"Growing Up"

Passage from "Peter Pan"

All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!"

This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1) Which of the following best describes the theme of the above passage?

a. a mastering of fear

b. a call to duty

c. a loss of innocence

d. a desire for freedom

2) In the above passage, what is the most likely reason why Wendy’s mother said, “Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever”?

a. she thinks Wendy is being silly, and wants to teach her a valuable lesson

b. she thinks there is trouble ahead for Wendy, and wants her to avoid it

c. she thinks Wendy has to make a choice, and she wants her to choose wisely

d. she thinks Wendy is at the perfect age, but knows it won’t last long

3) The final sentence of the above passage says, “Two is the beginning of the end.” This statement means that after the age of two which of the following happens?

a. children stop having fun

b. children realize they will grow up

c. children are treated like adults

d. children stop caring about things

4) The above passage is the first line of a novel about a boy who never gets older. The first line of the passage—“All children, except one, grow up”—serves which purpose in the novel?

a. flashback

b. foreshadowing

c. conflict resolution

d. climax

5) Based on the above passage, the narrator believes that which of the following is true?

a. most people act like children for their whole lives

b. children are too young to know that things change

c. children under two think they will be children forever

d. adults can become children if they believe they can

6) In the above passage, which of the following best describes the impact of the scene when Wendy gave her Mother the flower?

a. it was life-changing for Wendy, but unimportant for her Mother

b. it was unimportant for Wendy, but life-changing for her Mother

c. it was life-changing for Wendy and her Mother

d. it was unimportant for Wendy and her Mother

Answer Key

1) Which of the following best describes the theme of the above passage?

a. a mastering of fear

b. a call to duty

c. a loss of innocence

d. a desire for freedom

2) In the above passage, what is the most likely reason why Wendy’s mother said, “Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever”?

a. she thinks Wendy is being silly, and wants to teach her a valuable lesson

b. she thinks there is trouble ahead for Wendy, and wants her to avoid it

c. she thinks Wendy has to make a choice, and she wants her to choose wisely

d. she thinks Wendy is at the perfect age, but knows it won’t last long

3) The final sentence of the above passage says, “Two is the beginning of the end.” This statement means that after the age of two which of the following happens?

a. children stop having fun

b. children realize they will grow up

c. children are treated like adults

d. children stop caring about things

4) The above passage is the first line of a novel about a boy who never gets older. The first line of the passage—“All children, except one, grow up”—serves which purpose in the novel?

a. flashback

b. foreshadowing

c. conflict resolution

d. climax

5) Based on the above passage, the narrator believes that which of the following is true?

a. most people act like children for their whole lives

b. children are too young to know that things change

c. children under two think they will be children forever

d. adults can become children if they believe they can

6) In the above passage, which of the following best describes the impact of the scene when Wendy gave her Mother the flower?

a. it was life-changing for Wendy, but unimportant for her Mother

b. it was unimportant for Wendy, but life-changing for her Mother

c. it was life-changing for Wendy and her Mother

d. it was unimportant for Wendy and her Mother