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Level: A2

  • The Joker

    The Joker

    Jack loved playing jokes more than anything else in the world. He was always looking for ways to make people laugh—or jump and scream with fright. At school, he hid behind doors to shout “Boo!” At home, he put toy spiders in his sister’s bed. At the park, he would swap footballs for water balloons and make his friends wet. Everyone called him “the joker”, and Jack was proud of the name.

    At first, his tricks were funny. People laughed, and Jack felt clever. But after a while, things changed. His sister grew tired of spiders in her shoes. His dad wanted to drink his coffee without salt in it. His mum wanted a kitchen without sudden bangs from balloons. The family had had enough.

    One evening, they sat together in the living room. “Jack thinks he is the only one who can play tricks,” said Mum. “But maybe it’s time he learnt a lesson.” Dad smiled. His sister clapped her hands. Together, they made a plan.

    The next morning, Jack woke up late. Still half asleep, he pulled on his jumper. But—surprise! The arms had been sewn closed at the ends. His hands couldn’t get through. “What’s going on?!” cried Jack. His sister was outside the door, laughing into her pillow.

    He quickly changed and ran to the kitchen for breakfast. He opened the fridge to get milk. But instead of milk, there was a big bottle filled with green water with peas floating inside. “This is disgusting!” shouted Jack. Dad hid behind the newspaper, trying not to laugh.

    Still hungry, Jack decided to leave for school. He slipped on his shoes and rushed to the front door. But after a few steps outside, he stopped. His shoes felt very cold and wet. He looked down. Both shoes were filled with ice cream—melting ice cream that felt cold and wet under his feet.

    From the upstairs window, his family burst into laughter. His sister shouted, “Now you know how it feels, Jack!” Mum took a photo as Jack stood in the garden with sticky ice cream on his socks.

    Jack wanted to be angry, but soon he started to laugh too. “Okay, okay, you win!” he said, shaking his head.

    That night, at dinner, Jack admitted the truth. “I guess it’s not so funny when you’re the one being tricked.” His family nodded, smiling. Jack promised to make his jokes kinder and more fun. From then on, he didn’t give up tricks—he just made sure everyone could laugh together.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    jokes – actions or stories that make people laugh

    swap (swap, swapped, swapped) – replace or trade

    joker – a person who likes to make jokes or play tricks

    trick – something done to surprise or fool another person

    plan – an idea of what to do

    jumper – a warm piece of clothing worn on the upper body

    sew (sew, sewed, sewn) – stitch with a needle and thread

    burst (burst, burst, burst) – suddenly start doing something strongly

    sticky – covered with a substance that stays on things it touches

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  • A Golden Opportunity

    A Golden Opportunity

    Nick had been out of work for months. Every day he sat at his old laptop, sending applications to companies that never replied. His money was almost gone, and each morning it grew harder to believe his luck would ever change.

    One day he saw an ad in the newspaper: “GlobalCore Industries needs a worker. High Salary. Travel Opportunities. Start now.”

    The job sounded too good to be true. Still, he decided to apply. That afternoon, a woman from GlobalCore called him and asked him to come for an interview the following day.

    When Nick arrived at the big office the next morning, the tall building looked dark. Inside, it was quiet and clean. At reception, a woman smiled and said, “Hi Nick, we’ve been waiting for you,” even though he did not give his name. Nick thought that this was very strange.

    The interview was strange. A man in a black suit asked only a few straightforward questions. He didn’t look much at Nick’s papers. At the end, he smiled coldly and said, “You are exactly what we want. Welcome to GlobalCore.”

    The welcome meeting was short. A speaker talked about “a new future”, but the words were not clear. The contract worried Nick: no fixed hours; he must always be ready for work, and he must never tell anyone, even family, about his job. But the salary was very high. With nervous hands, he signed.

    On his first day, he was given an office in the basement. There were no windows, only bright lights. His job was to “translate” papers with numbers and names. They did not make sense. When Nick asked what they meant, his boss only said, “Do your job and don’t ask questions.”

    The other workers looked afraid. They spoke only in low voices. Cameras watched Nick all the time. At night, when he left the building, he saw lights still on in the top floors, with people moving inside.

    One evening, Nick found an open paper on his desk. It had names of people, cities, and countries. Some names had one word in red: “GONE”.

    Nick’s hands felt cold. Now he understood. GlobalCore was not making the world better. It was controlling it.

    The next morning, Nick tried to quit before things became more complicated. “Leaving already?” his boss asked with a thin smile.

    “I don’t think this job is for me,” Nick said.

    The man closed the door and locked it. “You don’t leave GlobalCore, Nick. You stay. You work. That is the deal.”

    Nick’s heart beat fast. He saw the truth: this was not a new chance. It was a prison.

    And there was no way out.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • laptop – a small computer you can carry
    • ad – a short text that tells people about a job or product
    • salary – money you earn from your job
    • reception – the front desk in an office or hotel
    • contract – a paper you sign to agree to work rules
    • basement – the underground floor of a house or building
    • floors – levels in a building
    • quit – stop working in a job
    • lock – close something so that it cannot be opened
    • deal – an agreement between two people or groups
    • heart – the part of the body that pumps blood
    • prison – a jail; a place where people must stay as punishment

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  • Wide Awake

    Wide Awake

    Fred was a busy man. He worked in an office during the day, and in the evening, he managed his own business. Fred loved swimming, reading and learning, but he never had time to do any of these things. His colleagues called him a workaholic. He laughed when they said it, but deep inside he knew it was true.

    The problem was, there were just not enough hours in the day for Fred. He often looked at the clock and wished for more time.
    ‘’If only I could stay awake,’ he said, ‘’I could do everything I want to do.’’

    One night, Fred was walking home after work. He still had a report to finish, but he was exhausted and needed his bed.

    The streets were quiet, and the air was cold. Suddenly, a man in a grey coat stepped out of the shadows. He looked serious but friendly.

    “You look tired,” the man said.

    Fred smiled weakly. “Yes. I never have enough time to do everything that I need to do. I wish I didn’t have to sleep.”

    The man reached into his pocket and showed Fred a small white pill.

    “This pill can help you. If you take it once, you will never feel tired again. You will never need to sleep.”

    Fred’s eyes grew wide. “Never?”

    “Never,” the man said. “You will have all the time you want. Day and night. You will always have the energy to do the things you want to do.”

    Fred thought about it. No sleep? That meant he could work, read, write, and learn all the time. He could finish everything he started. Life would be perfect.

    “What’s the catch?” he asked.

    The man smiled. “The catch is simple. You will never sleep again. Even if you want to. Think carefully. Life will feel very long without rest.”

    Fred looked at the pill. He remembered all the times he had fallen asleep at his desk, all the mornings when he’d felt slow and heavy. He imagined a life where he was always strong and awake.

    “Okay, I’ll take it,” he said.

    Fred paid the man, then took the pill. It tasted bitter, but he didn’t care.

    The man in the grey coat gave a short smile. “It is done.” Then he turned and walked away into the night.

    For the first few weeks, life was great. Fred worked all day, then read and did what he wanted at night. He wrote long reports for his job, learnt German and Japanese, and took up jogging and tennis. He felt powerful and laughed when his friends said they were tired.

     “I don’t sleep anymore,” he told them. “I have time for everything.”

    But weeks passed. The nights grew longer. Fred had no dreams, no soft bed, no rest. While the city slept, he walked alone through empty streets.

    Every day at the office, he finished his work faster than anyone else, but he felt strange. He missed lying in bed, closing his eyes, and letting the world go dark. He missed the small joy of waking up fresh in the morning.

    One evening, Fred sat at his desk, his eyes open wide. He was not tired, but he felt empty. He had all the time in the world, yet nothing felt right.

    He whispered to himself, “I only wanted more hours… but not like this.”

    Fred was wide awake. And he would be for the rest of his life.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • colleagues – people one works with
    • workaholic – a person who works too much
    • awake – not sleeping
    • pill – a small piece of medicine that you swallow or eat
    • catch – a hidden problem in an offer or plan
    • rest – time to relax or sleep
    • bitter – having a strong, unpleasant taste
    • empty – with nothing inside, or feeling nothing

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  • The Free Ticket

    The Free Ticket

    Peter lived a dull life. He was not unhappy, but every day was the same. He went to work in the same boring job he had done for 20 years, came home, ate dinner, and watched TV. Nothing exciting ever happened, and he was ready for a change.

    One morning, he opened his email and saw a message:
    “YOU have won A FREE PLANE TICKET! One seat. One adventure. One rule: you won’t know the destination until you arrive.”

    Peter didn’t remember joining a contest, but the message looked real. He smiled and said, “Why not?” Then he pressed YES.

    Two days later, Peter went to the airport. At the check-in desk, a woman gave him a small black band to wear on his arm. It had a little red light.

    “What is this?” he asked.

    She smiled. “It will guide you. Good luck.”

    He walked to Gate 19. The screen only said:
    “Flight X – Now boarding.”

    No city name. No country. Just the letter X.

    The plane was small. Only ten people were inside, and nobody was talking. Some of the passengers looked happy, while others looked quite worried.

    Three hours later, they landed on an island covered in trees. A man in a big coat met them as they got off the plane.

    “Please come,” he said.

    They got into a big car and drove through the forest. After some time, they stopped at a strange building. A sign on the wall said:
    “THE ISLAND MYSTERY GAME”

    Peter felt nervous but also excited.

    Inside, a woman gave instructions.
    “You have 48 hours to find the final key. Work alone or with others. But be careful. This island is full of surprises.”

    Peter asked, “Is this a game?”

    She smiled. “Only if you win.”

    The next couple of days were full of action. Peter climbed hills, looked inside caves, and followed maps. He joined two other people—Anna from Germany and Marco from Brazil.

    Together, they found small keys, opened boxes, and followed clues. At night, they slept in small wooden houses. Sometimes they heard strange noises.

    One night, Peter saw a message on his armband:
    “One of your team is hiding something.”

    Peter didn’t sleep much that night.

    On the second day, Peter found a gold key inside a stone. He ran to the top of a hill where a helicopter was waiting. Inside was the woman he’d met at the building two days before. She told Peter to get in.

    “You found the final key!” she said as the helicopter was leaving the ground.

    “What is this game?” Peter asked.

    “A test”, she said. “And now you have passed.”

    The helicopter flew over the forest and the sea. Peter looked at the gold key in his hand.

    “Where are we going?” he asked.

    The woman smiled. “To take you to your new job.”

    “My new job? What will I be doing?” Peter said.

    “We can’t tell you yet,” she replied. “But it will be exciting, and it will be dangerous.”

    Peter felt a mix of fear and excitement. He looked out of the window. The island grew smaller and smaller.


    He didn’t know what his new job was, but he was certain that his life would never be dull again.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • dull – not interesting or exciting
    • destination – the place where you are travelling to
    • contest – a game or competition
    • check-in desk – place at the airport where you get your boarding pass
    • band – something you wear around your arm or wrist
    • boarding – getting on a plane or ship
    • forest – a large area with many trees
    • instructions – words telling you what to do
    • clues – small pieces of information to help you find something
    • passed – did well in a test or challenge

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  • A Weekend in Venice

    A Weekend in Venice

    Alice arrived in Venice early on Saturday morning. The sky was grey, and the air was cool. She had one small bag with her, and she had booked a hotel near the Grand Canal.

    Alice had come to Venice for a short holiday. But she also had a job to do. In her bag was a small silver key. A man in London had told her: Take this to Venice. Give it to a woman named Sofia at midnight in St. Mark’s Square.

    All day, Alice tried to enjoy the city. She took a boat along the canals, saw the famous bridges, and ate pasta in a small restaurant. But she kept looking over her shoulder. She felt someone was following her.

    At night, the city was quiet. The streets were narrow and dark. Alice walked toward St. Mark’s Square. She felt very alone.

    When she arrived, the square was almost empty. A tall man in a black coat stood by a lamp. He was looking at her.

    Alice waited for ten minutes, but Sofia did not come. The man started walking towards her.
    “Are you Sofia?” Alice asked.
    “No,” the man said. “But I know about the key.”

    Alice stepped back. “It’s nothing important,” she said.
    “Yes, it is,” the man replied. “Give it to me.”

    Alice turned and ran. She ran through small streets and over bridges. The man followed. She could hear his footsteps getting closer.

    Suddenly, a woman appeared in front of her. She had short dark hair and a red scarf.
    “Alice?” the woman whispered.
    “Yes,” Alice said. “Are you Sofia?”
    The woman nodded. “Quick, give me the key.”

    Alice took it out of her bag and gave it to her. Sofia smiled, then disappeared into the dark.

    Alice looked behind her. The man in the black coat was gone. The square was silent again.

    Back in her hotel room, Alice sat on the bed, too scared to move. She didn’t know what the key opened. She didn’t want to know.

    Outside, she could hear a boat moving slowly through the canal. Venice was beautiful—but it felt dangerous too.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • Venice – a city in north-eastern Italy, famous for its canals
    • Grand Canal – the main, large water street in Venice
    • coat – clothing you wear over other clothes to keep warm
    • replied – answered
    • footsteps – the sound of someone walking
    • scarf – a piece of clothing you wear around your neck
    • whispered – spoke quietly
    • nodded – moved her head up and down to show agreement

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  • The Passenger

    The Passenger

    It was a cold and rainy November evening. Emma sat alone on the train, tired and hungry after a long day at work. She was looking forward to getting home and relaxing in her warm apartment. The train was quiet. Only a few people were inside.

    Soon the train stopped at a small station, and a tall man in a long black coat stepped into the carriage. He wore a wide hat that hid most of his face. Slowly, he walked down the aisle and sat down in the seat across from Emma. He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak. He just stared at her.

    A couple of minutes later, the train started moving again. Outside, everything was dark. The man didn’t move. He kept looking at Emma. Emma took out her phone and pretended to text. But there was no signal. She felt alone and afraid.

    A few minutes later, the lights on the train flickered. Then the train stopped again—in the middle of the forest.

    Emma looked around. The other passengers were gone. Only she and the man were left.

    The man stood up slowly and moved towards her. Emma’s heart beat fast.

    “Don’t be afraid,” the man said in a deep voice.

    “I’m not,” Emma replied, but her voice shook.

    He opened his hand and held out a small wallet.

    “I think you may have dropped this,” he said. Emma looked down. It was hers! She had not even noticed it was gone.

    “Oh! Thank you,” she said. The man nodded and walked back to his seat.

    A few seconds later, the lights came back on. The train started moving again. Emma looked around. The other passengers were back in their seats, and the carriage was now full.

    She looked at the seat across from her, but the man had disappeared.

    Puzzled, she asked the woman next to her, “Did you see the man in the black coat?”

    The woman looked confused. “What man?”

    “The tall man who gave me my wallet,” Emma said.

    The woman looked down at her wallet. “I didn’t see anyone in a black coat. That wallet was on the floor. I picked it up and put it on the seat a few minutes ago.”

    Emma froze. “Are you okay?” the woman asked.

    Emma nodded. “Yes… I think so.”

    But she didn’t feel okay. She looked out of the window, holding her wallet tightly to her chest.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • carriage – a part of a train where passengers sit.
    • aisle – a walkway between seats in a train, plane, or building.
    • flickered – past tense of ‘flicker’, to flash or blink unsteadily, usually used for lights.
    • shook – past tense of ‘shake,’ often used to show fear or nervousness.
    • froze – past tense of ‘freeze’, to suddenly stop moving, often due to fear or shock.

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  • A Holiday Adventure

    A Holiday Adventure

    Julia was tired of the city. The noise, the crowds, the busy streets—it was too much. So, when her friend Lara invited her to spend a week in a quiet seaside village, she quickly said yes.

    The village was peaceful. There were no big roads, just small houses and boats. Their holiday cottage was white, with blue windows, near the beach.

    One afternoon, Julia went for a walk alone. She followed a path near the cliffs. The sun was shining, and the sea looked beautiful. After some time, she saw a small path going down to a secret beach. She walked down carefully.

    The beach was empty. She sat on a rock and listened to the waves. Near an old boat, she found a glass bottle. Inside was a piece of paper.

    She opened the bottle and read the message. It said:

    “This place is special to me. I came here every summer when I was a child. Please take care of it. Maybe you can leave a message too.”

    Julia smiled. She took out a pen and a piece of paper from her bag. She wrote:

    “Thank you. I found peace here today.”

    She put her note in the bottle and placed it under the boat again.

    Later that evening, she told Lara about her walk and the message. They both felt happy. They promised to come back next summer—and leave another message in the bottle.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    • seaside – an area by the sea, especially a beach where people go for vacations
    • cliffs – steep rock faces, especially at the edge of the sea
    • peaceful – calm, quiet, and without disturbance
    • bottle – a container, typically made of glass, used for storing liquids or small items
    • message – a written or spoken communication

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  • The Lost Wallet

    The Lost Wallet

    Tom was walking home from work one evening. The sky was turning orange, and the air felt cool. He was tired, but happy. It was Friday, and the weekend was near.

    As he passed a small park, he saw something on the ground. It was a brown leather wallet. He picked it up and looked around. No one was near.

    Tom opened the wallet carefully. Inside, there was some cash, a few cards, and an ID. The name on the card was Anna Garcia. She looked young in the photo. Maybe a student.

    Tom didn’t know what to do. He thought about leaving the wallet on a bench or taking it to the police. But then, he saw a small note inside:

    “Hi! If you find this wallet, please call me: 555-1234. Thank you! –Anna”

    Tom smiled. “Well, that makes things easy,” he said to himself. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number.

    “Hello?” a young woman answered.

    “Hi. Is this Anna?” Tom asked.

    “Yes, speaking.”

    “I think I found your wallet in the park.”

    “Oh! Thank you so much! I was looking everywhere for it! Where are you?”

    Tom gave her the location, and they agreed to meet near the fountain in ten minutes.

    Ten minutes later, Anna came running toward him. She looked worried but smiled when she saw the wallet in his hand.

    “You found it!” she said, catching her breath.

    Tom handed it over. “Yes. I saw your note.”

    “You have no idea how much this means to me,” she said. “All my cards, my student ID… and even my bus pass!”

    Tom laughed. “Well, I’m glad I could help.”

    “Let me buy you a coffee to say thank you,” Anna offered.

    Tom thought for a moment, then nodded. “Sure. That sounds nice.”

    They walked toward a nearby café together, both smiling.

    Sometimes, small things can lead to new beginnings.

    📒 Key vocabulary

    Word / PhraseMeaning
    walletA small flat case for money, cards, etc.
    leatherA material made from animal skin
    IDA card that shows your name and picture
    cashPaper money
    benchA long seat in a park
    student IDAn identification card for students
    catching her breathBreathing fast after running

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  • The Secret in the Garden

    The Secret in the Garden

    Anna loved visiting her grandmother’s house in the countryside. Every summer, she stayed there for two weeks. Her grandmother had a big garden with flowers, fruit trees, and a small pond.

    One morning, Anna was picking strawberries when she saw something shiny behind the old tree. Curious, she walked over and found a small metal box. It was dirty and covered in leaves.

    She picked it up and opened it slowly. Inside, there were some old coins, a photo of a young boy, and a note. The note said, “To my grandson. Keep this safe. – Grandad, 1975.”

    Anna ran inside to show her grandmother.

    Her grandmother looked surprised. “Oh my! That belonged to your Uncle James,” she said. “He lost it when he was a boy. He was so sad about it.”

    “Can I give it back to him?” Anna asked.

    “Of course. He will be so happy.”

    When Uncle James came to visit that weekend, Anna gave him the box. His eyes filled with tears.

    “I thought this was gone forever,” he said. “Thank you, Anna. This means a lot to me.”

    From that day on, Anna always looked more carefully around the garden. She didn’t find anything else hidden, but she felt happy knowing she had brought back a lost memory.

    📦 Vocabulary box

    • countryside – land outside of towns and cities
    • shiny – bright and reflecting light
    • curious – wanting to know or learn something
    • note – a short written message
    • tears – drops of water from the eyes when someone is sad or happy

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