Sleeping With Bubbles

Markus loved his Saturday mornings. The warmth of his blankets and the quiet hum of the house made sleeping in his favorite weekend tradition. But this Saturday was different. A loud splash and frantic barking jolted him awake. He groaned, rubbed his eyes, and stumbled to the window. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.

Bubbles. Everywhere. The backyard pool was overflowing with sudsy white foam, and in the middle of it all was a large, fluffy white dog, happily splashing and barking. Markus squinted. Was the dog wearing bubbles? He laughed until he couldn’t breathe. Then he heard his dad yelling from the yard.

“Go! Get! Dog, you get out of here now!”

Markus ran outside, still in his pajamas. “Dad! Wait! Stop! Can I keep him?”

His dad turned, arms crossed. “What are you talking about, Markus? You can’t even clean up after yourself. Look at this mess! Your bubble solution must’ve spilled, and now the pool is ruined!”

“Please, Dad! He’s so friendly! Look at him!”

Just then, the dog bounded out of the pool, foam flying everywhere. Markus grabbed him, and the dog, covered in bubbles, licked his face enthusiastically. Markus’ mom appeared at the door with her coffee, laughing. “Well, he certainly looks like he belongs here,” she teased.

“Mom, please? Can I keep him?” Markus begged.

“Don’t look at me,” she said, retreating inside. “This is between you and your dad.”

Before his dad could say no, a truck pulled into the neighborhood. Two men got out and looked around. One spotted the dog and shouted, “There he is! That’s our dog!”

Markus’ heart sank. “Dad, no! That’s not their dog! He’s mine!”

His dad narrowed his eyes. “I’ve seen these guys before. They were on the news—dog thieves.”

The men walked up, trying to take the dog. “Thanks for finding him for us,” one said with a fake smile. “We’ll take him now.”

Markus’ dad stepped in front of them. “Not a chance. Get off my property.”

The men hesitated, then turned and left, grumbling. Markus hugged the dog tightly, tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll take care of him, I promise.”

His dad sighed, ruffling Markus’ hair. “Alright, you can keep him. But you’re cleaning up every bubble in that pool.”

Markus beamed. “Thanks, Dad! I’ll call him Bubbles!”

Over the next few days, Bubbles became a part of the family. He followed Markus everywhere, wagging his tail and bringing laughter into the house. Markus kept his promise, scrubbing the pool until it sparkled, even though some soap bubbles refused to leave. His mom joked, “Looks like you’ve turned the backyard into a bubble palace.”

One evening, Markus discovered that Bubbles had another talent. “He fetches!” Markus called out as he tossed a tennis ball. Bubbles leaped through the air, catching it mid-jump and landing gracefully in the pool. Water and suds splashed everywhere, and Markus’ mom groaned. “Not again!”

The family couldn’t stay annoyed for long. Bubbles seemed to bring lightness to their lives. The neighbors even started coming by to visit him. One little girl from down the street asked if she could play with him, and Markus happily agreed. Soon, the yard became a gathering spot for laughter, bubbles, and joy.

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Run outside – To leave the house quickly.

  • Example: “Markus ran outside, still in his pajamas.”

Take care of – To be responsible for someone or something.

  • Example: “Markus promised to take care of Bubbles.”

Show up – To arrive unexpectedly.

  • Example: “A truck showed up, and two men got out.”

Step in – To intervene in a situation.

  • Example: “Markus’ dad stepped in and stopped the men.”

Clean up – To tidy or remove a mess.

  • Example: “Markus cleaned up every bubble in the pool.”

Phrasal Verbs Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct Phrasal Verb.

  1. Markus quickly ________ when he saw the dog in the pool.

  2. Markus promised to ________ Bubbles and keep him safe.

  3. Two men ________ unexpectedly in a truck.

  4. Markus’ dad had to ________ to stop the dog thieves.

  5. Markus worked hard to ________ the mess in the pool.

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Ran outside

  2. Take care of

  3. Showed up

  4. Step in

  5. Clean up

Idioms & Example Sentences

A heart of gold – To be kind and generous.

  • Example: “Bubbles had a heart of gold, bringing joy to everyone.

Jump out of one’s skin – To be startled or surprised.

  • Example: “Markus almost jumped out of his skin when he saw the bubbles.”

Like a fish out of water – To feel out of place.

  • Example: “At first, Markus felt like a fish out of water trying to clean the pool.”

Under one’s nose – To be very obvious or close by.

  • Example: “The answer was right under his nose—Bubbles was the solution to his boring Saturdays.”

Bring to life – To make something exciting or full of energy.

  • Example: “Bubbles brought their backyard to life with laughter.”

Idioms Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom.

  1. Markus nearly ________ when he saw the dog covered in bubbles.

  2. The solution to their boredom was ________ the whole time.

  3. Bubbles brought their backyard ________ with his playful energy.

  4. Cleaning the pool made Markus feel ________ at first.

  5. The dog seemed to have ________, spreading joy everywhere.

Answers: Idioms

  1. Jumped out of his skin

  2. Under their nose

  3. To life

  4. Like a fish out of water

  5. A heart of gold

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. Why was Markus jolted awake?
    a. His alarm went off.
    b. His dad was shouting.
    c. He heard splashing and barking.
    d. His mom called him for breakfast.

  2. What was the pool overflowing with?
    a. Water
    b. Leaves
    c. Bubbles
    d. Tennis balls

  3. What did Markus name the dog?
    a. Fluffy
    b. Bubbles
    c. Max
    d. Spot

  4. Why did Markus’ dad stop the two men?
    a. They were dog thieves.
    b. They were trying to clean the pool.
    c. They were his coworkers.
    d. They were lost and needed directions.

  5. What promise did Markus make to his dad?
    a. To clean the house.
    b. To take care of Bubbles.
    c. To wash the car.
    d. To mow the lawn.

  6. What talent did Markus discover about Bubbles?
    a. He could dance.
    b. He could fetch a ball.
    c. He could bark on command.
    d. He could swim laps.

  7. How did Bubbles bring joy to the neighborhood?
    a. By hosting parties.
    b. By fetching everyone’s mail.
    c. By playing with the neighbors.
    d. By baking cookies.

  8. What did Markus’ mom call the backyard after cleaning?
    a. A mess
    b. A bubble palace
    c. A swimming pool
    d. A disaster

  9. How did Markus feel at the end of the story?
    a. Angry
    b. Sad
    c. Happiest he’d been in ages
    d. Annoyed

  10. Where did Bubbles sleep at the end of the story?
    a. On Markus’ bed
    b. In the pool
    c. In the backyard
    d. In the living room

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. c. He heard splashing and barking.

  2. c. Bubbles

  3. b. Bubbles

  4. a. They were dog thieves.

  5. b. To take care of Bubbles.

  6. b. He could fetch a ball.

  7. c. By playing with the neighbors.

  8. b. A bubble palace

  9. c. Happiest he’d been in ages

  10. a. On Markus’ bed

Thought-Provoking Question

  • Do you think Markus learned responsibility by taking care of Bubbles?

  • Why or why not?