Pandora Opens the Jar
The Greeks told a tale of Pandora. The gods made her. Each god gave her a gift.
Last, Zeus gave her a big clay jar. "Do not open it," he said. "Not ever."
Pandora took the jar home. It was tall and round. The lid was heavy.
All day she looked at the jar. What was in it? She just had to know.
One day she was all alone. "Just a peek," she said. She lifted the lid.
Out flew gray Troubles with wings! They were Sad and Cross and Worry. They buzzed out of the window.
Pandora shut the lid with a bang. But the Troubles were gone. They flew all over the world.
She sat down and cried. Then a small voice spoke from inside the jar.
She peeked in. A gold light glowed. "I am Hope," it said.
Hope stayed with Pandora. The Troubles are in the world, but Hope is too.
Questions
- A red bird
- A big jar
- A gold ring
- To sell it
- To hide it in a tree
- Not to open it
- Troubles
- Birds
- Bees
- Zeus told her to
- It fell open
- She wanted to know what was inside
- Gold
- Hope
- Nothing
- A good wish
- A loud noise
- A big jar
Words to know
- jar: a tall pot
- lid: a cover
- troubles: bad things
- hope: good wishes
Answer key: Pandora Opens the Jar
- B. A big jar
- C. Not to open it
- A. Troubles
- C. She wanted to know what was inside
- B. Hope
- A. A good wish
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“Pandora Opens the Jar” is a reading level 6 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 20 words on a screen. At most 7% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Readers reach this level by climbing, not by grade.
| This passage | 155 words, 10 screens, 6 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 4 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings |
|---|---|
| Longest sentence at this level | 10 words |
| Words on a screen | 12 to 20 |
| Skills practised at this level | phonics (sounding words out), first sounds, sight words |
Reading level 6: 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.