B
Sarah and her best friend, Alex, loved exploring the forest near their neighbourhood. One day, while they were exploring the woods, Sarah stepped upon a shiny rock hidden under a pile of leaves. Excitedly, she said to Alex, “Look at what I found! It looks like a valuable diamond. Promise not to tell anyone! It’s just a secret between you and me.” Alex nodded, agreeing to keep it a secret.
Later that afternoon, Sarah and Alex met their friend, Emily, in the neighbourhood. Unable to control her excitement, Alex told Emily about the treasure Sarah had found. Emily was very curious and wanted to see it, but Sarah stopped them, reminding Alex of their promise. However, Emily’s younger brother, Jack, happened to hear their conversation and spread the news to everyone in the neighbourhood.
Soon, Sarah’s neighbours began to come to her house, hoping to have a look at the mysterious treasure. They knocked on Sarah’s door one by one, each asking if they could see it. Sarah and Alex were
taken aback by all the attention and didn’t know how to deal with the situation.
As the neighbours crowded around, Sarah’s mum came out to see what was happening. She gently told the neighbours that the rock they wanted to see was not as special as they thought. It was just a common rock Sarah had found in the forest. The neighbours were understanding and soon left with smiles on their faces.
Sarah and Alex learnt that some secrets should only be kept between close friends. Sharing secrets with everyone can lead to misunderstandings and unwanted attention. They also realized the importance of trust and honesty in friendship, promising to keep each other’s secrets safe in the future.
(
B
) 41. Which of the following is TRUE according to the story?
A. Sarah found a valuable diamond in the forest.
B. Sarah’s neighbours believed what Sarah’s mum said.
C. Alex was too excited to tell Emily about the treasure.
D. Emily told her brother about the treasure Sarah found.
(
C
) 42. What does the underlined part “taken aback” in paragraph 3 mean?
A. Scared. B. Angry. C. Surprised. D. Calm.
(
B
) 43. Which of the following shows the correct order of the story?
① Jack heard their talk and told everyone.
② Sarah found a shiny stone in the forest.
③ Alex promised Sarah to keep it secret.
④ Sarah’s mum said the stone was just normal.
⑤ Alex told Emily about the stone Sarah found.
⑥ Neighbours came to Sarah’s house one after another.
A. ②③⑥①④⑤ B. ②③⑤①⑥④
C. ⑤①⑥②③④ D. ⑤①⑥③②④
(
D
) 44. What is the main lesson of the story?
A. It is important to explore the forest carefully.
B. One should never share secrets with friends.
C. Neighbours are always curious about others’ discoveries.
D. Secrets should sometimes be kept private, and trust is the key to friendship.
(
B
) 45. What might Alex say to Sarah in the last paragraph?
A. I want to take the rock to school.
B. I am sorry for breaking the promise.
C. I will sell the rock at a high price.
D. I can’t believe the rock is common.
