Серия «Читаем на английском: маленькие истории для большого прогресса»

© Попова Н.С., текст, 2025

© Оформление. ООО «Издательство «Эксмо», 2025

Story 1. The Cat in the Café

Lisa had a hard time with her small café. It was in Garden street. The café was nice and warm, but very quiet. Lisa made good coffee and cakes.

Every morning, Lisa opened her café at 7 o’clock. She liked her work, but not many people came to her café. Lisa often felt sad.

One cold morning, Lisa saw a cat. The cat was orange and white. It sat near the café door. The cat looked hungry.

“Poor cat,” said Lisa. “Are you hungry? Come in!”

The cat looked at Lisa. Its eyes were big and green. Lisa gave the cat some milk. The cat was happy.

“You can stay here,” said Lisa. She named the cat Tom. He slept on the blue chair. He walked around and looked at people. People liked Tom very much. They said:

“What a nice cat!”

Tom was friendly.

More and more people came to the café. They wanted to see Tom and drink coffee. Children came to play with Tom.

Lisa was happy. The café was always full now. People called it “The Cat Café.”

Lisa took care of Tom very well. Tom was her best friend.

Every evening, when Lisa closed the café, she said to Tom: “Thank you, Tom. You changed everything.”

And Tom? He drinks milk and feels happy too.

Полезные выражения

▶ to have a hard time – испытывать трудности

▶ to come in – входить

▶ to take care – заботиться

▶ to change everything – изменить все

Упражнения

1

Прочитайте утверждения и напишите верно или неверно:

1. Lisa’s café was full from the beginning. ___

2. Tom was a black and white cat. ___

3. The cat came to the café on a rainy day. ___

4. Lisa saw Tom near the door. ___

2

Заполните пропуски:

1. Lisa had a small _______ in Garden Street.

2. The cat looked very _______ when Lisa first saw it.

3. More people _______ to see Tom.

4. Tom and Lisa became good _______.

5. Tom _______ Lisa’s life.

3

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What time did Lisa open her café every morning?

2. What did Lisa give to Tom when he first came?

3. Where did Tom like to sleep in the café?

4. Why did more people come to the café?

5. What did people call Lisa’s café later?

Story 2. The Childhood Bicycle

David walks in his old street. He comes to his small town after twenty years. The houses are different now.

He stops and looks. There is a red bicycle near house number 12. The bicycle is old but nice. David likes this bicycle!

A man stands near the house. “David? Is that you?”

David looks at the man. “Alex? My old friend?” They smile and say hello.

“This bicycle looks like my old bicycle,” says David.

Alex laughs. “This IS your bicycle! You gave it to me when you moved to a new city. I have had it for many years. Look at your name here.”

David looks at the bicycle. Yes! His name is there – ‘David’.

“My son likes this bicycle,” says Alex. “I tell him about you and me. We were friends. We went to school together. We played in the park.”

“Yes! And we liked ice cream,” says David. “We ate ice cream every Friday.”

“Why are you here?” asks Alex.

“I have a new job here. I work near our old school.”

Alex smiles. “Good! My son wants to ride this bicycle. Can you help us?”

“Yes, of course!” says David.

Now David has his old friend and his old bicycle. Some good things never change.

Полезные выражения

▶ to stop and look – останавливаться и смотреть

▶ to smile and say hello – улыбаться и здороваться

▶ to look like – выглядеть как / быть похожим на

▶ to give it to somebody – отдать это кому – то

▶ to look at – смотреть на

▶ can you help us? можешь нам помочь?

Упражнения

1

Прочитайте утверждения и напишите верно или неверно:

1. David returns to his town after ten years. ____

2. The houses in his old street look the same. ____

3. David’s bicycle is new and red. ____

4. Alex’s son likes the bicycle. ____

5. David and Alex went to school together. ____

2

Заполните пропуски:

1. David walks in his ______ street.

2. Alex says, “This bicycle ______ your old bicycle!”

3. ”You ______ me when you moved to a new city.”

4. David ______ the bicycle and saw his name on it.

5. David ______ near his old school now.

3

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How many years was David away from his town?

2. What does David see near house number 12?

3. What does Alex show David on the bicycle?

4. Where does David work now?

5. What does Alex ask David to help with?

Story 3. Grandmother’s Diary

My name is Bill. My grandmother has a big house. The house has many old things. One day, I found a small blue book. It was my grandmother’s diary.

The diary had a love story. Grandmother wrote about a young man. His name was Peter. He was an artist. Every day, Peter drew in the park.

Grandmother walked there often.

One day, Peter drew grandmother’s portrait. The picture was very

beautiful. Grandmother and Peter started to date. They walked in the park a lot. Peter drew, and grandmother read books.

Then something strange happened. Peter got a letter. He needed to go to another city. He wanted grandmother to go with him. But grandmother could not go. She studied at university.

Peter went away. He wrote letters to grandmother every day. Grandmother wrote letters too. They missed each other very much.

After one year, Peter came back. He brought many pictures. The pictures showed grandmother in the park. Peter drew her every day when he was far away. He loved grandmother very much.

They got married in the same park where they had met. Peter drew this moment. This picture is in grandmother’s house now.

I never saw grandfather Peter. He passed away long ago. But his pictures live in grandmother’s house. And his love lives in her diary.

I showed the diary to grandmother. She looked at the old pages for a long time. Then she smiled and said: “Love is like a picture. It makes the world more beautiful.”

Полезные выражения

▶ every day – каждый день

▶ long ago – давно

▶ far away – далеко

▶ to get married – пожениться

▶ to look at – смотреть на

▶ to start to date – начать встречаться