The New Friend

The New Friend

Martin, Luis, and I lived in the city. Next door was an old house. No one had lived there for a long time.

Multiple Choice

Where did the boys live?

• In the city.

• In the country.

One day a work crew came with pails and brushes. They started to wash and paint the empty house.

work crew: Two or more people working. They might be painting, moving or fixing things.

empty (adj): There is nothing inside it. The glass is empty.

After they were done, and the paint had dried, the house looked pretty and new. The next day a big truck pulled up. It was full of crates and boxes. A crew unloaded the boxes off the truck. A new family would soon live there.

crates (noun): Boxes made of wood. The wooden boxes will protect things that easily break.

unloaded (verb): to take out of or off. The men unloaded the truck = The men took things off the truck and into the home.

Today Luis went over to the house next door. He met a boy called Makoto. Then we all met Makoto. Makoto was seven years old-just like us.

Multiple Choice

Why does Luis go over to the house?

• He wants to help the workers.

• He thinks the house is pretty.

• He wants to meet the new family.

Before long, we found out that Makoto played soccer. He could keep running and running. He was good at learning things, too. He learned all of our names by the end of the game.

Multiple Choice

How did the boys know Makoto was good at learning?

• Makoto's got 100% on his test.

• Makoto writes good stories.

• Makoto remembers all the boys' names quickly.

Soon Makoto's family was all moved in. We met his mother and father. They were glad that Makoto had made some new friends.

Multiple Choice

Why were Makoto's mother and father glad?

• Their house was pretty

• Makoto made new friends.

• It was dinner time.

While Makoto's mother and father went to buy food, Makoto stayed and played with us.

Multiple Choice

Where did Makoto's mother and father go while Makoto played with friends?

• The park

• The beach

• The grocery store (supermarket)

When Makoto's mother and father rejoined us, Martin, Makoto, and I helped them carry the bags into the house. Makoto said he would show us around his house. Then we went up to look at Makoto's room.

Multiple Choice

How did the boys help Makoto's mother and father?

• They painted the house.

• They fixed the house.

• They took the food into the house.

• They took boxes of clothes into the house.

Makoto still had a lot of boxes to unpack. He had some nice toys and kites. He said that on the next day, we could bring his kites outside and fly them. He said I could fly a kite by myself.

Multiple Choice

What does Makoto like to do when he is not busy?

• Play video games

• Watch T.V

• Fly kites

Then we went outside to look at Makoto's pictures from Japan. He had them in a green book.

Multiple Choice

Where does Makoto show his pictures of Japan to his new friends?

• In his bedroom.

• Outside

• In the bathroom

On the first page, we saw Makoto's old house in Japan. On the next page, we saw Makoto's family in Japan. The last page had pictures of Makoto's friends. They showed Makoto's seventh birthday party. Makoto said he wishes we could meet his old friends.

At the end of the day, Makoto's mother and father repaid us for helping-with cookies! We daid "please" and "thank you" and ate up. Makoto's father said he had a new job in the city. Makoto would be going to our school. We were all glad about that!

repaid (verb) The past tense of repay: It means to pay somone back for them helping you. If my friend gave me a cookie then I want to repay them by giving them something.

Multiple Choice

Why did Makoto's mother repay the boys?

• The boys were funny.

• The boys helped Makoto's mother.

• The boys were hungry.

We said good-bye to Makoto and his mother and father. Then we went home to our families. We were glad to have a new friend next door.