When the Sky is Clear

In a quiet corner of the neighborhood stood an old, weathered house. The windows were smudged with years of dust, and the garden was overgrown with weeds. The owner, Ms. Gofree, rarely stepped outside, and when she did, she scurried back inside like a shadow fleeing the light. She didn’t like company and had no interest in making friends.

But that was before the boy and his dog moved in next door.

Every afternoon, ten-year-old Sam and his golden retriever, Max, would wander through the neighborhood, exploring every corner. One day, Sam noticed Ms. Gofree’s backyard through the cracks in her old wooden fence. It was like something out of a storybook: frogs hopped around a stone fountain, dragonflies zipped through the air, and butterflies floated lazily from flower to flower.

The next day, Sam knocked on Ms. Gofree’s door. Max wagged his tail eagerly as Sam called out, “Hello! Can I play in your backyard?”

There was no answer.

Undeterred, Sam and Max returned the next day. And the next. Finally, on the fifth day, Ms. Gofree cracked the door open, her face wrinkled with a deep frown. “What do you want?” she snapped.

Sam grinned. “Can I play in your backyard? It’s amazing back there!”

Ms. Gofree blinked, startled. “Why my backyard? What’s wrong with your own?”

“We live right behind you,” Sam explained. “I can see your fountain from my window. There are frogs and dragonflies. It looks awesome!”

“No,” she said sharply and slammed the door.

But Sam didn’t give up. Every day, he and Max knocked on Ms. Gofree’s door. One afternoon, she opened the door again, glaring at him. “Why do you keep coming back? I said no.”

Sam shrugged. “Because I think you’re lonely. And maybe you’re scared of people.”

Ms. Gofree stiffened. “I’m not scared of anyone.”

Sam smiled. “Okay. But you can be our friend if you want.”

Her frown softened ever so slightly. “Come back tomorrow,” she muttered before closing the door.

That night, for the first time in years, Ms. Gofree ventured into her backyard. She cleared the weeds, scrubbed the fountain, and made sure there were no sharp objects or hazards. Then she went inside and began cleaning her house. She dusted off forgotten furniture, swept the floors, and even wiped a section of her dirty windows.

The next day, when Sam and Max knocked, Ms. Gofree opened the door with a small smile. “You can play in the backyard,” she said. Sam’s eyes lit up as he raced to the fountain with Max bounding after him. Ms. Gofree watched from the porch, and for the first time in years, she felt a flicker of happiness.

Word spread through the neighborhood when people noticed Sam and Max spending so much time at the once-avoided house. Rumors flew, and soon, concerned neighbors began knocking on Ms. Gofree’s door. To their surprise, she welcomed them in. They discovered a beautiful backyard filled with nature and learned about Ms. Gofree’s past.

She was once a science teacher who loved inspiring young minds. But her world fell apart when her husband and children died in a tragic car accident. Unable to bear the pain, she had shut herself away from the world.

Now, as she stood in her freshly cleaned living room, Ms. Gofree looked out of her spotless windows for the first time in years. The sky was clear, and she could see the horizon stretching endlessly before her.

Sam appeared at the door with Max, waving. “Hi, Ms. Gofree! Are you coming out?”

She smiled and grabbed her hat. “I’ll be right there.”

As she stepped outside, the warmth of the sun on her face felt like a new beginning. She realized that when the sky is clear, you can see so much more—not just the world outside, but the possibility of letting people back into your heart.

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Step outside – To leave the house.

  • Example: “Ms. Gofree rarely stepped outside.”

Clean up – To tidy or make something neat.

  • Example: “She cleaned up her backyard, scrubbing the fountain and clearing the weeds.”

Give up – To stop trying.

  • Example: “But Sam didn’t give up.”

Let in – To allow someone inside.

  • Example: “She realized the possibility of letting people back into her heart.”

Wipe off – To clean the surface of something.

  • Example: “She wiped a section of her dirty windows.”

Phrasal Verb Quiz

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Phrasal Verb

  1. Ms. Gofree rarely ________, preferring to stay inside her house.

  2. Sam and Max refused to ________ on their mission to get Ms. Gofree to open up.

  3. Ms. Gofree decided to ________ her backyard, removing the weeds and scrubbing the fountain.

  4. She finally wiped her windows and let the sunlight ________ for the first time in years.

  5. Ms. Gofree ________ a section of her windows, making the glass sparkle.

 

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Stepped outside

  2. Give up

  3. Clean up

  4. Let in

  5. Wiped off

 

Idioms & Example Sentences

Every corner – All parts of a place.

  • Example: “Sam and Max wandered through the neighborhood, exploring every corner.”

A flicker of happiness – A small but noticeable feeling of joy.

  • Example: “For the first time in years, she felt a flicker of happiness.”

Shut herself away – To isolate oneself from others.

  • Example: “She had shut herself away from the world.”

New beginning – A fresh start.

  • Example: “The warmth of the sun on her face felt like a new beginning.”

See so much more – To gain a broader perspective.

  • Example: “When the sky is clear, you can see so much more.”

 

Idiom Quiz

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Idiom

  1. Sam and Max explored ________ of the neighborhood during their adventures.

  2. After years of isolation, Ms. Gofree felt ________ as she watched Sam and Max play.

  3. She had ________ from the world after her tragic loss.

  4. The sunlight on her face made Ms. Gofree feel like she was starting a ________.

  5. When the sky cleared, she realized she could ________ and reconnect with life.

Answers: Idioms

  1. Every corner

  2. A flicker of happiness

  3. Shut herself away

  4. New beginning

  5. See so much more

 

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. What was the condition of Ms. Gofree’s house at the beginning of the story?
    a. It was brightly painted and well-kept.
    b. It was old, weathered, and overgrown with weeds.
    c. It was newly renovated and modern.
    d. It had a garden filled with thriving plants.

  2. What did Sam notice about Ms. Gofree’s backyard?
    a. It was overgrown and filled with weeds.
    b. It was vibrant, with a fountain, frogs, dragonflies, and butterflies.
    c. It had broken furniture and trash scattered around.
    d. It had a playground with swings and a slide.

  3. How did Ms. Gofree initially respond to Sam’s request to play in her backyard?
    a. She welcomed him right away.
    b. She ignored him completely.
    c. She said no and slammed the door.
    d. She invited him to come back later.

  4. Why did Sam think Ms. Gofree might be lonely?
    a. She avoided answering the door.
    b. Her house looked abandoned.
    c. She rarely interacted with people and seemed unfriendly.
    d. She told him she was scared of people.

  5. What did Ms. Gofree do after agreeing to let Sam play in her backyard?
    a. She hired a gardener to fix it.
    b. She cleaned the backyard and tidied up her house.
    c. She asked the neighbors for help.
    d. She built a new fence for privacy.

  6. What event in Ms. Gofree’s past caused her to withdraw from the world?
    a. Losing her job as a science teacher
    b. The tragic death of her husband and children
    c. A fire that destroyed her home
    d. A disagreement with her neighbors

  7. How did the neighbors react when they heard about Sam spending time at Ms. Gofree’s house?
    a. They were concerned and came to check on her.
    b. They criticized her for letting Sam in.
    c. They ignored her as they always had.
    d. They started avoiding her house even more.

  8. What change did Ms. Gofree experience as a result of Sam’s visits?
    a. She became more open to connecting with others.
    b. She decided to move away and start fresh.
    c. She became stricter about keeping her house private.
    d. She became a mentor for other children.

  9. What did the clear sky symbolize for Ms. Gofree at the end of the story?
    a. The unpredictability of life
    b. A new beginning and the possibility of hope
    c. The importance of solitude and privacy
    d. The pain of remembering her past

  10. What did Ms. Gofree do at the end of the story?
    a. She stayed inside, watching from the window.
    b. She joined Sam and Max outside, feeling the warmth of the sun.
    c. She closed the door to her backyard and went back to her solitude.
    d. She invited everyone from the neighborhood to her house.

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. b - It was old, weathered, and overgrown with weeds.

  2. b - It was vibrant, with a fountain, frogs, dragonflies, and butterflies.

  3. c - She said no and slammed the door.

  4. c - She rarely interacted with people and seemed unfriendly.

  5. b - She cleaned the backyard and tidied up her house.

  6. b - The tragic death of her husband and children.

  7. a - They were concerned and came to check on her.

  8. a - She became more open to connecting with others.

  9. b - A new beginning and the possibility of hope.

  10. b - She joined Sam and Max outside, feeling the warmth of the sun.

 

Thought Provoking Questions

  • Do you think Sam was right to keep knocking on Ms. Gofree’s door despite her initial rejections?

  • Why do you think that?