Once, there was a place called the Marshmallow Mountains that was as soft and sweet as real marshmallows. People would come to climb them and try to taste them. But these mountains were special because they let anyone who climbed them talk to animals.

A girl named Lily wanted to climb the mountains too. She met a funny rabbit named Oliver who told her a big secret. He said, “If you can get to the top of the highest mountain, you’ll find out how to make marshmallows that last forever!” Lily really wanted to find that recipe, so she kept going.

On her way, Lily met a sad squirrel named Nutmeg who lost her acorn. Lily decided to get the mountain animals to help Nutmeg find her acorn, and they did! It was hiding in a pile of marshmallow fluff. When they found it, everyone was super happy, and Lily saw how great it was to work together and help others.

Lily kept moving up the mountains and faced more challenges. She met a smart owl who asked her tough questions and a sneaky fox who made her think hard to solve problems. But she didn’t give up. After a lot of climbing and thinking, she finally got to the top of the tallest mountain.

At the top, there was a tiny door. Inside was a chamber where a magical unicorn was guarding the secret marshmallow recipe. The unicorn could tell Lily was a good person, so it gave her the recipe and told her to always be kind. Lily went back home and used the recipe to make marshmallows that didn’t melt or get old. She started a business and hired lots of different people, always remembering to work together, keep trying, and be kind. The Marshmallow Mountains showed that anyone could make their dreams come true with hard work and a little bit of magic. Lily’s story encouraged many people to face their challenges and find the sweetness in their own lives.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was special about the Marshmallow Mountains?
2. Why did Lily want to climb the mountains?
3. Who did Lily meet on her way up the mountains?
4. How did Lily help Nutmeg the squirrel?
5. What challenges did Lily face on her journey?
6. What did Lily find at the top of the tallest mountain?
7. How did Lily use the secret marshmallow recipe?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once, there was a place (1)______ the Marshmallow Mountains that was as soft and sweet as real marshmallows. People would come to (2)______ them and try to taste them. But these mountains were special because they let anyone who (3)______ them talk to animals.

A girl named Lily wanted to climb the mountains too. She met a funny rabbit named (4)______ who told her a big secret. He said, “If you can get to the top of the highest mountain, you’ll find out how to make marshmallows that last forever!” Lily really wanted to find that recipe, so she kept going.

On her way, Lily met a sad squirrel named Nutmeg who lost her (5)______. Lily decided to get the mountain animals to help Nutmeg find her acorn, and they did! It was hiding in a pile of marshmallow (6)______. When they found it, everyone was super (7)______, and Lily saw how great it was to work together and help (8)______.

Lily kept moving up the mountains and faced more challenges. She met a smart owl who asked her tough questions and a (9)______ fox who made her think hard to solve problems. But she didn’t give up. After a lot of climbing and thinking, she finally got to the top of the tallest mountain.

At the top, there was a tiny door. Inside was a chamber where a (10)______ (11)______ was guarding the secret (12)______ recipe. The unicorn could tell Lily was a good person, so it gave her the recipe and told her to always be kind. Lily went back home and used the (13)______ to make marshmallows that didn’t melt or get old. She started a business and hired lots of (14)______ people, always (15)______ to work together, keep (16)______, and be kind. The Marshmallow Mountains showed that anyone could make their dreams come true with hard work and a little bit of magic. Lily’s story encouraged many people to face their challenges and find the sweetness in their own lives.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a marshmallow?
2. How would you feel if you could talk to animals? Why?
3. Do you like marshmallows? Why or why not?
4. What do you think it means to work together and help others?
5. How do you think Lily felt when she finally reached the top of the tallest mountain? Why?
6. Do you think it is important to always be kind? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever faced a challenge that made you want to give up? What did you do?
8. What would you do if you found a magical unicorn guarding a secret recipe?
9. How do you think Lily’s marshmallow business impacted her community?
10. Can you think of a dream or goal that you have? How do you think you can make it come true?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. marshmallow
2. recipe
3. chamber
4. magical
5. challenges
6. encouraged
7. sneaky
8. guarding
9. tough
10. solve
11. hired
12. kindness
13. secret
14. climb
15. recipe

Meanings:
(A) Information that is kept hidden from others
(B) A soft, sweet, spongy candy that you can eat as a treat
(C) Gave someone a job or work to do
(D) Gave someone the hope or confidence to do something
(E) Being nice and caring towards others
(F) Protecting something by keeping watch over it
(G) Difficult tasks or problems that test a person’s abilities
(H) Find an answer to a problem or puzzle
(I) Hard or difficult to deal with or to answer
(J) To go up or ascend, especially using your feet and hands
(K) Instructions for making a certain food or dish
(L) Having special powers that can’t be explained by science
(M) A room, often private, in a house or building
(N) Acting in a clever and often deceptive way to achieve a goal
(O) A set of instructions for making a certain food or dish
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was special about the Marshmallow Mountains?
(a) They allowed people to talk to animals
(b) They were made of real marshmallows
(c) They were the tallest mountains in the world
(d) They had a secret treasure hidden at the top

2. Who did Lily meet on her way up the mountains?
(a) Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
(b) Her best friend and her teacher
(c) Oliver the rabbit, Nutmeg the squirrel, and other animals
(d) Her parents and grandparents

3. What did Oliver the rabbit tell Lily about the highest mountain?
(a) She would meet a magical unicorn at the top
(b) She would find a hidden treasure chest
(c) She would be able to fly once she reached the peak
(d) She would find out how to make marshmallows that last forever

4. How did Lily help Nutmeg the squirrel?
(a) She got the mountain animals to help find Nutmeg’s acorn
(b) She gave Nutmeg a new acorn
(c) She taught Nutmeg how to climb the mountains
(d) She told Nutmeg to give up and find a new acorn

5. Who asked Lily tough questions on her way up the mountains?
(a) The sneaky fox
(b) The magical unicorn
(c) Oliver the rabbit
(d) The smart owl

6. What did Lily find at the top of the tallest mountain?
(a) A treasure chest filled with gold and jewels
(b) A tiny door leading to a chamber with a magical unicorn
(c) A secret passage to another world
(d) A beautiful view of the entire Marshmallow Mountains

7. What did the magical unicorn give Lily?
(a) The ability to talk to animals
(b) A magical wand
(c) The secret marshmallow recipe
(d) A map of the Marshmallow Mountains

8. How did Lily use the secret marshmallow recipe?
(a) She shared it with her friends and family
(b) She started a business and made marshmallows that didn’t melt or get old
(c) She kept it a secret and never used it
(d) She sold the recipe to a famous chef

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Lily met a rabbit named Oliver who told her the secret about the recipe.
2. Lily used the recipe to start an unsuccessful business and discouraged others to overcome their challenges.
3. Climbing the mountains allowed people to talk to animals.
4. Lily wanted to climb the mountains to find a recipe for everlasting marshmallows.
5. The Marshmallow Mountains were hard and bitter, nothing like real marshmallows.
6. Lily hindered a squirrel named Nutmeg find her lost acorn.
7. At the top of the tallest mountain, Lily found a magical unicorn guarding the secret recipe.
8. Lily faced rewards from a wise owl and a cunning fox on her journey.
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 special about the Marshmallow Mountains?
The Marshmallow Mountains were special because they allowed anyone who climbed them to talk to animals.

2. Why did Lily want to climb the mountains?
Lily wanted to climb the mountains because she wanted to find out how to make marshmallows that last forever.

3. Who did Lily meet on her way up the mountains?
Lily met a funny rabbit named Oliver, a sad squirrel named Nutmeg, a smart owl, and a sneaky fox on her way up the mountains.

4. How did Lily help Nutmeg the squirrel?
Lily helped Nutmeg find her acorn, which was hiding in a pile of marshmallow fluff.

5. What challenges did Lily face on her journey?
Lily faced challenges such as answering tough questions from the smart owl and solving problems presented by the sneaky fox.

6. What did Lily find at the top of the tallest mountain?
At the top of the tallest mountain, Lily found a tiny door that led to a chamber where a magical unicorn was guarding the secret marshmallow recipe.

7. How did Lily use the secret marshmallow recipe?
Lily used the secret marshmallow recipe to make marshmallows that didn’t melt or get old. She started a business and hired lots of different people, always remembering to work together, keep trying, and be kind.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) called
(2) climb
(3) climbed
(4) Oliver
(5) acorn
(6) fluff
(7) happy
(8) others
(9) sneaky
(10) magical
(11) unicorn
(12) marshmallow
(13) recipe
(14) different
(15) remembering
(16) trying
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. marshmallow
Answer: (B) A soft, sweet, spongy candy that you can eat as a treat

2. recipe
Answer: (K) Instructions for making a certain food or dish

3. chamber
Answer: (M) A room, often private, in a house or building

4. magical
Answer: (L) Having special powers that can’t be explained by science

5. challenges
Answer: (G) Difficult tasks or problems that test a person’s abilities

6. encouraged
Answer: (D) Gave someone the hope or confidence to do something

7. sneaky
Answer: (N) Acting in a clever and often deceptive way to achieve a goal

8. guarding
Answer: (F) Protecting something by keeping watch over it

9. tough
Answer: (I) Hard or difficult to deal with or to answer

10. solve
Answer: (H) Find an answer to a problem or puzzle

11. hired
Answer: (C) Gave someone a job or work to do

12. kindness
Answer: (E) Being nice and caring towards others

13. secret
Answer: (A) Information that is kept hidden from others

14. climb
Answer: (J) To go up or ascend, especially using your feet and hands

15. recipe
Answer: (O) A set of instructions for making a certain food or dish
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was special about the Marshmallow Mountains?
Answer: (a) They allowed people to talk to animals

2. Who did Lily meet on her way up the mountains?
Answer: (c) Oliver the rabbit, Nutmeg the squirrel, and other animals

3. What did Oliver the rabbit tell Lily about the highest mountain?
Answer: (d) She would find out how to make marshmallows that last forever

4. How did Lily help Nutmeg the squirrel?
Answer: (a) She got the mountain animals to help find Nutmeg’s acorn

5. Who asked Lily tough questions on her way up the mountains?
Answer: (d) The smart owl

6. What did Lily find at the top of the tallest mountain?
Answer: (b) A tiny door leading to a chamber with a magical unicorn

7. What did the magical unicorn give Lily?
Answer: (c) The secret marshmallow recipe

8. How did Lily use the secret marshmallow recipe?
Answer: (b) She started a business and made marshmallows that didn’t melt or get old
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Lily met a rabbit named Oliver who told her the secret about the recipe. (Answer: True)
2. Lily used the recipe to start an unsuccessful business and discouraged others to overcome their challenges. (Answer: False)
3. Climbing the mountains allowed people to talk to animals. (Answer: True)
4. Lily wanted to climb the mountains to find a recipe for everlasting marshmallows. (Answer: True)
5. The Marshmallow Mountains were hard and bitter, nothing like real marshmallows. (Answer: False)
6. Lily hindered a squirrel named Nutmeg find her lost acorn. (Answer: False)
7. At the top of the tallest mountain, Lily found a magical unicorn guarding the secret recipe. (Answer: True)
8. Lily faced rewards from a wise owl and a cunning fox on her journey. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧