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Grandfather Frog Plays Asleep: reading passage and questions

A free printable short story reading passage, written at a grade 2 reading level (Peabody level 7, where 3rd grade readers start; 230 words) with 5 comprehension questions and an answer key. No sign-up.

Name: ____________________Date: ____________

Grandfather Frog Plays Asleep

Grandfather Frog sat on his lily pad in the sun. His eyes were shut. His chin was on his chest.

From his house, Jerry Muskrat saw a long gray shape. It was Longlegs the Blue Heron, wading near the shore.

Longlegs was hungry. He had walked all morning and found nothing. Then he saw a frog asleep on a pad.

Jerry called softly across the water, "Look out, Grandfather Frog!" That was all he dared to say.

Grandfather Frog did not move. But under one eyelid, he was looking. "I see him," he thought.

Longlegs crept nearer on his long, thin legs. Each step was slow and soft. Not one ripple spread on the water.

At last he stopped, as still as a post. He stood on one leg and waited. He hoped the frog was sound asleep.

Grandfather Frog snored a little snore to help him along. He was an old frog. He knew many tricks.

So they waited, and the sun climbed higher. The heron's leg grew tired. His stomach rumbled.

Grandfather Frog was very comfortable. The sun was warm and the pad was soft. He had all day to wait.

At last Longlegs gave up. He lifted his long legs and flapped his wide wings. He sailed away over the bulrushes.

Grandfather Frog opened both eyes. "Dear me," he said. "Some folks have no patience at all."

Questions

1. Where did Grandfather Frog sit?
  1. On a rock
  2. On a lily pad
  3. On a log
2. Who came to the pool?
  1. Longlegs the Blue Heron
  2. Reddy Fox
  3. Danny Meadow Mouse
3. What did Grandfather Frog do when Longlegs came close?
  1. He jumped in
  2. He called for help
  3. He pretended to snore
4. What does "patience" mean in this story?
  1. Calm waiting
  2. Quick running
  3. Loud singing
5. Who was the wiser one?
  1. Grandfather Frog
  2. Longlegs
  3. Jerry

Words to know

  • wading: walking in water
  • ripple: small wave
  • bulrushes: tall pond plants
  • patience: calm waiting

Answer key: Grandfather Frog Plays Asleep

  1. B. On a lily pad
  2. A. Longlegs the Blue Heron
  3. C. He pretended to snore
  4. A. Calm waiting
  5. A. Grandfather Frog

For the teacher: how this passage is levelled

“Grandfather Frog Plays Asleep” is a reading level 7 story. Every Peabody story at this level is written and checked to keep sentences to 10 words or fewer, to aim at an average of 6 words a sentence, and to show 12 to 30 words on a screen. At most 8% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Children in 3rd grade start at this level.

This passage230 words, 12 screens, 5 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 4 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings
Longest sentence at this level10 words
Words on a screen12 to 30
Skills practised at this levelphonics (sounding words out), sight words, spelling

Reading level 7: the limits, a real sample and the free games. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: use the questions to talk about the story, not to grade a child.