In a magical place called Zephyria, there was a special animal named Humphrey the Hippogriff. But Humphrey had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping. Every so often, he would hiccup, making his feathers and wings move all over. The other forest creatures laughed, but Humphrey felt really bad about it.

One day, Humphrey got tired of hiccupping all the time. So he bravely went off to find a way to stop his hiccups. He flew around under the colorful sky, asking different magical creatures like smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids if they knew how he could stop hiccupping. But nothing they told him worked, and he kept hiccupping.

Just when Humphrey was about to lose hope, he found a hidden meadow deep in the forest. There, he met a unicorn named Luna who was very wise. When Humphrey told her about his hiccups, she thought for a bit and then said, “The secret to stop your hiccups is to laugh.”

Humphrey was confused but he really wanted to get rid of his hiccups. Luna told him to close his eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the funniest thing he ever saw. So, Humphrey did what she said and pictured some monkeys he saw once who were throwing things and falling over while they juggled.

Suddenly, Humphrey laughed louder than he ever had before, and his laughter filled the whole meadow. And just like that, his hiccups were gone! From then on, Humphrey realized that laughter could fix a lot of problems. He started to make others laugh too, learning that to beat something tough, you just need a good laugh and a big heart.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the problem that Humphrey the Hippogriff had?
2. How did Humphrey try to find a way to stop his hiccups?
3. Who did Humphrey meet in the hidden meadow?
4. What did Luna tell Humphrey was the secret to stop his hiccups?
5. What did Humphrey think about to make himself laugh?
6. What happened when Humphrey laughed?
7. What did Humphrey learn from this experience?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a magical place called Zephyria, there was a (1)______ animal (2)______ Humphrey the Hippogriff. But Humphrey had a problem – he couldn’t stop (3)______. Every so often, he would hiccup, making his feathers and wings move all over. The other (4)______ creatures laughed, but Humphrey felt really bad about it.

One day, Humphrey got tired of hiccupping all the time. So he bravely went off to find a way to stop his (5)______. He flew around under the colorful sky, (6)______ different magical creatures like smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids if they knew how he could stop hiccupping. But nothing they told him worked, and he kept hiccupping.

Just when (7)______ was (8)______ to lose hope, he found a hidden meadow deep in the forest. There, he met a unicorn named Luna who was very wise. When Humphrey told her about his hiccups, she thought for a bit and then said, “The secret to stop your hiccups is to (9)______.”

Humphrey was confused but he really wanted to get rid of his hiccups. Luna told him to close his eyes, take a deep (10)______, and think about the (11)______ thing he ever saw. So, Humphrey did what she said and pictured some (12)______ he saw once who were throwing things and falling over while they juggled.

Suddenly, Humphrey laughed louder than he ever had before, and his laughter filled the (13)______ meadow. And just like that, his hiccups were gone! From then on, Humphrey realized that laughter could fix a lot of (14)______. He started to make (15)______ laugh too, (16)______ that to beat something tough, you just need a good laugh and a big heart.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a hippogriff? Have you ever heard of one before?
2. How would you feel if you had a problem that made other people laugh at you?
3. Have you ever had a problem that you wanted to find a solution for? What did you do?
4. Do you think it’s important to ask for help when you have a problem? Why or why not?
5. How do you think Humphrey felt when he found the hidden meadow and met Luna?
6. Do you think laughter can really help solve problems? Why or why not?
7. What is the funniest thing you have ever seen? Can you describe it?
8. How do you feel when you make someone else laugh? Why?
9. Do you like stories with magical creatures like unicorns and mermaids? Why or why not?
10. If you could have any magical power, what would it be and why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. creature
3. feathers
4. forest
5. bravely
6. colorful
7. pixies
8. mermaids
9. meadow
10. unicorn
11. wise
12. laughter
13. confused
14. rid
15. tough

Meanings:
(A) Having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment
(B) Having many bright or different colors
(C) A living being, especially one that is not human
(D) Feeling unsure or unable to understand something
(E) Tiny, playful fairy-like beings from folklore
(F) Something that is full of mystery and enchantment, like in fairy tales
(G) A large area covered with trees and plants, often a home for animals
(H) Acting with courage, not letting fear stop you
(I) Difficult to deal with or overcome
(J) A mythical horse-like animal with a single horn on its forehead
(K) Mythical sea creatures with the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish
(L) The soft, fluffy covering on the body of a bird
(M) To completely remove or get away from something
(N) The sound of someone chuckling or giggling
(O) A field, especially one covered with grass and wildflowers
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the problem that Humphrey the Hippogriff had?
(a) He couldn’t stop hiccupping
(b) He couldn’t fly
(c) He couldn’t find his way home
(d) He couldn’t find any food

2. Who did Humphrey ask for help to stop his hiccups?
(a) Smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids
(b) Lions, tigers, and bears
(c) Dragons, witches, and goblins
(d) Fairies, elves, and trolls

3. Where did Humphrey find the hidden meadow?
(a) On top of a mountain
(b) Under the sea
(c) In a magical castle
(d) Deep in the forest

4. Who did Humphrey meet in the hidden meadow?
(a) A dragon named Spike
(b) A unicorn named Luna
(c) A wizard named Merlin
(d) A fairy named Lily

5. What did Luna tell Humphrey was the secret to stop his hiccups?
(a) To sing
(b) To laugh
(c) To dance
(d) To sleep

6. What did Luna tell Humphrey to do to stop his hiccups?
(a) Run around in circles
(b) Drink a potion made by the wise old owl
(c) Close his eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the funniest thing he ever saw
(d) Stand on one leg and hop

7. What did Humphrey picture in his mind to make himself laugh?
(a) A lion roaring in the jungle
(b) A waterfall flowing down a mountain
(c) A rainbow shining in the sky
(d) Monkeys throwing things and falling over while they juggled

8. What did Humphrey realize after his hiccups were gone?
(a) He needed to find a new home
(b) He should never leave the hidden meadow
(c) Laughter could fix a lot of problems
(d) He should become a magician

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Luna revealed the secret to intensifying Humphrey’s hiccups – he needed to cry.
2. Humphrey’s sobbing filled the meadow and miraculously, his hiccups multiplied. He learned that crying and a small heart can worsen tough situations.
3. Just when Humphrey was losing hope, he discovered a hidden meadow where he met a wise unicorn named Luna.
4. The other forest creatures would laugh at Humphrey’s hiccups, which made him feel really bad.
5. Following Luna’s advice, Humphrey opened his eyes, took a shallow breath, and thought about the saddest thing he had ever seen – monkeys crying and standing still.
6. Despite asking smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids, none of their suggestions worked and Humphrey kept hiccupping.
7. Humphrey decided to find a way to intensify his hiccups and went on a cowardly adventure to avoid help from magical creatures in Zephyria.
8. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping, which made his feathers and wings move all over.
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 hiccupping all the time.

2. How did Humphrey try to find a way to stop his hiccups?
Humphrey flew around and asked different magical creatures for help.

3. Who did Humphrey meet in the hidden meadow?
Humphrey met a wise unicorn named Luna in the hidden meadow.

4. What did Luna tell Humphrey was the secret to stop his hiccups?
Luna told Humphrey that the secret to stop his hiccups was to laugh.

5. What did Humphrey think about to make himself laugh?
Humphrey thought about some monkeys he saw once who were throwing things and falling over while they juggled.

6. What happened when Humphrey laughed?
When Humphrey laughed, his hiccups disappeared.

7. What did Humphrey learn from this experience?
Humphrey learned that laughter could fix a lot of problems and that to overcome something tough, you just need a good laugh and a big heart.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) special
(2) named
(3) hiccupping
(4) forest
(5) hiccups
(6) asking
(7) Humphrey
(8) about
(9) laugh
(10) breath
(11) funniest
(12) monkeys
(13) whole
(14) problems
(15) others
(16) learning
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (F) Something that is full of mystery and enchantment, like in fairy tales

2. creature
Answer: (C) A living being, especially one that is not human

3. feathers
Answer: (L) The soft, fluffy covering on the body of a bird

4. forest
Answer: (G) A large area covered with trees and plants, often a home for animals

5. bravely
Answer: (H) Acting with courage, not letting fear stop you

6. colorful
Answer: (B) Having many bright or different colors

7. pixies
Answer: (E) Tiny, playful fairy-like beings from folklore

8. mermaids
Answer: (K) Mythical sea creatures with the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish

9. meadow
Answer: (O) A field, especially one covered with grass and wildflowers

10. unicorn
Answer: (J) A mythical horse-like animal with a single horn on its forehead

11. wise
Answer: (A) Having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment

12. laughter
Answer: (N) The sound of someone chuckling or giggling

13. confused
Answer: (D) Feeling unsure or unable to understand something

14. rid
Answer: (M) To completely remove or get away from something

15. tough
Answer: (I) Difficult to deal with or overcome
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the problem that Humphrey the Hippogriff had?
Answer: (a) He couldn’t stop hiccupping

2. Who did Humphrey ask for help to stop his hiccups?
Answer: (a) Smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids

3. Where did Humphrey find the hidden meadow?
Answer: (d) Deep in the forest

4. Who did Humphrey meet in the hidden meadow?
Answer: (b) A unicorn named Luna

5. What did Luna tell Humphrey was the secret to stop his hiccups?
Answer: (b) To laugh

6. What did Luna tell Humphrey to do to stop his hiccups?
Answer: (c) Close his eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the funniest thing he ever saw

7. What did Humphrey picture in his mind to make himself laugh?
Answer: (d) Monkeys throwing things and falling over while they juggled

8. What did Humphrey realize after his hiccups were gone?
Answer: (c) Laughter could fix a lot of problems
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Luna revealed the secret to intensifying Humphrey’s hiccups – he needed to cry. (Answer: False)
2. Humphrey’s sobbing filled the meadow and miraculously, his hiccups multiplied. He learned that crying and a small heart can worsen tough situations. (Answer: False)
3. Just when Humphrey was losing hope, he discovered a hidden meadow where he met a wise unicorn named Luna. (Answer: True)
4. The other forest creatures would laugh at Humphrey’s hiccups, which made him feel really bad. (Answer: True)
5. Following Luna’s advice, Humphrey opened his eyes, took a shallow breath, and thought about the saddest thing he had ever seen – monkeys crying and standing still. (Answer: False)
6. Despite asking smart old owls, playful pixies, and mermaids, none of their suggestions worked and Humphrey kept hiccupping. (Answer: True)
7. Humphrey decided to find a way to intensify his hiccups and went on a cowardly adventure to avoid help from magical creatures in Zephyria. (Answer: False)
8. Humphrey the Hippogriff had a problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping, which made his feathers and wings move all over. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧