← Stories with characters lesson New set →

Unseen Passage for Class 6 – Stories

Reading comprehension lesson 23: Stories with characters · Set 813 · 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.Zoya was afraid of water since she was small. Her friends went swimming every summer, but she watched from the side. One year, her cousin Aman offered to teach her slowly. On the first day, she only sat with her feet in the pool. On the third day, she floated while holding the edge. Each small step made her a little braver. By the end of the month, she swam across the pool on her own. Aman told her that being brave means doing something even when you are scared.

    What was Zoya afraid of?
    (a) The dark (b) Dogs (c) Heights (d) Water
  2. 2.Rahul’s class went on a trek in the Western Ghats. Halfway up, Fatima twisted her ankle on a loose stone. Rahul wanted to reach the top first and win the race. But he stopped and helped the teacher tie a bandage. Then he carried Fatima’s bag for the rest of the climb. They reached the top last of all. The view of the green valleys was still worth it. Their teacher said that kindness matters more than coming first.

    What did Rahul carry for the rest of the climb?
    (a) The teacher’s bag (b) Water bottles (c) Fatima’s bag (d) A tent
  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.

    Why did Sana cover the seedlings with a net?
    (a) It rained a lot (b) Cats sat on them (c) Pigeons pecked them (d) It was too sunny
  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 Meenal want to build?
    (a) A volcano model (b) A solar car (c) A robot (d) A water filter
  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.

    Why was the old man so relieved?
    (a) It was a gift (b) It had his photos (c) It was new (d) It held his pension
  6. 6.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 slow (b) It stopped (c) It was loud and fast (d) It was empty
  7. 7.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) Shook (b) Clapped (c) Grew (d) Waved
  8. 8.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.

    For whom did Asha knit a scarf?
    (a) Kamala Aunty (b) Her mother (c) Her teacher (d) Her baby cousin
  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.

    Who helped Imran?
    (a) His father (b) His mother (c) His teacher (d) A shopkeeper
  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 long did they practise each evening?
    (a) One hour (b) Five minutes (c) Fifteen minutes (d) Two hours
  11. 11.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 is the vase used as now?
    (a) A pen stand (b) A lamp (c) A money box (d) A flower pot
  12. 12.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 lost (b) The paper had leaked (c) It was torn (d) It was too easy

Answer key

  1. Water
  2. Fatima’s bag
  3. Pigeons pecked them
  4. A water filter
  5. It held his pension
  6. It was loud and fast
  7. Shook
  8. Her baby cousin
  9. His mother
  10. Fifteen minutes
  11. A pen stand
  12. The paper had leaked

Free reading comprehension lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/reading-comprehension