Reader 20
The Missing Suitcase
Carmen and her brother Luis had just arrived at a bus station after a long trip. They waited near the luggage area while the driver removed the suitcases from the bus.
Luis found his bag, but Carmen could not see hers. She checked beside the bus and looked around the nearby benches.
“My suitcase isn’t here,” she said. “What if someone took it?”
“Don’t panic,” Luis replied. “Let’s track it down before we decide what happened.”
A station worker walked over and asked Carmen to describe the suitcase. She explained that it was gray and had a blue ribbon tied around the handle. Then he asked to see her luggage tag.
“I held on to this because I thought I might need it,” Carmen said as she handed it to him.
The worker checked the number and confirmed that her suitcase had been placed on the bus. As he continued searching, another traveler pointed toward a bag near a bench at the far end of the station.
“Is that yours?” the traveler asked.
Carmen walked over and recognized the blue ribbon. “Yes, it is!”
“It must have been moved by mistake,” Luis said.
Carmen picked up the suitcase. “I’m glad we didn’t jump to conclusions. We checked the area before blaming anyone.”
VOCABULARY
Write the words or expressions from the story that are new to you or that you want to review.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Share your thoughts. Use details from the story to support your answers.
How does Luis respond to Carmen’s fear that someone took her suitcase? Explain how his response influences what they do next.
How do the luggage tag and the blue ribbon help in different ways? Explain what each detail allows Carmen or the station worker to confirm.
Luis says the suitcase “must have been moved by mistake.” Does finding the suitcase prove his explanation? Explain what the characters know for certain and what remains an assumption.
LISTEN
Listen to the recording and respond in complete sentences.
What did the speaker say?
Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Why?
