A good place to hide
Passage Activities:

Words: 201-300

Skills: Context Clues Story Elements Summary

Grades: 2nd 3rd 4th

Topics: Realistic Fiction

Genres: Prose

Lexile Range: 420L - 730L

Lexile Measure: 500L

CCSS: Reading: Literature

Themes: —

A Good Place to Hide

An escaped hamster is the focus of this passage. Students will read a story about the search for this wily pet and answer questions about the plot, narrative structure, context clues, and identifying a problem and its solution.

Reading Comprehension Passage

A Good Place to Hide

Jamie was daydreaming about becoming a detective when he nearly ran into Petra who came bursting out of her apartment. 

“Jamie! Help! Tia’s gone!” Petra said. 

“Oh no!” Jamie followed Petra inside.

 “Look,” Petra pointed at her hamster’s cage. “I didn’t shut it completely.” A tear trickled down her cheek. She had only had Tia a week.

“About how long ago was this?” Jamie asked. 

“Six or eight minutes. I’ve got to find her!” 

“She can’t be far,” Jamie said. “Are all the doors and windows closed?” 

Petra nodded. “And I looked under everything.” 

“Let’s get some more light,” Jamie said. 

Using a flashlight, Petra peeked under the couch. Jamie looked under the chairs and under the TV stand. Petra checked behind the bookcase. 


Jamie stopped to think. “It’s cool in here. Would she try to find a warm spot?” 

“Maybe!” Petra said. 

“Do hamsters like to burrow?” 

“Yes! They love holes and tunnels!” Petra said.

“Is she a good climber?” Jamie asked. 

“I think so.” 

“So let’s look for a warm spot, maybe off the floor, good for hiding,” Jamie said. 

Together the friends pulled the cushions off the furniture. No Tia. 

 “A warm spot for hiding,” Jamie repeated, scanning the room again. He noticed Petra’s unzipped backpack on the floor by a heating vent. 

Something moved. “Look, Petra!” Jamie pointed. “Did you see that?” they said at the same time. Tia! 

“You would make a great detective,” Petra said a minute later, cuddling her small pet. “You ask all the right questions.”


Passage Only

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Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Using context clues, define the word burrow. 




2. Why did Jamie ask Petra if she had closed the doors and windows?





3.  What is the author’s main way of letting the reader know what is happening?





4. How does Jamie figure out where Tia is hiding? What does he do to find the missing hamster?


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Vocabulary List

Vocabulary List


Each of the vocabulary words below are used in the reading passage. As you read the passage, pay attention to context clues that suggest the word’s meaning.

  1. detective
  2. bursting
  3. trickled
  4. peeked
  5. burrow
  6. scanning
  7. vent
  8. cuddling

Context Clues

Context Clues

Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.

1) "Jamie was daydreaming about becoming a detective"

a. teacher     b. veterinarian     c. doctor      d. investigator

2) "he nearly ran into Petra who came bursting out of her apartment"

a. crying     b. rushing     c. crawling     d. walking

3) "A tear trickled down her cheek."

a. flowed slowly     b. burned     c. gushed     d. dried

4) "Using a flashlight, Petra peeked under the couch."

a. felt     b. called     c. peeped     d. sneezed

5) "'Do hamsters like to burrow?'"

a. eat grass     b. run away     c. dance     d. hide in small places

6) "'A warm spot for hiding,' Jamie repeated, scanning the room again."

a. closely looking around     b. making a copy of     c. cleaning     d. walking around

7) "He noticed Petra’s unzipped backpack on the floor by a heating vent."

a. fireplace     b. oven     c. opening for air     d. candle for warming

8) "'You would make a great detective,' Petra said a minute later, cuddling her small pet."

a. spanking     b. snuggling     c. feeding     d. covering