The Last Leaf - Reading Comprehension

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

Chapter 6 The Last Leaf

Reading Comprehension 1

SUE and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat. The flat was on the third storey of an old house.

Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. She had pneumonia. She would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. Sue, her friend, became very worried. She sent for the doctor. Although he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition.

One day the doctor took Sue aside and asked her, ”Is anything worrying Johnsy?”

“No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?”

The doctor said “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live, medicines will not help her.”

1. What is Johnsy's condition in the story?

A) Fever

B) Pneumonia

C) Flu

D) Headache

2. Where is the flat that Sue and Johnsy share located?

A) Ground floor

B) Second storey

C) Third storey

D) Fifth storey

3. What does Johnsy spend her time doing while she is ill?

A) Reading books

B) Painting

C) Staring out of the window

D) Watching TV

4. Who becomes worried about Johnsy's condition?

A) The doctor

B) Sue

C) Both A and B

D) Johnsy's family

5. What does the doctor tell Sue about Johnsy's mindset?

A) Johnsy is happy and optimistic

B) Johnsy believes she won't recover

C) Johnsy is indifferent about her health

D) Johnsy is eager to try new treatments

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Reading Comprehension 2

Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not respond. Johnsy continued to lie still on her bed. Sue brought her drawing-board into Johnsy’s room and started painting. To take Johnsy’s mind off her illness, she whistled while working.

Suddenly Sue heard Johnsy whisper something. She quickly rushed to the bed and heard Johnsy counting backwards. She was looking out of the window and was saying, “Twelve!” After sometime she whispered “eleven”, then “ten”, then “nine”, “eight”, “seven”. Sue anxiously looked out of the window. She saw an old ivy creeper climbing half-way up the brick wall opposite their window. In the strong wind outside, the creeper was shedding its leaves.

“What is it, dear?” Sue asked.

“Six,” whispered Johnsy. “They are falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred leaves. There are only five left now.”

1. What does Sue do to divert Johnsy's attention from her illness?

A) Talks about clothes and fashions

B) Brings a drawing-board and starts painting

C) Plays music loudly

D) Both A and B

2. How does Sue try to take Johnsy's mind off her illness while painting?

A) She sings loudly

B) She whistles while working

C) She talks about upcoming events

D) She brings in a television

3. What does Johnsy start doing while lying in bed?

A) Reading books

B) Counting leaves

C) Painting

D) Sleeping

4. What does Johnsy notice about the ivy creeper outside the window?

A) It is growing rapidly

B) It is losing its leaves in the wind

C) It is flowering beautifully

D) It is withering due to lack of water

5. How many leaves does Johnsy mention were on the ivy creeper three days ago?

A) Fifty

B) A hundred

C) Twenty-five

D) Ten

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Reading Comprehension 3

“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”

“When the last leaf falls, I will die,” said Johnsy with finality. “I have known this for the last three days.”

“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? The doctor is confident that you will get better.”

Johnsy did not say anything. Sue went and brought her a bowl of soup.

“I don’t want any soup,” said Johnsy. “I am not hungry… Now there are only four leaves left. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I will sleep forever.”

Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. I can’t draw the curtain for I need the light. I want to finish the painting and get some money for us. Please, my dear friend,” she begged Johnsy, “promise not to look out of the window while I paint.”

1. What is Johnsy's belief about her life and the falling leaves?

A) She will live forever

B) She will die when the last leaf falls

C) She will die if she doesn't eat soup

D) She will get better with the doctor's medicine

2. How does Sue respond to Johnsy's belief about the falling leaves?

A) She agrees with Johnsy

B) She dismisses it as nonsense

C) She starts counting the leaves herself

D) She brings more leaves into the room

3. What does Sue want to do while talking to Johnsy about the last leaf?

A) Finish a painting

B) Eat a bowl of soup

C) Draw the curtains

D) Leave the room

4. How many leaves are left at the moment Johnsy is talking to Sue?

A) Three

B) Four

C) Five

D) Six

5. Why does Sue want Johnsy not to look out of the window while she paints?

A) Sue wants Johnsy to eat her soup

B) Sue needs the light to finish the painting

C) Sue is afraid of the falling leaves

D) Sue wants Johnsy to take a nap

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Reading Comprehension 4

“All right,” said Johnsy. “Finish your painting soon for I want to see the last leaf fall. I’m tired of waiting. I have to die, so let me go away peacefully like one of those poor, tired leaves.”

“Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I have to paint an old miner. I will call Behrman up to be my model.”

Sue rushed down. Behrman lived on the ground floor.

He was a sixty-year-old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece but that had remained a dream. Sue poured out her worries to Behrman. She told him how Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.

“Is she stupid?” asked Behrman. “How can she be so foolish?”

“She is running a high temperature," complained Sue. “She refuses to eat or drink and that worries me a lot.”

“I will come with you and see Johnsy,” Behrman said.

They tiptoed into the room. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue drew the curtains together and they went to the next room. She peeped out through the window. There was only one leaf on the creeper. It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though the leaf would fall any minute now. Behrman did not say a word. He went back to his room.

1. What is Johnsy's request to Sue regarding the painting?

A) She asks Sue not to finish the painting

B) She wants Sue to paint faster

C) She insists on seeing the last leaf fall

D) She requests Sue to paint a specific scene

2. What does Sue plan to paint, and who does she ask to be her model?

A) A landscape; Johnsy

B) An old miner; Behrman

C) A portrait; the doctor

D) A still life; herself

3. What is Behrman's lifelong dream, as mentioned in the passage?

A) To become a famous singer

B) To paint a masterpiece

C) To travel the world

D) To write a bestselling book

4. Why does Sue seek Behrman's help?

A) To fix the window

B) To bring medicine

C) To convince Johnsy to eat

D) To provide emotional support

5. What is the condition of the last leaf on the creeper when Sue and Behrman look out of the window?

A) It has fallen

B) It is green and healthy

C) It is withering due to the cold wind

D) It is surrounded by other leaves

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Reading Comprehension 5

Johnsy woke up next morning. In a feeble voice she asked Sue to draw the curtains. Sue was nervous. She drew back the curtains very reluctantly.

“Oh!” Sue exclaimed as she looked at the vine creeper. “Look, there is still one leaf on the creeper. It looks quite green and healthy. In spite of the storm and the fierce winds, it didn’t fall.”

“I heard the wind last night,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would have fallen. It will surely fall today. Then I’ll die.”

“You won’t die,” said Sue energetically. “You have to live for your friends. What would happen to me if you die?”

Johnsy smiled weakly and closed her eyes. After every hour or so she would look out of the window and find the leaf still there. It seemed to be clinging to the creeper.

1. What does Johnsy ask Sue to do when she wakes up?

A) Bring her breakfast

B) Draw the curtains

C) Paint a picture

D) Call the doctor

2. How does Sue feel about drawing back the curtains?

A) Relieved

B) Excited

C) Nervous

D) Happy

3. What does Sue notice about the last leaf on the vine creeper?

A) It is withered and about to fall

B) It is green and healthy

C) It has fallen to the ground

D) It is a different color from the others

4. What is Johnsy's belief about the last leaf?

A) It will bring good luck

B) It will fall today, and she will die

C) It is a sign of spring

D) It has magical powers

5. How does Sue try to encourage Johnsy to live?

A) By promising to bring her favorite food

B) By reminding her of her friends

C) By reading her a story

D) By suggesting a new hobby

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Reading Comprehension 6

In the evening, there was another storm but the leaf did not fall. Johnsy lay for a long time looking at the leaf. Then she called out to Sue.

“I have been a bad girl. You have looked after me so lovingly and I have not cooperated with you. I have been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has shown me how wicked I have been. I have realised that it is a sin to want to die.”

Sue hugged Johnsy. Then she gave her lots of hot soup and a mirror. Johnsy combed her hair and smiled brightly.

In the afternoon the doctor came. After examining his patient he told Sue, “Johnsy now has the will to live. I am confident she’ll recover soon. Now I must go downstairs and see Behrman. He is also suffering from pneumonia. But I am afraid, there is no hope for him.”

1. What happened during the evening mentioned in the passage?

A) Johnsy called Sue for help

B) There was a storm

C) The last leaf fell

D) Sue prepared hot soup

2. How did Johnsy feel about her behavior towards Sue?

A) Proud

B) Regretful

C) Indifferent

D) Happy

3. What realization did the last leaf bring to Johnsy?

A) She should have painted the leaf

B) It is sinful to want to die

C) Leaves have magical powers

D) She should have asked for more help

4. What does Sue give Johnsy after their conversation?

A) A new painting

B) A mirror

C) A book

D) A blanket

5. What is the doctor's assessment of Johnsy's condition after the storm?

A) She is getting worse

B) She needs more rest

C) She now has the will to live

D) She should eat more soup

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Reading Comprehension 7

The next morning Sue came and sat on Johnsy’s bed. Taking Johnsy’s hand in hers she said, “I have something to tell you. Mr Behrman died of pneumonia this morning. He was ill for only two days. The first day the janitor found him on his bed. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was shivering. He had been out in that stormy night.”

Then they found a ladder and a lantern still lighted lying near his bed. There were also some brushes and green and yellow paints on the floor near the ladder. “Johnsy dear,” said Sue, “look out of the window. Look at that ivy leaf. Haven’t you wondered why it doesn’t flutter when the wind blows? That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night the last leaf fell.”

1. How long was Mr. Behrman ill before he passed away?

A) Two days

B) A week

C) A month

D) Several months

2. What did they find near Mr. Behrman's bed when he was discovered?

A) A ladder and a lantern

B) A suitcase and a camera

C) A book and a pen

D) A clock and a radio

3. What was Mr. Behrman doing outside on the stormy night?

A) Painting a masterpiece

B) Running errands

C) Searching for lost items

D) Taking a walk

4. What is Sue's message to Johnsy about the ivy leaf?

A) It represents Mr. Behrman's last artwork

B) It has magical properties

C) It symbolizes good luck

D) It is the cause of Johnsy's illness

5. What is the theme suggested by Mr. Behrman's actions and the last leaf on the creeper?

A) The importance of friendship

B) The power of art and sacrifice

C) The unpredictability of life

D) The significance of nature

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