Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 518 · 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?
   One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. Her train was three hours late. Fatima opened her bag and found a book of puzzles. She and an old man, Mr Iyer, solved puzzles together. The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (a) A train is three hours late (b) Solving puzzles together passes the time (c) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree
2. 2.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. Her train was three hours late. Fatima opened her bag and found a book of puzzles. She and an old man, Mr Iyer, solved puzzles together. The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (a) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (b) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. (c) Her train was three hours late.
3. 3.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) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
4. 4.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway. (b) Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on. (c) Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat.
5. 5.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on competition day (b) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (c) the art room
6. 6.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 bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill (b) A new girl has no friends at lunch (c) She makes a friend by sharing her lunch
7. 7.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) A pond is dug to catch the rain (b) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (c) The village well has dried up
8. 8.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school gate (b) one rainy morning (c) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip
9. 9.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) One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard. (b) Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe. (c) His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain.
10. 10.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) His running shoes are the wrong size
11. 11.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The microphone stops working before her song (b) She sings loudly without a microphone (c) A boat starts to leak
12. 12.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) A baby bird falls out of its nest (b) A puppy cannot find its owner (c) Posters help the owner find the puppy
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) She is too shy to sing in front of others (b) on competition day (c) the city fair
14. 14.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One windy afternoon, Aarav flew his kite in the playground. (b) Aarav thanked Kiran, and the kite flew high again. (c) A strong gust blew the kite into the top of a neem tree.
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her flat in Pune (b) in the dry season (c) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water
16. 16.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) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (b) A board held up blocks the wind (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) a new school (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) during the Christmas holidays
18. 18.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One cloudy evening, Omkar heard a mew on his rooftop. A little kitten was stuck behind a water tank. Omkar spoke softly and put a saucer of milk nearby. The kitten tiptoed out to drink the milk. Omkar named her Pixie and gave her a cosy box. (a) Omkar named her Pixie and gave her a cosy box. (b) A little kitten was stuck behind a water tank. (c) One cloudy evening, Omkar heard a mew on his rooftop.
19. 19.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) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (b) The torn page is mended with tape (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
20. 20.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the bakery (b) on Science Day (c) A baby yak wanders away from the herd
21. 21.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) on her birthday morning (c) the hill road
22. 22.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) A train is three hours late (c) A baby yak wanders away from the herd
23. 23.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) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (b) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) It is built higher up with a moat
24. 24.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 kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the railway station (b) on a hot summer night (c) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away
26. 26.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One busy morning, Manav walked to the vegetable market. A goat broke its rope and began eating the spinach! Manav ran after the goat and held out a carrot. The goat followed the carrot back to Lakshmi, its owner. Lakshmi gave Manav a bunch of carrots as thanks. (a) One busy morning, Manav walked to the vegetable market. (b) Lakshmi gave Manav a bunch of carrots as thanks. (c) A goat broke its rope and began eating the spinach!
27. 27.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One quiet Sunday, Saanvi was visiting her grandpa’s flat. Grandpa could not find his reading glasses anywhere. Saanvi looked under the sofa and behind every cushion. At last she laughed, for the glasses were on his head! Grandpa chuckled and gave Saanvi a big hug. (a) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (b) The village well has dried up (c) The glasses are found on top of his head
28. 28.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One busy morning, Manav walked to the vegetable market. A goat broke its rope and began eating the spinach! Manav ran after the goat and held out a carrot. The goat followed the carrot back to Lakshmi, its owner. Lakshmi gave Manav a bunch of carrots as thanks. (a) A carrot leads the goat back to its owner (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach
29. 29.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) Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off. (c) Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now.
30. 30.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The microphone stops working before her song (b) on a long car trip (c) his classroom
31. 31.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One quiet Sunday, Saanvi was visiting her grandpa’s flat. Grandpa could not find his reading glasses anywhere. Saanvi looked under the sofa and behind every cushion. At last she laughed, for the glasses were on his head! Grandpa chuckled and gave Saanvi a big hug. (a) One quiet Sunday, Saanvi was visiting her grandpa’s flat. (b) Grandpa could not find his reading glasses anywhere. (c) Grandpa chuckled and gave Saanvi a big hug.
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her grandpa’s flat (b) early one Saturday (c) The village well has dried up
33. 33.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) One bright morning, Anjali went boating on the backwaters. (b) Back on land, Anjali and Appa laughed with relief. (c) Water began to seep in through a crack in the boat.
34. 34.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one spring afternoon (b) the highway (c) A butterfly is trapped at a window
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on the first day of school (b) A boat starts to leak (c) the washroom
36. 36.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One hot afternoon, Kabir played cricket by the village pond. Farhan hit the ball so hard that it splashed into the water. Kabir tried to reach it, but his arms were too short. He tied a basket to a stick and scooped the ball out. Kabir and Farhan cheered and went on with the game. (a) The seat of the park swing has cracked (b) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) A basket tied to a stick scoops it out
37. 37.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One hot afternoon, Kabir played cricket by the village pond. Farhan hit the ball so hard that it splashed into the water. Kabir tried to reach it, but his arms were too short. He tied a basket to a stick and scooped the ball out. Kabir and Farhan cheered and went on with the game. (a) One hot afternoon, Kabir played cricket by the village pond. (b) Kabir and Farhan cheered and went on with the game. (c) Farhan hit the ball so hard that it splashed into the water.
38. 38.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) The baby bird is put back in the nest (b) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) A baby bird falls out of its nest
39. 39.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A new girl has no friends at lunch (b) on Craft Day (c) the school garden
40. 40.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (b) her building (c) on Science Day

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