It Happened to Me

The Grasshopper--Part 2


A man from the office was going to give me a ride home one day, so we walked through a vacant lot with high grass to get to his car. A few minutes later, we were driving along a major street when I felt some creature crawling up my leg under my slacks. Like many women, I detest most bugs. However, whatever was there was climbing higher and higher. I couldn't bear it any longer. I shrieked to the driver to stop the car while I frantically started to pull down my slacks.

He was startled, but he screeched to a stop next to a very busy sidewalk. I jumped out of the car. I pulled down my slacks in front of a rather astonished group of pedestrians. A very large grasshopper popped out. I jumped back in the car and we left again. It was embarrassing, but I was glad it wasn't a spider.

Adapted from a first person story by Mrs. E.D., taken from The Detroit News circa 1980

Vocabulary Questions

In the first paragraph, what does vacant lot mean?
1. An empty area of land.
2. A place where someone lives.
3. A garden.

Click here after you choose the answer.

In the first paragraph, what does crawling mean?
1. Hurrying.
2. Moving slowly, close to the ground.
3. Traveling quickly.

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In the first paragraph, what does slacks mean?
1. Pajamas.
2. A kind of socks.
3. A kind of pants.

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In the first paragraph, what does detest mean?
1. Like.
2. Be interested in.
3. Hate.

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In the first paragraph, what does shrieked mean?
1. Screamed in a loud, high sound.
2. Said in a loud voice.
3. Said quickly.

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In the second paragraph, what does startled mean?
1. Upset.
2. Surprised suddenly.
3. Angry.

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In the second paragraph, what does astonished mean?
1. Interested.
2. Confused.
3. Very surprised.

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In the second paragraph, what does popped out mean?
1. Jumped out suddenly.
2. Crawled away.
3. Came out slowly.

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