Friendship – Simple Past

True Grammar Stories

Dan & Norah

A. Reading

Dan was an elderly man from Georgia.

His wife died and he was sad and
lonely. He was ready to die too.

One day, Dan was at the grocery

store. A four-year-old girl named Norah
stopped him. She said “Hi, old person.”
Then she asked him for a hug. This
made Dan very happy. Norah’s mom
took a picture of the elderly man with
the young girl.

Dan and Norah became good

friends. Dan went to Norah’s
kindergarten graduation. Norah
visited Dan’s garden. Dan lived for
four more years. He was happy to
have a new friend.

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 Friendship – Simple Past
True Grammar Stories

Dan & Norah cont.

B. Questions

1. What was the elderly man’s name?

2. Why was he sad and lonely?

3. What was the young girl’s name?

4. Where did the young girl and elderly man meet?

5. What did the young girl say to the elderly man?

6. What did the little girl ask the man for?

7. How did the little girl make the man feel?

8. How long did Dan live after he met Norah?

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 Friendship – Simple Past
True Grammar Stories

Nissma & Roaya

A. Reading

Nissma and Roaya met at the

University of California. They had a lot
in common. They were both Canadian
and Moroccan. They were both
pre‑med students too.

Nissma and Roaya became best

friends in their freshman year. In their
sophomore year, they shared a dorm.
Their friendship grew stronger.

One day, Nissma and Roaya were on

a video chat. Roaya invited her mom
to meet Nissma’s dad. The parents
recognized each other! The girls’ moms
were best friends in college. They
had pictures of their babies together.
Nissma and Roaya (and their moms)
were long-lost friends!

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 Friendship – Simple Past
True Grammar Stories

Nissma & Roaya cont.

B. Questions

1. Where did Nissma and Roaya go to school?

2. What did Nissma and Roaya have in common?

3. When did Nissma and Roaya become best friends?

4. What did Nissma and Roaya do in their sophomore year?

5. How did Nissma’s dad see Roaya’s mom?

6. How did the girls’ moms know each other?

7. What did the girls’ moms have pictures of?

8. What type of friends were the girls’ moms?

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 Friendship – Simple Past
True Grammar Stories

Owen & Mzee

A. Reading

There once was a baby hippo that lived

with his family on the Kenyan coast. In
2004, a tsunami washed his herd away.
The baby hippo survived.

Many locals helped rescue the baby

hippo. They named him Owen after
one of the rescuers. They brought
Owen to a nature park in Kenya. Owen
was scared. He ran and hid behind a
130-year-old tortoise. The tortoise’s
name was Mzee (wise old man).

Mzee liked the baby hippo. They

became friends. Owen followed Mzee
everywhere. People loved to visit these
unlikely friends at Haller Park. An
author even wrote a children’s book
about their friendship.

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 Friendship – Simple Past
True Grammar Stories

Owen & Mzee cont.

B. Questions

1. What were the names of the animals in this story?

2. What washed away the hippo’s herd?

3. Who was the baby hippo named after?

4. Where did rescuers take Owen?

5. How did Owen feel at the nature park?

6. What animal did Owen run to?

7. What did people like to do at Haller Park?

8. What type of friends were Owen and Mzee?

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