Рассказы на английском для среднего уровня (B1). Практика лексики, выражений и понимания текста

It was Saturday morning, and Sarah was very sleepy. She had planned to sleep late, but her little brother, Tom, was already awake. The sun was shining through the window, and birds were singing loudly. Sarah yawned and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Tom was jumping on the chairs and laughing. «I’m hungry!» he said. «Can we eat pancakes today?»

Sarah smiled but felt a little nervous. Pancakes were not easy to make, and she had never cooked alone. «Okay, but you have to help me,» she said.

First, Sarah opened the fridge. She took milk, eggs, and flour. She put them on the table. Tom tried to help, but he spilled some milk on the floor. «Oops!» he shouted. Sarah laughed. «Be careful, Tom!»

Next, Sarah mixed the flour, milk, and eggs in a big bowl. The mixture looked funny, and Tom touched it with his hands. «It’s sticky!» he said. Sarah laughed again. «Yes, it is. Don’t eat it yet!»

Then, Sarah turned on the stove. She poured some oil in a frying pan. Suddenly, the pan made a loud noise. Tom jumped. «What was that?» he asked. Sarah explained that it was just the oil heating.

When the mixture was ready, Sarah poured some into the pan. The pancake grew big and round. But Tom wanted to help too. He tried to flip the pancake with a spatula, and it landed on the floor. Both of them laughed. «We need another one!» Sarah said.

After ten minutes, they had three pancakes on the plate. Tom wanted syrup, but Sarah could not find it. They looked in the cupboard and the fridge, but the syrup was missing. Finally, Tom used jam instead. «It’s okay,» he said. «Jam is yummy too!»

While they were eating, the cat, Felix, jumped on the table. He wanted a piece of pancake. Tom gave him a small piece. Felix ate it quickly and ran away. Sarah shook her head. «Breakfast is always fun with you and Tom,» she said.

By the end, the kitchen was messy: flour on the floor, a little milk in the sink, and some jam on the table. But Sarah and Tom were happy. They ate all the pancakes and drank orange juice. It was a chaotic breakfast, but it was also the best breakfast ever.

Vocabulary and Expressions

sleepy — сонный

yawn — зевать

sunshine — солнечный свет

fridge — холодильник

pancake — блин

nervous — нервный

spill — пролить

mixture — смесь

sticky — липкий

frying pan — сковорода

spatula — лопатка

cupboard — шкаф

jam — джем

syrup — сироп

messy — грязный, беспорядочный

shout — кричать

laugh — смеяться

floor — пол

sink — раковина

jump — прыгать

hungry — голодный

help — помогать

try — пробовать

land — приземляться, падать

drink — пить

run away — убегать

fun — весело

best ever — лучший в жизни

enjoy — наслаждаться

small piece — маленький кусочек

Comprehension Questions

Why was Sarah sleepy on Saturday morning?

What did Tom want for breakfast?

What happened when Tom tried to flip the pancake?

Why did they use jam instead of syrup?

How did the cat, Felix, join the breakfast?

How did Sarah feel at the end of the breakfast?

It was Monday morning, and Anna looked at the pile of clothes on her bed. «Wow,» she said, «this is a lot of laundry!» She sighed. Laundry day was always a little stressful, but she had to do it.

First, she separated the clothes. Whites in one pile, colors in another. «I don’t want to ruin my favorite red sweater,» she thought. She checked the pockets of her pants and found a candy wrapper. «Oh no!» she laughed.

Anna carried the baskets to the washing machine. She put the whites first. She added soap and pressed the buttons carefully. The machine started to make noises: whirring and splashing. Anna smiled. «It’s working!» she said.

Then, she went back to her room to sort the colors. Her brother, Max, came in. «Can I help?» he asked. «Yes, but be careful,» Anna said. Max picked up a blue sock and threw it on the bed. «Oops,» he said, laughing. Anna shook her head. «Okay, now put it in the basket!»

After thirty minutes, the whites were done. Anna took them out and put them in the dryer. The dryer made a loud rumbling sound. Max watched curiously. «It’s like a spaceship,» he said. Anna laughed. «Yes, it is!»

Next, Anna put the colors into the washing machine. She added a little more soap. This time, Max tried to press the buttons. «No, Max!» Anna said. «Let me do it.» The machine started, and they both listened to the splashing water and spinning drum.

While waiting, Anna folded the clean clothes from the dryer. She made small piles: shirts, pants, socks. Max tried to fold a t-shirt, but it was messy. «I’m not very good at folding,» he admitted. «That’s okay,» Anna said. «Practice makes perfect!»

Finally, the colors were done. Anna hung some clothes on the drying rack and put others in the dryer. The kitchen smelled a little like soap, and the laundry room was full of clothes. It was a little chaotic, but everything was clean.

By the afternoon, Anna and Max had finished all the laundry. They were tired but happy. Max said, «Laundry day is actually fun with you, Anna.» Anna smiled. «Yes, but maybe we need a break until next week!»

Vocabulary and Expressions

laundry — стирка

pile — куча

sigh — вздыхать

separate — разделять

whites — белое белье

colors — цветное белье

ruin — испортить

sweater — свитер

pocket — карман

candy wrapper — обертка от конфеты

washing machine — стиральная машина

soap — мыло, порошок

whirring — шум, жужжание

splash — плеск

basket — корзина

dryer — сушилка

rumbling — грохот

spaceship — космический корабль

fold — складывать

messy — беспорядочный

drum — барабан (машины)

hang — вешать

drying rack — сушилка для одежды

kitchen — кухня

curious — любопытный

practice makes perfect — практика делает мастера

tired — усталый

admit — признавать

chaotic — хаотичный

break — перерыв

Comprehension Questions

How did Anna separate the clothes?

What did she find in her pocket?

Why did Max compare the dryer to a spaceship?

How did Max try to help with the washing machine?

What did Anna do while waiting for the laundry to finish?

How did Anna and Max feel at the end of laundry day?

It was Saturday morning, and David looked at his bedroom. Clothes were on the floor, books were on the bed, and toys were everywhere. «I need to clean my room,» he said. But he didn’t feel very motivated.

David started with his bed. He pulled the sheets and blankets and tried to make it neat. But one pillow fell on the floor. «Oops,» he said, laughing. Then he put all the books on the shelf. Some books were heavy, and a few almost fell. «Be careful!» he whispered to himself.

Next, David picked up the clothes. He separated them into clean and dirty. The dirty clothes went into the laundry basket. The clean ones went into the closet. Suddenly, he found a sock under the bed. «Where did this come from?» he asked. He laughed and put it with the other socks.

David’s little sister, Emma, came into the room. «Can I help?» she asked. «Sure, but don’t throw anything away!» David said. Emma picked up the toys and put them in a box. But some toys were small and fell out of the box. They both laughed.

After half an hour, the room looked much better. The bed was neat, the floor was clear, and the toys were in boxes. But David noticed dust on the shelves. He took a cloth and started to clean. Emma helped too. They wiped the shelves and the windowsill.

Finally, David vacuumed the floor. The vacuum made a loud noise, and Emma covered her ears. «It’s okay,» David said. «It will be quiet soon.» He moved the vacuum carefully, around the bed and the chairs.

By the afternoon, the room was clean and tidy. David and Emma looked at it proudly. «It looks amazing!» Emma said. David smiled. «Cleaning is not so bad when we do it together.» He realized that a clean room was not only nice to look at but also made him feel happy.

Vocabulary and Expressions

bedroom — спальня

clothes — одежда

floor — пол

toy — игрушка

motivated — мотивированный

bed — кровать

sheets — простыни

blanket — одеяло

pillow — подушка

bookshelf — книжная полка

heavy — тяжелый

closet — шкаф

sock — носок

laundry basket — корзина для белья

clean — чистый

dirty — грязный

little sister — младшая сестра

box — коробка

dust — пыль

cloth — тряпка

windowsill — подоконник

vacuum — пылесос

loud noise — громкий звук

tidy — аккуратный

proudly — с гордостью

together — вместе

amazing — потрясающе

realize — понимать

fall out — выпадать

wipe — вытирать

Comprehension Questions

What problems did David see in his room at the beginning?

How did he start cleaning?

How did Emma help with the cleaning?

What did David do after picking up toys and clothes?

How did the vacuum affect Emma?

How did David feel when the room was clean?

It was Monday morning, and Lily woke up late. The sun was shining, and birds were singing outside. She looked at her bed. The sheets were messy, and her blanket was on the floor. «I need to make my bed,» she said.

Lily got out of bed and pulled the blanket up. It was heavier than she thought. She shook it to make it flat. Then she put the pillow in the right place. The pillow was soft, but it was a little lumpy. «I have to fix this,» she said.

Next, Lily folded the sheets neatly. She started with the corners. It was tricky because the sheets were big. She tried to tuck them under the mattress, but one corner slipped out. She laughed. «This is not so easy!» she said.

Her little brother, Ben, came into the room. «Good morning!» he said. «Do you want my help?» Lily smiled. «Sure, but be careful!» Ben tried to lift the blanket, but it fell to the floor again. «Oops,» he said. Lily laughed. «It’s okay, we can do it together.»

Finally, Lily added a small blanket on top. She made a nice design with the pillows. Ben put a stuffed animal on the bed. «There! Now it looks perfect!» Lily said proudly.

After making the bed, Lily felt happy. The room looked neat and clean. She realized that making the bed every morning made her feel ready for the day. It took a little effort, but it was worth it.

Vocabulary and Expressions

wake up — просыпаться

messy — неаккуратный

blanket — одеяло

pillow — подушка

lumpy — комковатый

sheets — простыни

fold — складывать

corner — угол

tuck under — заправлять

mattress — матрас

tricky — сложный

slip — соскользнуть

laugh — смеяться

little brother — младший брат

good morning — доброе утро

help — помощь

be careful — будь осторожен

together — вместе

stuffed animal — мягкая игрушка

design — узор, оформление

neat — аккуратный

clean — чистый

realize — понимать

effort — усилие

worth it — стоит того

room — комната

shiny — сияющий (чистый)

proud — гордый

morning routine — утренняя рутина

perfect — идеальный

Comprehension Questions

How did Lily’s bed look in the morning?

What did she do first to make the bed?

Why was folding the sheets tricky?

How did Ben help with the bed?

What did Lily put on top of the bed at the end?

How did Lily feel after making the bed?

It was Thursday evening, and Jake was reading a book in his room. Suddenly, the lamp on his desk fell down. «Oh no!» he shouted. The glass lampshade broke, and the light went off. Jake was surprised and a little worried.

He looked at the pieces on the floor. «I need to fix it,» he said. First, he picked up the big pieces carefully. He wore gloves because the glass was sharp. «I don’t want to cut my fingers,» he said.

Jake went to the kitchen to get tape and a small screwdriver. He thought about how to put the lamp together. «Maybe I can fix it,» he whispered.

He started with the base of the lamp. It was okay, but the glass shade was broken. He tried to put it together with tape, but it didn’t look very good. «Hmm, maybe glue is better,» he said.

His sister, Mia, came into the room. «What happened?» she asked. «The lamp fell and broke,» Jake explained. «Do you want to help?» Mia smiled. «Sure!» She gave him some glue.

Jake put the pieces together carefully. Mia held the lamp steady. They waited a few minutes for the glue to dry. Then, Jake plugged the lamp in. The light came on! «Yes! It works!» he shouted happily.

Jake realized that fixing things was not so difficult if he took his time and asked for help. The lamp was not perfect, but it worked, and he felt proud.

At the end, Jake cleaned the floor, threw away the broken glass pieces, and put the lamp on his desk. He was ready to continue reading his book.

Vocabulary and Expressions

lamp — лампа

desk — стол

fall down — падать

broken — сломанный

glass — стекло

lampshade — абажур

surprised — удивленный

worried — обеспокоенный

pick up — поднимать

carefully — осторожно

gloves — перчатки

sharp — острый

cut — порезать

tape — скотч

screwdriver — отвертка

base — основание

glue — клей

hold — держать

steady — устойчивый

plug in — включить в розетку

shout — кричать

whisper — шептать

take time — не торопиться

ask for help — попросить помощи

not perfect — не идеально

proud — гордый

clean — убирать

throw away — выбросить

ready — готовый

continue — продолжать

Comprehension Questions

What happened to the lamp while Jake was reading?

Why did Jake wear gloves?

What tools did Jake get to fix the lamp?

How did Mia help him?

Did the lamp work at the end?

What did Jake realize about fixing things?

It was Sunday morning, and Anna went to the kitchen. Her mother was cooking breakfast. «Good morning, Mom!» Anna said. «Can I help you today?»

Her mom smiled. «Of course! You can help with the pancakes.» Anna was happy. She liked cooking, but she was a little nervous because pancakes could burn easily.

First, Anna washed her hands and put on an apron. She took the eggs and milk from the fridge. Her mom explained how to mix the ingredients. Anna poured the milk and eggs into a bowl, then added flour. She stirred the mixture carefully.

Next, her mom heated the frying pan. Anna waited for the pan to become hot. Then her mom poured some batter into the pan. The pancake started to cook. Anna watched carefully. «Don’t touch it yet,» her mom said.

Anna’s little brother, Ben, came into the kitchen. «Can I help too?» he asked. «Sure, you can set the table,» Anna said. Ben put plates, forks, and cups on the table. He dropped one cup, but it didn’t break. Everyone laughed.

The pancake was ready. Anna tried to flip it with a spatula. It was difficult, and the pancake fell on the floor. «Oh no!» she said. Her mom laughed. «It’s okay, Anna. Try another one.»

After a few minutes, they had four pancakes on a plate. Anna put syrup on one, and Ben added some jam on another. They all sat down and ate breakfast together. «These pancakes are delicious!» Anna said proudly.

By the end, the kitchen was a little messy, with flour on the table and some milk spilled on the floor. But Anna was happy. She realized that helping her mom in the kitchen was fun and made her feel proud.

Vocabulary and Expressions

kitchen — кухня

cook — готовить

breakfast — завтрак

help — помогать

pancake — блин

nervous — нервный

burn — сжечь

wash hands — мыть руки

apron — фартук

fridge — холодильник

ingredients — ингредиенты

mix — смешивать

bowl — миска

stir — мешать

frying pan — сковорода

hot — горячий

batter — тесто

spatula — лопатка

drop — уронить

table — стол

plate — тарелка

fork — вилка

cup — чашка

syrup — сироп

jam — джем

messy — грязный, беспорядочный

spill — пролить

realize — понимать

fun — весело

proud — гордый

Comprehension Questions

What did Anna want to do in the kitchen?

How did Anna prepare to cook?

What did Ben do to help?

What happened when Anna tried to flip the pancake?

How many pancakes did they finally have on the plate?

How did Anna feel after helping her mom?

It was Friday afternoon, and Emma’s parents had to go shopping. «Emma,» her mom said, «can you babysit your little brother, Tom, for two hours?»

«Of course!» Emma answered. She liked spending time with Tom, but sometimes he could be very energetic and noisy.

First, Emma and Tom played with his toys. They built a small tower with blocks. «Look! It’s very tall!» Tom shouted. Suddenly, the tower fell down. «Oops!» he laughed. Emma laughed too. «It’s okay, we can build it again,» she said.

After that, Emma decided to give Tom a snack. She made a sandwich and poured some juice into a cup. Tom spilled a little juice on the table. «Oh no!» Emma said, quickly taking a cloth to clean it. Tom said, «Sorry!» and helped wipe the table.

Next, they read a story together. Tom chose a book about dinosaurs. He loved dinosaurs and asked many questions about them. Emma explained everything as best as she could. Tom listened carefully and laughed at the funny pictures.

Then, it was time for a small walk in the garden. Emma held Tom’s hand. They saw birds, flowers, and butterflies. Tom ran a little too fast, but Emma reminded him to be careful. «Look at this flower!» Tom said, pointing at a red tulip.

Finally, it was snack time again, and soon their parents came back. «How was it?» their mom asked. Emma smiled. «Tom was very good. We had fun together.» Tom nodded. «Yes! I like playing with Emma.»

Emma realized that babysitting her little brother was fun. It could be challenging, but it was also a great way to spend time together and learn responsibility.

Vocabulary and Expressions

babysit — присматривать за ребёнком

little brother — младший брат

energetic — энергичный

noisy — шумный

toy — игрушка

tower — башня

block — кубик, детский строительный блок

fall down — падать

laugh — смеяться