Once upon a time, in a small town nestled in the rolling green hills, there lived a little boy named Tommy. He was an imaginative and curious child who loved to explore. One moonlit night, as he lay in bed gazing out his window, he noticed something peculiar. A small train, adorned with twinkling stars, appeared on the tracks just beyond his backyard. Tommy’s eyes widened with excitement as he realized it was the Midnight Train to Starland.

Unable to resist his adventurous spirit, he quickly leaped from his bed, snuck out of his room, and raced to catch the train. As he stepped aboard, he found himself surrounded by a group of colorful characters: talking animals, playful fairies, and even a friendly dragon with a toothy grin. Tommy’s heart danced with joy as the train chugged along, taking him on an enchanting journey through the skies.

Suddenly, the train screeched to a halt, leaving everyone bewildered. A mischievous imp named Sparkle emerged from the shadows, cackling with glee. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Sparkle explained that in order for the train to continue its journey, they had to solve a riddle. Tommy’s mind raced as he tried to figure out the answer. After much pondering, he shouted, “Laughter!” Sparkle was taken aback and begrudgingly admitted defeat, allowing the train to travel onward.

As the train resumed its magical journey, Tommy and his newfound friends shared tales and laughter. They marveled at shooting stars, played hide-and-seek with playful comets, and feasted on plates of moon-shaped cookies. Everywhere they went, joy and laughter followed, spreading positivity and warmth.

Finally, as dawn broke and Starland came into view, the train gradually slowed down. Tommy’s heart sank as he realized his incredible adventure was coming to an end. But before he could feel too sad, the train’s conductor, a wise old owl, approached him and said, “Remember, Tommy, the magic of Starland can always be found within your own heart. Use your imagination and spread joy wherever you go.” Tommy nodded, his eyes glimmering with understanding.

And so, Tommy stepped off the Midnight Train to Starland and back into his sleepy little town. From that day forward, he carried the spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy in his heart, sharing it with everyone he met. And as Tommy grew older, he continued to inspire others to embark on their very own journeys to Starland, even if only in their imaginations.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Tommy notice outside his window one moonlit night?
2. What kind of characters did Tommy meet on the Midnight Train to Starland?
3. What did Sparkle require in order for the train to continue its journey?
4. How did Tommy figure out the answer to Sparkle’s riddle?
5. What activities did Tommy and his friends enjoy on their magical journey?
6. What did the wise old owl tell Tommy before he left the train?
7. What did Tommy do after his adventure on the Midnight Train to Starland?
8. How did Tommy continue to inspire others as he grew older?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in a (1)______ town nestled in the rolling green hills, there lived a little boy named Tommy. He was an imaginative and curious child who loved to explore. One moonlit night, as he lay in bed gazing out his window, he noticed something peculiar. A small (2)______, adorned with twinkling stars, (3)______ on the tracks just beyond his backyard. Tommy’s eyes widened with excitement as he realized it was the Midnight Train to Starland.

Unable to resist his adventurous spirit, he quickly leaped from his bed, snuck out of his room, and (4)______ to catch the train. As he stepped aboard, he found himself surrounded by a group of colorful characters: talking animals, playful fairies, and even a friendly (5)______ with a toothy grin. Tommy’s heart danced with joy as the train chugged along, taking him on an (6)______ journey through the skies.

Suddenly, the train screeched to a halt, leaving everyone (7)______. A mischievous imp named Sparkle emerged from the (8)______, cackling with glee. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Sparkle explained that in order for the train to continue its journey, they had to solve a riddle. Tommy’s mind raced as he tried to figure out the answer. After much pondering, he shouted, “Laughter!” Sparkle was taken aback and begrudgingly admitted defeat, allowing the train to travel onward.

As the train resumed its magical journey, Tommy and his newfound friends shared tales and laughter. They marveled at shooting (9)______, played hide-and-seek with playful (10)______, and feasted on plates of moon-shaped cookies. Everywhere they went, joy and laughter followed, spreading positivity and warmth.

Finally, as dawn broke and Starland came into view, the train gradually slowed down. Tommy’s heart sank as he (11)______ his (12)______ adventure was coming to an end. But before he could feel too sad, the train’s conductor, a wise old owl, (13)______ him and said, “Remember, Tommy, the magic of Starland can always be found within your own heart. Use your (14)______ and (15)______ joy wherever you go.” Tommy nodded, his eyes glimmering with understanding.

And so, Tommy stepped off the Midnight (16)______ to Starland and back into his sleepy little town. From that day forward, he carried the spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy in his heart, sharing it with everyone he met. And as Tommy grew older, he continued to inspire others to embark on their very own journeys to Starland, even if only in their imaginations.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite childhood memory of using your imagination?
2. How would you feel if you saw a magical train in your backyard?
3. Do you like stories with talking animals and mythical creatures? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important for children to have a sense of adventure and curiosity? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the moral of the story is? Why?
6. Have you ever had a dream or experience that felt magical or surreal? Can you describe it?
7. How do you think the characters on the Midnight Train to Starland felt when they were surrounded by joy and laughter?
8. What would you do if you were faced with a difficult riddle like Tommy? How would you try to solve it?
9. How do you think Tommy’s life changed after his adventure on the Midnight Train to Starland?
10. Can you think of a time when you spread joy and laughter to someone else? How did it make you feel?
11. Why do you think the conductor told Tommy to remember that the magic of Starland can always be found within his own heart?
12. If you could go on a magical journey like Tommy, where would you want to go and what would you want to do? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. nestled
2. peculiar
3. adorned
4. leaped
5. chugged
6. bewildered
7. mischievous
8. cackling
9. pondering
10. begrudgingly
11. marveled
12. feasted
13. positivity
14. glimmering
15. embarked

Meanings:
(A) Shining faintly with a wavering light
(B) Settled comfortably within a surrounding area
(C) Playfully causing trouble or acting in a deceitful manner
(D) Jumped or sprang a long way with a sudden movement
(E) The quality or state of being positive or optimistic in attitude
(F) Began a journey or a venture
(G) Reluctantly or with a sense of resentment
(H) Looked at something with great surprise or wonder
(I) Strange or unusual in a way that is unexpected or difficult to understand
(J) Moved along with a regular mechanical sound, as of a train
(K) Confused and very puzzled
(L) Laughing in a loud, harsh way
(M) Decorated with a particular feature or ornament
(N) Thinking deeply about something; reflecting
(O) Ate and drank lavishly or to excess
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Tommy see outside his window that caught his attention?
(a) A group of colorful characters
(b) Shooting stars
(c) A small train adorned with twinkling stars
(d) A wise old owl

2. What did Tommy have to solve in order for the train to continue its journey?
(a) A puzzle
(b) A riddle
(c) A maze
(d) A math problem

3. What did Tommy shout as the answer to the riddle?
(a) Laughter
(b) Joy
(c) Love
(d) Happiness

4. What did Tommy and his newfound friends feast on during their journey?
(a) Star-shaped candies
(b) Rainbow-colored cupcakes
(c) Moon-shaped cookies
(d) Chocolate bars

5. What did the wise old owl tell Tommy before he left the train?
(a) Starland is the most beautiful place in the world
(b) Tommy should never leave his sleepy little town
(c) The train will come back for Tommy someday
(d) The magic of Starland can always be found within your own heart

6. What did Tommy carry in his heart after his adventure?
(a) The memories of Starland
(b) The secret to finding the Midnight Train
(c) The riddle that Sparkle gave him
(d) The spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy

7. What did Tommy inspire others to do as he grew older?
(a) Embark on their own journeys to Starland
(b) Stay in their sleepy little towns
(c) Forget about their imaginations
(d) Solve riddles and puzzles

8. Where did Tommy step off the train and back into?
(a) Starland
(b) His sleepy little town
(c) The Midnight Train
(d) A different dimension

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The train speeds up and they must solve a puzzle to continue the journey.
2. Tommy is a curious and imaginative little boy.
3. Laughter is the answer to the riddle, allowing the train to continue.
4. The story takes place in a small town nestled in rolling green hills.
5. The train is named the Morning Train to Starland.
6. Tommy notices a large train adorned with dull stars outside his window.
7. Tommy learns to carry the spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy in his heart and inspires others to do the same.
8. Tommy sneaks out of his room to catch the train and is surrounded by silent animals, fairies, and an indifferent dragon.
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 Tommy notice outside his window one moonlit night?
Tommy noticed a small train adorned with twinkling stars on the tracks just beyond his backyard.

2. What kind of characters did Tommy meet on the Midnight Train to Starland?
Tommy met talking animals, playful fairies, and a friendly dragon on the Midnight Train to Starland.

3. What did Sparkle require in order for the train to continue its journey?
Sparkle required Tommy and his friends to solve a riddle in order for the train to continue its journey.

4. How did Tommy figure out the answer to Sparkle’s riddle?
After much pondering, Tommy figured out the answer to Sparkle’s riddle was “laughter.”

5. What activities did Tommy and his friends enjoy on their magical journey?
Tommy and his friends marveled at shooting stars, played hide-and-seek with comets, and feasted on moon-shaped cookies.

6. What did the wise old owl tell Tommy before he left the train?
The wise old owl told Tommy to remember that the magic of Starland can always be found within his own heart and to spread joy wherever he goes.

7. What did Tommy do after his adventure on the Midnight Train to Starland?
After his adventure, Tommy carried the spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy in his heart and shared it with everyone he met.

8. How did Tommy continue to inspire others as he grew older?
As he grew older, Tommy continued to inspire others to embark on their own journeys to Starland, even if only in their imaginations.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) small
(2) train
(3) appeared
(4) raced
(5) dragon
(6) enchanting
(7) bewildered
(8) shadows
(9) stars
(10) comets
(11) realized
(12) incredible
(13) approached
(14) imagination
(15) spread
(16) Train
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. nestled
Answer: (B) Settled comfortably within a surrounding area

2. peculiar
Answer: (I) Strange or unusual in a way that is unexpected or difficult to understand

3. adorned
Answer: (M) Decorated with a particular feature or ornament

4. leaped
Answer: (D) Jumped or sprang a long way with a sudden movement

5. chugged
Answer: (J) Moved along with a regular mechanical sound, as of a train

6. bewildered
Answer: (K) Confused and very puzzled

7. mischievous
Answer: (C) Playfully causing trouble or acting in a deceitful manner

8. cackling
Answer: (L) Laughing in a loud, harsh way

9. pondering
Answer: (N) Thinking deeply about something; reflecting

10. begrudgingly
Answer: (G) Reluctantly or with a sense of resentment

11. marveled
Answer: (H) Looked at something with great surprise or wonder

12. feasted
Answer: (O) Ate and drank lavishly or to excess

13. positivity
Answer: (E) The quality or state of being positive or optimistic in attitude

14. glimmering
Answer: (A) Shining faintly with a wavering light

15. embarked
Answer: (F) Began a journey or a venture
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Tommy see outside his window that caught his attention?
Answer: (c) A small train adorned with twinkling stars

2. What did Tommy have to solve in order for the train to continue its journey?
Answer: (b) A riddle

3. What did Tommy shout as the answer to the riddle?
Answer: (a) Laughter

4. What did Tommy and his newfound friends feast on during their journey?
Answer: (c) Moon-shaped cookies

5. What did the wise old owl tell Tommy before he left the train?
Answer: (d) The magic of Starland can always be found within your own heart

6. What did Tommy carry in his heart after his adventure?
Answer: (d) The spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy

7. What did Tommy inspire others to do as he grew older?
Answer: (a) Embark on their own journeys to Starland

8. Where did Tommy step off the train and back into?
Answer: (b) His sleepy little town
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The train speeds up and they must solve a puzzle to continue the journey. (Answer: False)
2. Tommy is a curious and imaginative little boy. (Answer: True)
3. Laughter is the answer to the riddle, allowing the train to continue. (Answer: True)
4. The story takes place in a small town nestled in rolling green hills. (Answer: True)
5. The train is named the Morning Train to Starland. (Answer: False)
6. Tommy notices a large train adorned with dull stars outside his window. (Answer: False)
7. Tommy learns to carry the spirit of adventure, laughter, and joy in his heart and inspires others to do the same. (Answer: True)
8. Tommy sneaks out of his room to catch the train and is surrounded by silent animals, fairies, and an indifferent dragon. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧