Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Maze of Mirrors

Mia and Ben conquer the Maze of Mirrors, learning the value of perseverance and laughter.

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In a magic place called Miravia, there was a fun park with a special mirror maze. The maze was hard, but if you were brave, you could try it.

One day, a girl named Mia and her friend Ben went into the mirror maze. They saw their faces in all the mirrors and got mixed up. But they kept going because they were brave.

Then, Mia thought she found the way out, but ran into a mirror and got covered in funny strings. They looked like rainbow arms! Ben laughed, and they both learned that the maze had funny tricks.

In the end, they found the real way out when Ben saw it was just a mirror. They were happy and learned that even when things are hard, you can find the way and laugh. They told everyone to keep trying and have fun, just like in the maze.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicSomething that is like a fairy tale, where amazing things can happen
2specialNot like other things, very different and cool
3mazeA big puzzle you walk through, with many paths and dead ends
4braveNot scared, ready to face something hard or scary
5mixed upAll jumbled or confused, not in order
6stringsThin things like thread that you can pull, tie, or hang things with
7tricksSneaky plans to fool or surprise someone
8realNot pretend, actually true or existing
9laughTo make sounds with your mouth when something is funny
10tryingWorking hard to do something, even when it’s not easy

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the name of the fun park in Miravia?
2. Who went into the mirror maze?
3. What happened to Mia when she thought she found the way out?
4. What did the funny strings on Mia look like?
5. How did Ben and Mia find the real way out?
6. What did Ben and Mia learn from their experience in the maze?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a (1)______ place called Miravia, there was a fun park with a special mirror maze. The maze was (2)______, but if you were brave, you could try it.

One day, a girl named Mia and her friend Ben went into the mirror maze. They saw their faces in all the mirrors and got mixed up. But they kept going because they were brave.

Then, Mia (3)______ she (4)______ the way out, but ran into a mirror and got covered in (5)______ strings. They looked like rainbow arms! Ben laughed, and they both learned that the (6)______ had funny tricks.

In the end, they found the real way out when Ben saw it was just a mirror. They were (7)______ and (8)______ that even when things are hard, you can find the way and laugh. They told everyone to keep trying and have fun, just like in the maze.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a mirror maze?
2. How would you feel if you got mixed up in a mirror maze?
3. Do you like funny tricks? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to keep trying even when things are hard? Why?
5. Have you ever been in a maze before? How did it make you feel?
6. What would you do if you saw your face in a mirror and got covered in funny strings?
7. How do you think Mia and Ben felt when they found the real way out of the maze?
8. Why do you think Mia and Ben told everyone to keep trying and have fun in the maze?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magic
2. special
3. maze
4. brave
5. mixed up
6. strings
7. tricks
8. real
9. laugh
10. trying

Meanings:
(A) All jumbled or confused, not in order
(B) Thin things like thread that you can pull, tie, or hang things with
(C) Sneaky plans to fool or surprise someone
(D) Not like other things, very different and cool
(E) To make sounds with your mouth when something is funny
(F) A big puzzle you walk through, with many paths and dead ends
(G) Not pretend, actually true or existing
(H) Not scared, ready to face something hard or scary
(I) Working hard to do something, even when it’s not easy
(J) Something that is like a fairy tale, where amazing things can happen
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did Mia and Ben go?
(a) The fun park
(b) The zoo
(c) The mirror maze
(d) The beach

2. What did Mia and Ben see in the mirrors?
(a) Their toys
(b) Their pets
(c) Their clothes
(d) Their faces

3. What happened when Mia ran into a mirror?
(a) She found the way out
(b) She saw her friend Ben
(c) She got scared
(d) She got covered in funny strings

4. What did the funny strings look like?
(a) Spider webs
(b) Snake tails
(c) Rainbow arms
(d) Butterfly wings

5. How did Ben feel when Mia ran into the mirror?
(a) He cried
(b) He laughed
(c) He got scared
(d) He got angry

6. How did Mia and Ben find the real way out?
(a) Ben saw it was just a mirror
(b) They asked for help
(c) They followed the rainbow arms
(d) They closed their eyes

7. What did Mia and Ben learn in the mirror maze?
(a) Mirrors are scary
(b) Even when things are hard, you can find the way
(c) They don’t like mazes
(d) They should never go to a fun park again

8. What did Mia and Ben tell everyone?
(a) Keep trying and have fun, just like in the maze
(b) Don’t go to the mirror maze
(c) Stay away from mirrors
(d) Don’t laugh at your friends

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Eventually, they found the fake way out when Ben realized it was not just a mirror.
2. They discovered that the mirror maze had funny tricks.
3. Ben laughed when he saw Mia covered in funny strings.
4. Mia and Ben learned that even when things are easy, you can’t find a way and have fun.
5. When they looked in the mirrors, their faces remained the same.
6. There is a dull mirror maze in a boring park called Miravia.
7. Mia and her friend Ben went into the mirror maze together.
8. Mia accidentally ran into a mirror and got covered in funny strings that looked like rainbow arms.
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 the name of the fun park in Miravia?
The fun park in Miravia was called Miravia Fun Park.

2. Who went into the mirror maze?
Mia and her friend Ben went into the mirror maze.

3. What happened to Mia when she thought she found the way out?
When Mia thought she found the way out, she ran into a mirror and got covered in funny strings.

4. What did the funny strings on Mia look like?
The funny strings on Mia looked like rainbow arms.

5. How did Ben and Mia find the real way out?
Ben and Mia found the real way out when Ben realized it was just a mirror.

6. What did Ben and Mia learn from their experience in the maze?
Ben and Mia learned that even when things are hard, you can find the way and laugh. They learned to keep trying and have fun, just like in the maze.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) magic
(2) hard
(3) thought
(4) found
(5) funny
(6) maze
(7) happy
(8) learned
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magic
Answer: (J) Something that is like a fairy tale, where amazing things can happen

2. special
Answer: (D) Not like other things, very different and cool

3. maze
Answer: (F) A big puzzle you walk through, with many paths and dead ends

4. brave
Answer: (H) Not scared, ready to face something hard or scary

5. mixed up
Answer: (A) All jumbled or confused, not in order

6. strings
Answer: (B) Thin things like thread that you can pull, tie, or hang things with

7. tricks
Answer: (C) Sneaky plans to fool or surprise someone

8. real
Answer: (G) Not pretend, actually true or existing

9. laugh
Answer: (E) To make sounds with your mouth when something is funny

10. trying
Answer: (I) Working hard to do something, even when it’s not easy
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did Mia and Ben go?
Answer: (c) The mirror maze

2. What did Mia and Ben see in the mirrors?
Answer: (d) Their faces

3. What happened when Mia ran into a mirror?
Answer: (d) She got covered in funny strings

4. What did the funny strings look like?
Answer: (c) Rainbow arms

5. How did Ben feel when Mia ran into the mirror?
Answer: (b) He laughed

6. How did Mia and Ben find the real way out?
Answer: (a) Ben saw it was just a mirror

7. What did Mia and Ben learn in the mirror maze?
Answer: (b) Even when things are hard, you can find the way

8. What did Mia and Ben tell everyone?
Answer: (a) Keep trying and have fun, just like in the maze
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Eventually, they found the fake way out when Ben realized it was not just a mirror. (Answer: False)
2. They discovered that the mirror maze had funny tricks. (Answer: True)
3. Ben laughed when he saw Mia covered in funny strings. (Answer: True)
4. Mia and Ben learned that even when things are easy, you can’t find a way and have fun. (Answer: False)
5. When they looked in the mirrors, their faces remained the same. (Answer: False)
6. There is a dull mirror maze in a boring park called Miravia. (Answer: False)
7. Mia and her friend Ben went into the mirror maze together. (Answer: True)
8. Mia accidentally ran into a mirror and got covered in funny strings that looked like rainbow arms. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Secret Treehouse

Once there was a boy named Jack who lived in a small village by the forest. Every day, Jack would

Mia and Ben conquer the Maze of Mirrors, learning the value of perseverance and laughter.

The Maze of Mirrors

Mia and Ben went into a mirror maze and got all mixed up, but they kept going because they were brave.

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