Remember: A credit report lists who lent, how much, and whether payments were on time. It does not hold pay, savings or shopping. A grown-up can read their own and ask for a mix-up to be checked.
Read and answer
Read the story first, then answer.
Nell's book at the Record HouseZed's aunt Nell wanted a small ferry boat to carry visitors across the bay, but to buy it she needed a loan. At the Lantern Bank, Mr. Fenn said, "I would like to see your credit report." The report was kept in the Record House, a quiet place full of books, where every borrower had a book. It was not a diary. It told one story only: how Nell had handled borrowed coins. Each row was a lender: Bea, the Lantern Bank, and Mae's cloth shop. Beside each name was how many coins were lent and how the payments went. A gold tick means on time, and a small clock means late. Nell had paid 11 of 12 payments on time, so the page looked tidy. Her pay, her savings jar and her shopping were not in the book. The report holds only who lent, how much, and how it went. But a fourth row said Nell owed 5 coins to a stranger. "I never borrowed that!" said Nell. Orla the clerk said mix-ups happen when two pages with similar names get shuffled. Nell asked her to look into it, since a mistake can be taken off. Grown-ups may read their own book whenever they wish, to catch mix-ups early. Mr. Fenn read the tidy page. The report is only the facts, and the bank makes its own decision.
1
Nell paid 11 of her 12 payments on time. Look at the row: payment was late.
2
What does a small clock on a row of the report mean?
A payment was on timeA payment was lateThe lender is closed
3
Circle every thing that IS in a credit report.
Who lent the coinsHow much Nell is paidWhether payments came on timeWhat Nell buys at the marketHow many coins were lent
4
A credit report is a diary of everything Nell does.
TrueFalse
5
Mix-ups happen when two pages with similar get shuffled.
namestickscoins
6
Nell spots a 5-coin row that is not hers. What is the best next step?
Ask Orla to look into itPay it quietly so it goes awayDo nothing, since it stays forever
Match, order and fix
7
Join each one to what it shows.
1Gold tick
2Small clock
3A row
4The report
Aonly who lent, how much, and how it went
Ba late payment
Ca payment on time
Done lender
8
Number what happened to Nell at the bank.
Nell asks Orla to look into it
Nell spots a row she never borrowed
Mr. Fenn asks for a credit report
Orla finds Nell's book
9
Grown-ups may read their own book whenever they wish.
TrueFalse
10
The report is only the facts, and the bank makes its own decision.
TrueFalse
11
Zed says: Nell's savings jar is listed in her report. Is Zed right?
YesNo
12
Stretch: Nell has made 12 payments and 11 were on time. If 12 more are all on time, of her 24 payments are on time.
13
Write what you would ask Orla about a row you do not know.
14
Draw one row of a report: a lender's name, the coins lent, a gold tick and a small clock.
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Answer key · Set A
What is in a credit report
11 12 − 11 = 1. Eleven gold ticks and one small clock.
2A payment was late A gold tick means on time, and a small clock means late.
3Who lent the coins, Whether payments came on time, How many coins were lent The report holds only who lent, how much, and how it went. Pay and shopping are not in it.
4False It is not a diary. It tells one story only: how Nell handled borrowed coins.
5names Orla explained that two pages with similar names can get shuffled.
6Ask Orla to look into it A mistake can be taken off, so Nell asks the record keeper to look into it.
71-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A Ticks and clocks show how payments went, each row is a lender, and the report holds only the facts of borrowing.
84, 3, 1, 2 Mr. Fenn asked first, Orla found the book, Nell spotted the odd row, and then she asked for it to be checked.
9True That is how they catch mix-ups early.
10True Mr. Fenn read the tidy page, but the report does not decide for the bank.
11No Savings are not in the report. It holds only who lent, how much, and how it went.
1223 11 + 12 = 23, and still one clock from the earlier late payment.
13Your own words: a grown-up reads it.
Mark each answer, count the right ones and write the score on the sheet.