Bartholomew's Transparency Trouble
Bartholomew's Transparency Trouble
Bartholomew was, without a doubt, a ghost. He lived in the old Willow Creek Manor, a place rumored to be haunted for centuries. The only problem? Bartholomew couldn't quite master the art of being a proper ghost.
Most ghosts could control their visibility. One moment they're there, chilling guests with their spectral form; the next, they're gone, vanished into thin air. Bartholomew, however, was permanently visible. He couldn't fade, couldn't shimmer, couldn't even slightly alter his ghostly glow. He was always there, a see-through specter floating about.
"It's quite frustrating," he'd often lament to Mr. Whiskers, the manor's resident (and very plump) tabby cat. Mr. Whiskers, of course, couldn't understand a word, but he was a good listener, or at least a good napper in Bartholomew's general vicinity.
Bartholomew tried everything. He meditated in the dusty attic, attempting to find his inner 'off' switch. He practiced in front of the antique mirrors, whispering incantations he'd overheard from a group of paranormal investigators (who quickly left the manor after spotting him). He even tried wearing darker sheets, hoping to absorb the light, but nothing worked. He was, to put it simply, stuck being perpetually visible.
- Specter:
- A visible incorporeal spirit, especially one of a terrifying nature; ghost; phantom; apparition.
- Incantations:
- A series of words said as a magic spell or charm.
- Perpetually:
- In a way that never ends or changes; constantly.
- spectral:
- Having to do with or resembling a ghost.
- lament:
- To express sadness, regret, or disappointment about something.
- vicinity:
- The area or neighborhood near a specific place or person.
- intrigued:
- Very interested and curious about something.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is Bartholomew's main problem as a ghost?
- 2What did Bartholomew try to do to solve his visibility problem?
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About this fiction passage for Middle School
“Bartholomew's Transparency Trouble” is a fiction reading passage about Ghost Stories, written for Middle School. It takes about 3 minutes to read (428 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.