Intermediate Arabic reading

The Zoo in Arabic

حَدِيقَةُ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ

The Zoo is a Intermediate-level Arabic reading text about a respectful school visit that introduces wildlife conservation. Its fully vocalized Arabic helps learners read each word accurately, while the sentence-by-sentence English translation supports understanding. The story also includes optional Arabic audio, useful vocabulary, comprehension practice and a focused language point. It works well for independent reading, a short classroom lesson or shared practice with a parent.

Read the Arabic story with English translation

Read each Arabic sentence from right to left. Use the speaker button to hear the sentence, then check its English meaning underneath.

ذَهَبَ صَفُّنَا فِي رِحْلَةٍ إِلَى حَدِيقَةِ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ.

Our class went on a trip to the zoo.

اِسْتَقْبَلَتْنَا مُرْشِدَةٌ وَشَرَحَتْ لَنَا قَوَاعِدَ الزِّيَارَةِ.

A guide welcomed us and explained the rules of the visit.

قَالَتْ: «لَا تُطْعِمُوا الْحَيَوَانَاتِ، وَلَا تَقْتَرِبُوا مِنَ الْحَوَاجِزِ.»

She said, “Do not feed the animals, and do not go near the barriers.”

رَأَيْنَا أَسَدًا يَسْتَرِيحُ فِي الظِّلِّ، وَسَمِعْنَا زَئِيرَهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ.

We saw a lion resting in the shade and heard its roar from a distance.

ثُمَّ شَاهَدْنَا زَرَافَةً تَمُدُّ عُنُقَهَا نَحْوَ أَوْرَاقِ شَجَرَةٍ عَالِيَةٍ.

Then we watched a giraffe stretch its neck towards the leaves of a tall tree.

رَشَّ فِيلٌ الْمَاءَ بِخُرْطُومِهِ، فَضَحِكْنَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ نُزْعِجَهُ.

An elephant sprayed water with its trunk, and we laughed without disturbing it.

لَاحَظَتْ سَلْمَى غِلَافًا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَوَضَعَتْهُ فِي سَلَّةِ الْمُهْمَلَاتِ.

Salma noticed a wrapper on the ground, so she put it in the rubbish bin.

أَخْبَرَتْنَا الْمُرْشِدَةُ أَنَّ بَعْضَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ مُهَدَّدَةٌ فِي بِيئَاتِهَا الطَّبِيعِيَّةِ.

The guide told us that some animals are threatened in their natural habitats.

سَأَلْنَاهَا عَنْ طُرُقِ حِمَايَتِهَا، فَتَحَدَّثَتْ عَنْ حِفْظِ الْغَابَاتِ وَالْمِيَاهِ.

We asked her how to protect them, and she spoke about conserving forests and water.

عُدْنَا إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ وَقَدْ فَهِمْنَا أَنَّ مُشَاهَدَةَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ تَحْمِلُ مَسْؤُولِيَّةَ احْتِرَامِهَا.

We returned to school understanding that observing animals comes with a responsibility to respect them.

New Arabic words from the story

These words all appear in the story. Listen, repeat and find each one in the text above.

مُرْشِدَةٌ Guide
حَوَاجِزُ Barriers
زَئِيرٌ Roar
خُرْطُومٌ Trunk
مُهَدَّدَةٌ Threatened
بِيئَةٌ طَبِيعِيَّةٌ Natural habitat
حِمَايَةٌ Protection
مَسْؤُولِيَّةٌ Responsibility

Reading comprehension questions

Choose one answer for each question. Your score updates after every first attempt.

Score: 0 / 4

1. مَاذَا شَرَحَتِ الْمُرْشِدَةُ فِي بَدَايَةِ الزِّيَارَةِ؟

2. مَاذَا فَعَلَتْ سَلْمَى بِالْغِلَافِ؟

3. لِمَاذَا لَا يَنْبَغِي إِطْعَامُ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ؟

4. مَا الدَّرْسُ الَّذِي فَهِمَهُ التَّلَامِيذُ؟

Learn Arabic from this story

أَنَّ introduces reported information

أَخْبَرَتْنَا الْمُرْشِدَةُ أَنَّ بَعْضَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ مُهَدَّدَةٌ فِي بِيئَاتِهَا الطَّبِيعِيَّةِ.

The guide told us that some animals are threatened in their natural habitats.

After أَخْبَرَتْنَا, أَنَّ introduces the information the guide shared. Its noun follows in the accusative case.

Another example: عَلِمْنَا أَنَّ الْأَسَدَ يَسْتَرِيحُ. — We learned that the lion rests.

For parents and teachers

Ask the learner to predict the story, then read or play each Arabic segment and identify words connected with zoo rules, animal behaviour and conservation. Have the learner arrange the main events in order, retell the problem and resolution, answer the comprehension questions, and use two new vocabulary items in original sentences.

Questions about The Zoo

What level is The Zoo?

The Zoo is marked Intermediate. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in The Zoo?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to zoo rules, animal behaviour and conservation.

How should this Arabic story be used?

Read one sentence at a time, listen to the audio, repeat the Arabic aloud, check the English only when needed, and then answer the questions from memory.

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