Stories for English Learners

11. Small-town charm

Aprende expresiones idiomáticas y phasal verbs con la historia de Kate.

Kate and Jason argue about school in the last episode. Jason’s parents are splitting up, and school is not a priority. Kate meets Jason’s mom in this episode.

Juan Carlos Martinez
August 3, 2022
Everyday Idioms 2
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Everyday Idioms 2

Preview

In the last episode, Kate and Jason had an argument
about the importance of school. Jason has a lot on his
mind, and school is not a priority. Jason’s parents are
splitting up. In this episode, Jason’s dad has left sooner
than expected. Kate goes to Jason’s hometown and
meets his mom, Mrs. Harris. How do you think their
meeting will go?

Exercise A

Vocabulary for the story

Audio

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1)

Audio

Transcript

Kate: It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Harris. Jason has told me so much about you.

Mrs. Harris: Likewise. I’m sorry about the awkward circumstances. We weren’t expecting Jason’s dad to split so quickly.

Kate: Well, I hope you don’t mind me being here. I can take the bus back to school if you and Jason would rather have some alone time.

Mrs. Harris: Nonsense! The three of us are going to have a lovely weekend together.

Kate: Jason tells me you are a great cook. He couldn’t wait to get here for some home cooking.

Mrs. Harris: That boy does love to eat. It’s a wonder he isn’t twice his size after eating all of that greasy restaurant food.

Kate: Well, it’s a busy restaurant, and the customers love Jason. They keep him hopping.

Mrs. Harris: He is a charmer, isn’t he? I wish he would get busy doing something else, though. He can’t work in a restaurant forever.

Kate: Maybe he’ll take some courses next year. You never know.

Mrs. Harris: Jason? Don’t count on it. That kid never liked school. He’s more likely to join the Peace Corps.

Kate: You might be right. So what have you got planned for us this weekend? Jason said you wanted to take us to a festival or something?

Mrs. Harris: Yes, our little town has a winter festival every year. It just so happens it’s this weekend.

Kate: So what can I expect? Rides, shows, parades?

Mrs. Harris: Actually, I thought I’d take you to the bake-off. Last year, I was the runner-up in the “best pie” category.

Kate: I never turn down homemade pie. Jason probably told you I have a sweet tooth.

Mrs. Harris: Great! We can hit the craft tables on our way there.

Exercise B

Comprehension

What does Kate offer to do when she meets Mrs. Harris?
Why is the meeting awkward?
True or False? Mrs. Harris says Jason has gained a lot of weight since being away from home.
Does Mrs. Harris think Jason will go back to school in September? Why or why not?
What does Kate think she will see at the winter festival?
What is Mrs. Harris very good at doing?
What does Mrs. Harris want to do with Kate on the way to the contest?