Saturdays at the Shelter
A personal story about a teenage girl who volunteers every Saturday at a dog shelter and learns patience.
Tap any word to hear it · dotted words have a definition in the glossary
🎧 Listen
1Last year, my mother told me that I spent too much time on my phone. She was right. So when my friend Lily asked me to with her at the animal near our town, I said yes, even though I was a little .
2On my first Saturday, the noise surprised me. More than forty dogs were barking at the same time. The manager, a calm woman named Dalia, gave me a pair of gloves and a bucket. “We start with the boring jobs,” she said with a smile. For two hours I cleaned and filled water bowls. By the end of the morning, my back hurt, but I felt useful.
3After a few weeks, Dalia let me walk the dogs. My favourite was Shoko, a brown dog with one ear. At first he was afraid of people and hid in the corner of his cage. I sat next to him every week and talked to him quietly. Slowly, he began to me. One day he put his head on my knee, and I almost cried.
4In the spring, a young came to the and fell in love with Shoko. I was happy for him, but it was hard to say goodbye. Dalia told me, “This is the reason we are here. Every animal that finds a home makes room for another one.”
5I still every Saturday. I have learned that is more important than strength, and that small actions can change a life. I also spend much less time on my phone now. I simply don't have time!
📘 Glossary
- volunteer - to work to help others without being paid
- shelter - a place that takes care of animals without homes
- nervous - a little worried or afraid
- cages - boxes with bars where animals are kept
- torn - ripped or damaged
- trust - to believe that someone is good and will not hurt you
- couple - two people who are together
- patience - the ability to wait calmly
Questions
Finding details
1. Circle the correct answer. The writer started to volunteer at the shelter because…Finding details
2. Give TWO jobs the writer did on her first Saturday.Making inferences
3. How did the writer feel at the end of her first morning?Word meaning
4. In paragraph 3, the word "trust" means…Finding details
5. Copy the words that show that Shoko was afraid at first.Reference words
6. What does the word "him" in paragraph 4 ("I was happy for him") refer to?Making inferences
7. Why did the writer almost cry in paragraph 3?Purpose and structure
8. Why does Dalia say "This is the reason we are here" in paragraph 4?Finding details
9. Complete the sentence. The writer has learned that patience is ___.Main idea
10. Which is the best title for the text?
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