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 Amazing Amber Antelope

Amber the antelope learns that friendship and laughter matter more than winning a race.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In Africa, there was a special antelope called Amber. She had a shiny coat and could run very fast. Everyone looked when Amber ran by. But she liked to play tricks, which made everyone laugh.

One morning, Amber saw animals by a big tree. She asked, “What’s happening?” Tilly the tortoise said, “We are planning a race! We need you to join!” Amber was excited and said, “Yes, I want to race!”

On the race day, many animals came to watch. Amber was sure she would win. She started very fast but bumped into a zebra named Ziggy who played a trick. Amber fell but laughed and got back up, running even faster.

Amber saw the race was close. She used her wits and ran by a waterfall, making a big splash. Everyone got wet and laughed. In the end, they all finished together, happy and giggling. Amber learned that having fun with friends is more important than winning.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1antelopeA type of animal with long legs and horns
2shinySomething that reflects light and looks bright
3tricksFun actions to make people laugh
4tortoiseA slow-moving animal with a shell
5planningThinking about what to do next
6excitedFeeling very happy and eager
7bumpedHit something by accident
8witsSmart thinking
9waterfallWater falling from a high place
10gigglingLaughing in a silly way

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the special antelope in the story?

2. What did Amber like to do that made everyone laugh?

3. Who did Amber meet by the big tree?

4. What did Amber do on race day?

5. What happened when Amber bumped into Ziggy?

6. What did Amber learn at the end of the race?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In Africa, there was a special antelope called Amber. She had a shiny coat and could run very fast. Everyone looked when Amber ran by. But she liked to play (1)______, which (2)______ everyone laugh.

One morning, Amber saw animals by a big tree. She (3)______, “What’s happening?” (4)______ the tortoise said, “We are planning a race! We need you to join!” Amber was excited and said, “Yes, I want to race!”

On the race day, many animals came to (5)______. Amber was sure she would win. She started very fast but bumped into a zebra named Ziggy who played a trick. Amber fell but laughed and got back up, running even faster.

Amber saw the race was close. She (6)______ her wits and ran by a waterfall, (7)______ a big splash. Everyone got wet and laughed. In the end, they all finished together, happy and giggling. (8)______ learned that having fun with friends is more important than winning.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite animal?

2. How would you feel if you saw a fast animal running?

3. Do you like to play tricks on your friends? Why or why not?

4. What is a race? Have you ever been in a race?

5. How would you feel if you fell during a race?

6. Do you think it is more fun to win or to play with friends? Why?

7. What is your favorite way to have fun with friends?

8. How would you feel if everyone laughed and had fun together?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. antelope
2. shiny
3. tricks
4. tortoise
5. planning
6. excited
7. bumped
8. wits
9. waterfall
10. giggling

Meanings:
(A) Water falling from a high place
(B) Laughing in a silly way
(C) A slow-moving animal with a shell
(D) Feeling very happy and eager
(E) A type of animal with long legs and horns
(F) Smart thinking
(G) Fun actions to make people laugh
(H) Thinking about what to do next
(I) Hit something by accident
(J) Something that reflects light and looks bright
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the special antelope?
(a) Amber
(b) Bella
(c) Tilly
(d) Ziggy

2. What did Amber like to do?
(a) Sleep
(b) Play tricks
(c) Eat grass
(d) Jump high

3. Who asked Amber to join the race?
(a) Ziggy the zebra
(b) A lion
(c) A monkey
(d) Tilly the tortoise

4. What did Amber think she would do in the race?
(a) Lose
(b) Win
(c) Sleep
(d) Eat

5. What did Amber bump into during the race?
(a) A tree
(b) A rock
(c) Ziggy the zebra
(d) A bush

6. What did Amber run by to make a splash?
(a) A waterfall
(b) A river
(c) A pond
(d) A lake

7. How did everyone feel at the end of the race?
(a) Sad and quiet
(b) Angry and upset
(c) Happy and giggling
(d) Tired and sleepy

8. What did Amber learn from the race?
(a) Winning is everything
(b) Running fast is the best
(c) Tricks are bad
(d) Fun with friends is important

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Tilly the tortoise challenged Amber to join a race.
2. Amber made a big splash by a waterfall, getting everyone wet.
3. Many animals came to watch the race on race day.
4. She has a shiny coat and can run very fast.
5. Amber bumped into a zebra named Ziggy during the race.
6. Amber likes to play tricks that annoy everyone.
7. In the end, some animals didn’t finish the race together and were sad.
8. Amber is an ordinary antelope in Africa.
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 is the name of the special antelope in the story?
Amber

2. What did Amber like to do that made everyone laugh?
She liked to play tricks.

3. Who did Amber meet by the big tree?
She met Tilly the tortoise.

4. What did Amber do on race day?
Amber joined the race and ran very fast.

5. What happened when Amber bumped into Ziggy?
Amber fell down but laughed and got back up.

6. What did Amber learn at the end of the race?
She learned that having fun with friends is more important than winning.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) tricks
(2) made
(3) asked
(4) Tilly
(5) watch
(6) used
(7) making
(8) Amber
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. antelope
Answer: (E) A type of animal with long legs and horns

2. shiny
Answer: (J) Something that reflects light and looks bright

3. tricks
Answer: (G) Fun actions to make people laugh

4. tortoise
Answer: (C) A slow-moving animal with a shell

5. planning
Answer: (H) Thinking about what to do next

6. excited
Answer: (D) Feeling very happy and eager

7. bumped
Answer: (I) Hit something by accident

8. wits
Answer: (F) Smart thinking

9. waterfall
Answer: (A) Water falling from a high place

10. giggling
Answer: (B) Laughing in a silly way
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the special antelope?
Answer: (a) Amber

2. What did Amber like to do?
Answer: (b) Play tricks

3. Who asked Amber to join the race?
Answer: (d) Tilly the tortoise

4. What did Amber think she would do in the race?
Answer: (b) Win

5. What did Amber bump into during the race?
Answer: (c) Ziggy the zebra

6. What did Amber run by to make a splash?
Answer: (a) A waterfall

7. How did everyone feel at the end of the race?
Answer: (c) Happy and giggling

8. What did Amber learn from the race?
Answer: (d) Fun with friends is important
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Tilly the tortoise challenged Amber to join a race. (Answer: False)
2. Amber made a big splash by a waterfall, getting everyone wet. (Answer: True)
3. Many animals came to watch the race on race day. (Answer: True)
4. She has a shiny coat and can run very fast. (Answer: True)
5. Amber bumped into a zebra named Ziggy during the race. (Answer: True)
6. Amber likes to play tricks that annoy everyone. (Answer: False)
7. In the end, some animals didn’t finish the race together and were sad. (Answer: False)
8. Amber is an ordinary antelope in Africa. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A little girl named Lily saves her town from darkness by convincing mischievous squirrels to return stolen sunflowers.

The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise

Once upon a time, there was a town that got scared when the sun didn’t come up. A brave girl named Lily found squirrels taking sunflowers, and she told them to put them back. The people in the town planted the flowers again and sang to make the sun come back. They learned that being hopeful is important, and the sun always came up after that day.

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