The Missing Paintbrush

Lexile: 510 | Grade: 3

Passage

Lena loved to paint. Every Saturday morning, she set up her easel near the window, where the sunlight made her colors shine.

One Saturday, she reached into her art box and frowned. Her favorite paintbrush—the one with the red handle—was missing.

She searched the floor, under her table, and even in her backpack. It was nowhere.

Lena’s little brother, Jake, peeked into the room. 'Are you looking for something?' he asked.

'My red brush is gone!' Lena said.

Jake scratched his head. 'I used it yesterday to paint a sign for my toy store. I forgot to put it back.'

He ran to his room and returned with the brush, a little messy but still good. Lena smiled and said, 'Next time, just ask!'

Then she dipped the brush into bright blue paint and began to create a new masterpiece.

Questions

Q1: What is the main idea of the story?

  • A. Jake wants to be a painter.
  • B. Lena paints every day after school.
  • C. Lena finds her missing paintbrush and learns to communicate with her brother.
  • D. Lena throws away her art supplies.

Q2: Why was Lena upset at the beginning of the story?

  • A. She couldn’t find her favorite paintbrush.
  • B. Her little brother spilled paint.
  • C. It was raining outside.
  • D. She didn’t have paper to paint on.

Q3: What caused Lena to smile at the end?

  • A. She finished her painting.
  • B. Her brother apologized and gave the brush back.
  • C. Her mom gave her a new brush.
  • D. She found a new hobby.

Q4: What does the word 'masterpiece' most likely mean in the last sentence?

  • A. A big mess
  • B. A painting full of mistakes
  • C. A really great piece of art
  • D. A small room

Q5: What can we tell about Lena from this story?

  • A. She gives up easily.
  • B. She doesn’t like her brother.
  • C. She is creative and solves problems calmly.
  • D. She never paints indoors.

Q6: What is the best summary of the story?

  • A. Lena and Jake painted a toy store sign together.
  • B. Lena painted a masterpiece with her mom’s help.
  • C. Lena lost her brush, found out Jake had used it, and they solved the problem together.
  • D. Lena gave up painting after losing her brush.

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: What is the main idea of the story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: The story centers around Lena losing her brush, Jake returning it, and them resolving the problem together.

Q2: Why was Lena upset at the beginning of the story?

✅ Correct Answer: A

💡 Reasoning: Lena was searching for her favorite paintbrush with the red handle and couldn’t find it.

Q3: What caused Lena to smile at the end?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: Lena smiled when Jake returned the brush and she was able to start painting again.

Q4: What does the word 'masterpiece' most likely mean in the last sentence?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: In the context of painting and Lena’s joy, a 'masterpiece' refers to a great piece of art.

Q5: What can we tell about Lena from this story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Lena stays calm, communicates with her brother, and gets back to creating art.

Q6: What is the best summary of the story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: The summary matches the key events and problem-solving focus of the story.