Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Ghost of the Old Mansion

Once upon a time, in a small town, there was an old mansion that had been long forgotten. The house was big and old and had been abandoned for many years. People in the town said it was haunted by a ghost. No one dared to go near the house.

One night, a little girl named Lucy was walking home when she heard a strange noise coming from the old house. She was scared and hesitated to go near it. But then she decided to take a closer look.

When she got closer, she saw a ghostly figure in the window of the house. She was so scared that she ran away.

The next day, Lucy told her friends about the ghost but they didn’t believe her. So, Lucy decided to prove it to them. She went back to the old mansion and found the ghost again. This time, she was brave enough to talk to the ghost.

The ghost told her that he was very lonely and wanted someone to talk to him. Lucy was happy to help. She started visiting the ghost every day and brought him food and toys.

Soon, the ghost was so friendly and happy that everyone in the town started to visit him. The old mansion was no longer forgotten and everyone in the town was happy to have a new friend.

The end.

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Vocabulary

1. Mansion (noun): A large, impressive house.
2. Haunted (adjective): Believed to be inhabited by a ghost or spirit.
3. Hesitated (verb): Paused or stopped before doing something.
4. Closer (adjective): Nearby.
5. Ghostly (adjective): Related to a ghost or spirit.
6. Prove (verb): To demonstrate that something is true.
7. Figure (noun): A physical shape or form.
8. Loneliness (noun): A feeling of being alone.
9. Friendly (adjective): Nice, pleasant, or kind.
10. Forgotten (adjective): Not remembered.

Comprehension Questions

1. Who was the little girl who heard the strange noise coming from the old mansion?
2. What did the ghost tell Lucy when she was brave enough to talk to him?
3. How did Lucy prove to her friends that there was a ghost in the old mansion?
4. How did the ghost feel before Lucy started visiting him?
5. How did people in the town react when Lucy started visiting the ghost?
6. What did Lucy bring to the ghost when she visited him?
7. What happened to the old mansion after Lucy started visiting the ghost?
8. How often did Lucy visit the ghost?
9. What was the name of the town where the old mansion was located?
10. What did the ghost look like when Lucy first saw him?

Gap Fill Questions

1. The old mansion had been ____________ for many years.
2. Lucy was scared when she heard a strange ___________ coming from the house.
3. Lucy’s friends didn’t believe her story about the ghost so she decided to ___________ it to them.
4. Lucy brought the ghost ___________ and toys when she visited him.
5. The ghost was so friendly and happy that ___________ in the town started to visit him.
6. The old mansion was no longer ___________ and everyone was happy to have a new friend.
7. Lucy was walking home when she heard a ___________ from the old house.
8. Lucy was brave enough to ___________ to the ghost.
9. The ghost told Lucy that he was very ___________ and wanted someone to talk to him.
10. Lucy started visiting the ghost ___________ day.

Conversation Questions

1. Have you ever experienced anything paranormal?
2. Do you think ghosts exist?
3. What do you think the afterlife looks like?
4. Do you believe in spirits?
5. What do you think is the scariest thing about the supernatural?
6. Have you ever been somewhere that gave you the creeps?
7. Do you think old buildings are more prone to paranormal activity?
8. Are there any superstitions that you take seriously?
9. Do you think there are other dimensions beyond our own?
10. Do you believe in the power of intuition?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who was the little girl who heard the strange noise coming from the old mansion?
Lucy
2. What did the ghost tell Lucy when she was brave enough to talk to him?
The ghost told her that he was very lonely and wanted someone to talk to him.
3. How did Lucy prove to her friends that there was a ghost in the old mansion?
Lucy went back to the old mansion and found the ghost again and then told her friends about it.
4. How did the ghost feel before Lucy started visiting him?
The ghost felt very lonely.
5. How did people in the town react when Lucy started visiting the ghost?
People in the town were happy to have a new friend and started visiting the ghost themselves.
6. What did Lucy bring to the ghost when she visited him?
Lucy brought the ghost food and toys.
7. What happened to the old mansion after Lucy started visiting the ghost?
The old mansion was no longer forgotten.
8. How often did Lucy visit the ghost?
Lucy visited the ghost every day.
9. What was the name of the town where the old mansion was located?
The town was not specified in the story.
10. What did the ghost look like when Lucy first saw him?
The ghost was a ghostly figure in the window of the house.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

1. abandoned
2. noise
3. prove
4. food
5. everyone
6. forgotten
7. noise
8. talk
9. lonely
10. every

πŸ“š How about these other Level 2 stories?

A cheeky little boy named Sam has a day full of funny mishaps and unexpected surprises in the snowy landscape.

Sam’s Snowy Day

Sam had the best day ever in the snow – he made a funny snowman, hung upside down, and saved a squirrel!

Lily conquers the Marshmallow Mountains, learns the secret recipe, and shares everlasting marshmallows with the world.

The Marshmallow Mountains

Lily goes to the Marshmallow Mountains and meets animals who help her find a secret recipe for everlasting marshmallows.

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

Fluffy the cat wanted to fly, so he built a machine, but got scared when he went too high, luckily some seagulls helped him land safely and taught him an important lesson.

Dara the daring dragonfly embarks on a quest, only to discover that the true treasure is within.

The Daring Dragonfly

Dara the dragonfly found a secret map and went on an adventure to find treasure, but she discovered that the real treasure was learning to have fun and be brave.

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