Once upon a time, there lived a playful platypus named Pete. Pete lived in a little pond deep in the Australian Outback. He was a very curious creature and was always looking for something fun to do.

One day, Pete decided to explore the world outside of his pond. He hopped and skipped around in the grass, looking for something interesting to do. He saw a bee and tried to catch it, but the bee was too fast. He saw a rabbit and tried to chase after it, but the rabbit disappeared into a hole in the ground.

Pete kept exploring and soon he stumbled upon a small river. He had never seen a river before, so he decided to take a dip. He splashed around in the water and had so much fun that he forgot all about the time.

Soon, it was dark outside and Pete realized he had been gone for too long. He made his way back to the pond as fast as he could. When he arrived, he was so happy to be home!

From then on, Pete was more careful about how long he stayed out exploring. But he still loved to go out and explore the world around him. To this day, Pete is still the most playful platypus in the Australian Outback.

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Vocabulary

1. Platypus (noun): A mammal that lives in Australia and has a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a furry body.

2. Outback (noun): The remote, rural areas of Australia that are far away from large cities.

3. Curious (adjective): Interested in finding out more about something.

4. Skip (verb): To move quickly by hopping on one foot and then the other.

5. Dip (verb): To move into something, usually water, quickly and then out again.

6. Splash (verb): To make a lot of noise by stirring up liquid or throwing something into it.

7. Careful (adjective): Paying close attention to what you are doing to avoid making mistakes.

8. Explore (verb): To search around and look at different things.

9. Playful (adjective): Enjoying doing activities that are fun.

Comprehension Questions

1. Where did Pete the platypus live?
2. What did Pete try to do when he saw a bee?
3. What did Pete find when he was exploring?
4. What did Pete do in the river?
5. How did Pete feel when he returned home?
6. What did Pete learn from his adventure?
7. What is Pete still known for today?
8. What is the setting of the story?

Gap Fill Questions

1. Pete lived in a ____ pond deep in the Australian Outback.
2. He was a very ____ creature.
3. Pete tried to catch a ____ but it was too fast.
4. He tried to chase a ____ but it disappeared.
5. Pete stumbled upon a ____ river.
6. He had so much fun that he ____ all about the time.
7. When he arrived home, he was so ____ to be there.
8. Since then, Pete was more ____ about how long he stayed out exploring.
9. He still loved to go out and ____ the world around him.
10. To this day, Pete is still the most ____ platypus in the Australian Outback.

Conversation Questions

1. Have you ever gone exploring in nature?
2. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
3. How do you like to spend your free time?
4. Are you a curious person by nature?
5. What do you find most interesting about nature?
6. Do you think it’s important to take breaks and explore?
7. Have you ever been somewhere that was completely new to you?
8. What has been your favorite outdoor activity?
9. What do you think makes a place feel like home?
10. What do you think are the benefits of being adventurous?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Pete the platypus lived in a little pond deep in the Australian Outback.
2. Pete tried to catch the bee.
3. Pete found a small river when he was exploring.
4. Pete splashed around in the river.
5. Pete was so happy to be home.
6. Pete learned to be more careful about how long he stayed out exploring.
7. Pete is still known for being the most playful platypus in the Australian Outback.
8. The setting of the story is the Australian Outback.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

1. Pete lived in a little pond deep in the Australian Outback.
2. He was a very curious creature.
3. Pete tried to catch a bee but it was too fast.
4. He tried to chase a rabbit but it disappeared.
5. Pete stumbled upon a small river.
6. He had so much fun that he forgot all about the time.
7. When he arrived home, he was so happy to be there.
8. Since then, Pete was more careful about how long he stayed out exploring.
9. He still loved to go out and explore the world around him.
10. To this day, Pete is still the most playful platypus in the Australian Outback.