Exercises: The Lucky Octopus

Here are two short exercises based on the The Lucky Octopus children's short story (level: lower-intermediate). Answers are given at the end.

Exercise A: Vocabulary

Match the words from the story (abc) with the definitions (123). For example: a7

a. happy b. kind c. delicious d. honest e. fair f. lucky g. tiny h. beautiful i. sad j. lonely

  1. attractive
  2. have a pleasant taste
  3. equal for everyone
  4. have good things happen by chance
  5. extremely small
  6. unhappy
  7. unhappy because you aren't with other people
  8. feel pleased
  9. generous and helpful
  10. truthful

Exercise B: Comprehension

Answer the questions about the story:

1. What type of creature is the main character in this story?

a. a sea fairy b. an octopus c. a fish

2. Why is Ollie different from the rest of her family?

a. She is big. b. She is unlucky. c. She only has 7 legs.

3. Who are Oscar and Orlando?

a. They are Ollie's friends. b. They are Ollie's brothers. c. They are Ollie's children.

4. Why did Ollie cry in the seaweed patch?

a. It was her birthday. b. She didn't grow her eighth leg. c. She wanted to see the treasure.

5. What did Ollie's mother give her at the party?

a. a balloon b. a cake c. an apple

Click to see answers