Victoria didn't want to go to the zoo with her Uncle Will. She wanted to stay in bed until she felt like getting up.
"Saturday's my day to sleep in," she grumbled when Uncle Will called to invite her.
"But you'll miss out on a great learning experience," he argued, and laughed when she grumbled some more. "Tell you what, Vic; I'll take you to Whoppers for a milkshake and fries afterward."
"What an incentive," Victoria said in an insincere tone. But later, she admitted to herself that Whoppers was something she didn't want to miss.
Now she stood in the gravel driveway that led to the front door of her home. It was going to be hot, so she'd worn a t–shirt and her favorite white shorts. They smelled freshly laundered, and they still felt warm from the dryer. The gravel crunched beneath the tires of Uncle Will's battered truck as he drove down Victoria's driveway. Uncle Will had driven that truck ever since she could remember. He was a successful zookeeper, and he could afford a newer truck, but he didn't want to give up his old Ford. He even called it by name—Carolina, after one of the gorillas at his zoo.
Arriving at the zoo, Uncle Will took Victoria straight to the lion's den. There, lying near their mother, was a pair of sleeping cubs. To Victoria, they looked like overgrown kittens. Their coats were tawny and sleek in the sunshine. In sleep, their furry faces looked so innocent. Their mother bristled with defensive pride every time Uncle Will got close to them. Throughout the day, Victoria saw many animals, but none impressed her like the lioness and her new cubs.
When it was time to go, Victoria was longing for the milkshakes and fries Uncle Will had promised her. Her throat was dry, her feet ached from walking, and her nose was sore from a sunburn. At last, they reached Whoppers. Sitting at the counter in the old–fashioned–style ice cream shop, Victoria took an enormous bite of her creamy vanilla milkshake.
"So," Uncle Will began, around a mouthful of crispy, hot onion rings. "What did you learn from the animals?"
"Learn from them?" Victoria frowned at him. Not only did he expect her to give up her Saturday morning sleep–in, he expected her to learn something from it!
"Yes. Animals teach us things, you know," Uncle Will grinned.
Victoria was quiet, thinking for a moment. Finally, she said, "I liked the lioness best."
"Oh, yes, yes. Good ol' Ruth. She's a great mother."
"That's what I liked about her. She was protective," Victoria explained.
"And what did she teach you?" Uncle Will pressed her.
"About family," Victoria smiled.
7.
Uncle Will and Victoria want to go to the zoo for different reasons. What are these differences?
A.
Uncle Will needs to keep his job as zookeeper, while Victoria wants to go to Whoppers.
B.
Uncle Will loves the animals, while Victoria wants to go to Whoppers.
C.
Uncle Will really loves his niece, while Victoria is thirsty and her feet ache.
D.
Uncle Will is proud of his truck, while Victoria wants to please her uncle.
8.
What is the author's message in the story?
A.
Young people don't usually appreciate lionesses.
B.
Zookeepers think young people should get up early.
C.
We can learn important lessons from watching animals.
D.
Buying new trucks is an important part of a successful life.
9.
What is the theme, or moral, of the story?
A.
Visiting the zoo is a good thing to get up early for.
B.
Family togetherness is important, even in the animal world.
C.
Parents, animal and human, are overly protective.
D.
Lionesses love their cubs when they are asleep.
1 answer
Here are the answers to the questions based on the provided passage:
What are the differences in reasons for Uncle Will and Victoria going to the zoo?B. Uncle Will loves the animals, while Victoria wants to go to Whoppers.
Uncle Will has a genuine interest in the animals and wants to share that with Victoria, while Victoria initially only cares about going to Whoppers after the zoo visit.
What is the author's message in the story?C. We can learn important lessons from watching animals.
The story highlights how Victoria learns about family and protectiveness from observing the lioness with her cubs.
What is the theme, or moral, of the story?B. Family togetherness is important, even in the animal world.
The story reflects on the protective nature of the lioness and how it relates to family values, suggesting that family bonds and protection are important both in animals and humans.
