Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 536 · 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 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) Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts. (b) A long snake was curled up near the door. (c) One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed.
2. 2.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 tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (c) A new girl has no friends at lunch
3. 3.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill (b) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) A farmer shows how to put the chain back
4. 4.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) On Annual Day, Kavya waited to sing in the school hall. (b) Imran and the whole hall clapped for Kavya. (c) Just before her turn, the microphone stopped working.
5. 5.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) A lift stops between two floors (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) Bananas are left out for the monkey instead
6. 6.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) Solving puzzles together passes the time (b) A train is three hours late (c) Homework is left at home
7. 7.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) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (c) A baby bird falls out of its nest
8. 8.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 goat runs loose and eats the spinach (b) A carrot leads the goat back to its owner (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
9. 9.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) Meher sang the whole song and felt brave. (b) On a Wednesday evening, Meher went to the music school. (c) She was too shy to sing in front of the others.
10. 10.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank (b) one quiet Sunday (c) the playground
11. 11.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The baker fixes one letter in icing (b) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
12. 12.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the wedding hall (b) in the dry season (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one summer holiday (b) his classroom (c) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away
14. 14.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 boy gets lost in a big crowd
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) on competition day (c) the school gate
16. 16.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) She makes a friend by sharing her lunch (b) A new girl has no friends at lunch (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
17. 17.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) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank (b) The lights go out and her little brother cries (c) Shadow animals on the wall make him laugh
18. 18.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A butterfly is trapped at a window (b) one spring afternoon (c) his hill village
19. 19.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One stormy night, Diya heard a whimper in a lane in Kochi. A tiny puppy was shivering under a broken cart. Diya held out a biscuit and spoke softly to it. The puppy crept out and licked her hand. Diya named him Moti and made him a warm bed. (a) A biscuit and kind words coax the puppy out (b) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) A butterfly is trapped at a window
20. 20.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) one foggy morning
21. 21.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) Neel ran in the right shoes and came second. (b) His running shoes had been mixed up, and they were too big! (c) On Sports Day, Neel lined up at the sports ground.
22. 22.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) He changes into a clean spare uniform (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) Mud splashes all over a white uniform
23. 23.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) Nobody buys anything from the stall (b) The window is opened to let it out (c) A butterfly is trapped at a window
24. 24.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) She sings loudly without a microphone (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the music room (b) The lights go out and her little brother cries (c) one Sunday evening
26. 26.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) Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize. (b) On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room. (c) He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere.
27. 27.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On bake sale day, Kiara set up a stall at the school gate. By noon, nobody had bought a single cookie. Kiara made a bright sign that said “Fresh Cookies!” Her friend Zubin rang a bell to call people over. Soon Kiara had sold every cookie for the library fund. (a) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (b) Nobody buys anything from the stall (c) A bright sign and a bell bring buyers
28. 28.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) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. (b) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (c) Her train was three hours late.
29. 29.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 snake is curled up in a shed (b) A rhyme from her teacher helps her spell it (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
30. 30.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) A marble rolls into a deep drain (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out
31. 31.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) On a festive night, Zoya danced in the wedding hall. (b) Aunt Lata cried out that she had lost a gold earring. (c) Zoya gave it back, and Aunt Lata thanked her warmly.
32. 32.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 seat of the park swing has cracked (b) An aunt loses a gold earring (c) A strong plank and rope make a new seat
33. 33.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Science Day, Ananya took her volcano to the science fair. She poured in the vinegar, but nothing happened. Ananya stayed calm and checked every jar again. Joseph brought her fresh baking soda from the lab. This time the volcano fizzed, and Ananya won a prize. (a) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) Fresh baking soda makes it fizz (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
34. 34.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) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) A baby yak wanders away from the herd
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Tuesday evening (b) her balcony (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
36. 36.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The blue splash is turned into a lake (b) Blue paint spills over a poster (c) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water
37. 37.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) during a dry summer (b) An aunt loses a gold earring (c) his hill village
38. 38.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) His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. (c) Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe.
39. 39.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (b) the music room (c) early one Saturday
40. 40.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) The alarm button brings help (b) A lift stops between two floors (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others

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