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“The Mini Problem”
Reading Comprehension – Short Stories
Directions: Read the story. Then answer the questions below.
Lily’s anger could not have been more palpable.
She awakened Christmas morning and, along with her brother, ran down to see
the gifts under the tree.
In the living room sat a magnificent mini bike. It was red with a pearly white gas
tank and side panels. For a brief moment, Lily was filled with what seemed
like insurmountable excitement. Then, her eyes caught hold of a baby doll
sitting on the couch with a huge bow.
She knew. She knew that the mini bike belonged to her brother and that she had
been relegated to that doll. It was par for the course.
Tommy always got cool things: skateboards, gliders, science kits. The mini bike
was just the latest cool thing.
Lily always got the boring gifts: a doll with a gown, a doll with a tutu, a doll with a
puppy. This doll seemed unusually blah. The doll wore a petticoat. The doll had
short, straight black hair.
Tommy had seen that mini-bike in the front window of Moore’s Bike Shop, but
hadn’t Lily too? Hadn’t she asked for it with as much fervor as her twin brother?
Tommy’s eyes grew wide at the sight of the bike he knew was his – no doll for
him. He ran into his parent’s room and jumped excitedly on the bed.
“Thank you, Mama! Thank you, Papa,” he yelled.
Lily seethed in the other room. It took a while for anyone to even realize she was
missing.
“What’s wrong, Lil?” Papa asked. “Did you see your pretty doll?”
“I saw it,” she said sulkily.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mama.
Silence.
“Oh, Mama, you know Lily is never excited by presents!” her brother laughed.
“Come out and watch me ride!”
And so they did.
Questions:
1) Why was Lily's anger described 2) Which is the best antonym
as palpable? for insurmountable?
A. It was misplaced. A. sane
B. It was irrational. B. phony
C. It was very difficult to C. unjustified
understand. D. conquerable
D. It was so intense it seemed like
it could be touched.
3) Which best describes the act of 4) What does the expression par for
being relegated? the course imply?
A. A star athlete is given a coveted A. that something is to be expected
award. B. that something cannot be
B. A disobedient dog is put in the undone
garage to sleep. C. that something is sure to cause
C. A struggling student is given the anger
worst grade in the class. D. that something was meant to be
D. The birthday boy is taken to his hurtful
favorite restaurant.
5) What is ironic about the title of this 6) What could the author have written
passage? if she wanted to show Lily improving
her situation?
A. Lily has a big problem.
B. Tommy is perfectly happy. A. a scene with Lily storming out of
C. Lily does not get a mini bike. the house
D. No one realizes there is a B. a description of Lily getting to
problem. ride the mini bike first
C. a paragraph describing Lily
pretending to appreciate the doll
D. a dialogue with Lily explaining to
her family why she was so angry
Questions (continued):
7) Which is the best antonym 8) What might Lily's parents be
for fervor? accused of?
A. gluttony ▼Check all that are correct.
B. indifference
C. politeness A. □ being stingy
D. quiet B. □ not loving Lily
C. □ being insensitive
D. □ being gender biased
9) In paragraph 6, what is the most like 10) Which is the best antonym
reason the author repeats the word for seethed?
"doll"?
A. cheered up
A. to highlight how extravagant the B. calmed down
dolls were C. spoke softly
B. to juxtapose the number of dolls D. breathed heavily
with just one mini bike
C. to make it clear how
monotonous this gift had
become for Lily
D. to make it clear that the doll she
got this Christmas was the worst
of all
What would you do if you were in Lily’s position? Explain.
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