Week 1: The lighthouse
Words: reluctant (not wanting to do something); glimmer (a faint, wavering light); sturdy (strong and solidly made); anxious (worried and uneasy); persevere (keep trying even when it is hard).
Mira had never been out on the rocks after dark, and she was reluctant to leave the warm kitchen. Her grandfather was already pulling on his oilskin coat. “The lamp at the top of the lighthouse has gone out,” he said. “Ships will be looking for it tonight.”
Outside, the wind shoved at them like an impatient crowd. Mira held the rail of the stone steps, which were slippery with spray. Far out at sea, she could see a faint glimmer of light that rose and fell with the waves. “That’s a fishing boat,” Grandad said. “They need us.”
Inside the tower, the spiral staircase seemed endless. Mira’s legs ached by the hundredth step, but she did not stop. At the top, Grandad opened a sturdy wooden box and lifted out a new bulb. His hands shook with cold, so Mira fitted it into the lamp herself.
For a moment, nothing happened. Mira felt anxious, her heart thumping. Then the great lens began to turn, and a beam swept across the water. Down below, the little boat changed course towards the harbour.
“You persevered,” said Grandad, smiling. “That’s what keeps a light burning.”
1. Why did Mira fit the new bulb into the lamp herself?
A. Grandad could not reach the lamp. B. Grandad’s hands were shaking with cold. C. Mira wanted to show she was brave. D. The bulb was too heavy for Grandad.
Answer: B. The passage says “His hands shook with cold, so Mira fitted it into the lamp herself.” The word “so” tells you the reason.
2. What does the boat changing course towards the harbour tell you?
A. The storm had stopped and the sea was calm. B. Grandad had phoned the crew to warn them. C. The crew could now see the lighthouse beam. D. The boat had run out of fuel and was drifting.
Answer: C. The beam sweeps across the water and straight away the boat turns for the harbour. Grandad said ships would be looking for the light, so the crew can now see it and steer by it. Nothing says the storm stopped.
3. The rope bridge looked old, but it was ___ enough to hold all three of us.
A. anxious B. reluctant C. sturdy D. glimmer
Answer: C. Something that can hold three people must be strong: sturdy.