The Shed - Reading Comprehension

AP / NCERT Board-Based Reading Comprehension 

Grade 7 Honeycomb

Poem The Shed

Reading Comprehension 1

There’s a shed at the bottom of our garden

With a spider’s web hanging across the door,

The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind.

When I’m in bed I lie and I listen,

I’ll open that door one day.

1. What is the initial condition of the shed described in the poem?

A. Well-maintained

B. Abandoned

C. Decorated

D. Overgrown

Answer: B. Abandoned

2. What does the presence of a spider's web across the shed's door indicate?

A. Frequent use

B. Deserted state

C. Recent construction

D. Renovation

Answer: B. Deserted state

3. What is the significance of the speaker lying "in" bed rather than "on" bed in the poem?

A. Indicates restlessness

B. Implies a desire for sleep

C. Suggests comfort

D. Signifies laziness

Answer: B. Implies a desire for sleep

4. Why is the speaker able to hear the creaky noise easily when lying in bed?

A. The shed is near the entrance.

B. The door is well-maintained.

C. It is daytime.

D. It is night, and the atmosphere is silent.

Answer: D. It is night, and the atmosphere is silent

5. What emotion does the speaker experience regarding opening the shed door?

A. Fear and suspicion

B. Excitement and joy

C. Indifference and boredom

D. Anger and frustration

Answer: A. Fear and suspicion

Reading Comprehension 2

There’s a dusty old window around at the side

With three cracked panes of glass,

I often think there’s someone staring at me

Each time that I pass,

I’ll peep through that window one day.

1. How is the condition of the window in the shed described in the poem?

A. Clear and new

B. Dusty and old

C. Stained and broken

D. Shiny and polished

Answer: B. Dusty and old

2.  Why does the speaker think someone is staring at them when passing the window?

A. The window is transparent

B. The panes of glass are cracked

C. The atmosphere is silent

D. There's a reflection in the glass

Answer: B. The panes of glass are cracked

3. What emotion does the speaker convey when mentioning that someone might be staring at them through the window?

A. Excitement

B. Curiosity

C. Fear

D. Apathy

Answer: C. Fear

4. What does the speaker plan to do in the future regarding the window?

A. Clean it

B. Break it

C. Ignore it

D. Peep through it

Answer: D. Peep through it

5. What refrain we can find in the poem?

A. The poet will do something one day.

B. The poet is scared.

C. The house is clean.

D. The poet likes the shed.

Answer: A

Reading Comprehension 3

My brother says there’s a ghost in the shed

Who hides under the rotten floorboards,

And if I ever dare to set foot inside

He’ll jump out and chop off my head,

But I’ll take a peek one day.

1. Who does the brother claim resides in the shed?

A. A spider

B. A ghost

C. A neighbor

D. A wild animal

Answer: B. A ghost

2. Where is the ghost said to hide in the shed according to the brother?

A. In the dusty window

B. Under the rotten floorboards

C. Behind the creaky door

D. In the old, cracked panes of glass

Answer: B. Under the rotten floorboards

3. Where does the brother claim the ghost is hiding in the shed?

A. Behind the creaky door

B. Under the rotten floorboards

C. Inside the dusty window

D. Among the cracked panes of glass

Answer: B. Under the rotten floorboards

4. What does the brother's warning add to the overall atmosphere of the poem?

A. Joy and amusement

B. Mystery and fear

C. Serenity and calmness

D. Excitement and adventure

Answer: B. Mystery and fear

5. What action does the speaker express a willingness to take despite the brother's warning?

A. Enter the shed immediately

B. Never approach the shed

C. Take a peek inside one day

D. Inform the neighbors about the ghost

Answer: C. Take a peek inside one day

Reading Comprehension 4

I know that there isn’t really a ghost,

My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den;

There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises

And the spider has been gone from his web

since I don’t know when,

I’ll go into that shed one day soon,

But not just yet...

1. What does the speaker assert about the existence of a ghost in the shed?

A. There is definitely a ghost

B. The brother is telling the truth about the ghost

C. The brother is lying about the ghost

D. The speaker believes in the ghost

Answer: C. The brother is lying about the ghost

2. According to the speaker, why does the brother tell lies about the shed?

A. To scare away intruders

B. To create mystery and excitement

C. To keep the shed for his den

D. To protect the imaginary ghost

Answer: C. To keep the shed for his den

3. What does the speaker confirm regarding the shed's atmosphere?

A. Strange noises are often heard

B. Someone is always staring from inside

C. There is no ghost, and no strange noises are made

D. The shed is haunted by the spider

Answer: C. There is no ghost, and no strange noises are made

4. How does the speaker's attitude toward entering the shed change in this stanza?

A. The speaker is more excited

B. The speaker is still fearful

C. The speaker has lost interest

D. The speaker plans never to enter

Answer: A. The speaker is more excited

5.  How does the final stanza provide a resolution to the speaker's earlier fears and uncertainties?

A. The speaker decides never to enter the shed

B. The speaker dismisses the fear of the ghost

C. The speaker remains uncertain about the shed's mysteries

D. The speaker becomes more curious and excited

Answer: B. The speaker dismisses the fear of the ghost