NO SHOES TODAY

“Don’t be too in a hurry, Son. Take your time for breakfast,” Ernesto’s mother said.

“I might be late for our math test, Mother,” Ernesto replied and he gulped his glass
of milk as fast as he could. He ate his pandesal in two successive mouthfuls and
swallowed it with a glass of water. He rushed to his room, grabbed his school bag
and ran downstairs.

“Mother, I’m going,” Ernesto shouted from their gate. Aling Rosa peeped out of the
window and called , “Ernesto, you are barefooted. Come back and put on your
shoes.”

Ernesto shook his head and said, “ It’s all right, Mother. I have my slippers on.”

“I insist. Come back for your shoes,” Aling Rosa argued.

“But, Mother, I don’t want my shoes on today. We’re going to have test in
mathematics.”

“What has the test got to do with your shoes?”

“Without my shoes on, I can count my toes during the test, Mother.”

Aling Rosa nodded and said, “Hurry to school then.” Just the same, put on your
shoes. Remove them when you are in the classroom.”

Questions:

1. How did Ernesto eat his breakfast?

a. Hurriedly b. pleasantly c. slowly
2. What did he have for breakfast?
a. Milk and rice b. pandesal and milk c. coffee and bread
3. Who did not want Ernesto to go bare footed?
a. His father b. his mother c. his teacher
4. What did Ernesto not want to wear?
a. His long pants b. his T- shirt c. his shoes
5. What did Ernesto want to wear instead?
a. His short pants b. his old T – shirt c. his slippers
6. In what subject will Ernesto have a test?
a. In English b. in Math c. in Science
7. Why was Ernesto running?
a. He might be late. b. Somebody was running after him. C. He was the monitor for
the day.
8. What will help Ernesto in his test?
a. His abacus b. his toes c. his calculator
9. About what time of the day was it?
a. 7:00 A.M b. 12:00 Noon c. 5:00 P.M
10. Who had his way in the end?
a. Ernesto b. Mother c. teacher
 FALSE FEAR

The night was dark and stormy. I was alone in the house because my parents went to keep vigil at the
house of our dead neighbor. I got a book and started to read. Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s only the wind,” I told myself.

Then I heard the barking of dogs. My hair stood on ends as I remembered our dead neighbor. There was a
second knock. Then a third knocks! I jumped into my bed and covered my whole body with a blanket. I was
shivering, not with cold but with fright.

“Please, God, bring home my parent now,” I prayed.

Then I felt as if someone was trying to open the door. I slowly lifted the blanket over my eyes and peeped.
The door was partly open. My teeth chattered as I trembled with fear. I covered my face again, curled up,
and tried hard not to move. I didn’t know how long I stayed in that position.

Elisa, come and open the door quickly,” came Mother’s voice loud and clear.

Like lightning I ran to open the door.

“Meow,” our cat said as it came in wet and trembling.

“Poor cat,” said Mother. “It’s wet all over. Perhaps it tried hard to come in.”