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High Elementary (A2 High) CEFR A2

The Penguin Who Rode Into Dusty Gulch

Duration

5 min read

Length

287 words

Story

4 paragraphs

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Story Excerpt

Sample preview reading passage

Paragraphs 1–2 of 4

Once upon a time, in a hot and dusty town called Dusty Gulch, there lived a penguin named Percy. Percy was not like the other penguins, because he loved warm weather and wide open spaces. He wore a tiny brown cowboy hat, which he had found near the old saloon. Every morning, he practiced roping a small cactus, but he was not very good at it. The other animals laughed, but Percy just smiled and kept trying.

One day, the mayor announced a big competition called the Great Savanna Race. The winner would get a golden trophy and a year of free fish. Percy wanted to win more than anything, so he began to train hard. He ran around the dusty streets, but the heat made him slow. A kind zebra named Zola, who was grazing nearby, saw Percy and felt sorry for him. "You need a friend to help you," she said gently.

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Educational Objectives

Story Details

Grammar focus and learning objectives covered in this story.

Grammar Level

A2 · Past Simple, Present Simple, relative clauses with 'who'

Learning Outcomes

read and understand a short story about animals in a savanna setting
recognise and use past simple verbs to talk about completed actions
identify the roles of grazers and predators in a food chain
explain how seasons and drought affect animal migration
answer comprehension questions about the story's events and moral

Grammar Focus

Past Simple: subject + verb-ed / irregular past

Use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past. Regular verbs add -ed, and irregular verbs change form.

“ Percy wanted to win more than anything, so he began to train hard.

Tip: Remember that irregular verbs like 'begin' become 'began' in the past simple.

Relative clause with 'who': noun + who + verb

Use 'who' to add extra information about a person or animal. It comes right after the noun it describes.

“ A kind zebra named Zola, who was grazing nearby, saw Percy and felt sorry for him.

Tip: Put commas around the relative clause if the information is extra and not essential to the sentence.

Present Simple for habits and facts: subject + verb(-s)

Use the present simple to describe routines, habits, or general truths.

“ Every morning, he practices roping a small cactus, but he was not very good at it.

Tip: Add -s or -es to the verb when the subject is he, she, or it.

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