Once there was a girl named Bella who loved to go on adventures. On a sunny day, she found a colorful hot air balloon in her backyard. She jumped in without thinking and flew into the sky, laughing and excited. But something unexpected was about to happen.

As she went up, Bella saw a cheeky squirrel with an acorn. The squirrel dropped the acorn and ran off, making the balloon rock from side to side. The wind then blew hard, and the balloon zoomed over the city while Bella’s laughter rang out.

While flying, Bella saw amazing things below her. Then, a bunch of noisy seagulls flew around her, trying to play. Bella waved her arms trying to shoo them away, and she couldn’t help but giggle at this silly chase in the sky.

The balloon drifted over a thick forest next. Leaves brushed the basket as it flew very close to the trees. Bella saw playful monkeys swinging on the vines, coping her excited moves. She laughed with them, enjoying their fun.

Finally, the wind lifted Bella even higher, and she felt like a superhero above the clouds. After a long while, the balloon came down safely in her yard. Bella stepped out, feeling happy and thankful for her adventure. She learned to enjoy surprises, just like the animals she met. Looking up, Bella smiled, knowing that any day can turn into a great adventure.

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Bella find in her backyard?
3. What happened when Bella went up in the hot air balloon?
4. What did Bella see when she was flying in the balloon?
5. Who tried to play with Bella while she was in the balloon?
6. How did Bella feel at the end of her adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once there was a girl named (1)______ who loved to go on adventures. On a sunny day, she found a colorful hot air balloon in her backyard. She jumped in without thinking and (2)______ into the sky, laughing and excited. But something unexpected was about to happen.

As she went up, Bella saw a (3)______ squirrel with an acorn. The squirrel dropped the acorn and ran off, (4)______ the (5)______ rock from side to side. The wind then (6)______ hard, and the balloon zoomed over the city while Bella’s laughter rang out.

While flying, Bella saw amazing things below her. Then, a bunch of noisy seagulls flew around her, trying to play. Bella waved her arms trying to shoo them away, and she couldn’t help but giggle at this silly chase in the sky.

The balloon (7)______ over a thick forest next. Leaves (8)______ the basket as it flew very close to the trees. Bella saw playful monkeys (9)______ on the vines, coping her excited moves. She laughed with them, enjoying their fun.

Finally, the wind lifted Bella even higher, and she felt like a superhero above the clouds. After a long while, the balloon came down safely in her yard. Bella stepped out, feeling happy and thankful for her adventure. She (10)______ to enjoy surprises, just like the (11)______ she met. (12)______ up, Bella smiled, knowing that any day can turn into a great adventure.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an adventure? Why do you think Bella loved going on adventures?
2. How would you feel if you found a colorful hot air balloon in your backyard? Why?
3. Do you like surprises? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Bella learned from her adventure? Why is it important to enjoy surprises?
5. Have you ever seen a squirrel? What do you think it would be like to see a squirrel with an acorn?
6. How do you think Bella felt when the balloon was rocking from side to side? Why?
7. Have you ever seen seagulls? What do you think it would be like to have seagulls flying around you?
8. Do you think it would be fun to see playful monkeys swinging on vines? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventures
2. unexpected
3. cheeky
4. zoomed
5. laughter
6. amazing
7. noisy
8. shoo
9. playful
10. drifted
11. superhero
12. thankful

Meanings:
(A) Full of fun and liking to play
(B) A character with special powers, like in comic books
(C) The sound you make when something is funny
(D) Feeling grateful or happy about something
(E) A little bit naughty or rude in a funny way
(F) Moved very fast
(G) Moved slowly without direction
(H) Surprising, not planned or known before
(I) Really wonderful or surprising
(J) Loud or making a lot of sound
(K) Exciting experiences or journeys
(L) To tell someone or something to go away
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Bella find in her backyard?
(a) A lost puppy
(b) A colorful hot air balloon
(c) A magic wand
(d) A treasure map

2. What did the squirrel drop?
(a) An acorn
(b) A feather
(c) A leaf
(d) A rock

3. What caused the balloon to rock from side to side?
(a) Bella waving her arms
(b) The wind blowing hard
(c) The seagulls flying around
(d) The squirrel dropping the acorn

4. What animals tried to play with Bella in the sky?
(a) Monkeys
(b) Squirrels
(c) Cats
(d) Seagulls

5. What did Bella do to shoo away the seagulls?
(a) Threw acorns at them
(b) Waved her arms
(c) Blew a whistle
(d) Sang a song

6. What did Bella see in the forest?
(a) Playful monkeys
(b) Colorful flowers
(c) Tall buildings
(d) Flying birds

7. How did Bella feel when the balloon lifted her above the clouds?
(a) Scared
(b) Bored
(c) Like a superhero
(d) Sleepy

8. Where did the balloon finally come down?
(a) The beach
(b) A park
(c) Bella’s yard
(d) The city center

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Bella laughed and had fun with the monkeys, copying their excited moves.
2. The balloon flew over a thick forest, where Bella saw playful monkeys swinging on vines.
3. Bella saw a squirrel drop an acorn and run away, causing the balloon to rock from side to side.
4. The wind lowered Bella even lower, making her feel like a regular person below the clouds.
5. Bella dangerously landed back in her yard and felt unhappy and ungrateful for her adventure.
6. Bella found a colorful hot air balloon in her backyard and decided to go on an adventure.
7. Bella encountered quiet seagulls while flying in the sky and tried to attract them.
8. The wind blew softly and the balloon crawled over the city, making Bella frown and feel bored.
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 is the main character in the story?
Bella is the main character in the story.

2. What did Bella find in her backyard?
Bella found a colorful hot air balloon in her backyard.

3. What happened when Bella went up in the hot air balloon?
When Bella went up in the hot air balloon, she saw a cheeky squirrel drop an acorn, and the wind blew the balloon over the city.

4. What did Bella see when she was flying in the balloon?
Bella saw amazing things below her, like the city, a forest, and playful monkeys swinging on vines.

5. Who tried to play with Bella while she was in the balloon?
A bunch of noisy seagulls tried to play with Bella while she was in the balloon.

6. How did Bella feel at the end of her adventure?
At the end of her adventure, Bella felt happy and thankful for her adventure.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Bella
(2) flew
(3) cheeky
(4) making
(5) balloon
(6) blew
(7) drifted
(8) brushed
(9) swinging
(10) learned
(11) animals
(12) Looking
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventures
Answer: (K) Exciting experiences or journeys

2. unexpected
Answer: (H) Surprising, not planned or known before

3. cheeky
Answer: (E) A little bit naughty or rude in a funny way

4. zoomed
Answer: (F) Moved very fast

5. laughter
Answer: (C) The sound you make when something is funny

6. amazing
Answer: (I) Really wonderful or surprising

7. noisy
Answer: (J) Loud or making a lot of sound

8. shoo
Answer: (L) To tell someone or something to go away

9. playful
Answer: (A) Full of fun and liking to play

10. drifted
Answer: (G) Moved slowly without direction

11. superhero
Answer: (B) A character with special powers, like in comic books

12. thankful
Answer: (D) Feeling grateful or happy about something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Bella find in her backyard?
Answer: (b) A colorful hot air balloon

2. What did the squirrel drop?
Answer: (a) An acorn

3. What caused the balloon to rock from side to side?
Answer: (d) The squirrel dropping the acorn

4. What animals tried to play with Bella in the sky?
Answer: (d) Seagulls

5. What did Bella do to shoo away the seagulls?
Answer: (b) Waved her arms

6. What did Bella see in the forest?
Answer: (a) Playful monkeys

7. How did Bella feel when the balloon lifted her above the clouds?
Answer: (c) Like a superhero

8. Where did the balloon finally come down?
Answer: (c) Bella’s yard
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Bella laughed and had fun with the monkeys, copying their excited moves. (Answer: True)
2. The balloon flew over a thick forest, where Bella saw playful monkeys swinging on vines. (Answer: True)
3. Bella saw a squirrel drop an acorn and run away, causing the balloon to rock from side to side. (Answer: True)
4. The wind lowered Bella even lower, making her feel like a regular person below the clouds. (Answer: False)
5. Bella dangerously landed back in her yard and felt unhappy and ungrateful for her adventure. (Answer: False)
6. Bella found a colorful hot air balloon in her backyard and decided to go on an adventure. (Answer: True)
7. Bella encountered quiet seagulls while flying in the sky and tried to attract them. (Answer: False)
8. The wind blew softly and the balloon crawled over the city, making Bella frown and feel bored. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧