In a magical place called Zephyria, there was a special creature named Humphrey the Hippogriff. But Humphrey had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping. He would hiccup all the time and it made his feathers and wings move strangely. The other animals laughed, but Humphrey felt very shy about it.

Humphrey got tired of hiccupping, so he decided to find a way to stop it. He flew around the magical skies. He asked wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids under the sea how to cure his hiccups. But nothing they said worked. He still had the hiccups.

Then, Humphrey found a hidden place in the woods where a wise unicorn named Luna lived. He told her about his hiccupping. Luna said, “To stop your hiccups, you need to laugh.”

Humphrey didn’t really understand, but he was ready to try anything. Luna told him to close his eyes, breathe in, and think of the funniest thing he ever saw. Humphrey did just that and pictured some monkeys juggling.

Suddenly, Humphrey laughed really loudly. The sound filled the whole place and his hiccups stopped! Humphrey learned that laughter can fix problems. He started to make others laugh, realizing that being happy and having heart can help beat any challenge.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

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📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the problem that Humphrey the Hippogriff had?
2. Why did Humphrey feel shy about his hiccups?
3. Who did Humphrey ask for help to cure his hiccups?
4. Did any of the animals Humphrey asked know how to cure his hiccups?
5. Where did Humphrey finally find a solution to his hiccups?
6. What did Luna, the wise unicorn, tell Humphrey to do to stop his hiccups?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a magical place called Zephyria, there was a special creature named Humphrey the Hippogriff. But Humphrey had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping. He would hiccup all the (1)______ and it made his feathers and wings (2)______ strangely. The other animals (3)______, but Humphrey felt very shy about it.

Humphrey got tired of hiccupping, so he decided to find a way to stop it. He flew around the magical skies. He asked (4)______ owls, tricky (5)______, and mermaids under the sea how to cure his hiccups. But nothing they said worked. He still had the hiccups.

Then, (6)______ found a hidden place in the woods where a wise unicorn named Luna lived. He told her about his hiccupping. Luna (7)______, “To stop your hiccups, you (8)______ to laugh.”

Humphrey didn’t really understand, but he was ready to try anything. Luna told him to close his eyes, breathe in, and think of the (9)______ thing he ever saw. Humphrey did just that and pictured some (10)______ juggling.

Suddenly, Humphrey laughed really loudly. The sound filled the whole place and his hiccups stopped! Humphrey learned that laughter can fix problems. He started to make (11)______ laugh, realizing that being happy and having heart can help (12)______ any challenge.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a hippogriff? Why do you think Humphrey is special?
2. How would you feel if you had a problem that made others laugh at you? Why?
3. Do you think it’s important to try different things to solve a problem? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Luna meant when she said Humphrey needed to laugh to stop his hiccups?
5. How do you feel when you laugh really loudly? Why?
6. Do you think laughter can help you feel better when you have a problem? Why or why not?
7. What is something that always makes you laugh? Why does it make you laugh?
8. Do you think being happy and having a good attitude can help you overcome challenges? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. creature
3. hiccupping
4. feathers
5. shy
6. cure
7. mermaids
8. unicorn
9. laughter
10. challenge
11. juggling
12. heart

Meanings:
(A) An animal or being, often from stories, that is not real
(B) The sound you make when something is really funny
(C) Throwing things into the air and catching them in a way that looks fun
(D) A horse-like animal from stories that has a horn on its forehead
(E) Something that is hard to do or deal with
(F) To make someone healthy again after they’ve been sick
(G) Making a sound from your throat because of a small problem in your breathing
(H) Magical sea ladies with fish tails instead of legs
(I) The part of you that feels love and kindness
(J) Feeling nervous or embarrassed around other people
(K) The soft, fluffy things that cover a bird’s body
(L) Something that is like a fairy tale, where impossible things can happen
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the name of the special creature in Zephyria?
(a) Humphrey the Hippogriff
(b) Luna the Unicorn
(c) Wise Owl
(d) Tricky Pixie

2. What problem did Humphrey have?
(a) He couldn’t stop hiccupping
(b) He couldn’t fly
(c) He couldn’t find his way home
(d) He couldn’t make friends

3. How did Humphrey feel about his hiccupping?
(a) Excited
(b) Proud
(c) Angry
(d) Shy

4. Who did Humphrey ask for help to cure his hiccups?
(a) Luna the Unicorn
(b) Monkeys
(c) Wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids
(d) Other hippogriffs

5. What did Luna the Unicorn suggest Humphrey do to stop his hiccups?
(a) Cry
(b) Sing
(c) Laugh
(d) Sleep

6. What did Humphrey picture in his mind to make himself laugh?
(a) Wise owls flying
(b) Monkeys juggling
(c) Tricky pixies dancing
(d) Mermaids swimming

7. What happened when Humphrey laughed really loudly?
(a) His wings grew bigger
(b) He turned invisible
(c) He started to cry
(d) His hiccups stopped

8. What did Humphrey learn from his experience?
(a) Flying can cure hiccups
(b) Laughter can fix problems
(c) Magic is the answer to everything
(d) Being sad is better than being happy

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Humphrey learned that sadness can fix problems and started making others cry.
2. Luna told Humphrey that to stop his hiccups, he needed to cry.
3. Humphrey found a visible place in the woods where a wise unicorn named Luna lived.
4. The other animals in Zephyria laughed at Humphrey’s hiccups.
5. Humphrey closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought of the funniest thing he ever saw.
6. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping.
7. Humphrey stayed grounded, not asking wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids for a cure, but nothing worked.
8. When Humphrey laughed really loudly, his hiccups stopped.
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 problem that Humphrey the Hippogriff had?
Humphrey had a problem with hiccups.

2. Why did Humphrey feel shy about his hiccups?
Humphrey felt shy because the other animals laughed at him.

3. Who did Humphrey ask for help to cure his hiccups?
Humphrey asked wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids under the sea for help.

4. Did any of the animals Humphrey asked know how to cure his hiccups?
No, none of the animals Humphrey asked knew how to cure his hiccups.

5. Where did Humphrey finally find a solution to his hiccups?
Humphrey finally found a solution to his hiccups in a hidden place in the woods where a wise unicorn named Luna lived.

6. What did Luna, the wise unicorn, tell Humphrey to do to stop his hiccups?
Luna told Humphrey to close his eyes, breathe in, and think of the funniest thing he ever saw.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) time
(2) move
(3) laughed
(4) wise
(5) pixies
(6) Humphrey
(7) said
(8) need
(9) funniest
(10) monkeys
(11) others
(12) beat
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (L) Something that is like a fairy tale, where impossible things can happen

2. creature
Answer: (A) An animal or being, often from stories, that is not real

3. hiccupping
Answer: (G) Making a sound from your throat because of a small problem in your breathing

4. feathers
Answer: (K) The soft, fluffy things that cover a bird’s body

5. shy
Answer: (J) Feeling nervous or embarrassed around other people

6. cure
Answer: (F) To make someone healthy again after they’ve been sick

7. mermaids
Answer: (H) Magical sea ladies with fish tails instead of legs

8. unicorn
Answer: (D) A horse-like animal from stories that has a horn on its forehead

9. laughter
Answer: (B) The sound you make when something is really funny

10. challenge
Answer: (E) Something that is hard to do or deal with

11. juggling
Answer: (C) Throwing things into the air and catching them in a way that looks fun

12. heart
Answer: (I) The part of you that feels love and kindness
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the name of the special creature in Zephyria?
Answer: (a) Humphrey the Hippogriff

2. What problem did Humphrey have?
Answer: (a) He couldn’t stop hiccupping

3. How did Humphrey feel about his hiccupping?
Answer: (d) Shy

4. Who did Humphrey ask for help to cure his hiccups?
Answer: (c) Wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids

5. What did Luna the Unicorn suggest Humphrey do to stop his hiccups?
Answer: (c) Laugh

6. What did Humphrey picture in his mind to make himself laugh?
Answer: (b) Monkeys juggling

7. What happened when Humphrey laughed really loudly?
Answer: (d) His hiccups stopped

8. What did Humphrey learn from his experience?
Answer: (b) Laughter can fix problems
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Humphrey learned that sadness can fix problems and started making others cry. (Answer: False)
2. Luna told Humphrey that to stop his hiccups, he needed to cry. (Answer: False)
3. Humphrey found a visible place in the woods where a wise unicorn named Luna lived. (Answer: False)
4. The other animals in Zephyria laughed at Humphrey’s hiccups. (Answer: True)
5. Humphrey closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought of the funniest thing he ever saw. (Answer: True)
6. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping. (Answer: True)
7. Humphrey stayed grounded, not asking wise owls, tricky pixies, and mermaids for a cure, but nothing worked. (Answer: False)
8. When Humphrey laughed really loudly, his hiccups stopped. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧