Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Journey to the Jasmine Jungle

Benny discovers friendship and adventure in the magical Jasmine Jungle, where laughter echoes through flowers.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a small village, there lived a smart rabbit named Benny. Benny had a bright red scarf that flew when he hopped. One day, Benny heard about a place called the Jasmine Jungle. The flowers there glowed, and the streams sang. Benny wanted to find this jungle. “This will be fun!” he said, fixing his scarf.

Benny packed carrots, a compass, and a silly hat in a small bag. He hopped down the path, singing a happy song. In the woods, he met a squirrel named Sandy. “Where are you going with that funny hat?” Sandy asked, laughing. “I’m looking for the Jasmine Jungle! Want to come?” Benny said. Sandy nodded with a big smile.

They soon found a big mountain. Benny sighed, “This is hard.” Sandy said, “Let’s roll down!” They rolled down the hill, laughing and landing in leaves. They saw a sign, “Beware of the Snoring Sloth.” Benny was scared, “Oh no! The sloth might eat us!” Sandy said, “Let’s be quiet!”

But Benny tripped and woke the sloth. “Who woke me?” the sloth said. Benny said, “We’re just passing.” The sloth laughed, “I’ll help you find Jasmine Jungle.” They followed the sloth and found the jungle. The flowers glowed, and the streams sang. Benny and Sandy were very happy. “Look at those flowers!” Benny said. They played and had a great time.

On the way home, Benny thought, “Adventures are more fun with friends.” Sandy added, “And it’s okay to roll with it!” They laughed together and went back to the village, ready to tell their fun story.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1villageA small place where people live together
2compassA tool that shows you which way is north
3jungleA place with many trees and plants, like a forest
4scarfA piece of cloth you wear around your neck
5streamA small river
6squirrelA small animal that climbs trees and eats nuts
7mountainA very tall hill
8bewareTo be careful of something
9slothA slow-moving animal that hangs from trees
10adventuresExciting and fun trips or activities

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What color is Benny’s scarf?
2. Who did Benny meet in the woods?
3. What did Benny and Sandy do on the big mountain?
4. What did the sign say that they saw?
5. Who helped Benny and Sandy find the Jasmine Jungle?
6. How did Benny feel about adventures at the end of the story?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small village, there lived a smart rabbit named Benny. Benny had a bright red scarf that flew when he hopped. One day, Benny heard about a (1)______ called the Jasmine Jungle. The flowers there glowed, and the (2)______ sang. Benny wanted to find this jungle. “This will be fun!” he said, fixing his scarf.

Benny packed carrots, a compass, and a silly hat in a small bag. He hopped down the path, (3)______ a happy song. In the woods, he met a squirrel named Sandy. “Where are you going with that funny hat?” Sandy asked, laughing. “I’m looking for the Jasmine Jungle! Want to come?” Benny said. Sandy nodded with a big smile.

They soon found a big (4)______. Benny sighed, “This is hard.” Sandy said, “Let’s roll down!” They rolled down the hill, laughing and landing in leaves. They saw a sign, “Beware of the Snoring Sloth.” Benny was scared, “Oh no! The (5)______ might eat us!” Sandy (6)______, “Let’s be quiet!”

But Benny tripped and woke the sloth. “Who woke me?” the sloth said. Benny said, “We’re just passing.” The sloth laughed, “I’ll help you find Jasmine Jungle.” They followed the sloth and found the jungle. The flowers glowed, and the streams (7)______. Benny and Sandy were very happy. “Look at those flowers!” Benny said. They played and had a great time.

On the way home, Benny thought, “Adventures are more fun with friends.” Sandy added, “And it’s okay to roll with it!” They laughed together and went back to the (8)______, ready to tell their fun story.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite animal?

2. How would you feel if you found a glowing flower? Why?

3. Do you like to go on adventures? Why or why not?

4. What is a silly hat? Do you have one?

5. How would you feel if you met a friendly sloth?

6. Do you think friends make adventures better? Why?

7. What is your favorite snack to take on a trip?

8. How would you feel if you rolled down a hill?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. village
2. compass
3. jungle
4. scarf
5. stream
6. squirrel
7. mountain
8. beware
9. sloth
10. adventures

Meanings:
(A) To be careful of something
(B) A piece of cloth you wear around your neck
(C) A small animal that climbs trees and eats nuts
(D) A very tall hill
(E) A small river
(F) A slow-moving animal that hangs from trees
(G) Exciting and fun trips or activities
(H) A small place where people live together
(I) A place with many trees and plants, like a forest
(J) A tool that shows you which way is north
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the rabbit?
(a) Sammy
(b) Timmy
(c) Johnny
(d) Benny

2. What color is Benny’s scarf?
(a) Blue
(b) Green
(c) Red
(d) Yellow

3. Who does Benny meet in the woods?
(a) A squirrel
(b) A bear
(c) A fox
(d) A bird

4. What do Benny and Sandy roll down?
(a) A hill
(b) A tree
(c) A road
(d) A river

5. What does the sign say?
(a) Welcome to the Jungle
(b) Beware of the Snoring Sloth
(c) Watch for Bears
(d) No Running

6. Who helps Benny and Sandy find the Jasmine Jungle?
(a) The squirrel
(b) The fox
(c) The sloth
(d) The rabbit

7. What do the flowers in the jungle do?
(a) Sing
(b) Glow
(c) Dance
(d) Jump

8. What do Benny and Sandy think about adventures?
(a) They are boring
(b) They are scary
(c) They are too long
(d) They are more fun with friends

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Benny is a rabbit who wears a dull red scarf.
2. Benny and Sandy rolled down a big mountain and laughed.
3. Benny and Sandy woke up the sloth, but he helped them find the jungle.
4. They saw a sign that warned them about a Snoring Sloth.
5. He wants to explore a regular place called the Jasmine Jungle.
6. He met a chipmunk named Sandy in the woods.
7. Benny packed apples, a compass, and a serious hat for his adventure.
8. Benny learned that adventures are more fun with friends.
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 is Benny’s scarf?
Benny’s scarf is red.

2. Who did Benny meet in the woods?
Benny met a squirrel named Sandy.

3. What did Benny and Sandy do on the big mountain?
They rolled down the mountain.

4. What did the sign say that they saw?
The sign said, “Beware of the Snoring Sloth.”

5. Who helped Benny and Sandy find the Jasmine Jungle?
The sloth helped Benny and Sandy.

6. How did Benny feel about adventures at the end of the story?
Benny felt that adventures are more fun with friends.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) place
(2) streams
(3) singing
(4) mountain
(5) sloth
(6) said
(7) sang
(8) village
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. village
Answer: (H) A small place where people live together

2. compass
Answer: (J) A tool that shows you which way is north

3. jungle
Answer: (I) A place with many trees and plants, like a forest

4. scarf
Answer: (B) A piece of cloth you wear around your neck

5. stream
Answer: (E) A small river

6. squirrel
Answer: (C) A small animal that climbs trees and eats nuts

7. mountain
Answer: (D) A very tall hill

8. beware
Answer: (A) To be careful of something

9. sloth
Answer: (F) A slow-moving animal that hangs from trees

10. adventures
Answer: (G) Exciting and fun trips or activities
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the rabbit?
Answer: (d) Benny

2. What color is Benny’s scarf?
Answer: (c) Red

3. Who does Benny meet in the woods?
Answer: (a) A squirrel

4. What do Benny and Sandy roll down?
Answer: (a) A hill

5. What does the sign say?
Answer: (b) Beware of the Snoring Sloth

6. Who helps Benny and Sandy find the Jasmine Jungle?
Answer: (c) The sloth

7. What do the flowers in the jungle do?
Answer: (b) Glow

8. What do Benny and Sandy think about adventures?
Answer: (d) They are more fun with friends
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Benny is a rabbit who wears a dull red scarf. (Answer: False)
2. Benny and Sandy rolled down a big mountain and laughed. (Answer: True)
3. Benny and Sandy woke up the sloth, but he helped them find the jungle. (Answer: True)
4. They saw a sign that warned them about a Snoring Sloth. (Answer: True)
5. He wants to explore a regular place called the Jasmine Jungle. (Answer: False)
6. He met a chipmunk named Sandy in the woods. (Answer: False)
7. Benny packed apples, a compass, and a serious hat for his adventure. (Answer: False)
8. Benny learned that adventures are more fun with friends. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Castle in the Clouds

Lily climbed a big mountain and found a magical castle where she helped a friendly man find his lost key with the help of talking animals.

Whiskers, the Queen of Cats, unites animals of all kinds and teaches them the power of compassion.

The Queen of Cats

Whiskers the cat was so kind that all the animals became friends and lived happily together.

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily found a secret door in the woods and met a fairy named Hazel. They danced with fairies and made the woods pretty again.

Peter the mischievous penguin learns the importance of bringing joy to others through a grand party.

The Playful Penguin’s Party

Peter the penguin wanted to have a big party, but he forgot the music, so he asked his friend Sammy the seal for help and they made a happy song for everyone to dance to.

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