A Winning Smile Gina walked slowly toward the school building. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies.
Today she was starting school in a new town. Hopefully, she would make some new
friends, too. She turned around and waved to her parents, and they gave her a
thumbs up; if they only knew how nervous she was.
At her old school, Gina had many friends whom she had known since kindergarten.
When Gina got braces, it was no big deal. Her friends never made fun of her. But
that was the past. The future was here-inside the new school.
The students in Gina's class were friendly, but Gina didn't smile much. She didn't
want anyone to see her braces. Finally, it was time for gym class. Luckily for Gina,
they were playing baseball-her favorite sport.
"Gina," the coach announced, "play shortstop today, okay?"
"Sure thing!" Gina said as she put on a glove and trotted out to her place between
second and third base. She scanned the field and glanced over to second base,
where a tall boy stood.
Suddenly, the batter slugged the ball in her direction. The ball bounced several times
before Gina caught it. As the runner headed toward second base, Gina threw the ball
to the tall boy. The runner was out!
"Good throw!" the tall boy said with a smile. His smile was bright, metallic, and shiny,
just like hers. She smiled back, allowing her braces to show. They both laughed, and
Gina knew her future was going to be just fine.
Reading Comprehension Questions
1. Why is Gina's stomach "fluttering with butterflies"?
2. How did Gina's childhood friends act when she got braces?
3. Why is the tall boy important to the story?
4. Gina's mood changes during the story. Describe her mood at the beginning of the
story and then explain why she changes her mood at the end of the story.
