Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Llama Farmer

A llama farmer builds an obstacle course to keep his mischievous llamas entertained and happy.

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In a small village surrounded by green hills, there lived a nice farmer named Mr. Thompson who raised llamas. Every morning, he took good care of his llamas, feeding them and brushing their fur. The people in the village admired his beautiful llamas.

One sunny morning, Mr. Thompson saw that his favorite llama, Milo, was missing. He searched everywhere and finally found Milo stuck in a bush, eating apples. Mr. Thompson was happy to find Milo but knew he had to keep his llamas from running away again.

He got an idea to make a big obstacle course for llamas with jumps, tunnels, and a maze. When it was ready, he invited everyone in the village to watch. People were excited to see what would happen.

During the obstacle course, all the llamas did well, but Milo was the funniest. He skipped some parts and went backward through the maze, making everyone laugh. Milo’s fun antics were everyone’s favorite part of the day.

Thanks to the obstacle course, the llamas didn’t run away anymore. They were too busy playing. Mr. Thompson hosted more obstacle courses, making his farm famous. People learned that sometimes problems can lead to fun solutions. Mr. Thompson and his llamas lived happily, while also teaching others to laugh and have fun.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1admiredWhen people really like something someone does
2obstacleSomething that makes it hard to go where you want to go
3mazeA puzzle of paths, hard to find your way out
4anticsSilly or funny actions
5famousKnown by many people
6solutionsAnswers to problems
7llamasAnimals that look a bit like camels but with no humps
8villageA small place where people live, smaller than a town
9feedingGiving food to animals
10tunnelsPassages that go under the ground
11skippedMissed on purpose
12happilyIn a very happy way

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Mr. Thompson do every morning for his llamas?
2. Where did Mr. Thompson find his favorite llama, Milo?
3. What did Mr. Thompson do to keep his llamas from running away again?
4. What did Mr. Thompson invite everyone in the village to do?
5. What did Milo do during the obstacle course that made everyone laugh?
6. What did Mr. Thompson’s obstacle courses teach people?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small village surrounded by green hills, there lived a nice farmer (1)______ Mr. Thompson who raised llamas. Every morning, he took (2)______ care of his llamas, feeding them and brushing their fur. The people in the village admired his (3)______ llamas.

One sunny morning, Mr. Thompson saw that his favorite llama, Milo, was (4)______. He searched everywhere and finally found Milo stuck in a (5)______, eating apples. Mr. Thompson was happy to find Milo but knew he had to keep his llamas from running away again.

He got an idea to make a big (6)______ course for llamas with jumps, tunnels, and a maze. When it was ready, he invited everyone in the village to watch. People were excited to see what would happen.

During the obstacle course, all the llamas did well, but (7)______ was the funniest. He skipped some parts and went backward through the (8)______, making everyone (9)______. Milo’s fun antics were everyone’s favorite part of the day.

Thanks to the obstacle course, the llamas didn’t run away anymore. They were too busy playing. Mr. (10)______ hosted more obstacle courses, (11)______ his farm famous. People (12)______ that sometimes problems can lead to fun solutions. Mr. Thompson and his llamas lived happily, while also teaching others to laugh and have fun.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a llama? Why do you think Mr. Thompson raised llamas?
2. How would you feel if your favorite pet went missing? What would you do to find them?
3. Do you like obstacle courses? Why or why not? Have you ever done an obstacle course?
4. What do you think was the funniest part of the obstacle course? Why?
5. Do you think it was a good idea for Mr. Thompson to make an obstacle course for his llamas? Why or why not?
6. Have you ever had a problem that turned into something fun? What happened?
7. Would you like to visit Mr. Thompson’s farm and see the llamas? Why or why not?
8. How do you think Mr. Thompson felt when his llamas didn’t run away anymore? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. admired
2. obstacle
3. maze
4. antics
5. famous
6. solutions
7. llamas
8. village
9. feeding
10. tunnels
11. skipped
12. happily

Meanings:
(A) A small place where people live, smaller than a town
(B) In a very happy way
(C) Silly or funny actions
(D) Something that makes it hard to go where you want to go
(E) A puzzle of paths, hard to find your way out
(F) Known by many people
(G) Animals that look a bit like camels but with no humps
(H) Answers to problems
(I) Passages that go under the ground
(J) Missed on purpose
(K) When people really like something someone does
(L) Giving food to animals
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What kind of animals did Mr. Thompson raise on his farm?
(a) Cows
(b) Llamas
(c) Horses
(d) Pigs

2. Where did Mr. Thompson find his favorite llama, Milo?
(a) Eating apples
(b) Playing in the field
(c) Stuck in a bush
(d) Hiding in the barn

3. What did Mr. Thompson do to prevent his llamas from running away again?
(a) Built a fence
(b) Locked them in a barn
(c) Hired a llama trainer
(d) Created an obstacle course

4. How did Milo behave during the obstacle course?
(a) He completed every part perfectly
(b) He skipped some parts and went backward through the maze
(c) He refused to participate
(d) He got scared and ran away

5. What was everyone’s favorite part of the day?
(a) Watching the other llamas complete the course
(b) Eating apples after the event
(c) Milo’s funny antics during the obstacle course
(d) Seeing Mr. Thompson’s farm

6. What did Mr. Thompson’s llamas do after the obstacle course was built?
(a) They played and didn’t run away anymore
(b) They continued to escape from the farm
(c) They became sad and didn’t want to play anymore
(d) They refused to go near the obstacle course

7. What did Mr. Thompson’s farm become known for?
(a) Hosting obstacle courses for llamas
(b) Growing delicious apples
(c) Having the friendliest llamas
(d) Being located in a beautiful village

8. What did Mr. Thompson teach others through his obstacle courses?
(a) To be serious and focused
(b) To be careful around llamas
(c) To avoid problems at all costs
(d) To laugh and have fun

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Mr. Thompson finds Milo stuck in a tree, munching on apples.
2. The llamas enjoy playing on the obstacle course and stop running away.
3. The obstacle course has jumps, tunnels, and a maze for the llamas to navigate.
4. Mr. Thompson is a farmer who takes care of llamas in a small village.
5. Milo is Mr. Thompson’s least favorite llama who goes missing one morning.
6. During the obstacle course, Milo’s serious demeanor makes everyone take notice.
7. Mr. Thompson decides to build an obstacle course for the llamas to prevent them from running away.
8. Mr. Thompson’s farm becomes infamous because of the obstacle courses he hosts.
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 did Mr. Thompson do every morning for his llamas?
Mr. Thompson took good care of his llamas, feeding them and brushing their fur.

2. Where did Mr. Thompson find his favorite llama, Milo?
Mr. Thompson found Milo stuck in a bush, eating apples.

3. What did Mr. Thompson do to keep his llamas from running away again?
Mr. Thompson made a big obstacle course for the llamas with jumps, tunnels, and a maze.

4. What did Mr. Thompson invite everyone in the village to do?
Mr. Thompson invited everyone in the village to watch the llamas go through the obstacle course.

5. What did Milo do during the obstacle course that made everyone laugh?
Milo skipped some parts and went backward through the maze, making everyone laugh.

6. What did Mr. Thompson’s obstacle courses teach people?
Mr. Thompson’s obstacle courses taught people that sometimes problems can lead to fun solutions.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) good
(3) beautiful
(4) missing
(5) bush
(6) obstacle
(7) Milo
(8) maze
(9) laugh
(10) Thompson
(11) making
(12) learned
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. admired
Answer: (K) When people really like something someone does

2. obstacle
Answer: (D) Something that makes it hard to go where you want to go

3. maze
Answer: (E) A puzzle of paths, hard to find your way out

4. antics
Answer: (C) Silly or funny actions

5. famous
Answer: (F) Known by many people

6. solutions
Answer: (H) Answers to problems

7. llamas
Answer: (G) Animals that look a bit like camels but with no humps

8. village
Answer: (A) A small place where people live, smaller than a town

9. feeding
Answer: (L) Giving food to animals

10. tunnels
Answer: (I) Passages that go under the ground

11. skipped
Answer: (J) Missed on purpose

12. happily
Answer: (B) In a very happy way
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What kind of animals did Mr. Thompson raise on his farm?
Answer: (b) Llamas

2. Where did Mr. Thompson find his favorite llama, Milo?
Answer: (c) Stuck in a bush

3. What did Mr. Thompson do to prevent his llamas from running away again?
Answer: (d) Created an obstacle course

4. How did Milo behave during the obstacle course?
Answer: (b) He skipped some parts and went backward through the maze

5. What was everyone’s favorite part of the day?
Answer: (c) Milo’s funny antics during the obstacle course

6. What did Mr. Thompson’s llamas do after the obstacle course was built?
Answer: (a) They played and didn’t run away anymore

7. What did Mr. Thompson’s farm become known for?
Answer: (a) Hosting obstacle courses for llamas

8. What did Mr. Thompson teach others through his obstacle courses?
Answer: (d) To laugh and have fun
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Mr. Thompson finds Milo stuck in a tree, munching on apples. (Answer: False)
2. The llamas enjoy playing on the obstacle course and stop running away. (Answer: True)
3. The obstacle course has jumps, tunnels, and a maze for the llamas to navigate. (Answer: True)
4. Mr. Thompson is a farmer who takes care of llamas in a small village. (Answer: True)
5. Milo is Mr. Thompson’s least favorite llama who goes missing one morning. (Answer: False)
6. During the obstacle course, Milo’s serious demeanor makes everyone take notice. (Answer: False)
7. Mr. Thompson decides to build an obstacle course for the llamas to prevent them from running away. (Answer: True)
8. Mr. Thompson’s farm becomes infamous because of the obstacle courses he hosts. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily loved fairy tales and one day she found a tiny door in the forest. She met a fairy named Hazel who invited her to a fairy dance. But a grumpy gnome named Grumpyboots wanted to cause trouble. Lily and the fairies joined their magic to stop him. Grumpyboots learned his lesson and became a happy gnome. Lily stayed kind and the fairies kept dancing in the moonlight.

Maya's wish for endless laughter brings joy and unity to her village, making her the laughter ambassador.

The Mysterious Mango

Maya found a magical mango that made everyone laugh, so she decided to spread laughter everywhere.