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Anna and the Old man
One quiet morning, Anna walked through a small road in the country with her dog. The sun was not up yet, and the air was quite cool. Upon arriving at the top of a little hill, she saw an old man sitting alone.
She came closer. The man turned his head and smiled. His voice was soft and kind.
“You look sad. What is the matter?” Anna said.
“I feel sad. My best friend died,” the man said. “His death was a great loss to me.”
Anna sat down next to him. She presented her dog to him. It was a cute little dog, rather old, maybe ten years old.
“Can you help my dog? I believe he has something in his ear,” she said.
The man nodded. “Let me see.”
The man picked up the dog and looked closely at its ear.
“My eyes are not very good,” he said. “I need more powerful eyeglasses, though I think I can see what is in your dog’s ear.” He took it out.
Anna smiled. She felt warm now. She turned to look at the sky. The sun came up upon the hill, bright and calm.
“Thank you,” Anna said. “You are a very kind man.”
“You are welcome,” the man said. “Your dog and you make me feel better now. Thank you for stopping and talking to me. Next time you pass through this way, stop and say hello”
NEW WORDS
COMPREHENSION QUIZ
1. Where was Anna walking with her dog?
– A) Inside a shopping mall
– B) On a busy city street
– C) Through a small road in the country
– D) Across a large bridge
2. What time of day was it when Anna walked?
– A) Afternoon
– B) Evening
– C) Morning before sunrise
– D) Midnight
3. Why did the old man say he was sad?
– A) He was sick
– B) His best friend died
– C) He lost his job
– D) He was hungry
4. What did Anna do when she saw the old man?
– A) She continued to walk.
– B) She sat down next to him
– C) She ran away
– D) She gave him food
5. What did Anna ask the old man to help with?
– A) Her homework
– B) Her dog’s ear
– C) Finding her way home
– D) Carrying water
6. What did the old man say about his eyes?
– A) They were very strong
– B) He needed more powerful eyeglasses
– C) He could not see at all
– D) They were tired from reading
7. What did the old man do for Anna’s dog?
– A) He gave it food
– B) He looked in its ear and took something out
– C) He taught it tricks
– D) He washed it
8. How did Anna feel after the man helped her dog?
– A) Cold
– B) Warm
– C) Angry
– D) Confused
9. What happened in the sky at the end of the story?
– A) It started raining
– B) The sun came up bright and calm
– C) The moon appeared
– D) It got dark.
10. What did the old man ask Anna to do next time?
– A) Bring him food
– B) Stop and say hello
– C) Walk a different road
– D) Take another dog
Answer Key
1. C 2. C 3. B 4. B 5. B 6. B 7. B 8. B 9. B 10. B
TEST YOUR VOCABULARY
Fill‑in‑the‑Blank Quiz: Anna and the Old Man.
Question 1
Anna walked ___ a small road in the country with her dog.
Question 2
The sun was not up ___, and the air was quite cool.
Question 3
Upon arriving at the top of a ___ hill, she saw an old man.
Question 4
The man turned his head and smiled. His ___ was soft and kind.
Question 5
“You look sad. What is the ___?” Anna said.
Question 6
“My best friend died,” the man said. “His ___ was a great loss to me.”
Question 7
Anna sat down next to him. She ___ her dog to him.
Question 8
Anna smiled. She ___ warm now.
Question 9
“My eyes are not very good,” he said. “I need more ___ eyeglasses.”
Question 10
It was a cute little dog, ___ old, maybe ten years old.
Answer Key
1‑Through, 2‑Yet, 3‑Little, 4‑Voice, 5‑Matter, 6‑Death, 7‑Present, 8‑Felt, 9‑Powerful, 10‑Rather