Stories for English Learners

03. Crunch Time

Aprende expresiones idiomáticas y phasal verbs con las historias de este detective.

This English mystery course features 11 lessons full of expressions (idioms, phrasal verbs, etc.) and characters that your intermediate to advanced students will grow to love. Each episode features a dialogue between the famous Detective Bossley and one of his prime suspects. 03. Crunch Time.

Juan Carlos Martinez
December 1, 2022
Idioms Course
More stories

Detective’s Log

Principal Davidson gave me a few leads on possible suspects from the school. Maximilian, for example, is infamous for stealing. I’m going to have a word with him today. Something tells me he might be our guy.

Exercise A

Vocabulary for the story

Audio

Difficulty: Intermediate (B2)

Audio

Transcript

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Hey, Maximilian. Have you got a minute?

MAXIMILIAN: How do you know my name?

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: I guess you could say you’re famous around here.

MAXIMILIAN: You mean infamous. Only Principal Davidson calls me that. You can call me Max.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Nice to meet you, Max. I guess you know what I want to talk to you about.

MAXIMILIAN: Everybody thinks it’s me pulling that alarm, but I swear my hands are clean.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: So you haven’t been up to your old tricks?

MAXIMILIAN: Look, I know I’ve caused some trouble around here in the past, but I’m over that. I’m a senior now, and I have my grades to think about. It’s crunch time.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: It’s crunch time? Do you mean you’re actually worried about your marks?

MAXIMILIAN: You bet I am. I have to buckle down if I want to get into college.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: What are you going to take in college?

MAXIMILIAN: Computer animation. I’m gonna make killer video games one day.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: It sounds like you’ve turned yourself around.

MAXIMILIAN: Yes, but it won’t do me any good if we don’t get to write these exams. I work on the weekends! I’m saving for tuition.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Writing the exams on the weekends is the worst-case scenario. Hopefully I’ll find the prankster before it comes down to that.

MAXIMILIAN: You should talk to Clarissa. She’ll do anything for a laugh. She’s at the tattoo parlor in case you’re wondering.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: That was my next question. Thanks for the tip.

Exercise B

Comprehension

Why does Max refer to himself as infamous rather than famous?
Which of the following would Max most likely use to describe himself?
a) a changed man
b) a trickster
c) a bully
d) a killer rock star
According to Max, why is there no time to goof around anymore?
True or False? Principal Davidson accused Max of pulling the fire alarm.
What does Max want to specialize in when he goes to college?

Exercise C - Writing

Writing Task: “The Importance of Personal Growth and Responsibility in High School Students”

Instructions:

Carefully read the provided story about the conversation between Detective Bossley and Maximilian regarding the false fire alarms at Mountain Berry High.
Write an essay discussing the importance of personal growth and responsibility in high school students, using Maximilian’s character as an example.
Be sure to include at least 3 phrasal verbs from the story or any others you have learned in class. The phrasal verbs from the story include:
- buckle down
- turn around
- come down to
In your essay, address the following points:
- How does personal growth and responsibility play a role in a high school student’s success and future prospects?
- What factors can contribute to a student’s personal growth and sense of responsibility?
- How can schools and teachers support students in their journey towards personal growth and responsibility?
- What role should parents and the wider community play in promoting personal growth and responsibility among high school students?
Write a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 words.

Remember to check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation before submitting the task. Use appropriate academic language and structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Good luck!