Name: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Reading Comprehension Worksheet

The Story of Doctor Dolittle

By Hugh Lofting

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

Once upon a time, there was a doctor; and his name was Dolittle John Dolittle,
He lived in a little town called, Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. All the folks knew him
well. And when he walked down the street everyone would say, "There goes
the Doctor!” And the dogs and the children would all run up and follow him. The
house he lived in was quite small; but his garden was very large. His sister,
Sarah Dolittle, was housekeeper for him. He was very fond of animals; he had
rabbits, white mice, a squirrel and many others. But his favorite pets were Dab-
Dab the duck, Jip the dog, and the owl Too-Too. His sister Sarah Dolittle came to
him and said, “John, how can you expect sick people to come and see you when
you keep all these animals in the house? We are getting poorer every day.” So,
as time went on, the Doctor got more and more animals; and the people who
came to see him got less and less. He had no one left except the Cat's-meat-
Man, and he only got sick once a year at Christmas-time, when he used to give
the Doctor sixpence for the medicine. He kept on getting still more pets; then he
sold his piano and sold the brown suit he wore on Sundays. And now, when he
walked down the street people would say, "There goes John Dolittle! There was
a time when he was the best doctor but look at him now he hasn't any money
and his stockings are full of holes!"

Answer each question.

1. Who was Dolittle John Dolittle?
2. Which were his favourite pets?
3. What did Sarah Dolittle say to him one day?
4. What did happen when the time went on?
5. How many things did the Doctor sell out?
6. What would people say to him when he walked down the street?
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Name: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Grade 4 Reading Comprehension Worksheet

The Story of Doctor Dolittle

By Hugh Lofting

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

Once upon a time, there was a doctor; and his name was Dolittle John Dolittle, He lived in a
little town called, Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. All the folks knew him well. And when he walked
down the street everyone would say, "There goes the Doctor!” And the dogs and the children
would all run up and follow him. The house he lived in was quite small; but his garden was
very large. His sister, Sarah Dolittle, was housekeeper for him. He was very fond of animals;
he had rabbits, white mice, a squirrel and many others. But his favorite pets were Dab-Dab
the duck, Jip the dog, and the owl Too-Too. His sister Sarah Dolittle came to him and said,
“John, how can you expect sick people to come and see you when you keep all these animals
in the house? We are getting poorer every day.” So, as time went on, the Doctor got more
and more animals; and the people who came to see him got less and less. He had no one left
except the Cat's-meat-Man, and he only got sick once a year at Christmas-time, when he used
to give the Doctor sixpence for the medicine. He kept on getting still more pets; then he sold
his piano and sold the brown suit he wore on Sundays. And now, when he walked down the
street people would say, "There goes John Dolittle! There was a time when he was the best
doctor but look at him now he hasn't any money and his stockings are full of holes!"

Answer each question.

1. Who was Dolittle John Dolittle?
Dolittle John Dolittle was a doctor. He lived in a little town called, Puddleby-on-the-
Marsh.
2. Which were his favourite pets?
His favorite pets were Dab- Dab the duck, Jip the dog, and the owl Too-Too.
3. What did Sarah Dolittle say to him one day?
His sister Sarah Dolittle came to him and said, “John, how can you expect sick people to
come and see you when you keep all these animals in the house? We are getting poorer
every day.”
4. What did happen when the time went on?
As time went on, the Doctor got more and more animals; but the people who came to see
him got less and less.
5. How many things did Doctor sell out?
He sold out his piano and the brown suit he wore on Sundays.
6. What would people say to him when he walked down the street?
The people would say, "There goes John Dolittle! There was a time when he was the best
doctor but look at him now he hasn't any money and his stockings are full of holes!"
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