The Green Balloon
Reading Comprehension Activity
Diana has saved up her money to spend at the circus. When she sees the balloon man, she knows just what to buy – but not that her choice will send her on a magical adventure. Students will read the story and answer follow-up questions about character, plot, and vocabulary.
Click for the passage & questions on one printable PDF.
Diana loves the circus. She likes to watch the animals do tricks. She likes the silly clowns and cotton candy. Most of all, Diana loves to see the balloon man. He carries a big bunch of balloons in every color.
Diana walked up to the ticket booth and paid fifty cents to enter. She walked toward the tents with popcorn and cotton candy. She was not ready to eat until she had her balloon.
Where was the balloon man?
Diana turned around another corner. There she saw an enormous bunch of balloons. The balloons were in every color of the rainbow. There were so many that Diana could only see the balloon man’s shoes.
She walked around the balloons until she was face to face with the balloon man. “What color balloon would you like, little girl?”
Diana looked up at all the balloons surrounding the balloon man. She saw many red, yellow and blue balloons. There were also white and orange balloons. Up near the top of the bunch, there was one green balloon.
“Green, please,” Diana said. She handed the balloon man a dollar and took the balloon.
“Tie it to your wrist,” said the balloon man. “It’s a very special balloon.”
When Diana tied the balloon on tight, she felt it tugging at her arm. She raised her hand in the air, but the balloon kept pulling. A breeze blew, and the balloon pulled her down the path to the field.
Diana ran to keep up. Suddenly, her feet left the ground and the balloon lifted her into the air. She was flying!
Diana looked down. She could see the top of the circus tent and the roof of her school. The wind was blowing her toward the center of town.
Diana looked up and saw a robin. “Cheeriup!” he chirped.
Diana looked down again. She flew over the tallest tree in town and brushed its leaves with her feet. The breeze stopped blowing. She floated down to the ground and landed softly in the park.
“That was fun!” laughed Diana. “Let’s do it again!”
She looked at her balloon, but it was out of air. It lay on the ground by her feet.
Diana untied the balloon from her wrist. “Thanks for my adventure,” she whispered. She tucked the balloon in her pocket to remember her big day.
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