Kai stood at the top of the hill with his homemade cart. It was made of wood, old wheels, and a lot of hope. He wanted to race it down the hill like the others—but something held him back. Not fear exactly. More like doubt, sitting quietly in his chest.
Mr. Darnell, the science teacher, had once talked about something called *momentum*. 'An object in motion stays in motion,' he had said. 'It builds speed as it goes. But first, it needs a push.'
Kai thought about that as he looked down the hill. Maybe confidence worked the same way. Maybe you didn’t need to feel fast or brave at the start. Maybe you just needed a little motion—a gentle push—to get going.
He placed both hands on the cart and gave a soft shove. At first, it rolled slowly, creaking and wobbling. But then, the wheels caught. The cart straightened. The wind brushed his face. The doubt didn’t disappear, but it got smaller. The cart was moving—and so was Kai.
By the time he reached the bottom, he was laughing. He didn’t win the race. That wasn’t the point. He had started. And like momentum, that was enough to keep him going.
Q1: What is the main message of the story?
Q2: What is *momentum*, as explained in the story?
Q3: Why does Kai feel doubt before the race?
Q4: What changes for Kai during the race?
Q5: How does the author connect science to emotions in the story?
Printable Comprehension Practice
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Q1: What is the main message of the story?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: Kai learns that getting started helps build confidence, just like momentum builds as things move.
Q2: What is *momentum*, as explained in the story?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: Kai remembers his teacher explaining that momentum helps something stay in motion after a push.
Q3: Why does Kai feel doubt before the race?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: Kai feels unsure—not afraid, but full of quiet doubt—about starting the race.
Q4: What changes for Kai during the race?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: As Kai begins to move, he feels more confident, just like momentum builds with motion.
Q5: How does the author connect science to emotions in the story?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: The author uses the scientific idea of momentum to explain how Kai’s emotional growth begins with a single step forward.