Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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The Mischievous Monkey

Milo the mischievous monkey and Polly the Parrot become best friends, spreading laughter and joy throughout the jungle.

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Once upon a time, in a dense jungle, there lived a mischievous monkey named Milo. Milo was known throughout the jungle for his cunning and playful tricks. One sunny day, he decided to devise the biggest prank ever to entertain his friends. Feeling mischievous, he snuck into the lovable lion’s lair and tiptoed towards his majestic mane. As the lion snored peacefully, Milo decided to use vines to tie his furry friend’s tail to a sturdy tree branch. The mischievous monkey couldn’t wait to see the lion’s hilarious reaction!

The next morning, when the lion woke up and discovered his predicament, he roared with laughter. Surprisingly, the lion wasn’t angry at all; instead, he joined in the laughter and played along with Milo’s prank. Everyone in the jungle was amazed by the lion’s good sense of humor and how he handled the situation. Milo realized that sometimes it’s important to consider the feelings of others before playing pranks.

From that day on, Milo promised himself to use his mischievousness for good rather than causing harm. He would pull small, harmless pranks that brought laughter to everyone’s lives. The mischievous monkey decided to become the jester of the jungle, spreading joy and happiness wherever he went. His pranks became legendary, and even the wisest of the animals giggled with delight when they fell victim to his tricks.

As Milo grew older, he taught the younger animals to always choose laughter over anger. He explained that laughter brings people together, while anger only creates distance and sadness. The young animals admired Milo’s wisdom and vowed to follow his example. The jungle became a place filled with laughter and light-heartedness, thanks to the mischievous monkey.

One day, a new animal named Polly the Parrot arrived in the jungle. Polly had a habit of imitating the other animals when they spoke. The animals found this hilarious, and soon, Polly became the new star, even surpassing Milo’s popularity. Rather than being jealous, Milo felt proud that his prank had sparked a new joyous trend. He realized that making others happy was far more rewarding than being the center of attention. Milo and Polly became best friends, spreading laughter everywhere they went.

As time went by, the whole jungle grew closer, all thanks to the mischievous monkey who had learned the valuable lesson of bringing joy to others. Milo’s pranks continued to entertain, but he always made sure they were harmless and brought smiles to everyone’s faces. The jungle remained a place of mirth and love, where everyone danced together under the sparkling moonlight, cherishing the laughter that bound them as one big, playful family.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

1mischievousPlayfully naughty or troublesome
2cunningHaving or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion
3majesticHaving an impressively beautiful or dignified appearance
4predicamentA difficult or unpleasant situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself
5sturdyStrong and not easily broken or damaged
6hilariousExtremely amusing and causing great laughter
7legendaryRemarkable and well-known because of extraordinary qualities or events
8wisdomThe quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment
9vowedMade a serious promise or commitment
10light-heartednessA cheerful and carefree attitude
11imitatingCopying the actions, appearance, or speech of someone else
12surpassedExceeded in achievement or quality
13rewardingProviding satisfaction or pleasure as a result of one’s actions or achievements
14mirthGreat amusement or joy
15cherishTo hold something dear or to value it highly

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Milo known for in the jungle?
2. Why did Milo decide to prank the lion?
3. How did the lion react when he discovered the prank?
4. What did Milo promise himself after the prank?
5. How did Milo’s pranks affect the jungle?
6. Who became more popular than Milo after Polly arrived?
7. How did Milo feel about Polly’s popularity?
8. How did Milo’s pranks change as he grew older?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in a dense jungle, there lived a mischievous monkey named Milo. Milo was known throughout the jungle for his cunning and playful tricks. One sunny day, he decided to devise the (1)______ prank ever to entertain his friends. Feeling mischievous, he snuck into the lovable lion’s lair and tiptoed towards his majestic mane. As the lion snored peacefully, Milo decided to use vines to tie his (2)______ friend’s tail to a sturdy tree branch. The mischievous monkey couldn’t wait to see the lion’s hilarious reaction!

The next morning, when the lion woke up and discovered his predicament, he (3)______ with (4)______. Surprisingly, the lion wasn’t angry at all; instead, he joined in the laughter and played along with Milo’s prank. Everyone in the jungle was (5)______ by the lion’s good sense of humor and how he handled the situation. Milo realized that sometimes it’s important to (6)______ the feelings of others before (7)______ pranks.

From that day on, Milo promised himself to use his mischievousness for good rather than causing harm. He would pull small, harmless pranks that brought laughter to everyone’s lives. The mischievous monkey decided to become the jester of the jungle, spreading joy and happiness wherever he went. His pranks (8)______ legendary, and even the wisest of the animals giggled with delight when they fell victim to his tricks.

As Milo grew older, he taught the younger animals to always choose laughter over anger. He explained that laughter (9)______ people together, while anger only creates distance and (10)______. The young animals admired Milo’s wisdom and vowed to follow his example. The jungle became a place filled with laughter and light-heartedness, thanks to the mischievous monkey.

One day, a new animal named Polly the Parrot arrived in the jungle. Polly had a (11)______ of imitating the other animals when they spoke. The animals found this (12)______, and soon, Polly became the new star, even surpassing Milo’s popularity. Rather than being jealous, Milo felt proud that his prank had sparked a new (13)______ trend. He realized that making others happy was far more rewarding than being the center of attention. Milo and (14)______ became best friends, spreading laughter everywhere they went.

As time went by, the whole jungle grew closer, all thanks to the mischievous monkey who had learned the valuable lesson of bringing joy to others. Milo’s pranks continued to (15)______, but he always made sure they were harmless and brought smiles to everyone’s faces. The jungle remained a (16)______ of mirth and love, where everyone danced together under the sparkling moonlight, cherishing the laughter that bound them as one big, playful family.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the importance of considering the feelings of others before playing pranks?
2. How would you feel if someone played a prank on you? Why?
3. Do you think it’s better to use mischievousness for good rather than causing harm? Why or why not?
4. What do you think is the difference between laughter and anger in terms of bringing people together or creating distance?
5. How do you think laughter can spread joy and happiness?
6. Do you believe that making others happy is more rewarding than being the center of attention? Why or why not?
7. What do you think is the significance of Milo teaching the younger animals to choose laughter over anger?
8. How do you think laughter can create a sense of closeness and unity among people?
9. How would you define a playful family? Why?
10. Why do you think Milo felt proud rather than jealous when Polly became more popular?
11. How do you think Milo’s pranks continued to entertain while ensuring they were harmless?
12. What lessons can we learn from Milo’s story about bringing joy to others?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. mischievous
2. cunning
3. majestic
4. predicament
5. sturdy
6. hilarious
7. legendary
8. wisdom
9. vowed
10. light-heartedness
11. imitating
12. surpassed
13. rewarding
14. mirth
15. cherish

Meanings:
(A) Having an impressively beautiful or dignified appearance
(B) Remarkable and well-known because of extraordinary qualities or events
(C) Providing satisfaction or pleasure as a result of one’s actions or achievements
(D) To hold something dear or to value it highly
(E) Extremely amusing and causing great laughter
(F) A cheerful and carefree attitude
(G) Great amusement or joy
(H) A difficult or unpleasant situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself
(I) Copying the actions, appearance, or speech of someone else
(J) Having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion
(K) Playfully naughty or troublesome
(L) Made a serious promise or commitment
(M) Strong and not easily broken or damaged
(N) Exceeded in achievement or quality
(O) The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was Milo known for in the jungle?
(a) His strength and bravery
(b) His wisdom and intelligence
(c) His kindness and generosity
(d) His cunning and playful tricks

2. How did Milo prank the lion?
(a) He stole the lion’s food
(b) He painted the lion’s fur a different color
(c) He hid the lion’s favorite toy
(d) He tied the lion’s tail to a tree branch

3. How did the lion react to Milo’s prank?
(a) He laughed and played along
(b) He got angry and chased Milo
(c) He cried and felt embarrassed
(d) He ignored the prank and went about his day

4. What did Milo promise himself after pranking the lion?
(a) To never play pranks again
(b) To only play pranks on his friends
(c) To use his mischievousness for good
(d) To play bigger pranks in the future

5. What did Milo teach the younger animals?
(a) To always be serious and never play pranks
(b) To only play pranks on the older animals
(c) To choose laughter over anger
(d) To be jealous of others’ popularity

6. Who became the new star in the jungle?
(a) Polly the Parrot
(b) Milo’s best friend
(c) The lion
(d) The wisest animal

7. How did Milo feel about Polly’s popularity?
(a) Jealous and angry
(b) Proud and happy
(c) Sad and disappointed
(d) Indifferent and uninterested

8. What did the jungle become because of Milo’s pranks?
(a) A place filled with anger and sadness
(b) A place filled with laughter and light-heartedness
(c) A place filled with seriousness and boredom
(d) A place filled with jealousy and competition

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Polly the Parrot arrived in the jungle and became the new star, surpassing Milo’s popularity, but Milo was proud that his prank had sparked a new joyous trend.
2. Milo realized the importance of considering others’ feelings before playing pranks and promised to use his mischievousness for good.
3. Surprisingly, when the lion woke up and discovered the prank, he remained calm instead of getting angry.
4. Milo, the well-behaved monkey, was known for his helpful and serious nature in the jungle.
5. Milo decided to play a harmless trick on the lovable lion by tying a ribbon to his tail.
6. Milo became the jester of the jungle, spreading joy and happiness with his harmless pranks.
7. The lion’s lack of humor disappointed everyone in the jungle.
8. Milo taught the younger animals to choose laughter over anger and the jungle became a place filled with laughter and light-heartedness.
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 was Milo known for in the jungle?
Milo was known throughout the jungle for his cunning and playful tricks.

2. Why did Milo decide to prank the lion?
Milo decided to prank the lion to entertain his friends and to create the biggest prank ever.

3. How did the lion react when he discovered the prank?
The lion roared with laughter and played along with Milo’s prank.

4. What did Milo promise himself after the prank?
Milo promised himself to use his mischievousness for good rather than causing harm.

5. How did Milo’s pranks affect the jungle?
Milo’s pranks brought laughter and joy to the jungle, creating a place filled with light-heartedness.

6. Who became more popular than Milo after Polly arrived?
Polly the Parrot became more popular than Milo after she arrived in the jungle.

7. How did Milo feel about Polly’s popularity?
Milo felt proud that his prank had sparked a new joyous trend and was happy for Polly’s popularity.

8. How did Milo’s pranks change as he grew older?
As Milo grew older, his pranks became harmless and focused on bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) biggest
(2) furry
(3) roared
(4) laughter
(5) amazed
(6) consider
(7) playing
(8) became
(9) brings
(10) sadness
(11) habit
(12) hilarious
(13) joyous
(14) Polly
(15) entertain
(16) place
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. mischievous
Answer: (K) Playfully naughty or troublesome

2. cunning
Answer: (J) Having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion

3. majestic
Answer: (A) Having an impressively beautiful or dignified appearance

4. predicament
Answer: (H) A difficult or unpleasant situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself

5. sturdy
Answer: (M) Strong and not easily broken or damaged

6. hilarious
Answer: (E) Extremely amusing and causing great laughter

7. legendary
Answer: (B) Remarkable and well-known because of extraordinary qualities or events

8. wisdom
Answer: (O) The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment

9. vowed
Answer: (L) Made a serious promise or commitment

10. light-heartedness
Answer: (F) A cheerful and carefree attitude

11. imitating
Answer: (I) Copying the actions, appearance, or speech of someone else

12. surpassed
Answer: (N) Exceeded in achievement or quality

13. rewarding
Answer: (C) Providing satisfaction or pleasure as a result of one’s actions or achievements

14. mirth
Answer: (G) Great amusement or joy

15. cherish
Answer: (D) To hold something dear or to value it highly
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was Milo known for in the jungle?
Answer: (d) His cunning and playful tricks

2. How did Milo prank the lion?
Answer: (d) He tied the lion’s tail to a tree branch

3. How did the lion react to Milo’s prank?
Answer: (a) He laughed and played along

4. What did Milo promise himself after pranking the lion?
Answer: (c) To use his mischievousness for good

5. What did Milo teach the younger animals?
Answer: (c) To choose laughter over anger

6. Who became the new star in the jungle?
Answer: (a) Polly the Parrot

7. How did Milo feel about Polly’s popularity?
Answer: (b) Proud and happy

8. What did the jungle become because of Milo’s pranks?
Answer: (b) A place filled with laughter and light-heartedness
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Polly the Parrot arrived in the jungle and became the new star, surpassing Milo’s popularity, but Milo was proud that his prank had sparked a new joyous trend. (Answer: True)
2. Milo realized the importance of considering others’ feelings before playing pranks and promised to use his mischievousness for good. (Answer: True)
3. Surprisingly, when the lion woke up and discovered the prank, he remained calm instead of getting angry. (Answer: False)
4. Milo, the well-behaved monkey, was known for his helpful and serious nature in the jungle. (Answer: False)
5. Milo decided to play a harmless trick on the lovable lion by tying a ribbon to his tail. (Answer: False)
6. Milo became the jester of the jungle, spreading joy and happiness with his harmless pranks. (Answer: True)
7. The lion’s lack of humor disappointed everyone in the jungle. (Answer: False)
8. Milo taught the younger animals to choose laughter over anger and the jungle became a place filled with laughter and light-heartedness. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 4 stories?

Lily conquers the Marshmallow Mountains, learns the secret recipe, and shares everlasting marshmallows with the world.

The Marshmallow Mountains

Lily conquers the Marshmallow Mountains, learns the secret recipe, and shares everlasting marshmallows with the world.

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