The First Spring Day

It was the first day of spring, and Mia couldn’t wait to explore the forest near her house. The weather was warm, and flowers were beginning to bloom. "Spring is the best season!" she said as she packed her bag.

Mia walked deep into the forest and came across a small, sparkling spring of water bubbling from the ground. She leaned down, cupped her hands, and took a sip. "The water from this spring is so fresh!" she thought.

As she walked further, she saw a deer grazing in the distance. She tried to get closer, but a twig snapped under her foot. The deer sprang up in surprise and ran off. Mia laughed. "I didn’t mean to scare you!"

Later, Mia found an old, rusty trampoline left by a previous visitor. She stepped onto it and gave a little jump. The trampoline had just enough spring left to bounce her up into the air. "This is so much fun!" she said, jumping higher and higher.

When the sun started to set, Mia headed home, feeling happy and full of energy. "What a wonderful way to start the spring!" she thought.

To Be Fair

It was a beautiful autumn afternoon, and Sarah was thrilled to finally be heading to the county fair. She loved the bustling festival with its carnival rides, food stalls, and the laughter of people gathered from all over town.

As she walked through the gates, she saw her friend Emily waving. Emily had fair skin that always seemed to catch the light just right, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Today, Emily had added a flower crown to her hair, which contrasted with Sarah’s darker complexion. They laughed, linking arms as they moved toward the games.

At the ring toss, Sarah waited her turn patiently, watching everyone have a go. But as she finally stepped up, she noticed a group of kids behind her, eyeing the prize—a large stuffed bear. She felt it would only be fair to let them try first, so she stepped aside with a smile, giving them a chance to win.

Later, as she walked past the judges’ booth for the baking contest, she overheard them debating which pie would take first place. She smiled, knowing that, at the fair, everything felt right, with fair competition and happy memories being made all around.

Let’s Table This

On a rainy afternoon, Megan and her friends gathered around the table in the cozy corner of her living room. The large wooden table was cluttered with snacks, board games, and notebooks for a brainstorming session. They were planning their big trip and needed to make some decisions quickly.

"Alright," Megan said, "Let’s table the discussion about which cities to visit until after lunch. It’s making my brain hurt." Everyone nodded in agreement, shifting their attention to what game they should play first.

As they started setting up a game of chess, Ethan grinned. "I’m warning you, Megan, I’m going to table your king in just a few moves," he teased, placing the pieces neatly on the board.

A little later, while munching on chips, Sarah brought up another idea. "We could also make a budget table to keep track of expenses. It’ll be easier to plan if we know how much everything will cost."

Everyone groaned, but Megan smiled. "Let’s table that idea too. For now, let’s just enjoy the afternoon." They all laughed and leaned back, appreciating the joy of being together, knowing the planning could wait—just like everything else on the table.

A Bank

On a bright summer day, Thomas decided to head to the river bank for some fishing. He loved sitting on the soft grass, watching the water flow gently along the bank's edge, a peaceful escape from his busy week at the office.

Earlier that morning, he had visited his local bank to withdraw some cash for the weekend. While standing in line, he overheard the teller explaining how the interest rates on savings accounts had increased, giving him a good reason to consider opening a new bank account.

Now, sitting by the river, Thomas cast his line into the water. A sudden gust of wind caused his boat, tied up nearby, to bank sharply, tilting to one side as the waves lapped against its hull. Thomas chuckled, realizing he'd need to secure it better if he wanted it to stay balanced.

He leaned back, letting the day unfold, knowing the stress of the workweek and the worries about his savings could wait. At that moment, all that mattered was the calm rhythm of the river and the tranquil beauty of the bank beside it.

A Bear?

One crisp autumn morning, Anna decided to take a hike through the woods. She had heard that there was a trail near the river where you could spot wildlife, maybe even a bear if you were lucky. She packed her bag, hoping the bear she might encounter would be from a safe distance.

As she started her journey, the weight of her backpack began to bear down on her shoulders. "I can bear this," she thought, adjusting the straps and pressing on. The trail was steep, and the trees were thick, but she knew she had to bearwith the difficulty if she wanted to reach the lookout point by noon.

Suddenly, she froze. In the distance, she saw a large figure moving among the trees. Her heart raced—was it really a bear? She stood still, trying to bear the fear that was rising in her chest. After a few moments, she realized it was just a shadow cast by the rustling leaves.

Relieved, she kept walking until she reached the riverbank. As she gazed at the water, she realized that this journey, though tough, had taught her something. In life, like in hiking, you have to bear challenges, but the view at the end is always worth it.

The Old Bridge

B1 Level

Sophie and her friend Max loved to explore the old town. One day, they decided to visit the famous stone bridge that crossed the river. The bridge was very old, but it still looked strong.

As they walked over the bridge, Max said, "This bridge has been here for hundreds of years! Can you imagine how many people have walked across it?"

"Yes, it's amazing!" Sophie replied. "It really bridges the past and present, doesn’t it?"

They crossed to the other side and sat by the riverbank. "Do you think we could bridge the gap between our town and the new city?" Max asked. "People are always saying they feel disconnected."

"Maybe," Sophie said. "We could organize an event that bridges the two places—something that brings everyone together."

Max smiled. "That’s a great idea. We could use sports or art to bridge their differences."

After a fun day by the river, they walked back across the old bridge, feeling closer than ever. It was clear to them that sometimes a bridge isn’t just made of stone—it’s also something that connects people.

The Lost Book

A2 Level

Emily loved reading. Every week, she went to the library to borrow a new book. One day, she found a very old book hidden on a high shelf. The cover was dusty, but the title caught her attention: The Secret Garden. She decided to book a quiet spot by the window and started reading right away.

As she read, she imagined walking through beautiful gardens and discovering hidden places. Time flew by, and soon the library was about to close.

Emily quickly realized she had lost track of time. "I need to book a taxi to get home!" she thought, rushing out of the library.

When she arrived home, her friend called. "Emily, did you book our tickets for the concert next week?" her friend asked.

"Oh no, I forgot!" Emily replied. "I was so caught up in this amazing book, I lost track of everything. I’ll do it right now."

Later that night, as she got ready for bed, Emily smiled. Not only had she found a wonderful new story to read, but she had also learned the importance of planning ahead and booking things on time!

Where Did Coffee Come From?

   All over the world, people take time out of their busy schedules to have a break and drink a cup of coffee.

   The coffee plant is thought to have originated in Africa.  Around 600A.D., a goat herdsman found that goats that ate a certain plant became lively and active, leaping around all night.  He wanted to try the plant too.  He ate some of the beans and found that they made him wide-awake. 

    Gradually, coffee spread to Arabia and for many centuries the Arabs jealously guarded the plant.  The word ‘coffee’ comes from an Arabic word (qahwa) meaning, “that which prevents sleep”. 

    Coffee was not known in Europe until the seventeenth century.  The British were the first European country to embrace the pleasure of coffee.  Soon many coffee shops opened in London and Oxford.  But these shops were very very noisy, crowded, smelly, and smoky.  It was in these coffee shops that the custom of tipping started.  Customers would give the waiters and waitresses a small amount of money to get a better seat or better service.  The money was put into cans labeled “To Insure Prompt Service” – hence TIPS.

These coffee shops were places where men would go and discuss politics, business, art, and to get information.  Some coffee houses became well known with different groups of workers.  Ship owners and marine insurance brokers visited Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House in Lombard Street.  It moved up in the world and became Lloyd's of London.

TIBET

  Surrounded by the Himalayas, Tibet is known as “the rooftop of the world”.  Tibet is located at an average of 3600 meters above sea level, which is almost the same height as the summit of Mt. Fuji.  First time travelers to Tibet are advised to spend the first day relaxing at their hotel to give them time to adjust to the altitude.  

Before the 1950s Tibet was a mysterious country that sought isolation from the rest of the world.  It had its own culture, religion and language.  The people of Tibet led very simple lives, the majority of the population were farmers and shepherds.  But Tibet also had a large number of monks, nuns and nobility.  The spiritual leader of Tibet is the Dalai Lama. Translated into English his name means “Ocean of Wisdom”.  The Dalai Lama is considered as a “living Buddha”.  However, since 1959 the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India.  

Tibet is strategically located between China and the Indian subcontinent and this made it irresistible to China who invaded in 1950.  The Tibetan people fought valiantly to protect their country but lost to the overwhelming power of the Chinese army.  In 1959, a local revolt spread to Lhasa the capital of Tibet.  It was then that the Dalai Lama crossed many mountains to seek asylum in India and establish a government in exile.  The Dalai Lama campaigning for the freedom of Tibet has spread a non-violent resistance throughout the world.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

1.

Tibet’s nickname is ‘rooftop of the world’.

true

false

2.  

Tibet is located at a very high altitude. 

true

false

3.   

Tourists in Tibet have to follow a rigid schedule.

true

false

4.

Tibet has always welcomed tourists.

true

false

5.

Most people in Tibet are businessmen.

true

false

6.

The Dalai Lama lives in Tibet.

true

false

Answers

1. T 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. F 6. F

Reading

On November 5th children all over the UK celebrate Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night as it is sometimes called. 
Guy Fawkes was part of a conspiracy to kill King James I of England.  In the 16th century (1534), King Henry VIII change the religion of the country.  For almost the next one hundred years the country went back and forth between the Protestant Church of England and Catholicism. When Elizabeth I died in 1603 leaving no heir, the throne went to James VI of Scotland.  He was crowned James I of England.  Many Catholics hoped that he would support them but, instead he imposed even stricter laws against anyone who was did not attend the Protestant church.  

A group of catholic men plotted against the King. They rented a vault under the Houses of Parliament. Then they bought 36 barrels of gunpowder and filled the vault. They planned to blow up the Houses of Lords when the King and the entire Protestant aristocracy and nobility were inside. On the night of November 4th 1605, the group left one man, Guido Fawkes, to guard the explosives.  However, one of the King’s Men became suspicious and when they searched the cellar they found Guy Fawkes with all the gunpowder. 
Guy Fawkes was accused of treason.  

After that, on November 5th people were encouraged to light bonfires to celebrate the King’s escape from assassination. Effigies of Guy Fawkes are burned as a reminder not to commit treason.