01

Charlotte’s Birthday
Charlotte was about to turn ten years old. She was so excited for her birthday. For
months, she had been dreaming of this day. She imagined a huge party in her garden
with all of her friends, a bouncy castle, lots of decorations and a delicious homemade
cake.

All she had had to do was send invitations to all of her friends. Her parents had told her
that they had planned the rest of the party for her.

On the morning of her birthday, Charlotte woke up very early. She bounced out of bed
and crept downstairs, so that she wouldn’t wake her parents or her brother. Her parents
usually decorated the living room with balloons and streamers the night before, so she
couldn’t wait to see what it would look like. To her surprise, there was nothing there!
Hopefully, she peeked into the garden, but there were no decorations there either, and
no bouncy castle as she had been promised.

Charlotte waited and waited for her family to wake up. When her mother finally came
downstairs, she was half asleep and still dressed in her pyjamas. Sleepily, her
mother said, “Happy Birthday, Charlotte. I’m so sorry, we forgot to buy the
decorations! You don’t mind, do you?”

Charlotte felt a bit disappointed because her parents had always tried
their best to make her birthday a very special day. However, she
didn’t want to upset her mother, so she simply said, “No, of course
not. I don’t mind!”

A little later, her father and her brother came downstairs, but
neither of them said anything to her at all. There were no
presents, there was no cake and they did not even wish her a
happy birthday! Charlotte could feel a little tear welling in the

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 02

corner of her eye. She started to worry that they might have completely forgotten to
organise the party. What would her and her friends do?

Over the past few weeks, she had spent a long time carefully handwriting invitations to
all of her friends. She had asked them to come to her house at one o’clock, and they had
all said that they would come. But by quarter past one, nobody had arrived. The clock
turned and it was half past one, and then quarter to two, and still nobody had arrived.
Had her friends forgotten her birthday too? It seemed as though nobody was coming. It
was beginning to feel like the worst birthday ever.

“How about we go and see your grandparents?” her mother suggested. “I think they
have a present for you. I’m sure that will cheer you up.”

They knocked on the front door of her grandparents’ house, and her grandmother
opened the door with a beaming smile. She gave Charlotte a hug and said, “I’ve got
something for you in the living room.”

As they walked in, Charlotte immediately noticed the bright blue balloons floating all
around the room and the bunting on the wall. Suddenly, she was greeted
with a loud cheer of “Surprise!” from her friends, who jumped out
from where they had been hiding behind the furniture. On the
table was her favourite cake (a chocolate fudge cake).
Looking through the window to the garden, she could
even see the bouncy castle she had asked for!

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 Questions
1 What did Charlotte do in
preparation for her party? (tick)
2 Which part of the text shows that
Charlotte was excited? (tick)
3 Who was the first person that
Charlotte saw on her birthday?
(tick)
4 Which part of the text shows that
Charlotte was feeling upset?
(tick)
5 Which fact is true about
Charlotte’s brother? (tick)
This comprehension activity is automarked on CENTURY.
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03
She baked a delicious homemade cake.
She sent invitations to her friends.
She made decorations.
She hired a bouncy castle.
Hopefully, she peeked into the garden.
She … crept downstairs.
She bounced out of bed.
She wouldn’t wake her parents or her
brother.
her cat
her brother
her father
her mother
Charlotte could feel a little tear welling in
the corner of her eye.
She didn’t want to upset her mother.
There were no presents.
She started to worry.
He wished Charlotte a happy birthday.
He reassured Charlotte that everything
would be ok.
He didn’t wish Charlotte happy birthday.
He couldn’t contain his excitement that it
was her birthday.
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6 What time was Charlotte two o’clock
expecting her guests to arrive?
(tick) half past one
quarter to two
one o’clock

7 How did Charlotte’s grandmother with a big smile and a hug

greet her? (tick)
with a squeeze of the cheek
by singing happy birthday
she ignored Charlotte and greeted her
mother

8 What was Charlotte expecting her grandfather

there to be in the living room?
(tick) a present
more disappointment
a party

9 What colour were the balloons?

10 What could Charlotte see in the all of her friends

garden? (tick)
a chocolate fudge cake
a bouncy castle
her grandfather

Score:
This comprehension activity is automarked on CENTURY.
To find out more visit www.century.tech
 Answers A

1 What did Charlotte do in

preparation for her party?
✓ She sent invitations to her friends.

2 Which part of the text shows that ✓ She bounced out of bed.
Charlotte was excited?

3 Who was the first person that

Charlotte saw on her birthday?
✓ her mother

4 Which part of the text shows that

Charlotte was feeling upset?
✓ Charlotte could feel a little tear welling in
the corner of her eye.

5 Which fact is true about

Charlotte’s brother?
✓ He didn’t wish Charlotte happy birthday.

6 What time was Charlotte

expecting her guests to arrive?
✓ one o’clock

7 How did Charlotte’s grandmother

greet her?
✓ with a big smile and a hug

8 What was Charlotte expecting

there to be in the living room?
✓ a present

9 What colour were the balloons?

blue

10 What could Charlotte see in the

garden?
✓ a bouncy castle

This comprehension activity is automarked on CENTURY.

To find out more visit www.century.tech