A Stinging Surprise

What happens when Miles has an unexpected encounter with a jellyfish?

1 Sophie, Miles, and Mr. Taylor walked along the beach. The late afternoon sun reflected off the water and made it sparkle like a sea of diamonds.

2 “Quick, kids, look at the seagull!” exclaimed Mr. Taylor. He pointed toward a gull that had just swooped down and plucked a large fish from the water. The fish wriggled, and they could see that it was a struggle for the seagull to hold its catch firmly without dropping it.

3 “I can’t believe that a bird that size can carry such a…ouch! Dad, help! I think I stepped on something!” Miles hopped on one foot, trying to shake the stinging sensation from his other foot. Mr. Taylor reached him quickly and helped Miles take a seat on the warm sand.

4 “I think that’s what you stepped on,” said Sophie, pointing to a sand-covered, jelly-like blob on the beach. “Is it a jellyfish, Dad?”

5 Mr. Taylor nodded. Then, he looked at Miles who was wincing in pain. “You’re all right, Miles,” he said, giving his son a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. He turned to Sophie. “Do you see that lifeguard tower down the beach?” he asked. Sophie nodded. “Can you run over there and tell the lifeguard that we think your brother was stung by a jellyfish?”

6 Sophie nodded and headed for the tower. Meanwhile, Mr. Taylor emptied the bucket of seashells and used it to gently rinse the sand from Miles’s foot with seawater. 7 “How does that feel?” he asked Miles.

8 “About the same,” replied Miles. “It burns and stings.

9 In just a few minutes, Sophie returned with the lifeguard, a friendly-looking man with deeply tanned skin and curly black hair.

10 He opened a small red and white box and removed some rubbing alcohol. “First, we’re going to clean the area with a bit of alcohol,” he began. “Vinegar works too, just in case you’re ever stung again. ”

11 “Now what are you going to put on it?” asked Sophie curiously.

12 “Well, it might sound funny, but I’m making a paste using meat tenderizer and water. ” He smeared the paste on the heel of Miles’s foot, which had become red and slightly swollen. “Meat tenderizer is an enzyme that breaks down protein. Jellyfish poison is a protein, so it works on the poison the same way it does on meat.

13 “It actually feels better already,” said Miles in surprise.

14 The lifeguard smiled. “If you don’t have any meat tenderizer at home, a paste made of baking soda and water will also soothe it. If the area becomes any more irritated in the next couple of hours, I’d suggest seeing a doctor. Otherwise, you’ll probably be feeling much better by morning. ”

15 “Thank you for all your help,” said Mr. Taylor, shaking the lifeguard’s hand. “Come on, Miles. This is probably the last piggyback ride you’re going to get before you get taller than me!”

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

92

1. Number the events below to show the order in which they happened.

Mr. Taylor shook the lifeguard’s hand.

The Taylors watched a seagull catch a fish.

The lifeguard cleaned the sting with alcohol.

_____ Sophie pointed to the sand-covered jellyfish.

The lifeguard smeared meat tenderizer on Miles’ foot.

2. If you don’t have alcohol and meat tenderizer at home, what else can you use to treat a jellyfish sting?

3. Under what circumstances does the lifeguard recommend that Miles see a doctor?

4. Why does meat tenderizer soothe a jellyfish sting?

5. What were the Taylors looking at when Miles was stung?

6. How did the Taylors determine what Miles had stepped on?

7. The climax of a story is the point of highest excitement. What is the climax in “A Stinging Surprise”?

Find the simile in paragraph 1, and write it on the line below.

8. ______________________________________________________________________________________

9. Have you ever been stung by something, like a bee or some fire ants? How did you react? How did you treat it?

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

93