A Stormy Day
by Anna Sewell from Black Beauty
Chapter 12 passage: "Black Beauty" is the story of a black horse in England in the 1800s. Written in 1877 by Anna Sewell, the novel tells the story from the horse’s viewpoint. The story covers Black Beauty’s life from the time he is born until his old age. In this passage, Black Beauty has been harnessed to a cart to take his owner, or master, and his caretaker named John on an trip into town. It had been raining a great deal. Now it has stopped raining, but the wind was blowing very hard. As the passage begins, they are on their way home as it gets dark.
Reading Comprehension Passage
A Stormy Day
by Anna Sewell from Black Beauty
Reading Comprehension Questions
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.
- pace
- dare
- dog-cart
- lulled
- current
Context Clues
Context Clues
Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.
1) “We were going along at a good pace”
a. direction b. condition; health c. hour or time d. speed when walking or running
2) “I dare not go forward, and I made a dead stop”
a. heard or listen b. try or risk c. saw; observed d. happily or with joy
3) “he sprang out of the dog-cart and came to my head”
a. small vehicle pulled by a dog b. kennel for dogs c. two-wheeled wagon pulled by a horse d. leafy green bush
4) “the wind seemed to have lulled off after that furious blast”
a. increased; became stronger b. changed directions c. chilled; more cold d. eased or calmed
5) “the current was flowing very strongly”
a. movement; motion b. recent or new c. excitement or emotion d. water animals; fish