Once upon a time in the magical land of Zephyria, there lived a peculiar creature named Humphrey the Hippogriff. Humphrey was no ordinary hippogriff; he had a rather unique problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping! Every few minutes, a little hiccup would escape from his beak, causing feathers to ruffle and wings to flutter. The other animals in the enchanted forest found this quite amusing, but poor Humphrey was terribly embarrassed.

One sunny day, Humphrey decided he had had enough. With determination in his heart and feathers fluffed, he set off on an adventure to find a cure for his hiccups. He soared through the multi-colored skies, asking wise old owls, mischievous pixies, and even magical mermaids for their advice. But every attempt at a remedy failed, and that pesky hiccup kept rearing its head.

Just as Humphrey was about to give up hope, he stumbled upon a secret meadow hidden deep within the heart of the forest. In the meadow, he found a beautiful unicorn named Luna, who was known for her wisdom. Luna listened intently to Humphrey’s troubles and thoughtfully pondered a solution. “My dear Humphrey,” she said gently, “the key to curing your hiccup lies in your laughter.”

Confused but hopeful, Humphrey looked at Luna, ready to try anything at this point. Luna gestured for him to close his eyes, take a deep breath, and think of the funniest thing he had ever seen. With a little hesitation and a big gulp of air, Humphrey conjured up the image of the juggling monkeys he had once encountered.

To everyone’s surprise, Humphrey let out a loud burst of laughter that echoed through the meadow. And just like that, the hiccup disappeared! From that day forward, Humphrey learned that laughter truly was the best cure for any problem. He spent his days spreading joy and laughter to others, realizing that sometimes, all it takes to overcome a challenge is a little bit of humor and a whole lot of heart.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Humphrey’s problem?
2. How did the other animals in the forest react to Humphrey’s hiccups?
3. What did Humphrey decide to do about his hiccups?
4. Who did Humphrey ask for advice in finding a cure for his hiccups?
5. Where did Humphrey finally find a solution to his hiccups?
6. What did Luna suggest as the key to curing Humphrey’s hiccups?
7. What image did Humphrey think of that made him burst out laughing?
8. What did Humphrey learn from his experience with his hiccups?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time in the magical land of Zephyria, there lived a peculiar creature named Humphrey the Hippogriff. Humphrey was no (1)______ hippogriff; he had a rather unique problem – he couldn’t stop (2)______! Every few minutes, a little (3)______ would (4)______ from his beak, causing feathers to ruffle and wings to flutter. The other animals in the enchanted forest found this quite amusing, but poor Humphrey was terribly embarrassed.

One sunny day, Humphrey decided he had had enough. With determination in his heart and feathers fluffed, he set off on an adventure to find a cure for his hiccups. He soared through the multi-colored skies, (5)______ wise old owls, mischievous pixies, and even (6)______ mermaids for their advice. But every attempt at a remedy failed, and that pesky hiccup kept rearing its head.

Just as Humphrey was (7)______ to give up hope, he stumbled upon a secret meadow (8)______ deep within the heart of the forest. In the meadow, he found a beautiful unicorn named Luna, who was known for her wisdom. Luna listened intently to Humphrey’s troubles and thoughtfully pondered a solution. “My dear Humphrey,” she said gently, “the key to (9)______ your hiccup lies in your laughter.”

Confused but hopeful, Humphrey (10)______ at Luna, ready to try anything at this point. Luna gestured for him to close his eyes, take a deep (11)______, and think of the funniest thing he had ever seen. With a little (12)______ and a big gulp of air, Humphrey conjured up the image of the juggling (13)______ he had once (14)______.

To everyone’s surprise, Humphrey let out a loud burst of laughter that echoed through the meadow. And just like that, the hiccup disappeared! From that day forward, Humphrey learned that laughter truly was the best cure for any problem. He (15)______ his days spreading joy and laughter to (16)______, realizing that sometimes, all it takes to overcome a challenge is a little bit of humor and a whole lot of heart.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a hippogriff and what makes Humphrey unique?
2. How would you feel if you had a problem like Humphrey’s? Why?
3. Do you think it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever had a problem that seemed impossible to solve? How did you overcome it?
5. What is something that always makes you laugh? Why?
6. Do you think laughter can really help cure physical ailments? Why or why not?
7. How do you think Humphrey felt when he finally found a cure for his hiccups?
8. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment that you can now look back on and laugh about? What happened?
9. Do you think it’s important to have a sense of humor? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the other animals in the enchanted forest felt about Humphrey’s hiccups?
11. What do you think Luna meant when she said the key to curing Humphrey’s hiccup was in his laughter?
12. Do you think it’s possible to find joy and laughter even in difficult situations? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. peculiar
2. enchanted
3. determination
4. soared
5. mischievous
6. remedy
7. pesky
8. stumbled
9. hidden
10. wisdom
11. intently
12. pondered
13. gesture
14. hesitation
15. conjured

Meanings:
(A) Concealed from view; not easily found
(B) Strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand
(C) Influenced by or as if by magic; having a magical atmosphere
(D) Annoying or bothersome
(E) Tripped or walked unsteadily
(F) The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment
(G) A treatment or solution for a problem or illness
(H) Firmness of purpose; resolute commitment
(I) With focused attention
(J) Flew or glided through the air with ease
(K) Thought about something deeply and at length
(L) Reluctance or pausing before doing something
(M) A movement that conveys a message or directs attention
(N) Created or imagined something as if by magic
(O) Playfully causing minor trouble or annoyance
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was Humphrey’s unique problem?
(a) He couldn’t fly
(b) He couldn’t find his way home
(c) He couldn’t stop hiccupping
(d) He couldn’t swim

2. Where did Humphrey find Luna?
(a) In a secret meadow
(b) In a deep cave
(c) In a tall tree
(d) In a sparkling river

3. What did Luna suggest as a cure for Humphrey’s hiccups?
(a) Magic potion
(b) Laughter
(c) Meditation
(d) Singing

4. What did Humphrey think of Luna’s suggestion?
(a) Disappointed and skeptical
(b) Excited and determined
(c) Annoyed and frustrated
(d) Confused but hopeful

5. What did Humphrey conjure up in his mind to make himself laugh?
(a) Dancing elephants
(b) Singing birds
(c) Skipping rabbits
(d) Juggling monkeys

6. What happened when Humphrey laughed?
(a) His wings grew bigger
(b) His hiccup disappeared
(c) His feathers turned pink
(d) His voice became louder

7. What did Humphrey learn from his experience?
(a) Magic is the answer to all challenges
(b) Patience is key to finding a solution
(c) Laughter is the best cure for any problem
(d) Asking for help is a sign of weakness

8. What did Humphrey do after his hiccups were cured?
(a) Spread joy and laughter to others
(b) Flew away to a different land
(c) Went into hiding to avoid embarrassment
(d) Forgot about his hiccups and moved on

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Humphrey learned that silence was the key to curing his hiccups and spent his days avoiding laughter and joy.
2. Humphrey embarked on an adventure to find a cure for his hiccups.
3. Humphrey sought advice from wise old owls, mischievous pixies, and magical mermaids.
4. Humphrey reluctantly discovered a secret meadow hidden deep within the heart of the forest.
5. In the meadow, Humphrey met a foolish unicorn named Luna who had a solution to his hiccup problem.
6. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a unique problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping.
7. The other animals in the enchanted forest found Humphrey’s hiccups annoying.
8. Despite his efforts, every attempt at a remedy failed to cure Humphrey’s hiccups.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was Humphrey’s problem?
Humphrey’s problem was that he couldn’t stop hiccupping.

2. How did the other animals in the forest react to Humphrey’s hiccups?
The other animals in the forest found Humphrey’s hiccups amusing.

3. What did Humphrey decide to do about his hiccups?
Humphrey decided to go on an adventure to find a cure for his hiccups.

4. Who did Humphrey ask for advice in finding a cure for his hiccups?
Humphrey asked wise old owls, mischievous pixies, and magical mermaids for advice.

5. Where did Humphrey finally find a solution to his hiccups?
Humphrey finally found a solution to his hiccups in a secret meadow hidden deep within the heart of the forest.

6. What did Luna suggest as the key to curing Humphrey’s hiccups?
Luna suggested that laughter was the key to curing Humphrey’s hiccups.

7. What image did Humphrey think of that made him burst out laughing?
Humphrey thought of the image of juggling monkeys that made him burst out laughing.

8. What did Humphrey learn from his experience with his hiccups?
Humphrey learned that laughter was the best cure for any problem and that spreading joy and laughter to others was important.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) ordinary
(2) hiccupping
(3) hiccup
(4) escape
(5) asking
(6) magical
(7) about
(8) hidden
(9) curing
(10) looked
(11) breath
(12) hesitation
(13) monkeys
(14) encountered
(15) spent
(16) others
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. peculiar
Answer: (B) Strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand

2. enchanted
Answer: (C) Influenced by or as if by magic; having a magical atmosphere

3. determination
Answer: (H) Firmness of purpose; resolute commitment

4. soared
Answer: (J) Flew or glided through the air with ease

5. mischievous
Answer: (O) Playfully causing minor trouble or annoyance

6. remedy
Answer: (G) A treatment or solution for a problem or illness

7. pesky
Answer: (D) Annoying or bothersome

8. stumbled
Answer: (E) Tripped or walked unsteadily

9. hidden
Answer: (A) Concealed from view; not easily found

10. wisdom
Answer: (F) The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment

11. intently
Answer: (I) With focused attention

12. pondered
Answer: (K) Thought about something deeply and at length

13. gesture
Answer: (M) A movement that conveys a message or directs attention

14. hesitation
Answer: (L) Reluctance or pausing before doing something

15. conjured
Answer: (N) Created or imagined something as if by magic
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was Humphrey’s unique problem?
Answer: (c) He couldn’t stop hiccupping

2. Where did Humphrey find Luna?
Answer: (a) In a secret meadow

3. What did Luna suggest as a cure for Humphrey’s hiccups?
Answer: (b) Laughter

4. What did Humphrey think of Luna’s suggestion?
Answer: (d) Confused but hopeful

5. What did Humphrey conjure up in his mind to make himself laugh?
Answer: (d) Juggling monkeys

6. What happened when Humphrey laughed?
Answer: (b) His hiccup disappeared

7. What did Humphrey learn from his experience?
Answer: (c) Laughter is the best cure for any problem

8. What did Humphrey do after his hiccups were cured?
Answer: (a) Spread joy and laughter to others
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Humphrey learned that silence was the key to curing his hiccups and spent his days avoiding laughter and joy. (Answer: False)
2. Humphrey embarked on an adventure to find a cure for his hiccups. (Answer: True)
3. Humphrey sought advice from wise old owls, mischievous pixies, and magical mermaids. (Answer: True)
4. Humphrey reluctantly discovered a secret meadow hidden deep within the heart of the forest. (Answer: False)
5. In the meadow, Humphrey met a foolish unicorn named Luna who had a solution to his hiccup problem. (Answer: False)
6. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a unique problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping. (Answer: True)
7. The other animals in the enchanted forest found Humphrey’s hiccups annoying. (Answer: False)
8. Despite his efforts, every attempt at a remedy failed to cure Humphrey’s hiccups. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧