In the heart of the African savannah lived an extraordinary antelope named Amber. Amber was not your average antelope; her coat shimmered like the golden sun, and she could run faster than the wind! The other animals in the savannah often turned their heads in awe whenever she dashed by. But while Amber was fast, she was also known for her mischievous nature, which often landed her in hilarious trouble.

One sunny morning, as Amber was practicing her speedy sprints, she spotted a group of animals gathered around a big baobab tree. Curious, she pranced over, skimming the ground with her swift legs. “What’s going on?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We’re planning a race!” squeaked Tilly the tortoise, adjusting her tiny glasses. “But we need a special participant to make it fun!” Amber, always up for an adventure, hopped at the chance. “A race? Count me in!” she laughed, imagining herself zooming past everyone.

As the day of the race arrived, all the animals in the savannah gathered to cheer. The competitors included a wise old elephant, a speedy rabbit, and even the slow-but-steady tortoise. Amber was thrilled but also a bit overconfident. “I’ll win before anyone can say ‘fast antelope’!” she declared, making everyone giggle. Just as the race starter, a cheeky monkey, waved the banana flag, Amber darted off like a bolt of lightning. But in her rush, she didn’t notice the sneaky zebra, Ziggy, who decided to play a trick.

Ziggy, with a sly grin, purposely blocked Amber’s path. “Oops! Didn’t see you there!” he smirked as Amber stumbled and tumbled into a bush. Instead of being upset about her fall, Amber burst out laughing, her joy echoing through the trees. “Well, that was unexpected! But I’m still going to win!” she said, shaking off the leaves. With a determined spirit, she burst back onto the track, dusting off her golden coat and running even faster than before.

As the race continued, Amber found herself in a surprisingly tight competition. The wise elephant was surprisingly quick for his size, and the rabbit had a few clever tricks up his sleeve. Amber realized that instead of simply relying on her speed, she had to outsmart her opponents. So she decided to play a trick of her own! With a quick turn, she dashed towards a nearby waterfall. Everyone thought she was taking a break, but instead, she leapt across with a spectacular splash—soaking the other competitors!

In the end, they all tumbled across the finish line together, bursting into laughter. Even though Amber didn’t win the race, she did win the best time with her pals. The animals realized that it wasn’t just about being the fastest but enjoying the journey and supporting one another. “What a fun race! We should do this more often!” cheered Tilly the tortoise, her smile beaming. Amber nodded, her heart filled with joy. Sometimes, laughter and friendship are more important than winning. And from that day on, Amber, the amazing antelope, became known not just for her speed but for bringing everyone together in delightful adventures.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What unique qualities made Amber stand out among the other animals in the savannah?
2. How did Amber react when she stumbled and fell during the race?
3. What strategy did Amber decide to use during the race to outsmart her competitors?
4. What lesson did the animals learn from the experience of the race?
5. Who suggested the idea of the race, and what was their role in the story?
6. How did the other animals react to Amber’s overconfidence before the race began?
7. In what way did Amber’s actions contribute to the overall fun of the race?
8. What did Amber’s experience in the race teach her about friendship and competition?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the heart of the African savannah lived an extraordinary antelope named Amber. Amber was not your (1)______ antelope; her coat shimmered like the golden sun, and she could run faster than the wind! The other animals in the savannah often turned their heads in awe whenever she dashed by. But while Amber was fast, she was also known for her mischievous nature, which often (2)______ her in hilarious trouble.

One sunny morning, as Amber was practicing her speedy sprints, she spotted a (3)______ of animals gathered around a big baobab tree. (4)______, she pranced over, skimming the ground with her swift legs. “What’s going on?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We’re planning a race!” squeaked Tilly the tortoise, adjusting her tiny glasses. “But we need a special participant to make it fun!” Amber, always up for an adventure, hopped at the chance. “A race? (5)______ me in!” she laughed, (6)______ herself (7)______ past everyone.

As the day of the race arrived, all the animals in the savannah gathered to cheer. The competitors included a wise old elephant, a speedy rabbit, and even the slow-but-steady tortoise. Amber was thrilled but also a bit (8)______. “I’ll win before anyone can say ‘fast antelope’!” she declared, making everyone giggle. Just as the race starter, a cheeky monkey, waved the banana flag, Amber darted off like a bolt of lightning. But in her rush, she didn’t notice the sneaky zebra, Ziggy, who decided to play a trick.

Ziggy, with a sly grin, purposely blocked Amber’s path. “Oops! Didn’t see you there!” he smirked as Amber (9)______ and tumbled into a bush. Instead of being upset about her fall, Amber (10)______ out laughing, her joy echoing through the trees. “Well, that was unexpected! But I’m still going to win!” she said, shaking off the leaves. With a determined spirit, she burst back onto the track, dusting off her golden coat and running even faster than before.

As the race continued, Amber found herself in a surprisingly tight competition. The wise elephant was surprisingly quick for his size, and the rabbit had a few (11)______ tricks up his sleeve. Amber realized that instead of simply relying on her speed, she had to (12)______ her opponents. So she decided to play a trick of her own! With a quick turn, she dashed towards a nearby waterfall. Everyone thought she was taking a break, but instead, she leapt across with a spectacular splash—soaking the (13)______ competitors!

In the end, they all (14)______ across the finish line together, bursting into laughter. Even though Amber didn’t win the race, she did win the best time with her pals. The animals realized that it wasn’t just about being the fastest but enjoying the journey and supporting one another. “What a fun race! We should do this more often!” cheered Tilly the tortoise, her smile (15)______. Amber nodded, her heart filled with joy. Sometimes, laughter and friendship are more (16)______ than winning. And from that day on, Amber, the amazing antelope, became known not just for her speed but for bringing everyone together in delightful adventures.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your opinion on the importance of friendship in competitive situations? Why do you think it matters?

2. How would you feel if you were in a race and someone played a trick on you, like Ziggy did to Amber?

3. Do you think it’s better to be the fastest or to have fun while participating in activities? Why or why not?

4. What is a memorable experience you’ve had with friends during a competition or game?

5. How do you think Amber’s attitude towards the race influenced the other animals?

6. Do you like to take risks in competitions, or do you prefer to play it safe? Why?

7. What is a lesson you think can be learned from Amber’s experience in the race?

8. How would you feel if you were in Amber’s position and didn’t win the race but still had a great time?

9. Do you think that everyone should participate in competitions, or should some people sit out? Why or why not?

10. What is a time when you had to outsmart someone in a game or competition? How did it feel?

11. How do you think the other animals felt when they saw Amber tumble into the bush?

12. Do you think that laughter and enjoyment can sometimes be more rewarding than winning? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. savannah
2. extraordinary
3. mischievous
4. pranced
5. squeaked
6. overconfident
7. cheeky
8. stumbled
9. determined
10. surprisingly
11. clever
12. spectacular
13. tumbled
14. journey
15. delightful

Meanings:
(A) Very unusual or remarkable
(B) Made a high-pitched sound
(C) The act of traveling from one place to another
(D) Having a strong feeling to do something and not give up
(E) Impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way
(F) Excessively sure of oneself
(G) Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas
(H) Moved with high, springy steps
(I) Impressive and dramatic
(J) Tripped or lost balance
(K) Causing happiness and pleasure
(L) Playfully causing trouble
(M) Fell or rolled over
(N) In an unexpected manner
(O) A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is unique about Amber the antelope?
(a) She can fly
(b) Her coat shimmers like the golden sun
(c) She has a magical horn
(d) She is the largest antelope

2. Who suggested the idea of a race?
(a) Ziggy the zebra
(b) Tilly the tortoise
(c) The wise old elephant
(d) The cheeky monkey

3. What did Amber do when she stumbled into the bush?
(a) She cried
(b) She gave up
(c) She ran away
(d) She burst out laughing

4. What clever tactic did Amber use during the race?
(a) She hid behind a tree
(b) She distracted her opponents
(c) She slowed down to let others catch up
(d) She leapt across a waterfall

5. How did the animals feel after the race?
(a) They burst into laughter
(b) They were upset
(c) They were indifferent
(d) They argued about the winner

6. What lesson did the animals learn from the race?
(a) Only the fastest should win
(b) Tricks are the best way to win
(c) Enjoying the journey is more important than winning
(d) Racing is not fun

7. Who was the race starter?
(a) A cheeky monkey
(b) Tilly the tortoise
(c) Ziggy the zebra
(d) The wise old elephant

8. What did Amber become known for after the race?
(a) Being the fastest antelope
(b) Winning every race
(c) Bringing everyone together in delightful adventures
(d) Being the smartest animal in the savannah

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Amber learns that winning is more important than enjoying the journey and supporting friends.
2. Amber is known for her mischievous nature, which often leads to humorous situations.
3. Ziggy the zebra plays a trick on Amber after the race, causing her to stumble.
4. Her coat shimmers like the golden moon, making her blend in among other animals.
5. Instead of being upset, Amber laughs off her fall and continues to compete.
6. Amber is an extraordinary antelope living in the African savannah.
7. The animals decide to have fewer races together, acknowledging their friendship and shared experiences.
8. The story features a race that includes various animals, such as a wise old elephant and a speedy rabbit.
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 unique qualities made Amber stand out among the other animals in the savannah?
Amber stood out because her coat shimmered like the golden sun, and she could run faster than the wind.

2. How did Amber react when she stumbled and fell during the race?
Amber burst out laughing and was not upset about her fall; she found it unexpected and was determined to continue the race.

3. What strategy did Amber decide to use during the race to outsmart her competitors?
Amber decided to play a trick by dashing towards a nearby waterfall and leaping across it, soaking the other competitors.

4. What lesson did the animals learn from the experience of the race?
The animals learned that it wasn’t just about being the fastest but about enjoying the journey and supporting one another.

5. Who suggested the idea of the race, and what was their role in the story?
Tilly the tortoise suggested the idea of the race; she was one of the participants and helped organize it.

6. How did the other animals react to Amber’s overconfidence before the race began?
The other animals giggled at Amber’s declaration of winning before anyone could say “fast antelope.”

7. In what way did Amber’s actions contribute to the overall fun of the race?
Amber’s playful trick of splashing the competitors added humor and excitement, making the race more enjoyable for everyone.

8. What did Amber’s experience in the race teach her about friendship and competition?
Amber learned that laughter and friendship are more important than winning, and that sharing fun experiences with friends is valuable.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) average
(2) landed
(3) group
(4) Curious
(5) Count
(6) imagining
(7) zooming
(8) overconfident
(9) stumbled
(10) burst
(11) clever
(12) outsmart
(13) other
(14) tumbled
(15) beaming
(16) important
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. savannah
Answer: (O) A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees

2. extraordinary
Answer: (A) Very unusual or remarkable

3. mischievous
Answer: (L) Playfully causing trouble

4. pranced
Answer: (H) Moved with high, springy steps

5. squeaked
Answer: (B) Made a high-pitched sound

6. overconfident
Answer: (F) Excessively sure of oneself

7. cheeky
Answer: (E) Impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way

8. stumbled
Answer: (J) Tripped or lost balance

9. determined
Answer: (D) Having a strong feeling to do something and not give up

10. surprisingly
Answer: (N) In an unexpected manner

11. clever
Answer: (G) Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas

12. spectacular
Answer: (I) Impressive and dramatic

13. tumbled
Answer: (M) Fell or rolled over

14. journey
Answer: (C) The act of traveling from one place to another

15. delightful
Answer: (K) Causing happiness and pleasure
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is unique about Amber the antelope?
Answer: (b) Her coat shimmers like the golden sun

2. Who suggested the idea of a race?
Answer: (b) Tilly the tortoise

3. What did Amber do when she stumbled into the bush?
Answer: (d) She burst out laughing

4. What clever tactic did Amber use during the race?
Answer: (d) She leapt across a waterfall

5. How did the animals feel after the race?
Answer: (a) They burst into laughter

6. What lesson did the animals learn from the race?
Answer: (c) Enjoying the journey is more important than winning

7. Who was the race starter?
Answer: (a) A cheeky monkey

8. What did Amber become known for after the race?
Answer: (c) Bringing everyone together in delightful adventures
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Amber learns that winning is more important than enjoying the journey and supporting friends. (Answer: False)
2. Amber is known for her mischievous nature, which often leads to humorous situations. (Answer: True)
3. Ziggy the zebra plays a trick on Amber after the race, causing her to stumble. (Answer: False)
4. Her coat shimmers like the golden moon, making her blend in among other animals. (Answer: False)
5. Instead of being upset, Amber laughs off her fall and continues to compete. (Answer: True)
6. Amber is an extraordinary antelope living in the African savannah. (Answer: True)
7. The animals decide to have fewer races together, acknowledging their friendship and shared experiences. (Answer: False)
8. The story features a race that includes various animals, such as a wise old elephant and a speedy rabbit. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧