Grade 4 Blog Comprehension

Grade 4 Blog Comprehension

True Friendship

      In Syracuse there was a ruler so harsh that the people plotted to drive him out of the city. The plot was discovered, and the king commanded that the leaders be put to death instead of the ruler. One of the leaders whose name was Luke lived at some distance from Syracuse. He asked that before he was put to death he be allowed to go home to say goodbye to his family. He promised he would come back to die at the appointed time.

      The king did not believe that Luke would keep his word, and he said, "I will not let you go unless you find some friend who will come and stay in your place. Then, if you are not back on the day set for execution, I shall put your friend to death in your stead." The king thought to himself, "Surely no one will ever take the place of a man condemned to death."

      Now, Luke had a very dear friend named Kyle who came forward at once and offered to stay in prison while Luke was allowed to go away. The king was very much surprised, but he had given his word. Luke was therefore permitted to leave for home while Kyle was shut up in prison. Many days passed, the time for the execution was close at hand, and Luke had not come back. The king, curious to see how Kyle would behave now that death seemed so near, went to the prison. "Your friend will never return," he said to Kyle.

     "You are wrong," was Kyle's answer. "Luke will be here if he can possibly come. But he has to travel by sea, and the winds have been blowing the wrong way for several days. However, it is much better that I should die than he. I have no wife and no children, and I love my friend so much that it would be easier to die for him than to live without him. So I am hoping and praying that he may be delayed until my head has fallen."

 The king went away more puzzled than ever. The fatal day arrived but Luke had not come. Kyle was brought forward and led to the scaffold. "My prayers are heard," he cried. "I shall be permitted to die for my friend. But mark my words: Luke is faithful and true; you will soon know that he has done his utmost to be here!"

 Just at this moment, a man came galloping up at full speed on a horse covered with foam. It was Luke. In an instant he was on the scaffold and had Kyle in his arms. "My beloved friend," he cried, "praise the gods that you are safe. I have suffered so much agony from the fear that my delay was putting your life in danger!"

There was no joy on the face of Kyle because he did not care to live if his friend must die. But the king had heard all. At last he was forced to believe in the unselfish friendship of these two. His hard heart melted at the sight, and he set them both free, asking only that they would be his friends also.

 

Language record

1.Find the synonyms  from the passage

       I.            pain –

    II.            astonish-

2. Find the antonyms from the passage

       I.            criticize-

    II.            safety-

3. Write the word class and frame sentences of your own:       

Word	word class	sentence
1.     puzzled		___________________________
2.     curious

 

 

   Answer the following questions:

1.     1.What did Luke ask for before he was put to death?

2.On what condition was Luke given permission to meet his family?

3. Why was the king surprised?

4. What took Luke so long to return?

5. What do Kyle's words and actions tell you about him?

6.What did the king learn from Luke and Kyle?

7.Use the given  phrase in a sentence of your own 

1.     heart melted

 

8.Pick the correct word from the passage that means " dearest"

 

 

Directed Writing

Imagine you are Luke. Write a letter to your cousin about how true friendship saved your life.

• ·        On what condition did the king permit you to meet your family?
  
• ·        Who came forward to help you? Why?
  
• ·        Your feelings at the end.