Grade 7 Reading Comprehension Exercises

Passage for reading comprehension practice followed by short answer questions for grade 7. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Attack of the Bees

Andy pedaled slowly along the grass-lined track on his way to school, daydreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. Soon it would be weekend and the two of them would be leaving at dawn to travel to a rented fishing shack on the coast. His mother was preparing food and drinks for them to take. It was just the right weather – cool and breezy – for a fishing trip. Andy was so busy thinking about the trip that he lost awareness of the things around him.

He pedaled along the sunshine until, vaguely, a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the sky. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees had appeared in a corner of the sky like a black rain cloud and now the buzzing mass seemed to be moving towards him.

With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, pedaling furiously – but with no idea of how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough track. As the bees came closer and his legs grew more tired, his panic increased. Great sobs rose in his throat. Andy knew that he was allergic to bee stings. The last sting had landed him in a hospital – and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed and be on a drip for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him, “When you are in a challenging situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it.”

Andy looked around. He saw the Nelson family home, and smoke wafting slowly skywards from their chimney. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.”

But there was no time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him in two or three minutes. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his orchard and his vegetable garden. He dived into the cool water, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects.

After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed that the bees had moved on. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the remainder of the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. He knew he looked dreadful. Mrs. Nelson took one look at him and took him inside hurriedly. Then she phoned Andy’s mother and told her of the situation. In the meanwhile, Mrs. Nelson gave Andy a warm blanket to wrap himself in.

Andy’s mother drove like a banshee to the Nelson house but was relieved to see him unharmed. She asked him to take rest and recover before his fishing trip. But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch the next day.

Write answers in the spaces provided.

• Why was Andy not aware of the swarm of bees earlier?
  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
• What was it that shocked and terrified Andy about the bees?
  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
• Why is it important not to panic when you are confronted with danger?
  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
• How did Andy eventually avoid the bees?
  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
• What tells you that Andy recovered more quickly from the bee attack than his mother thought he would?
  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Answer Key

• Why was Andy not aware of the swarm of bees earlier?
  He was busy thinking about the fishing trip that his father had promised him.
• What was it that shocked and terrified Andy about the bees?
  He was shocked and terrified because he was allergic to bee stings and there was a swarm of them heading his way.
• Why is it important not to panic when you are confronted with danger?
  It is important not to panic so that you can think rationally and find a solution to the danger you are facing.
• How did Andy eventually avoid the bees?
  He eventually avoided the bees by jumping into a small dam.
• What tells you that Andy recovered more quickly from the bee attack than his mother thought he would?
  He was able to continue dreaming about the fishing trip once again.