4th-Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets | Games4esl - Free Printable

Let's solve "The Mystery of the Missing Cookies" step by step.

---

Passage Summary:

- Mrs. Baker baked chocolate chip cookies and placed them on the kitchen counter to cool.
- She warned her three children — Ben, Emily, and Sam — not to eat any cookies until after dinner.
- She went to the garden to pick vegetables.
- When she returned, the plate of cookies was empty.
- The children were in the living room, with crumbs around their mouths.
- Each child gave an alibi:
- Ben: He was reading a book.
- Emily: She was playing with her dolls.
- Sam: He was drawing a picture.

---

Key Clue:

> *"The children were playing in the living room, crumbs around their mouths."*

This is crucial. Even though they claimed to be doing different activities, they all had crumbs around their mouths, which suggests that all three had eaten the cookies.

But the question is: Who ate the cookies?

Let’s analyze each child’s claim:

1. Ben said he was reading a book.
- Reading a book is a quiet activity. It doesn’t require hands or much movement.
- But if he was reading, why would he have crumbs around his mouth?
- Could he have eaten while reading? Possibly.

2. Emily said she was playing with her dolls.
- Playing with dolls usually involves using hands.
- If she was playing, she might have been able to sneak a cookie.
- But again, crumbs suggest she ate something.

3. Sam said he was drawing a picture.
- Drawing requires holding a pencil or crayon.
- Here’s the key point: You can't draw and eat cookies at the same time unless you’re using one hand for drawing and one for eating.
- But if he was drawing, he’d need both hands free or at least one hand steady.
- However, crumbs around his mouth suggest he did eat.

Wait — let’s look deeper.

But here’s the real clue hidden in the details:

> "The children were playing in the living room, crumbs around their mouths."

They were all in the living room, all had crumbs. So it’s likely all three ate cookies.

But the question asks: *Who do you think ate the cookies?*

And the mystery is about who — implying one person?

But actually, the clue is in the alibis.

Let’s examine Sam’s alibi: “I was drawing a picture.”

If he was drawing, then he was likely using his hands. But if he was eating cookies, he would need to use his hands to grab and eat them.

So drawing and eating cookies simultaneously is very difficult — especially without getting crumbs on the paper or dropping things.

But more importantly — Ben said he was reading a book.

Reading a book requires one hand to hold it, but the other hand is free.

Similarly, Emily playing with dolls — she uses her hands, so she could have eaten while doing that.

But Sam says he was drawing — which means he was focused on a task requiring both hands (or at least one hand) to hold a pencil.

Now, consider this: Could someone have eaten cookies while drawing?

It’s possible, but messy.

But here’s a better clue: All three had crumbs around their mouths.

So all three probably ate cookies.

But the mystery is who ate them — and the answer is likely based on contradictions in their stories.

Wait — let’s look at Ben’s statement:

> "I was too busy reading a book."

He says he was too busy reading — meaning he didn’t have time to eat.

But reading a book doesn’t prevent you from eating — you can read and eat at the same time.

But drawing does involve focus and hand usage.

However, the real clue may be in the timing.

Mrs. Baker went to the garden to pick vegetables. That takes time.

She came back to find the cookies gone.

The children were in the living room.

But here’s the biggest clue: Crumbs around their mouths.

That means they all ate cookies.

But the puzzle is designed to make us think logically.

Wait — perhaps the answer is that none of them are telling the truth — but the question is asking who ate them.

But since all three have crumbs, it implies all three ate cookies.

But maybe only one of them is lying.

Let’s think differently.

Is there any physical impossibility?

Sam says he was drawing.

Drawing requires a steady hand.

But if he was drawing, how could he have eaten cookies?

Unless he used one hand to draw and one to eat.

But even then, it’s possible.

But here’s a better idea: Ben said he was reading a book.

But reading a book is easy to do while eating.

Emily playing with dolls — also easy to eat while doing.

Sam drawing — hard to do while eating.

But still, possible.

Wait — what if Sam is the one who must be lying?

No — we don’t know.

Actually, there’s no clear contradiction in their statements.

But the key is that all three have crumbs around their mouths.

That means all three ate cookies.

So the answer is: All three children ate the cookies.

But the question says: "Who do you think ate the cookies?"

Since the passage says "crumbs around their shoulders" — wait! Let's check that.

> "The children were playing in the living room, crumbs around their mouths."

Yes — crumbs around their mouths, not shoulders.

So each child has crumbs around their mouth, meaning they all ate cookies.

Therefore, Ben, Emily, and Sam all ate the cookies.

But perhaps the puzzle is meant to be a logic riddle.

Wait — another possibility:

Could only one of them have eaten them?

But no — all have crumbs.

So all three must have eaten.

But maybe the answer is that Ben ate them?

Why?

Because he said he was reading a book — but reading a book doesn’t stop you from eating.

But Sam says he was drawing — which is harder to do while eating.

But again, not impossible.

Wait — here’s a different approach.

Let’s suppose only one child is telling the truth.

But the passage doesn’t say that.

Alternatively, maybe Ben is the one who ate them — because he said he was reading, but reading is silent, and no one else saw him, so he could have sneaked them.

But Emily and Sam also had crumbs.

So all three are guilty.

---

✔ Final Answer:

All three children — Ben, Emily, and Sam — ate the cookies.

🔍 Explanation:

- The key evidence is that all three children had crumbs around their mouths, which indicates that each one ate at least some cookies.
- Although they each gave alibis, none of them are proven false.
- However, the physical evidence (crumbs) contradicts their claims of not eating.
- Therefore, despite their excuses, all three must have eaten the cookies.

So, the mystery is solved: Ben, Emily, and Sam all ate the cookies.

---

🎯 Conclusion:

Who ate the cookies?
👉 Ben, Emily, and Sam all did.

They were all lying about what they were doing — or at least, they were doing those things *while* eating the cookies. But the crumbs prove they all ate them.

---

💡 Moral of the story: Always check the evidence — crumbs don’t lie!