In a small village surrounded by green hills, there was a strange orchard that people thought was magical. They called it the Orchard of Oddities because they believed the fruit had special powers. The villagers were always curious about it, and would stand by the old gate talking about what was inside. One day, four brave kids named Lily, Oliver, Max, and Mia decided to go into the orchard and find out what was really there.

Inside the orchard, they found a tree with huge strawberries. They picked some and started eating them. Suddenly, when they talked, their voices sounded like music! They couldn’t stop laughing because it was like they were singing instead of speaking.

Then, they saw a tree with colorful apples. They took a bite and ended up floating in the air like balloons. They flew around, laughing even more and looking at how pretty their village was from up high.

They kept walking and found a tree with bright oranges. When they touched the oranges, their hands started shining with lots of colors. They had fun painting the air with light, making awesome designs and patterns that glowed.

Next, they came across a tree with melons. Curious as always, they tasted the fruit. As soon as they did, they turned into different animals! Lily became a deer, Oliver a monkey, Max a snake, and Mia a kitten. They played around, enjoying being animals for a while.

At the end, they found a pear tree with fruit that sparkled. When they ate the pears, they felt really smart and understood something important. They realized that the orchard was special not just because of the fruit, but because it made them happy and curious. They left the orchard feeling normal again, but they remembered everything they had done. They learned to always look for the amazing things in life and to not be scared of trying new adventures. The orchard taught them that the real magic is in exploring new things and having friends to share it with.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the villagers call the orchard and why?
2. Why did the four kids decide to go into the orchard?
3. What happened when the kids ate the strawberries from the tree?
4. How did the kids feel when they were floating in the air after eating the apples?
5. What did the kids do with the oranges from the tree?
6. What happened to the kids when they tasted the melons?
7. What did the kids learn from their experience in the orchard?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small village (1)______ by green hills, there was a strange orchard that people thought was magical. They called it the Orchard of Oddities because they believed the fruit had special (2)______. The villagers were always curious about it, and would stand by the old gate talking about what was inside. One day, four brave kids named Lily, (3)______, Max, and Mia decided to go into the orchard and find out what was really there.

Inside the orchard, they (4)______ a tree with huge strawberries. They picked some and (5)______ eating them. Suddenly, when they talked, their voices sounded like music! They couldn’t stop laughing because it was like they were singing instead of (6)______.

Then, they saw a tree with colorful apples. They took a bite and (7)______ up floating in the air like balloons. They flew around, laughing even more and looking at how pretty their village was from up high.

They kept walking and found a tree with bright oranges. When they (8)______ the oranges, their hands started (9)______ with lots of (10)______. They had fun painting the air with light, making awesome designs and patterns that glowed.

Next, they came across a tree with (11)______. Curious as always, they tasted the fruit. As soon as they did, they turned into different animals! Lily became a deer, Oliver a monkey, Max a snake, and Mia a kitten. They (12)______ around, enjoying being animals for a while.

At the end, they found a pear tree with fruit that sparkled. When they ate the pears, they felt really (13)______ and understood something (14)______. They realized that the orchard was (15)______ not just because of the fruit, but because it made them happy and curious. They left the orchard feeling normal again, but they remembered everything they had done. They learned to always look for the amazing things in life and to not be scared of trying new adventures. The orchard taught them that the real magic is in (16)______ new things and having friends to share it with.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an orchard? Have you ever been to one?
2. How would you feel if you found a tree with huge strawberries that made your voice sound like music?
3. Do you like the idea of floating in the air like a balloon? Why or why not?
4. What do you think it would be like to have hands that shine with lots of colors?
5. If you could turn into any animal, which one would you choose? Why?
6. How do you think the kids felt when they realized that the orchard made them happy and curious?
7. Do you think it’s important to always look for amazing things in life? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever tried something new and had a great adventure? What was it like?
9. Why do you think the orchard taught the kids that the real magic is in exploring new things?
10. How do you think the kids felt after leaving the orchard? Do you think they would go back again? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. orchard
2. curious
3. magical
4. villagers
5. brave
6. oddities
7. floating
8. patterns
9. melons
10. deer
11. monkey
12. snake
13. kitten
14. sparkled
15. adventures

Meanings:
(A) People who live in a small community in the countryside
(B) Shone with bright, twinkling lights
(C) Large, round fruits that grow on vines and are often eaten in the summer
(D) Being in the air without touching the ground
(E) A forest animal known for its grace and long legs
(F) Exciting experiences that involve taking risks or trying new things
(G) Having special powers that can’t be explained by science
(H) Wanting to know more about something or someone
(I) An animal that is known for being playful and good at climbing trees
(J) A place where fruit trees grow
(K) Strange or unusual things that are interesting or exciting
(L) Having courage and not being afraid to face danger
(M) A long, legless reptile that slithers on the ground
(N) Designs or shapes that are repeated or arranged in a particular way
(O) A young cat
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did the villagers call the orchard?
(a) The Orchard of Oddities
(b) The Magical Orchard
(c) The Enchanted Garden
(d) The Mysterious Grove

2. What did the kids find in the orchard that made their voices sound like music?
(a) Colorful apples
(b) Bright oranges
(c) Sparkling pears
(d) Huge strawberries

3. What happened when the kids took a bite of the colorful apples?
(a) Their hands started shining with colors
(b) They floated in the air like balloons
(c) They turned into different animals
(d) They felt really smart and understood something important

4. What did the kids do when their hands started shining with colors?
(a) They painted the air with light
(b) They flew around like balloons
(c) They turned into different animals
(d) They felt really smart and understood something important

5. What happened when the kids tasted the melons?
(a) Their voices sounded like music
(b) They floated in the air like balloons
(c) Their hands started shining with colors
(d) They turned into different animals

6. What did the kids learn from their experience in the orchard?
(a) To be scared of trying new adventures
(b) To never eat fruit from the orchard again
(c) To always look for amazing things in life
(d) To keep the orchard a secret from the villagers

7. How did the kids feel when they left the orchard?
(a) Sad and disappointed
(b) Normal again, but with memories of their adventures
(c) Scared and confused
(d) Excited to tell the villagers about their experience

8. What did the kids realize about the orchard?
(a) It was magical because the fruit had special powers
(b) It was dangerous and should be avoided
(c) It was special because it made them happy and curious
(d) It was just an ordinary orchard with regular fruit

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They come across a tree with dull apples that make them sink in the air like rocks.
2. The kids find a tree with bright oranges that make their hands shine with lots of colors.
3. The kids eat pears from a pear tree that make them feel really smart and understand something important.
4. The Orchard of Oddities is believed to have magical fruit with special powers.
5. They taste the melons and stay the same animals – Lily remains a deer, Oliver remains a monkey, Max remains a snake, and Mia remains a kitten.
6. Four scared kids named Lily, Oliver, Max, and Mia decide to avoid the orchard.
7. The kids discover a tree with tiny strawberries that make their voices sound like noise.
8. The orchard teaches the kids to always seek out amazing things in life and to not be afraid of trying new adventures.
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 the villagers call the orchard and why?
The villagers called the orchard the Orchard of Oddities because they believed the fruit had special powers.

2. Why did the four kids decide to go into the orchard?
The four kids decided to go into the orchard because they were curious and wanted to find out what was really there.

3. What happened when the kids ate the strawberries from the tree?
When the kids ate the strawberries from the tree, their voices sounded like music and they couldn’t stop laughing because it was like they were singing instead of speaking.

4. How did the kids feel when they were floating in the air after eating the apples?
The kids felt happy and excited when they were floating in the air after eating the apples. They laughed even more and enjoyed looking at their village from up high.

5. What did the kids do with the oranges from the tree?
The kids touched the oranges from the tree and their hands started shining with lots of colors. They had fun painting the air with light, making awesome designs and patterns that glowed.

6. What happened to the kids when they tasted the melons?
When the kids tasted the melons, they turned into different animals. Lily became a deer, Oliver a monkey, Max a snake, and Mia a kitten. They played around and enjoyed being animals for a while.

7. What did the kids learn from their experience in the orchard?
The kids learned to always look for the amazing things in life and to not be scared of trying new adventures. They realized that the real magic is in exploring new things and having friends to share it with.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) surrounded
(2) powers
(3) Oliver
(4) found
(5) started
(6) speaking
(7) ended
(8) touched
(9) shining
(10) colors
(11) melons
(12) played
(13) smart
(14) important
(15) special
(16) exploring
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. orchard
Answer: (J) A place where fruit trees grow

2. curious
Answer: (H) Wanting to know more about something or someone

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

4. villagers
Answer: (A) People who live in a small community in the countryside

5. brave
Answer: (L) Having courage and not being afraid to face danger

6. oddities
Answer: (K) Strange or unusual things that are interesting or exciting

7. floating
Answer: (D) Being in the air without touching the ground

8. patterns
Answer: (N) Designs or shapes that are repeated or arranged in a particular way

9. melons
Answer: (C) Large, round fruits that grow on vines and are often eaten in the summer

10. deer
Answer: (E) A forest animal known for its grace and long legs

11. monkey
Answer: (I) An animal that is known for being playful and good at climbing trees

12. snake
Answer: (M) A long, legless reptile that slithers on the ground

13. kitten
Answer: (O) A young cat

14. sparkled
Answer: (B) Shone with bright, twinkling lights

15. adventures
Answer: (F) Exciting experiences that involve taking risks or trying new things
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did the villagers call the orchard?
Answer: (a) The Orchard of Oddities

2. What did the kids find in the orchard that made their voices sound like music?
Answer: (d) Huge strawberries

3. What happened when the kids took a bite of the colorful apples?
Answer: (b) They floated in the air like balloons

4. What did the kids do when their hands started shining with colors?
Answer: (a) They painted the air with light

5. What happened when the kids tasted the melons?
Answer: (d) They turned into different animals

6. What did the kids learn from their experience in the orchard?
Answer: (c) To always look for amazing things in life

7. How did the kids feel when they left the orchard?
Answer: (b) Normal again, but with memories of their adventures

8. What did the kids realize about the orchard?
Answer: (c) It was special because it made them happy and curious
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They come across a tree with dull apples that make them sink in the air like rocks. (Answer: False)
2. The kids find a tree with bright oranges that make their hands shine with lots of colors. (Answer: True)
3. The kids eat pears from a pear tree that make them feel really smart and understand something important. (Answer: True)
4. The Orchard of Oddities is believed to have magical fruit with special powers. (Answer: True)
5. They taste the melons and stay the same animals – Lily remains a deer, Oliver remains a monkey, Max remains a snake, and Mia remains a kitten. (Answer: False)
6. Four scared kids named Lily, Oliver, Max, and Mia decide to avoid the orchard. (Answer: False)
7. The kids discover a tree with tiny strawberries that make their voices sound like noise. (Answer: False)
8. The orchard teaches the kids to always seek out amazing things in life and to not be afraid of trying new adventures. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧