Unseen Passage for Class 6 – Stories

Reading comprehension lesson 23: Stories with characters · Set 350 · 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.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
2. 2.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.
   
   Who helped Imran? (a) His father (b) His teacher (c) His mother (d) A shopkeeper
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.
   
   What does “thundered past” tell us about the train? (a) It was loud and fast (b) It was slow (c) It was empty (d) It stopped
4. 4.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 does “trembled” mean in the passage? (a) Clapped (b) Grew (c) Shook (d) Waved
5. 5.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
6. 6.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.
   
   Into how many pieces did the vase break? (a) Five (b) Three (c) Two (d) Ten
7. 7.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 see the train (b) To buy a snack (c) To meet a friend (d) To reach school early
8. 8.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.
   
   How many books did Kiran have at first? (a) A hundred (b) Ten (c) Four (d) Two
9. 9.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 happened that year? (a) They moved away (b) They lost the farm (c) The family earned more (d) They stopped farming
10. 10.A new girl named Lakshmi joined Tenzin’s class in July. She had moved from a village in Tamil Nadu and spoke little Hindi. At lunch, she sat alone under the neem tree. Some children laughed at her accent. Tenzin remembered his own first day in Delhi, when he too had felt lost. He sat beside her and shared his momos. Lakshmi taught him a few Tamil words in return. By August, the two were the best of friends.
    
    Where did Lakshmi sit alone at lunch? (a) In the library (b) In the classroom (c) Under the neem tree (d) Near the gate
11. 11.Nisha loved the small river behind her town. Last summer, she noticed it was full of plastic bottles and bags. The fish she used to watch had vanished. She made posters and asked her classmates to help. Twenty students came on the first Sunday. They filled forty sacks with rubbish in one morning. The town council then put up bins and a sign that read, “Keep our river clean.” By the next monsoon, Nisha spotted fish again.
    
    How many students came on the first Sunday? (a) Forty (b) Twenty (c) Five (d) Ten
12. 12.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) A bicycle (b) The shortcut (c) A taxi (d) The footbridge

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