Short Story # Practice Reading

In a small town, there lived a little boy and a girl. The little boy and the girl were best friends. They always played together. One day, the two friends went to a new park and saw some big kids playing. They were playing football, running from one part of the park to other. The little boy admired(fond of and amazed at somebody’s skills) the big kids. “How wonderful(great) it would be if I could play football too”, thought, the little boy.
The little boy, then, told his best friend, girl, about his idea of playing football. The girl did not agreed(understanding with each other) with him. “Please don’t force yourself to do something difficult. You already have issues(problem) with your leg”, said the girl. “You are not encouraging(supporting) me at all,” said the boy angrily. “I will show you that I can play as well.” The little boy and the girl came to the big boys who were playing. The big kid told him, he better not play as he can end up hurting himself. But he did not listen and insisted(to demand that something happens or that somebody agrees to do something) that he wanted to play.
The big boys finally agreed but told him that if he got hurt then they will not be responsible(being able to blamed for something). The game began and a boy passed him the ball, but rather than passing it further, the little boy got rolled up(to turn over and over and move in a particular direction) in the ball, and fell down. But the boy was determined(to decide definitely to do something) and continued the game. By this time, he had fallen many times and his leg started bleeding. By this time, he could barely stand and when a ball hit him, it blew him off(destroyed completely).
He started crying and was badly bleeding. The big kids took him to hospital and told him, “There is a certain time for everything and never try to force yourself to do something that is beyond your means”.
REVISION
Okay, so what are the words you have learnt today?

1. admired
2. wonderful
3. encouraging
4. insisted
5. responsible
6. rolled up
7. determined
8. blew him off

Let us make sure you remember them for life.

ADMIRED

Is there someone whom who look up to? Someone whom you want to be like? For instance, there are many who want to be like Steve jobs, some are there who want to be like Taylor swift or Virat Kohli. That is, people admire Steve Jobs, Taylor Swift or Virat Kohli.

WONDERFUL

Has there been anything that you really liked or may be something that is very beautiful. For example, Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China. So, what are they? They all are wonderful.

ENCOURAGING

Now, remember a time when you were very sad and someone came and told you that everything will be perfectly fine and you felt good. What did they did? That person actually encouraged you and such person is said to be encouraging. May be you were in dire need of money and someone just lent you money. Any ways, you were encouraged and the things /people around were encouraging.

INSISTED

Do you remember your childhood? Remember, those times when you wanted a toy and you made sure you get it. May be you cried, may be black mailed, but you made sure you have the toy. Right? You actually insisted your parents to give you that gift. Obviously now, you don’t cry, but there are times when you force someone or demand something, those are the times when you insist.

RESPONSIBLE

Okay, now responsible has many meanings. Right now, I am talking about the one used in the above passage. Responsible means that if something wrong happens to the thing you are made responsible for, you will be questioned. Do you remember, when you got poor marks in school and you were scolded? That was because you are responsible for them.

ROLLED UP

Have you noticed your bike or car when you drive? If not, then notice it, because that is a perfect example of rolling up.

DETERMINED

Have you ever told yourself or others, that you are going to do it. It could either be getting good marks in school or winning a championship. Something you worked for, something you worked for badly. Now, this is the thing you were determined for.

BLEW HIM OFF

Do you remember, the atom bomb, America threw on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Now, what did the atom bomb did? It blew off the two cities of japan.

Now, the story is not over here. Note down these words and try using them in whatever you speak or write in English. All the best.
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