The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark Reading Comprehension ......“I’m terribly sorry,” said the young lady. “And I’m not a darling. I’m a barn owl.” Extract from ÔDark

Name: _________________________ Date: __________________

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The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3A

Read Extract 3A and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

Where was the Father Christmas lady standing when Plop first saw her? ___________

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Why did Plop think the young lady was Father Christmas? _______________________

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What did Plop forget to do before he fell off his branch? ________________________

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What kind of voice did the Father Christmas lady have? _________________________

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What did the Father Christmas lady say that Plop was when she first saw him? _____

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Why do you think that Plop was cross when he realised the lady wasn’t Father

Christmas? _________________________________________________________________

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Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3B

Read Extract 3B and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

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Where was the Father Christmas

lady standing when Plop first

saw her?

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What did Plop forget to do

before he fell off his branch and

why?

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Why do you think Plop was cross when he found

out the young lady wasn’t Father Christmas?

Why did the lady want to draw a

picture of Plop in her Nature Sketch

Book?

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Why did the lady always carry her

sketch book around with her?

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How did Plop feel about having the

lady draw a picture of him?

How do you know?

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Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3C

Read Extract 3C and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

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Why did the little girl think Plop

was a woolly ball when he first

landed?

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Why did the little girl think that Plop

wasn’t a proper owl?

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Why do you think Plop got cross

with the little girl?

Why do you think Plop was so

confused about the girl’s pony-tail?

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Why do you think the little girl was surprised when Plop asked her if

she liked the dark?

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What reasons did the little girl give for saying that

dark is necessary?

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The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Extract 3A

Plop peered down through the leaves. Standing a little way away from the tree was someone wearing shiny black boots,

a bright red fur coat with a matching hat, and what looked like a white beard. “That’s not a young lady!” shrieked Plop. “That’s Father Christmas!” And he fell off his branch in such a hurry that he forgot either to shut his eyes or

to take a deep breath. He landed quite well considering, but lost his balance at the last minute and

toppled forward on his face. A gentle hand picked him up and set him right way up again. “Oh, you poor darling,” said a sweet young voice. “Are you alright?” Plop looked up quickly. That voice didn’t sound right. It wasn’t a white beard. It was long blonde hair. “You’re not Father Christmas at all,” he said crossly. “And I came down

specially.” “I’m terribly sorry,” said the young lady. “And I’m not a darling. I’m a barn owl.”

Extract from ‘Dark is fascinating’ The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson





specially.” “I’m terribly sorry,” said the young lady. “And I’m not a darling. I’m a barn owl.”



The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Extract 3B





specially.” “I’m terribly sorry,” said the young lady. “And I’m not a darling. I’m a barn owl.” “I tell you what,” the Father Christmas Lady said. “May I draw a picture of you in

my Nature Sketch Book? I haven’t got a barn owl in it.” “Me?” said Plop. “You mean, really me?” “Yes, please. Perhaps you could pose on that low branch for me.” Plop fluttered up to the branch and stood stiffly to attention. The Father

Christmas Lady sat on a log and began to draw. “I always carry my sketch book about with me in case I see something

interesting,” she said. The interesting barn owl drew himself up proudly like a soldier in a sentry box. But not for long. The young lady looked up from her drawing to find that her

barn owl had completely disappeared. “Can I see?” said a small voice down by her boot. Plop was jiggling up and

down trying to see what was on the pad. “There’s not much to see yet,” she said, “but alright – you can look.”



The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Extract 3C

His landing was a little better than usual. He bounced three times and rolled gently towards the little girl’s feet.

“Oh! A woolly ball!” cried the little girl. “Actually I’m a barn owl,” said the woolly ball. “An owl? Are you sure? she said, putting out a grubby finger and

prodding Plop’s round fluffy tummy. “Quite sure,” said Plop, backing away and drawing himself up tall. “Well, there’s no need to be huffy,” said the little girl. “You bounced. You

must expect to be mistaken for a ball if you will go bouncing about the place. I’ve never met an owl before. Do you say ‘Tu-whit-a-woo’?”

“No,” said Plop. “That’s Tawny Owls.” “Oh, you can’t be a proper owl then,” said the little girl. “Proper owls say

‘Tu-whit-a-woo’!” “I am a proper owl,” said Plop, getting very cross. “I am a barn owl, and

barn owls go Eeeek like that.” “Oh, don’t do that,” said the little girl, putting her hands over her ears. “Well, you shouldn’t have made me cross,” said Plop. “Anyway – you can’t

be a proper girl.” “What did you say?” said the little girl, taking her hands off her ears. “I said you’re not a proper girl. Girls don’t have tails. Squirrels have tails,

rabbits have tails, mice…” “This is a pony-tail,” said the little girl. “It’s the longest one in the class,”

she added proudly. “But why do you want to look like a pony?” “Because – oh, because it’s the fashion,” said the little girl. “Don’t you

know anything?” “Not much,” agreed Plop. “Mummy says that that is why I am afraid of the

dark – because I don’t know anything about it. Do you like the dark?” The little girl looked at Plop in surprise. “Well, of course I do,” she said.

“There has to be dark. DARK IS NECESSARY.”


Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3D

Choose five Answer Cards that have a full-sentence answer to a comprehension question. Write what the question might be for each one.

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Stick the Answer Card here

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Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3D

Choose eight Answer Cards that have a full-sentence answer to a comprehension question. Write what the question might be for each one.

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___________________________________Stick the Answer Card here

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The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Answer Cards 3A

Plop woke his mother up by jumping up and down with delight when he scared the squirrels below.

Plop knew that his father wasn’t asleep even though his eyes were closed because he spoke to Plop

and told him to go away.

The little girl thought Plop was a woolly ball because he bounced

three times and rolled towards her when he landed.

Plop thought the young lady was Father Christmas because she was wearing black boots, a red fur coat

and hat, and her blonde hair looked like a beard.

The little girl thought that Plop wasn’t a proper owl because he

didn’t say ‘Tu-wit-a-woo’.

The lady wanted to draw a picture of Plop in her Nature Sketch Book

because she didn’t have a barn owl in it.

The little girl said that dark is necessary because without it Father Christmas wouldn’t come and there would be no toys in her stocking on

Christmas Day.

The lady showed Plop sketches of badgers, bats and hedgehogs in the

back of her sketch book.

I think the little girl gave Plop one of her socks because she felt bad that Plop didn’t have a stocking to

hang up for Father Christmas.

Plop found it difficult to be like a bat because he couldn’t get himself

to hang upside down off the branch.


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Answer Cards 3B

Plop made snoring noises outside the nest hole because he was hungry and wanted

his parents to get him more food.

Plop knew that his father wasn’t asleep even though his eyes were closed

because he spoke to Plop and told him to go away.

Plop woke his mother up by jumping up and down with delight when he scared the

squirrels below.

Plop thought the young lady was Father Christmas because she was wearing black

boots, a red fur coat and hat, and her blonde hair looked like a beard.

The little girl thought Plop was a woolly ball because he bounced three times and

rolled towards her when he landed.

The lady wanted to draw a picture of Plop in her Nature Sketch Book because she

didn’t have a barn owl in it.

I think Plop was confused about the girl’s pony-tail because he didn’t understand

that it wasn’t an animal’s tail but the name for a hair style.

The lady said that dark is fascinating because of all the nocturnal animals that

come out at night.

The little girl thought that Plop wasn’t a proper owl because he didn’t say ‘Tu-wit-

a-woo’.

The lady showed Plop sketches of badgers, bats and hedgehogs in the back

of her sketch book.

The little girl said that dark is necessary because without it Father Christmas

wouldn’t come and there would be no toys in her stocking on Christmas Day.

Plop found it difficult to be like a bat because he couldn’t get himself to hang

upside down off the branch.

I think the little girl gave Plop one of her socks because she felt bad that Plop didn’t have a stocking to hang up for

Father Christmas.

I think Plop was impatient to see the sketch of himself because no one had ever drawn his picture before and he

didn’t know what he looked like.

I know that Plop was really pleased with the sock the girl gave him because he was

so excited to go and hang it up.

I know that Plop was scared of the rustling noise the hedgehog made because he ran towards the lady and tried to bury himself

in her coat.

Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3A ANSWERS

Read Extract 3A and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

Where was the Father Christmas lady standing when Plop first saw her? The Father

Christmas lady was standing a little way away from the tree when Plop first saw

her.

Why did Plop think the young lady was Father Christmas? Plop thought the young

lady was Father Christmas because she was dressed like him. She had shiny

black boots, a bright red fur coat with a matching hat and what looked like a

white beard.

What did Plop forget to do before he fell off his branch? Plop forgot to shut his

eyes or take a deep breath before he fell off his branch.

What kind of voice did the Father Christmas lady have? The Father Christmas lady

had a sweet young voice.

What did the Father Christmas lady say that Plop was when she first saw him? The

Father Christmas lady said that Plop was a poor darling when she first saw him.

Why do you think that Plop was cross when he realised the lady wasn’t Father

Christmas? e.g. I think Plop was cross when he realised the lady wasn’t Father

Christmas because he was disappointed and because he had come down

especially to see him.

Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3B ANSWERS

Read Extract 3B and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

The Father Christmas lady was standing a little way away

from the tree when Plop first saw her.

Where was the Father Christmas

lady standing when Plop first

saw her?

Plop forgot to shut his eyes or take a deep breath before he

fell off his branch.

What did Plop forget to do

before he fell off his branch and

why?

e.g. I think Plop was cross when he realised the lady wasn’t

Father Christmas because he was disappointed and because

he had come down especially to see him.

Why do you think Plop was cross when he found

out the young lady wasn’t Father Christmas?

Why did the lady want to draw a

picture of Plop in her Nature Sketch

Book?

The lady wanted to draw a picture of Plop in her Nature

Sketch Book because she didn’t have a picture of a barn owl

in it.

Why did the lady always carry her

sketch book around with her?

The lady always carried her sketch book around with her in

case she saw something interesting.

How did Plop feel about having the

lady draw a picture of him?

How do you know?

e.g. I think Plop was excited to have his picture drawn

because he couldn’t believe the lady wanted to draw him, he

drew himself up proudly when she said he was interesting and

he kept getting down from the branch to see if she was

finished yet.

Name: _________________________ Date: __________________


The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark: Reading Comprehension Worksheet 3C ANSWERS

Read Extract 3C and answer these questions. Make sure you answer them in full sentences.

The little girl thought that Plop was a woolly ball when he

first landed because he bounced three times and rolled

towards her, and because Plop is fluffy like wool.

Why did the little girl think Plop

was a woolly ball when he first

landed?

The little girl didn’t think that Plop was a proper owl because

he didn’t say ‘Tu-wit-a-woo.” Why did the little girl think that Plop

wasn’t a proper owl?

e.g. I think Plop got cross with the little girl because she

didn’t believe that he was a proper owl. Why do you think Plop got cross

with the little girl?

Why do you think Plop was so

confused about the girl’s pony tail?

e.g. I think that Plop was confused about the girl’s pony tail

because he thought that only animals had tails. He didn’t

understand that the term ‘pony tail’ was just what her hair

style was called.

Why do you think the little girl was surprised when Plop asked her if

she liked the dark?

e.g. I think the little girl was surprised when Plop asked her if

she liked the dark because she knew how important and

necessary the dark is.

What reasons did the little girl give for saying that

dark is necessary?

The little girl said that dark is necessary because without it

Father Christmas wouldn’t come and fill her stockings with

presents on Christmas Day.

Documents

The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark Reading Comprehension ......“I’m terribly sorry,” said the young lady. “And I’m not a darling. I’m a barn owl.” Extract from ÔDark