First, study any unfamiliar words here:
| 💨 breath 💨 Definition: The air you take in and out of your body “Take a deep breath and relax.” “I can see my breath when it is very cold.” 🤵 handsome 🤵 Definition: Good-looking (often used for men) “She thinks her brother is very handsome.” “The handsome actor smiled at the camera.” 🤡 joking 🤡 Definition: Talking or acting in a funny way, not being serious “He is only joking, so please do not be upset.” “I like joking with my friends to make them laugh.” ✌️ peace ✌️ Definition: Calm and quiet situation, or no war or fight “I like to sit alone in peace and read.” “We hope for peace between all countries.” 🔘 presses 🔘 Definition: Pushes something with your finger or hand “He presses the button to turn on the light.” “She presses the switch to start the machine.” 🤫 quietly 🤫 Definition: Making very little or no sound “Please speak quietly in the library.” “He walked quietly so he would not wake the baby.” ❌ removes ❌ Definition: Takes something away or off “She removes the old books from the shelf.” “He removes his shoes before entering the house.” 🤨 serious 🤨 Definition: Not funny, not joking, very sincere “Her face looks serious when she talks about work.” “He gave me a serious warning to be careful.” 😳 shy 😳 Definition: Feeling nervous or uncomfortable with new people “She is shy when she meets strangers.” “He feels shy in big groups of people.” 🤐 silence 🤐 Definition: A state of no sound or talking “There was silence in the room before the test.” “We need silence to hear the soft music.” 👃 smell of 👃 Definition: To notice a scent in the air “I love the smell of fresh bread in the morning.” “There is a nice smell of flowers in the garden.” 🙂 smile 🙂 Definition: A happy or friendly expression on your face “She has a big smile when she sees her friend.” “He gives a smile to everyone he meets.” 🗣 spoke about 🗣 Definition: Talked about or discussed something “We spoke about our travel plans last night.” “The teacher and I spoke about my homework.” 🤏 weak 🤏 Definition: Not strong or feeling little power “He feels weak after being sick.” “The old bridge looks weak and unsafe.” 🤸 bends 🤸 Definition: Moves the body or part of the body so it is not straight “She bends down to pick up the pen.” “He bends his knees when he jumps.” 🤪 weird 🤪 Definition: Strange or unusual, not normal “That movie was very weird and hard to understand.” “He told me a weird story about talking cats.” |
Word Count: 1452
Reading Level: CEFR B1
Free Dating App
Mary is a young woman. She lives in a small house in the city. She has a dog. His name is Buddy. Mary loves Buddy very much. He is her best friend.
Sometimes, Mary feels alone. She wants to meet a nice man. She wants someone to talk to. She wants someone to eat dinner with. She wants someone to share fun moments with. But she does not have a boyfriend.
One day, Mary finds a free meeting app on her phone. She is curious. She says, “Maybe this app can help me.” She downloads the app. She puts her name on the app. She writes her likes: movies, music, and dogs. Then she waits. She wants to find a good match.
Soon, Mary finds a man called William. He looks friendly in his photo. He says he likes movies, music, and dogs too. Mary has a happy face. She says, “This man likes the same things I like.” She messages him. He messages back. They chat about music. They chat about dogs. They chat about their favorite movies. They have fun talking. Mary feels happy. She thinks, “William is very nice.”
After a few days, William says, “Do you want to go to dinner with me?” Mary feels excited. She says, “Yes, that sounds nice.” They plan to meet on Saturday night. Mary picks a small restaurant near her house. She likes the food there. It is simple and good. She feels a little shy, but also happy.
On Saturday, Mary gets dressed. She wears a simple dress. She brushes her hair. She puts on a little makeup. She looks in the mirror. She says, “I look okay.” She pets Buddy on the head. She says, “I will be back soon, Buddy.” Then she walks to the restaurant.
Mary arrives first. She waits at a small table. The lights in the restaurant are soft. Many people sit at tables. They eat, talk, and laugh. The room has the smell of pasta, soup, and bread. Mary’s stomach makes a noise. She feels hungry, but she also feels excited.
Then William comes in. He has a happy face when he sees Mary. Mary gives a happy face back. They say hello. They both sit at the table. A waiter comes with menus. Mary asks for water. William also asks for water. Mary checks the menu. She finds pasta with tomato sauce. She likes that. William says he will try fish.
Mary and William talk. At first, the talk is nice. William says, “I like your dress.” Mary says, “Thank you.” They talk about dogs. William says, “I once had a big dog, and I once had a small dog, too. I love all kinds of dogs.” Mary says, “That is cool!” She is happy. She thinks the date is going well.
They talk about movies for ten minutes. William is handsome and kind. “We like the same movies!” thinks Mary.
After a minute of silence, William says, “The people in this restaurant are strange. I do not like how they look hard at us.” Mary turns her head around. She thinks the people look normal. She finds a family. She finds two friends talking. She sees an old man eating alone. Mary feels not sure. She says, “I do not see anything bad.” William makes a sad face. He says, “No, they are bad. They have big, dark eyes.”
Mary feels a little bad now.
She says, “I think they are just normal people.” William moves his head from side to side. Then he bends near Mary. He speaks quietly, “Do you think about aliens?” Mary moves her eyes. She does not know how to answer. She says, “I am not sure.” William moves his head up and down quickly. He says, “Do you know about the aliens? I can talk to the aliens with my phone. They send me messages at night. I talk with the aliens.”
Mary laughs “Ha ha!” but William does not laugh. He does not smile. He is serious.
Now, Mary feels worried. William is not joking. He does not have a happy face now. He really believes this. Mary thinks, “He is saying strange words. This is weird.” She tries to stay quiet. She wants to be polite. She says, “Oh, that is interesting.” But inside, she feels afraid.
William keeps talking. He says, “I also talk to dogs in my dreams. I can hear their sounds. Maybe I can talk to your dog, Buddy. I want to know the real facts about my future.” Mary’s eyes go wide. She feels more afraid. She thinks, “This man is crazy. I do not feel safe.”
“I need to go” thinks Mary. “I need to go home now.”
Mary does not want to stay. She looks for the waiter. The waiter is busy. William still talks. He says, “People do not understand me. But aliens and dogs understand me. I am special.” Mary moves her head up and down, but she wants to leave. She thinks, “How can I go home now? I do not want to talk to William anymore.”
“Yes, you talk to aliens and dogs; that’s great” she says.
Mary feels her heart go faster. She says, “I need to go to the toilet.”
William moves his head up and down. He says, “Okay. Hurry back!”
Mary gives a weak happy face. She gets up. She picks up her bag. She walks toward the toilet. But she does not go to the toilet. She walks out the door of the restaurant. She takes a breath of the cool night air. She feels peace. She thinks, “I must go home now.”
Mary walks fast down the street. She does not turn her head back. She runs.
She feels a little bad for leaving William. But she also feels afraid. She does not want to talk to him again. She wants to see Buddy. She wants to be safe at home.
Mary gets home. She opens the door. Buddy runs to her and he is happy to see her. Mary has a happy face. She pets Buddy. She says, “I am so happy to see you. That date was bad.” She sits on the sofa. She feels quiet with Buddy next to her. She thinks, “I am safe now.”
She takes her phone. She finds the free meeting app. She presses it. She checks William’s info. She makes a sad face. She does not want to see it again. She removes the app. She says, “No more free meeting app for me. This is not for me.”
Mary sits on the sofa with Buddy. She turns on the TV. She finds a happy movie. She watches the movie with Buddy. She feels better. She thinks about the date again. She thinks, “At first, William looked nice. Then he spoke about aliens and bad things. I did not like that.”
She takes a long breath. She says, “I will not use a free meeting app again. It is not safe for me.” Buddy looks at her with big eyes. Mary laughs. She says, “You are my friend, Buddy. I do not need a bad date.”
The next day, Mary calls her friend. She tells her friend about William. Her friend is surprised. She says, “That is so strange! I am glad you left quickly. I am glad you are safe.” Mary agrees. She learns a lesson. She says, “I must be more careful. I do not want a bad date again.”
Mary sets down her phone. She turns her eyes to Buddy. She feels happy. She thinks, “I have Buddy. I have my friends. I can meet nice people in other ways.” She picks up Buddy’s ball. She throws it. Buddy runs to catch it. She laughs.
Mary remembers the restaurant. She remembers the people and the soft lights. She remembers how William changed from nice to bad. She feels a cold feeling in her heart. She moves her head. She says, “No more. I will not do that again.”
Next time, I will pay for a meeting app, or I will go to a coffee shop or park.
Mary turns the TV back on. She picks a funny show. Buddy sits next to her. She rests her hand on Buddy’s back. She has a happy face. She says, “This is good. I am safe at home. I am happy here.”
She thinks about the lesson of her story. She says, “Never believe a free meeting app. It can be dangerous.” She feels quiet now. She cuddles with Buddy. She watches the show. She is happy.
She looks at her phone. She starts talking with aliens.
Questions about the story:
Where does Mary live?
A. On a farm
B. In a tall building
C. In a small house in the city
D. In a beach house
What is Mary’s dog’s name?
A. Fido
B. Buddy
C. Rocky
D. Rufus
Why does Mary download the free meeting app?
A. She wants to buy new clothes
B. She wants to find a new job
C. She wants to meet a nice man
D. She wants to learn a new language
Where do Mary and William go on their first date?
A. A movie theater
B. A small restaurant
C. A coffee shop
D. A park
What strange thing does William say at the restaurant?
A. He wants to sing a song
B. He can talk to aliens
C. He hates pasta
D. He wants to buy a new car
How does Mary leave the date?
A. She walks away after dinner
B. She tells William to go with her
C. She says she must go to the toilet, then runs away
D. She waits for the waiter to ask her to leave
What lesson does Mary learn in the end?
A. Always believe everything people say
B. Never use a meeting app in the morning
C. Free meeting apps can be risky
D. Go on more dates with William
Answer Key:
Where does Mary live?
A. On a farm
B. In a tall building
C. In a small house in the city ✅
D. In a beach house
What is Mary’s dog’s name?
A. Fido
B. Buddy ✅
C. Rocky
D. Rufus
Why does Mary download the free meeting app?
A. She wants to buy new clothes
B. She wants to find a new job
C. She wants to meet a nice man ✅
D. She wants to learn a new language
Where do Mary and William go on their first date?
A. A movie theater
B. A small restaurant ✅
C. A coffee shop
D. A park
What strange thing does William say at the restaurant?
A. He wants to sing a song
B. He can talk to aliens ✅
C. He hates pasta
D. He wants to buy a new car
How does Mary leave the date?
A. She walks away after dinner
B. She tells William to go with her
C. She says she must go to the toilet, then runs away ✅
D. She waits for the waiter to ask her to leave
What lesson does Mary learn in the end?
A. Always believe everything people say
B. Never use a meeting app in the morning
C. Free meeting apps can be risky ✅
D. Go on more dates with William
Conversation Starters:
Working with a partner or small group, please discuss a few of these questions, and try to reference the content of the story as much as possible. Also, please try to use any grammar or vocabulary that you are studying recently, and take notes when you hear a new word or learn a new way to say something.
- Would you try a free dating app like Mary did? Why or why not?
- Have you or someone you know used a dating app? What was the experience like?
- What do you think about William?
- At first, Mary liked him. When did she start to feel uncomfortable? What made her want to leave?
- How do you know if a person is safe to meet?
- What are some things to check before meeting someone from the internet in real life?
- Do you think Mary made the right decision to leave?
- What would you have done if you were in her situation?
- What do you think about Buddy, Mary’s dog?
- How does Buddy help Mary feel better after the bad date? Do you think pets can help people feel less lonely?
- Where do people usually meet new friends or romantic partners?
- In your country, do people meet through apps, or do they meet in other ways?
- The story ends with a joke: “She starts talking with aliens.” What do you think this means?
- Do you think she really believes in aliens now, or is it just a joke? Why do you think the author ended the story this way?
If you are completing these conversations for a class activity, please share your group’s most interesting ideas and opinions with the rest of the class.
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