Little Paulie tackles the problem

Here are questions related to Part 2. Please, test your awareness of the story.

Back to Part 2 of the story....CLICK!

Verse 1

1. The big red ball just grows and grows. Now how does little Paulie feel?

2. How huge does the big red ball grow?

Verse 2

1. What does little Paulie do next? And what happens?

2. And what does little Paulie do this time?

3. What is meant by "scurried up the tree like a mouse"? In the following (nursery) rhyme, what follows? "Hickery-dickery dock...." Can you recall another mouse in literature?

Verse 3

1. This time little Paulie smiles and exclaims, "This will do the trick! I'll make that ball soar, like out of sight! How do you think little Paulie now feels?

2. What is meant by "he set himself for a powerful kick"?

A hint: when the punter on a football team comes up to kick the football, he must first do what?

3. What happens to the big red ball?

Verse 4

1. Which were bigger, the tree with the tree house in it or the big red ball?

2. Little Paulie began thinking he had the "trick" (solution to his problem). But the problem only gets bigger. What can little Paulie not do?

Verse 5

1. Does little Paulie remain in the tree house? If not, what does he do?

2. What does "crystal clear!" mean?

3. What is meant by: "That big red ball now was more that he could bear"?

A hint: Crystal is a form of glass ware. Many vases are made of crystal. The better made crystal vases and candy dishes and figurines (little statues) have less flaws--air bubbles and foreign matter the less valued, appreciated objects of crystal.

Verse 6

1. The story says, "little Paulie's will was not the least bit mountain high, nor tree house high, nor ladder high, nor even door stoop high." What does this mean?

2. What four words does little Paulie say that suggests he will not give up?

3. Sometimes we know we should do things, even when we don't know that we know, or how. Consider now what little Paulie says: "Just one more try--before that red ball some how starts to root!" Is he being hopeful? Fearful? Or doubtful?

Verse 7

1. Little Paulie again studies his problem, the big red ball. How?

2. And what happens to the big red ball?

3. What does Little Paulie do?

Verse 8

1. Now, how big is the big red ball?

2. At the present time little Paulie sees his big red ball as a red brick wall? What would you think if you were faced with little Paulie's problem? And how would you "view" it?

3. When little Paulie pushes on the big red ball, it grows. What would you do if you were the person pushing on that big red ball?

Verse 9

1. We later discover that little Paulie still does not give up. Instead, he "huffed and heaved" pushing the big red ball up what?

2. Next he "huffed and puffed to climb that hill so high!" He even says, "I'll kick this great red ball into the sky!" Does little Paulie mean his will (his hope to do what he needed to do) grows bigger? Or does he become angry and confused?

Check your answers with possible responses....CLICK!

To Part 3 QUESTIONS.... CLICK!