داستان کوتاه

Grandmother Mini-Story Lesson

Hello and welcome to the mini-story lesson for the conversation “Grandmother.” Let’s get started with the story now.

Carlos never ate anything but sweets. He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery. There was also an ice cream store one block from his house. His mother used to beg him to eat vegetables but he would only eat sweets.

One day Carlos was out and about with his girlfriend Marta. First they went to a secondhand store.

Then they went to a restaurant. Marta ate a salad. Carlos ate seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream.

Later that day he started feeling under the weather. He thought that there was something going around so he went to the doctor.

“Getting sick is a bummer,” he said.”

“You are sick because you only eat sweets,” said the doctor.

Then the doctor told him that he must eat vegetables. So he started to eat vegetables every day.

His body got stronger and he never got sick again.

Okay, so that’s our story. Now, as always, I will read the story again and this time I will ask you questions as I’m reading the story. Please answer the questions out loud. If you need a little more time then you can pause your mp3 player, your iPod or your computer, and then you can play again when you’re ready to answer the question, or after you’ve answered the question. And, of course, if you do not feel like answering the question out loud then you can just listen if you wish.

Okay, let’s get started.

Carlos never ate anything but sweets.

Did Carlos ever eat anything other than sweets?

No, he didn’t. He never ate anything but sweets so he never ate anything other than sweets.

Did Carlos ever eat bananas?

No, Carlos did not ever eat bananas. Bananas are not sweets.

Did Carlos only eat sweets?

Yes, that’s true. He never ate anything but sweets, which means he only ate sweets.

Did Carlos eat cake?

Yes, he probably did. When you say sweets you mean food that has a lot of sugar in it like cake and candy and ice cream, things like that, so when you ask did Carlos eat cake, we can say yes, he probably did eat cake.

Did Carlos eat candy?

Yes, he probably ate candy. When you say sweets, that includes candy.

Who only ate sweets? Did Carlos or Kenny only eat sweets?

Carlos, Carlos only ate sweets. Carlos never ate anything but sweets.

What did Carlos eat? Did he eat rice?

No, he didn’t eat rice. Rice is not something you would call a sweet.

Did he eat bread?

No, again, bread is not something that you would consider something that is sweet.

Did he eat sweets?

Yes, he did. He ate sweets. He never ate anything but sweets.

Did Carlos eat cake and candy?

Yes, he did. Sweets includes cake and candy so you could say that Carlos ate cake and candy.

He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery.

Did he live just a stone’s throw away from a bakery?

Yes, he did. He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery.

Did he live very close to a bakery?

Yes, yes, he did. He lived just a stone’s throw away. When you say something is a stone’s throw away, that means that it’s very close. A stone’s throw away means very close to.

Did he live close to a place to buy cake and cookies?

Yes, yes, he did. He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery and you can buy cake and cookies at a bakery, so he lived very close to a place to buy cake and cookies.

Who lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery? Did Carlos or Charlie live just a stone’s throw away from a bakery?

Carlos, Carlos lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery.

Did Charlie live just a stone’s throw away from a bakery?

No, it wasn’t Charlie.

Did Carlos live very close to a bakery?

Yes, Carlos lived very close to a bakery. He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery.

What did he live a stone’s throw away from? A bakery or a movie theatre?

A bakery, he lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery.

Did he live close to a bakery?

Yes, he did. He lived just a stone’s throw away from a bakery, which is the same as saying he lived close to a bakery. A stone’s throw away means close to, or very close to.

There was also an ice cream store one block from his house.

Was there an ice cream store one block from his house?

Yes, there was. There was also an ice cream store one block from his house.

What was one block from his house? Was there a café or an ice cream store one block from his house?

An ice cream store, there was an ice cream store one block from his house.

Was there an ice cream store one street from his house?

Yes, there was. There was an ice cream store one block from his house, which is the same thing as saying there was an ice cream store one street from his house. A block refers to a street or even part of a street.

Where was the ice cream store? Was it one mile or one block from his house?

One block, it was one block from his house.

Was the ice cream store one street from his house?

Yes, it was. It was one block from his house, which is the same thing as saying it was one street from his house.

Was the ice cream store one block from the library?

No, it wasn’t one block from the library.

Was the ice cream store one block from his house?

Yes, it was. It was one block from his house.

Was the ice cream store one street from his house?

Yes, yes, it was. It was one block from his house, which is the same thing as saying it was one street from his house. A block is the same thing as a street or a part of a street.

His mother used to beg him to eat vegetables

Did his mother beg him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. She begged him to eat vegetables.

What did his mother used to do? Did she used to clean the kitchen or beg him to eat vegetables?

Beg him to eat vegetables, she used to beg him to eat vegetables.

Did she used to beg him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. She used to beg him to eat vegetables.

Did she used to ask him to eat vegetables?

Yes, that’s true, if you beg someone that means you are asking him.

Did she really want him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. If you beg someone to do something that means you really want them to do something so his mother used to beg him to eat vegetables, which means she used to ask him to eat vegetables because she really wanted him to eat vegetables. To beg someone means to ask them to do something that you really want them to do.

Who used to beg him? Did his sister or his mother used to beg him?

His mother, his mother used to beg him.

Who did his mother used to beg? Did she used to beg Carlos or Charlie?

Carlos, she used to beg Carlos.

What did she beg him to do? Did she beg him to take a shower or eat vegetables?

Eat vegetables, she begged him to eat vegetables.

What did his mother beg him to eat? Did she beg him to eat rice?

No, she didn’t beg him to eat rice.

Did his mother beg him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. His mother used to beg him to eat vegetables, which means she begged him to eat vegetables.

Did his mother ask him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. If she begged him that means that she asked him to eat vegetables.

Did his mother really want him to eat vegetables?

Yes, she did. She begged him, which means that she asked him to do something that she really wanted him to do. She wanted him to eat vegetables so she begged him to do it.

but he would only eat sweets.

Would he only eat sweets?

Yes, he would only eat sweets.

Would he eat things that were not sweets?

No, he wouldn’t. He would only eat sweets.

Would he eat carrots?

No, he would not eat carrots. You would not call carrots a sweet.

Would he eat chicken?

No, he wouldn’t. Chicken is not a sweet.

Would he eat cake?

Yes, he would. Cake is a sweet, so he would eat cake.

Who would only eat sweets? Would Carlos only eat sweets?

Yes, that’s correct, Carlos. Carlos would only eat sweets.

Would Carlos eat candy?

Yes, he would. Candy is a sweet and he would only eat sweets so he would eat candy. He would also eat cake but he would not eat chicken, he would not eat carrots, he would eat ice cream also, because that’s a sweet also.

One day Carlos was out and about with his girlfriend Marta.

Was Carlos out and about with his girlfriend Marta?

Yes, he was. He was out and about with his girlfriend Marta.

What was Carlos doing? Was he out and about with his girlfriend or watching television at home?

He was out and about with his girlfriend. He was not at home watching television.

Was he going from place to place with his girlfriend?

Yes, yes, he was. He was out and about with his girlfriend, which is the same thing as saying he was going place to place with his girlfriend. When you are out and about, that means you are going place to place.

Who was out and about with his girlfriend? Was Carlos or Charlie out and about with his girlfriend?

Carlos, Carlos was out and about with his girlfriend.

Was Carlos going place to place with his girlfriend?

Yes, he was. He was out and about with his girlfriend, which means he was going place to place with his girlfriend.

Who was Carlos out and about with? His girlfriend or his sister?

His girlfriend, he was out and about with his girlfriend.

What is Carlos’ girlfriend’s name? Is it Sara or Marta?

Marta, his girlfriend’s name is Marta.

Was Carlos out and about with Marta?

Yes, that’s true. Carlos was out and about with Marta.

Was Carlos going place to place with Marta?

Yes, yes, he was. He was out and about with Marta, which means he was going place to place with Marta.

Out and about means going place to place.

First they went to a secondhand store.

Did they go to a secondhand store?

Yes, they did. They went to a secondhand store.

What did they do? Did they drive to the beach or go to a secondhand store?

They went to a secondhand store. They didn’t drive to the beach Who went to a secondhand store? Did Carlos’ mom go to a secondhand store?

No, Carlos’ mom didn’t go.

Did Carlos and Marta go to a secondhand store?

Yes, they did. Carlos and Marta went to a secondhand store.

Did Carlos and Marta go to a store that sells used clothing?

Yes, they did. They went to a secondhand store and a secondhand store is a store that sells used clothing.

Secondhand stores also sometimes sell other used items.

Where did they go? Did they go to the library or a secondhand store?

A secondhand store, they went to a secondhand store.

Did they go to a store that sells used clothing?

Yes, they did. They went to a secondhand store and a secondhand store sells used clothing. It also sells other used items.

Then they went to a restaurant.

Did they go to a restaurant?

Yes, yes, they did. They went to a restaurant.

What did they do?

They went to a restaurant.

Who went to a restaurant?

Carlos and Marta, Carlos and Marta went to a restaurant.

Did Carlos and Marta go to the beach?

No, they didn’t go to the beach.

Where did they go? Did they go to a restaurant or a church?

A restaurant, they went to a restaurant.

Marta ate a salad.

Did Marta eat a salad?

Yes, she did. Marta ate a salad.

What did Marta do?

She ate a salad. Marta ate a salad.

Did she take a shower or eat a salad?

Eat a salad, she ate a salad.

Who ate a salad? Did Will Smith eat a salad?

No, Will Smith did not eat a salad.

Did Marta eat a salad?

Yes, she did. Marta ate a salad.

What did Marta eat? Did she eat a piece of bread?

No, she didn’t eat a piece of bread.

Did she eat a salad?

Yes, she did. Marta ate a salad.

Carlos ate seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream.

Did Carlos eat seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream?

Yes, he did. Carlos ate seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream.

What did Carlos do?

Well, he ate. He ate seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream.

Who ate? Did Carlos or his mother eat?

Carlos did. Carlos ate.

What did Carlos eat? Did he eat two bowls of soup?

No, he didn’t eat two bowls of soup.

Did he eat seven pieces of cake?

Yes, he did. He ate seven pieces of cake.

Did he eat two bowls of ice cream?

Yes, he also ate two bowls of ice cream.

How many pieces of cake did he eat? Did he eat seven or eleven?

Seven, he ate seven pieces of cake.

How many bowls of ice cream did he eat? Did he eat two or four?

Two, he ate two bowls of ice cream.

Did Carlos only eat sweets?

Yes, he did. He ate seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream and both cake and ice cream are sweets.

Did Carlos eat a lot of sweets?

Yes, he definitely ate a lot of sweets. Seven pieces of cake and two bowls of ice cream, I would say that that is a lot of sweets.

Later that day he started feeling under the weather.

Did he start feeling under the weather later that day?

Yes, he did. Later that day he started feeling under the weather.

How did he feel later that day? Did he feel under the weather?

Yes, yes, he did. He started feeling under the weather.

Did he feel sick?

Yes, he did. He felt under the weather, which is the same thing as saying he felt sick. Feeling under the weather means to be sick.

Who felt under the weather? Did Carlos or Marta feel under the weather?

Carlos, Carlos felt under the weather.

Did Carlos feel sick?

Yes, he did. When you’re feeling under the weather, that means that you are feeling sick.

When did he feel under the weather? Did he feel under the weather later that day or later that week?

Later that day, later that day he started feeling under the weather.

Did he feel sick later that day?

Yes, yes, he did. He was feeling under the weather which is the same thing as saying he was feeling sick.

He thought that there was something going around

Did he think that something was going around?

Yes, he did. He thought that there was something going around.

What did he think? Did he think that something was going around or that his brother was going to school?

He thought that something was going around.

Did he think that people he knew were sick?

Yes, that’s correct. He thought that there was something going around, which is the same thing as saying he thought that people he knew were sick. If you say something is going around, that means that the people you know are sick or you know people who are sick.

Who thought that there was something going around? Did Carlos or Clint think that there was something going around?

Carlos, Carlos thought that there was something going around.

Did Carlos think that there was something going around?

Yes, he did. Carlos thought that there was something going around.

Did Carlos think that people he knew were sick?

Yes, Carlos thought that he knew people who were sick, which is the same thing as saying something was going around. Something going around means that you know people who are sick.

so he went to the doctor.

Did he go to the doctor?

Yes, he did. He went to the doctor.

What did he do? Did he eat more cake or go to the doctor?

Go to the doctor, he went to the doctor.

Where did he go? Did he go to a football game?

No, he didn’t go to a football game.

Did he go to Paris?

No, he didn’t go to Paris.

Did he go to the doctor?

Yes, that’s correct. He went to the doctor.

“Getting sick is a bummer,” he said.”

Did he say that getting sick is a bummer?

Yes, he did. He said that getting sick is a bummer.

Did he say that getting sick is something that is not good?

Yes, yes, that’s correct. He said that getting sick is a bummer, which is the same thing as saying getting sick is something that is not good. A bummer is something that is not good.

Did he say that getting sick is bad?

Yes, he did. He said that it is a bummer, which is the same thing as saying that getting sick is bad.

Who said, “Getting sick is a bummer”? Did Carlos or the doctor say that getting sick is a bummer?

Carlos did. Carlos said, “Getting sick is a bummer.” What is a bummer? Is eating cake or getting sick a bummer?

Getting sick, getting sick is a bummer.

Does Carlos like getting sick?

No, he doesn’t. He said, “Getting sick is a bummer,” which means he does not like getting sick.

“You are sick because you only eat sweets,” said the doctor.

Did the doctor say “You are sick because you only eat sweets”?

Yes, he did. The doctor said, “You are sick because you only eat sweets.” Who was the doctor talking to? Was he talking to Carlos or Charlie?

Carlos, he was talking to Carlos.

Is Carlos sick because he only eats sweets?

Yes, he is. The doctor told him that he was sick because he only eats sweets.

Who was sick? Is Carlos’ mother sick?

No, it’s not Carlos’ mother.

Is Carlos sick?

Yes, Carlos is sick.

Why is Carlos sick? Is he sick because something is going around?

No, that’s what he thought, but that’s not why he’s sick.

Is he sick because people he knows are sick?

No, that’s not why. That’s the same thing as asking if he is sick because something is going around, and he’s not sick because something is going around, so then he’s not sick because he knows people who are sick.

Is he sick because he only eats sweets?

Yes, yes, that’s correct. The doctor told him that he is sick because he only eats sweets.

Then the doctor told him that he must eat vegetables.

Did the doctor tell him that he must eat vegetables?

Yes, he did. The doctor told him that he must eat vegetables.

What did the doctor tell him? Did he tell him to exercise?

No, he didn’t tell him to exercise.

Did he tell him that he must eat vegetables?

Yes, that’s what he told him, he told him that he must eat vegetables.

Who told him that he must eat vegetables?

The doctor, the doctor told him that he must eat vegetables.

Did the doctor or Marta tell him that he must eat vegetables?

The doctor, the doctor told him that he must eat vegetables.

Who did the doctor tell? Did the doctor tell Carlos or Charlie?

Carlos, the doctor told Carlos.

What must he eat? Must he eat sweets or vegetables?

Vegetables, he must eat vegetables.

Why did the doctor tell Carlos that he must eat vegetables?

Well, Carlos was sick because he only eats sweets, so the doctor wants him to eat vegetables.

So he started to eat vegetables every day.

Did he start to eat vegetables every day?

Yes, he did. He started to eat vegetables every day.

What did he start to do?

To eat vegetables every day.

Who started to eat vegetables every day? Did Carlos or the doctor start to eat vegetables every day?

Carlos, Carlos did. Carlos started to eat vegetables every day.

What did he start to eat? Did he start to eat sweets or vegetables every day?

Vegetables, he started to eat vegetables every day.

Did he start to eat bread every day?

No, not bread.

How often did he eat vegetables? Did he eat them only on Saturdays?

No, he ate them more often than that.

Did he eat them every day?

Yes, yes, he did. He ate them every day.

Why did he start to eat vegetables?

Well, he started to eat vegetables because the doctor told him that he must eat vegetables.

His body got stronger and he never got sick again.

Did his body get stronger?

Yes, it did. His body got stronger.

Did his body get weaker?

No, it didn’t get weaker.

Did he ever get sick again?

No, he didn’t. He never got sick again.

Whose body got stronger? Did the doctor’s or Carlos’ body get stronger?

Carlos’, Carlos’ body got stronger.

How many more times did he get sick?

Well, he never got sick again so you could say that he did not ever get sick again so zero times.

Who never got sick again? Did Carlos never get sick again?

Yes, that’s correct. Carlos never got sick again.

Why did he never get sick again? Was it because he started to eat vegetables and his body got stronger?

Yes, that’s why. His body got stronger and he never got sick again and his body got stronger because he started to eat vegetables every day.

Okay, so that brings us to the end of our story, which means we are now at the end of the mini-story lesson for the conversation “Grandmother.” Now, please tell the story all by yourself. You do not need to memorize every word, but you should use the idioms and vocabulary words that we discussed. These are the ones we discussed: “sweet,” “beg,” “a stone’s throw away,” “block,” “out and about,” “secondhand stores,” “feeling under the weather,” “something going around,” and “bummer.” So now please tell the story on your own using these idioms and vocabulary words. And remember, if you need to listen to this lesson more times, please do so. Listen to it as many times as you need to.

Okay, thanks a lot and we’ll see you later.