درس بیست و دوم - درختی در جنگل

I’d like to offer a short story. I want you to practice reading it aloud. Your goal should be to read it smoothly and with natural expression. Practice every day, and by the end of one week, you should be able to read the story confidently.

Oral reading fluency with Jennifer, practice test 22 - A Tree in the Forest

[title] I wanted to make the story interesting because you’ll be reading the text many times – I hope! This is a sad but sweet love story. It also has a strange little twist. I hope you enjoy it. Often there are words you know, but you’re not familiar with common combinations, or collocations.

In the story, you’ll hear these phrases: “Arm in arm” - which means two people link or join arms. “The picture of happines.” If someone is the picture of happiness, then they look very happy. They are the perfect example of happiness. We can say “the picture of.” many different things.

The picture of happiness, the picture of health, the picture of innocence. I create these oral reading fluency texts with high frequency words. These are words that people use often, so you should know them in order to communicate well in English.

If there are any unfamiliar words, look them up in a dictionary Or ask me for the definition. So let’s start reading. This first time I’ll read and you listen. Just try to understand and enjoy the story.

This first time I’ll read at a natural pace.

Along time ago, a young man and woman lived at the edge of a forest.

They were the picture of happiness.

They often walked arm and arm through the trees and along a stream near their home.

One day the woman walked too far alone and became lost.

The man tried, but could not manage to find his beautiful wife.

He walked across most of the forest, from east to west, and then from north to south.

Several weeks passed. Time tested the limits of his hopes.

Then one day as the sun set and the starts appeared above, the man saw an unusual tree.

The moment he stood under its branches, he could view his wife’s face on the surface of the tree.

The man fell to the ground and asked the forces that took her to let her go.

When nothing happened, he offered to trade himself.

Please take me instead.

A cold white light fell around the man, and the next time he opened his eyes, he was looking down from the branches at his beautiful wife.

She was free, but he was not.

For many years, the woman visited the tree.

Every evening she could see her husband’s face up in the branches.

Every evening he gave her a sad smile.

Today they say there is still a tree deep in the forest that turns white when the sun sets.

Some believe the husband and wife enjoy a short reunion at that moment.

Now it’s your turn. You’re going to read the story with me a total of three times. This first time I want you to listen and repeat. Follow my rhythm and intonation.

Along time ago, a young man and woman lived at the edge of a forest.

They were the picture of happiness.

They often walked arm and arm through the trees and along a stream near their home.

One day the woman walked too far alone and became lost.

The man tried, but could not manage to find his beautiful wife.

He walked across most of the forest, from east to west, and then from north to south.

Several weeks passed. Time tested the limits of his hopes.

Then one day as the sun set and the starts appeared above, the man saw an unusual tree.

The moment he stood under its branches, he could view his wife’s face on the surface of the tree.

The man fell to the ground and asked the forces that took her to let her go.

When nothing happened, he offered to trade himself.

Please take me instead.

A cold white light fell around the man, and the next time he opened his eyes, he was looking down from the branches at his beautiful wife.

She was free, but he was not.

For many years, the woman visited the tree.

Every evening she could see her husband’s face up in the branches.

Every evening he gave her a sad smile.

Today they say there is still a tree deep in the forest that turns white when the sun sets.

Some believe the husband and wife enjoy a short reunion at that moment.

Now we’ll read the story aloud again. We’ll read together, but we’re not going to rush. We’ll take it a little slowly. We want to read with natural pauses and smooth phrases. Try to link your words. Ready?

Along time ago, a young man and woman lived at the edge of a forest.

They were the picture of happiness.

They often walked arm and arm through the trees and along a stream near their home.

One day the woman walked too far alone and became lost.

The man tried, but could not manage to find his beautiful wife.

He walked across most of the forest, from east to west, and then from north to south.

Several weeks passed. Time tested the limits of his hopes.

Then one day as the sun set and the starts appeared above, the man saw an unusual tree.

The moment he stood under its branches, he could view his wife’s face on the surface of the tree.

The man fell to the ground and asked the forces that took her to let her go.

When nothing happened, he offered to trade himself.

Please take me instead.

A cold white light fell around the man, and the next time he opened his eyes, he was looking down from the branches at his beautiful wife.

She was free, but he was not.

For many years, the woman visited the tree.

Every evening she could see her husband’s face up in the branches.

Every evening he gave her a sad smile.

Today they say there is still a tree deep in the forest that turns white when the sun sets.

Some believe the husband and wife enjoy a short reunion at that moment.

Okay, If you’re very comfortable reading the story at a slower pace, then it’s time to speed it up. Let’s read the story again, and we’ll read it together at a natural pace. Here we go.

Along time ago, a young man and woman lived at the edge of a forest.

They were the picture of happiness.

They often walked arm and arm through the trees and along a stream near their home.

One day the woman walked too far alone and became lost.

The man tried, but could not manage to find his beautiful wife.

He walked across most of the forest, from east to west, and then from north to south.

Several weeks passed. Time tested the limits of his hopes.

Then one day as the sun set and the starts appeared above, the man saw an unusual tree.

The moment he stood under its branches, he could view his wife’s face on the surface of the tree.

The man fell to the ground and asked the forces that took her to let her go.

When nothing happened, he offered to trade himself.

Please take me instead.

A cold white light fell around the man, and the next time he opened his eyes, he was looking down from the branches at his beautiful wife.

She was free, but he was not.

For many years, the woman visited the tree.

Every evening she could see her husband’s face up in the branches.

Every evening he gave her a sad smile.

Today they say there is still a tree deep in the forest that turns white when the sun sets.

Some believe the husband and wife enjoy a short reunion at that moment.

So what do you think of the man’s decision to save his wife?

Is there a friend or loved one you’d try to save from trouble if you could? I’m sure there’s someone.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this oral reading practice. That’s all for now. Thanks for watching and happy studies!