Истории на английском для средней и старшей школы. Как говорить естественно и понятно

© Том Сториз, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0070-4268-0

Создано в интеллектуальной издательской системе Ridero

Введение

Данное учебное пособие предназначено для учащихся средней и старшей школы, изучающих английский язык на уровне B1. Основной целью книги является развитие навыков чтения, понимания и самостоятельного использования языка в контексте личного опыта и повседневных ситуаций.

В основе материала лежат тексты, построенные в форме кратких повествований от первого лица. Они отражают типичные жизненные ситуации, с которыми сталкиваются подростки и молодые люди: обучение, общение, принятие решений, внутренние переживания и формирование личной позиции. Такой подход позволяет соединить языковую практику с осмыслением собственного опыта.

Лексический и грамматический материал отобран с учетом уровня подготовки учащихся. В текстах используются распространенные слова, устойчивые выражения и базовые синтаксические конструкции, включая простые и сложные предложения. Особое внимание уделяется естественности языка и его приближенности к реальной коммуникации.

После каждого текста предлагается система заданий, направленных на закрепление изученного материала. В их число входят списки полезных выражений с переводом, речевые модели для практического использования, вопросы для личной рефлексии, примеры развернутых ответов, а также упражнения на завершение предложений. Эти задания ориентированы на развитие навыков говорения, письма и осознанного восприятия языка.

Пособие может использоваться как в рамках учебного процесса под руководством преподавателя, так и для самостоятельной работы. Структура материала позволяет постепенно развивать языковые навыки, а также формировать способность выражать собственные мысли на английском языке в понятной и логичной форме.

Автор исходит из того, что изучение языка является не только процессом усвоения правил и словарного запаса, но и средством развития мышления, внимания и способности к самовыражению. В связи с этим особое значение придается содержательной стороне текстов и их связи с личным опытом учащихся.

When My Phone Became My Problem

It started like a normal school year. I had a new timetable, new teachers, and a lot of plans in my head. I also had a new phone. At first, it felt like something useful and exciting. I used it to text my friends, check homework, listen to music on the way to school, and sometimes watch short videos before sleeping. It seemed harmless.

But after a few weeks, I noticed something strange. I was checking my phone all the time. In the morning, I would grab it before even getting out of bed. During breakfast, I was scrolling through social media instead of talking to my family. On the bus, I wasn’t looking out of the window anymore — I was just staring at the screen.

At school, it became worse. I kept thinking about messages or notifications, even when the teacher was explaining something important. I told myself, «Just five more minutes,» but those five minutes turned into twenty. Sometimes I didn’t even realize how much time I was wasting. My homework started to get worse, and I felt more tired than usual.

One day, my friend asked me a simple question: «Do you feel like you control your phone, or your phone controls you?» I laughed at first, but later that question stayed in my head. That evening, I tried to study, but my phone kept lighting up. I felt nervous when I didn’t check it, like I was missing something important, although nothing special was actually happening.

So I decided to try something different. I put my phone in another room while studying. At first, it was uncomfortable. I kept thinking about it, and I even stood up a few times just to check it. But slowly, I started to focus better. I finished my homework faster than usual, and I even had time to relax afterwards.

The next day, I tried the same thing again. I also turned off unnecessary notifications. It wasn’t easy, because I was used to reacting to every sound and vibration. But I started noticing small changes. I was more present in conversations. I paid more attention in class. Even my mood felt calmer.

Still, I didn’t want to completely give up my phone. It’s part of life now — we use it for school, communication, and entertainment. The problem wasn’t the phone itself, but how I was using it. I had to learn when to stop.

Sometimes, I still catch myself unlocking the screen without a reason. But now I notice it faster. I pause, put the phone away, and do something else instead. It’s not perfect, but it feels like I’m getting a bit more control back, one small moment at a time.

And strangely, the world around me feels a little louder and clearer when I’m not always looking down.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

grab my phone — схватить телефон

scroll through social media — листать соцсети

waste time — тратить время впустую

check notifications — проверять уведомления

feel distracted — чувствовать себя отвлечённым

lose focus — терять концентрацию

stare at the screen — смотреть в экран

turn off notifications — отключить уведомления

stay in my head — застрять в голове

feel nervous — чувствовать тревогу

miss something important — пропустить что-то важное

put the phone away — убрать телефон

be used to something — привыкнуть к чему-то

pay attention — обращать внимание

react to every sound — реагировать на каждый звук

take control back — вернуть контроль

feel calmer — чувствовать себя спокойнее

be present in the moment — быть в настоящем моменте

before sleeping — перед сном

check messages — проверять сообщения

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

I started + V-ing — Я начал (а)…

I didn’t realize how much… — Я не осознавал (а), сколько…

I decided to… — Я решил (а)…

It was hard to… but I tried — Было сложно…, но я попробовал (а)

I felt like I was… — Мне казалось, что я…

Instead of V-ing, I started V-ing — Вместо того чтобы…, я начал (а)…

I got used to V-ing — Я привык (ла)…

It helped me to… — Это помогло мне…

Now think about your own experience:

1. How often do you use your phone during the day?

I use my phone many times during the day, especially after school and before sleeping. It helps me stay in touch with friends and relax.

2. Have you ever felt distracted because of your phone?

Yes, sometimes I feel distracted when I study. I start checking messages and lose focus, so I try to put my phone away.

3. Do you think your phone controls your time sometimes?

Sometimes yes, especially when I scroll through social media. I don’t notice time passing, so I try to set limits.

4. What do you usually do on your phone the most?

I mostly check messages and watch videos. It helps me relax, but I try not to spend too much time on it.

5. Have you tried to reduce phone use?

Yes, I turned off notifications and it helped me feel calmer. I also started studying without my phone nearby.

6. When do you feel you are more focused?

I feel more focused when my phone is not near me. I can finish tasks faster and make fewer mistakes.

Complete the sentences:

I often scroll through social media when I feel ______.

I decided to put my phone away because I was ______.

It is hard to lose focus when I keep checking ______.

Turning off notifications helped me feel more ______.

I try to be more present in the moment instead of ______.

The Message I Shouldn’t Have Read

It was a normal evening, or at least it looked normal at first. I came home from school, threw my bag on the chair, and went straight to my phone. I was tired, a bit bored, and just wanted to relax. I opened social media, checked a few messages, and started scrolling without thinking too much.

Then I saw a notification that didn’t look important. It was just a message preview from someone I knew. I wasn’t planning to read it, but my finger clicked before my brain could stop me. That moment changed my mood completely.

It was a message about me. Not a nice one. A friend had written something personal in a group chat, and it wasn’t kind. It wasn’t a huge drama, but it still hurt. I read it once, then again, trying to understand if I misunderstood something. But the meaning was clear.

At first, I just stared at the screen. I felt my face get hot, and my thoughts became messy. I wanted to close the app and forget about it, but I couldn’t. I kept reading the same lines again and again, like maybe they would change.

I didn’t know what to do. Part of me wanted to reply immediately, but another part told me to wait. So I put my phone down and tried to distract myself. I went to the kitchen, drank some water, and tried to act normal. But inside, I was still thinking about that message.

Later that night, I couldn’t focus on anything. Even watching videos didn’t help. The message kept coming back into my mind. I started thinking about what I did wrong, or if I should talk to my friend. I felt confused, sad, and a bit angry at the same time.

The next day at school, I saw the person who wrote the message. We acted normal, like nothing happened, but I could feel tension between us. I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to make things worse, but staying silent also felt strange.

After school, I talked to another friend about it. That helped a little. She told me that sometimes messages online sound worse than they really are, because we don’t hear tone or see expressions. She also said I should talk directly to the person instead of overthinking everything.

So I did something I wasn’t comfortable with. I sent a message asking if we could talk. It wasn’t easy to press «send,» because I didn’t know what answer I would get. But I felt like I needed clarity.

We met the next day and talked in person. It turned out the message wasn’t meant as seriously as I thought. It was a misunderstanding mixed with bad timing and jokes that didn’t come across well in text. I still felt a bit hurt, but I also felt relieved.

After that, I started thinking more carefully about what I read online. Not every message is as serious as it looks, but at the same time, words can still affect people deeply. I also realized that reading something quickly doesn’t always mean understanding it correctly.

Now, whenever I see a message that feels emotional or confusing, I pause before reacting. Sometimes I even wait a few minutes or talk to someone first. It doesn’t remove all problems, but it helps me avoid jumping to conclusions too fast.

And even now, I still remember that moment when one small message changed my whole evening.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

scroll without thinking — листать не задумываясь

message preview — предварительный просмотр сообщения

change my mood — изменить настроение

feel confused — чувствовать растерянность

stare at the screen — смотреть в экран

over and over again — снова и снова

take a break — сделать паузу

distract myself — отвлечь себя

act normal — вести себя нормально

feel tension — чувствовать напряжение

overthink everything — слишком много думать

send a message — отправить сообщение

press «send» — нажать «отправить»

talk in person — поговорить лично

bad timing — неудачное время

jump to conclusions — делать поспешные выводы

affect deeply — сильно повлиять

think carefully — обдумывать внимательно

feel relieved — чувствовать облегчение

come across (in text) — передаваться (в тексте)

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

I didn’t mean to… — Я не хотел (а)…

I ended up V-ing — В итоге я…

It made me feel… — Это заставило меня чувствовать…

I wasn’t sure what to do — Я не знал (а), что делать

Instead of reacting, I… — Вместо реакции я…

I tried to distract myself by… — Я пытался (ась) отвлечься…

It turned out that… — Оказалось, что…

I felt like I needed to… — Мне казалось, что мне нужно…

Now think about your own experience:

1. Have you ever misunderstood a message online?

Yes, sometimes I misunderstand messages because I don’t see the tone. Later I realize it wasn’t as serious as I thought.

2. How do you usually react to emotional messages?

I usually try to wait before reacting. If I reply immediately, I might say something I regret.

3. Do you prefer talking in person or online?

I prefer talking in person because it is easier to understand feelings. Online messages can be confusing sometimes.

4. What do you do when you feel upset after reading something?

I try to distract myself by doing something else, like listening to music or walking. It helps me calm down.

5. Have you ever had a misunderstanding with a friend?

Yes, I had a misunderstanding with a friend because of a message. We talked later and solved the problem.

6. Do you think people react too fast to messages today?

Yes, I think many people react too quickly. They don’t always think carefully before responding.

Complete the sentences:

I didn’t want to react immediately, so I decided to ______.

The message made me feel confused and ______.

Instead of replying, I tried to ______ myself.

Later, I realized it was just bad ______.

Now I always try to think carefully before I ______ a message.

A Comment That Hurt Me More Than I Expected

It started like any other normal school day. I woke up a bit tired, rushed through breakfast, and checked my phone on the way to school. Nothing unusual was happening, and I didn’t expect anything special from that day. At school, we had the usual lessons, homework, and small conversations during breaks. Everything felt predictable and a little boring, like most weekdays.

After school, I finally had time to relax. I sat on my bed, opened social media, and started scrolling without really thinking. I had posted a photo earlier that day — just a simple picture with friends in the school corridor. We were laughing, nothing serious, just a small moment from everyday life. I didn’t expect much attention, maybe a few likes and friendly comments.

At first, everything looked normal. People reacted with emojis, short positive messages, and casual words like «nice» or «cool.» I didn’t pay much attention to it. It felt like background noise — something pleasant but not important.

Then I saw one comment that made me stop.

It was short. Just one sentence. No emojis, no explanation, nothing that could soften the meaning. It was from someone I knew from school. At first, I thought I misunderstood it, so I read it again. And again. But the meaning didn’t change.

It was a comment about how I looked in the photo. Not in a kind or friendly way. It wasn’t extremely rude, but it was enough to make me feel uncomfortable. It was like a small stone suddenly dropped into a calm lake — not huge, but impossible to ignore.

I remember staring at the screen and not moving for a few seconds. My thoughts slowed down. I didn’t know whether to ignore it or respond. Part of me wanted to reply immediately, but another part told me to wait. So I just sat there, holding my phone and feeling confused.

I tried to tell myself, «It’s just a comment, don’t take it seriously.» But it didn’t work very well. I kept thinking about it, even when I wasn’t looking at my phone. I started noticing things I usually don’t care about — my appearance, the photo, even small details I had never thought about before.

After a while, I decided to close the app and do something else. I went to the kitchen, got some water, and tried to distract myself. I even put on music and walked around my room. But the comment still stayed in my head, like it had its own space there.

Later that evening, I talked to a friend. I didn’t explain everything at first, just said that something online bothered me. My friend listened and then said something simple but helpful: sometimes people write things quickly without thinking, and it doesn’t always reflect reality.

That didn’t erase what I felt, but it made me think differently. Maybe the problem wasn’t only the comment itself, but the importance I gave it. Still, it’s not easy to switch off emotions just by understanding them logically.

The next day at school, I saw the person who wrote the comment. We acted normal, like nothing had happened. That felt a bit strange, because inside I still remembered everything, but on the outside, life just continued as usual.

Over time, the feeling became less strong. I didn’t forget it, but it stopped affecting me the same way. I started realizing that online comments can be random, careless, or exaggerated. Not everything deserves deep attention.

Now, when I see comments online, I still read them, but I don’t let them decide how I feel about myself. Sometimes I even pause before reacting, especially if something feels negative. It helps me step back for a moment and not get stuck in one sentence.

And even now, I still remember how surprising it is that something so small — just a few words on a screen — can stay in your mind much longer than you expect.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

scroll without thinking — листать не задумываясь

check my phone — проверять телефон

simple picture — простая фотография

get attention — привлекать внимание

feel uncomfortable — чувствовать себя некомфортно

read again and again — читать снова и снова

take it seriously — воспринимать серьёзно

stay in my head — застрять в голове

distract myself — отвлечь себя

put on music — включить музыку

act normal — вести себя нормально

switch off emotions — отключить эмоции

give importance to something — придавать значение

calm down — успокоиться

think differently — думать по-другому

reflect reality — отражать реальность

pay attention — обращать внимание

step back — сделать шаг назад

affect me — влиять на меня

let it go — отпустить

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

It started like a normal day — Всё началось как обычный день

I didn’t expect anything special — Я не ожидал (а) ничего особенного

I kept thinking about it — Я продолжал (а) думать об этом

I tried to distract myself by… — Я пытался (ась) отвлечься…

It didn’t work very well — Это не очень помогло

I told myself that… — Я говорил (а) себе, что…

Over time, I realized that… — Со временем я понял (а), что…

It was hard not to think about it — Было трудно не думать об этом

Now think about your own experience:

1. Have you ever received a comment online that affected your mood?

Yes, sometimes I read comments that feel a bit negative. At first, they affect my mood, but later I try to ignore them.

2. How do you usually react to negative opinions online?

I usually try not to react immediately. I think for a while and decide if it is worth responding.

3. Do you think online comments are always honest?

No, I don’t think so. People often write quickly without thinking about how it sounds.

4. What helps you feel better after something upsetting online?

I usually talk to friends or listen to music. It helps me calm down and stop overthinking.

5. Do you post things online often?

Yes, sometimes I post photos or updates, but I don’t expect too much attention.

6. Have you ever changed your opinion about something after thinking more carefully?

Yes, sometimes I realize that my first reaction was too emotional, so I try to see things more calmly later.

Complete the sentences:

I didn’t expect anything special, but I saw a ______ comment.

I kept reading it again and again because I felt ______.

I tried to distract myself by ______ music and walking around.

Over time, I realized I should not take it too ______.

Now I try to think carefully before I ______ to online comments.

The Day I Deleted All My Social Media

It wasn’t planned. I didn’t wake up thinking, «Today I will delete everything and change my life.» It happened on a quiet evening after school, when nothing special was going on, but my head felt unusually full.

I remember sitting on my bed with my phone in my hand, switching between apps without even noticing. Open one app, scroll a bit, close it, open another. The same cycle again and again. It felt automatic, like I wasn’t really choosing anything anymore.

That day had been normal, but also strangely exhausting. At school I was half-listening to lessons, half-thinking about messages I hadn’t replied to. During breaks I checked my phone even when I had nothing to check. I wasn’t really present anywhere — not in class, not with friends, not even alone.

When I got home, I felt a bit irritated for no clear reason. My phone kept buzzing, lighting up, pulling my attention every few minutes. Even when I wasn’t using it, I was thinking about it. It was like there was always something waiting for me inside the screen.

At some point, I opened social media again and just stared at it. Not even scrolling properly. Just looking. And I had a strange thought: Why am I doing this right now?

It wasn’t a dramatic moment, no big emotional breakdown. It was more like a quiet realization. I noticed how often I checked my phone without a reason. How quickly I got distracted. How hard it was to focus on anything for more than a few minutes.

So I did something impulsive. I opened settings and started deleting apps. One by one. First the easiest ones. Then the ones I used every day. My finger hesitated a few times, especially over the apps I used to talk to friends, but I still pressed «delete.»

After a few minutes, my phone looked strangely empty. No colorful icons, no constant notifications, no quick escape into scrolling. Just the basic apps left. I locked the screen and put the phone on my desk.