There was a girl named Polly who really wanted a puppy. She dreamed about playing with a dog and holding it close. Her mom and dad weren’t sure about getting a dog though. They were worried about the mess and the work a puppy could bring. But Polly was determined to show them she could handle it.

Polly started to do more chores around the house. She cleaned her room, did the dishes, and even got up early to help feed her neighbor’s pets. After a few months of seeing Polly be so helpful, her parents decided to give her a surprise. They got her a tiny, adorable puppy. Polly was so happy and she named her new pet Buttercup.

Polly and Buttercup had a lot of fun together. Polly taught the pup tricks and walked him in the park. Everyone loved Buttercup’s playful behavior. But one day, when Polly opened the door, a big wind blew it open. Buttercup ran out so fast and Polly was scared she might not see him again.

Polly didn’t want to lose her puppy. She ran all over the place, calling for Buttercup until she could barely talk. When she was almost out of hope, she heard a bark. It came from behind a tall fence. An old man had found Buttercup hidden in his yard. Polly was so thankful to the man. She told him she’d make sure Buttercup wouldn’t get out again.

From that day on, Polly kept a closer eye on Buttercup. She made sure the doors were closed and that her puppy was safe. Polly learned a lot from this scare and was glad to have her furry friend back at home. Buttercup was more than just a pet; he was her best friend and she would do anything to keep him safe.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did Polly want a puppy?
2. Why were Polly’s parents unsure about getting a dog?
3. What did Polly do to show her parents she could handle a puppy?
4. How did Polly feel when her parents surprised her with a puppy?
5. What did Polly and Buttercup do together?
6. Why was Polly scared when Buttercup ran out of the door?
7. How did Polly find Buttercup when he ran away?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There was a girl named Polly who really (1)______ a (2)______. She dreamed about playing with a dog and holding it (3)______. Her mom and dad weren’t sure about (4)______ a dog though. They were worried about the mess and the work a puppy could bring. But Polly was determined to show them she could handle it.

Polly started to do more chores around the house. She cleaned her room, did the dishes, and even got up early to help feed her neighbor’s pets. After a few months of seeing (5)______ be so helpful, her parents decided to give her a (6)______. They got her a tiny, (7)______ puppy. Polly was so (8)______ and she named her new pet Buttercup.

Polly and Buttercup had a lot of fun together. Polly taught the pup tricks and walked him in the park. Everyone loved Buttercup’s playful behavior. But one day, when Polly opened the door, a big wind blew it open. Buttercup ran out so fast and Polly was scared she might not see him again.

Polly didn’t want to lose her puppy. She ran all over the place, calling for Buttercup until she could barely talk. When she was almost out of hope, she heard a bark. It came from behind a tall fence. An old man had found Buttercup hidden in his yard. Polly was so thankful to the man. She told him she’d make sure (9)______ wouldn’t get out again.

From that day on, Polly kept a closer eye on Buttercup. She made sure the (10)______ were (11)______ and that her puppy was safe. Polly learned a lot from this scare and was glad to have her furry friend back at home. Buttercup was more than just a pet; he was her best friend and she would do anything to keep him safe.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a chore? Why do you think Polly started doing more chores around the house?
2. How would you feel if your parents surprised you with a puppy? Why or why not?
3. Do you like dogs? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Polly learned from this experience with Buttercup running away?
5. Have you ever lost something or someone important to you? How did you feel?
6. Do you think it’s important to take care of pets? Why or why not?
7. How do you think Polly felt when she heard Buttercup barking behind the fence?
8. Have you ever had a pet that you considered your best friend? Why or why not?
9. What would you do if your pet ran away? How would you try to find them?
10. Do you think it’s worth the mess and work to have a pet? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. determined
2. chores
3. adorable
4. playful
5. scared
6. thankful
7. barely
8. hope
9. hidden
10. closer
11. scare
12. furry
13. friend
14. anything
15. safe

Meanings:
(A) Very cute and lovable
(B) Tasks or jobs that need to be done around the house
(C) Having a strong desire to achieve something
(D) Full of energy and fun
(E) A person who you enjoy spending time with and trust
(F) Feeling grateful or appreciative
(G) Feeling afraid or frightened
(H) Covered in fur or having a furry texture
(I) A sudden feeling of fear or alarm
(J) At a shorter distance or with more attention
(K) Everything or whatever is necessary
(L) A feeling of optimism or expectation
(M) Just barely or almost not
(N) Concealed or not easily seen
(O) Not in danger or harm’s way
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did Polly’s parents hesitate to get her a puppy?
(a) They didn’t like dogs.
(b) They were worried about the mess and work a puppy could bring.
(c) They thought Polly was too young for a pet.
(d) They were allergic to dogs.

2. What did Polly do to convince her parents to get her a puppy?
(a) She promised to take care of the puppy all by herself.
(b) She begged and pleaded with her parents every day.
(c) She started doing more chores around the house.
(d) She threatened to run away if they didn’t get her a puppy.

3. What did Polly name her new puppy?
(a) Daisy
(b) Buttercup
(c) Charlie
(d) Max

4. What did Polly and Buttercup do together?
(a) They watched movies together.
(b) They went shopping for clothes.
(c) Polly took Buttercup to school with her.
(d) Polly taught Buttercup tricks and walked him in the park.

5. What happened when Polly opened the door one day?
(a) A big wind blew the door open.
(b) Buttercup ran out of the house.
(c) Polly’s parents surprised her with a new puppy.
(d) Polly’s best friend came over to play.

6. Where did Polly find Buttercup?
(a) At the park, playing with other dogs.
(b) In her neighbor’s house.
(c) Behind a tall fence in an old man’s yard.
(d) In her own backyard.

7. What did Polly learn from this experience?
(a) She needed to keep a closer eye on Buttercup and make sure he was safe.
(b) Dogs are too much work and she didn’t want one anymore.
(c) She should never open the door because her puppy might run away.
(d) She should have never asked for a puppy in the first place.

8. How did Polly feel about Buttercup?
(a) She regretted getting a puppy and wished she had a different pet.
(b) She was scared of Buttercup after he ran away.
(c) She didn’t really care about Buttercup anymore.
(d) Buttercup was more than just a pet; he was her best friend.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Polly and Buttercup had a lot of fun together, with Polly teaching the pup tricks and taking him for walks.
2. Polly’s parents surprised her with a huge, ugly puppy named Buttercup.
3. After this scare, Polly became less vigilant in keeping Buttercup safe and neglected the importance of keeping doors closed.
4. Polly’s parents were initially hesitant about getting a dog due to concerns about mess and work.
5. One day, Buttercup stayed inside the house when Polly intentionally opened the door during a windy day.
6. Polly searched everywhere for Buttercup, fearing she might never see him again.
7. Polly really didn’t want a puppy and didn’t work hard to convince her parents.
8. Eventually, Polly heard a bark and discovered that an old man had found Buttercup in his yard.
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. Why did Polly want a puppy?
Polly wanted a puppy because she dreamed about playing with a dog and holding it close.

2. Why were Polly’s parents unsure about getting a dog?
Polly’s parents were unsure about getting a dog because they were worried about the mess and the work a puppy could bring.

3. What did Polly do to show her parents she could handle a puppy?
Polly started to do more chores around the house. She cleaned her room, did the dishes, and even got up early to help feed her neighbor’s pets.

4. How did Polly feel when her parents surprised her with a puppy?
Polly felt very happy when her parents surprised her with a puppy.

5. What did Polly and Buttercup do together?
Polly and Buttercup taught each other tricks and went for walks in the park. They had a lot of fun together.

6. Why was Polly scared when Buttercup ran out of the door?
Polly was scared when Buttercup ran out of the door because she was worried she might not see him again.

7. How did Polly find Buttercup when he ran away?
Polly found Buttercup when he ran away because she heard his bark coming from behind a tall fence. An old man had found Buttercup hidden in his yard.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) wanted
(2) puppy
(3) close
(4) getting
(5) Polly
(6) surprise
(7) adorable
(8) happy
(9) Buttercup
(10) doors
(11) closed
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. determined
Answer: (C) Having a strong desire to achieve something

2. chores
Answer: (B) Tasks or jobs that need to be done around the house

3. adorable
Answer: (A) Very cute and lovable

4. playful
Answer: (D) Full of energy and fun

5. scared
Answer: (G) Feeling afraid or frightened

6. thankful
Answer: (F) Feeling grateful or appreciative

7. barely
Answer: (M) Just barely or almost not

8. hope
Answer: (L) A feeling of optimism or expectation

9. hidden
Answer: (N) Concealed or not easily seen

10. closer
Answer: (J) At a shorter distance or with more attention

11. scare
Answer: (I) A sudden feeling of fear or alarm

12. furry
Answer: (H) Covered in fur or having a furry texture

13. friend
Answer: (E) A person who you enjoy spending time with and trust

14. anything
Answer: (K) Everything or whatever is necessary

15. safe
Answer: (O) Not in danger or harm’s way
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did Polly’s parents hesitate to get her a puppy?
Answer: (b) They were worried about the mess and work a puppy could bring.

2. What did Polly do to convince her parents to get her a puppy?
Answer: (c) She started doing more chores around the house.

3. What did Polly name her new puppy?
Answer: (b) Buttercup

4. What did Polly and Buttercup do together?
Answer: (d) Polly taught Buttercup tricks and walked him in the park.

5. What happened when Polly opened the door one day?
Answer: (a) A big wind blew the door open.

6. Where did Polly find Buttercup?
Answer: (c) Behind a tall fence in an old man’s yard.

7. What did Polly learn from this experience?
Answer: (a) She needed to keep a closer eye on Buttercup and make sure he was safe.

8. How did Polly feel about Buttercup?
Answer: (d) Buttercup was more than just a pet; he was her best friend.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Polly and Buttercup had a lot of fun together, with Polly teaching the pup tricks and taking him for walks. (Answer: True)
2. Polly’s parents surprised her with a huge, ugly puppy named Buttercup. (Answer: False)
3. After this scare, Polly became less vigilant in keeping Buttercup safe and neglected the importance of keeping doors closed. (Answer: False)
4. Polly’s parents were initially hesitant about getting a dog due to concerns about mess and work. (Answer: True)
5. One day, Buttercup stayed inside the house when Polly intentionally opened the door during a windy day. (Answer: False)
6. Polly searched everywhere for Buttercup, fearing she might never see him again. (Answer: True)
7. Polly really didn’t want a puppy and didn’t work hard to convince her parents. (Answer: False)
8. Eventually, Polly heard a bark and discovered that an old man had found Buttercup in his yard. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧