If you are looking for a short English story that contains a meaningful message, try reading “A Council of Mice.” We created three versions of the same stories to accommodate all reading levels. After reading the story, go over the list of vocabulary and reading comprehension questions to test if you properly understood the story. Reading and completing the comprehensive activity will help you improve your English reading skills.
A Council of Mice
If you know your English reading level, jump to the appropriate one. If not, start with the beginner level and see if you’d be able to challenge yourself to read the intermediate or advanced version of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”
Beginner
Once in a field, there were many little mice. They were happy until a cat named Whiskers started chasing them. The mice got scared and didn’t know what to do.
The smartest mouse, Whiskerington, called a meeting. They talked about how to stay safe. A brave mouse, Squeaky, said, “Let’s tell each other when Whiskers is close, and we can hide.”
Another mouse, Swift, had an idea too. “Let’s build safe spots to hide quickly if Whiskers comes.” The mice liked these ideas, so they started telling each other and built hiding spots. It worked! Whiskers couldn’t catch them anymore, and the mice felt safe.
The story teaches us that when we work together and use our brains, we can solve problems and stay safe, even from something scary like a cat.
Intermediate
Once in a meadow, there were many little mice. They lived happily until a cat named Whiskers started catching them. The mice were scared and needed to figure out what to do.
The smartest mouse, Whiskerington, gathered all the mice for a meeting. They talked about how to stay safe from Whiskers. A brave mouse named Squeaky said, “We should tell each other when Whiskers is close, so we can hide.”
Another mouse named Swift had an idea, too. “Let’s build safe hiding spots so we can quickly go there if Whiskers comes.” The mice liked these ideas, so they started warning each other and built hiding spots. It worked! Whiskers couldn’t catch the mice anymore, and they felt safe.
The story teaches us that when we work together and use our brains, we can solve problems and stay safe, even from something scary like a cat.
Advanced
Once upon a time in a quiet meadow, there lived a community of mice. The mice were small but wise, and they had a leader named Whiskerington. One day, a group of mice noticed that the village cat, known as Whiskers, was catching more and more mice every day. The mice were frightened and didn’t know what to do.
Feeling the need for a solution, the mice gathered for a council to discuss their predicament. Whiskerington, with his long whiskers and wise eyes, presided over the meeting.
A brave mouse named Squeaky spoke up first, “We must find a way to outsmart Whiskers and avoid being caught. Perhaps we can create a plan to alert each other when Whiskers is nearby.”
Another mouse named Swift suggested, “What if we build safe hiding spots where we can quickly retreat if Whiskers comes too close?”
After much discussion, the council of mice decided to implement both ideas. They created a system of signals to warn each other about the cat’s presence and built small, secure hiding places throughout the meadow. As days passed, the plan worked well, and the mice felt safer. Whiskers, no longer able to catch mice easily, grew frustrated and eventually gave up.
The moral of the story is that by working together and using their intelligence, the mice were able to overcome a common threat. It teaches us that unity and cleverness can overcome challenges, even when faced with a formidable opponent.
The Mice in Council: Moral of the Story
The moral of the story of “The Mice in Council” is that when we work together and use our brains, we can solve problems and stay safe, even from something scary like a cat. Teamwork and clever thinking help us overcome challenges.
Vocabulary
- catching: Capturing.
- hiding spots: Places where someone or something can’t be found.
- community: Group of people or animals.
- council: Leaders or a group.
- presided: Held a high position in a meeting.
- outsmart: Defeat.
- alert: Notify; tell.
A Council of Mice: Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension activities assess and ensure that the reader has understood the story. These questions test the basic understanding and thinking skills such as analysis and interpretation. If you are an English teacher, use these reading comprehension questions to evaluate your student’s ability to extract meaning, make connections, and apply the information they’ve acquired.
Comprehension Questions
- What was the problem that the mice faced in the story?
- Who was the leader of the mice?
- What were the two ideas the mice decided to use to stay safe from Whiskers?
- Did the plan of the mice work against Whiskers? How?
- What does the story teach us about solving problems?
Answers
- The mice faced a problem of being caught by a cat named Whiskers.
- Whiskerington was the leader of the mice.
- The mice decided to warn each other when Whiskers was close and to build safe hiding spots.
- Yes, the plan worked. By warning each other and having safe hiding spots, Whiskers couldn’t catch the mice anymore.
- The story teaches us that working together and using our brains can help us solve problems and stay safe.
More English Short Stories
If you are looking for more short English stories to read like this one, check out the following list.
A Council of Mice: Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on this famous short story of mice? Do you agree with the moral of the story? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.
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