The Bridge of Borrowed Boards
On Saturday morning, Maya carried a paper boat to the creek behind her apartment building. She had folded it from a bright yellow sheet and drawn a tiny red flag on its side. After a week of rain, the water rushed fast enough to make the boat sail all the way to the park—or so she hoped.
But when Maya reached the creek, she stopped. The little wooden footbridge had tilted sideways. One end still rested on the bank, while the other had slipped into the muddy water. A strip of orange tape blocked the path.
Mr. Bell, the building manager, stood nearby with a toolbox. “The rain loosened the ground under that end,” he explained. “I’ve called someone to fix it, but they won’t come until Monday.”
Maya looked across the creek. The park was right there, but the nearest other crossing was three blocks away. Her neighbors used the footbridge to reach the playground and the bus stop. Today, they would all have to take the longer route.
“We could fix it ourselves,” Maya said.
Mr. Bell shook his head. “A bridge has to be strong and steady. We shouldn’t guess about something people will walk on.”
- tilted:
- Leaned to one side instead of staying level.
- loosened:
- Made less firm or secure.
- steady:
- Firm and not likely to shake or move.
- spare:
- Extra and available to use.
- wobbled:
- Moved unsteadily from side to side.
- current:
- The movement of water in a particular direction.
- bobbed:
- Moved up and down gently.
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Main Idea
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Context Clues
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Purpose
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why did Maya want to sail her paper boat in the creek?
- 2How did the rain affect the footbridge and the neighbors who used it?
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About this fiction passage for 4th Grade
“The Bridge of Borrowed Boards” is a fiction reading passage about Teamwork, written for 4th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (526 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.