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in Activities for Adults· Activities for Kids

The Frightened Lion: Reading Comprehension Activity

Are you looking for an English short story for reading exercise? The Frightened Lion is a fun and interesting story to read. We have three versions of the story for different levels of English readers: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Use the appropriate level for you or your students.

In this article, we also provide the moral of the story of the lion and his courage, along with reading comprehensive questions and answers. Also, learn a list of key vocabulary from this English short story.

the frightened lion story

The Frightened Lion Story in English

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 Frightened Lion.”

Beginner

Once in a big field, there was a lion named Leo. Leo was very strong but scared of buzzing bees, loud thunder, and tiny mice. Leo’s friends, other animals, noticed he was always scared. An old elephant named Ella said, “Why are you afraid, Leo? You’re strong!”

Leo said, “Bees, thunder, and mice make me nervous.” His friends helped Leo face his fears. They showed him bees are busy, thunder is just noise, and mice are more scared of him.

Leo felt braver and thanked his friends. Now, he wasn’t scared anymore and roared confidently. The story teaches us that sometimes our fears aren’t as big as we think, and with friends’ help, we can be brave.

Intermediate

In a big savanna, there was a lion named Leo. Leo was very strong, but he was scared of many things like buzzing bees, loud thunderstorms, and even tiny mice. One day, Leo’s friends noticed that he was always scared. An old elephant named Ella asked, “Why are you afraid, Leo? You’re the strongest lion!”

Leo admitted, “I get scared easily. Bees, thunder, and mice all make me nervous.” Leo’s friends decided to help him face his fears. First, they showed Leo that bees are too busy to bother him. Then, they huddled together during a thunderstorm, and Leo learned it was just noise.

Finally, they introduced him to some mice. Leo saw they were more scared of him than he was of them. Leo felt braver and thanked his friends. From that day on, Leo wasn’t scared anymore. He roared with confidence, and the jungle celebrated their once-frightened lion becoming a brave and strong king.

The story teaches us that sometimes our fears aren’t as big as we think, and with friends’ help, we can be brave and strong.

Advanced

Once upon a time in the heart of a vast savanna, there lived a powerful but frightened lion named Leo. Despite being the king of the jungle, Leo was afraid of many things. He feared the buzzing bees, the crackling thunderstorms, and even the tiny mice.

One day, Leo’s animal friends gathered around him and noticed his anxious demeanor. A wise old elephant named Ella spoke up, “Leo, you are the mightiest lion in the jungle. Why do you let fear control you?”

Leo sighed and confessed, “I may be strong, but many things scare me. The buzzing of bees makes me nervous, the thunderstorms make me tremble, and even the smallest mice make me jump.”

The animals decided to help Leo overcome his fears. They began with the buzzing bees. Slowly, Leo approached a beehive with the guidance of his friends. The bees, busy with their work, paid him no attention. Leo realized they were not interested in harming him.

Next, they faced the thunderstorms. The animals huddled together, and Leo learned that the thunder was just nature’s way of making noise. The storm passed, and Leo felt a sense of relief.

Lastly, the mice. Leo’s friends took him to meet a group of mice, and he saw they were more scared of him than he was of them. Leo realized that his fears were unfounded, and he felt a newfound confidence.

Leo thanked his friends for helping him conquer his fears. From that day on, he roared with strength, unburdened by unnecessary fears. The jungle celebrated the transformation of the once-frightened lion into a courageous and confident king.

The moral of the story is that sometimes our fears are not as big as we think, and with the support of friends, we can overcome them and discover our true strength.

The Frightened Lion: Moral of the Story

The moral of the story is that sometimes things that seem scary are not really as big as we think. With help from friends, we can be brave and face our fears.

Vocabulary

Here’s a list of key vocabulary that appeared in the story.

  • braver: More ready to face danger.
  • roared: Made a big noise (from a lion).
  • huddled: Gathered together right next to each other.
  • savannah: Grassland with few trees.
  • mightiest: The biggest.
  • unfounded: No foundation or basis, in fact.
  • conquer: Overcome.

the frightened lion english short story in english

The Frightened Lion: 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

  1. What scared Leo the lion in the story?
  2. Who noticed that Leo was always scared?
  3. How did Leo’s friends help him face his fear of bees?
  4. What did Leo learn about thunderstorms with the help of his friends?
  5. What made Leo feel braver in the end?

Answers

  1. Leo was scared of buzzing bees, loud thunderstorms, and tiny mice.
  2. Leo’s friends, the other animals in the jungle, noticed that he was always scared.
  3. They showed Leo that bees are busy and won’t bother him if he doesn’t bother them.
  4. Leo learned that thunderstorms are just loud noises and not something to be afraid of.
  5. Leo felt braver in the end because his friends showed him that the things he was scared of were not as big as he thought, and with their help, he could be strong and confident.

More English Stories

If you are looking for more short stories written in English, here’s a list that you should check out:

  • A Council of Mice
  • The Fox and the Crow
  • The Boy Who Cried Wolf
  • The Bear and the Bee

The Frightened Lion: Join the Conversation

What are your thoughts on this famous short English tale about courage? Do you agree with the moral of the story? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults, Great Debates for ESL/EFL, and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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