Reading Comprehension Skills Development 7th Grade Text “A Day in the Life of an At-home Dad”

Reading Comprehension Skills Development

7^th Grade

Text “A Day in the Life of an At-home Dad”

1.                   Write down 20 words that are associated with the word family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.                   Look at the title of the article and the photos. What do you think the article is about?

1.                 how to look after young children
2.                  a father who looks after his children
3.                  a typical family on a typical weekday     

 

3.  Read the text. Then match gaps (1-4) in the text with the sentences (A-E). There is one extra sentence which doesn’t fit any of the gaps.

A. The important thing is that they all love their children.

B. Tom stays at home with his kids, Billy, aged two years, and Eve, aged two months.

C.  Fathers should stay at home only if mums earn a lot of money

D. After two years at home with their babies, she’s happy to be back at work.

E. In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad.

 

  A Day in the Life of an At-home Dad 

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Tom Martin’s wife gets up and gets ready for work. 1___

About 1.4 million fathers in the UK stay at home to look after their children. Tom, thirty-eight, is one of them. His wife Carol works for a construction company. 2___

Tom, Billy and Eve have breakfast together. Then they look at picture books or Tom and Billy play ball in the park. Every day at eleven, Tom takes Billy to playgroup for two hours. Then he goes back home with Eve and works for an hour or two when the baby sleeps. Tom’s a programmer, so it is easy to work at home.

Sharon Rivers, the playgroup teacher, says ‘This situation is quite normal these days. 3___Some fathers want to stay at home and look after their children; some fathers stay at home because their wife earns more money.4___’

When Carol comes home from work, Tom goes out for a game of tennis. In the evening, the family have dinner together. Billy and Eve go to bed at eight and then Carol and Tom can relax together and talk about their day. So, what is Tom’s advice to young fathers?  ……

4.                   After reading the text choose the advice that you think is the best one to young fathers. Explain your choice.

1.                 ‘We have about fifty years to work and make money, but only a few years to watch our babies grow. Don’t miss this important time.’
2.                  ‘A man should find better job than his wife and earn a lot of money’
3.                  ‘When you are an at-home dad, you have more time for your children and time for relax’ 

5.                   Read the text and order the pictures according to the text. There is one extra picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.                   Choose the phrase that correctly completes each sentence. Then write the summary by filling in the blanks

1.                   Tom is one of the_____ and his wife Carol______

1.                 hardworking husbands / looks after their children
2.                  at-home dads / works for a construction company
3.                  at-home dads / wants to be back at work

2.                   Carol is________ to be back at work

1.                 sad
2.                  happy
3.                  disappointed

3.                   Tom ________ when one of his children sleeps

1.                 found such a job that’s easy to work at home
2.                  tries to relax
3.                  goes out for a game of tennis

4.                   This situation is quite _______these days.  In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad.

1.                 unusual
2.                  normal
3.                  awkward

5.                   The most important thing is that ______

1.                 mums and dads love their children
2.                  someone looks after children
3.                  children should be happy

 

Summary:  Tom is one of the_____ and his wife Carol______. Carol is________ to be back at work. Tom ________ when one of his children sleeps. This situation is quite _______these days.  In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad. This situation is quite _______these days.  In some families the mum looks after the children, but in many families, it’s the dad.   

 

7.                   Make a Venn diagram about pros and cons of at-home mums and dads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keys

A Day in the Life of an At-home Dad

Task 2

B

 

Task 3

1. B

2. D

3. E

4. A  

C – extra

 

Task 4

A

 

Task 5

1D

2B

3A

4C

5 E  

F-extra

 

Task 6

1B

2B

3 A

4B

5A