A House is not a Home - Reading Comprehension

AP / NCERT Board-Based Reading Comprehension Passages Grade 9 Supplementary Reader Moments

Chapter 7 A House is not a Home

Reading Comprehension 1

MY first year of high school felt awkward. After leaving junior high at the head of my class with all the seniority the upper grade levels could afford me, it felt strange starting over as a freshman. The school was twice as big as my old school, and to make matters worse, my closest friends were sent to a different high school. I felt very isolated.

I missed my old teachers so much that I would go back and visit them. They would encourage me to get involved in school activities so that I could meet new people. They told me that in time I would adjust and probably end up loving my new school more than I had my old one. They made me promise that when that happened I would still come by and visit them from time to time. I understood the psychology in what they were saying, but I took some comfort in it nonetheless.

1. How did the narrator feel about starting high school?

a) Excited and confident

b) Nervous and awkward

c) Indifferent and uninterested

d) Sad and isolated

2. What was the size of the new school compared to the old one?

a) Twice as small

b) Twice as big

c) About the same size

d) Three times bigger

3. Why did the narrator visit their old teachers?

a) To get extra help with their studies

b) To complain about the new school

c) To seek advice on making new friends

d) To express how much they missed them

4. What did the old teachers encourage the narrator to do?

a) Transfer back to their old school

b) Focus only on academics and studies

c) Get involved in school activities to meet new people

d) Ignore their new school and friends

Answer: c) Get involved in school activities to meet new people

5. What did the old teachers predict would happen in time?

a) The narrator would become a senior class leader.

b) The narrator would dislike the new school even more.

c) The narrator would adjust and love the new school.

d) The narrator would transfer to a different high school.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 2

One Sunday afternoon, not long after I had started high school, I was sitting at home at our dining-room table doing homework. It was a cold and windy fall day, and we had a fire going in our fireplace. As usual, my red tabby cat was lying on top of all my papers, purring loudly and occasionally swatting at my pen for entertainment’s sake.

She was never far from me. I had rescued her when she was a kitten, and somehow she knew that I was the one responsible for giving her ‘the good life’.

My mother kept stoking the fire to keep the house nice and warm. Suddenly, I smelled something strange, and then I noticed it... smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The smoke began to fill the room so quickly that we could barely see. Groping our way to the front door, we all ran out into the front yard. By the time we made our way outside, the whole roof was engulfed in flames and it was spreading quickly. I ran to the neighbours to call the fire department, while I watched my mother run back into the house.

1. Where was the narrator when they smelled smoke?

a) At their friend's house

b) In their bedroom

c) In the dining-room doing homework

d) Playing in the front yard

2. What was the weather like on the Sunday afternoon?

a) Sunny and warm

b) Cold and windy

c) Rainy and gloomy

d) Snowy and icy

3. What was the narrator's red tabby cat doing while they were doing homework?

a) Sleeping in another room

b) Playing outside

c) Swatting at the narrator's pen

d) Hiding from the fire

4. How did the narrator feel about the red tabby cat?

a) They were indifferent towards it

b) They were annoyed by it

c) They were afraid of it

d) They felt responsible for its well-being

5. What did the narrator's mother do when she noticed the smoke?

a) She ran outside to call the fire department

b) She ran back into the house

c) She started stoking the fire in the fireplace

d) She grabbed the cat and ran outside

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 3

My mother then ran out of the house carrying a small metal box full of important documents. She dropped the case on the and, in a crazed state, ran back into the house. I knew what she was after. My father had died when I was young, and I was certain that she was not going to let his pictures and letters go up in flames. They were the only things that she had to remember him by. Still I screamed at her, “Mom! No!”

I was about to run after her when I felt a large hand hold me back. It was a fireman. I hadn’t even noticed that the street had already filled with fire trucks. I was trying to free myself from his grasp, yelling, “You don’t understand, my mother’s in there!”

He held on to me while other firefighters ran into the house. He knew that I wasn’t acting very logically and that if he were to let go, I’d run. He was right.

“It’s all right, they’ll get her,” he said.

1. What did the mother carry out of the house?

a). A small metal box with toys

b). A large wooden chest

c) A small metal box with important documents

d). A bag of groceries

2. Why did the narrator's mother run back into the house?

a). To save family photos and letters

b). To get more belongings

c). To call for help

d). To escape the fire

3. Why was the narrator screaming at their mother?

a). She forgot something important

b). She was acting crazed

c). She left the metal box outside

d). She was running away from the fire

4. Who held the narrator back when they tried to run after their mother?

a). Another family member

b). A neighbor

c). A firefighter

d). A police officer

5. State True or False:

The narrator's father is still alive.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 4

He wrapped a blanket around me and sat me down in our car. Soon after that, a fireman emerged from our house with my mom in tow. He quickly took her over to the truck and put an oxygen mask on her. I ran over and hugged her. All those times I ever argued with her and hated her vanished at the thought of losing her.

“She’s going to be okay,” said the fireman. “She just inhaled a little smoke.” And then he ran back to fight the fire while my mother and I sat there dazed. I remember watching my house burn down and thinking that there was nothing I could do about it.

1. What did the fireman do after rescuing the narrator's mother from the house?

a) He hugged the narrator and comforted them.

b) He put an oxygen mask on the narrator.

c) He ran back to fight the fire.

d) He wrapped a blanket around the narrator.

2. How did the narrator feel when they hugged their mother after the rescue?

a) Angry and upset

b) Dazed and confused

c) Relieved and grateful

d) Nervous and scared

3. What did the fireman say about the narrator's mother's condition?

a) She had suffered severe injuries.

b) She was unharmed and perfectly fine.

c) She had inhaled some smoke but would be okay.

d) She needed to be taken to the hospital immediately.

4. How did the narrator feel while watching their house burn down?

a) They felt helpless and powerless.

b) They felt angry and frustrated.

c) They felt indifferent and apathetic.

d) They felt a sense of relief.

5. Where did the narrator and their mother sit after the rescue?

a) In the fireman's truck

b) Inside the burning house

c) On the street curb

d) In their car

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 5

Five hours later, the fire was finally out. Our house was almost completely burned down. But then it struck me ...I hadn’t seen my cat. Where was my cat? Much to my horror, I realised that she was nowhere to be found. Then all at once it hit me — the new school, the fire, my cat — I broke down in tears and cried and cried. I was suffering loss, big time.

The firemen wouldn’t let us go back into the house that night. It was still too dangerous. Dead or alive, I couldn’t imagine leaving without knowing about my cat. Regardless, I had to go. We piled into the car with just the clothes on our backs and a few of the firemen’s blankets, and made our way to my grandparents’ house to spend the night.

1. What caused the narrator to break down in tears after the fire was out?

a) The loss of their house

b) The realization that their cat was missing

c) The thought of going to a new school

d) The feeling of being overwhelmed

2. Why couldn't the narrator and their family go back into the house that night?

a) The house was still on fire.

b) The firemen didn't allow them to enter.

c) It was too dangerous due to the fire damage.

d) The narrator's grandparents didn't allow them to return.

3. Where did the narrator and their family go to spend the night after the fire?

a) To a hotel

b) To their grandparents' house

c) To a friend's house

d) To a shelter

4. What belongings did the narrator and their family have with them after the fire?

a) Only the clothes on their backs and some firemen's blankets

b) All their furniture and possessions

c) Only their important documents and photographs

d) Some clothes and their cat's belongings

5. How long did it take to put out the fire?

a) One hour

b) Two hours

c) Three hours

d) Five hours

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 6

The next day, Monday, I went to school. When the fire broke out, I was still wearing the dress I had worn to church that morning but I had no shoes! I had kicked them off when I was doing my homework. They became yet another casualty of the fire. So I had to borrow some tennis shoes from my aunt. Why couldn’t I just stay home from school? My mother wouldn’t hear of it, but I was totally embarrassed by everything. The clothes I was wearing looked weird, I had no books or homework, and my backpack was gone. I had my life in that backpack! The more I tried to fit in, the worse it got. Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life? That’s what it felt like. I didn’t want to grow up, change or have to handle life if it was going to be this way. I just wanted to curl up and die.

I walked around school like a zombie. Everything felt surreal, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. All the security I had known, from my old school, my friends, my house and my cat had all been ripped away.

1. Why did the narrator have to borrow tennis shoes from their aunt for school?

a) They lost their shoes in the fire.

b) Their aunt insisted they wear tennis shoes.

c) They wanted to try a new style.

d) Their shoes were worn out.

2. Why did the narrator feel embarrassed at school?

a) They didn't like the tennis shoes they borrowed.

b) They had to wear clothes that looked weird after the fire.

c) They couldn't find their backpack and books.

d) They were late for school that day.

3. Why didn't the narrator want to stay home from school after the fire?

a) They loved going to school.

b) Their mother insisted they go to school.

c) They didn't want to miss out on their studies.

d) They wanted to avoid embarrassment.

4. How did the narrator feel about their current situation after the fire?

a) Optimistic and hopeful

b) Angry and resentful

c) Content and satisfied

d) Sad and overwhelmed

5. What happened to the narrator's backpack after the fire?

a) It was found at school.

b) It was destroyed in the fire.

c) Their aunt borrowed it.

d) It was left at their old school.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 7

When I walked through what used to be my house after school that day, I was shocked to see how much damage there was — whatever hadn’t burned was destroyed by the water and chemicals they had used to put out the fire. The only material things not destroyed were the photo albums, documents and some other personal items that my mother had managed to heroically rescue. But my cat was gone and my heart ached for her.

There was no time to grieve. My mother rushed me out of the house. We would have to find a place to live, and I would have to go buy some clothes for school.

We had to borrow money from my grandparents because there were no credit cards, cash or even any identification to be able to withdraw money from the bank. Everything had gone up in smoke.

1. What remained undamaged in the narrator's house after the fire?

a) Photo albums, documents, and personal items

b) Furniture and household appliances

c) Clothes and shoes

d) Electronic devices and gadgets

2. Why did the narrator's mother rush them out of the house after school?

a) They needed to find a place to live.

b) They had to buy some clothes for school.

c) The house was no longer safe to stay in.

d) They had to visit the grandparents.

3. What did the narrator have to do after leaving their house?

a) Borrow money from their grandparents.

b) Go shopping for school supplies.

c) Look for their lost cat.

d) Call the insurance company.

4. How did the narrator feel about their lost cat?

a) Relieved

b) Indifferent

c) Heartbroken

d) Angry

5. What happened to the items in the house that hadn't burned?

a) They were stolen.

b) They were damaged by water and chemicals.

c) They were taken to a storage facility.

d) They were moved to the grandparents' house.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 8

That week the rubble that used to be our house was being cleared off the lot. Even though we had rented an apartment nearby, I would go over to watch them clear away debris, hoping that my cat was somewhere to be found. She was gone. I kept thinking about her as that vulnerable little kitten. In the early morning when I would disturb her and get out of bed, she would tag along after me, climb up my robe and crawl into my pocket to fall asleep. I was missing her terribly.

It always seems that bad news spreads quickly, and in my case it was no different. Everyone in high school, including the teachers, was aware of my plight. I was embarrassed as if somehow I were responsible. What a way to start off at a new school! This was not the kind of attention I was looking for.

1. Why did the narrator visit the site where their house used to be?

a) To watch the debris being cleared away

b) To search for their missing cat

c) To meet the teachers from their old school

d) To see if their friends were there

2. What was the narrator hoping to find while watching the debris being cleared?

a) Their old toys and belongings

b) Some valuable items that survived the fire

c) Their cat that was missing after the fire

d) Their old photographs and albums

3. How did the narrator feel about the attention they received at the new school?

a) Grateful and happy

b) Proud and excited

c) Embarrassed and uncomfortable

d) Indifferent and unbothered

4. What did the cat used to do in the early mornings?

a) Play with the narrator's robe

b) Follow the narrator around

c) Sleep in the narrator's pocket

d) Climb up the bed

5. Why did the narrator feel vulnerable at the new school?

a) They were starting over as a freshman

b) Their closest friends were in a different school

c) They missed their old teachers

d) They had lost their cat

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 9

The next day at school, people were acting even more strange than usual. I was getting ready for gym class at my locker. People were milling around me, asking me to hurry up. I thought it strange, but in the light of the past few weeks, nothing would surprise me. It almost seemed that they were trying to shove me into the gym — then I saw why. There was a big table set up with all kinds of stuff on it, just for me. They had taken up a collection and bought me school supplies, notebooks, all kinds of different clothes — jeans, tops, sweatsuits. It was like Christmas. I was overcome by emotion. People who had never spoken to me before were coming up to me to introduce themselves. I got all kinds of invitations to their houses. Their genuine outpouring of concern really touched me. In that instant, I finally breathed a sigh of relief and thought for the first time that things were going to be okay. I made friends that day.

1. Why were people acting strange around the narrator at school?

a) They were annoyed with the narrator for taking too long at their locker.

b) They were trying to ignore the narrator after the recent tragedy.

c) They were planning a surprise for the narrator.

d) They were gossiping about the narrator's situation.

2. What was set up on a big table for the narrator at school?

a) A collection of school books

b) Christmas decorations

c) Gym equipment

d) School supplies and clothes

3. How did the narrator feel about the surprise from their classmates?

a) Annoyed and overwhelmed

b) Indifferent and ungrateful

c) Touched and relieved

d) Embarrassed and uncomfortable

4. What happened to the narrator's school supplies and backpack in the fire?

a) They were destroyed in the fire.

b) They were safely stored at their grandparents' house.

c) The narrator lost them at school.

d) They were stolen by their classmates.

5. How did the surprise from their classmates impact the narrator's social life at school?

a) The narrator became more isolated and withdrawn.

b) The narrator made new friends and felt welcomed.

c) The narrator ignored the gestures and stayed aloof.

d) The narrator rejected the gifts and invitations.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 10

A month later, I was at my house watching them rebuild it. But this time it was different — I wasn’t alone. I was with two of my new friends from school. It took a fire for me to stop focusing on my feelings of insecurity and open up to all the wonderful people around me. Now I was sitting there watching my house being rebuilt when I realised my life was doing the same thing.

While we sat there on the curb, planning my new bedroom, I heard someone walk up to me from behind and say, “Does this belong to you?” When I turned around to see who it was, I couldn’t believe my eyes. A woman was standing there holding my cat! I leapt up and grabbed her out of the woman’s arms. I held her close to me and cried into that beautiful orange fur. She purred happily. My friends were hugging me, hugging the cat and jumping around.

1. What made the narrator stop focusing on their feelings of insecurity?

a) Rebuilding their house

b) Meeting new friends from school

c) Finding their lost cat

d) Getting support from the fire department

2. Where was the narrator when they were reunited with their cat?

a) At the fire department

b) Inside their old house

c) On the school grounds

d) Sitting on the curb

3. How did the narrator react when they saw their cat with the woman?

a) They ignored the cat and walked away.

b) They hugged the cat and cried into its fur.

c) They scolded the woman for holding the cat.

d) They asked the woman to take the cat away.

4. What did the woman ask the narrator about the cat?

a) If the cat belonged to the narrator

b) If the cat was lost during the fire

c) If the cat had a name

d) If the cat was injured

5. How did the narrator's friends react to the reunion with the cat?

a) They became jealous and ignored the cat.

b) They laughed and made fun of the situation.

c) They hugged the cat and jumped around with happiness.

d) They were scared of the cat and ran away.

Button with CSS

Reading Comprehension 11

Apparently, my cat had been so freaked by the fire that she ran over a mile away. Her collar had our phone number on it, but our phones had been destroyed and disconnected. This wonderful woman took her in and worked hard to find out whose cat it was. Somehow, she knew this cat was loved and sorely missed.

As I sat there with my friends and my cat curled up in my lap, all the overwhelming feelings of loss and tragedy seemed to diminish. I felt gratitude for my life, my new friends, the kindness of a stranger and the loud purr of my beloved cat. My cat was back and so was I.

1. What prevented the narrator from being reunited with their cat sooner after the fire?

a) The cat was hiding and couldn't be found.

b) The cat had lost its collar with the phone number.

c) The phones with the contact number were destroyed.

d) The cat was too scared to come back home.

2. How far away was the cat found from the narrator's house?

a) One block away

b) A few houses down the street

c) Over a mile away

d) In the next neighborhood

3. What did the wonderful woman who found the cat do to locate its owner?

a) She posted pictures of the cat around the neighborhood.

b) She asked people nearby if they recognized the cat.

c) She took the cat to a local animal shelter.

d) She worked hard to find out whose cat it was.

4. How did the narrator feel when they were reunited with their cat and friends?

a) Overwhelmed by sadness and tragedy

b) Scared and uncertain about the future

c) Grateful and happy for their life and friends

d) Angry at the person who found the cat

5. What was the narrator's main emotion when they got their cat back?

a) Fear

b) Gratitude

c) Regret

d) Sadness

Button with CSS