Marcus and the Special Gift
Marcus and Naomi were at the church. It was time for the big talent night.
Naomi had a very sweet voice. She liked to sing songs for everyone.
Marcus liked to listen to her. He thought her voice was like a bell.
Naomi was practicing her song. She stood on the big stage.
Marcus watched her from the floor. He felt a little bit sad today.
Marcus wished he could sing like Naomi. He tried to sing a small note.
It did not sound like a sweet bell. He did not think he had a gift.
The room was very full of people. Many families came to see the show.
The chairs were in a big mess. Marcus saw that people needed help.
Marcus went to work right away. He moved the heavy chairs into lines.
He made sure the rows were straight. He wanted everyone to be happy.
Then he saw the water was gone. He filled up many clear cups.
He gave a cup to a thirsty boy. He gave a cup to a kind teacher.
Naomi got up to sing her song. She looked like a star on stage.
Everyone clapped their hands for her. Marcus clapped his hands too.
After the show, the room was quiet. Mr. Hill was the leader of the church.
- Gift:
- A special talent or natural ability that someone has.
- Talent:
- Something you are good at doing, like singing or helping.
- Serve:
- To help others or do work for a group of people.
- Rows:
- Straight lines of objects placed side by side.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where were Marcus and Naomi at the start of the story?
- 2What special talent did Naomi have?
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About this fiction passage for Lower Elementary
“Marcus and the Special Gift” is a fiction reading passage about Helping Others, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (372 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.