Saturday morning was bright and fresh. There was a song in every heart, cheer on every face, and a _ in every step. Tom appeared with a bucket of white paint in one hand and a brush in the other. His Aunt Polly told him to paint the fence around the garden. It was ninety feet long and nine feet high. He felt very blue. Then he had a wonderful idea. He picked up his brush and started to work. Soon Ben came along the road. He was happily eating an apple. He stopped to look at Tom. Tom went on painting and pretended not to see Ben. "I'm going swimming," said Ben. "Do you want to go swimming, Tom? But I guess you can't. You have to stay and work, don't you?" "Work?" Tom said. "This isn't work. I'm enjoying myself. Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?" Ben thought about this. Tom continued painting carefully. Sometimes he stopped, stood back to look at the fence like an artist, and then added a bit more paint in just the right place. Ben was watching Tom paint with great interest. He was getting more and more eager to have a try himself. After a while, Ben asked Tom if he would let him paint a little. Tom thought about it, and said, "No, Ben, I can't. You see. Aunt Polly wants it to be done well. Aunt Polly said that I must paint it with great care." "Oh, please, Tom," begged Ben. "I can do it. I'll be really careful. Just let me try. I'll give you half of my apple. Well, I'll give you all of it!" "Well, all right, Ben," said Tom. "You must be very careful." He gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart. He sat down under the tree, and started to eat Ben's apple. All day, boys came to make fun of Tom, but they ended up staying to paint. When Ben got tired, Billy was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for a chance to paint. Then Johnny offered him a basketball, and so on. By late afternoon Tom had got all kinds of toys, and the fence had got three coats of paint. Later Aunt Polly came to look at the painted fence. She was so pleased with Tom's work that she gave Tom a large cake! QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. What was the reason for Tom painting?
2. What made Tom paint?
3. 
Q2:
1. Who did the fence belong to?
2. Who owned the fence?
3. 
Q3:
1. What made Ben want to paint the fence?
2. What was the reason for Ben wanting to paint the fence?
3. 
Q4:
1. How did Tom get the apple?
2. Where did the apple come from?
3. 
Q5:
1. How did Tom get the apple from Ben?
2. Why was Tom given the apple by Ben?
3. 
Q6:
1. What occurred when Ben was sick of painting?
2. What happened when Ben was fed up with painting?
3. 
Q7:
1. What were Tom’s thoughts on painting?
2. What were Tom’s feelings about painting?
3. 
Q8:
1. What were Tom’s thoughts when Ben started to paint?
2. What were Tom’s feeling once Ben starting painting?
3. 
Q9:
1. What was the weather like?
2. What kind of day was it?
3. 
Q10:
1. What did Ben intend to do?
2. What plans did Ben have?
3. 
Q11:
1. What number of coats did the fence get?
2. How many layers of paint did the fence receive?
3. 
