In a magic place called Zephyria, there were three kids, Mia, Max, and Ben, who loved adventures. They dreamed of finding treasures and going on big quests. One day, they found an old book in their attic about “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx.” They were super excited and decided to go on an adventure to find out more.

They ended up standing in front of a huge pyramid in the middle of a desert, just like in the book. Inside, they faced many traps and puzzles. After a lot of challenges, they finally got to a big room guarded by a sapphire-colored sphinx. The sphinx asked them to solve three tricky riddles to go further.

Despite feeling scared, Mia, Max, and Ben remembered something important their grandma once told them: “Working together and being creative is very powerful.” So, they worked as a team and solved the sphinx’s riddles.

Behind the sphinx, they found a room full of shiny jewels and old stuff. But they also found a letter from a long-ago king of Zephyria. It said the sphinx’s real job wasn’t to guard treasure but to guard knowledge. It was a test to see who was wise and brave enough to find it. The kids learned that finding out new things was the real treasure.

Back home, Mia, Max, and Ben were treated like heroes. They told everyone about their adventure and how important it is to face challenges bravely and to always keep learning. They never forgot their adventure with “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx,” and it reminded them that the best treasures are the ones we find in ourselves.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

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📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who were the three kids in the story?
2. What did the kids find in their attic?
3. Where did the kids end up after finding the book?
4. What did the sphinx ask the kids to do?
5. What did the kids find behind the sphinx?
6. What did the letter from the king say about the sphinx’s job?
7. How did the kids feel when they returned home?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a magic place called Zephyria, there were three kids, Mia, Max, and Ben, who (1)______ adventures. They dreamed of (2)______ treasures and going on big quests. One day, they found an old book in their attic about “The Secret of the (3)______ Sphinx.” They were super excited and (4)______ to go on an adventure to find out more.

They ended up standing in front of a huge pyramid in the middle of a desert, just like in the book. Inside, they (5)______ many (6)______ and (7)______. After a lot of challenges, they finally got to a big room guarded by a sapphire-colored (8)______. The sphinx asked them to solve three tricky riddles to go further.

Despite feeling scared, Mia, Max, and Ben remembered something important their grandma once told them: “Working together and being creative is very powerful.” So, they (9)______ as a team and solved the sphinx’s riddles.

Behind the sphinx, they found a room full of shiny jewels and old (10)______. But they also found a letter from a long-ago king of Zephyria. It said the sphinx’s real job wasn’t to guard (11)______ but to guard knowledge. It was a test to see who was wise and brave enough to find it. The kids (12)______ that finding out new things was the real treasure.

Back home, Mia, Max, and Ben were treated like heroes. They told everyone about their adventure and how important it is to face (13)______ bravely and to always keep (14)______. They never (15)______ their adventure with “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx,” and it reminded them that the best (16)______ are the ones we find in ourselves.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an adventure? Why do you think Mia, Max, and Ben loved adventures?
2. How would you feel if you found an old book about a secret treasure? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it’s important to work together and be creative? Why or why not?
4. What would you do if you were faced with challenges and felt scared? Why?
5. How do you think Mia, Max, and Ben felt when they solved the sphinx’s riddles? Why?
6. What do you think is the difference between guarding treasure and guarding knowledge? Why?
7. How would you feel if you discovered that finding out new things is the real treasure? Why or why not?
8. Do you think it’s important to face challenges bravely? Why or why not?
9. What is something new that you have learned recently? How did it make you feel? Why?
10. Why do you think Mia, Max, and Ben never forgot their adventure with “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx”?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventures
2. treasures
3. quests
4. pyramid
5. desert
6. challenges
7. sphinx
8. riddles
9. creative
10. jewels
11. knowledge
12. brave
13. heroes
14. challenges
15. learning

Meanings:
(A) Puzzles or problems that are hard to solve and require thinking
(B) Using imagination to come up with new ideas or solutions
(C) Searches for something important or valuable
(D) A mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human
(E) Valuable items, often hidden, that people want to find
(F) People admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities
(G) The process of gaining new information or understanding through study, experience, or teaching
(H) Tasks or situations that require a person to use their skills and abilities to overcome them
(I) Shiny, precious stones that are often used in jewelry
(J) Difficult situations or tasks that test a person’s abilities
(K) Exciting and sometimes dangerous journeys or experiences
(L) A very dry, sandy area with little to no rain
(M) Information, understanding, or skills gained through education or experience
(N) Having courage and facing fears, especially in tough situations
(O) A huge, ancient structure with a square base and triangular sides, found in Egypt
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the magic place where the story takes place?
(a) Atlantis
(b) Avalon
(c) El Dorado
(d) Zephyria

2. Who were the three kids who loved adventures?
(a) Lily, Jack, and Emma
(b) Oliver, Sophia, and Ethan
(c) Chloe, Lucas, and Ava
(d) Mia, Max, and Ben

3. What did the kids find in their attic?
(a) A treasure map
(b) A magic wand
(c) An old book about “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx”
(d) A time machine

4. What did the sphinx ask the kids to do in order to proceed?
(a) Solve three tricky riddles
(b) Bring it a golden key
(c) Perform a magic spell
(d) Sing a song

5. What did the letter from the king reveal about the sphinx’s purpose?
(a) To guard treasure
(b) To guard knowledge
(c) To protect the pyramid
(d) To scare away intruders

6. How did the kids solve the sphinx’s riddles?
(a) By using a guidebook
(b) By guessing randomly
(c) By working together and being creative
(d) By asking for help from their grandma

7. How were the kids treated when they returned home?
(a) Like heroes
(b) Like criminals
(c) Like ordinary kids
(d) Like royalty

8. What did the kids learn from their adventure?
(a) The value of money and material possessions
(b) The importance of facing challenges bravely and always learning
(c) The need to stay away from pyramids
(d) The joy of staying at home and not going on adventures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Inside the pyramid, they faced many traps and puzzles.
2. Working together and being creative was an important lesson their grandma once taught them.
3. They had to solve three tricky riddles to progress further in the pyramid.
4. The sphinx’s true goal was to protect wealth, not wisdom.
5. The children acknowledged that the real prize was the wisdom and fresh adventures they acquired on their escapade.
6. Mia, Max, and Ben discovered an ancient tome in their attic about “The Mystery of the Sapphire Sphinx.”
7. They chose to embark on a journey to uncover more about the mystery.
8. They ended up in front of a huge pyramid in the middle of a desert, just like in the book.
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. Who were the three kids in the story?
The three kids in the story were Mia, Max, and Ben.

2. What did the kids find in their attic?
The kids found an old book in their attic about “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx.”

3. Where did the kids end up after finding the book?
After finding the book, the kids ended up standing in front of a huge pyramid in the middle of a desert.

4. What did the sphinx ask the kids to do?
The sphinx asked the kids to solve three tricky riddles to go further.

5. What did the kids find behind the sphinx?
Behind the sphinx, the kids found a room full of shiny jewels and old stuff.

6. What did the letter from the king say about the sphinx’s job?
The letter from the king said that the sphinx’s real job was to guard knowledge and test who was wise and brave enough to find it.

7. How did the kids feel when they returned home?
When they returned home, the kids felt like heroes and they were excited to tell everyone about their adventure.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) loved
(2) finding
(3) Sapphire
(4) decided
(5) faced
(6) traps
(7) puzzles
(8) sphinx
(9) worked
(10) stuff
(11) treasure
(12) learned
(13) challenges
(14) learning
(15) forgot
(16) treasures
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventures
Answer: (K) Exciting and sometimes dangerous journeys or experiences

2. treasures
Answer: (E) Valuable items, often hidden, that people want to find

3. quests
Answer: (C) Searches for something important or valuable

4. pyramid
Answer: (O) A huge, ancient structure with a square base and triangular sides, found in Egypt

5. desert
Answer: (L) A very dry, sandy area with little to no rain

6. challenges
Answer: (J) Difficult situations or tasks that test a person’s abilities

7. sphinx
Answer: (D) A mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human

8. riddles
Answer: (A) Puzzles or problems that are hard to solve and require thinking

9. creative
Answer: (B) Using imagination to come up with new ideas or solutions

10. jewels
Answer: (I) Shiny, precious stones that are often used in jewelry

11. knowledge
Answer: (M) Information, understanding, or skills gained through education or experience

12. brave
Answer: (N) Having courage and facing fears, especially in tough situations

13. heroes
Answer: (F) People admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities

14. challenges
Answer: (H) Tasks or situations that require a person to use their skills and abilities to overcome them

15. learning
Answer: (G) The process of gaining new information or understanding through study, experience, or teaching
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the magic place where the story takes place?
Answer: (d) Zephyria

2. Who were the three kids who loved adventures?
Answer: (d) Mia, Max, and Ben

3. What did the kids find in their attic?
Answer: (c) An old book about “The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx”

4. What did the sphinx ask the kids to do in order to proceed?
Answer: (a) Solve three tricky riddles

5. What did the letter from the king reveal about the sphinx’s purpose?
Answer: (b) To guard knowledge

6. How did the kids solve the sphinx’s riddles?
Answer: (c) By working together and being creative

7. How were the kids treated when they returned home?
Answer: (a) Like heroes

8. What did the kids learn from their adventure?
Answer: (b) The importance of facing challenges bravely and always learning
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Inside the pyramid, they faced many traps and puzzles. (Answer: True)
2. Working together and being creative was an important lesson their grandma once taught them. (Answer: True)
3. They had to solve three tricky riddles to progress further in the pyramid. (Answer: True)
4. The sphinx’s true goal was to protect wealth, not wisdom. (Answer: False)
5. The children acknowledged that the real prize was the wisdom and fresh adventures they acquired on their escapade. (Answer: False)
6. Mia, Max, and Ben discovered an ancient tome in their attic about “The Mystery of the Sapphire Sphinx.” (Answer: False)
7. They chose to embark on a journey to uncover more about the mystery. (Answer: False)
8. They ended up in front of a huge pyramid in the middle of a desert, just like in the book. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧