Reading Comprehension
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Date______________________________________________
rhlschool.com
Troubling Words
Tremor
Troll found Troubled Troll sitting in a corner of his tree fort. A
closed book lay by his side as Troubled stared at the wooden floor.
“Is something wrong, Troubled?” asked Tremor.
Troubled took a deep breath and responded, “In this story
I’m reading, it says that a boy is wearing a shirt
that’s inside
out.”
“Is that a problem?” Tremor asked.
“Yes,” said Troubled. “You see, I keep
wondering why it’s ‘inside out’ instead
of ‘outside in’! After all, if the inside is on the
outside then the outside must be on the inside! Right?”
“That makes sense,” Tremor agreed. “But
‘inside out’ is the way everyone says it.”
“But why?” demanded Troubled Troll.
“I don’t know,” Tremor confessed.
“It’s no big deal.”
Troubled was not comforted. “And tell me, what if it is a big
deal,” he implored, “and no one knows that
it’s a big deal and someday everyone wakes up and realizes
that they’ve been saying it wrong? And what if....what if
they suddenly understand that it really has been a big deal
all along?”
“That won’t happen,” Tremor Troll
insisted, “and even if it does, it won’t exactly
turn our world upside down.”
Troubled Troll was doing his best to remain calm. He gazed at his
friend and whispered, “Why didn’t you say
‘downside up’?”
For
discussion:
1. Can you name anything in the story that shows that Troubled Troll is
actually quite intelligent?
2. In what way does Troubled behave in a silly or foolish manner?
Reading
Comprehension, Vol. 12, No.14, May 20, 2011http://rhlschool.comCopyright 2011 RHL
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