87. A Stolen Bike

Beatrice rode her bike everywhere. Most of her classmates drove around the neighborhood. Beatrice's family couldn't afford to get her a car, so she decided to take her driving test later. She doesn't mind too much. Biking was fun and it was good exercise.

On her way home from school, Beatrice stopped by the supermarket. She forgot her bike lock. She thought about what to do, and decided to just leave the bike outside. 

No one was going to steal her bike, she thought. She went inside to buy milk. When she exited the store, her bike was gone! She was going crazy. She looked all around the market just to see if the thief was still nearby. Hours went by, and she still couldn't find it.

Beatrice walked back home with the gallon of milk in her hand. She looked up and her bike was in front of her house. She was surprised. How did it end up at home? She asked her family how it got there. It turned out that her brother took it as a prank.

Vocabulary Words

1. Rode – traveled by bicycle
   Beatrice rode her bike everywhere she needed to go.

2. Classmates – students in the same class
   Most of her classmates drove around the neighborhood.

3. Neighborhood – a local area where people live
   Her classmates drove around the neighborhood.

4. Afford – to have enough money for something
   Her family couldn’t afford to get her a car.

5. Decided – made a choice
   She decided to take her driving test later.

6. Driving test – a test to get a driver's license
   She decided to take her driving test later.

7. Mind – to feel bothered or upset
   She doesn’t mind too much.

8. Biking – riding a bicycle
   Biking was fun and it was good exercise.

9. Exercise – physical activity to stay healthy
   Biking was fun and it was good exercise.

10. Stopped by – made a short visit
    Beatrice stopped by the supermarket.

11. Supermarket – a large store that sells food and goods
    She stopped by the supermarket.

12. Forgot – failed to remember
    She forgot her bike lock.

13. Lock – a device used to secure something
    She forgot her bike lock.

14. Outside – the outer part of a place
    She decided to just leave the bike outside.

15. Steal – to take something that isn’t yours
    No one was going to steal her bike, she thought.

16. Exited – went out of a place
    When she exited the store, her bike was gone!

17. Crazy – feeling upset or out of control
    She was going crazy.

18. Thief – a person who steals
    She looked around the market to see if the thief was still nearby.

19. Gallon – a unit of measurement for liquids
    She walked back home with the gallon of milk in her hand.

20. Prank – a trick played on someone for fun
    Her brother took it as a prank.

Comprehension Questions

1. How did Beatrice usually get around?

2. Why didn’t Beatrice have a car?

3. What did Beatrice plan to do later instead of now?

4. How did Beatrice feel about biking?

5. Where did Beatrice go after school?

6. What important item did she forget?

7. Why did Beatrice think her bike was safe?

8. What did she go to the store to buy?

9. What happened when she came out of the supermarket?

10. What did Beatrice do after realizing her bike was gone?

11. How long did Beatrice search for her bike?

12. What did she carry with her when she walked home?

13. Where did Beatrice find her bike?

14. How did she feel when she saw her bike at home?

15. Who took her bike?

16. Why did her brother take the bike?

17. What does the word “prank” mean in the story?

18. Why didn’t Beatrice lock her bike?

19. What does “she was going crazy” mean in this context?

20. What lesson might Beatrice learn from this experience?