Skip to the main content
PeabodyMake a free story

The Gingerbread Man: reading passage and questions

A free printable reading passage for Preschool and Kindergarten and 1st grade and 2nd grade (179 words) with 5 comprehension questions and an answer key. No sign-up.

📖 Read it on screen
Name: ____________________Date: ____________

The Gingerbread Man

A little old woman made a gingerbread man.

He had candy eyes and a big smile.

She opened the oven. Out he jumped!

"Run, run, as fast as you can!"

"You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

The old woman ran. The old man ran.

But the Gingerbread Man was too fast!

He ran past a cow. "Stop!" mooed the cow.

He ran past a horse. "Stop!" said the horse.

"Run, run, as fast as you can!"

"You can't catch me!" Off he ran.

Then he came to a river. He could not swim!

A fox sat there. He had a sly smile.

"Hop on my tail," said the fox. "I can swim."

So he hopped on. Off went the fox.

"You will get wet. Hop on my back."

"Still wet! Hop on my nose."

The fox opened his mouth very wide.

Snap! But the Gingerbread Man was too fast!

He jumped off, onto the bank.

"That fox was not my friend!" he said.

He ran all the way home.

And he never hopped on a fox again.

Questions

1. Where did the Gingerbread Man jump out of?
  1. A box
  2. The oven
  3. A bag
2. Who ran after him first?
  1. The fox
  2. The cow
  3. The old woman
3. Why did the fox want him on his nose?
  1. To keep him dry
  2. To eat him
  3. To give him a hug
4. Where did the Gingerbread Man jump?
  1. Onto the bank
  2. Into the river
  3. Onto a cow
5. What did he learn?
  1. Foxes swim well
  2. Do not trust a sly fox
  3. Cows are slow

Words to know

  • gingerbread: spicy cookie
  • oven: hot box
  • catch: grab
  • sly: sneaky

Answer key: The Gingerbread Man

  1. B. The oven
  2. C. The old woman
  3. B. To eat him
  4. A. Onto the bank
  5. B. Do not trust a sly fox