Grace Wants a Bike
Reading Comprehension Activity

Grace wants a new bike. Her friend Mia just got one merely by asking. However, Grace’s parents tell her she must work for hers. Students will read the passage and respond to questions on the plot and the theme.

Topic(s): Realistic Fiction. Skill(s): Theme, Summary. Genre(s): Prose

Click for the passage & questions on one printable PDF.

Passage

Grace watched out the window as her friend Mia rode up on a new green bike.

“Grace! Come out and see my new bike,” yelled Mia.

Grace grabbed her sweater and raced out the door. “Mia, that’s a gorgeous bike. I saw it in McGregor’s store. I asked my mom if I could get it. She said I’d have to work for it.”

“That’s too bad,” said Mia. “I asked my Dad, and he got it the next day. Get your bike; we’ll go for a ride.”

“Okay.” Grace went to the garage and got her bike. It was an old blue hand-me-down from her older sister, but it was in pretty good shape.

The girls rode till dinner time.

After dinner, Grace approached her dad. “Dad, can I get a new bike?”

Dad smiled. “I know you already asked Mom. You can get it if you work for it.”

“Mia just got a bike, and she didn’t have to work for it. Why do I have to work to have it?”

“One day you’ll figure it out,” said Dad.

Grace went to bed mad but started thinking of things she could do to earn money. In the morning, she went to her mom with a proposal.

“Mom, if I do my own laundry from now on, clean off the table after dinner for the next month, and brush and walk the dog can I get a bike?”

Mom put her arm around Grace’s shoulders. “That’s a start. You’ll also have to dust the furniture and vacuum once a week.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of stuff, but okay. So, when can I get the bike?”

“After a month,” said Mom.

Grace did everything she promised to do. After a month she went to McGregor’s store with her dad and picked out the bike she wanted. It was silver with purple streaks. When she got home, she sat on her stoop admiring it.

“Hey, Grace,” said Mia as she rode up. “Cool bike. Want to ride to the park? We can play some basketball.”

Grace thought for a minute. “I’ll go if we walk. Leaving the bikes in the park racks isn’t safe.”

“It’s no big deal,” said Mia. “The bikes will be fine.”

Grace shook her head. “Nope. I worked hard for this bike, and I’m still working for it. I’m not taking any chances with it.” After she said that, Grace thought about what her dad had said. So, that’s what he meant by telling me one day I’d figure it out.

Comprehension Questions
Answers

Get the passage & questions on one printable PDF.

Interactive Banner 2

Enter description text here.