Lulu and the Duck in the Park

IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.

Section 1: Chapter 1

Vocabulary
  1. brief: lasting a short time
  2. cruel: causing pain
  3. glare: to stare angrily
  4. gloomy: dark and sad
  5. manage: be in charge of
  6. reply: to answer
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
  1. And she swallowed the last of the apple she was eating, stuffed the stem and seeds in her pocket, jumped at the highest point of the swing, and after a wonderful, but very brief, time flying through the air, landed with a smash.(Ch.1, pgs. 14-15)
  2. “Anyway, it would be cruel to the rabbits,” said Mellie. (Ch. 1, pg. 17)
  3. When the Class Three guinea pig was more annoying than usual… Mrs. Holiday would glare at him and say, “Hmmm!” (Ch.1, pg. 7)
  4. They all gazed at the guinea pig and thought how gloomy things would be without him. (Ch. 1, pg. 12)
  5. “…In fact” added Mrs. Holiday, “I could manage quite happily with no guinea pigs at all.” (Ch. 1, pg. 6)
  6. “You know you can,” Lulu would reply. (Ch. 1, pg. 3)
Vocabulary Sentences
  1. After a brief recess, it was time to go back to the classroom.
  2. I always reply when I receive a message.
  3. Iris was responsible enough to manage her own homework.
  4. The bully got detention because he was being cruel.
  5. The sky was gloomy before it started to rain.
  6. Mom will glare at me if I misbehave.
Comprehension Questions
  1. Lulu is famous for animals. (p. 5)
  2. Mellie is most famous for losing things. (p. 8)
  3. Mrs. Holiday likes animals to be a long way off in the wild. (p. 11)
  4. Lulu’s dog Sam trailed her all the way to school. (p. 12)
  5. Mrs. Holiday says that if Lulu brings the guinea pig a friend, then the guinea pig will have to leave Class Three forever. (p. 16)
  6. Mellie loses her sweater on the swings. (p. 21)
  7. Lulu shares her sweater with Mellie to cheer her up. (p. 24)

Section 2: Chapter 2

Vocabulary
  1. avoid: to stay away from
  2. bandstand: an outdoor platform for performances
  3. cobbled: paved with stones
  4. narrow: not wide
  5. soggy: wet and mushy
  6. swapped: traded
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
  1. Class Three, walking two-by-two along the path by the lake, stepped carefully to avoid the scattered leaves and the feathers of the trodden nests. (Ch. 2, pg. 33)
  2. On Tuesday mornings after swimming, Mrs. Holiday marched Class Three to the bandstand by the lake. (Ch. 2, pg. 24)
  3. First thing every Tuesday morning, Class Three walked down the hill from school, around the narrow cobbled streets by the church, and across the town park to the pool. (Ch. 2, pg. 21)
  4. First thing every Tuesday morning, Class Three walked down the hill from school, around the narrow cobbled streets by the church, and across the town park to the pool. (Ch. 2, pg. 21)
  5. Getting them back to school again, wet-haired, starving, and weighed down by soggy swimming backs, was nearly impossible. (Ch. 2, pg. 24)
  6. This Tuesday – the day after Lulu’s dog Sam trailed Lulu to school, and Mellie lost her sweater and Class Three learned the very real danger of their guinea pig being swapped for a box of stick insects… (Ch. 2, pg. 27)
Vocabulary Sentences
  1. The bicycle bounced along the cobbled road.
  2. After running through the rain, Barry’s shoes became soggy.
  3. I wanted to avoid trouble at school.
  4. He had to squeeze through the narrow path.
  5. She set up the microphones on the bandstand.
  6. Cisco and I swapped lunches.
Comprehension Questions
  1. Tuesday is Class Three’s favorite day at school because it is swimming day. (p. 25)
  2. A shivery bite is a special snack Mrs. Holiday makes for the kids. (p. 29)
  3. Lulu always saves the end of her shivery bite for the white-winged duck. (p. 30)
  4. Two enormous black dogs come tearing across Duck Street. (p. 32)
  5. The miracle happens when the dog obeys Mrs. Holiday and sits when she tells him to. (p. 36)
  6. Lulu sees the last blue egg rolling down the grassy bank. (p. 38)
  7. Lulu picks up the last blue egg and puts it in her pocket. (p. 39)

Section 3: Chapter 3

Vocabulary
  1. estimate: guess
  2. fragment: a small part of something
  3. fuss: unnecessary excitement
  4. perimeter: the outside boundary of a figure
  5. sensible: responsible
  6. titanic: of great size or power
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
  1. The secretary was given Mrs. Holiday’s exotic cookie tin to use as a last resort. (Ch. 5, pg. 82)
  2. Lulu wrote ‘It’s hatching‘ on her doodling paper, nudged Mellie, and pointed. (Ch. 4, pg. 67)
  3. “A million times better!” she shouted and landed in a heap. (Ch. 5, pg. 88)
  4. “If you would not like me to read any more, then we will spend the time on mental math.” (Ch. 4, pg.67)
  5. The paths were swept clean of spoiled nests and broken shells. (Ch. 5, pg. 82)
  6. Two stumpy wings fluttering in the sudden light. (Ch. 4, pg. 70)
Vocabulary Sentences
  1. Everyone made a fuss over the new puppy.
  2. Linda knew that she only had a fragment of the whole story.
  3. The bear she saw in the woods was titanic.
  4. Wally ran around the perimeter of the school.
  5. It is sensible to always eat your vegetables.
  6. Can you estimate how many jelly beans are in the jar?
Comprehension Questions
  1. Mellie thinks the word titanic is perfect to describe Mrs. Holiday. (p. 42)
  2. Lulu doesn’t want anyone to help her up because she is worried that the egg is broken. (p. 44)
  3. Charlies says he is a vampire because of his bloody nose. (p. 45-46)
  4. Mrs. Holiday wants the students to have learned that having pets is a great responsibility. (p. 48)
  5. Lulu borrows two wooly hats to make a nest for her egg. (p. 51)
  6. Mrs. Holiday asks Lulu and Mellie to measure the perimeter of a person. (p. 59)
  7. Lulu and Mellie quack at the egg so the duckling doesn’t get lonely. (p. 65)

Section 4: Chapters 4-5

Vocabulary
  1. exotic: foreign
  2. hatch: to produce
  3. heap: pile
  4. mental: relating to the mind
  5. spoiled: damaged
  6. stumpy: short and thick
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
  1. The secretary was given Mrs. Holiday’s exotic cookie tin to use as a last resort. (Ch. 5, pg. 82)
  2. Lulu wrote ‘It’s hatching‘ on her doodling paper, nudged Mellie, and pointed. (Ch. 4, pg. 67)
  3. “A million times better!” she shouted and landed in a heap. (Ch. 5, pg. 88)
  4. “If you would not like me to read any more, then we will spend the time on mental math.” (Ch. 4, pg.67)
  5. The paths were swept clean of spoiled nests and broken shells. (Ch. 5, pg. 82)
  6. Two stumpy wings fluttering in the sudden light. (Ch. 4, pg. 70)
Vocabulary Sentences
  1. The spoiled milk smelled horrible.
  2. Joe was upset when I dumped my laundry in a heap on the floor.
  3. The baby waddled on his stumpy legs.
  4. It takes mental strength to do well in school.
  5. Everyone loved the exotic shoes Julia brought back from Europe.
  6. Let’s hatch a plan to catch the bad guys.
Comprehension Questions
  1. Lulu’s egg begins hatching while Mrs. Holiday is reading. (p. 71)
  2. Lulu and Mellie give the duckling water to drink in the bathroom. (p. 75)
  3. Mrs. Holiday is having a hard time reading Harry Potter because the kids are complaining that she isn’t reading the story properly. (p. 76)
  4. It takes Mrs. Holiday a long time to remember that Lulu and Mellie are missing because the guinea pig escaped and had to be recaptured. (p. 78-79)
  5. Mrs. Holiday says no one has ever hatched a duckling under their sweater in 27 years. (p. 83)
  6. Lulu takes the duckling back to the park to the bushes where he had lived before he had hatched. (p. 89)
  7. Lulu tells Henry that the park in the afternoon was a million times better than in the morning. (p. 92)