Name____________________________________                             Date_______________________
           The Old Man and His Grandson
Reading Comprehension Worksheet           

Directions:  Read the passage below carefully. When you have finished reading it completely, answer the questions that follow.

The Old Man and His Grandson - by Brothers Grimm - from Grimm's Fairy Tales 
 
There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full of tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only sighed. Then they brought him a wooden bowl for a few half-pence, out of which he had to eat. 

They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years old began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. 'What are you doing there?' asked the father. 'I am making a little trough,' answered the child, 'for father and mother to eat out of when I am big.' 

The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry. Then they took the old grandfather to the table, and henceforth always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if he did spill a little of anything.

Questions:

1)   What is the tone of this selection?

2)   What is the setting of this passage?

3)   What seems to be the author's intent for writing this selection?

4)   What is the Main Idea of this passage?

5>  Which health problem was NOT mentioned in the fairy tale?  A.  poor vision   B.  bad hearing  C. weak limbs  D.  terrible migraines

6>  Which action caused the son to move the old grandfather to sit in the corner behind the stove?

7>  Which action caused them to exchange a wooden bowl for the earthenware bowl?

8>  What action caused them to reconsider their treatment of the old man?

9>  How did they treat the old man in the end?