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 Adventure in the Moonlit Desert

Max discovers that true adventure lies not in treasure, but in friendship and unexpected surprises.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Max walked in the desert at night. The big, round moon was shining brightly. He had a flashlight shaped like a carrot and some water. Max left his home to look for treasure in the sand.

Max found an old treasure chest. He was very excited! A funny fox named Toby came by. Toby said, “That could be a box of old socks!” Max laughed but still wanted to see inside.

Max opened the chest. Inside were shiny roller skates! Max put them on and started skating. Then he saw a big, rolling tumbleweed and jumped out of the way just in time. Toby laughed and ran beside Max.

Max and Toby saw a lovely oasis with palm trees and fireflies. There were animals dancing and having fun. A wise old tortoise asked them to join. Max and Toby danced and laughed all night. As the sun came up, Max went home, happy to have made a new friend.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1desertA very dry place with lots of sand
2flashlightA small light you can carry in your hand
3treasureSomething valuable that people look for
4chestA big box for keeping things
5skatesShoes with wheels that you can roll on
6tumbleweedA plant that rolls around in the wind
7oasisA place in the desert with water and trees
8palmA tall tree with big leaves, often found in warm places
9firefliesLittle bugs that light up in the dark
10tortoiseA slow-moving animal with a hard shell

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where did Max walk at night?
2. What shape was Max’s flashlight?
3. What did Max find in the sand?
4. What did Max put on after opening the treasure chest?
5. Who did Max meet in the desert?
6. What did Max and Toby do at the oasis?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Max walked in the desert at night. The big, (1)______ moon was (2)______ brightly. He had a flashlight shaped like a carrot and some water. Max left his home to look for treasure in the sand.

Max found an old treasure chest. He was very excited! A funny fox named Toby came by. Toby (3)______, “That could be a box of old socks!” Max laughed but still wanted to see inside.

Max opened the chest. Inside were (4)______ roller skates! Max put them on and (5)______ skating. Then he saw a big, rolling tumbleweed and jumped out of the way just in time. Toby (6)______ and ran beside Max.

Max and Toby saw a lovely oasis with palm trees and fireflies. There were (7)______ dancing and having fun. A wise old tortoise asked them to join. Max and Toby danced and laughed all night. As the sun came up, Max went home, (8)______ to have made a new friend.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite thing to do at night?
2. How would you feel if you found a treasure chest?
3. Do you like to skate? Why or why not?
4. What is a funny animal you know?
5. How would you feel if you saw dancing animals?
6. Do you think having a friend is important? Why?
7. What is your favorite place to play outside?
8. How would you feel if you saw a big moon?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. desert
2. flashlight
3. treasure
4. chest
5. skates
6. tumbleweed
7. oasis
8. palm
9. fireflies
10. tortoise

Meanings:
(A) Shoes with wheels that you can roll on
(B) A small light you can carry in your hand
(C) A very dry place with lots of sand
(D) A plant that rolls around in the wind
(E) A place in the desert with water and trees
(F) A big box for keeping things
(G) A tall tree with big leaves, often found in warm places
(H) Little bugs that light up in the dark
(I) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell
(J) Something valuable that people look for
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Max carry in the desert?
(a) Food
(b) Water
(c) Toys
(d) Books

2. What shape was Max’s flashlight?
(a) Circle
(b) Carrot
(c) Star
(d) Square

3. Who did Max meet in the desert?
(a) A cat
(b) A dog
(c) A bird
(d) A fox

4. What was inside the treasure chest?
(a) Old socks
(b) Gold coins
(c) Roller skates
(d) A toy

5. What did Max do with the roller skates?
(a) He threw them away
(b) He gave them to Toby
(c) He put them on
(d) He hid them

6. What did Max and Toby see at the oasis?
(a) Palm trees
(b) Mountains
(c) Snow
(d) Cars

7. Who asked Max and Toby to dance?
(a) A rabbit
(b) A bird
(c) A monkey
(d) A tortoise

8. How did Max feel when he went home?
(a) Happy
(b) Sad
(c) Angry
(d) Tired

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. He found an old treasure chest.
2. Inside the chest were dull roller skates.
3. Max made a new friend named Toby the fox.
4. Max walked in the desert at night.
5. Max dodged a small tumbleweed.
6. He had a flashlight that resembled a cucumber.
7. Max was looking for treasure in the sand.
8. They sat with animals at a desolate oasis.
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. Where did Max walk at night?
Max walked in the desert.

2. What shape was Max’s flashlight?
Max’s flashlight was shaped like a carrot.

3. What did Max find in the sand?
Max found an old treasure chest.

4. What did Max put on after opening the treasure chest?
Max put on shiny roller skates.

5. Who did Max meet in the desert?
Max met a funny fox named Toby.

6. What did Max and Toby do at the oasis?
Max and Toby danced and laughed at the oasis.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) round
(2) shining
(3) said
(4) shiny
(5) started
(6) laughed
(7) animals
(8) happy
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. desert
Answer: (C) A very dry place with lots of sand

2. flashlight
Answer: (B) A small light you can carry in your hand

3. treasure
Answer: (J) Something valuable that people look for

4. chest
Answer: (F) A big box for keeping things

5. skates
Answer: (A) Shoes with wheels that you can roll on

6. tumbleweed
Answer: (D) A plant that rolls around in the wind

7. oasis
Answer: (E) A place in the desert with water and trees

8. palm
Answer: (G) A tall tree with big leaves, often found in warm places

9. fireflies
Answer: (H) Little bugs that light up in the dark

10. tortoise
Answer: (I) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Max carry in the desert?
Answer: (b) Water

2. What shape was Max’s flashlight?
Answer: (b) Carrot

3. Who did Max meet in the desert?
Answer: (d) A fox

4. What was inside the treasure chest?
Answer: (c) Roller skates

5. What did Max do with the roller skates?
Answer: (c) He put them on

6. What did Max and Toby see at the oasis?
Answer: (a) Palm trees

7. Who asked Max and Toby to dance?
Answer: (d) A tortoise

8. How did Max feel when he went home?
Answer: (a) Happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. He found an old treasure chest. (Answer: True)
2. Inside the chest were dull roller skates. (Answer: False)
3. Max made a new friend named Toby the fox. (Answer: True)
4. Max walked in the desert at night. (Answer: True)
5. Max dodged a small tumbleweed. (Answer: False)
6. He had a flashlight that resembled a cucumber. (Answer: False)
7. Max was looking for treasure in the sand. (Answer: True)
8. They sat with animals at a desolate oasis. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Bobo the mischievous monkey and Toots the colorful toucan befriend a group of squirrels and discover a magical singing waterfall in the Jade Jungle, ultimately learning the power of friendship and laughter.

The Journey to the Jade Jungle

Bobo the monkey went on an adventure in the jungle with his friend Toots the bird. They met a special raccoon and made lots of new friends.

A young boy's discovery of a mysterious fossil leads to a village's newfound fame and unity.

The Fantastic Fossil

Max finds a special bone, but decides it should stay in his village instead of going to a museum.

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

Fluffy the cat wanted to fly, so he made a flying thing, but got lost in the sky. Thankfully, friendly birds helped him come back down safely.

Embarking on a magical adventure in Vegetable Land, Max discovers that vegetables are superheroes in disguise.

The Voyage to Vegetable Land

Max didn’t like eating vegetables, but one day he went on an adventure to Vegetable Land and discovered that veggies can be fun and yummy!

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