The Balloon

In the middle of a sunny meadow, a tiny mouse named Milo and his best friend, a cheerful robin named Ruby, sat on a branch overlooking the grass. They were an odd pair—Milo with his whiskers twitching with excitement and Ruby fluttering her bright red wings.

Milo sighed dramatically, looking up at the sky. “Ruby, I’ve decided something.”

Ruby cocked her head. “What’s that?”

“I want to fly,” Milo declared, his tiny paws gesturing to the clouds. “I want to soar through the sky like you.”

Ruby tried not to laugh. “Milo, you’re a mouse. Mice don’t fly.”

Milo puffed up his chest. “Well, maybe no mouse has ever tried hard enough. I’m going to be the first!”

The Failed Experiments

The next day, Milo began his experiments. His first attempt involved tying leaves to his arms. “See, Ruby?” he said, flapping wildly. “It’s just like wings!”

Ruby perched on a nearby branch, trying to stifle her giggles. “Milo, leaves aren’t feathers.”

Undeterred, Milo leapt off a rock. For a brief, glorious moment, he was airborne—before tumbling into a bush.

“Still needs work,” Milo muttered, brushing twigs off his fur.

His second attempt was even more ambitious. Milo borrowed a kite from the farmer’s shed and tied it to his back. As the wind picked up, the kite lifted him a few inches off the ground. “I’m doing it, Ruby! I’m flying!”

“Milo, watch out for the—” Ruby began, but it was too late. A gust of wind sent Milo spinning out of control, landing him in a pile of hay. “Fence,” Ruby finished with a sigh.

The Balloon Plan

Milo’s grandest idea came later that week. He had spotted a balloon at the farmer’s market and immediately knew it was the answer. “This is it, Ruby,” he announced, tying the balloon string around his waist. “This will take me to the clouds!”

Ruby wasn’t convinced. “Milo, I really don’t think—”

But Milo wasn’t listening. The balloon lifted him off the ground, and for the first time, he felt weightless. “I’m flying, Ruby! I’m really flying!”

Ruby followed him nervously as the balloon floated higher. “Milo, this is dangerous! You don’t know how to steer that thing.”

Milo grinned, the wind ruffling his fur. “Who needs steering when you’ve got this view?”

Just then, a sharp gust of wind carried Milo straight toward a tree. The balloon snagged on a branch, and Milo dangled precariously above the ground. “Uh, Ruby? A little help?”

Ruby flapped up to him, shaking her head. “I warned you, Milo. Flying isn’t as easy as it looks.”

“Fine, you were right,” Milo admitted. “But can you please get me down before I become bird food?”

With a few quick pecks at the string, Ruby freed Milo, catching him on her back as he fell. They landed safely on the ground, Milo clutching her feathers for dear life.

Acceptance

Once they were both safe, Ruby gave Milo a stern look. “Milo, you’re a great mouse. You don’t need to fly to be special.”

Milo sighed. “I just wanted to know what it felt like. To see the world the way you do.”

Ruby softened. “How about this? Whenever you want to see the sky, I’ll give you a ride. Deal?”

Milo’s eyes lit up. “You mean it?”

“Of course,” Ruby said, laughing. “What are friends for?”

From then on, Milo and Ruby went on weekly adventures, with Milo riding on Ruby’s back as they explored the skies together. Milo may not have been able to fly on his own, but with Ruby’s help, he soared higher than he ever dreamed.

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Take off – To start flying.

  • Example: “The balloon began to take off, lifting Milo into the sky.”

Hold on – To grip something tightly.

  • Example: “Milo held on to Ruby’s feathers as they landed.”

Brush off – To remove something from the surface.

  • Example: “Milo brushed off the twigs from his fur after falling into the bush.”

Pick up – To increase or improve.

  • Example: “As the wind picked up, the kite lifted Milo off the ground.”

Tie up – To secure something with a string or rope.

  • Example: “Milo tied the balloon string around his waist.”

Phrasal Verbs

Fill in the Blank with Phrasal Verbs

  1. Milo ________ the string around his waist before the balloon lifted him up.

  2. The wind began to ________, sending Milo spinning toward the fence.

  3. Milo ________ the leaves and twigs after landing in the bush.

  4. Ruby told Milo to ________ tightly as they landed safely.

  5. The balloon started to ________, taking Milo into the sky.

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Tied up

  2. Pick up

  3. Brushed off

  4. Hold on

  5. Take off

Idioms & Example Sentences

Reach for the sky – To set high goals.

  • Example: “Milo wanted to reach for the sky and prove he could fly.”

Head in the clouds – To be impractical or dreamy.

  • Example: “Ruby teased Milo for having his head in the clouds.”

Crash and burn – To fail spectacularly.

  • Example: “Milo’s kite experiment ended in a crash and burn.”

Go out on a limb – To take a risk.

  • Example: “Milo went out on a limb by trying to fly with a balloon.”

Come back down to earth – To become realistic.

  • Example: “Ruby helped Milo come back down to earth after his adventures.”

Idiom Quiz

Fill in the Blank with Idioms

  1. Milo always had his ________, dreaming of flying.

  2. The kite experiment was Milo’s first attempt, but it ended in a ________.

  3. Milo decided to ________ by using a balloon to fly.

  4. Ruby helped Milo ________ after he got stuck in the tree.

  5. “Milo, you don’t need to ________ to be special,” Ruby said.

Answers: Idioms

  1. Head in the clouds

  2. Crash and burn

  3. Go out on a limb

  4. Come back down to earth

  5. Reach for the sky

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. What did Milo want to do?
    a. Climb the highest tree.
    b. Learn how to fly.
    c. Swim in the pond.
    d. Build a nest.

  2. What was Milo’s first flying attempt?
    a. Using leaves as wings.
    b. Jumping off a branch.
    c. Tying a balloon to himself.
    d. Riding on Ruby’s back.

  3. What happened when Milo used the kite?
    a. He soared through the sky.
    b. He got stuck in a tree.
    c. He crashed into a pile of hay.
    d. The kite didn’t work at all.

  4. How did Ruby help Milo when he got stuck?
    a. She cut the balloon string.
    b. She called for help.
    c. She flew him to safety.
    d. She untangled the kite.

  5. What lesson did Milo learn in the end?
    a. That he could fly on his own.
    b. That being himself was enough.
    c. That balloons are dangerous.
    d. That Ruby was wrong.

  1. Why did Milo decide to use a balloon?
    a. It was light and colorful.
    b. He thought it would lift him into the sky.
    c. He saw another animal using one.
    d. Ruby suggested it as a joke.

  2. What did Milo tie the balloon to?
    a. His tail.
    b. His waist.
    c. A stick.
    d. Ruby’s leg.

  3. What happened when Milo floated too high with the balloon?
    a. He safely landed on the ground.
    b. He got tangled in a tree branch.
    c. He popped the balloon on purpose.
    d. He lost the balloon in the wind.

  4. What was Ruby’s solution to help Milo “fly”?
    a. She told him to build wings.
    b. She promised to give him rides on her back.
    c. She suggested he try gliding with a kite again.
    d. She offered to find another balloon.

  5. How did Milo feel after realizing he couldn’t fly?
    a. Sad but accepting.
    b. Determined to try again.
    c. Angry at Ruby for not helping.
    d. Indifferent to the whole experience.

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. b - Learn how to fly.

  2. a - Using leaves as wings.

  3. c - He crashed into a pile of hay.

  4. a - She cut the balloon string.

  5. b - That being himself was enough.

  6. b - He thought it would lift him into the sky.

  7. b - His waist.

  8. b - He got tangled in a tree branch.

  9. b - She promised to give him rides on her back.

  10. a - Sad but accepting.

 

Thought-Provoking Question

  • Do you think Milo’s determination to fly was a good thing, even though he failed?

  • Why or why not?