Queen Sandra
Reading Comprehension Activity
Sandra wakes up one morning to find that everything has changed. Now she’s in charge of a whole country! What will she do with her new power? Students will read the passage and answer follow-up questions about character and other story elements.
Topic(s): Realistic Fiction. Skill(s): Fact & Opinion, Compare & Contrast, Context Clues, Story Elements. Genre(s): Prose
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On Saturday morning, Sandra was eating cereal and watching cartoons on TV. This was her favorite way to relax after a long week of school.
The doorbell rang, but Sandra didn’t move. Her favorite show was on.
Sandra’s mother opened the door and spoke to a man for a long time. When she came back into the living room, her face was white. She held a red velvet box in her hands. Her hands were a little shaky.
“Did you get a package?” Sandra asked.
“No. It’s for you,” Mom said.
Sandra jumped up and looked in the box. Inside there was a shiny, gold crown. Sandra put it on her head.
“Now you’re the Queen of Aledonia,” Mom said.
Sandra was very surprised. Mom explained that the King of Aledonia had no children of his own, but that they were distant cousins. When he died, Sandra became queen.
“Do I have to move there?” Sandra asked.
Mom explained that Sandra would only have to visit in the summer during school vacation. For the rest of the year, she could check in with a video call.
Sandra decided that her first order would be to get rid of all signs saying how tall a kid must be to go on and amusement park ride.
“Be careful, Sandra. Those rules are in place for safety,” said Mom.
“Well, then they’ll just have to make sure the ride is safe for little kids,” said Sandra. “Or at least safe enough to ride with a grown-up.”
Sandra opened her computer and connected to the Prime Minister’s video line. The Prime Minister of Aledonia was in charge of making sure the king or queen’s commands were fulfilled.
“Will that be all, Your Highness?” asked the Prime Minister.
Sandra was ready to go outside and play. Being a queen could get boring after a while, and Sandra needed time to think about the new laws she wanted to try.
“Yes, sir,” Sandra said. “I’ll call you back when I’m done playing soccer.”
Sandra closed the computer and took off her crown. She would have to be very careful about making sure everyone in Aledonia was healthy and happy while she was in charge. She wasn’t sure what to do next, but she knew that if she made sure people were kind and cared for, her country would be happy.
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