Reading A Short Story

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

In the sentence below, the word pale shows that the light was –

They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins.

• Bright

• Clear

• Dim

• Warm

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

What does the photograph of Marvin mainly suggest about him?

• He is not afraid of anything

• He is known for playing jokes

• He is more scared than he admits

• He is about to have a prank played on him

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Which of these happens first in the passage?

• Steven hides in the closet

• Marvin falls asleep

• Steven suggests playing a trick

• Jason asks Marvin if he believes in ghosts.

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Read the following sentence from the passage:

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep.

What mood does the phrase “drifted off” create?

• Curious

• Calm

• Playful

• Hopeful

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Which words does the author use to emphasize how scared Marvin felt?

• “gulped” and “gripped”

• “stepped towards”

• “closer to the door”

• “leapt” and “shouted”

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Why does Marvin jump backwards and fall onto the sleeping bags?

• Steven pushes him

• Steven scares him

• He is angry with Steven

• He wants to go back to sleep

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Why does the author most likely use the word sprang instead of woke in the following sentence?

Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright.

• To show that Marvin knows about the trick

• To show that Marvin feels sleepy

• To show that Marvin had a bad dream

• To show that Marvin woke suddenly

Haunted House

Marvin refused to believe in ghosts. Even on Halloween, he would not get scared when his friends Steven and Jason shared horror stories. They would gather in his bedroom and sit in pale lamplight talking about ghosts and goblins. They scary stories only made Marvin laugh.

One night they were at Marvin’s house enjoying a sleepover. His friends decided to test how scared of ghosts Marvin really was.

“After he has fallen asleep, let’s play a trick on him,” said his best friend Steven.

“That’s a great idea,” Jason replied.

Just after midnight, Marvin drifted off to sleep. Steven and Jason looked at each other and nodded. Steven slipped out of his sleeping bag and hid in Marvin’s closet. Jason lay still next to his friend and pretended to be asleep. After a moment, Steven began to tap gently on the closet door. Marvin stirred gently. Then, Steven continued and tapped even harder from behind the door. Marvin sprang from his sleep and sat upright. As the noise continued, he struggled to understand where it was coming from.

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

Marvin gulped as fear gripped his body. He climbed from his bed and stepped towards the closet. He began to freeze up, as he got closer to the door. His trembling hand reached out towards the door. Just as he was about to push the door open, Steven leapt out from behind the door and shouted loudly. Marvin shrieked, jumped backwards, and fell onto the sleeping bags.

“Do you believe in ghosts now?” Jason asked with a giggle.

Marvin shook his head. He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t help smiling. Steven was laughing out loud as he sat on a nearby chair. Marvin started to laugh as well.

“Of course he does,” Steven said. “But I bet he didn’t expect his own house to be haunted!”

“Fine, you got me,” Marvin admitted. “For just a minute, I was scared. Nice one guys. Now let’s get some sleep. And no more tricking.”

Steven and Jason both promised they were done with tricking. But Marvin decided to leave the lamp on just in case.

Read the following excerpt from the passage:

“Jason,” he whispered. “Do you hear that sound?”

Jason pretended to wake from a deep sleep.

“What’s wrong Marvin?” Jason asked.

“Do you hear that noise?” Marvin asked again.

Jason struggled to keep a smile off his face.

“Yes,” Jason replied nervously. “I think it’s coming from behind the closet door.”

What is the most likely reason Jason has to stop himself from smiling?

• Jason knows that the noise is just Steven

• Jason is trying to seem like he is brave

• Jason doesn’t want to embarrass Marvin

• Jason is scared of what is behind the door

The Farmer, the Snake, and the Eggs and Bacon

The farmer woke up just as the sun crested his windowsill. Rays of light poured over his face. His eyelids cracked open.

The farmer lifted his rough, powerful hands to his face and began to rub away the last of his dreams. Yawning, he pushed himself up onto his bottom and shook his head. His hair was a mess. He swung his legs off the bed, rose to his feet, straightened out his body and shot his arms into the air, stretching this way and that. It was time to start the day.

He had a mean hunger that morning. Truth be told, the farmer had a mean hunger every morning. Farm work is hard work, and for this farmer, like any other, breakfast was the most important meal of the day.

“It’s like putting a big old log on the fire,” he often said about the meal. “You get that one big log on, get it burning real hard, and that fire will keep going all day long.” That’s how the farmer viewed breakfast. Eat something healthy, and eat much of it.

“What should I eat this morning?” the farmer thought to himself.

He thought and thought, rubbing his chin with those rough, powerful hands of his. Then it hit him.

“Ah,” he said. “Eggs and bacon.”

The farmer didn’t always eat eggs and bacon. Too many eggs and too much bacon too often isn’t a healthy way to start one’s day. But eaten every now and again it is a great way to get a healthy dose of protein, which is especially useful when one has much work to do – as the farmer often did.

“Yes,” the farmer said to himself. “Today I will treat myself.”

He was giddy at that thought. There was nothing better in the farmer’s estimation than two farm fresh eggs cooked over-easy and laid atop some bacon strips. The sight of it, the smell of it, the taste of it – the whole of it just gave the farmer that good and happy feeling. It filled him with love for life.

The bacon had been curing for some time in a shed outside his kitchen, and was ready to go. The eggs were another matter. The farmer would have to go to the chicken coop to collect them. So that’s what he decided he would do.

The farmer slipped on his overalls and laced up his boots and put on a broad, round-rimmed leather hat. He combed down his bristly beard and pulled his long, stringy hair back into a ponytail, and walked out the door.

The chicken coop was a short distance away from the farmhouse, down past the pigpen and the garden.

“I’ll be picking some of you,” the farmer thought as he passed the lettuce patch. “And some of you,” he thought passing the tomatoes. “And you I already have,” he thought, passing the pigs.

But something seemed off when he neared the chicken coop. The chickens were making a fuss, clucking and flapping and swirling about all together in a corner of the coop. Usually they were relaxed, but this morning, no, they weren’t relaxed. Something was wrong.

The farmer grew suspicious, and when he got closer, he saw what was wrong. A big, black, mean-looking snake had snuck into the coop.

“A snake, great,” the farmer thought. “Okay, let’s get to solving this problem.”

“I’ll need to find a long stick,” he thought. “Preferably with a hook on the end of it.”

The farmer was almost put in a bad mood by the turn of events, but he tried hard to keep a positive attitude – to keep that love of life coursing through him. He darted off to the woods and spent a couple minutes rummaging around through the brush. Then he found it – the perfect stick, long, strong and hooked at the end.

“Eureka!” he exclaimed.

The farmer ran back to the chicken coop with the stick in hand. He opened the door to the coop and poked at the snake. He was far away enough not to risk getting bitten, and it hissed and stabbed its head out, showing its fangs.

The farmer poked at it again, and this time, when it shot its head out he started pulling the rest of its body along with the hook on the end of the stick. Scooting back with his feet, he pulled that snake plumb out of the chicken coop and then whacked the snake on the butt.

“Get outa here you stupid snake!” he yelled.

The farmer shook his head in disbelief. “The things I have to go through to get some eggs and bacon,” he thought.

Then he thought about what lay in store for him, and his eyes opened wide with anticipation. He grabbed two eggs, darted back to the garden, picked some lettuce and a tomato and ran to the shed where he kept the cured bacon.

The food was bundled up high in his hands as he nudged the farmhouse door open with his foot, and walking into the kitchen, he let it all fall out onto the big wooden cutting board he had by the stove.

“Ready to roll!” the farmer said.

He washed the lettuce and the tomato, and cooked up the bacon. When it was crispy he took it out of the pan and, using the leftover fat, he cooked up those eggs.

“Man!” the farmer said, laying the eggs overtop the bacon, alongside the lettuce and tomatoes. “Man, does that breakfast look good!”

Which of the following meals was most important for the farmer?

• brunch

• breakfast

• dinner

• lunch

The Farmer, the Snake, and the Eggs and Bacon

The farmer woke up just as the sun crested his windowsill. Rays of light poured over his face. His eyelids cracked open.

The farmer lifted his rough, powerful hands to his face and began to rub away the last of his dreams. Yawning, he pushed himself up onto his bottom and shook his head. His hair was a mess. He swung his legs off the bed, rose to his feet, straightened out his body and shot his arms into the air, stretching this way and that. It was time to start the day.

He had a mean hunger that morning. Truth be told, the farmer had a mean hunger every morning. Farm work is hard work, and for this farmer, like any other, breakfast was the most important meal of the day.

“It’s like putting a big old log on the fire,” he often said about the meal. “You get that one big log on, get it burning real hard, and that fire will keep going all day long.” That’s how the farmer viewed breakfast. Eat something healthy, and eat much of it.

“What should I eat this morning?” the farmer thought to himself.

He thought and thought, rubbing his chin with those rough, powerful hands of his. Then it hit him.

“Ah,” he said. “Eggs and bacon.”

The farmer didn’t always eat eggs and bacon. Too many eggs and too much bacon too often isn’t a healthy way to start one’s day. But eaten every now and again it is a great way to get a healthy dose of protein, which is especially useful when one has much work to do – as the farmer often did.

“Yes,” the farmer said to himself. “Today I will treat myself.”

He was giddy at that thought. There was nothing better in the farmer’s estimation than two farm fresh eggs cooked over-easy and laid atop some bacon strips. The sight of it, the smell of it, the taste of it – the whole of it just gave the farmer that good and happy feeling. It filled him with love for life.

The bacon had been curing for some time in a shed outside his kitchen, and was ready to go. The eggs were another matter. The farmer would have to go to the chicken coop to collect them. So that’s what he decided he would do.

The farmer slipped on his overalls and laced up his boots and put on a broad, round-rimmed leather hat. He combed down his bristly beard and pulled his long, stringy hair back into a ponytail, and walked out the door.

The chicken coop was a short distance away from the farmhouse, down past the pigpen and the garden.

“I’ll be picking some of you,” the farmer thought as he passed the lettuce patch. “And some of you,” he thought passing the tomatoes. “And you I already have,” he thought, passing the pigs.

But something seemed off when he neared the chicken coop. The chickens were making a fuss, clucking and flapping and swirling about all together in a corner of the coop. Usually they were relaxed, but this morning, no, they weren’t relaxed. Something was wrong.

The farmer grew suspicious, and when he got closer, he saw what was wrong. A big, black, mean-looking snake had snuck into the coop.

“A snake, great,” the farmer thought. “Okay, let’s get to solving this problem.”

“I’ll need to find a long stick,” he thought. “Preferably with a hook on the end of it.”

The farmer was almost put in a bad mood by the turn of events, but he tried hard to keep a positive attitude – to keep that love of life coursing through him. He darted off to the woods and spent a couple minutes rummaging around through the brush. Then he found it – the perfect stick, long, strong and hooked at the end.

“Eureka!” he exclaimed.

The farmer ran back to the chicken coop with the stick in hand. He opened the door to the coop and poked at the snake. He was far away enough not to risk getting bitten, and it hissed and stabbed its head out, showing its fangs.

The farmer poked at it again, and this time, when it shot its head out he started pulling the rest of its body along with the hook on the end of the stick. Scooting back with his feet, he pulled that snake plumb out of the chicken coop and then whacked the snake on the butt.

“Get outa here you stupid snake!” he yelled.

The farmer shook his head in disbelief. “The things I have to go through to get some eggs and bacon,” he thought.

Then he thought about what lay in store for him, and his eyes opened wide with anticipation. He grabbed two eggs, darted back to the garden, picked some lettuce and a tomato and ran to the shed where he kept the cured bacon.

The food was bundled up high in his hands as he nudged the farmhouse door open with his foot, and walking into the kitchen, he let it all fall out onto the big wooden cutting board he had by the stove.

“Ready to roll!” the farmer said.

He washed the lettuce and the tomato, and cooked up the bacon. When it was crispy he took it out of the pan and, using the leftover fat, he cooked up those eggs.

“Man!” the farmer said, laying the eggs overtop the bacon, alongside the lettuce and tomatoes. “Man, does that breakfast look good!”

What problem did the farmer encounter when he went to get eggs from the chicken coop?

• The snake in the coop had eaten all the eggs.

• A snake had snuck into the coop and he needed to get the snake out.

• The chickens had not laid any eggs so he could not make his breakfast.

• He couldn’t find a stick with a hook at the end.