Unseen Passage for Class 6 – Stories

Reading comprehension lesson 23: Stories with characters · Set 348 · 12 questions

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.

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.
   
   Why did Arjun take a shortcut? (a) To reach school early (b) To meet a friend (c) To see the train (d) To buy a snack
2. 2.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 the teacher give a new paper? (a) It was torn (b) The paper had leaked (c) It was too easy (d) It was lost
3. 3.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.
   
   Where did Sana live? (a) A flat in Mumbai (b) A hut by the sea (c) A farm in Punjab (d) A house in Delhi
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) Her school exams (b) Learning to ride a cycle (c) A cooking recipe (d) A famous scientist
5. 5.Kabir found a brown wallet near the bus stop. Inside were some money and a card with an address. His friend Sonu said, “Keep it, nobody saw you.” Kabir felt uneasy about that idea. He walked twenty minutes to the address on the card. An old man opened the door and almost cried with relief. The wallet held his pension for the whole month. He thanked Kabir again and again. Kabir walked home feeling lighter than air. Honesty, he learnt, brings its own reward.
   
   How did Kabir feel walking home? (a) Lighter than air (b) Scared (c) Tired and sad (d) Angry with Sonu
6. 6.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 layers did the third filter have? (a) Sand, charcoal, pebbles (b) Mud, leaves, sticks (c) Cotton, paper, glass (d) Salt, sugar, rice
7. 7.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) Pickles and jam (b) Salad (c) Ketchup and chutney (d) Juice and soup
8. 8.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.
   
   What does “His face lit up” mean? (a) He looked very happy (b) He turned red (c) A light fell on him (d) He felt sleepy
9. 9.Kiran’s village had no library. She loved reading but had only four books of her own. One day, she asked her neighbours to share books they had already read. Within a month, she had collected over a hundred books. Her uncle gave her an empty room in his shop to keep them. Kiran made cards to note who borrowed which book. Soon, children came every evening to read. The panchayat later gave money for more shelves.
   
   Who later gave money for more shelves? (a) Her uncle (b) Her school (c) The neighbours (d) The panchayat
10. 10.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.
    
    What does Arjun use now? (a) The shortcut (b) A taxi (c) The footbridge (d) A bicycle
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 is the main message of the story? (a) Winter is cold (b) Stairs are tiring (c) Knitting is hard (d) Kindness makes friends
12. 12.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.
    
    Why did prices fall that year? (a) Too many tomatoes (b) A storm hit (c) Tomatoes were rotten (d) The market closed

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