is curled up in a shed (c) one hot afternoon
5. 5.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one Sunday evening (b) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (c) a lane in Kochi
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) the school gate (c) one stormy night
7. 7.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) His sister Pema gave Tenzin the first cup of butter tea. (b) A baby yak had wandered away from the herd. (c) One misty dawn, Tenzin woke up in his hill village.
8. 8.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a busy Monday (b) the garden shed (c) The village well has dried up
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the town hall (b) on a festive night (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
10. 10.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Pongal morning, Aditi drew a rangoli on the front step. A gust of wind blew the coloured powder everywhere. Aditi did not give up and started all over again. Her brother Sid held up a board to block the wind. By noon, Aditi’s rangoli was the brightest on the street. (a) A lift stops between two floors (b) A board held up blocks the wind (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
11. 11.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) One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. (b) Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (c) Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off.
12. 12.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) A bamboo pole pokes the kite free (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) A boy gets lost in a big crowd
13. 13.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) A bean seed does not sprout (b) The box is found under the last seat (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
14. 14.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) The wrong name is written on a cake (b) The seat of the park swing has cracked (c) A strong plank and rope make a new seat
15. 15.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) A rhyme from her teacher helps her spell it (b) A snake is curled up in a shed (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
16. 16.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard. (b) Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan. (c) Every morning, ripe mangoes were missing from the trees.
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (b) one cloudy evening (c) the school library
18. 18.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One bright morning, Anjali went boating on the backwaters. Water began to seep in through a crack in the boat. Anjali pressed her rubber slipper hard over the crack. Appa rowed fast to the shore while she held it there. Back on land, Anjali and Appa laughed with relief. (a) Water began to seep in through a crack in the boat. (b) One bright morning, Anjali went boating on the backwaters. (c) Back on land, Anjali and Appa laughed with relief.
19. 19.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Homework is left at home (b) on a busy Monday (c) the muddy lane
20. 20.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) The torn page is mended with tape (b) A lift stops between two floors (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
21. 21.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the playground (b) on Annual Day (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
22. 22.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe. (b) His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. (c) One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard.
23. 23.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) One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. (b) A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. (c) Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home.
24. 24.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On her birthday morning, Riya hurried to the bakery. The cake said “Happy Birthday, Rita” instead of Riya! Riya laughed and asked politely if it could be fixed. Uncle Jacob, the baker, added a neat y in icing. Riya carried home a cake with her name spelt right. (a) Riya carried home a cake with her name spelt right. (b) On her birthday morning, Riya hurried to the bakery. (c) The cake said “Happy Birthday, Rita” instead of Riya!
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) the music school (c) on a long car trip
26. 26.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square. The old well had dried up, and people had no water. Lakshmi asked everyone to dig a pond to catch the rain. Raju and the others dug every evening for a month. When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim. (a) When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim. (b) The old well had dried up, and people had no water. (c) In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square.
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one spring morning (b) the school bus (c) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip
28. 28.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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 snake rescuer carries it away safely (b) A snake is curled up in a shed (c) The microphone stops working before her song
29. 29.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Sports Day, Neel lined up at the sports ground. His running shoes had been mixed up, and they were too big! Neel did not panic and looked at the names inside. Coach Iqbal swapped them back with a boy in the next lane. Neel ran in the right shoes and came second. (a) Blue paint spills over a poster (b) His running shoes are the wrong size (c) The shoes are swapped back
30. 30.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room. He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere. Rahul was upset, but his friend Simran had an idea. They turned the big blue splash into a lake. Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize. (a) On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room. (b) He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere. (c) Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize.
31. 31.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway. Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat. Yash held the torch while Uncle Ravi took out the spare. Together they changed the tyre in twenty minutes. Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on. (a) They put on the spare tyre together (b) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (c) A new girl has no friends at lunch
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school hall (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) one warm evening
33. 33.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a long car trip (b) the colony park (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
34. 34.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a crowded evening, Vihaan went to the city fair. He stopped to watch a juggler and lost his dad. Vihaan stayed calm and went to a lady in uniform. Officer Kaur called his name on the loudspeaker. In five minutes, Vihaan’s dad came running to him. (a) In five minutes, Vihaan’s dad came running to him. (b) He stopped to watch a juggler and lost his dad. (c) On a crowded evening, Vihaan went to the city fair.
35. 35.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On Annual Day, Kavya waited to sing in the school hall. Just before her turn, the microphone stopped working. Kavya took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. She sang so loudly that everyone could hear her. Imran and the whole hall clapped for Kavya. (a) Imran and the whole hall clapped for Kavya. (b) Just before her turn, the microphone stopped working. (c) On Annual Day, Kavya waited to sing in the school hall.
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A boy gets lost in a big crowd (b) one sunny morning (c) his rooftop
37. 37.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the village square (b) A butterfly is trapped at a window (c) one breezy evening
38. 38.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One Monday morning, Aryan sat down in his classroom. He found that he had left his homework at home. Aryan told Ms Gill the truth before she even asked. Ms Gill let him bring it the next day. Aryan made a checklist so he would never forget again. (a) He is allowed to bring it the next day (b) Homework is left at home (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain
39. 39.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away. (b) This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (c) During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach.
40. 40.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. A butterfly was beating its wings against the window. Advik opened the window wide and stepped back. Tanvi waved her notebook to guide it outside. Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky. (a) After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. (b) A butterfly was beating its wings against the window. (c) Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky.

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