Paul Holmes -
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The Day the Donuts Danced

A small town bakery becomes famous when its donuts come to life and dance.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a small town, there was a popular bakery called Sweet Delights that made yummy cakes and donuts. Everyone loved going there for their favorite snacks. But soon, something really cool was going to happen that no one knew about yet.

One day, the bakery’s owner, Mr. Baker, found a surprise package. Inside was a note telling him to sprinkle magic sugar on his donuts to make them come to life. Thinking it was a joke, he still tried it on some donuts.

Right after he sprinkled the sugar, the donuts started moving! They grew tiny arms and legs and began dancing all over the place. The people who were about to eat them were shocked and amazed. The dancing donuts did all sorts of fun moves like pirouettes and somersaults.

Word got out, and soon, not just people from the town, but from all over, came to see the dancing donuts. The bakery turned into a place where everyone came not just to eat but to watch the donuts dance and have a good time. Mr. Baker reminded himself that the reason his bakery was special was because he put love and care into making his treats.

In the end, the dancing donuts stopped dancing but left everyone with happy memories. People remembered Sweet Delights as a place where they shared joy and happiness. And they learned from the donuts to always spread love and joy wherever they went.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1bakeryA place where bread, cakes, and pastries are made or sold
2snacksSmall portions of food eaten between meals
3packageA box or bag that things are put into so they can be sent or given to someone
4sprinkleTo lightly scatter small pieces of something
5magicSpecial powers that can make impossible things happen
6shockedVery surprised
7pirouettesSpinning around on one foot
8somersaultsFlipping or rolling your body in the air
9treatsSweet foods that are enjoyable to eat
10remindedMade someone think of something they had forgotten
11memoriesThings you remember from the past
12joyA feeling of great happiness

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the name of the bakery in the story?
2. What did Mr. Baker find in the surprise package?
3. What happened to the donuts after Mr. Baker sprinkled the magic sugar on them?
4. Why did people from all over come to the bakery?
5. Why did people remember Sweet Delights as a special place?
6. What did the people learn from the dancing donuts?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small town, there was a popular bakery called Sweet Delights that made yummy cakes and (1)______. Everyone loved going there for their favorite snacks. But soon, something really cool was going to happen that no one knew about yet.

One day, the bakery’s owner, Mr. Baker, (2)______ a surprise package. Inside was a (3)______ telling him to sprinkle magic (4)______ on his donuts to make them come to (5)______. Thinking it was a joke, he still tried it on some donuts.

Right after he sprinkled the sugar, the donuts started moving! They (6)______ tiny arms and legs and began dancing all over the place. The people who were about to eat them were shocked and amazed. The dancing donuts did all sorts of fun moves like pirouettes and somersaults.

Word got out, and soon, not just (7)______ from the town, but from all over, (8)______ to see the dancing donuts. The (9)______ turned into a place where everyone came not just to eat but to watch the donuts dance and have a good time. Mr. Baker reminded himself that the reason his bakery was special was because he put love and care into making his treats.

In the end, the dancing donuts stopped dancing but (10)______ everyone with happy memories. People remembered (11)______ Delights as a place where they shared joy and happiness. And they learned from the donuts to always (12)______ love and joy wherever they went.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite snack from a bakery? Why do you like it?
2. How would you feel if you found a surprise package with a special note inside? Why?
3. Do you think it would be fun to see donuts come to life and start dancing? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever been to a bakery where something unexpected happened? What was it? How did you feel?
5. What do you think is the most important thing when making treats like cakes and donuts? Why?
6. If you had magic sugar, what food would you sprinkle it on? Why?
7. Do you think it’s important for a bakery to be a place where people can have a good time, not just eat? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the people felt after watching the dancing donuts? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. bakery
2. snacks
3. package
4. sprinkle
5. magic
6. shocked
7. pirouettes
8. somersaults
9. treats
10. reminded
11. memories
12. joy

Meanings:
(A) Made someone think of something they had forgotten
(B) A feeling of great happiness
(C) A box or bag that things are put into so they can be sent or given to someone
(D) Things you remember from the past
(E) Spinning around on one foot
(F) To lightly scatter small pieces of something
(G) Flipping or rolling your body in the air
(H) Special powers that can make impossible things happen
(I) Small portions of food eaten between meals
(J) Sweet foods that are enjoyable to eat
(K) A place where bread, cakes, and pastries are made or sold
(L) Very surprised
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the name of the popular bakery in the small town?
(a) Yummy Cakes
(b) Sweet Delights
(c) Magic Sugar
(d) Dancing Donuts

2. What did Mr. Baker find in the surprise package?
(a) A cake
(b) A donut
(c) A note
(d) A toy

3. What did the note tell Mr. Baker to sprinkle on his donuts?
(a) Magic sugar
(b) Chocolate syrup
(c) Vanilla extract
(d) Sprinkles

4. What happened to the donuts after Mr. Baker sprinkled the sugar on them?
(a) They turned into cakes
(b) They grew arms and legs
(c) They disappeared
(d) They started dancing

5. What did the people do when they saw the dancing donuts?
(a) They laughed and clapped
(b) They ate them quickly
(c) They were shocked and amazed
(d) They ran away in fear

6. Why did people from all over come to the bakery?
(a) To eat yummy cakes
(b) To see the dancing donuts
(c) To meet Mr. Baker
(d) To buy magic sugar

7. What did Mr. Baker realize was the reason his bakery was special?
(a) He put love and care into making his treats
(b) He had dancing donuts
(c) He had a surprise package
(d) He used magic sugar

8. What did people remember Sweet Delights as?
(a) A place with dancing cakes
(b) A place with magic sugar
(c) A place with funny donuts
(d) A place of joy and happiness

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. There was an infamous bakery in a small town called Sweet Delights that made mediocre cakes and donuts.
2. After sprinkling the sugar, the donuts came to life and started moving, growing tiny arms and legs.
3. The dancing donuts impressed and delighted the people who were about to eat them.
4. Word spread about the dancing donuts, and people from all over started coming to the bakery to watch them dance.
5. Mr. Baker believed it was a prank, so he decided to skip sprinkling the magic sugar on some donuts.
6. Although the dancing eventually stopped, the bakery left everyone with happy memories and taught them the importance of spreading love and joy.
7. The bakery’s manager, Mr. Baker, received an expected package with a note instructing him to sprinkle regular sugar on his donuts.
8. The bakery became a place where people not only came to eat but also to enjoy the donuts’ dance and have a good time.
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 bakery in the story?
The name of the bakery was Sweet Delights.

2. What did Mr. Baker find in the surprise package?
Mr. Baker found a note telling him to sprinkle magic sugar on his donuts.

3. What happened to the donuts after Mr. Baker sprinkled the magic sugar on them?
The donuts came to life and started dancing.

4. Why did people from all over come to the bakery?
People came to the bakery to see the dancing donuts and have a good time.

5. Why did people remember Sweet Delights as a special place?
People remembered Sweet Delights as a special place because it brought them joy and happiness.

6. What did the people learn from the dancing donuts?
People learned to always spread love and joy wherever they go.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) donuts
(2) found
(3) note
(4) sugar
(5) life
(6) grew
(7) people
(8) came
(9) bakery
(10) left
(11) Sweet
(12) spread
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. bakery
Answer: (K) A place where bread, cakes, and pastries are made or sold

2. snacks
Answer: (I) Small portions of food eaten between meals

3. package
Answer: (C) A box or bag that things are put into so they can be sent or given to someone

4. sprinkle
Answer: (F) To lightly scatter small pieces of something

5. magic
Answer: (H) Special powers that can make impossible things happen

6. shocked
Answer: (L) Very surprised

7. pirouettes
Answer: (E) Spinning around on one foot

8. somersaults
Answer: (G) Flipping or rolling your body in the air

9. treats
Answer: (J) Sweet foods that are enjoyable to eat

10. reminded
Answer: (A) Made someone think of something they had forgotten

11. memories
Answer: (D) Things you remember from the past

12. joy
Answer: (B) A feeling of great happiness
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the name of the popular bakery in the small town?
Answer: (b) Sweet Delights

2. What did Mr. Baker find in the surprise package?
Answer: (c) A note

3. What did the note tell Mr. Baker to sprinkle on his donuts?
Answer: (a) Magic sugar

4. What happened to the donuts after Mr. Baker sprinkled the sugar on them?
Answer: (d) They started dancing

5. What did the people do when they saw the dancing donuts?
Answer: (c) They were shocked and amazed

6. Why did people from all over come to the bakery?
Answer: (b) To see the dancing donuts

7. What did Mr. Baker realize was the reason his bakery was special?
Answer: (a) He put love and care into making his treats

8. What did people remember Sweet Delights as?
Answer: (d) A place of joy and happiness
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. There was an infamous bakery in a small town called Sweet Delights that made mediocre cakes and donuts. (Answer: False)
2. After sprinkling the sugar, the donuts came to life and started moving, growing tiny arms and legs. (Answer: True)
3. The dancing donuts impressed and delighted the people who were about to eat them. (Answer: False)
4. Word spread about the dancing donuts, and people from all over started coming to the bakery to watch them dance. (Answer: True)
5. Mr. Baker believed it was a prank, so he decided to skip sprinkling the magic sugar on some donuts. (Answer: False)
6. Although the dancing eventually stopped, the bakery left everyone with happy memories and taught them the importance of spreading love and joy. (Answer: True)
7. The bakery’s manager, Mr. Baker, received an expected package with a note instructing him to sprinkle regular sugar on his donuts. (Answer: False)
8. The bakery became a place where people not only came to eat but also to enjoy the donuts’ dance and have a good time. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

A small village is transformed by a baker's magical pies, teaching the importance of sharing.

The Peculiar Purple Pie

Mr. Higgins made magical pies that made people do funny things, but when the villagers got greedy, he taught them about kindness and sharing.

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