Girl at the Beach Reading Worksheet
Reading Comprehension • Story Passage
Girl at the Beach
Name:
Date:
Directions: Read the story carefully. Pay attention to details about Bea and the animals she meets.
Page 1 of 3
Girl at the beach
Madge the bat had the day off from her BPS mail job. She could go anywhere on Earth on her day off. She could go to the city or the country! Most of the time, Madge would leave the animal world, fly for miles, then land and rest in the people world. She did it to see people. Madge always went to the same tree at the beach to see a girl. The girl was sweet. She was good to animals. Madge felt at peace around her.
Bea ran in the sand. She called out, “It is just me here!” She thought, I may come here by myself each day, but I can always find something to do. Bea bent down to clean the sand off her hand. Then she sat down to read her book and eat a snack. Bea got some peas and lunch meat out of her bag. She had tea to drink with her meal. She could feel the heat of the day on her back.
Bea sat for a while in the shade under the branch where Madge hung. Then Bea put her tea down and got up. She went over to the edge of the water. The sunbeams made the water look so nice. But Bea did not want to play in the waves. Bea got a sad look, then she wept. “Please, Earth, send me some people who would like to play on the beach with me.”
As soon as she spoke, a crab came out of a hole in the sand. Then Madge the bat came down off the tree branch to land next to her. A cute seal did a small leap out of the water. The girl said with a grin, “Did I dream you all up? Thank you, Earth!” She turned to the bat and said, “Good day, bat. I always thought bats sleep in the day and fly at night. It is great to meet you.”
She laid the crab down in the water to let it clean the sand off itself. She said, “Please do not pinch me. A pinch means you do not like me.” Bea laid the crab in the sand so it would be close to the edge of the sea. She went to wade in the water, and as she did, the seal came up to greet her. With a little splash, its head was out of the water. Bea said, “Good day, seal.” The seal gave her a look as if to say, “Please come and swim with me.” Then it dove back below the water.
Just then, a gull dove into the water and came up with a fish in its beak. “I bet it is your lunchtime now,” Bea called out. Bea turned to go sit on the beach and read her book. As she went by the bat, she said, “I have a plum in my beach bag that I bet you would like.” When Bea held up the bag of plums, the bat took one and went back up on the tree branch to eat.
Bea sat with a big smile. She said, “Not many people come to this beach, but at least I have my animal pals around.” As she lay back on the quilt to read her book, she thought, I wish I could hear what the animals want to say to me. Animals are just like people. Madge ate her plum. As she went to sleep, she thought, We can hear you Bea, and we are glad to be your pals.
Next Step: Turn to page 2 to begin the 10 multiple choice comprehension questions.
Questions 1–10 →
Part 1
Comprehension Questions (1–5)
Girl at the Beach • Page 2 of 3
Fill in the bubble next to the best answer according to the text on Page 1.
1 What job did Madge the bat have on her work days?
A. Beach lifeguard
B. BPS mail job
C. City tour guide
D. Snack shop clerk
2 Why did Madge always go to the same tree at the beach?
A. To build a new nest
B. To stay dry in the rain
C. To see a sweet girl
D. To catch fish in the sea
3 What food did Bea get out of her bag to eat?
A. Apples and warm bread
B. Peas and lunch meat
C. Crackers and peanut butter
D. Chips and salted nuts
4 What did Bea have to drink with her meal?
A. Cold milk
B. Lemonade
C. Fresh water
D. Tea
5 Where did Bea sit to rest in the shade?
A. Under a beach umbrella
B. Next to a sandcastle
C. Under the branch where Madge hung
D. Behind a lifeguard tower
Continue to Page 3 for Questions 6–10. Questions 6–10 on Next Page →
Part 2
Comprehension Questions (6–10)
Girl at the Beach • Page 3 of 3
Select the correct option for each question based on the text.
6 Which creature came out of a hole in the sand as soon as Bea spoke?
A. A small beetle
B. A crab
C. A baby turtle
D. An earthworm
7 What did Bea say she always thought bats do?
A. Live in hollow caves all year
B. Eat only insects and flowers
C. Sleep in the day and fly at night
D. Never go near the ocean
8 Why did Bea lay the crab down in the water?
A. To help it swim deep out to sea
B. To let it clean the sand off itself
C. To feed it a piece of fish
D. To hide it from the diving gull
9 What did the gull have in its beak when it dove into the water?
A. A purple plum
B. A seaweed strand
C. A fish
D. A shiny seashell
10 What did Bea lie back on to read her book at the end of the story?
A. The quilt
B. A green beach towel
C. A wooden beach chair
D. The soft warm sand
Finished? Double-check your answers!
Look back at Page 1 to verify that each detail matches the story words.
Score: _____ / 10
Beach Pals Answer Key
Teacher Reference Explicit Detail Retrieval
Beach Pals Answer Key
Girl at the Beach 10 Questions • 10 Points Total
Quick Grading Key 1 pt per correct item
Q1B
Q2C
Q3B
Q4D
Q5C
Q6B
Q7C
Q8B
Q9C
Q10A
1. Madge's job on work days B
Answer: BPS mail job
“Madge the bat had the day off from her BPS mail job.” (Para 1)
2. Why Madge went to the tree C
Answer: To see a sweet girl
“Madge always went to the same tree at the beach to see a girl. The girl was sweet.” (Para 1)
3. Snack food Bea took out B
Answer: Peas and lunch meat
“Bea got some peas and lunch meat out of her bag.” (Para 2)
4. Beverage Bea drank with meal D
Answer: Tea
“She had tea to drink with her meal.” (Para 2)
5. Where Bea sat in the shade C
Answer: Under the branch where Madge hung
“Bea sat for a while in the shade under the branch where Madge hung.” (Para 3)
6. Creature out of sand hole B
Answer: A crab
“As soon as she spoke, a crab came out of a hole in the sand.” (Para 4)
7. Bea's belief about bats C
Answer: Sleep in day and fly at night
“I always thought bats sleep in the day and fly at night.” (Para 4)
8. Why Bea laid crab in water B
Answer: To clean the sand off itself
“She laid the crab down in the water to let it clean the sand off itself.” (Para 5)
9. Gull's beak item C
Answer: A fish
“...a gull dove into the water and came up with a fish in its beak.” (Para 6)
10. What Bea lay back on A
Answer: The quilt
“As she lay back on the quilt to read her book, she thought...” (Para 7)
Instructional Strategy & Textual Evidence: All 10 questions assess explicit literal comprehension. Encourage students to underline or highlight the sentence in the Page 1 passage that proves their answer before making their final choice.
