Fourth Grade
Worksheets
The Difficult Side of Friendship
Friendship Day
Reading Comprehension for August 4
"I don't want to do this," Kerri said to herself as she walked slowly to her friend Rhoda's home just after a summer shower. "I know it's the best thing, but this is going to be so hard."
Kerri shuffled her feet as she walked along the damp sidewalk. Usually, she was eager to go to Rhoda's house. They had a lot in common. They both enjoyed dogs, and Rhoda had two playful, cute pets. They loved to talk; they spent hours in each other's rooms, chatting about everything from school to activities to favorite foods. This time, however, Kerri felt the need to have a serious conversation with Rhoda, and she was not looking forward to it.
The difficulty started several weeks ago, when Kerri began to notice some changes in Rhoda. Rhoda had moved to a new neighborhood that was actually closer to Kerri's house. Kerri had thought they'd see even more of each other. However, Rhoda began to hang around with some new friends. Although Kerri felt just a tad jealous, she understood that it was important to share her friend with others. The problem was that Rhoda seemed to be changing the more she hung around with these kids.
At first, it was just little changes, such as Rhoda saying some insensitive things to Kerri. For example, she had said, "Kerri, I can't talk right now. You and I talk all the time. I'll catch you later," just before heading off with her new friends.
Then, a few weeks later, Rhoda began complaining about her and Kerri's mutual friends. "Lisa sure is a tightwad," she had whispered when Lisa declined going out for ice cream. "Brian thinks he's hot stuff. He's not so great." "Marilyn needs to lighten up. She studies too much." Kerri tried to deflect these comments, but over time, they increased.
Therefore, Kerri finally decided it was time to confront Rhoda. She didn't know how the conversation would turn out, but she would soon find out because she was at Rhoda's steps. She hesitated, took a deep breath, and rung the doorbell.
Mr. Brooks, Rhoda's father, answered the door. "Hi, Kerri! Come on in!"
Rhoda came down the stairs from her bedroom. "Hey, Kerri. How are ya? Want some popcorn?"
