Skip to the main content
PeabodyMake a free story

Thor and the Giants: reading passage and questions

A free printable myth and legend reading passage, written at a grade 1 reading level (Peabody level 6; 208 words) with 6 comprehension questions and an answer key. No sign-up.

Name: ____________________Date: ____________

Thor and the Giants

Thor was the strongest god. He had a big hammer. One day he went to see the giants.

The giants lived in a huge city. Their king smiled at Thor. "Show us what you can do!" he said.

First, the king gave Thor a big horn. "Drink it all," he said. "It is easy!"

Thor drank and drank. He drank until his face was red. But the horn was not empty.

Next, the king pointed to a gray cat. "Can you pick up my cat?" he asked. "A child can."

Thor pulled up on the cat. It went up and up. But just one paw left the floor!

Thor was sad. "I am not so strong," he said. The giants all laughed.

In the morning, the king walked Thor to the gate. "The truth is," he said, "it was all magic!"

"That horn ran down to the sea," said the king. "You drank a lot, and the sea went down."

"The cat was a giant snake. It goes round the world. You lifted it up!"

"No one else could do that. You are very strong, Thor. It was magic, not you."

Then the city was gone! Thor was in a green field. He laughed, and he went home.

Questions

1. Who was the strongest god?
  1. The king
  2. Thor
  3. The cat
2. What did the king ask Thor to drink?
  1. A horn of drink
  2. A pot of milk
  3. A bowl of soup
3. What did Thor try to lift?
  1. A big rock
  2. The king
  3. A gray cat
4. Why could Thor not empty the horn?
  1. The horn was too small
  2. Thor was not thirsty
  3. The horn was joined to the sea
5. In this story, what does "gate" mean?
  1. A kind of horn
  2. A big door in a wall
  3. A fast run
6. What did Thor do at the end?
  1. He laughed and went home
  2. He hit the king
  3. He stayed in the city

Words to know

  • giant: a huge man
  • horn: a drinking cup
  • magic: a spell
  • gate: a big door

Answer key: Thor and the Giants

  1. B. Thor
  2. A. A horn of drink
  3. C. A gray cat
  4. C. The horn was joined to the sea
  5. B. A big door in a wall
  6. A. He laughed and went home

For the teacher: how this passage is levelled

“Thor and the Giants” 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 passage208 words, 12 screens, 6 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 20
Skills practised at this levelphonics (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.