The Rainbow Race: reading passage and questions

A free printable short story reading passage, written at a grade 1 reading level (Peabody level 5, where 2nd grade readers start; 116 words) with 6 comprehension questions and an answer key. No sign-up.

⬇ PDF with answer key 📖 Read it on screen

Name: ____________________Date: ____________

The Rainbow Race

The rain stops. Grandpa sits on a bench.

Jo and Max look up. A rainbow!

It is big and bright. It has red, green, blue and more.

"I will get to the end first!" said Max.

"No, I will!" said Jo. They run up the hill.

They run past the pond. The rainbow is still far away.

They run in the mud. Splat! They are wet and tired.

Grandpa calls them back. "Look at your shadows!"

"The sun is at your back," said Grandpa.

"A rainbow needs sun and rain drops. The sun is behind you."

"The rain drops must be in front of you."

Jo and Max sit with Grandpa. They look at the rainbow.

Questions

1. What do Jo and Max want?

To go home
To find the end of the rainbow
To play in the mud

2. Where do they run?

To the sea
To school
Up a hill and past a pond

3. Who tells them about rainbows?

Grandpa
Mom
Jo

4. What do you need to see a rainbow?

Night and stars
Wind and snow
Sun and rain drops

5. Where must the sun be to see a rainbow?

In front of you
Behind you
Under you

6. What does "bright" mean?

Full of light
Very small
Wet

Words to know

rainbow: bands of color
shadow: a dark shape
tired: ready to rest
mud: wet dirt
bench: a seat for two
bright: full of light

Answer key: The Rainbow Race

B. To find the end of the rainbow
C. Up a hill and past a pond
A. Grandpa
C. Sun and rain drops
B. Behind you
A. Full of light

For the teacher: how this passage is levelled

“The Rainbow Race” is a reading level 5 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 5 words a sentence, and to show 1 to 12 words on a screen. At most 6% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Children in 2nd grade start at this level.

This passage	116 words, 12 screens, 6 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 6 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings
Longest sentence at this level	10 words
Words on a screen	1 to 12
Skills practised at this level	phonics (sounding words out), first sounds, sight words

Reading level 5: 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.