Once upon a time, in the heart of the savannah, there lived a jolly giraffe named Gerald. Gerald was known far and wide for his big, goofy smile and his love of adventure.
Every day, Gerald would wake up at the crack of dawn, stretch his long neck as high as he could, and set off on a new adventure. He would roam the savannah, searching for new friends to play with and new sights to see.
One day, while exploring a dense forest, Gerald stumbled upon a group of mischievous monkeys. The monkeys were causing all sorts of trouble, swinging from tree to tree and tossing fruit everywhere.
Gerald couldn’t help but laugh at their silly antics, and before he knew it, he had joined in on the fun. They spent the whole day playing and laughing together, and by the time the sun began to set, Gerald was having the time of his life.
As the sun disappeared behind the horizon, Gerald realized that it was time to head home. He said goodbye to his new monkey friends and set off towards his cozy nest in the treetops.
As he drifted off to sleep that night, Gerald couldn’t help but smile at all the fun he had had that day. He knew that tomorrow would bring even more adventures, and he couldn’t wait to see what the world had in store for him.
The end.
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Vocabulary
- “jolly” (adjective) – happy, cheerful, and full of good humor
- “giraffe” (noun) – a tall African animal with a long neck and spotted coat
- “savannah” (noun) – a grassy plain in tropical or subtropical regions
- “crack” (noun) – a sudden sharp noise
- “dawn” (noun) – the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise
- “stumble” (verb) – to trip and almost fall while walking or running
- “roam” (verb) – to wander or travel aimlessly
- “dense” (adjective) – closely packed together; thick
- “mischievous” (adjective) – playfully troublesome; tending to cause mischief
- “toss” (verb) – to throw (something) lightly or carelessly
- “silly” (adjective) – foolish or ridiculous
- “horizon” (noun) – the line at which the earth’s surface and the sky seem to meet, especially as it appears to an observer.
Comprehension Questions
Please answer the following questions with your teacher or partner.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!
1. What is the main character’s name in the story?
2. Where does the main character live?
3. What is the main character known for?
4. What does the main character do when he wakes up in the morning?
5. What kind of animal is the main character?
6. Where does the main character go on his adventures?
7. What do the monkeys in the dense forest do?
8. What do the main character and the monkeys do together?
9. When does the main character realize it’s time to go home?
10. How does the main character feel when he goes to sleep at night?
Gap Fill Questions
Please fill in the gaps.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!
1. The main character is known for his big, __________ smile.
2. The main character lives in the __________.
3. The main character goes on adventures all over the __________.
4. The monkeys in the dense forest are causing all sorts of trouble, swinging from tree to tree and __________ fruit everywhere.
5. The main character and the monkeys spend the day __________ and laughing together.
6. The main character realizes it’s time to go home as the sun __________ to set.
7. The main character feels __________ and full of good humor when he goes to sleep at night.
8. The main character’s name is __________.
9. The main character is a __________.
Conversation Questions
With your teacher or partner, please ask and answer these questions:
1. What do you think the main character’s personality is like based on the story?
2. Have you ever had an adventure like the main character’s? If so, what was it like?
3. What do you think the main character and the monkeys did on their adventure?
4. Do you think the main character will have more adventures in the future? Why or why not?
5. If you could go on an adventure with any animal, which animal would you choose and why?
6. Have you ever been to a place like the savannah? If so, what was it like?
7. How do you think the main character feels when he wakes up in the morning, knowing he has a whole day of adventures ahead of him?
8. If you could choose any animal to be for a day, which animal would you choose and why?
9. Do you think you would have as much fun as the main character and the monkeys did on their adventure? Why or why not?
10. What other adventures do you think the main character might go on in the future?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
- What is the main character’s name in the story?
- The main character’s name is Gerald.
- Where does the main character live?
- The main character lives in the savannah.
- What is the main character known for?
- The main character is known for his big, goofy smile and his love of adventure.
- What does the main character do when he wakes up in the morning?
- When he wakes up in the morning, the main character stretches his long neck as high as he can and sets off on a new adventure.
- What kind of animal is the main character?
- The main character is a giraffe.
- Where does the main character go on his adventures?
- The main character goes on adventures all over the savannah.
- What do the monkeys in the dense forest do?
- The monkeys in the dense forest are causing all sorts of trouble, swinging from tree to tree and tossing fruit everywhere.
- What do the main character and the monkeys do together?
- The main character and the monkeys spend the day playing and laughing together.
- When does the main character realize it’s time to go home?
- The main character realizes it’s time to go home as the sun begins to set.
- How does the main character feel when he goes to sleep at night?
- The main character feels happy and full of good humor when he goes to sleep at night.
Gap Fill Question Answers:
1. The main character is known for his big, goofy smile.
2. The main character lives in the savannah.
3. The main character goes on adventures all over the savannah.
4. The monkeys in the dense forest are causing all sorts of trouble, swinging from tree to tree and tossing fruit everywhere.
5. The main character and the monkeys spend the day playing and laughing together.
6. The main character realizes it’s time to go home as the sun begins to set.
7. The main character feels happy and full of good humor when he goes to sleep at night.
8. The main character’s name is Gerald.
9. The main character is a giraffe.
