Resilience: The Strength You Can’t See
Lexile: 900 | Grade: 6
Passage
Everyone faces difficult moments—failing a test, losing a game, moving to a new place, or dealing with disappointment. What makes some people keep going while others give up? The answer often lies in a powerful, invisible skill: **resilience**.
Resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward. It doesn’t mean ignoring problems or pretending everything is fine. Instead, resilient people face challenges, learn from them, and try again. Think of it like a rubber band. When stretched, it returns to its shape. Resilient people do the same—they bounce back.
Resilience isn’t something people are born with. It’s something they build over time. It grows when someone deals with hard things and chooses not to give up. Support from friends, family, or teachers can also help people become more resilient. So can setting goals, learning from mistakes, and believing in your ability to improve.
You may not realize it, but you’ve probably shown resilience before. Maybe you failed at something, practiced harder, and did better the next time. Or maybe you stayed calm during a tough situation when others gave up. Those are signs of resilience in action.
In life, problems are part of the journey. But resilience helps turn those problems into chances to grow stronger. It’s not just about surviving hard times—it’s about learning, adapting, and becoming better because of them.
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Questions
Q1: Which idea connects all the paragraphs in this passage?
- A. People should always stay happy no matter what happens.
- B. Resilience helps people face challenges and grow stronger.
- C. Failure is something to avoid at all costs.
- D. Asking for help shows weakness during tough times.
Q2: What does the author compare resilience to?
- A. A light that never goes out
- B. A rubber band that stretches and returns
- C. A puzzle that is hard to solve
- D. A bridge that connects two places
Q3: What does the word 'setbacks' most likely mean in the sentence 'Resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward'?
- A. Successes and rewards
- B. Unexpected delays or failures
- C. Physical injuries from sports
- D. Steps in a long process
Q4: Which example shows someone being resilient?
- A. A student stops trying after missing a homework deadline.
- B. A player quits the team after losing one game.
- C. A student studies harder after failing a quiz and improves on the next one.
- D. A person avoids new experiences because they are afraid of failure.
Q5: What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
- A. To explain how rubber bands are made
- B. To teach readers how to avoid problems
- C. To encourage readers to develop resilience by showing how it helps in life
- D. To convince readers that setbacks are too hard to overcome
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Answers & Reasoning
Q1: Which idea connects all the paragraphs in this passage?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: Each paragraph explains how resilience helps people recover, learn, and grow through difficulty.
Q2: What does the author compare resilience to?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: The author uses the image of a rubber band to explain how resilient people can stretch under pressure but return to strength.
Q3: What does the word 'setbacks' most likely mean in the sentence 'Resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward'?
✅ Correct Answer: B
💡 Reasoning: From context, 'setbacks' refers to difficulties that challenge progress, such as failures or disappointments.
Q4: Which example shows someone being resilient?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The example shows someone facing failure, learning from it, and trying again—core qualities of resilience.
Q5: What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
✅ Correct Answer: C
💡 Reasoning: The passage aims to explain what resilience is and inspire readers to build it in their own lives.
Printable Comprehension Practice
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