Stories for English Learners

12. Playing It Safe

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. 12. Playing It Safe.

Juan Carlos Martinez
December 1, 2022
Idioms Course
More stories

Detective’s Log

Just as I suspected, Mr. Eaton got his walking papers. I’m not sure if Principal Davidson has found a replacement for him yet. I have to stop by Mountain Berry High today to remove the surveillance device from the office phone. Too bad nothing came of bugging the office phone. I can usually count on at least one phone tip. This case really threw me for a loop

Exercise A

Vocabulary for the story

Audio

Difficulty: Intermediate (B2)

Audio

Transcript

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Mountain Berry High. Principal Davidson speaking.

MR. EATON: Hi, Amber. It’s Leo.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: One moment. Let me close the office door. There we go. It’s just you and me.

MR. EATON: We’re still on for dinner tonight, aren’t we, hun?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Of course, sweetie. Where do you want to meet?

MR. EATON: I guess we don’t have to keep things quiet anymore now that I’m not on staff.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Let’s play it safe for a few more weeks. This will all blow over soon.

MR. EATON: Okay. That’s not a bad idea. Do you think anyone suspects us? I think I threw Detective Bossley for a loop.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: You did. I think we covered our tracks, but I almost feel like I should come clean. It isn’t fair that you took all the blame.

MR. EATON: Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the principal. You had more at stake. I’ll find another school to teach at. I’m just glad we can be together now.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Me too. You know I’ll put in a good word for you when an interview comes along.

MR. EATON: I know I can count on you, Amber. We did the right thing…in a roundabout way.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: You’re right. And like I promised, I won’t let your students fall through the cracks. I’ll hire a really good ESL teacher. Mark my words.

MR. EATON: That means a lot to me. I’ll pick you up at…your place. There’s a first for everything.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: At my place. That has a nice ring to it. See you tonight, Leo.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Pardon me for interrupting. It sounds as though I caught you at a bad time. I told you that I bugged your phone, didn’t I…”hun”?

Exercise B

Comprehension

Why is Principal Davidson feeling guilty?
Which of the following is true about Mr. Eaton according to the dialogue?
a) He took all the blame.
b) He is upset with the detective.
c) He found a new job.
d) He is in his first romantic relationship.
Why did the detective appear at the school even though he thought his work was finished?
a) To talk to the principal again.
b) To thank some of the students.
c) To remove spyware from the office phone.
d) To fix the fire alarm.
True or False? Principal Davidson was expecting the detective

Exercise C - Writing

Writing Task: “The Consequences of Unethical Behavior in School Administration”

Instructions:

Carefully read the provided story about the conversation between Principal Davidson and Mr. Eaton, the former ESL teacher at Mountain Berry High.

Write an essay discussing the consequences of unethical behavior in school administration, using Principal Davidson and Mr. Eaton’s secret relationship and their role in the fire alarm incidents 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:

keep things quiet
cover our tracks
come clean

In your essay, address the following points:

How can unethical behavior by school administrators, such as Principal Davidson, and teachers, like Mr. Eaton, affect the overall learning environment and students’ well-being?
What are the potential repercussions of such behavior on the careers and reputations of the individuals involved, as well as the school’s image?
How can transparency, accountability, and ethical guidelines help to prevent such issues from arising in school settings?
In cases where unethical behavior has already occurred, what steps can schools take to address the issue and restore trust in the institution?

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!