Banana Splits

Story 5

35

Banana Splits

by Fenella Falstone

Glossary

splits: (pl. n.) the action of sitting on the floor with your legs straight out and flat along the floor in opposite directions. It was Saturday morning. Zoe was in her gymnastics class. The teacher was teaching the girls how to do the splits. All the girls could do the splits very well…All the girls except Zoe that is! She tried and tried, but she couldn’t get it right! She just couldn’t open her legs wide enough to do the splits without bending her knees!

Not only could Zoe not do the splits. It hurt her even trying! It hurt her a lot. “Be careful, Zoe,” said the gym teacher. “Don’t hurt yourself! You just need to practice a lot. Don’t worry! You’ll soon be able to do it!” But Zoe did worry! She wanted to be as good as the other girls! She felt she was a failure! She was almost in tears by the end of the class. Glossary

failure: (n.) the fact of not doing something that you must do or are expected to do.

When Zoe’s mom and brother, Cody, came to pick Zoe up after the class, Zoe told them all about how she couldn’t do the splits. She was so upset that her mom said they could go to the coffee shop for a snack, and then go to the zoo for the rest of the morning. That cheered Zoe up!

They were soon sitting at a table in the local coffee shop.

Glossary

upset: (adj.) not happy.

“What do you want?” the children’s mother asked them. “A banana split, please,” said Cody at once. “O.K.” said mom. “Do you want a banana split too, Zoe?” “Don’t talk about banana SPLITS to Zoe,” said Cody. “Not today!” “Be quiet, Cody!” said Zoe crossly. “Yes, I’d love a banana split mommy, please!”

So both the children had banana splits. They were deicious.

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Glossary

enclosure: (n.) an area surrounded by fences or walls. When Zoe and Cody finished their banana splits and mom finished her cup of coffee, they went to the zoo. It was a small neighborhood zoo in the local park. They bought their tickets and went in. Zoe was feeling much better now. “Let’s go and see the deer,” she said, and started running across the grass to the deer enclosure.

Zoe’s mom called her back. “Don’t go on the grass, Zoe,” she said. “Can’t you see that sign?”

Zoe looked down at the sign. “Sorry!” she said, going back to her mother and Cody on the path. “I didn’t see it!” “Hurry up, you two,” said Cody. “Stop talking! I thought you wanted to go and see the deer!”

Glossary

stroke: (n.) to rub gently.

The deer were beautiful. One of them came right up to the fence to see the children. Zoe reached up to stroke its nose. “Don’t do that, Zoe,” said Cody. “Can’t you see that sign over there?” Zoe looked round. Cody pointed to a sign on the fence about two meters away from where they were standing. Zoe stopped stroking the deer and went over to look at it.

This is what it said!

“But why not?” said Zoe. “That deer came right up to the fence! It wanted us to stroke it!” “It’s a wild animal, Zoe,” said her mom. “You’re not supposed to touch wild animals. It’s for your own safety! Look at its horns! That deer’s a stag. It could hurt you!” “Well O.K.” said Zoe. Then she went back to the stag and whispered “Sorry! I can’t stroke you, but I think you’re beautiful!” Glossary

stag: (n.) an adult male deer.

Do not touch the animals

Zoe said “Goodbye” to the deer and turned round to look for Cody.

He had found a good tree for climbing. Cody loved climbing trees!

Zoe like climbing trees, too. She ran over to join her brother. But before she could start climbing she saw a notice under the trees. She read it! “Come down, Cody,” she called. “You aren’t allowed to climb the trees here! Didn’t you see the sign?”

Go to page 103 Activity Book Glossary

allowed: (past tense v.) to give permission for someone to do something.

Cody climbed down and went over to stand by Zoe. This is what the sign said.

Glossary

glared: (past tense v.) to look at someone or something in an angry way.

Don’t climb the trees

“But that’s silly!” said Cody. “That’s tree’s great for climbing! Why can’t I climb it?” “It’s for your own safety, Cody,” said Zoe. “It could be dangerous! You might fall and hurt yourself!” Cody glared at his sister. “You sound just like mom, Zoe!” he said. “Let’s go and see the monkeys,” said Zoe.

A zoo keeper was passing bananas through the wire to the monkeys. They looked very cute peeling the bananas carefully and eating them. “Look!” said Zoe. “They eat bananas just like we do! Isn’t that sweet? None of the monkeys are eating the peel!”

Zoe and Cody both loved the monkeys. Their mom liked them, too. They all stood there quite a long time watching the monkeys eating bananas.

None of them noticed that the monkeys were finishing their bananas and pushing the peel through the wire of their enclosure onto the path outside!

Zoe and Cody turned to go. But Zoe stood on a banana peel, slipped and went whizzing through the air, falling hard onto the path. She screamed.

Glossary

wire: (n.) a piece of thin metal or plastic thread where monkeys hang and play.

“Are you all right, Zoe?” asked her mom, rushing over to her. “Yes, I think so,” said Zoe. “Of course she’s all right,” said Cody. “Look! She’s doing the splits! Well done, Zoe!”

Zoe began to giggle. “Not just the splits, Cody!” she said. “I guess I’m doing the banana splits!”

Glossary

giggle: (v.) laugh lightly in a nervous, affected, or silly manner.

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