There was a small town where every morning the sun made everything look warm and bright. But one day, it stayed dark when it was time for the sun to be up. The people in town were scared and confused in the darkness.

A little girl named Lily was brave and wanted to find out why the sun didn’t come up. With her flashlight, she walked into the woods and saw some squirrels taking sunflowers. They joked they would make the sun with the flowers, but Lily knew they needed the real sun to light up the town.

Lily talked the squirrels into giving back the sunflowers. Everyone in the town planted the flowers, sang, and showed a lot of love, hoping the sun would see and rise again.

Suddenly, they felt warmth and saw a bit of light. The sun was finally coming up! The people were so happy and loud, thankful that the sun was back.

After that, the sun always rose like it should. The town learned to be thankful for every sunny morning. They knew now that hope and happiness could make good things happen. Lily was a hero because she showed that even a small light can make a big difference.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened in the small town when it was time for the sun to come up?
2. Why were the people in town scared and confused?
3. Who decided to find out why the sun didn’t come up?
4. What did Lily see the squirrels doing with the sunflowers?
5. What did Lily convince the squirrels to do with the sunflowers?
6. What did the people in the town do to try to make the sun come up again?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There was a small town where every morning the sun made everything look warm and bright. But one day, it stayed dark when it was time for the sun to be up. The people in town were scared and (1)______ in the darkness.

A little girl named (2)______ was (3)______ and wanted to find out why the sun didn’t come up. With her flashlight, she walked into the woods and saw some squirrels (4)______ sunflowers. They (5)______ they would make the sun with the flowers, but Lily knew they (6)______ the real sun to light up the town.

Lily talked the squirrels into giving back the (7)______. Everyone in the town (8)______ the flowers, sang, and showed a lot of love, hoping the sun would see and rise again.

Suddenly, they felt warmth and saw a bit of light. The sun was finally coming up! The people were so happy and (9)______, thankful that the sun was back.

After that, the sun always rose like it should. The town learned to be thankful for every (10)______ morning. They (11)______ now that hope and happiness could make (12)______ things happen. Lily was a hero because she showed that even a small light can make a big difference.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a hero? Do you think Lily is a hero? Why or why not?
2. How would you feel if the sun didn’t come up one morning? Why?
3. Do you like plants and flowers? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the squirrels were doing with the sunflowers? Why?
5. How do you think the people in the town felt when they saw the sun coming up again? Why?
6. Have you ever helped someone or done something nice for someone? How did it make you feel? Why?
7. Do you think hope and happiness can make good things happen? Why or why not?
8. What would you do if you were in Lily’s place? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. confused
2. brave
3. flashlight
4. squirrels
5. sunflowers
6. planted
7. sang
8. warmth
9. thankful
10. hero
11. hope
12. difference

Meanings:
(A) Put seeds or plants in the ground so they can grow
(B) Not understanding what is happening or what to do
(C) Having courage, not being afraid
(D) Feeling happy and grateful because of something good
(E) A way in which one thing is not the same as another thing
(F) Tall plants with big yellow flowers that look like the sun
(G) Made music with your voice
(H) Small animals with bushy tails that climb trees
(I) A person who does something very brave or great for others
(J) A nice feeling when something is gently hot
(K) A small electric light you can carry in your hand
(L) Believing that something good will happen
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What happened to the sun in the small town?
(a) It disappeared completely
(b) It stayed dark when it was supposed to be up
(c) It became too hot and bright
(d) It started shining at night instead

2. What did Lily use to explore the woods?
(a) A magnifying glass
(b) A compass
(c) A map
(d) A flashlight

3. What were the squirrels doing with the sunflowers?
(a) Eating them
(b) Taking them
(c) Planting them
(d) Selling them

4. What did Lily know the squirrels needed to make the sun come up?
(a) The real sun
(b) More sunflowers
(c) Water
(d) Sunshine

5. What did the people in the town do with the sunflowers?
(a) Ate them
(b) Gave them to the squirrels
(c) Threw them away
(d) Planted them

6. What did the people in the town do to show their love and hope?
(a) Danced
(b) Cried
(c) Sang
(d) Slept

7. How did the people in the town feel when they saw the sun coming up again?
(a) Happy and loud
(b) Sad and quiet
(c) Angry and scared
(d) Confused and worried

8. Why was Lily considered a hero?
(a) She found the squirrels
(b) She planted the sunflowers
(c) She showed that even a small light can make a big difference
(d) She made the sun rise again

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The people in the town planted the sunflowers, sang, and showed lots of love, hoping the sun would come back.
2. A brave little girl named Lily decided to find out why the sun didn’t come up.
3. The town failed to appreciate every sunny morning and never recognized the power of hope and happiness in creating positive outcomes.
4. The squirrels jokingly claimed they could create the sun with the flowers, but Lily understood that they required the actual sun.
5. One day, the sun unexpectedly didn’t rise in a small town, and the people were calm and understood the situation.
6. Lily forced the squirrels to return the sunflowers to the town.
7. Suddenly, they felt warmth and saw a bit of light – the sun was finally coming up!
8. Lily went into the woods with her flashlight and found squirrels taking sunflowers.
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 happened in the small town when it was time for the sun to come up?
The sun didn’t come up and it stayed dark in the town.

2. Why were the people in town scared and confused?
They were scared and confused because it was supposed to be bright and sunny, but it stayed dark instead.

3. Who decided to find out why the sun didn’t come up?
Lily, a little girl, decided to find out why the sun didn’t come up.

4. What did Lily see the squirrels doing with the sunflowers?
Lily saw the squirrels taking the sunflowers.

5. What did Lily convince the squirrels to do with the sunflowers?
Lily convinced the squirrels to give back the sunflowers.

6. What did the people in the town do to try to make the sun come up again?
The people in the town planted the sunflowers, sang, and showed a lot of love, hoping the sun would see and rise again.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) confused
(2) Lily
(3) brave
(4) taking
(5) joked
(6) needed
(7) sunflowers
(8) planted
(9) loud
(10) sunny
(11) knew
(12) good
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. confused
Answer: (B) Not understanding what is happening or what to do

2. brave
Answer: (C) Having courage, not being afraid

3. flashlight
Answer: (K) A small electric light you can carry in your hand

4. squirrels
Answer: (H) Small animals with bushy tails that climb trees

5. sunflowers
Answer: (F) Tall plants with big yellow flowers that look like the sun

6. planted
Answer: (A) Put seeds or plants in the ground so they can grow

7. sang
Answer: (G) Made music with your voice

8. warmth
Answer: (J) A nice feeling when something is gently hot

9. thankful
Answer: (D) Feeling happy and grateful because of something good

10. hero
Answer: (I) A person who does something very brave or great for others

11. hope
Answer: (L) Believing that something good will happen

12. difference
Answer: (E) A way in which one thing is not the same as another thing
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What happened to the sun in the small town?
Answer: (b) It stayed dark when it was supposed to be up

2. What did Lily use to explore the woods?
Answer: (d) A flashlight

3. What were the squirrels doing with the sunflowers?
Answer: (b) Taking them

4. What did Lily know the squirrels needed to make the sun come up?
Answer: (a) The real sun

5. What did the people in the town do with the sunflowers?
Answer: (d) Planted them

6. What did the people in the town do to show their love and hope?
Answer: (c) Sang

7. How did the people in the town feel when they saw the sun coming up again?
Answer: (a) Happy and loud

8. Why was Lily considered a hero?
Answer: (c) She showed that even a small light can make a big difference
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The people in the town planted the sunflowers, sang, and showed lots of love, hoping the sun would come back. (Answer: True)
2. A brave little girl named Lily decided to find out why the sun didn’t come up. (Answer: True)
3. The town failed to appreciate every sunny morning and never recognized the power of hope and happiness in creating positive outcomes. (Answer: False)
4. The squirrels jokingly claimed they could create the sun with the flowers, but Lily understood that they required the actual sun. (Answer: False)
5. One day, the sun unexpectedly didn’t rise in a small town, and the people were calm and understood the situation. (Answer: False)
6. Lily forced the squirrels to return the sunflowers to the town. (Answer: False)
7. Suddenly, they felt warmth and saw a bit of light – the sun was finally coming up! (Answer: True)
8. Lily went into the woods with her flashlight and found squirrels taking sunflowers. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧