Comprehension with questions and answers

So much for a friend

Thelma and Ruth walked briskly into the science laboratory, idly exchanging gossip and taking their
time, for they knew they were several minutes early for the lesson. As they walked into the lab,
Kudzai and Sandile were sitting silently gazing out the window with their backs turned towards the
door. To their surprise, Mr. Brevis was nowhere to be seen, he was the laboratory supervisor. The
instruments for their experiment had already been set up and a Bunsen burner hissed loudly on the
teacher’s desk. The two friends scanned it with interest. “They say it’s hotter inside the flame than
on its surface,” said Thelma skeptically. “I wonder how they know.” “I think you mean the opposite
Thelma, don’t you,” answered Ruth. “Let’s find out ourselves. We are scientists right.”

“What do you mean?” “I have a crazy idea; we could take the temperature for both parts of the
flame using the thermometers.”

“I like that idea, let us do it. We have enough time before Mr. Brevis comes for the lesson.”

Ruth soon found a thermometer in one of the cupboards and precariously lowered it into the flame.
They both bent forward expectantly wondering what would happen. They did not have to wonder
long because the silver liquid shot upwards; there was a slight crack and drops of mercury fell onto
the desk.Ruth quickly dropped the thermometer and gasped staring at the broken shards on the
floor. Hoarsely she managed to say, “We’ve broken it.”

Without having to spare a second, Thelma brushed the broken pieces into her cupped hands, wiped
the spilt mercury and dumped the broken pieces into the waste bin. Ruth just stood transfixed to the
same spot and Thelma, realising that her friend didn’t agree with what she had just done said, “It
was not our fault, you know that. Mr. Brevis would not understand if we told him so it’s best we
keep quiet about it.”Ruth could not even reply to this because at that moment, the class started
streaming in and Thelma gave her an ominous look as if to say, “It’s already done, no going back.”
The class was soon filled with students and there was chattering all over. Kudzai and Sandile joined
the class and didn’t seem to have taken notice of what had happened with the thermometer.

The thermometer was not missed during the lesson because they were a lot of them in the
classroom. To both Ruth and Thelma’s relief, the crisis was over as the lesson was already coming to
an end as Brevis had begun to say, “Pack your instruments and submit your books.” The class filed
out of the room at the end and just before they were all out, Mr. Brevis’ voice rang out sternly,
“Come back! Come back! I said come back!” Mr. Brevis kept shouting almost in a fit of rage now. The
students returned all looking confused except for Thelma and Ruth who exchanged knowing looks.
Thelma looked as if she was going to turn on her heels and run for the door whilst Ruth had panic
scribbled all over her face.
“Who broke this?” Mr. Brevis said holding up a piece of the broken thermometer. “Susan found it
whilst sharpening her pencil in the bin. It must have happened during this lesson.

Tell me now who did this?”The silence was overwhelming and yet still seconds passed and no one
confessed to the crime. Mr. Brevis was infuriated by this and gave the class a two-hour detention.
They all sat most of them mumbling in anger how it was unfair and how time wasting it was. The
minutes seemed to drag until finally, the two hours were over and Mr. Brevis came back expecting to
hear someone owning up. Ruth could not take in the guilt anymore and she walked up to the
teacher’s desk, clearly set on telling the truth. Thelma, however, saw what Ruth was about to do and
stood up and ran to the desk. “Sir this was all Ruth’s fault she made me do it. I wanted to tell you the
truth but she told me not to and even threatened me. Kudzai and Sandile witnessed it all, they are
my alibis.” Ruth could hardly believe her ears and she opened her mouth to defend herself but
before words could even form Mr. Brevis was already shouting, “

DID YOU BREAK THE THERMOMETER?” “Yes sir I broke it but it was a….” Before she could finish her
statement people in the class had started making disgruntled noises clearly showing how angry they
were for having sat for two hours. “I did not mean to …” Ruth started to say but was cut mid-
sentence by Mr. Brevis.“Thelma, Ruth, Kudzai and Sandile stay behind the rest of the class you are
dismissed.” Everyone else got their bags and left the class some casting reproachful looks at Ruth
who was now shaking with rage. She knew it would be hard to reason out with Mr. Brevis and that if
she was lucky she would only get detention for a week and if things turned out badly she would get
detention and a serious beating. She could not believe it, Thelma was supposed to be her friend, but
she had only rushed to save her own skin.

Mr. Brevis closed the door and faced the four girls. Kudzai and Sandile were clearly confused as to
what was going on. Ruth could barely look at Thelma because whenever she tried to she felt her face
go red with fury.

“So…” Mr. Brevis began “Tell me what really happened.” Ruth brightened up a bit and was
determined to voice out the truth and only hoped for the best.

Questions

a) Knowledge or literal questions.

What surprised Thelma and Ruth as they entered the science laboratory?

Whom did Thelma and Ruth find in the laboratory?

State the instrument that Ruth found in the cupboard.

Answers for the above questions

 Mr. Brevis was nowhere to be found or the absence of Mr. Brevis from the laboratory.

Kudzai and Sandile.

Thermometer

B) Inferential or comprehension questions

Why did Thelma brush the broken pieces of the thermometer and dump them in the bin?

The phrase without having to spare a second to think means------

What caused Mr. Brevis to detain the whole class for two hours?

Answers

Because of fear and not wanting what they have done to be discovered.

Not taking time to think.

Failure of the culprits to own up and because he did not know who had done it.

c) Analysis questions

What character does Thelma portray throughout the passage?

What infuriated Mr. Brevis?

Do you think that Kudzai and Chido were Thelma’s alibis? Support your answer.

Answers

Dishonest character, liar, a schemer and someone without conscience.

Failure of the culprit to own up.

No, Thelma just implicated them to save her face.

d) Vocabulary questions

Give meaning of the following words

 Briskly

Gazing

Scanned

Expectantly

Sternly

Hoarsely

Alibis

Answers to vocabulary questions

Slowly or not in a rush.

Staring intently.

Looked closely at something.

Curiously.

Strictly.

Low deep voice.

Supporters or witnesses.