My First Day at the Dog Shelter
A personal story about Shira, 13, who volunteers at a dog shelter for the first time and bonds with an old dog named Lucky.
Tap any word to hear it · dotted words have a definition in the glossary
🎧 Listen
1Last Friday was my first day as a at the dog in our town. My name is Shira, and I am thirteen years old. I love dogs, but we can't have one at home because my little brother is to them.
2When I arrived, a worker named Eli gave me a green shirt and showed me around. There were about forty dogs in the . Some of them loudly, and some were quiet and .
3My first job was to fill the water . Then Eli asked me to walk an old dog called Lucky. Lucky walked very slowly, so we stopped many times. At the end of the walk, he put his head on my . I almost cried.
4Eli told me that many people want puppies, so older dogs often wait a long time for a home. I hope someone takes Lucky soon. Next Friday I am going back, and I am bringing him a new ball.
📘 Glossary
- volunteer - someone who helps without being paid
- shelter - a place that takes care of animals without homes
- allergic - gets sick or itchy from something, like animal fur
- barked - made the loud sound a dog makes
- shy - nervous and quiet around others
- bowls - round dishes for food or water
- knee - the joint in the middle of your leg
Questions
Finding details
1. Why can't Shira have a dog at home?Finding details
2. What did Eli give Shira when she arrived?Finding details
3. What was Shira's first job at the shelter?Reference words
4. In paragraph 3, what does the word "he" refer to?Making inferences
5. Shira says: "I almost cried." This shows that she felt…Making inferences
6. Why do older dogs often wait a long time for a home?Word meaning
7. Copy the word from paragraph 4 that means "young dogs".Main idea
8. What is the story mainly about?
Answer every question to get a score (0/8)
More Grade 7 passages
Saving the Baby TurtlesA fact text about sea turtles that lay eggs on Israel's beaches, and the volunteers who protect the nests until the babies hatch.Too Short for the Team?A personal story about Lily, the shortest girl in her class, who trained hard to get into the school basketball team.Volunteers Wanted: Reading BuddiesA notice inviting older students to volunteer and read stories with first-grade children.Why Do Cats Purr?A fact text about cat purring: how the sound is made and why cats purr even when they are not happy.Ben's RobotA story about Ben, who built a robot for the science fair, and what happened when it did not work at the key moment.Up, Up and AwayA fact text about hot-air balloons: why hot air rises, who flew first and how the pilot controls the balloon.Join the Class Cooking Contest!An email from the class committee inviting students to a cooking contest: the rules, the prizes and what not to bring.Dear Diary: My First DayA diary entry by Noa, who moved house and started at a new school: her fear, her embarrassment and a nice surprise.Why Is the Dead Sea So Salty?A short fact text explaining how water evaporates and salt stays behind in the Dead Sea, and why it is easy to float there.Grade 7 Trip to the GalileeA notice for students and parents about the Grade 7 trip to the Galilee: what happens each day, what to bring and which rules to follow.Hello from Toronto!An email from Mia, who moved with her family to Toronto, to her cousin Lily about the snow, her new school and a new friend.Hunting with SoundA short fact text explaining how bats use high sounds and echoes to find insects in the dark.The King Who Was AfraidA story about Dan, who gets the part of a king in the class play and is afraid to go on stage, and the idea that helps him.Meet the Robot BuilderA short school-newspaper interview with Max, 14, who builds Lego robots and tells how he started and what his advice is.A Night Under the Desert SkyA diary page about a family camping night near Mitzpe Ramon: a sky full of stars, the Milky Way and a shooting star.How Do Penguins Keep Warm?A short fact text explaining how penguins stay warm with fat, feathers and standing close together in a group.Let's Make Music!A notice about a weekend music workshop for kids at a community centre: what they do, when, how much it costs and what to bring.The Wallet on the BusA story about Omer, who found a wallet on the bus and returned it to its owner, and learned what was really important inside it.The Night the Lights Went OutA diary entry by a girl from Karmiel about a power cut on a stormy night that became a lovely family evening.Why Do We Have Seasons?A short fact text explaining that the seasons happen because the Earth is tilted, not because of its distance from the Sun.A Letter to the PrincipalA letter from a seventh-grade girl to the school principal, asking for a water fountain in the yard and explaining why.Grandpa OnlineA personal story about Yael, who taught her grandfather from the kibbutz to make video calls, and now they talk every week.The Blue Book BoxA short interview with Ella, a 13-year-old from Modi'in who started a book swap cupboard in her neighbourhood.Never Too LateA simple personal story about Anna, a 12-year-old who overcame her fear and learned to swim.How Do Bees Make Honey?A short fact text that explains, step by step, how honeybees turn nectar from flowers into honey.Maya's Bird CaféA short article about Maya, an 11-year-old who built a bird feeder from old things she found at home.Lost Rabbit Found in School GardenA light news report about a pet rabbit that escaped from its cage and was found eating lettuce in a school garden.My Review: A Class Trip to Green Hills Nature ReserveA review by a student about a class trip to a (made-up) nature reserve: what was good, what was not, and what advice she gives.Every School Needs a Recycling ContestAn opinion article by a student who argues that every school should have a recycling contest, with reasons and an opposing view.