Name_____________________________________Date________________________
Reading Comprehension
Volume 3, Number 3, September 22, 1997
www.rhlschool.com
A Story Starter:
xxxxxMiss Joan
was in a very good mood. She had been in a great mood all week long. It
was Apple Week. Monday was the day when all the kindergartners in her
class drew pictures of apples. On Tuesday, they listened as Miss Joan
read stories about apples. Wednesday was the day that Miss Joan told
the class about the field trip they would take to an apple orchard. On
Thursday, the kids saw a film about how apples are made into cider. And
now it was finally Friday, the day of the field trip.
xxxxxMiss Joan loved
teaching about apples. She loved eating apples. Above all, she enjoyed
picking apples with her students. She smiled as she led her students to
the bus that would take them to the Greenly Apple Orchard. Nothing
could ruin her good apple mood.
xxxxxShe hadn’t
even been bothered when she found the rotten apple on her desk that
morning: the apple with the plastic worm sticking out of it. She
guessed that Mr. El, the fourth grade teacher, had left it there as a
prank.
xxxxxThe bus ride was
bumpy and the kids were a little noisy, but still Miss Joan was
smiling. She didn’t even frown when Charlton pulled
Jessica’s hair. She just said firmly,”Charlton,
behave.”
xxxxxThe bus stopped in
front of the Greenly Orchard Store and the class filed out quickly and
quietly. Miss Joan led the procession and Mrs. Bernstein, the parent
chaperon, counted heads to make sure everyone was there.
“What a glorious, sunny, apple picking day,” Miss
Joan announced with her grandest smile.
xxxxxMr. Greenly was
there to greet them. “Let’s see, there are eighteen
children and two adults at three dollars each. That will be sixty
dollars, please.”
xxxxxMiss Joan held up
the brochure in her hand. “It says that the price is two
dollars each,,” she pointed out. “That’s
what I collected from everyone.”
xxxxx“We’ve
had to raise the price,” Mr. Greenly stated.
xxxxx“You sent
me this brochure after we made our reservation,” Miss Joan
growled, “and it says two dollars!”
xxxxx“Miss
Joan, if you look at the bottom of this brochure,” Mr.
Greenly said, “you’ll notice a very important
statement.”
xxxxxSure enough, in very
tiny letters, it said, “Prices are subject to change without
notice.”
xxxxxMiss Joan was
determined to keep her good mood. She took a twenty dollar bill out of
her own purse and handed it to Mr. Greenly with the forty dollars she
had in an envelope.
xxxxx“Now
children, do you all have your baskets?” Miss Joan called
out. “Remember, you can pick as many apples as you
want.”
xxxxx“Miss
Joan, there’s been a change in policy,” Mr. Greenly
said, almost shouting, “the children are limited to six
apples each.”
xxxxx“I beg
your pardon!” Miss Joan was not smiling now. “The
brochure says, ‘ALL YOU CAN PICK’!”
xxxxxMr. Greenly pointed
to the tiniest letters Miss Joan had ever almost seen. It also says,
“Terms and conditions of group reservations are subject to
change without notice.”
xxxxxMiss
Joan’s good mood was now history. She didn’t want
to set a bad example for her students, so she said in a calm and quiet
voice, “We’re going home, give me our money back, please.”
xxxxx“I’m
sorry, I can’t do that,” Mr. Greenly said
cheerfully, “The brochure says, ‘No
Refunds’.”
xxxxxMiss
Joan’s face was deep red. She glared at Mr. Greenly and said,
“Mr. Greedy, let me tell you what I am
going to do. Let me show you what we are going to do!”
1. What was Miss Joan’s favorite apple activity?
2. How many students went on the field trip?
3. Why do you think the statements on the brochure were in tiny letters?
4. What is a refund?
5. How would you like this story to end? You are the author who will write the rest of the story.
Copyright 1997 RHL