Grey B
Name: Test 2
Class: Date:
The Bear
Long, long ago, there was a great bear. His home was a dark cave
from which he could look out across the forest. The land gave him roots,
the trees gave him fruit and the river gave him fish, but although he had
all he needed, there was something missing. He was lonely.
1 Look at the sentence beginning: His home was a dark cave …
Which words are closest in meaning to the word ‘dark’? Tick two boxes.
Gloomy Remote Dirty
Distant Murky Large
1
2 What was the bear missing?
1
One morning, the great bear woke up and sniffed. It was time to go to
the river. Once a year, thousands of fish swam up the river to lay their
eggs. There were so many fish that all he needed to do was stand in the
water with his mouth open and wait for fish to jump straight in. He licked
his lips, scratched his back against the huge rock at the entrance to his
cave, and set off for the river.
Halfway to the river, he came across a man. The great bear was careful
around humans, aware that they were the only creatures who might try
to hurt him. So he did what he always did when he wanted something
to go away. He stood tall on his hind legs, looked down at the man and
made the forest shake to the sound of his terrifying roar. The man turned
pale and ran away.
Later that day, as he lay on a rock in the midday sun, his belly full of
delicious fish, the great bear’s peace was disturbed by the sound of
shouting. He looked over to the opposite riverbank and saw two women
arguing. Without hesitation, the great bear splashed into the river, reared
up again and bellowed at the two women. Immediately they stopped
shouting and ran.
It was unusual to see three humans in one day. He was not usually
afraid but, somehow, as he headed back to his cave that evening, he felt
troubled. The feeling turned to rage when he saw the entrance to his
cave. Sitting on his rock, at the entrance to his cave, and munching lazily
on a handful of his berries, was a small, human child.
The great bear drew himself up to
his full, terrifying height and towered
over the child. His roar echoed around
the cave and across the forest so that
creatures near and far ran and hid.
But the human child did not run as
the others had done. She looked up
at the bear, blinked and offered him
some berries.
3 Look at the paragraph beginning: One morning, the great bear woke up
and sniffed.
Why do you think the author tells us that the bear ‘sniffed’?
2
4 Look at the paragraph beginning: One morning, the great bear woke up
and sniffed.
Number the following in the order in which they happened.
The bear scratched his back. The bear licked his lips.
The bear woke up and The bear set off for
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sniffed the air. the river.
5 Why did the bear decide it was a good time to go to the river?
Tick one box.
It was easy to catch fish. He liked to eat fish.
A few fish swam up the river It was early in the
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to lay their eggs. morning.
6 Look at the paragraph beginning: Halfway to the river …
Which words help us to imagine how loud the bear’s roar was?
7 When the bear roars at the man, how can we tell that the man was
afraid? Give two reasons.
8 Look at the paragraph beginning: Later that day …
How do we know that the bear had caught some fish?
1
9 How does the author try to make the bear seem very scary to the
little girl. Find and copy two examples.
3
10 In your own words, write what is surprising about how the little girl
behaves when she sees the bear.
11 Look back over the story. What did the bear think about humans?
Tick two boxes.
He tried to avoid humans. He wanted to kill humans.
He wanted to take food He just wanted humans
from humans. to go away. 1
12 Look at the end of the story and remember what the author told us about
the bear at the beginning of the story.
a) What do you think might happen next? Tick one box.
The bear will run into his cave. The child will run away.
The bear will attack the The bear will make friends
human child. with the human child.
b) Explain your answer. 2
For teacher use
Your mark out of 15
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