ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
2 / A2
Published
Title
Baby Monkey Learns to Live With Group
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-02-26-baby-monkey-learns-to-live-with-group/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: True or False, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice

Language: Vocab Match

Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) Do you like going to the zoo?

(2) What animals do you like to watch?

A soft, textured children’s-book illustration of a young macaque sitting on sandy ground beside an orange plush toy, against a rocky background.
Punch and his stuffed orangutan toy.

Vocab List

raise (v.) — To take care of a child or young animal while it grows.
groom (v.) — To clean another animal's fur.
protect (v.) — To keep someone safe from danger.
gasp (v.) — To take in air quickly because of surprise or shock.
cage (n.) — A structure with bars where an animal is kept.
animal lovers (n. phrase) — People who care a lot about animals.
accept (v.) — To agree to take or allow something.
stuffed toy (n. phrase) — A soft toy filled with material.
scene (n.) — A part of an event that people can see.
Reading

A baby monkey named Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. This week, many people watched videos of him online. In one video, he carries a stuffed orangutan toy. Zoo workers gave him the toy because he often felt alone.

Punch's mother left him right after birth, so zoo workers raised him. Another new video then upset many animal lovers. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in circles on the ground. Punch then ran to a corner and held his toy. People near the cage gasped when they saw this scene.

The zoo said Punch tried to meet another baby monkey before this happened. That baby did not accept him. Then an adult female monkey came to Punch. The zoo thinks she was the baby's mother and wanted to protect her baby.

Punch was born on July 26, 2025, at the zoo. Recent zoo updates show better days for him. Other monkeys now groom him and play with him. Staff say he is learning how to live with the monkey group.

Baby Monkey Learns to Live With Group

Level 2 Article Source: usatoday.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A soft, textured children’s-book illustration of a young macaque sitting on sandy ground beside an orange plush toy, against a rocky background.
Punch and his stuffed orangutan toy.

A baby monkey named Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan. This week, many people watched videos of him online. In one video, he carries a stuffed orangutan toy. Zoo workers gave him the toy because he often felt alone.

Punch's mother left him right after birth, so zoo workers raised him. Another new video then upset many animal lovers. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in circles on the ground. Punch then ran to a corner and held his toy. People near the cage gasped when they saw this scene.

The zoo said Punch tried to meet another baby monkey before this happened. That baby did not accept him. Then an adult female monkey came to Punch. The zoo thinks she was the baby's mother and wanted to protect her baby.

Punch was born on July 26, 2025, at the zoo. Recent zoo updates show better days for him. Other monkeys now groom him and play with him. Staff say he is learning how to live with the monkey group.

Speaker: American Female  Duration: 1:36  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

A baby monkey named Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo in (1) . This week, many people watched videos of him online. In one video, he carries a stuffed orangutan toy. Zoo workers gave him the toy because he often felt alone.

Punch's mother left him right after birth, so zoo workers raised him. Another new video then upset many animal lovers. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in (2) on the ground. Punch then ran to a corner and held his toy. People near the cage gasped when they saw this scene.

The zoo said Punch tried to meet another baby monkey before this happened. That baby did not accept him. Then an adult female monkey came to Punch. The zoo thinks she was the baby's mother and wanted to (3) her baby.

Punch was born on July 26, 2025, at the zoo. Recent zoo updates show better days for him. Other monkeys now (4) him and play with him. Staff say he is learning how to live with the monkey (5) .

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Do you think Punch will be okay in the future? Why?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Do you think Punch will be okay in the future? Why?

    A: Recent updates show other monkeys now play with Punch. Punch is learning to live with the monkey group.

    But, / I think, / For example,

    Recent updates show other monkeys now play with Punch. I think, Punch is learning to live with the monkey group.

  2. The zoo gave Punch a toy he often felt alone.

    because / but / or

    The zoo gave Punch a toy because he often felt alone.

  3. Some videos about Punch were upsetting for people. recent updates show better days for him.

    Also, / But, / For example,

    Some videos about Punch were upsetting for people. But, recent updates show better days for him.

Discussion Questions
  1. How did you feel when you read about Punch?
  2. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in circles. Is this normal monkey behavior?
  3. If you were there, would you help Punch? How?
  4. Do you think Punch will be okay in the future? Why?
  5. Do you watch animal videos online? If not, what kinds of videos do you like?
  6. Do you have any stuffed toys, like teddy bears?
  7. Why do young people (and young monkeys) like stuffed toys?
  8. What can a person do if they feel alone?
  9. Are you an animal lover?

Discussion Questions

  1. How did you feel when you read about Punch?
  2. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in circles. Is this normal monkey behavior?
  3. If you were there, would you help Punch? How?
  4. Do you think Punch will be okay in the future? Why?
  5. Do you watch animal videos online? If not, what kinds of videos do you like?
  6. Do you have any stuffed toys, like teddy bears?
  7. Why do young people (and young monkeys) like stuffed toys?
  8. What can a person do if they feel alone?
  9. Are you an animal lover?

Answers Baby Monkey Learns to Live With Group / Level 2

Listening: (1) Japan, (2) circles, (3) protect, (4) groom, (5) group

True or False:

  1. True. The story says Punch lives at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
  2. False. The story says Punch's mother left him right after birth.
  3. True. The story says other monkeys now groom him.

Multiple Choice: a, c, c

Put Events in Order:

  1. Zoo workers gave Punch a stuffed toy because he felt alone.
  2. A bigger monkey pulled Punch in circles on the ground.
  3. Punch ran to a corner and held his toy.
  4. Recent updates show other monkeys now groom and play with Punch.

Vocabulary:

  1. Raise (v): To take care of a child or young animal while it grows.
  2. Protect (v): To keep someone safe from danger.
  3. Cage (n): A structure with bars where an animal is kept.
  1. Accept (v): To agree to take or allow something.
  2. Scene (n): A part of an event that people can see.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Opinion. 2) Reason. 3) Contrast.

  1. I think,
  2. because
  3. But,

eslnewsstories.com