Grade 8 Reading Comprehension Exercises

Read the passage below and answer the following questions.

The Stepmother

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon and the rain had spoilt her business for the day. Whatever happened, Azura needed to take home fifteen dollars. Otherwise, her stepmother would not only beat her mercilessly, but starve her as well. She had not eaten anything since the two slices of bread in the morning. She knew that she could not stand another night without food.

"I'm never going to sell these wretched cakes," she complained to herself bitterly.

At that moment a well-dressed lady appeared in front of Azura and smiled at her. The woman eyed the contents of the basket curiously. She said that she wanted to buy the food for a very special person who needed it badly. She said that the Curry puffs and banana cakes would make that person happier.

The lady handed over the cash and bought the cakes. Azura was overjoyed. In spite of the rain, Azura walked home quickly and cheerfully, believing that her stepmother would not punish her that evening.

Azura's mother had passed away when she was only seven years old. Two years later, her father had remarried. Azura was extremely happy to get a new mother. The young child had expected a woman who would take her in her arms, cuddle her and whisper ‘I love you’ like her late mother used to.

Azura tried to befriend her on the first day but her stepmother rejected her from the beginning. For the first week Azura was left alone. However, the following week, the wicked woman started to make Azura's life very difficult. She woke Azura up at six o'clock in the morning and ordered her to do household chores including washing the clothes. Azura could not refuse as she had promised her father to do everything she could to please her new stepmother.

As she approached her house, Azura could hear the enraged screeches of the woman she feared.

"You are late again!" The stepmother shouted and slapped the child hard across her face.

She leant closer towards the child's face and bellowed, "You walked in the rain, didn't you?" as the second slap struck.

As she held the child by her collar and shook her violently, she screamed, "How dare you make your clothes dirty on purpose?"

"If you fall sick, do you think I have the money to send you to the doctor or buy you medicine? You ungrateful, horrible wretch!" she spat out savagely.

She then ordered Azura out of her sight, and yelled after her, "Don't bother to come down for dinner either!"

Completely dazed, Azura put the money down and stumbled to her room. With tears streaming down her face, she prayed that one day she would be free from this misery.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Azura’s father stood in the doorway. He had heard his wife screaming at Azura. He gave his wife a stern look and went into Azura’s room.

“Tell me one thing. Does she treat you like this every day?” he asked in a kind voice.

Azura nodded, her lips trembling.

Azura’s father hugged her, and she felt that he too was crying.

“Come with me,” he said, and took Azura to the living room, where his wife was still standing.

“I want you to get out of this house right now,” Azura’s father said in a low but firm voice.

“But…but…,” his wife tried desperately to say something that will save her, but she could not say anything.

“I said right now,” Azura’s father said. Sobbing, the stepmother went into her room and packed her clothes. Azura and her father watched as she walked out of the house and into the street.

“I am your mother and father now,” said Azura’s father. Azura smiled up at him. She embraced her father and felt sure that her life was going to be better from then on.

• Which sentence in the story tells the reader that Azura’s father was not aware of the stepmother’s mistreatment of Azura?
• What kind of a person was Azura’s father? Give any two qualities.
• Write down the meanings of the following words as they are used in the text. (The words are italicized in the text.)
  a) wretched
  b) wicked
  c) enraged

Answer Scheme

• ‘Does she treat you like this every day?’
• kind/gentle/just/fair/merciful (any two qualities)
• wretched – poor quality
  wicked – evil
  enraged - angry