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 Great Cake Contest

Silly Sally's interactive circus cake, complete with a mischievous kitten, wins The Great Cake Contest.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a place called Sweetopia, there was a big cake party. Many people made yummy cakes to show and win a prize. Lots of fun cakes sat on a big table.

Granny Gertie made a cake like a pie, and Pierre made a cake like a tall cloud. Sally made her cake look like a fun circus with icing animals on it. Everyone was excited to see the cakes.

Then, a little kitty named Sprinkles jumped into Sally’s circus cake! People were surprised, and Sally looked sad. But she picked up Sprinkles and said, “Now my cake is a play cake!” Everyone clapped and laughed.

The judges tried all the cakes and liked them. Granny’s cake was cozy, Pierre’s cake was like a dream, but Sally’s circus cake made everyone happiest. Sally won the prize. She told everyone, “Fun things happen when we don’t expect them.” People were happy and remembered to always have fun.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1SweetopiaA make-believe place that sounds very sweet
2yummyTastes really, really good
3prizeSomething special you get for winning
4circusA place with tents where you can see fun shows and tricks
5icingSweet, soft stuff you put on cakes
6surprisedWhen something happens that you didn’t think would happen
7clappedWhen you hit your hands together to say “good job” or “yay
8judgesPeople who decide who wins
9cozyWarm, comfy, and makes you feel safe
10happiestFeeling very, very happy

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of party was happening in Sweetopia?
2. What did Granny Gertie’s cake look like?
3. What did Pierre’s cake look like?
4. What did Sally’s cake look like?
5. What happened to Sally’s cake?
6. Who won the prize at the cake party?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a place called (1)______, there was a big cake party. Many people made yummy cakes to show and win a prize. (2)______ of fun cakes sat on a big table.

Granny Gertie made a cake like a pie, and Pierre made a cake like a tall cloud. (3)______ made her cake look like a fun circus with icing animals on it. Everyone was excited to see the cakes.

Then, a little kitty named Sprinkles jumped into Sally’s circus cake! (4)______ were surprised, and Sally looked sad. But she picked up Sprinkles and (5)______, “Now my cake is a play cake!” Everyone clapped and laughed.

The judges tried all the (6)______ and liked them. Granny’s cake was cozy, Pierre’s cake was like a dream, but Sally’s (7)______ cake made everyone happiest. Sally won the prize. She told everyone, “Fun things (8)______ when we don’t expect them.” People were happy and remembered to always have fun.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a cake party?
2. How would you feel if you made a cake and someone jumped into it?
3. Do you like circus cakes? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Granny’s cake looked like?
5. How would you feel if you won a prize at a cake party?
6. What do you think Sally meant when she said, “Fun things happen when we don’t expect them”?
7. Have you ever been to a cake party? What was it like?
8. Do you like to have fun? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Sweetopia
2. yummy
3. prize
4. circus
5. icing
6. surprised
7. clapped
8. judges
9. cozy
10. happiest

Meanings:
(A) Sweet, soft stuff you put on cakes
(B) A make-believe place that sounds very sweet
(C) When something happens that you didn’t think would happen
(D) Warm, comfy, and makes you feel safe
(E) Feeling very, very happy
(F) When you hit your hands together to say “good job” or “yay”
(G) People who decide who wins
(H) A place with tents where you can see fun shows and tricks
(I) Tastes really, really good
(J) Something special you get for winning
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What kind of party was happening in Sweetopia?
(a) Pizza party
(b) Ice cream party
(c) Candy party
(d) Cake party

2. What did Granny Gertie make her cake look like?
(a) A sandwich
(b) A hamburger
(c) A hot dog
(d) A pie

3. What did Pierre make his cake look like?
(a) A big tree
(b) A small rock
(c) A tall cloud
(d) A fast car

4. What did Sally’s cake look like?
(a) A spooky ghost
(b) A fun circus
(c) A big mountain
(d) A colorful rainbow

5. What happened to Sally’s cake?
(a) Sprinkles jumped into it
(b) It fell on the floor
(c) It disappeared
(d) It turned into a balloon

6. How did Sally feel when Sprinkles jumped into her cake?
(a) Angry
(b) Happy
(c) Sad
(d) Scared

7. Who won the prize for the best cake?
(a) Granny Gertie
(b) Sally
(c) Pierre
(d) Sprinkles

8. What did Sally tell everyone after winning the prize?
(a) Fun things happen when we don’t expect them
(b) Always be serious
(c) Cakes are not important
(d) Don’t have fun

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sally picked up Sprinkles and said, “Now my cake is not a play cake!”
2. Pierre made a cake that looked like a short cloud.
3. Granny Gertie made a cake that looked like a cake.
4. Sally’s circus cake made everyone happiest, and she won the prize.
5. Sally made her cake look like a boring circus with icing animals on it.
6. A little kitty named Sprinkles jumped into Sally’s circus cake.
7. There was a big cake party in a place called Sweetopia.
8. Many people made yummy cakes to show and win a prize.
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 kind of party was happening in Sweetopia?
There was a cake party happening in Sweetopia.

2. What did Granny Gertie’s cake look like?
Granny Gertie’s cake looked like a pie.

3. What did Pierre’s cake look like?
Pierre’s cake looked like a tall cloud.

4. What did Sally’s cake look like?
Sally’s cake looked like a fun circus with icing animals on it.

5. What happened to Sally’s cake?
A little kitty named Sprinkles jumped into Sally’s cake.

6. Who won the prize at the cake party?
Sally won the prize at the cake party.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Sweetopia
(2) Lots
(3) Sally
(4) People
(5) said
(6) cakes
(7) circus
(8) happen
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Sweetopia
Answer: (B) A make-believe place that sounds very sweet

2. yummy
Answer: (I) Tastes really, really good

3. prize
Answer: (J) Something special you get for winning

4. circus
Answer: (H) A place with tents where you can see fun shows and tricks

5. icing
Answer: (A) Sweet, soft stuff you put on cakes

6. surprised
Answer: (C) When something happens that you didn’t think would happen

7. clapped
Answer: (F) When you hit your hands together to say “good job” or “yay”

8. judges
Answer: (G) People who decide who wins

9. cozy
Answer: (D) Warm, comfy, and makes you feel safe

10. happiest
Answer: (E) Feeling very, very happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What kind of party was happening in Sweetopia?
Answer: (d) Cake party

2. What did Granny Gertie make her cake look like?
Answer: (d) A pie

3. What did Pierre make his cake look like?
Answer: (c) A tall cloud

4. What did Sally’s cake look like?
Answer: (b) A fun circus

5. What happened to Sally’s cake?
Answer: (a) Sprinkles jumped into it

6. How did Sally feel when Sprinkles jumped into her cake?
Answer: (c) Sad

7. Who won the prize for the best cake?
Answer: (b) Sally

8. What did Sally tell everyone after winning the prize?
Answer: (a) Fun things happen when we don’t expect them
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sally picked up Sprinkles and said, “Now my cake is not a play cake!” (Answer: False)
2. Pierre made a cake that looked like a short cloud. (Answer: False)
3. Granny Gertie made a cake that looked like a cake. (Answer: False)
4. Sally’s circus cake made everyone happiest, and she won the prize. (Answer: True)
5. Sally made her cake look like a boring circus with icing animals on it. (Answer: False)
6. A little kitty named Sprinkles jumped into Sally’s circus cake. (Answer: True)
7. There was a big cake party in a place called Sweetopia. (Answer: True)
8. Many people made yummy cakes to show and win a prize. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A sleepy snowman named Frosty embarks on a quest to find his missing carrot nose.

The Sleepy Snowman

Frosty the snowman takes a nap, but when his carrot nose goes missing, he goes on an adventure to find it with his animal friends.

The Ice Cream Island

Once upon a time, there was a special island called Ice Cream Island. It had yummy ice cream and happy friends.

The Golden Egg Hunt in Fantasia turns into a heartwarming display of unity and selflessness.

The Golden Egg Hunt

Once upon a time, there was a magical egg hunt where people found special eggs and made wishes.

A unique tiger with tangerine stripes leads his animal friends on a quest for a magical fruit, only to discover that true magic lies in friendship and laughter.

The Tale of the Tangerine Tiger

The Tangerine Tiger and his friends went on an adventure to find a special fruit that gives superpowers, but they realized that having fun and being friends is even better.

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