Let’s go through each question one by one, using the story “The Cheeky Mouse” to find the answers.
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1. What does despise mean?
In the story, it says:
> “The lady living in the house despised mice…”
We can figure out what “despise” means by looking at what she did next — she wanted to get rid of all the mice and put traps everywhere. That shows she really didn’t like them — not just a little, but A LOT.
So,
despise means to hate or strongly dislike something.
✔ Answer: Despise means to hate or strongly dislike.
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2. How did the lady feel about mice?
Again, from the first sentence:
> “The lady living in the house despised mice…”
And then she tried to trap them all. So she didn’t just dislike them — she hated them.
✔ Answer: The lady hated mice. She wanted to get rid of them all.
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3. How did the mouse feel about his plan?
Look at this part:
> “The little cheeky mouse was so proud of himself for fooling the old lady.”
He thought he was tricking her every day by moving the traps. He felt smart and happy with himself.
✔ Answer: The mouse felt proud and happy because he thought he was tricking the lady.
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4. Choose one word to describe the mouse and explain why.
The story calls him “cheeky” right at the start — that’s a good word! But we can also say he was clever (at first), or overconfident (because he got caught in the end).
Let’s pick
“cheeky” since it’s used in the title and fits his behavior — he was being playful and bold, even though it backfired.
✔ Answer: Cheeky — because he liked to play tricks on the lady and thought he was smarter than her.
*(Other good answers could be: clever, overconfident, silly — as long as you explain why based on the story.)*
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5. Do you feel sorry for the mouse? Why or why not?
This is your opinion — there’s no single right answer. But let’s think:
- At first, he was having fun and felt proud.
- But in the end, he got caught in a trap himself — “Snap!” went the trap… he hadn’t fooled the lady after all.
You might feel sorry because he ended up trapped. Or you might not feel sorry because he was trying to steal food and trick someone.
✔ Example answer: Yes, I feel sorry for the mouse because he thought he was winning, but then he got caught in his own game. It’s sad when someone thinks they’re smart but makes a mistake.
*(Or: No, I don’t feel sorry because he was stealing food and playing tricks — he should have known better.)*
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Final Answer:
1. Despise means to hate or strongly dislike.
2. The lady hated mice and wanted to get rid of them all.
3. The mouse felt proud and happy because he thought he was tricking the lady.
4. Cheeky — because he liked to play tricks on the lady and thought he was smarter than her.
5. (Example) Yes, I feel sorry for the mouse because he thought he was winning, but then he got caught in his own game.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of free 2nd grade reading worksheet.
