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 Tale of the Tangerine Tiger

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.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a big green jungle, there was a tiger with orange stripes called the Tangerine Tiger. He was very pretty but also very shy. He loved to play hide and seek with the leaves and trees.

One sunny day, the Tangerine Tiger heard monkeys talking about a special fruit. This fruit could give you superpowers! He wanted to find it, so he went with his friends to look for it.

They walked a long way, jumped over vines, got muddy, and even ran away from some silly squirrels. Sometimes they got tired, but the Tangerine Tiger made them laugh, and they kept going.

At last, they saw the fruit, glowing like gold. The Tangerine Tiger tried to grab it, but it rolled away. That’s when he knew the fun they had together was better than any superpower. They all went home happy, and the Tangerine Tiger was now the happiest tiger in the jungle. He made everyone remember that playing and being friends are the best things ever.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1jungleA place with lots of trees and plants where animals live
2tigerA big cat with stripes
3fruitYummy things to eat that grow on trees or plants
4superpowersSpecial abilities that make you really strong or fast
5vinesLong twisty plants that hang from trees
6muddyCovered with wet dirt
7squirrelsSmall animals with bushy tails that climb trees
8glowingShining or giving off light
9grabbedTook hold of something quickly with your hand
10playingHaving fun with toys or games

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who was the tiger in the story?
2. What did the Tangerine Tiger like to play with?
3. What did the monkeys tell the Tangerine Tiger about?
4. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do to find the special fruit?
5. What happened when they finally found the fruit?
6. What did the Tangerine Tiger learn at the end of the story?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a big (1)______ jungle, there was a tiger with orange stripes called the Tangerine (2)______. He was very pretty but also very shy. He loved to play hide and seek with the leaves and trees.

One sunny day, the Tangerine Tiger heard monkeys talking about a special fruit. This fruit could give you superpowers! He wanted to find it, so he went with his (3)______ to look for it.

They (4)______ a long way, jumped over vines, got muddy, and even ran away from some silly squirrels. Sometimes they got tired, but the Tangerine Tiger made them laugh, and they kept going.

At last, they saw the fruit, glowing like (5)______. The Tangerine Tiger tried to grab it, but it rolled away. That’s when he (6)______ the fun they had together was better than any superpower. They all went home happy, and the Tangerine Tiger was now the happiest tiger in the (7)______. He (8)______ everyone remember that playing and being friends are the best things ever.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a jungle?
2. How would you feel if you saw a fruit that could give you superpowers?
3. Do you like playing hide and seek? Why or why not?
4. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
5. How would you feel if you had to walk a long way and got tired?
6. Do you like tigers? Why or why not?
7. What is your favorite fruit? Why do you like it?
8. Do you think playing and being friends are important? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. jungle
2. tiger
3. fruit
4. superpowers
5. vines
6. muddy
7. squirrels
8. glowing
9. grabbed
10. playing

Meanings:
(A) Yummy things to eat that grow on trees or plants
(B) Covered with wet dirt
(C) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live
(D) A big cat with stripes
(E) Having fun with toys or games
(F) Took hold of something quickly with your hand
(G) Special abilities that make you really strong or fast
(H) Long twisty plants that hang from trees
(I) Shining or giving off light
(J) Small animals with bushy tails that climb trees
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the tiger in the story?
(a) Stripy Tiger
(b) Jungle Tiger
(c) Orange Tiger
(d) Tangerine Tiger

2. What did the Tangerine Tiger want to find?
(a) A shiny rock
(b) A special fruit
(c) A hidden treasure
(d) A magic wand

3. What game did the Tangerine Tiger like to play?
(a) Hide and seek
(b) Tag
(c) Soccer
(d) Chess

4. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do to find the special fruit?
(a) Flew in an airplane
(b) Swam in a river
(c) Drove a car
(d) Walked a long way

5. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do when they got tired?
(a) Rested and laughed
(b) Cried and gave up
(c) Yelled and got angry
(d) Ran away and hid

6. What did the special fruit do?
(a) Make you invisible
(b) Give superpowers
(c) Turn you into an animal
(d) Make you fly

7. What did the Tangerine Tiger realize at the end of the story?
(a) Superpowers are more important than friends
(b) Money and fame are the most important things
(c) Playing and being friends are the best things ever
(d) Being alone is better than having friends

8. How did the Tangerine Tiger feel at the end of the story?
(a) Sad
(b) Angry
(c) Happy
(d) Scared

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The Tangerine Tiger chooses not to go on an adventure with his friends to find the special fruit.
2. The Tangerine Tiger loves to play hide and seek with the leaves and trees in the jungle.
3. One day, the Tangerine Tiger overhears monkeys talking about a normal fruit that has no effect on superpowers.
4. Sometimes they get tired, but the Tangerine Tiger makes them laugh and they keep going.
5. They have to walk a long way, jump over vines, get muddy, and run away from silly squirrels.
6. Finally, they find the special fruit, but it rolls away when the Tangerine Tiger tries to grab it.
7. In the end, the Tangerine Tiger ignores the importance of playing and being friends and continues to prioritize having superpowers, leaving everyone disappointed.
8. There is no tiger in the story who has orange stripes and is called the Tangerine Tiger.
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. Who was the tiger in the story?
The tiger in the story was the Tangerine Tiger.

2. What did the Tangerine Tiger like to play with?
The Tangerine Tiger liked to play with the leaves and trees.

3. What did the monkeys tell the Tangerine Tiger about?
The monkeys told the Tangerine Tiger about a special fruit that could give you superpowers.

4. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do to find the special fruit?
The Tangerine Tiger and his friends walked a long way, jumped over vines, got muddy, and ran away from squirrels to find the special fruit.

5. What happened when they finally found the fruit?
When they finally found the fruit, the Tangerine Tiger tried to grab it, but it rolled away.

6. What did the Tangerine Tiger learn at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, the Tangerine Tiger learned that playing and being friends are the best things ever.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) green
(2) Tiger
(3) friends
(4) walked
(5) gold
(6) knew
(7) jungle
(8) made
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. jungle
Answer: (C) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live

2. tiger
Answer: (D) A big cat with stripes

3. fruit
Answer: (A) Yummy things to eat that grow on trees or plants

4. superpowers
Answer: (G) Special abilities that make you really strong or fast

5. vines
Answer: (H) Long twisty plants that hang from trees

6. muddy
Answer: (B) Covered with wet dirt

7. squirrels
Answer: (J) Small animals with bushy tails that climb trees

8. glowing
Answer: (I) Shining or giving off light

9. grabbed
Answer: (F) Took hold of something quickly with your hand

10. playing
Answer: (E) Having fun with toys or games
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the tiger in the story?
Answer: (d) Tangerine Tiger

2. What did the Tangerine Tiger want to find?
Answer: (b) A special fruit

3. What game did the Tangerine Tiger like to play?
Answer: (a) Hide and seek

4. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do to find the special fruit?
Answer: (d) Walked a long way

5. What did the Tangerine Tiger and his friends do when they got tired?
Answer: (a) Rested and laughed

6. What did the special fruit do?
Answer: (b) Give superpowers

7. What did the Tangerine Tiger realize at the end of the story?
Answer: (c) Playing and being friends are the best things ever

8. How did the Tangerine Tiger feel at the end of the story?
Answer: (c) Happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The Tangerine Tiger chooses not to go on an adventure with his friends to find the special fruit. (Answer: False)
2. The Tangerine Tiger loves to play hide and seek with the leaves and trees in the jungle. (Answer: True)
3. One day, the Tangerine Tiger overhears monkeys talking about a normal fruit that has no effect on superpowers. (Answer: False)
4. Sometimes they get tired, but the Tangerine Tiger makes them laugh and they keep going. (Answer: True)
5. They have to walk a long way, jump over vines, get muddy, and run away from silly squirrels. (Answer: True)
6. Finally, they find the special fruit, but it rolls away when the Tangerine Tiger tries to grab it. (Answer: True)
7. In the end, the Tangerine Tiger ignores the importance of playing and being friends and continues to prioritize having superpowers, leaving everyone disappointed. (Answer: False)
8. There is no tiger in the story who has orange stripes and is called the Tangerine Tiger. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Three siblings embark on a daring quest to solve the mystery of the Sapphire Sphinx.

The Secret of the Sapphire Sphinx

Three siblings named Mia, Max, and Ben found a special book about a secret. They went on an adventure to find it. They had to answer tricky questions from a big blue sphinx. They worked together and used their knowledge to solve the puzzles. They found out that the real treasure was learning new things. They were happy and shared their adventure with everyone.

The Enchanted Forest

Once upon a time there was an enchanted forest full of magical creatures. All the animals lived in harmony and

The Magic Pony

Once upon a time, in a beautiful meadow, there lived a magic pony named Sparkle. Sparkle was a kind and

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