;
...
He woke up. He got out of bed. He went to the restroom and took a shower. The water was cold at first. He made it warm. He took ten minutes to shower. He stepped out of the shower. The floor became wet. He grabbed a towel. He wrapped it all around him. He went to his bathroom mirror. He saw his reflection. He looked handsome. He had grown facial hair. It was time for him to shave it. He grabbed the shaving cream and poured some in his hand. He spread the shaving cream around his face. He grabbed the razor and started shaving. He cut himself by accident. It started bleeding. He was not hurt. He put a band-aid on his cut. The cut stung him a little. He dried himself, and started getting ready for work.
She came back home from work. She looked at the clock and yawned. It was nine o'clock. She went to her bedroom and put on her pajamas. She got her blanket. She lay down on her bed. The room was cold. She got up and went to her closet to get extra blankets. She lay down again and covered herself. She fell asleep. She woke up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. She drank the glass of water. She walked back to her bedroom. She yawned and fell asleep. Two hours passed. She woke up and went to the restroom. She heard a noise outside her window. She looked out the window to see what it was. It was a black cat climbing a tree. She hushed the cat. The cat ran away. She went back to bed. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. She slept very little.
It was a hot day. The sun was shining in the sky. The air was sticky. It was a Sunday afternoon. Jane was thirsty. She went to the kitchen to get a drink. She opened her refrigerator. There was nothing to drink inside. Jane grabbed some lemons and a big pitcher. She cut the lemons in two. She filled the large pitcher with water. She squeezed the lemons into the pitcher of water. She opened her cabinet to get the sugar. She poured some sugar into the pitcher of water and lemon juice. She had made lemonade. She took a sip of the lemonade. It needed more sugar. She grabbed the bag of sugar and poured a little more. She took another sip. The lemonade tasted sweet. All it needed now was ice. She opened the refrigerator to grab some ice. There was no ice.
It was a cold night. The moon was bright and round. The wind blew cold through the window. Jim got up from his couch and closed it. Jim was shivering because it was cold. He rubbed his hands together. Jim went to the kitchen. He wanted to make coffee. He opened his cabinet. He grabbed the can of coffee beans. He opened the lid. He held the can up to his nose. He took a deep breath. It smelled like fresh coffee beans. Jim loved the smell of coffee. He loved drinking coffee more. He poured the beans into the coffee maker. He grabbed a pitcher and put it under the machine. He pressed a button and it started brewing. Jim started shivering again. He moved around to warm his body. The machine took fifteen minutes to finish. Jim poured the coffee into a mug. He drank it all. The coffee warmed his body. He stopped shivering.
It was a cloudy day. It looked like it was going to rain. Jim put on his raincoat and rain boots. He grabbed his umbrella and left his house. He had to walk to an elementary school to pick up his sister. It was three o'clock. Jim's little sister was coming out of school. He walked along the streets. He looked at his clothes. His rain boots were black. His raincoat was green. His jeans were blue. His umbrella was red. Jim looked around as he walked. People were dressed similarly. The clouds looked dark. They were heavy with rain. Jim walked faster. Jim arrived at 3:20. The school bell would ring at 3:30. Jim needed to wait ten more minutes. He was at the front gate. There were parents waiting alongside with Jim. The school bell rang. Children were escorted to the front gate. Jim's sister ran up to him. They hugged, and walked home together.
His stomach was growling. He had not eaten in five hours. He was starving. He went to his kitchen. He took out a loaf of bread. The bread was made from wheat. It was his favorite bread to eat. He grabbed two slices. He opened the fridge. He gathered all the ingredients. He laid them out across the table. He opened the jar of mayonnaise. It was low-fat mayonnaise. He spread it across the slice of bread. He used a knife to spread the mayonnaise. He unzipped the container of ham. The ham was honey glazed. He grabbed four slices of ham. He put it on the bread slice. He opened the cheese container. He grabbed a slice and put it on top of the ham. He cut some tomatoes and lettuce. He put the vegetables on top of the cheese and ham. He glazed it all with ketchup and mustard. The sandwich was ready for him to eat.
She woke up one morning and felt hungry. She did not eat anything last night. She got out of bed, and walked into her kitchen. The kitchen was clean. She thought about what to eat for breakfast. She opened her refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. She opened her cabinet, and reached for a bowl. She cracked four eggs into the bowl. She stirred the eggs with a spoon. She turned on the stove, and placed a pan on the stove. She turned the knob on the stove. The fire was lit. She grabbed a stick of butter from the fridge. She tossed the butter on the hot pan. She grabbed the bowl of eggs and threw them on the pan. She scrambled them with a spatula. The eggs cooked in minutes. They smelled delicious.
Reading a book is fun. Books make you smarter. They also make you a better reader. John loves to read books. He reads books on sunny days. He reads books on cloudy days, and he reads books on rainy days. John has read many books. He read his first book in second grade. His teachers were very impressed. John was a good student. He had the highest grades in class. John learned a lot about reading books. He learned new words. He learned new verbs. He learned new adjectives. John reads every day. He has learned about the world. He has learned about history. He has learned about animals. He has learned about people. John loves to learn. He learns something new every day. John has many books. He has large bookshelves. They are full of books. John collects books. He has bought books at bookstores. John wants to read every book in the world.
He exercised every day. He lifted weights. He ran on the track. He rode his bicycle everywhere. He did pull-ups and push-ups. He did sit-ups and crunches. He loved being in shape. It felt great. He felt powerful. He felt vital. He felt fast. He felt attractive. It made him feel confident. People complimented his appearance. "Look at those muscles," people said to him. "Thank you, I workout," he replied. He wasn't always in shape. He used to be fat. He did not like being fat. He was made fun of. He had a low self-esteem. He felt unattractive. His body felt tired and heavy. He had no energy. He knew he had to change. He looked in the mirror one day. He promised himself to lose weight. He stopped eating unhealthy food. He started moving around more. He went jogging at night. He bought a gym membership. He lost weight.
She ate a lot of food. She ate cheese burgers. She ate chips. She ate sweets. Every day she ate these types of foods. She was always hungry. She did not like vegetables or fruits. She never drank water. She only drank soda, or juice. She was big. She did not exercise. She was happy about her appearance. People made fun of her. "Lose weight," people said to her. "Stop eating," people said to her. "No, thank you," she replied. "I'm happy with how I look," she said. She loved eating fattening foods. Nothing could change her diet. She went to see a doctor. The doctor told her to lose weight. She did not want to lose weight. Her doctor explained why she had to lose weight. She could die. She became scared. She did not want to die. She decided to lose weight.
He was trying to catch a bus. The bus left without him. He was running. He tripped and fell. He was lying on the sidewalk. "Are you alright?" a girl asked. He was holding his arm. His arm hurt. "I think I broke my arm," he said to the girl. The girl dialed 911. "Help is on the way," the girl said. She helped him up. He sat down on a bench. He wondered why he fell. He looked down at his shoes. His laces were untied. He always forgot to tie his shoes. He never imagined breaking his arm. He started to tear. His arm was in terrible pain. "The ambulance is coming soon," the girl said. She felt bad for the boy. She had broken her arm before. She knew how much it hurt. The ambulance arrived. The paramedics took the boy. "Thank you," he said to the girl. "You're welcome," she replied.
Tommy needed to raise money for his football team. The team needed new uniforms. Tommy needed an idea. He asked his mom for help. His mom had a good idea. Tommy's mom loved baking. She decided to have a bake sale. Tommy loved the idea. They would sell cookies and pies. They planned the bake sale. It would be next Saturday. Tommy needed to raise two hundred dollars. Tommy and his mom got to work. Tommy baked different kinds of cookies. He baked chocolate chip cookies. He baked oatmeal cookies. He baked sugar cookies. Tommy tasted the cookies. The cookies were delicious. His mom baked different kind of pies. She cooked cherry, apple, pecan, and blueberry pies. All the cookies and pies were sold. Tommy raised a lot of money. He raised over two hundred dollars. The bake sale was a success.
The day of the math test was next Monday. He had three days to study. He did not like math. It was the hardest subject. He had to study in order to pass. He locked himself in his room. He turned off his phone. He shut off his computer. There could be no distractions. Every day he studied for hours. After two days he stopped. He needed help. He could not solve a math problem. He called his friend. His friend was good at math. He asked his friend if he could help. His friend said yes and came over. His friend helped him study for three hours. He was ready to take the test. His friend wished him good luck. The day of the test came. He took the test. He passed the test. Studying had paid off.
Oatmeal is good for you. It has fiber. Fiber is good for you. It keeps your colon clean and healthy. Oatmeal also contains whole grain. Whole grain is also good for you. It reduces the risk of heart diseases. It is recommended you eat 48 grams of whole grain every day. Oatmeal is easy to make. First, you grab a clean bowl. Second, you pour one serving of oatmeal into the bowl. Third, you pour a cup of milk into the bowl. Lastly, you put it in the microwave for three minutes. You can also cook it on the stove. Milk is also good for you. It contains calcium. Calcium is good for your bones. Oatmeal is a delicious breakfast.
Sally was petting her cat. Her cat's name is Kitty. Kitty is a large black cat. Sally ran her finger down Kitty's back. She loved her cat. Her cat smelled like shampoo. She had been washed that morning. Cats do not like water. Kitty, on the other hand, liked water. Kitty was a friendly cat. Sally was on her bed. Kitty fell asleep. Sally was thirsty. She did not want to wake up Kitty. She picked up her cell phone. She called her little brother. She whispered into the phone and said, "Get me a glass of water, please." Her brother said okay. He was downstairs watching television. He went to the kitchen. He got a glass of water. He took it upstairs to his sister's room. He did not know Kitty was asleep. He slammed the door open. Kitty woke up and ran away.
He went to the furniture store. He needed a new couch. His old couch had broken. He walked around the store. He saw different couches. There were a lot of couches. He did not know which to buy. He saw a blue couch. It looked comfortable. He sat down on it. He stood up. He did not like it. He saw another couch. It was red. It looked soft. He sat on it. He rose to his feet. He did not like it. A person walked up to him. The person was a salesman. "Can I help you, sir?" asked the salesman. He told him he needed a couch that was comfortable. The salesman showed him a couch. The man tested it. He liked it. The couch passed the test. He bought it and took it home.
It was the Fourth of July. It came once a year. It is a day of celebration. It was Tom's favorite holiday. Tom bought many fireworks. His family had gathered together. They were all on his front yard. His nephew was excited. He was six years old. He wanted to light the fireworks. Tom handed him a sparkler. "Be careful with that," Tom said to his nephew. "I will, Uncle Tom," his nephew said. The fireworks started lighting up the sky. Tom and his family saw different colors of fireworks in the sky. They saw blue fireworks. They saw red fireworks. The fireworks were loud. They exploded in the sky. Everybody loved the fireworks. Tom was cooking hot dogs and hamburgers. He went inside his house, and came back with Coke and plastic cups. Everyone ate and drank soda. The fourth of July is a fun holiday.
Thanksgiving is a national holiday. It is celebrated once a year. Mark loved Thanksgiving. It is his favorite holiday. Every year, he cooks a turkey. Mark's wife helps him. Mark cooks other dishes, too. He makes stuffing, potato salad, and ham. Mark invites his family to his Thanksgiving. Mark has a large family. Mark's wife also invites her family. She has a small family. Everybody brings food to the table. There is always leftover food the next day. The doorbell rings. Mark invites his family inside. "Happy Thanksgiving," everybody says to each other. The food is cooked. They wait for Mark's in-laws to arrive. The doorbell rings. Mark's in-laws come inside. Everybody sits at the table. The food is served. Everybody is smiling and talking. Everybody begins to eat. Thanksgiving is a festive holiday.
David ran a marathon. He could not believe it. It was a big achievement. Running a marathon is not easy. David had to train all year long. David woke up every morning. He would put on his running shoes, drink a lot of water, and run out the door. David ran for hours. He stopped only when he finished. David ran again at night. He had a lot of energy. He never got tired. Running a marathon took a long time. David ran 26 miles and 385 yards. It took 5 hours and 30 minutes to finish. David was exhausted when he finished. He was really thirsty. He drank a gallon of water. He was still thirsty. David was happy. Running a marathon had been his wish. He could not wait to run it again next year.
It was a beautiful day. Joe went to the park. There were people everywhere. Joe saw many things. He saw a boy riding a bike. He saw a girl swinging on a swing. He saw a family having a picnic. He saw a man playing the guitar. It was a happy sight. Joe took a deep breath. The air was fresh. The smell of flowers was in the air. The trees were swaying in the wind. Joe felt so alive. Joe heard a bell. He looked around and saw the ice-cream man. He reached in his pockets. He grabbed three dollars. "Hey, ice-cream man!" Joe yelled. The ice-cream man stopped and turned around. He walked towards Joe. "One ice-cream, please," Joe said. The ice-cream man handed Joe an ice-cream bar. "Thank you," said the ice-cream man. Joe paid and went on his way. It was a sunny day. Everything was perfect.
A man was crossing the street. He was an elderly man. He walked like a turtle. It took him a long time to cross. Every day, he crossed the same street. Every time, he took a long time. The cross lights turned green. He was still crossing the street. Cars would honk at him. The man did not care. He could not cross any faster. "Where is that man going?" people would ask. No one knew where he went. The man walked with a cane. He had white hair and glasses. He crossed the street one day. A boy was standing on the corner. "Where are you going?" the boy asked. "I don't know," replied the man. The old man was lost. Somehow, he would find his way back home every day.
It was a cold day. The wind was blowing. He was in his car. He was waiting for his friend. His whole body was shivering. He turned on the car's heater. It started heating the car. Suddenly, it stopped. He turned it on again, but the heater turned off again. It had stopped working. He was really cold. He had a sweater on. But it was not enough. He forgot to wear his jacket. "How could I warm myself?" he thought to himself. He remembered he had something in his trunk. He opened the car door and stepped out. It was even colder outside his car. There was no one outside. He opened his car trunk. There was a jacket. The jacket was old and smelly. He did not care. It was so cold. He put on the jacket. He went back inside his car. His friend finally arrived.
He went to the mall. He needed clothes to wear. Summer was nearing. He brought a list. It was a list of clothes to buy. He looked at the list. He needed t-shirts. He entered a store. The name of the store was "Summer Shirts". He bought ten shirts. They were different colors. Three of the shirts were blue. Another three were red. Two of the shirts were white The last two were black. He crossed shirts off his list. He needed pants. He walked into a store. The name of the store was "Fancy Pants". He purchased five pairs of pants. Two pants were blue jeans. Another two were tan slacks. The last ones were brown khakis. He crossed pants off his list. He just needed shoes. He walked into a shoe store. He saw sandals. He bought sandals instead of regular shoes. He was now ready for summer.
He bought a computer. It was a laptop. The laptop was expensive. It cost him several hundred dollars. He saved up money. It took him four months to save enough. He earned his money. He worked at a restaurant after school. The job was hard. He was determined to buy a computer. He never quit his job. He went to the Best Buy to purchase it. He walked in with the money in his hand. He knew which computer he wanted already. He paid for the computer, and took it home right away. He opened the box. He lifted the computer gently from the box. "It's beautiful," he said. The laptop was sleek. It looked nice. It was the happiest day in his life. He turned it on. He logged on the Internet.
He was the king. He was a kind ruler. He gave to the poor. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. The people loved their king. Their king had an army. His army was vast. It protected the kingdom. Invaders would attack. The king's army was strong. They battled with swords and shields. They never lost a battle. The king was proud of his army. He was proud of his kingdom. The king was rich. He had all the gold in the world. Gold made the king greedy. He wanted more. He searched for gold in the world. His army brought him silver. He did not want silver. He wanted gold. The king grew mad. His people revolted. The king was overthrown. The king was banished from his kingdom. He left this world.
She liked to talk. Talking was easy for her. She talked to friends: "Hello, how are you?" Her friends replied: "I am fine. She was always polite. "Bless you," she would say when someone sneezed. "Have a nice day," she would say after saying goodbye. She was a good talker. She was skilled at talking. She talked all the time. She talked over the phone. She talked during class. She talked at her work. Her job was to talk. She helped customers buy things. Can I help you, sir?" she would ask. Every day she talked to customers. She was always helpful. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me," a customer said one day. "You are very welcome," she said and smiled. Talking is a good skill to have. She practiced it every day.
The world is a big place. There are hundreds of millions of people in the world. People live all around the world. There are many places in the world. We live in the United States. The United States is famous for democracy. There are many people living in the United States. People from the United States come from different places in the world. Canada is another place in the world. Canada is known for its clean air. England is another place in the world. People speak English in England. People in England have accents. England has a queen. Africa is another place in the world. Africa has wild life. Africa has more wild life than other places. Lions and elephants live in Africa. Africa is a beautiful place. There is beauty in every place in the world.
She walked into a restaurant. It was lunch time. She was hungry. She sat down at a table. The waiter handed her a menu. "What would you like to drink?" the waiter asked. She asked for water. She was on a budget. She stopped buying drinks. Water was always free. She liked eating fish. She looked at the menu. There was no fish. She called the waiter. "Do you serve fish?" she asked. "No, I am sorry," the waiter said. She was disappointed. She looked at the menu again. She needed time to think. The waiter left. She did like chicken. She did not like beef. She did not even like pork. She was a picky eater. She made up her mind. The waiter came back. She ordered lamb. The waiter wrote it down. He smiled and left. She ate lamb for lunch.
Tom was a black cat. He was a house cat. He never went outside. He was kept well fed. Tom always got attention. He was a spoiled cat. Tom was sleeping. He heard a sound. It came from the window. He stood on his four legs. He meowed. He went to the window. He looked outside. There was another cat. The cat was white. Tom jumped out the window. He landed on his feet. Cats always land on their feet. The white cat saw Tom. The white cat was a girl. Tom walked towards the white cat. She ran away. Tom chased her. They ran around the house. Tom was having fun. The white cat ran away. Tom did not catch her. It was getting dark. Tom climbed back inside his window. It was a fun day for Tom.
She coughed. She was sick. She had the flu. She did not know how she caught it. She went to see her doctor. She did not like the clinic. The clinic was small and damp. There were always people waiting. She sat in the waiting room. Kids were running around. People were sitting next to her. They were coughing and sneezing. She was coughing and sneezing, too. She felt terrible. She waited for hours. They finally called her name. She quickly went to the nurse. "The doctor will see you now," the nurse said. She went into a small room. She sat down on a bed. The doctor walked in. "Hello, Suzan," the doctor said. She told him she had the flu. The doctor checked her symptoms. He gave her a prescription. "Feel better," the doctor said. "Thank you, doctor," she said.
It was the time for the camping trip. He was scared. He was scared of bears. He did not want to be eaten. He was also scared of bugs, ghosts, and poison ivy. His family packed a bug spray, and a first aid kit. His brother told him ghosts were not real. He was still scared of everything. It was his first time camping. He was also excited. He brought his journal. He wrote in the journal. "Dear Journal, I hope I do not get eaten by a bear. " It was his worst fear. Bears were huge. He saw one on television. They had sharp teeth. They had big claws. They roared loudly It was the night before the trip. He could not go to sleep. He could not stop thinking about the bear. He went to sleep. He dreamed about bears. It was not a nice dream.
He woke up. He was tired. He had a hard time going to sleep. He tossed and turned all night. He was scared. He had bad dreams. He dreamed about bears. It was the first day of the camping trip. It was early morning. He hid in his blankets. His family called his name. "Henry, it's time to get ready," called the family. He ignored his family. He did not want to go. He stayed in bed. He was excited about going camping before. But now he was too scared. "I do not want to go anymore," he said. His dad came in his room. He took off Henry's blankets. He picked him up. He put his clothes on. He put him in the car. "Do not be scared," he said to Henry. Henry was still scared. The camping trip lasted three days. Henry was not scared. There was nothing to be scared about. There were no bears. It was a nice camping trip.
He woke up late. His alarm rang, but he did not hear it. He was late for work. He jumped out of bed. "I am so late," he said. He ran to the restroom. He quickly brushed his teeth. He hopped in the shower. He took a five-minute shower. He dried his body. He quickly shaved. He cut himself. He shaved too fast. He was not careful. He washed his cut. He covered it with a band-aid. He ran to his closet. He grabbed his suit. He ironed it fast. He put on his suit. The suit still had wrinkles. He got in his car and drove away. There was traffic on the road. He honked his horn. He arrived at his company. He was one hour late.
Today was a big day. Five friends had planned to go out. The plan was to go to a restaurant. It was a good restaurant. It served all you can eat food. Everybody was excited. They had gone there before. It was their favorite restaurant. The restaurant was far. It took one hour to drive there. It took two hours on the bus. One of the friends drove a car. He had just purchased it. He drove his friends to the restaurant. There was no traffic on the way. They arrived in thirty minutes. Everybody was starving. They ordered their food. The restaurant was full of customers. The restaurant was special. It served raw food. You had to cook your own food. There was a grill on the table. It was fun. Everybody ate a lot of food. The bill was expensive.
Monday is the first day of the week. He did not like Mondays. He had to go to work. He worked at the post office. The post office was far away. He drove to work. It was a thirty-minute drive. Mondays were the worst. Tuesdays were just as bad. He did not like Tuesdays. He complained at work. "It is barely Tuesday?" he would ask. He could not wait for it to be Friday again. Wednesdays were better than Tuesdays. Wednesdays were far better than Mondays. Wednesday is known as "hump day". This means it is the midpoint of the week. Wednesday is the day after Tuesday. He still did not like Wednesdays. Thursdays were better. He liked Thursdays. Thursday is the unofficial start of the weekend. Thursday is the day after Wednesday. More importantly, it is the day before Friday. Friday is his favorite day of the week.
It was early morning. The sun was just over the horizon. She got on the bus. The bus was smelly. It smelled foul. Bus fare was one fifty. She paid her fare. "Good morning," said the bus driver. "Good morning," she said back. The bus driver was friendly. This was odd. She mostly met mean bus drivers. She wondered why. The bus was full. She looked around for seats. There were no seats in the front. She looked to the back. There was one seat available. She made her way to the back. There were a lot of people. "Excuse me," she said. She touched elbows with people. The people let her through. She reached the back of the bus. Her seat had been taken. She held on to a pole and stood. It was a brand new day. She was happy. It was her first day of university. The bus rode on.
He took a deep breath. He looked down. The water looked cold. He was nervous. "Come on, Jump!" said his friends. He was on a ledge of a cliff. It was a big drop. All his friends had jumped. They were swimming in the water. His friends waited for him. Fifteen minutes had gone by. He had not jumped. "What are you, chicken?" teased one of his friends. He was scared indeed. He imagined bad things. He imagined breaking his bones. He imagined drowning. He imagined being eaten by a fish. "I don't think this is a good idea," he said to his friends. His friends then told him not to do it. They were worried. He stepped off the ledge. He climbed down. He safely got in the water. He was safe. He was relieved.
They were on a train. He sat across her. He looked at her. She looked familiar. She was writing on her iPad. She looked concentrated. The train sped along its tracks. It made large sounds. There were many passengers on board. He looked to his right. He saw a man with long hair. He saw a woman holding a dog. He saw a kid with food on his face. He looked to his left. He saw an old man with a cane. He saw a young lady crossing her legs. He saw a fat man eating peanuts. No one looked familiar, except her. She sat in front of him. He thought for a minute. He could not remember. The train had come to a stop. It had reached its destination. Passengers were exiting the train. He lost sight of her. He looked around to see where she went. She was nowhere in sight.
He tried the roller coaster ride the first time. He did not like it. He tried it a second time. He still did not like it. They say third time's the charm. He went back in line. The lines for roller coasters were long. Everybody he knew loved riding roller coasters. Everybody loved them except him. He thought roller coasters were terrifying. He did not know what the big deal was. Why risk your life, he thought. He was waiting in line. People in line were impatient, but he was not. The line moved forward. His turn for the ride came. He was strapped on the roller coaster. "Please keep you hands and legs together," he was told. The roller coaster began moving. It slowly ascended to the top. It plummeted to the bottom. He vomited all over himself.
The big race was tomorrow. He would be competing with people from other schools. It was his first big race. He was worried, but he was also excited. He was the fastest boy in his school, and he had been training for months. He had been running for a long time. He joined track when he was in middle school. He loved running. He ran everywhere. He ran to the market to pick up groceries. He ran to school in the mornings. He ran back home after school. He ran to his friends' house. His friends lived far away. He did not mind running. Running was his passion. It was the night before the race. He had a good night sleep. In the morning he woke up ready. The race was in a couple of hours. He got ready. He was not nervous anymore. He was prepared to race.
Everybody has friends. Some people have many friends. Others have only a few. Alex had many friends. He liked making friends. Every day he made new friends. Alex was good at making friends. He was good at small talk. He was not at all shy. Alex made friends everywhere he went. He made friends at the store. "Shopping for food?" he asked a stranger. "I sure am," the stranger said. Alex continued talking to the person. He had made a new friend. He made friends at the bank. "Making a deposit?" he asked another stranger. "Yes, sir," the stranger replied. A conversation followed. Making friends was easy for Alex. He was a friendly guy. Everybody who knew Alex liked him. Everybody that Alex knew was his friend. Alex did not know any strangers. If he met one, they quickly became friends. Alex wanted to have all the friends in the world.
Suzan had a garden. She planted fruits and vegetables. The garden was in her backyard. Her backyard was wide and long. She had plenty of space. Suzan's garden took up most of the space. Her garden grew several kinds of fruits. It grew watermelons, grapes, strawberries, avocados, oranges, and papaya. Some fruits grew from the ground. Others grew on trees. Suzan's garden also grew several kinds of vegetables. It grew tomatoes, potatoes, squash, carrots, and eggplants. Suzan was proud of her garden. She worked hard to maintain it. Every day she watered her garden. Her fruits and vegetables tasted great. It was because of her care and love. Everybody in her neighborhood ate from her garden. Suzan sold the fruits and vegetables at low prices. She made good profit. Suzan did not sell it all. She always kept enough for herself. She knew that fruits and vegetables were good for her health.
He dreamed a lot. He had good dreams. He had bad dreams. Sometimes, he had strange dreams. He dreamed he was a cowboy. He rode a horse and gunned down bandits. He dreamed of being an astronaut. He orbited the earth in a spaceship with zero gravity. These were good dreams. He dreamed he was in a room full of people. Everybody in the room laughed at him. He dreamed he was on a boat in the middle of the ocean. He was lost at sea. The boat was sinking. These were bad dreams. He dreamed of unknown places. Places that seemed bizarre. He dreamed of worldly creatures that looked like humans. These were weird dreams. His dreams were fascinating. He wondered what they meant. He wrote down his dreams in journal. He kept it safe in a box.
Sweat poured down his face. The sun beat down his back. Every step he took was tiring. He was worn out. He kept moving forward. It was a steep hill. He looked up ahead. There were more hills. He was hiking up a canyon. There were rocks everywhere. He saw a stream below. There were plants all around. He had been hiking for over an hour. He was high up. The view was wonderful. He could see for miles and miles. He saw wildlife in the distance. He had not reached the very top. He needed to hike for one more hours. He took a drink from his canteen. He reached into his backpack. He pulled out a banana and ate it. He pressed on. The hills were slippery. He almost slid a couple of times. He got to the top. He looked around. It was breathtaking!.
Rain water dripped down the window. Lightning flashed from the sky. There was no one outside. There was a storm coming. He had a plan for tonight. The plan was canceled because the coming storm. Outside looked gloomy. The sidewalks were wet and looked gray. The trees swayed back and fourth. The wind was blowing hard. There were tree branches and leaves on the ground. He was safe inside his home. He turned on his television to watch the five o'clock news. The weather man came on. He warned everyone to stay inside. The storm was to last all through the night. It was cold inside his home. He turned on the heater. Thunder roared from outside. Suddenly, the light went out. There was no more electricity. He lit some candles and grabbed a flashlight. The storm was going on. He fell asleep on the couch. He woke up in the morning. The storm had ended.
He went to a bicycle shop. He wanted to buy a bike. His old bike was too old. It had stopped working. He entered the bike shop. There were bikes all around. There were bikes on the walls. There were bikes in aisles. Some bikes were even hung upside-down from the ceiling. He knew what bike he wanted. He approached the sales man. He told him what bike he wanted. The sales man took him to a room. There were more bikes in the room. He liked what he saw. He quickly chose a bike to buy. It was a small black bike. He paid for it and rode it home. It cost him five hundred dollars. It was worth the price. He used the bike for tricks and stunts. He never fell. He was a professional bike rider.
She went to the library. It was close to home. The library was quite small, but it was a nice library. She needed to check out a book. It was a book for her school. She did not want to buy it. It is free to check out books at the library. The library is open to the public. Libraries provide access to knowledge. She walked inside the library. It was nice and quiet. The library was also cool. She went to the front desk. She asked for her book. A librarian helped her find it. She was thankful for the help. The librarian was happy to help. She talked to the librarian. They spoke about libraries and librarians. It was an interesting conversation. She learned a lot of things. She left the library and went back home. The librarian had inspired her. She wanted to be a librarian one day.
He was from Tennessee, but he did not want to stay there. He traveled all around. He left at the age of eighteen. He had no money. He had no car. He hitch-hiked to California. His family could not stop him because he was an adult. It was his dream to wander. He was a good-looking man. He did many odd jobs. He met many people. California is a big state. There are a lot of people in California. He lived in different places. He never stayed in one place. He kept traveling. He did not think about the future. He lived his life one day at a time. He did not have many belongings. He had a small backpack. It held his clothes. He had a guitar and a picture of his parents. This was all he carried. One day he would go back home.
He drove to the airport. He waited for his flight. He waited for an hour. His flight was ready. He boarded the airplane. The airplane was huge. It was going to Boston. He had family in Boston. He lived in Los Angeles. He was a teacher. He taught at a community college. He loved his job. His family was proud of him. He was going to see them. It was a family reunion. He looked forward to seeing everybody. Five years had passed since he was in Boston. He brought sweaters and jackets because Boston was cold at this time of the year. The airplane took off. His ears popped. He put on his head phones. The flight lasted six hours. He arrived safely in Boston.
He got off the airplane. He stepped on the ground. It was a long flight. There was a baby crying on the flight. He could not sleep. He exited the airport. He called a taxi. It drove him home. He paid the taxi driver and thanked him. He looked at his house. He was glad to be home. The lights were on inside. He saw shadows through the window. His family reunion had started. He knocked on the door. His father opened the door. "Welcome back home, Greg!" he said smiling. He went inside. He greeted everybody. He said hello to cousin Alex. He hugged and kissed his grandmother. He shook the hand of his brother-in-law. He hugged his sisters and brothers. He was overjoyed to see his mother. His mom gave him a big kiss. It was a good family reunion. He did not want to go back to California.
The mailman knocked on the door. No one answered the door. He had a package to deliver. He needed the person's signature. It was a heavy package. He rang the doorbell. Still, no one answered. He looked through the window. There was someone inside. A girl was napping on a couch. He knocked on the window. The girl was sound asleep. He used his voice. He called her name. She woke up. She saw the man through the window. She opened the door. She asked who he was and what he wanted. "I'm the mailman." Can't you tell?" he said and pointed to his uniform. She was half asleep. "I have a package for you," the mailman said. She asked how he knew her name. He said her name was on the package. She signed for it. She took the package inside. It was heavy.
It was a nice sunny day. He was at his aunt's house. His cousins were there, too. He was feeling bored. There was nothing to do. He looked around the house. He saw a Frisbee on the floor. He picked it up. He loved playing Frisbee. It was a fun and simple game to play. He had played it all the time. He needed some one else to play with. He asked his cousins:. "Do you guys want to play Frisbee with me?" They said yes right away. They asked their parents for permission. They were given two hours to play. They went to the park to play. He told his cousins to spread out. His cousins had never played Frisbee before. They were excited to play. He had the Frisbee in his hand. "Catch!" he yelled at one of his cousins. He tossed the Frisbee at him. The Frisbee flew in the air. It looked like a flying saucer. His cousin caught it. He tossed it back. They played Frisbee for two hours. It was fun.
He had a stomachache. He did not know why. Was it something he ate? He wondered. He remembered what he ate that day. He ate eggs in the morning. He also had toast and milk. Later he had a snack. The snack was a cookie. It was a chocolate chip cookie. Then he ate lunch. For Lunch he ate a sandwich. It was a turkey sandwich with cheese. He drank soda. Later, he had another snack. The snack was a popsicle. Then he ate dinner. For dinner he had steak. On the side he had vegetables and mashed potatoes. He drank soda again. That was all he ate for the day. He wondered what had caused his stomachache. He did not drink soda often. He blamed soda. The next day came. He did not have stomachache anymore. He never drank soda again.
It was the first day of college. He needed to get ready soon. He jumped out of bed, and put on his clothes. He brushed his teeth and grabbed his backpack. He soon went out the door. His school was not far. He rode his bike. He arrived in twenty minutes. The school was huge. He got lost. His first class was at eight. He asked for directions. Someone gave him a map. He followed the map to his class. He was five minutes late. The class ended. He had another class. He used the map to find it. He was not late this time. His second class ended. It was time to go home. Tomorrow he had to return. He was excited.
They were best friends. People thought they were sisters. They did everything together. They shared everything with each other. They met in middle school. They were in the same college now. Sometimes they argued, but soon they made up. College can be tough. They took classes together. They studied together. They always helped each other. They were good students. They were from Colorado. They went home together. They lived in the same town. They knew the same people. Their family knew each other. They went back to college together. They shared one room. They acted like sisters. It is nice having a best friend. Everybody should have a best friend.
He lived in a big house. It was white. The rooftop was blue. It had a white fence. There were plants in the front. There was a tall tree in the backyard. The house had a fireplace. He lit it on cold nights. He lived with his wife. They were grateful for what they had. They had to work hard. Hard work pays off. The house had three floors. It also had a basement. There were five bedrooms. They planned to have a family. The house was big enough for a family. The house had brown carpet. It also had wooden floors. There were a lot of windows. The house had nice views. The house had a reading room. They had a big library. There was a piano inside. There was also an art room. It was a perfect house.
He woke up suddenly. He heard glass shattering. It was really loud. He sat up on his bed. He listened for noise. He heard footsteps. There was someone downstairs. It was a break-in. He went to his closet and grabbed his bat. He was not afraid. He slowly went downstairs. He sneaked his way to the stairs. He looked down the staircase. It was really dark. He saw the shadow of a man. He was dressed in black. There was no light. He walked down the stairs. He did not make a sound. The shadow was going through drawers. It was a robbery. He got closer to the shadow. His heart was racing. He took a deep breath. He ran at top speed. He hit the shadow over the head. The shadow fell to the ground. He called the police.
He was sad. His grandma had died. He loved his grandmother. She raised him. She took care of him. She had seen him grow into a man. She was the sweetest woman. She was kind to all. Everybody loved her. She departed at the age of seventy-six. She had lived a long life. He was happy for her. But he was also sad. His grandma was no longer here. He could not believe it. He remembered the last words he said to her: "I love you grandma. I'll come to see you soon. " He hugged and kissed her goodbye. She died a few days later. He cried. Her funeral was held shortly. All her family was there. Friends had also gathered. He helped carry the coffin. It was a hard thing to do. He would never forget his grandmother.
The circus was in town. It was a big attraction. Everybody in town went. The circus was a lot of fun. They had clowns. The clowns juggled pin balls and danced around. The kids liked the clowns. The circus also had magicians. The magicians performed magic tricks. The teenagers liked seeing the magician perform. The circus had animals. The animals had handlers. The handlers made the animals do tricks. A tiger went through a hula-hoop. A monkey rode a tricycle. An elephant stood on two legs. Everybody liked the animal show. There were also rides. The circus stayed in town for three days. It went from town to town. It was fun to go to a circus.
Henry was a strong man. He could carry heavy things. He had no problem helping you move. Mary asked Henry if he could help her. He said sure. Mary owned a lot of furniture. Henry carried it all. He put it in the moving van. He did not struggle. He was strong and able. "Thank you, Henry," Mary said. "Not a problem," Henry said. He was happy to help. Henry was walking down the street. He saw something as he was walking. There was a man in a car. The car would not start. There were other cars behind him. He was blocking the road. Henry took action. He went behind the car. He pushed with all his might. He moved the car. It was out of the way. The man thanked Henry. "You are strong," said the man. Henry agreed. He waved goodbye.
It was a family trip. They drove to the zoo. The zoo was far away. The children were excited. They had never seen wild animals before. They had only seen cats and dogs. They wanted to see bears and gorillas. The older sibling was not excited. He had been to the zoo before. He had been there too many times. It was now his tenth time. He did not want to go there anymore. Mom and dad liked the zoo. It was a good learning experience. Grandpa was also going. He was sound asleep. They arrived at the zoo. They saw all the animals. They heard a bear roar. They touched the starfishes. They saw the gorillas. It was a long day. The family got tired. They sat and ate food. They went back to their car. They drove back home.
Her tooth was aching. She could not eat. It hurt every time she chewed. She could not even swallow. She knew what she had to do. She was scared. She had not gone to the dentist in years. It was time to make an appointment. She called their number. She set an appointment. It was for Friday at five o'clock. She was not looking forward to it. She hated going to the dentist. She was afraid of the pain, but she had no choice. She was already in pain. The tooth had to come out. The dentist told her the same. She sat back in the chair. The dentist gave her a pain killer. She still felt some pain. It was soon over. The tooth was removed. It no longer hurt to chew. It was a relief. She could now eat and chew without pain.
They camped out in the woods last night. They were alone in the woods. When they woke up in the morning, they did not know where they were at. They were lost. There was no one else around. It was just two of them. They panicked at first. They calmed themselves down. "Everything will be okay," they said to each other. They left their cell phones at home. They lit a smoke signal. No one saw it. They decided to walk back. They retraced their footsteps. It took a long time. They had walked a long distance. They got thirsty. They stopped at a stream. They drank from the stream. They continued walking. There were no signs of life. It was getting dark. They had to find people soon. Eventually, they met somebody. He was another camper. He helped them find their way to safety. It was a scary camping trip.
She dropped her phone. She picked it up. She looked at the screen. She gasped! The screen was cracked. She was upset. Her phone was important. She texted on her phone regularly. She frequently made phone calls. She had Internet access on her phone. It was her world. The phone was not cheap, but she had to buy a new one. She did not have enough money. She went to the store, and talked to the salesperson. She told him that she had dropped her phone. He asked to look at the phone. She handed it to him. "Can you fix it?" she asked. He said yes he can. She paid to repair it. It cost less than a new phone. Her cell phone was repaired. She was very happy. She bought a protective case for it.
He looked up. He saw the night sky. There were many stars in the sky. He looked for a while. The stars were beautiful. They were shining brightly. They looked like diamonds. He remembered a song. He looked at the moon. The moon was in the night sky. It gave the moonlight. The moon looked white. It looked like cheese. He wondered about it. A man had walked on the moon. He imagined walking on the moon. He imagined the moon being cold. He looked at the constellations. There were many of them. Constellations are what groups of stars look like. They have different names. He saw the Big Dipper. He saw the Little Dipper. He also could see Orion's Belt. It was an amazing sight. He looked up every night. He believed in aliens. He hoped to see one. The night sky is full of wonders.
The house phone was ringing. She went downstairs. It was dark. She watched her steps and slowly went down the stairs. "Who is calling?" she wondered. She got downstairs. The phone was in the kitchen. She reached for the light switch. She turned on the lights. She squint her eyes. The light was bright. She was blinded by the lights. The phone was still ringing. She walked to the kitchen barefoot. She stepped on a toy. She jumped in pain. She looked at the floor. She had stepped on a Lego toy. She had a son. He never picked up his toys. She reached the kitchen. The phone was still ringing. She picked up the phone. She looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number. She answered the phone: "Hello. There was no reply. The phone clicked. It was a wrong number.
Comic books are illustrated stories. He loved comic books. He had many comic books. They were all on a shelf. His friends collected comic books, too. He sometimes traded comic books with them. He read comic books all night. He turned off the lights. He grabbed a flashlight. He sat up in bed. He wrapped a blanket around him. He stayed up reading his comic books. He had a fun time. He went to the comic book store. He went each Friday after school. The comic book store was great. It had new issues of comics. His favorite comic book hero was Spiderman. He bought all his issues. He stayed at the comic book store. There was a couch inside. He did not always have money. He read the new comic book issues in the store. He saved his allowance for comic books.
He was on the highest floor of a tall building. The building was a skyscraper. He was with his dad. His dad worked on the building. He met his dad's co-workers. They were all kind. He asked his dad a question: "Is it not scary working so high up?" Dad answered no. He said it was not noticeable. His son noticed. He kept thinking about it. He was scared of heights. His dad told him not to think about it. He could not stop thinking about it. It was time to go home. They went down the elevator. It was a long ride. He did not want to come back. It was too frightening for him.
It was winter time. The snow was coming. She was excited. She waited for the snow to start falling. She looked out her window every day. The snow had not come. She asked her brother why. Her brother said it was coming. She had to wait. She waited for a few weeks. She was giving up hope. One day she woke up. She went to her window. She did not believe it. It was finally snowing. She jumped for joy. The snow looked beautiful. She ran to her closet. She put on her winter clothes. She ran outside. She played in the snow. It was so much fun. She played all day in the snow. She made snowmen and igloos. Tomorrow she would play again. She loved the snow.
He stood in the hall. He looked around him. There were many doors. He did not know which door was the right door to enter. He was lost at school. It was going to be twelve. He was going to be late. It was his first day of college. His class was in Room 190. He looked at all the doors. They each had a number, but there were no rooms numbered 190. He did not know what to do. He asked a stranger: "Where is Room 190?" The stranger did not know. He asked another stranger. She also did not know. No one knew where Room 190 was. He checked his notebook, where He wrote down his classroom number. It was not Room 190. It was Room 140. Room 190 did not exist. He ran to Room 140. He was one minute late.
He entered his classroom. He quickly took a seat. He was a minute late. The professor was calling names. It was his first day of college. He was sweating. He had been running around looking for his classroom. It took him some time to find the classroom. "David?" the professor called. He raised his hand. He was out of breath. He took out his inhaler. He took a puff from his inhaler. It gave him breath. He took out his notebook and a pen. The professor started talking. He took notes. He always took notes in class. It was a good habit. He studied his notes after class. He was a good student. He wanted only good grades.
Class ended at two o'clock. The teacher dismissed the students. Ana rose from her seat. She grabbed her things. She had a backpack and a sweater. She had a question to ask. She waited for the teacher. Some students also had questions to ask. There was a line to see the teacher. She got in line. She had a question about an assignment. The teacher spoke to students one at a time. She waited a while. It was finally her turn to ask. "How can I help you?" the teacher asked. She asked her question. The teacher gave her the answer. She was glad to hear it. She thanked the teacher, who smiled and said, "No problem. She went on her way.
It was a hot day. The sun was shining brightly. There were no clouds in the sky. He walked along the street. He was going home. He was hot and tired. He could not wait to get home. He was almost there. It was nearly one hundred degrees. There was not another soul in sight. Everybody was at home. His car was not working. He had to walk to his bank. He did not know it was so hot. The bank was not too far. The heat made it seem far away. His throat was dry. He was thirsty for water. He walked with sweat on his back. He arrived home. He went straight to the kitchen. He drank a big cup of water. He took off his clothes. He went to the bathroom. He took a cold bath. It was so refreshing. He stayed in the bath.
It was the middle of the day. He looked out his window. He saw his lawn. The grass looked long. He decided to mow the lawn. He stepped into his garage. His mower was in there. He got his lawn mower. He turned it on. It started moving. The engine made a loud noise. The engine sputtered and stopped. He got off his lawn mower. He inspected the engine. It had broken. He took it back inside the garage. He opened his tool box. He repaired his lawn mower. He turned it on again. It was working. He mowed his lawn. It took him half an hour to finish. He took his lawn mower back inside. He went back into the house. He looked out the window. The lawn looked nice. He loved his lawn.
There is one student in the class. He is from South Korea. This student from Korea says that he has a question. He says that he has a big problem with pronunciation. He knows that his pronunciation is not very good but he doesn’t know how to make it better. He doesn’t speak much because he doesn’t like his pronunciation.
He says that he reads and watches films in English a lot. He understands very well but he also wants to speak well. He asks if there is something what he can do with his pronunciation.
The teacher says, “OK, I can tell you something about pronunciation and how to practise it. I also want to teach you a technique which can help you with pronunciation.
First, we have to look at why students have problems with pronunciation. When we speak, we have to move our mouth. We have to use muscles in our mouth. The problem is that when you speak English, sometimes you use your muscles like in your native language.Then your English pronunciation is like pronunciation in your native language.
This happens to many students who learn English. Almost every student has a little different pronunciation than native speakers have. It is not a big problem because usually people understand what you want to say. You are a student and it is logical that your pronunciation is not perfect when you study English.
But you can work on your pronunciation and make it better. There is a great technique that can help you a lot.
The name of this technique is shadowing. The technique is very simple. When you do shadowing, you simply copy the sound which you hear. When children learn their first language, they also copy what they hear. They copy after their parents again and again and after some time their pronunciation is perfect. You can learn English proununciation the same way.
You can take some video which is not very fast and which you understand very well. You listen and you copy what you hear when you hear it. It is all.”
Then our teacher tells us, “Shadowing is also good when you are prepareing for a presentation and you want to have good pronunciation. Before the presentation you can go to some place where you are alone and you can do shadowing for about 10 minutes. You will see how much it will help you to have better pronunciation during the presentation.”
When you want to have good pronunciation, repeat after native speakers.
Monica is a student from Italy. my teacher asks Monica some questions. My teacher knows Monica because Monica visited her class one year ago. It was a class for beginners and it was only for two weeks during summer holiday.
When Monica speaks, her English is beautiful. Her pronunciation is very good and she is very fluent.
My teacher is very happy and she tells Monica, “Your school in Italy must be very good.”
Monica says, “I don’t go to any school. I learn English at home. I use techniques from you. I do a lot of reading, shadowing and thinking aloud. I try to think more in English than in Italian.
This is how I work on my English. The two weeks which I spent last summer at your class helped me a lot. You showed me the way. I know how to work on my English every day. This is why I wanted to go to your class again because one year ago, I was a beginner and now I can speak English. I want to learn from you again.”
My teacher is very happy when she hears these words. She thanks Monica for her hard work.
Our teacher says, “It is a very effective technique. You have to have a strong motivation to learn English if you want to have benefit from this technique.
It is also good to know that for some people this technique is a little crazy. But when you start to think aloud, your English can be better very fast.”
“OK, it is actually very simple. You think in your native language all day every day. It is normal. Now, you can start to think in English. And when you start to think in English, then you can think aloud. You simply say aloud what you think. It is all.”
Then our teacher asks Monica if it is OK for her to speak about her experience with thinking aloud. It is no problem for Monica.
She says, “When I started with this technique, it wasn’t easy. I started with very simple sentences. For example, ‘I can speak English. It is good that I can speak English. I want to be better. I need to practise every day. I don’t know many words. But I can use these words well. I can say my ideas with these words. I can do this. This is great.’
The sentences were really simple. But at the beginning there was one problem. My thinking in Italian was long and complicated. I wasn’t able to say in English exactly what I was saying in Italian. I needed to find a simpler form for English. To think in simple English was the hardest part. But after some time it was normal for me to think in English.
Then something interesting happened. I met a girl from Australia. She was on holiday in Italy. I was still a beginner, but we started to speak English. I could see that I was able to speak with her without big problems. My sentences were simple and short, but I was able to speak. I didn’t translate in my head from Italian to English.
After the meeting with the girl from Australia, I started to use thinking aloud more. This technique helped me a lot with my speaking. I still use it every day. It is really a very effective technique.”
When you want to speak English fluently, think aloud.