Giggling at the Gate

Every summer, Jack and Lucy looked forward to visiting their grandmother’s house. It wasn’t just because of the cookies she baked or the stories she told—it was because of the gate. The rusty, vine-covered gate at the back of her garden led to something extraordinary: a cartoon world.

It started one sunny afternoon when Jack, who was eight, and Lucy, who was six, were chasing butterflies in the yard. Jack pushed open the gate, and instead of finding the neighbor’s field like they expected, they stepped onto a pathway of bright yellow bricks that twisted through a world of oversized mushrooms, talking flowers, and hills with smiling faces.

“Jack, look!” Lucy squealed, pointing at a tree with ice cream cones for leaves. “It’s amazing!”

Jack grinned, tugging her hand. “Come on! Let’s see what else is here.”

The world beyond the gate was like stepping into a cartoon. The sky was a deep, shimmering blue with clouds that floated like puffs of cotton candy. Birds whistled tunes that sounded like melodies from their favorite shows, and the ground beneath their feet felt springy, as if it were made of rubber.

On that first day, they met a group of cheerful ducks wearing bow ties who invited them to a picnic. The sandwiches were enormous, and the lemonade bubbled like soda pop. Lucy loved the talking squirrels who traded nut-shaped coins for jokes, while Jack couldn’t stop laughing at a grumpy frog who insisted he was the king of the puddle and demanded they bow every time they passed.

They spent hours exploring, giggling at every turn. When the sun in the cartoon sky began to set—literally lowering itself with a loud “Ahhhh!”—they heard their grandmother calling them back for dinner. The moment they stepped back through the gate, the cartoon world disappeared, replaced by their grandmother’s neat and quiet backyard.

“Did you two have fun?” their grandmother asked as she placed bowls of steaming soup on the table.

Jack and Lucy exchanged wide-eyed looks but said nothing. They weren’t sure if she knew about the cartoon world.

As the summer days passed, Jack and Lucy returned to the gate daily. Each time, they found something new. One day, they helped a group of penguins build a roller coaster out of rainbow-colored slides. Another day, they entered a race with cheetahs on skateboards. They learned to dodge wacky pies that launched themselves out of windows and hopscotched across a river of jellybeans.

When they told their parents about their “adventures,” their mother, busy typing on her laptop, smiled absently. “That’s wonderful, kids.”

Their dad, flipping through a stack of papers, nodded. “Good for you. I’m glad you’re having fun.”

Jack shrugged, grinning at Lucy. “They don’t get it.”

“They don’t need to,” Lucy replied, tugging his sleeve. “Let’s go back!”

Their last day at Grandma’s house arrived too soon. They spent the morning packing, but as soon as the bags were zipped, Jack grabbed Lucy’s hand. “One more time,” he said. They dashed out to the garden, pushed open the gate, and stepped into the cartoon world for one final adventure.

This time, they climbed a giant pancake stack, slid down syrup rivers, and watched a parade of elephants playing trumpets. At the end of the day, as they walked back to the gate, they heard a familiar voice.

“You two sure have been giggling a lot this summer,” Grandma said, waiting for them on the other side of the gate.

Jack froze. “You know about this?”

Grandma smiled. “Of course. I used to visit the cartoon world when I was your age. It’s always been here, waiting for someone with enough imagination to open the gate.”

Lucy hugged her. “It’s the best place ever!”

“Just remember,” Grandma said, “the world beyond the gate isn’t magic—it’s made from all the best parts of your imagination. That’s what makes it so special.”

That night, as they drove home, Jack and Lucy stared out the window, already missing the giggling gate. “Do you think it’ll still be there next summer?” Lucy whispered.

Jack smiled, remembering Grandma’s words. “It will be. We just have to open it.”

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Look forward to – To eagerly anticipate something.

  • Example: “Jack and Lucy looked forward to visiting their grandmother’s house.”

Step through – To move into or beyond something.

  • Example: “Jack and Lucy stepped through the gate into a cartoon world.”

Tug at – To pull gently.

  • Example: “Jack grinned, tugging her hand.”

Come back – To return to a place.

  • Example: “They heard their grandmother calling them to come back for dinner.”

Pack up – To gather belongings and prepare to leave.

  • Example: “They spent the morning packing up.”

 

Phrasal Verb Quiz

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Phrasal Verb

  1. Jack and Lucy always ________ visiting their grandmother’s house during the summer.

  2. They ________ the gate and found themselves in a magical cartoon world.

  3. Jack laughed as he ________ Lucy’s hand, leading her deeper into the cartoon landscape.

  4. Their grandmother’s voice called them to ________ for dinner as the sun set.

  5. On the final day, they spent the morning ________ their belongings before one last adventure.

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Looked forward to

  2. Stepped through

  3. Tugged at

  4. Come back

  5. Packing up

 

Idioms & Example Sentences

At every turn – Happening frequently or repeatedly.

  • Example: “They spent hours exploring, giggling at every turn.”

Best parts of your imagination – The most creative or joyful aspects of one’s thoughts.

  • Example: “The world beyond the gate isn’t magic—it’s made from all the best parts of your imagination.”

Out of this world – Extraordinary or fantastic.

  • Example: “The sky was a deep, shimmering blue with clouds that floated like cotton candy. It was out of this world.”

Run out of time – To have no more time left.

  • Example: “Their last day at Grandma’s house arrived too soon.”

Waiting for someone – Anticipating an opportunity.

  • Example: “It’s always been here, waiting for someone with enough imagination to open the gate.”

 

Idiom & Example Sentences

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Idiom

  1. Jack and Lucy found something to make them laugh ________ in the cartoon world.

  2. Their grandmother revealed that the gate was made from the ________.

  3. The sky above the cartoon world was so beautiful that it was described as ________.

  4. On their last day, they felt like they would ________ before exploring everything.

  5. Their grandmother explained that the gate had always been ________ with enough imagination to open it.

Answers: Idioms

  1. At every turn

  2. Best parts of your imagination

  3. Out of this world

  4. Run out of time

  5. Waiting for someone

 

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. Why did Jack and Lucy love visiting their grandmother’s house in the summer?
    a. For the cookies and stories
    b. To play in the yard
    c. To explore the cartoon world beyond the gate
    d. To spend time with their parents

  2. What did Jack and Lucy find when they opened the gate?
    a. A field filled with flowers
    b. A cartoon world with bright yellow bricks and talking flowers
    c. A magical forest with glowing trees
    d. A river leading to a castle

  3. What was special about the sky in the cartoon world?
    a. It was filled with shooting stars.
    b. It shimmered blue with clouds like cotton candy.
    c. It had rainbows that stretched forever.
    d. It changed colors every few minutes.

  4. Who did Jack and Lucy meet during their first visit to the cartoon world?
    a. Penguins building a roller coaster
    b. Cheerful ducks wearing bow ties
    c. A grumpy rabbit demanding carrots
    d. Elephants playing trumpets

  5. What happened when Jack and Lucy returned through the gate to their grandmother’s backyard?
    a. The cartoon world disappeared.
    b. They were covered in sparkles from the cartoon world.
    c. Their grandmother asked them about their adventures.
    d. They brought back a talking flower.

  6. What activities did Jack and Lucy enjoy in the cartoon world?
    a. Climbing trees and collecting nuts
    b. Helping penguins build a roller coaster and racing cheetahs on skateboards
    c. Playing hopscotch with ducks and singing with talking clouds
    d. Exploring caves filled with treasure

  7. How did Jack and Lucy’s parents react when the kids told them about their adventures?
    a. They were skeptical and asked for proof.
    b. They smiled absently and were distracted.
    c. They eagerly asked questions about the cartoon world.
    d. They laughed and thought it was a joke.

  8. What did Grandma reveal about the cartoon world?
    a. It was a magical world she had created for them.
    b. It had always been there and was made from their imagination.
    c. It could only be visited once a year.
    d. It would disappear if they told anyone about it.

  9. What did Jack and Lucy do during their final visit to the cartoon world?
    a. They climbed a pancake stack and slid down syrup rivers.
    b. They helped rebuild the cartoon world’s gate.
    c. They discovered a hidden treasure guarded by a dragon.
    d. They said goodbye to the animals they had met.

  10. What did Grandma mean when she said the cartoon world was “made from all the best parts of your imagination”?
    a. The world only existed when they dreamed about it.
    b. Their imagination brought the cartoon world to life and made it special.
    c. The world was a reward for their good behavior.
    d. The cartoon world changed based on their wishes.

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. c - To explore the cartoon world beyond the gate

  2. b - A cartoon world with bright yellow bricks and talking flowers

  3. b - It shimmered blue with clouds like cotton candy.

  4. b - Cheerful ducks wearing bow ties

  5. a - The cartoon world disappeared.

  6. b - Helping penguins build a roller coaster and racing cheetahs on skateboards

  7. b - They smiled absently and were distracted.

  8. b - It had always been there and was made from their imagination.

  9. a - They climbed a pancake stack and slid down syrup rivers.

  10. b - Their imagination brought the cartoon world to life and made it special

 

Thought Provoking Question

  • Do you agree with Grandma’s statement that the cartoon world is made from the best parts of your imagination?

  • What does this mean to you?