Since George's daughter Brenda was born, he has videotaped important moments in her life. He has videotapes of Brenda's first walk, talk, day at school and more. Brenda was about to graduate from college. George was definitely recording her graduation.
He was even throwing her a surprise graduation party, where he planned on showing the videotapes. After Brenda's graduation, George and his wife told her they had to go back home because they forgot cash. When Brenda opened the door, the guests shouted, "Surprise!" Brenda was so shocked. She was not expecting this.
There were decorations everywhere and pictures of her posted on the wall. Her parents also got Brenda her favorite food, spaghetti. They got her favorite type of cake, too. George started playing the tapes. The first one he played was the one of her crawling to the kitchen.
The last one George wanted to play was the one of Brenda opening her acceptance letter to Harvard. George had trouble finding the tape. He organized it in chronological order, but couldn't find it. George apologized to Brenda. "It's okay, Dad. As long as I remember it, it's okay," she said.
Vocabulary Words
| No. | Word | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | videotape | a recording of moving images and sound | George had many videotapes of Brenda growing up. |
| 2 | graduate | to complete a level of education | Brenda was about to graduate from college. |
| 3 | surprise | something unexpected that causes excitement | The guests shouted “Surprise!” when Brenda came in. |
| 4 | decorate | to make something look nice with special items | The house was decorated with balloons and photos. |
| 5 | acceptance | the act of being allowed into a group or place | Brenda opened her acceptance letter to Harvard. |
| 6 | chronological | arranged by time order | George organized the tapes in chronological order. |
| 7 | moment | a short period of time | He recorded many special moments in Brenda’s life. |
| 8 | crawl | to move on hands and knees | The first tape showed Brenda crawling to the kitchen. |
| 9 | record | to capture sound or video | George recorded every milestone in Brenda’s life. |
| 10 | favorite | most liked or preferred | They made Brenda’s favorite food, spaghetti. |
| 11 | apologize | to say sorry for something | George apologized when he couldn’t find the tape. |
| 12 | memory | something remembered from the past | Brenda said her memories were enough. |
| 13 | celebration | a joyful event to honor something special | Her parents held a celebration for her graduation. |
| 14 | college | a school where students study after high school | Brenda had just finished college. |
| 15 | shock | a strong feeling of surprise | She was in shock when everyone yelled “Surprise!” |
| 16 | organize | to arrange or put things in order | He organized all his tapes neatly on a shelf. |
| 17 | tape | a magnetic strip for recording sound or images | He had a special tape for each event in her life. |
| 18 | kitchen | a room where food is cooked | The baby crawled toward the kitchen in the video. |
| 19 | forget | to fail to remember something | They told Brenda they forgot cash to get her home. |
| 20 | Harvard | a famous university in the United States | She was accepted to Harvard University. |
Comprehension Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. What did George do after Brenda was born? | He videotaped important moments in her life. |
| 2. What kinds of things did George record? | Her first walk, first words, and first day at school. |
| 3. What big event was Brenda about to have? | Her college graduation. |
| 4. What did George plan for Brenda’s graduation? | A surprise graduation party with her family and friends. |
| 5. What did George want to show at the party? | The videotapes of Brenda’s life. |
| 6. Why did George tell Brenda they had to go home? | Because he said they forgot cash — to get her home for the surprise. |
| 7. What happened when Brenda opened the door? | Everyone shouted, “Surprise!” |
| 8. How did Brenda feel when she saw the surprise? | She was shocked and not expecting it. |
| 9. What decorations were at the party? | There were decorations and pictures of her on the wall. |
| 10. What food did Brenda’s parents get her? | Her favorite food, spaghetti, and her favorite cake. |
| 11. What was the first videotape George played? | The one of Brenda crawling to the kitchen. |
| 12. Which videotape did George want to play last? | The one of Brenda opening her Harvard acceptance letter. |
| 13. Why couldn’t George find the last videotape? | He had organized them in order but it was missing. |
| 14. What did George do when he couldn’t find the tape? | He apologized to Brenda. |
| 15. What did Brenda say to her dad after he apologized? | She said it was okay because she could still remember it. |
| 16. What college did Brenda get accepted to? | Harvard. |
| 17. How did George organize the videotapes? | In chronological order — by time. |
| 18. What did George’s recordings show about him? | He was a caring and loving father who valued memories. |
| 19. What lesson does the story teach? | That memories and love are more important than the tapes themselves. |
| 20. How did Brenda feel at the end of the story? | She felt happy and grateful for her father’s love and memories. |
Tags:
English Level 6