Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a friendly dragon named Sparkle. Sparkle had bright blue scales and a shimmering purple mane. Every year, on his birthday, the dragon would throw a grand party for all the animals in the forest. The invitation was open to all, whether they had wings or not.

This year, however, something unexpected happened. The forest was buzzing with excitement, as news spread that Sparkle had lost his voice. As the day of his birthday approached, the dragon became more and more worried. How could he invite everyone to his party without being able to speak?

Determined not to let his dilemma dampen the fun, Sparkle decided to use a magical solution. He enchanted small cards with his birthday message and flew through the forest, dropping them at the doorstep of each animal’s home. The cards floated down like feathers, and every animal found one waiting for them when they woke up.

The animals were thrilled to receive the invitations and couldn’t stop laughing at the silly situation. They knew Sparkle’s parties were legendary, with games, music, and the tastiest treats. It was an event no one wanted to miss! The day finally arrived, and the forest was aglow with excitement. The animals all gathered around Sparkle, who had cleverly prepared sign language for the occasion.

The party began with a bang, quite literally! Sparkle accidentally breathed out a small flame while attempting to blow up the balloons, causing everyone to jump in surprise. The animals roared with laughter, reassured that Sparkle’s birthday would be just as thrilling as before, even without his voice.

From then on, the party was a whirlwind of fun. The animals played games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or rather, Pin the Horn on the Unicorn) and danced to lively music. There were delicious cakes and pastries, as well as a special dragon-sized treat: a mountain of ice cream sundaes. Sparkle couldn’t stop smiling, seeing everyone enjoy themselves despite his inability to talk.

As the evening drew to a close, Sparkle knew he had learned an important lesson. Birthdays were about more than just cakes and presents; they were about bringing joy to others. With a sparkle in his eye, Sparkle unleashed a burst of colorful fireworks, thanking his friends for making his birthday unforgettable. And even though his voice returned the next day, he never forgot the true meaning of his birthday bash – laughter, friendship, and the power of finding creative solutions to life’s challenges.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What color were Sparkle’s scales?
2. How did Sparkle communicate with the animals after losing his voice?
3. How did Sparkle deliver the invitations to the animals?
4. Why were the animals laughing when they received the invitations?
5. What games did the animals play at Sparkle’s party?
6. What was the special treat for Sparkle at his party?
7. What did Sparkle do at the end of the party to show his gratitude?
8. What lesson did Sparkle learn from his birthday celebration?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a friendly (1)______ (2)______ Sparkle. Sparkle had bright blue scales and a (3)______ purple mane. Every year, on his birthday, the dragon would (4)______ a grand party for all the animals in the forest. The invitation was open to all, whether they had wings or not.

This year, however, something unexpected happened. The forest was buzzing with excitement, as news spread that Sparkle had lost his voice. As the day of his birthday approached, the dragon became more and more worried. How could he invite everyone to his party without being able to speak?

Determined not to let his dilemma dampen the fun, Sparkle decided to use a magical solution. He enchanted small cards with his birthday message and flew through the forest, dropping them at the doorstep of each animal’s home. The cards floated down like feathers, and every animal found one waiting for them when they woke up.

The (5)______ were thrilled to (6)______ the (7)______ and couldn’t stop laughing at the silly situation. They knew Sparkle’s parties were legendary, with games, music, and the (8)______ treats. It was an event no one wanted to miss! The day finally arrived, and the forest was aglow with excitement. The animals all gathered around Sparkle, who had cleverly prepared sign language for the occasion.

The (9)______ began with a bang, quite literally! Sparkle accidentally breathed out a (10)______ flame while attempting to blow up the balloons, (11)______ everyone to jump in surprise. The animals roared with laughter, reassured that Sparkle’s birthday would be just as thrilling as before, even without his voice.

From then on, the party was a whirlwind of fun. The animals played games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or rather, Pin the Horn on the Unicorn) and danced to lively (12)______. There were delicious cakes and pastries, as well as a special dragon-sized treat: a mountain of ice cream sundaes. (13)______ couldn’t stop smiling, seeing everyone enjoy themselves despite his (14)______ to talk.

As the evening drew to a close, Sparkle knew he had learned an important lesson. Birthdays were about more than just cakes and presents; they were about bringing joy to others. With a sparkle in his eye, Sparkle unleashed a burst of colorful fireworks, thanking his friends for making his (15)______ unforgettable. And even though his (16)______ returned the next day, he never forgot the true meaning of his birthday bash – laughter, friendship, and the power of finding creative solutions to life’s challenges.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. How would you feel if you lost your voice on your birthday?
2. Do you think it was a good idea for Sparkle to use magical cards to invite everyone to his party? Why or why not?
3. What do you think is the most important aspect of a birthday party?
4. Have you ever been to a party where the host had to find a creative solution to a problem? What happened?
5. How do you think the animals felt when they found the invitations waiting for them in the morning?
6. Do you think it’s important to have a special birthday tradition? Why or why not?
7. What is the most memorable birthday party you’ve ever attended? Why was it memorable?
8. How would you feel if you were invited to a party where the host couldn’t speak?
9. Do you like attending parties with games and music? Why or why not?
10. How do you think Sparkle felt when he accidentally breathed out a flame at the beginning of the party?
11. What is the most creative solution you’ve ever seen someone come up with for a problem?
12. How do you think Sparkle’s friends felt when he thanked them with colorful fireworks at the end of the party?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. enchanted
2. legendary
3. dilemma
4. shimmering
5. aglow
6. reassured
7. whirlwind
8. unforgettable
9. creative
10. laughter
11. friendship
12. magical
13. invitations
14. excitement
15. determined

Meanings:
(A) Showing imagination or originality in problem-solving
(B) Having a strong resolve or firmness of purpose
(C) Relating to or possessing supernatural powers
(D) Given confidence or comfort
(E) The relationship between friends
(F) The sound or act of laughing
(G) A state of eager anticipation or enthusiasm
(H) A situation requiring a difficult choice between alternatives
(I) Written or verbal requests to attend an event
(J) Filled with or influenced by magic
(K) A rapid series of events or actions
(L) Impossible to forget; memorable
(M) Sparkling or gleaming with light
(N) Famous or well-known, often in a positive way
(O) Radiant with light or glowing
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What color were Sparkle’s scales?
(a) Bright blue
(b) Shimmering purple
(c) Sparkling green
(d) Glowing yellow

2. How did Sparkle invite the animals to his party?
(a) By sending them a text message
(b) By calling them on the phone
(c) By dropping enchanted cards at their doorstep
(d) By sending them an email

3. What did the animals think of Sparkle’s lost voice?
(a) They were sad for him
(b) They found it funny
(c) They were angry at him
(d) They didn’t care

4. What games did the animals play at the party?
(a) Musical Chairs
(b) Pin the Horn on the Unicorn
(c) Hide and Seek
(d) Tag

5. What was the special treat for Sparkle at the party?
(a) A mountain of ice cream sundaes
(b) A giant birthday cake
(c) A plate of cookies
(d) A bowl of fruit salad

6. What did Sparkle learn from his birthday party?
(a) Birthdays are about getting presents
(b) Birthdays are about eating cake
(c) Birthdays are about having fun
(d) Birthdays are about bringing joy to others

7. How did Sparkle end his birthday party?
(a) By blowing out the candles on his cake
(b) By giving a speech
(c) By singing a song
(d) By unleashing colorful fireworks

8. What did Sparkle never forget after his birthday party?
(a) The color of his scales
(b) The games they played
(c) The true meaning of his birthday bash
(d) The delicious treats they ate

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sparkle prepares sign language to communicate with the animals at his party.
2. Sparkle uses enchanted cards to ignore the animals at his party after losing his voice.
3. Sparkle throws a grand party for all the animals in the forest every year on his birthday.
4. Sparkle is an unfriendly dragon with dull blue scales and a dull purple mane.
5. The party is filled with games, music, tasty treats, and laughter.
6. Sparkle loses his voice after his birthday and becomes relieved about how to invite everyone to his party.
7. Sparkle learns the false meaning of his birthday party and unleashes dreary fireworks to thank his friends.
8. The animals are thrilled to receive the invitations and find them waiting for them when they wake up.
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 color were Sparkle’s scales?
Sparkle’s scales were bright blue.

2. How did Sparkle communicate with the animals after losing his voice?
Sparkle communicated with the animals using sign language.

3. How did Sparkle deliver the invitations to the animals?
Sparkle enchanted small cards with his birthday message and dropped them at the doorstep of each animal’s home.

4. Why were the animals laughing when they received the invitations?
The animals were laughing because they found it funny that Sparkle had lost his voice and had to use enchanted cards to invite them to the party.

5. What games did the animals play at Sparkle’s party?
The animals played games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or rather, Pin the Horn on the Unicorn) at Sparkle’s party.

6. What was the special treat for Sparkle at his party?
The special treat for Sparkle at his party was a mountain of ice cream sundaes.

7. What did Sparkle do at the end of the party to show his gratitude?
At the end of the party, Sparkle unleashed a burst of colorful fireworks to show his gratitude to his friends.

8. What lesson did Sparkle learn from his birthday celebration?
Sparkle learned that birthdays were about more than just cakes and presents; they were about bringing joy to others and finding creative solutions to life’s challenges.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) dragon
(2) named
(3) shimmering
(4) throw
(5) animals
(6) receive
(7) invitations
(8) tastiest
(9) party
(10) small
(11) causing
(12) music
(13) Sparkle
(14) inability
(15) birthday
(16) voice
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. enchanted
Answer: (J) Filled with or influenced by magic

2. legendary
Answer: (N) Famous or well-known, often in a positive way

3. dilemma
Answer: (H) A situation requiring a difficult choice between alternatives

4. shimmering
Answer: (M) Sparkling or gleaming with light

5. aglow
Answer: (O) Radiant with light or glowing

6. reassured
Answer: (D) Given confidence or comfort

7. whirlwind
Answer: (K) A rapid series of events or actions

8. unforgettable
Answer: (L) Impossible to forget; memorable

9. creative
Answer: (A) Showing imagination or originality in problem-solving

10. laughter
Answer: (F) The sound or act of laughing

11. friendship
Answer: (E) The relationship between friends

12. magical
Answer: (C) Relating to or possessing supernatural powers

13. invitations
Answer: (I) Written or verbal requests to attend an event

14. excitement
Answer: (G) A state of eager anticipation or enthusiasm

15. determined
Answer: (B) Having a strong resolve or firmness of purpose
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What color were Sparkle’s scales?
Answer: (a) Bright blue

2. How did Sparkle invite the animals to his party?
Answer: (c) By dropping enchanted cards at their doorstep

3. What did the animals think of Sparkle’s lost voice?
Answer: (b) They found it funny

4. What games did the animals play at the party?
Answer: (b) Pin the Horn on the Unicorn

5. What was the special treat for Sparkle at the party?
Answer: (a) A mountain of ice cream sundaes

6. What did Sparkle learn from his birthday party?
Answer: (d) Birthdays are about bringing joy to others

7. How did Sparkle end his birthday party?
Answer: (d) By unleashing colorful fireworks

8. What did Sparkle never forget after his birthday party?
Answer: (c) The true meaning of his birthday bash
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sparkle prepares sign language to communicate with the animals at his party. (Answer: True)
2. Sparkle uses enchanted cards to ignore the animals at his party after losing his voice. (Answer: False)
3. Sparkle throws a grand party for all the animals in the forest every year on his birthday. (Answer: True)
4. Sparkle is an unfriendly dragon with dull blue scales and a dull purple mane. (Answer: False)
5. The party is filled with games, music, tasty treats, and laughter. (Answer: True)
6. Sparkle loses his voice after his birthday and becomes relieved about how to invite everyone to his party. (Answer: False)
7. Sparkle learns the false meaning of his birthday party and unleashes dreary fireworks to thank his friends. (Answer: False)
8. The animals are thrilled to receive the invitations and find them waiting for them when they wake up. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧