Under the starry sky, the big, round moon lit up the desert sand like silver. A curious young boy named Max decided that tonight would be the night for a big adventure. He only had a flashlight shaped like a carrot and a canteen of water. Quietly, he sneaked out of his cozy home, dreaming of hidden treasures in the sand.

As Max walked deeper into the desert, he found an old, half-buried treasure chest. His heart beat fast with excitement! But as he was about to dig it up, a sneaky little fox named Toby appeared. “You think it’s treasure, don’t you?” Toby laughed, his tail wagging. “It might be just old socks left by a pirate with a terrible sense of smell!” Max laughed at the idea of stealing socks from a pirate.

Ignoring Toby’s jokes, Max decided to dig anyway. To his surprise, the chest opened to reveal not gold or jewels, but a pair of shiny roller skates! “Now we’re talking!” shouted Max, eager to try them. He put them on and, after a little wobbling, started skating on the sand. Just then, he heard a voice shout, “Watch out!” Max saw Toby running away from a giant tumbleweed rolling toward them fast. Laughing, Max jumped aside, narrowly missing the prickly plant.

Feeling adventurous and silly, Max kept skating under the moonlight, racing Toby. “You’re fast!” Toby yelled, trying to keep up. “But can you handle this?” Suddenly, the ground shook, and a small sandstorm created a sparkling oasis in front of them! The two friends skated through the storm, and when it cleared, they found a beautiful pool with palm trees and glowing fireflies lighting up the night like tiny stars.

At the oasis, Max and Toby saw desert animals having a dance party with twinkling lights from fireflies. A wise old tortoise with a deep voice invited them to join. “Every creature has its own rhythm! Let’s dance!” he said. Max and Toby, laughing like kids, joined the fun. They danced and laughed until their stomachs hurt. The party was full of joy, and Max learned that unexpected adventures can lead to amazing fun.

As the sun began to rise, Max knew it was time to go home. His new and old friends waved goodbye, and Toby tipped his tiny hat. “Remember, Max! The desert might seem empty, but it’s full of surprises!” Max smiled, understanding that adventure can be found in the unlikeliest places, and the real treasure is the friends we make. As he skated home, the rising sun painted the sky, showing him that the best stories come from embracing the unknown and sharing laughter with friends.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Max bring with him on his adventure in the desert?

2. How did Toby the fox react when he saw Max digging up the treasure chest?

3. What was inside the treasure chest that Max found?

4. Describe the scene when Max and Toby encountered the small sandstorm.

5. What invitation did the wise old tortoise give to Max and Toby at the oasis?

6. How did Max feel about his adventure by the time he was ready to go home?

7. What lesson did Max learn from his adventure in the desert?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Under the starry sky, the big, round moon lit up the desert sand like silver. A curious young boy (1)______ Max (2)______ that tonight would be the night for a big adventure. He only had a flashlight shaped like a carrot and a canteen of water. Quietly, he sneaked out of his cozy home, dreaming of hidden (3)______s in the sand.

As Max walked deeper into the desert, he found an old, half-buried treasure chest. His heart beat fast with excitement! But as he was about to dig it up, a sneaky little fox named Toby appeared. “You think it’s treasure, don’t you?” Toby laughed, his tail wagging. “It might be just old socks left by a pirate with a terrible sense of smell!” Max laughed at the idea of stealing socks from a pirate.

Ignoring Toby’s jokes, Max decided to dig anyway. To his surprise, the chest opened to reveal not gold or jewels, but a pair of shiny (5)______ skates! “Now we’re talking!” shouted Max, eager to try them. He put them on and, after a little wobbling, started skating on the sand. Just then, he heard a voice shout, “Watch out!” Max saw Toby running away from a giant tumbleweed (6)______ toward them fast. Laughing, Max jumped aside, narrowly missing the (7)______ plant.

(8)______ adventurous and silly, Max kept skating under the moonlight, racing Toby. “You’re fast!” Toby yelled, trying to keep up. “But can you handle this?” Suddenly, the (9)______ shook, and a small sandstorm created a sparkling oasis in front of them! The two friends skated through the storm, and when it cleared, they found a beautiful pool with palm trees and glowing fireflies lighting up the night like tiny stars.

At the oasis, Max and Toby saw desert (10)______ having a dance (11)______ with twinkling lights from fireflies. A wise old tortoise with a deep voice invited them to join. “Every creature has its own rhythm! Let’s dance!” he said. Max and Toby, laughing like kids, (12)______ the fun. They danced and laughed until their stomachs hurt. The party was full of joy, and Max (13)______ that unexpected adventures can lead to amazing fun.

As the sun began to rise, Max knew it was time to go home. His new and old friends (14)______ goodbye, and Toby tipped his tiny hat. “Remember, Max! The desert might seem empty, but it’s full of surprises!” Max smiled, understanding that adventure can be found in the unlikeliest places, and the real treasure is the friends we make. As he skated home, the rising sun (15)______ the sky, (16)______ him that the best stories come from embracing the unknown and sharing laughter with friends.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your idea of a perfect adventure?

2. How would you feel if you found a treasure chest in your backyard?

3. Do you like to explore new places? Why or why not?

4. What do you think is the most important part of having fun with friends?

5. How would you react if a talking animal appeared during your adventure?

6. Do you think it’s better to find treasure or to have fun experiences? Why?

7. What is a memorable adventure you have had with your friends?

8. How do you feel about dancing in front of others? Would you join a dance party like Max and Toby?

9. Do you think it’s important to take risks during adventures? Why or why not?

10. What is your favorite way to spend time with friends?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. canteen
3. sneaked
4. treasures
5. sneaky
6. pirate
7. wobbling
8. tumbleweed
9. prickly
10. oasis
11. tortoise
12. rhythm
13. unexpected
14. surprises
15. embracing

Meanings:
(A) Moved quietly and secretly
(B) Things that cause wonder or amazement
(C) A regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements
(D) A container used to carry water
(E) Moving unsteadily from side to side
(F) A slow-moving land animal with a hard shell
(G) Acting in a secretive or sly manner
(H) A dry plant that rolls across the ground
(I) Accepting or welcoming something willingly or enthusiastically
(J) Covered with sharp points
(K) A fertile spot in the desert with water and plants
(L) Valuable or precious items
(M) An exciting or unusual experience
(N) Not expected or predicted
(O) A person who robs ships at sea
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Max use to sneak out of his house?
(a) A lantern
(b) A regular flashlight
(c) A flashlight shaped like a carrot
(d) A candle

2. What did Max find in the desert?
(a) A buried car
(b) A pile of gold coins
(c) A lost dog
(d) An old, half-buried treasure chest

3. Who is Toby in the story?
(a) A sneaky little fox
(b) A wise old tortoise
(c) A pirate
(d) A treasure hunter

4. What was inside the treasure chest that Max found?
(a) Gold and jewels
(b) A pair of shiny roller skates
(c) Old pirate socks
(d) A map to more treasure

5. What did Max and Toby encounter while skating?
(a) A sandstorm
(b) A snake
(c) A mirage
(d) A giant tumbleweed

6. What did the wise old tortoise invite Max and Toby to do?
(a) Eat
(b) Dance
(c) Sleep
(d) Race

7. How did Max feel during the dance party at the oasis?
(a) Joyful and silly
(b) Tired and bored
(c) Scared and anxious
(d) Angry and upset

8. What lesson did Max learn by the end of the story?
(a) Treasure is only about gold and jewels
(b) The desert is a dangerous place
(c) Adventure can be found in unexpected places
(d) Roller skates are not useful in the sand

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. As the moon sets, Max learns that the real treasure is the solitude he finds and the calm he experiences.
2. They encounter a small sandstorm that reveals a beautiful oasis filled with dancing desert animals and glowing fireflies.
3. Max is a curious young boy who decides to go on an adventure in the desert at night.
4. He sneaks into his house with only a flashlight shaped like a cucumber and a canteen of juice.
5. Instead of finding gold or jewels, Max opens the chest to find a pair of dull roller skates.
6. A sneaky big fox named Toby appears and jokes about the treasure possibly being old shoes from a pirate.
7. Max and Toby end up skating together under the moonlight, having fun and racing each other.
8. While exploring, Max discovers an old treasure chest that is half-buried in the sand.
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 did Max bring with him on his adventure in the desert?
Max brought a flashlight shaped like a carrot and a canteen of water.

2. How did Toby the fox react when he saw Max digging up the treasure chest?
Toby laughed and joked that it might just be old socks left by a pirate with a terrible sense of smell.

3. What was inside the treasure chest that Max found?
Inside the treasure chest, Max found a pair of shiny roller skates.

4. Describe the scene when Max and Toby encountered the small sandstorm.
When they encountered the small sandstorm, the ground shook, and it created a sparkling oasis in front of them, which revealed a beautiful pool with palm trees and glowing fireflies.

5. What invitation did the wise old tortoise give to Max and Toby at the oasis?
The wise old tortoise invited Max and Toby to join the dance party, saying, “Every creature has its own rhythm! Let’s dance!”

6. How did Max feel about his adventure by the time he was ready to go home?
Max felt happy and understood that unexpected adventures can lead to amazing fun, and he was grateful for the friends he made.

7. What lesson did Max learn from his adventure in the desert?
Max learned that the desert might seem empty, but it’s full of surprises, and the real treasure is the friends we make along the way.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) decided
(3) treasure
(4) treasures
(5) roller
(6) rolling
(7) prickly
(8) Feeling
(9) ground
(10) animals
(11) party
(12) joined
(13) learned
(14) waved
(15) painted
(16) showing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (M) An exciting or unusual experience

2. canteen
Answer: (D) A container used to carry water

3. sneaked
Answer: (A) Moved quietly and secretly

4. treasures
Answer: (L) Valuable or precious items

5. sneaky
Answer: (G) Acting in a secretive or sly manner

6. pirate
Answer: (O) A person who robs ships at sea

7. wobbling
Answer: (E) Moving unsteadily from side to side

8. tumbleweed
Answer: (H) A dry plant that rolls across the ground

9. prickly
Answer: (J) Covered with sharp points

10. oasis
Answer: (K) A fertile spot in the desert with water and plants

11. tortoise
Answer: (F) A slow-moving land animal with a hard shell

12. rhythm
Answer: (C) A regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements

13. unexpected
Answer: (N) Not expected or predicted

14. surprises
Answer: (B) Things that cause wonder or amazement

15. embracing
Answer: (I) Accepting or welcoming something willingly or enthusiastically
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Max use to sneak out of his house?
Answer: (c) A flashlight shaped like a carrot

2. What did Max find in the desert?
Answer: (d) An old, half-buried treasure chest

3. Who is Toby in the story?
Answer: (a) A sneaky little fox

4. What was inside the treasure chest that Max found?
Answer: (b) A pair of shiny roller skates

5. What did Max and Toby encounter while skating?
Answer: (d) A giant tumbleweed

6. What did the wise old tortoise invite Max and Toby to do?
Answer: (b) Dance

7. How did Max feel during the dance party at the oasis?
Answer: (a) Joyful and silly

8. What lesson did Max learn by the end of the story?
Answer: (c) Adventure can be found in unexpected places
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. As the moon sets, Max learns that the real treasure is the solitude he finds and the calm he experiences. (Answer: False)
2. They encounter a small sandstorm that reveals a beautiful oasis filled with dancing desert animals and glowing fireflies. (Answer: True)
3. Max is a curious young boy who decides to go on an adventure in the desert at night. (Answer: True)
4. He sneaks into his house with only a flashlight shaped like a cucumber and a canteen of juice. (Answer: False)
5. Instead of finding gold or jewels, Max opens the chest to find a pair of dull roller skates. (Answer: False)
6. A sneaky big fox named Toby appears and jokes about the treasure possibly being old shoes from a pirate. (Answer: False)
7. Max and Toby end up skating together under the moonlight, having fun and racing each other. (Answer: True)
8. While exploring, Max discovers an old treasure chest that is half-buried in the sand. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧