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Unseen Passage for Class 6 – Stories

Reading comprehension lesson 23: Stories with characters · Set 180 · 12 questions
TalentJR

Reading tip (Why did they do it?): Find the main character and the problem. For “why”, find the reason written in the story. For feelings, look for words like proud, worried or ashamed.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 12
  1. 1.Arjun was always in a hurry. One morning, he took a shortcut across the railway tracks to reach school early. A signalman shouted at him to stop. Seconds later, a goods train thundered past. Arjun’s legs were shaking as he stepped back. The signalman explained that trains are much faster than they look. From that day, Arjun always used the footbridge. He now says it is better to be late than to be sorry.

    Who shouted at Arjun to stop?
    (a) A train driver (b) His teacher (c) A signalman (d) His mother
  2. 2.Anjali was playing ball indoors when she knocked over her mother’s favourite vase. It broke into three pieces. Her younger brother Vivek said they could hide the pieces under the bed. Anjali was tempted, but she knew that would be dishonest. When her mother came home, Anjali told her the truth. Her mother was sad about the vase. But she hugged Anjali and said she was proud of her honesty. Together, they glued the pieces and used it as a pen stand.

    What did Vivek suggest?
    (a) Glue it at once (b) Hide the pieces (c) Buy a new one (d) Tell Mother
  3. 3.Arjun was always in a hurry. One morning, he took a shortcut across the railway tracks to reach school early. A signalman shouted at him to stop. Seconds later, a goods train thundered past. Arjun’s legs were shaking as he stepped back. The signalman explained that trains are much faster than they look. From that day, Arjun always used the footbridge. He now says it is better to be late than to be sorry.

    Why did Arjun take a shortcut?
    (a) To meet a friend (b) To reach school early (c) To buy a snack (d) To see the train
  4. 4.Meenal wanted to build a water filter for the science fair. Her first model leaked, and her second one was too slow. She almost gave up. Her grandmother reminded her how long it took to learn to ride a cycle. So Meenal tried a third time, with layers of sand, charcoal and pebbles. This time, muddy water came out clear. She did not win first prize, but the judges praised her patience. Meenal realised that trying again was a prize in itself.

    What did Grandmother remind her of?
    (a) A cooking recipe (b) Her school exams (c) Learning to ride a cycle (d) A famous scientist
  5. 5.Priya was chosen to recite a poem at the Republic Day function. She practised it perfectly at home. But on the day, when she saw the huge crowd, her mind went blank. Her hands trembled and her throat felt dry. Then she spotted her friend Joel in the front row, smiling and nodding. Priya took a deep breath and began again. This time, the words flowed easily. The audience clapped loudly when she finished.

    What happened when Priya saw the crowd?
    (a) Her mind went blank (b) She sang a song (c) She laughed (d) She ran away
  6. 6.Before the final maths test, Dev’s classmate offered him a copy of the answers. Someone had taken a photo of the question paper. Dev was worried about the test, but he refused. He studied late with his sister, who explained fractions again. The next day, the teacher announced that the paper had leaked. She gave the class a brand-new paper instead. Dev did well because he truly understood the topic. Those who had learnt the copied answers by heart struggled.

    Why did Dev do well?
    (a) He copied answers (b) The paper was easy (c) He was lucky (d) He understood the topic
  7. 7.On a stormy evening, Riya heard a soft whimper outside the gate. A tiny puppy was shivering in the rain. Her mother was worried that it might be ill. Still, they dried it with an old towel and gave it warm milk. The next day, they took it to the animal doctor. The doctor said the puppy was healthy, just hungry and cold. Riya named him Bijli because he arrived during a thunderstorm. Now Bijli follows her everywhere.

    What did Riya hear outside the gate?
    (a) A car horn (b) A loud bark (c) A knock (d) A soft whimper
  8. 8.Imran’s father grew tomatoes on a small farm. One year, there were too many tomatoes, and prices fell very low. Many farmers threw away their crop. Imran had an idea. With his mother’s help, he turned the extra tomatoes into ketchup and chutney. They sold the jars at the weekly market in their town. Soon, shopkeepers began ordering more. That year, the family earned more than ever before.

    What did Imran make from the extra tomatoes?
    (a) Juice and soup (b) Ketchup and chutney (c) Pickles and jam (d) Salad
  9. 9.Sana lived in a flat in Mumbai with no garden. She longed to grow her own vegetables. Her father found some old paint buckets and filled them with soil. Sana planted chillies, spinach and tomatoes on the terrace. She watered them every morning before school. Pigeons pecked at the seedlings, so she covered them with a net. In two months, she picked her first spinach leaves. Her mother cooked them for dinner, and Sana thought they tasted better than any others.

    Why did Sana cover the seedlings with a net?
    (a) It was too sunny (b) Cats sat on them (c) Pigeons pecked them (d) It rained a lot
  10. 10.Joseph’s grandfather wanted to video call his daughter in Canada. But he found the smartphone confusing. Joseph, who was twelve, offered to teach him. Every evening, they practised for fifteen minutes. Joseph wrote the steps in big letters on a card. Grandfather made mistakes but never gave up. After two weeks, he made his first call on his own. His face lit up when his daughter appeared on the screen.

    How old was Joseph?
    (a) Ten (b) Eight (c) Fifteen (d) Twelve
  11. 11.Every evening, Asha saw Kamala Aunty struggle up the stairs with heavy bags. Kamala Aunty lived alone on the fourth floor. Asha started carrying her bags whenever she saw her. In return, Kamala Aunty taught Asha to knit. Over the winter, Asha knitted a scarf for her baby cousin. Kamala Aunty said that Asha had brought light into her lonely days. Asha felt that she had gained a grandmother. A small kindness had grown into a big friendship.

    What did Kamala Aunty teach Asha?
    (a) To cook (b) To sing (c) To knit (d) To dance
  12. 12.On a stormy evening, Riya heard a soft whimper outside the gate. A tiny puppy was shivering in the rain. Her mother was worried that it might be ill. Still, they dried it with an old towel and gave it warm milk. The next day, they took it to the animal doctor. The doctor said the puppy was healthy, just hungry and cold. Riya named him Bijli because he arrived during a thunderstorm. Now Bijli follows her everywhere.

    What did they give the puppy?
    (a) Cold water (b) Rice (c) Warm milk (d) Biscuits

Answer key

  1. A signalman
  2. Hide the pieces
  3. To reach school early
  4. Learning to ride a cycle
  5. Her mind went blank
  6. He understood the topic
  7. A soft whimper
  8. Ketchup and chutney
  9. Pigeons pecked them
  10. Twelve
  11. To knit
  12. Warm milk

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