Read the passage carefully before attempting Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill in the blanks dropdown) below.
Last Saturday, Priya’s uncle brought a surprise to her flat in Bristol. It was a small white rabbit in a brown box. The rabbit had big grey ears and a pink nose. Priya loved it immediately. She called him Biscuit.
Biscuit lives in a large cage in the kitchen. Every morning, Priya gives him fresh water and vegetables — carrots, lettuce, and sometimes a little apple. Biscuit does not like loud noises. He hides in the corner of his cage when the television is very loud. But he is happy when the flat is quiet. He jumps around and lets Priya hold him.
Priya’s friend Leila visited on Sunday. She was nervous because she never touched a rabbit before. But Biscuit was calm and gentle. He sat on Leila’s lap for ten minutes. Now Leila wants a rabbit too! Priya says it is not difficult to care for a rabbit, but you need time and patience every day.
Exercise 1
Read the passage about a new pet carefully, then choose the correct answer for each question based on the text.
Example: What kind of pet does the child have?
Answer: The child has a cat.
My New Pet
Getting a new pet is exciting — but it can also be a big surprise! Before you read, think about these two questions: What do you think is a good pet for a small home? And what do pets need every day? Keep your ideas in mind as you read.
Reading Passage: The Rabbit in the Kitchen
Last Saturday, Priya's uncle brought a surprise to her flat in Bristol. It was a small white rabbit in a brown box. The rabbit had big grey ears and a pink nose. Priya loved it immediately. She called him Biscuit.
Biscuit lives in a large cage in the kitchen. Every morning, Priya gives him fresh water and vegetables — carrots, lettuce, and sometimes a little apple. Biscuit does not like loud noises. He hides in the corner of his cage when the television is very loud. But he is happy when the flat is quiet. He jumps around and lets Priya hold him.
Priya's friend Leila visited on Sunday. She was nervous because she never touched a rabbit before. But Biscuit was calm and gentle. He sat on Leila's lap for ten minutes. Now Leila wants a rabbit too! Priya says it is not difficult to care for a rabbit, but you need time and patience every day.
Key Vocabulary in Context
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| surprise | noun | something unexpected that you do not know about before it happens | The birthday party was a big surprise for Marco. |
| immediately | adverb | right away; without waiting | She saw the dog and immediately smiled. |
| fresh | adjective | new and not old or cooked; natural | He drinks fresh orange juice every morning. |
| hides | verb | goes to a place where others cannot see you | The cat hides under the bed when it is scared. |
| calm | adjective | quiet and not worried or frightened | The teacher spoke in a calm voice. |
| gentle | adjective | soft and careful; not rough | Be gentle with the baby bird. |
| patience | noun | the ability to wait and not become angry or upset | Learning a new language needs patience. |
| care for | verb phrase | to look after someone or something and keep them healthy and safe | It is important to care for your pet every day. |
Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips
Scanning for Key Details
This passage has names, places, and objects. When a question asks who, look for a person's name. When it asks what, look for a thing like a food or an object. Practice scanning by finding the word "Biscuit" quickly — it appears several times. Notice what happens each time.
Skimming for the Main Idea
Read only the first sentence of each paragraph. You will quickly understand the three main ideas: the rabbit arrives, the rabbit's daily routine, and Leila's visit. This helps you answer general questions faster.
Understanding Feelings
The passage describes how characters feel. Look for feeling words: excited, nervous, happy, calm. Ask yourself: Why does the character feel this way? The reason is usually in the same sentence or the one before it.
Using Context Clues
If you do not know a word, read the whole sentence. For example, if you do not know lettuce, the sentence says "vegetables — carrots, lettuce, and sometimes a little apple." The other words tell you it is a food and a vegetable.
Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps
- Confusing names with roles: The passage mentions Priya, her uncle, and Leila. Students sometimes mix up who brought the rabbit. Remember — it was the uncle, not Leila, who brought Biscuit.
- Misreading animal behaviour: Biscuit hides when the TV is loud. Some students think this means he is always scared. But the passage also says he jumps around and is happy when it is quiet. Read both sentences together.
- The word "nervous" vs. "scared": Leila was nervous before touching the rabbit — but Biscuit was calm. Students sometimes think the rabbit was nervous too. Check who the adjective describes.
- "Care for" is not the same as "carry": These two look a little similar in spelling. Care for means to look after. Carry means to hold something and move it. Do not confuse them.
- Counting the days: The story mentions Saturday and Sunday. Be careful with questions about timing — the rabbit arrived on Saturday, and Leila visited the next day, Sunday.
Quick Summary
In this passage, Priya receives a surprise gift — a white rabbit called Biscuit. We learn what Biscuit eats, how he behaves, and how Priya's friend Leila reacts when she meets him for the first time. The story shows that a pet rabbit needs food, quiet, and daily attention.
Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.
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