Category: Simple Stories in English

Season 1, episode 36

Julio loves winter because winter means skiing. He makes sure to wear all the right clothing: hat, scarf, gloves, and – most importantly – his helmet. When his helmet falls off the ski lift, he thinks he will be fine if he just goes slow. Unfortunately, though, accidents happen.

This simple story is told mostly in the present tense, but introduces the past tense in a retell. Important vocabulary includes ski lift, helmet, head, wounds, stitches, and cut. 

An Accident in the Mountains

There is a boy. The boy is called Julio. Julio lives in the state of Montana in the United States. In Montana, it is cold in the month of December. It is cold and there is a lot of snow. Julio likes snow because Julio likes to ski. Julio skis in the mountains of Montana. Skiing is very fun. 

When Julio skis, he is always prepared. He wears a jacket. He wears gloves on his hands and he wears a scarf on his neck. The most important is a helmet. Julio wears a helmet to protect his head and he wears goggles to protect his eyes. Protection is important in skiing because ski accidents are common.

Julio has accidents sometimes when he skis. Sometimes he falls because it is difficult to balance well on the skis. Sometimes he crashes into other people on the mountain because he doesn’t pay attention to his direction. Sometimes he falls because there is ice on the snow.

One day Julio decides to ski. When he arrives at the mountain, he puts on his jacket. He puts his gloves on his hands and the scarf on his neck. He puts on a helmet to protect his head and googles to protect his eyes. He puts on his boots and skis. Julio is ready for an excellent day on the mountain.

Julio goes up the mountain on the chairlift. It is excellent. Julio simply sits on the chairlift and watches the people going down the mountain on their skis. Then, Julio gets off the chairlift and skis.

Julio skis for hours. He likes skiing a lot because it is very fun. But there is a problem. Julio has a problem with his helmet. Julio sits on the chairlift and he takes off his helmet. He checks the helmet, but he doesn’t see a problem. Suddenly, the helmet falls out of his hands! The helmet falls from the chairlift into the snow on the mountain.

When Julio gets off the chairlift, he doesn’t have his helmet. His helmet is lost in the snow of the mountain. Julio believes that it is not a big problem and he decides to ski without his helmet. Julio doesn’t go quickly and he is careful. He doesn’t want to have an accident without his helmet. 

Julio takes a simple route because he doesn’t want to have an accident without his helmet. But there is a problem. There is a group of small children on the simple route and there isn’t space for Julio. Julio goes faster than the small children. Julio doesn’t want to crash into the children, but there isn’t much space. Julio moves so he doesn’t crash into a child, but his ski crashes into a plant and Julio crashes into a tree!

Julio sees the color red in the snow. It is blood – it is Julio’s blood! Julio is injured. Julio has a headache. He touches his head and touches blood. There is a cut on his head and it is bleeding a lot. Julio needs medical attention. Julio shouts, “Help!”

Some people hear Julio. One of them is a person works on the mountain. She calls the medic on her radio. The medic comes and checks Julio’s head. The cut on his head is very bad. It needs medical attention. The medic checks the rest of Julio. There are no other injuries – just the cut on his head.

The medic goes to the hospital with Julio. Julio talks to the doctor and describes the accident. Julio explains that he had a problem with his helmet and he took off the helmet on the chairlift. But the helmet fell from the chairlift. He decided to ski without the helmet. He was very careful and took a simple route. But there were a lot of kids on the route. The kids didn’t go fast. Julio didn’t want to crash into a kid. He moved, but he crashed into a tree. He didn’t have his helmet and hurt his head. He saw blood on the snow and shouted for help.

The doctor listens attentively to Julio and checks his head. The cut is very bad and Julio needs stitches. First, the medic gives him a shot. The shot affects the nerves in his head. The shot is necessary because stitches are not fun. After the shot, Julio doesn’t have any sensation in the area of the cut and the doctor can put in the stitches. Julio needs eight stitches.

The doctor checks the rest of Julio. Julio’s only problem is the cut on his head. He doesn’t have other injuries. He doesn’t have injuries on his hands because he was wearing his gloves. He doesn’t have injuries on his arms because he was wearing his jacket. He only has an injury on his head because he wasn’t wearing his helmet.

The doctor explains that Julio is going to have a big headache. He explains that the stitches are necessary because the cut is big. The stitches are not permanent and Julio needs to return to the hospital in five days. In five days the doctor is going to check the stitches and if the cut is better, he is going to take out the stitches.

The doctor also explains that Julio needs to wear his helmet when he skis because accidents are common. Julio understands. He doesn’t want to have more hospital visits or stitches.

After five days, Julio returns to the hospital. The doctor checks his head and decides that he doesn’t need the stitches for more time. The doctor takes out the stitches. There is a mark on Julio’s head. The doctor explains that the mark from the cut will probably be on his head the rest of his life.

“It is a scar, like Harry Potter!” The doctor exclaims.

Julio is not happy. He doesn’t want a scar like Harry Potter. But, the scar is not completely bad. It is a reminder to Julio of the importance of wearing a helmet. Now Julio wears a helmet all the time. He doesn’t want any more accidents.

The End.

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Season 1, episode 35

Arthur the monster lives alone in the mountains. He is tired of being alone in his cave and decides to go to the city to make some animal friends. Some animals look down on him because of his size, looks, and smell, but one animal steals his heart.

This story is in the third person and the past tense with some present tense dialogue. Important vocabulary in the story includes: stank (smelt bad), hurt, monkey, and pig.

The Monster

Once upon a time, in the high mountains, there was a monster. The monster was small and ugly, but fierce. It had a lot of green hair, big eyes, and sharp teeth.

The monster lived in a cave. The cave was primitive. There wasn’t a bed or a bathroom. The monster didn’t need a bed because he preferred the hard rocks. The monster didn’t need a bathroom because he lived in the mountains, far from civilization.

The monster never bathed and so he stank. He never washed his hair and he never brushed his teeth. His hair stank. His breath stank. The monster stank like the socks and shoes of a football player. The monster didn’t care that he stank because he was a monster.

The monster’s name was Arthur. Arthur felt very alone in his cave in the mountains. There were other monsters, but monsters are very bad friends. Monsters are bad friends because they are fierce and monstrous.

One day Arthur decided that he didn’t want to be alone in the mountains. He wanted friends. He didn’t want to be friends with the other bad monsters and so he decided to go to the city. In the city there was more diversity. There were a lot of people and animals of all kinds, not just fierce monsters.

Arthur went to the city and saw the big buildings. He saw people and animals. Arthur found an animal club. He entered the club and saw a lot of animals. He saw giraffes, monkeys, dogs, cats, and more. The animals danced like crazy in the club. They seemed very happy.

Arthur wanted to be happy like the animals in the club. Arthur saw a giraffe. The giraffe danced gracefully. Arthur wanted to dance with the giraffe.

“Hello, beautiful giraffe. Do you want to dance?” Arthur asked.

“Who is talking? Oh, there you are. I don’t want to dance with you. You are very short. I only dance with tall animals like me. Goodbye, little monster,” the giraffe said.

Arthur felt a little hurt, but there were other animals in the club. Arthur saw a monkey. The monkey wasn’t tall like the giraffe. Also, the monkey was pretty. Arthur wanted to dance with the monkey.

“Hello, pretty monkey. Do you want to dance?” Arthur asked.

“Ah, a monster! I don’t want to dance with you. You are ugly. I only dance with pretty animals like me. Goodbye, scary monster,” the monkey said.

Arthur felt a little hurt, but there were other animals in the club. Arthur saw a dog. The dog wasn’t tall like the giraffe or very pretty like the monkey. Plus, the dog had a lot of friends. Arthur wanted to dance with the dog.

“Hello, dog friend. Do you want to dance?” Arthur asked.

“Yuck! What smells? Pew! I am not going to dance with you. You smell terrible. I only dance with animals that smell good. Goodbye, stinky monster,” the dog said.

Arthur felt a little hurt, but there were other animals in the club. Arthur saw a cat. The cat had a lot of pretty hair. Arthur wanted to dance with the cat.

“Hello, precious cat. Do you want to dance?” Arthur asked.

The cat didn’t respond; she simply ignored Arthur. Evidently, she didn’t want to dance with him.

After the four rejections, Arthur was sad. He sat at the bar and looked at all the happy animals. Everyone was dancing in groups. Everyone, except one. There was an animal sitting alone at a table full of food, and Arthur loved food. The animal was small and pink. It was dirty, with mud stains on its body. It was a pig.

The giraffe didn’t dance with the pig because it was short. The monkey didn’t dance with the pig because it was ugly. The dog didn’t dance with the pig because it was stinky. The cat didn’t dance with the pig because the cat ignored it. Arthur wanted to dance with the pig.

“Hello, magnificent pig. Do you want to dance?” Arthur asked.

“Are you talking to me?” The pig responded.

“Yes. I am talking to the most impressive animal in the whole club,” Arthur said.

“Yes, I do want to dance with you!” The pig shouted

The pig did not think that Arthur was short. She didn’t think that Arthur was ugly. She didn’t think that Arthur was stinky. She didn’t ignore Arthur. The pig thought that Arthur was perfect, a green-haired prince charming.

Arthur and the pig danced and talked all night. Arthur was very happy. At last he was not alone.

Arthur wanted to see the pig again. He couldn’t wait. So, the next day, Arthur invited the pig to eat. Arthur was a good chef and wanted to prepare an excellent meal.

The pig was nervous because she didn’t know Arthur very well and she had heard stories about fierce monsters, but Arthur seemed different from other monsters and lots of times appearances can be deceiving. So, the pig accepted the invitation from her new friend.

Arthur was very excited. He was going to eat like a king! He cleaned his cave and went to the supermarket to buy ingredients for the meal.

The pig arrived at Arthur’s house and preparations began. Arthur prepared an incredible meal of sausage, bacon, ham, and ribs.

Then, Arthur ate like a king. He ate the sausage, bacon, ham, and ribs with a lot of barbecue sauce. Arthur ate the whole pig. After eating so much pork, he let out a lot of stinky farts.

That’s why monsters are bad friends. They are monstrous, they eat everything, and they stink. Sometimes appearances do not deceive.

The End.

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Season 1, episode 34

Jack is a little cat. He thought today would be like any other day exploring with his family, but instead he woke up to discover that is home became a construction site! Will he be able to make his way through the heavy equipment and find his family?

This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words beam, dirt, edge, crane, dump truck, and looks for.

The Brave Little Kitten

Jack is a cat. He is a little cat. He is a kitten. Jack has 6 brothers and 5 sisters. All his brothers and sisters are big. Jack is the smallest in the family.

Jack’s siblings explore a lot, but Jack is more shy. Jack prefers being close to his mother and father. He likes the protection of his father and the love of his mother. Jack’s siblings are brave and explore everything, but Jack is afraid of the world. The world is big and Jack is only a little kitten.

At night, Jack and his siblings sleep. They sleep in a box. There is not a lot of space and it is not an elegant house, but Jack is with his family and nothing else matters. Jack moves close to his siblings and parents and sleeps contentedly.

One day, Jack gets up with a strange sensation. He is cold. He is not close to his siblings. Jack opens his eyes and sees that everything is different. Jack is not in the box with his family, he is in the air! He is not just in the air, he is moving in the air. Jack is in the bucket of a front loader. The front loader is big – much bigger than Jack. It is yellow and very loud.

Jack is scared, but he is also curious. Where is he? Where is he going? Where is his family? Jack moves carefully to the edge of the bucket. He looks down and is very scared. He is very high up in the air! From the air, Jack can see a lot more. He sees a lot of heavy equipment. The heavy equipment are construction trucks. There are a lot of huge vehicles. Jack sees an excavator that puts dirt in a dump truck. He sees a forklift that transports beams. He sees a crane that lifts a metal beam. He sees a tractor that pushes dirt and several other trucks..

There are also a lot of men and women. The men and women wear yellow hats. The hats are special. They are helmets. The helmet protects the head. Construction is very dangerous and helmets are necessary.

There is a lot of activity and sounds. Jack is scared, but he is also curious. Jack sees that there is a man driving the front loader. The man has a yellow helmet. The man looks at Jack and is surprised. There is a kitten in his front loader!

The man stops the front loader and lowers the bucket. Jack sees his opportunity. Jack jumps from the front loader bucket and runs. He runs far from the noisy front loader bucket. Jack wants to find his family, but first he wants to escape from the front loader.

“Come here kitten!” The man in the front loader yells. But Jack ignores him. He wants to find his family.

Jack sees a mountain of dirt. He decides to climb the dirt to look for his family. Jack climbs the mountain of dirt. He looks for his family, but he doesn’t see them. Suddenly, an excavator lifts the dirt. Once again, Jack is in the air. The excavator moves the dirt to a dump truck. When the excavator is close to the dump truck, drops the dirt. Jack falls with the dirt into the dump truck. The woman driving the excavator sees Jack when he falls. She is surprised. There is a kitten at the construction site!

“Come here kitten!” The woman on the excavator yells. But it is too late. The dump truck moves. The woman calls the man in the dump truck on the radio. There is a kitten in the dump truck! The dump truck stops.

Jack is scared. Where is the dump truck going? Jack doesn’t want to leave the construction site – his family is in the construction site! Jack runs to the edge of the dump truck. The dump truck stops close to a beam. Jack is typically shy, but now he is brave. Jack jumps from the dump truck to the beam.

“Come here kitty!” The man driving the dump truck yells, but Jack ignores him. Jack is looking for his family.

Jack runs on the beam, but the beam is not on the ground. The beam is in the air. The beam is on a forklift. The forklift is not very big, but it is very useful. It moves heavy objects in small spaces. The forklift moves some beams near the construction site. Jack uses the time to watch and look for his family. He looks for his brothers and sisters. He looks for his mother and father. Where are they?

The forklift stops and lowers its cargo. The woman driving the forklift looks at Jack and is surprised.

“Come here kitty!” The woman yells, but Jack ignores her. He is looking for his family.

Jack sees a tube. He enters the tube and thinks. What is he going to do? Where is his family? Suddenly, the tube moves. The tube moves upwards. Jack goes higher and higher in the sky. The tupe is connected to a crane. The crane lifts the tube and Jack. Jack is scared, but he is also curious. He walks to the edge of the tube. He is higher in the sky now than the forklift. He is higher than the dump truck. He is higher than the front loader. He is higher than the excavator. Jack decides to use this opportunity to look for his family.

The crane lifts the tube higher and higher. Finally it stops. The crane passes the tube to some workers in yellow helmets. The workers grab the tube and are surprised. There is a kitten in the tube!

“Come here kitty!” One of the workers grabs at John. John Is scared, but the man is good. The man walks with Jack to the dirt. The man passes the front loader, excavator, dump truck and forklift. The man walks to an office. He opens the door and Jack sees a box. It is a very familiar box. The man puts Jack in the box with his family.

Jack tells the whole story about his adventure with his brothers and sisters. They are all very impressed with the brave little kitten.

The End.

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Season 1, episode 34

Isabel wishes she were home for Christmas instead of all alone in a big city. She knows that other people in her apartment building are also alone, so when the electricity goes out, she decides to spread light and joy through candles and song.

This story is in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: feels, neighbors, candles, box, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Nativity, and carols.

Merry Christmas

Isabel is a kind young woman. She lives very far from her family. She likes spending time with them and typically she goes home to celebrate Christmas. However, this year she doesn’t have the time or money to travel home for Christmas.

On December 24, Isabel walks through the city where she lives. She thinks of the things she would be doing at home with her parents, siblings, and extended family. They would spend a lot of time outside playing in the snow, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, sledding, and ice-skating.

They would also do a lot of things in the house. They would cook a big dinner for Christmas Eve. They would make Christmas cookies and sing carols while they took the cookies to their neighbors. They would listen to their grandparents’ stories about past Christmases. They would go to church for a special Christmas Eve service. They would open gifts and they would be very happy.

Isabel passes a church. There is a big Nativity with figures of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. A big banner says: “Merry Christmas”. Isabel pauses to observe the scene. She hears the sound of a choir practicing carols for Christmas Eve. The music and the scene make her feel a little better, and she continues on to her apartment.

When she arrives at her apartment there is a box in front of her door. It is from her mom. Isabel opens the package and finds a letter inside.

Dear Isabel, I am sorry you are not with us for Christmas this year. I hope that with the things in this box help you feel closer to us. Merry Christmas! Love, Mom

Isabel feels sad and alone. She misses her family a lot and she doesn’t feel like it is a merry Christmas. She looks at the things in the box. There is a bag of gingerbread cookies, her favorite. There are homemade marshmallows and a variety of chocolates. There are small gifts and a lot of candles.

Isabel takes the gifts and opens one. It is a donkey, like the one that took Mary to Bethlehem. Isabel puts the donkey on her table and opens another gift. This one contains a young shepherd. Isabel thinks about the shepherds that listened to the angels’ song and then looked for the Christ child.

The next gift has a figurine of Mary. Isabel thinks about Mary’s absolute faith and in the responsibility of being the mother of Jesus Christ. Isabel feels a great admiration for Mary. The next gift is Joseph. Isabel thinks about the trust that Joseph put in God.

Isabel keeps opening the gifts. There is an angel, a cow, the three wise men, another shepherd and a lamb. She puts the figures on the table to form the Nativity scene, but the most important figure is missing: where is the Christ child?

Isabel looks in the box again, but she only finds the candles. It is a tradition in Isabel’s house to eat Christmas Eve dinner only with the light of candles, without any electric light. It is a tradition that she likes a lot, but there are too many candles in the box for a dinner for only one person. Under the candles there is a note from her mom that says: “Light the world”.

Suddenly, the electricity goes out. Isabel looks out the window and sees that the whole city is dark. Isabel feels very sad and alone. It is not a perfect Christmas Eve like when she is at home.

Isabel is sad and alone, but she knows that there are other people that also feel sad and alone during Christmas. She looks at the box of candles and she has an idea.

She lights a candle and walks with the box to the hallway. She knocks on her neighbor’s door. When her neighbor, an older man, opens the door, Isabel sings.

The first Noel the angel did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay, In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the King of Israel!

Isabel lights a candle and passes the candle to the man. He goes with Isabel to the next apartment. They knock on the door. A woman and her daughter open the door and Isabel and her neighbor sing.

Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold him, Born the King of angels; Oh, come, let us adore him; Oh, come, let us adore him; Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

The woman and her daughter take candles from the box. They light their candles and walk with Isabel and her neighbor to the next apartment. A family of six opens the door. Isabel and her group of neighbors sing.

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and Child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace; Sleep in heavenly peace.

The group goes up a floor and knocks on the door of another apartment. An older woman with a cane opens the door. Isabel and her group of neighbors sing.

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

The woman with the cane can’t walk with the group, but Isabel gives her a candle to light her apartment. The group of neighbors goes to the next door and sings.

Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise; Join the triumph of the skies; With th’angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King!

The group continues through the hallways of the apartment building singing carols and passing candles to the neighbors. Some neighbors decide to join the group while others, like the woman with the cane, stay home. Some neighbors have their own candles, while others take candles from Isabel’s box.

After singing at the last apartment, Isabel has a pretty big group. They don’t want to simply return to their lonely apartments, so they decide to get together in a big room on the main floor of the building. They go to their apartments to get food to share in their improvised Christmas party.

Isabel sits in the room lit by candles from her box and eats with her neighbors. Now she doesn’t feel alone or sad, but she feels like something is missing. She thinks about the woman with the cane. She is not in the room because she can’t go down the stairs and the elevator isn’t working due to the lack of electricity. Isabel fills a plate of food and walks to the woman’s apartment.

When she knocks on the door, the woman invites her to enter. Isabel sits and talks with her. She learns that the woman’s kids couldn’t come home this year due to work and that it is her first Christmas without family. She was feeling very sad and lonely until she heard the music of her neighbors. Now her Christmas is much happier.

Later, Isabel returns to her apartment with her empty box. When she enters, she throws the bow to the side, but she hears something. The box is not completely empty. Inside the box there is one more small present. Isabel opens the packet and finds the figure of the baby Jesus. She puts the figurine with the rest of the Nativity and she sings her favorite carol.

What Child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping— Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ, the King, Whom shepherds guard, and angels sing: Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Merry Christmas!

You can also watch a video of this story on YouTube!

I really enjoy creating and sharing simple, comprehensible stories. I work hard to provide tools and supports for those who want to learn. Please, consider buying me a taco to support my work!

You can download a printer-friendly PDF of this story.

Season 1, episode 33

Tom Turkey is a lazy turkey. He lives in the woods and just wants to eat all day. The other woodland animals are worried about Tom. They know hunting season is coming and Tom needs to learn how to avoid humans. Each animal gives Tom advice on how to stay safe. But, will Tom listen?

This story is in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: turkey, advice, avoid, ignore, and legs.

The Lazy Turkey

There is a turkey. The turkey lives in the woods. It is a wild turkey. The turkey’s name is Tom. Tom Turkey is a big, lazy turkey. He is a big turkey because he eats a lot and he is lazy because he never exercises.

The other woodland animals are worried about Tom Turkey. They know that many people come to the woods to hunt animals. They don’t want to be food for humans and they don’t want their friends to be food for humans either. It is important that the animals know to avoid humans.

The animals fear that Tom will be trapped by a human. They don’t think that Tom can take care of himself alone. They decide to talk to Tom Turkey to give him advice on how to avoid humans and their guns. Each animal shares a strategy they use to avoid humans.

The animals look for Tom Turkey. Tom is eating bugs under a tree. Rick Rabbit talks first. Rick is small. In the summer he is gray and in the winter his hair changes to white. His hair changes to give him camouflage. 

Rick Rabbit recommends that Tom Turkey change the color of his feathers. If Tom changes the color of his feathers, he can have better camouflage in the woods. But Tom is not a rabbit, he is a turkey. He can’t change the color of his feathers. So Tom ignores the advice of Rick Rabbit and he doesn’t change the color of his feathers.

Sally Squirrel is very small. She doesn’t change color, but she has another recommendation to avoid humans. Sally Squirrel collects food all summer. In the winter, she doesn’t have to leave her house because she has enough food.

Sally advises Tom Turkey to collect food and store it in his house to avoid humans. But Tom is not a squirrel, he is a turkey. He can’t store food because he doesn’t have a house. He sleeps in different trees each night. So Tom ignores the advice of Sally Squirrel and he doesn’t collect food to store for the winter.

Fanny Fox notices that Tom sleeps in the trees. She doesn’t think that it is very safe. Fanny lives in a den. Fanny dug the den. Fanny advises Tom to build a den to serve as his house. When humans come, Tom can hide in his den.

But Tom is not a fox, he is a turkey. He doesn’t want to dig a den. He prefers sleeping in the trees, not under the ground. So Tom ignores the advice of Fanny Fox and he doesn’t dig a den.

Rebecca Raccoon has a different suggestion. She is very social. When she steals food from human houses, she goes with her friends. She thinks there is safety in numbers. Rebecca Raccoon has a lot of friends in the woods and she notices that Tom Turkey is alone a lot of the time. Rebecca Raccoon insistes that Tom Turkey spend time with other turkeys because there is safety in numbers.

But Tom is not a raccoon, he is a turkey. He prefers being alone, not in the company of other animals. So, Tom ignores the advice of Rebecca Raccoon and he doesn’t spend time with other turkeys.

Dennis Deer has another idea for Tom. Dennis is big and athletic. He has four long, strong legs. He jumps through the forest and runs quickly when he sees danger. Dennis Deer encourages Tom Turkey to run and jump through the forest.

But Tom is not a deer, he is a turkey. He doesn’t have four long legs, he has two short legs. He doesn’t want to run and jump. So Tom ignores the advice of Dennis Deer and he doesn’t run or jump through the woods.

Micheal Moose is similar to Dennis Deer, but he is taller and prefers the water. When Micheal is in danger, he swims to the center of a lake. When he is in the lake, Micheal sees ducks and other birds that swim. So, Micheal suggests that Tom Turkey swim in the lakes like him and the ducks.

But Tom is not a moose nor a duck, he is a turkey. Tom has different legs, he can’t swim in the lake. So, Tom ignores the advice of Micheal Moose and he doesn’t swim in the lake.

Betty Bird thinks she has a good solution for Tom. When she sees humans, Betty flies to the trees. She flies very high and very fast. Betty Bird suggests that Tom Turkey fly high and fast to avoid humans.

Tom is a bird and he has wings like Betty, but Tom is not a small bird, he is a very fat turkey and his wings are not very strong. Tom can fly to sleep in trees at night, but he can’t fly high or far. So Tom ignores the advice of Betty Bird. He doesn’t fly high or fast.

Beatrice Beaver thinks that Tom’s problem is his activity. Tom is very fat and he is not very active. Beatrice Beaver is very active. She moves trees to build houses and block rivers. Beatrice advises Tom to be more active. She recommends that he do exercises like lifting trees. If he is active and exercises his muscles, he can fly and run to avoid humans.

But Tom is not a beaver, he is a turkey. He can’t move trees or swim. He doesn’t want to exercise, he wants to be lazy. So Tom ignores the advice of Beatrice Beaver and he doesn’t exercise. He doesn’t do anything.

Holly Hedgehog sees that Tom refuses to exercise. She has another idea. When Holly sees a human, she curves her body in a ball. Holly is covered in spikes. When she forms a ball, the spikes protect her. Holly recommends that Tom protect himself.

But Tom is not a hedgehog, he is a turkey. Tom is not covered in spikes, he is covered in feathers. Tom can’t protect himself with feathers. So Tom ignores the advice of Holly Hedgehog. He doesn’t protect himself.

Brutus Bear thinks that all the suggestions of the other animals are unnecessary. Brutus avoids humans by sleeping in a cave all winter. Brutus proposes that Tom also sleep in a cave all winter.

But Tom is not a bear, he is a turkey. He can’t sleep all winter. So Tom ignores the advice of Brutus Bear. He doesn’t sleep in a cave.

The animals don’t have any more advice for Tom. They regret that Tom doesn’t follow their suggestions. But they can’t force change. It is necessary that Tom decide to change.

One day, Tom is in the woods. He sees a pile of corn. Tom loves corn. He wants to eat the corn. But something seems strange. Where did the corn come from? Typically there is no corn in the woods. Could it be a trap?

Tom looks at the woods. He doesn’t see any humans. It is very probable that the corn is a trap. Tom’s instincts demand that he avoid the area and that he doesn’t eat the corn. Tom’s instincts say that it is a trap.

But Tom is not a smart animal, he is a turkey. He can’t think about anything but eating the corn. So he ignores his instincts and eats the corn.

It’s regrettable that Tom ignores everyone, especially his own instincts. If Tom listened to the advice of his friends, it is possible that he would still be in the woods with them, instead of on the table of an American family on Thanksgiving Day.

The end.

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Season 1, episode 32

Latriz has a very important job. She is a receptionist in a clinic. The people who come to the clinic talk to her before they talk to the nurse or doctor. The people who call the clinic talk to her for guidance. Latriz needs to help them stay calm and get the help they need. Latriz’s job is very important.

This story includes a lot of dialogue and is told in the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: appointment, card, fever, help, and I ask.

The Receptionist

Hello, my name is Latriz and I am a receptionist in a clinic. I like my job. I have the opportunity to help people in my community. I have conversations with many different people. Typically when people come to the clinic or call the clinic they are very stressed. It is my job to help.

On a typical day, I interact with people who come into the clinic. I also interact with people on the phone.

A man enters the clinic with his son.

“Hello, welcome to the clinic. Do you have an appointment?” I say.

“Yes,” the man responds. “My son has an appointment with doctor Krauss.” 

“What is the patient’s name?” I say.

“Jaime Lopez Flores.”

“Here it is. I only need a little information. Please fill out this paper,” I say and I give him a paper. “Can you show me your insurance or Medicaid card?”

The man takes the paper and gives me his insurance card. I check the information on the card with the information in the computer. I make a copy of the card. I return the card and the man gives me the paper.

“Thank you, sir. Now please wait in the waiting room.”

The man and his son go to the waiting room and I continue with my work. A woman calls on the phone.

“Hello, Grand River Clinic,” I say answering the phone.

“My daughter has been throwing up all night,” the woman on the phone says.

“Has she been able to drink anything?” I ask.

“No. Every time she drinks water, she vomits,” the woman says.

“Does your daughter have a fever?” I ask.

“Yes. She has a fever of 102 degrees,” the woman responds.

“Have you given her any medicine for the fever?” I ask.

“No, we don’t have anything at home,” the woman responds.

“Would you like to make an appointment with the doctor? We have an availability at three this afternoon,” I explain.

“Yes, please.” The woman gives me her information and her daughter’s information and I make an appointment for them at three in the afternoon.

“Okay, ma’am. I have an appointment made for three. Try to give your daughter water in small portions. See you at three.”

Immediately the phone rings. There is a panicking man on the phone.

“I need help. It’s my wife.”

“Calm down, sir. What is wrong with your wife?” I ask.

“She’s having contractions. She’s going to have a baby!” The man exclaims.

“How many minutes are there between her contractions?” I ask.

“Twelve minutes,” the man responds.

“Good, you have time. When there are only five minutes between contractions, you should come to the hospital.”

“Five minutes,” the man responds.

“Yes, five minutes. For now, you can prepare your things for the hospital. You will need a change of clothing for your wife and the baby.”

“Yes, my wife already has everything prepared.”

“Perfect. Then try to calm down. You can take a little walk because movement helps the process. If there are only five minutes between contractions or her contractions last more than a minute at a time, you should leave for the hospital,” I explain.

“Okay, ma’am. Thanks for your help,” the man comments. He is calmer now.

“You’re welcome. Everything will be okay,” I finish.

When I finish on the phone a woman enters with her older son. Her son is crying.

“Help!” The mother yells.

“Ma’am, how can I help you?” I say.

“My son was riding his bike when he fell. He cut his forehead and hurt his arm,” the mother explained. I see the cut on his head. It is bleeding a lot.

“This cut looks deep. When he fell, did he lose consciousness?” I ask.

“No, he never lost consciousness. But there was a lot of blood.”

“Head wounds bleed a lot, but he most likely needs stitches,” I explain.

“And his arm? Is it broken?” The woman asks.

“We’d have to take an x-ray to determine if it is broken,” I explain.

“Can you do that now?”

“No, not here, ma’am. We are a clinic. You need to go to the emergency room, but don’t worry because it is next to the clinic.”

“I have to admit my son to the hospital?” The woman asks with a little bit of panic.

“It is very probably that your son won’t need to spend the night in the hospital, but he needs to go to the emergency room for the stitches and x-ray. I am going to call the receptionist there and explain your situation,” I say.

The woman is calmer now. I give her directions to the emergency room and then I call the receptionist in the emergency room. I explain that a woman is coming with her child who possibly has a broken arm and a cut on his head.

I spend the rest of my day helping patients in person and over the phone. I like my work. I like helping people in my community. I need to know a lot of medical information to help people that call the clinic. The work of the doctors and nurses is important, but patients talk to me, the receptionist, first.

The End.

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Season 1, episode 31

Silvia loves sweets a bit too much. Her love of sugar catches up with her in the form of a toothache. Now she must visit the dentist. First, the hygienist takes x-rays and cleans up her teeth. Then the dentist comes in for a visit. One thing is for sure, Sylvia needs to take better care of her teeth!

This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words “candy”, “teeth”, “gums”, “plaque”, “tartar” and “cavity”.

A Visit to the Dentist

There is a woman named Silvia. Silvia has a problem. Silvia likes to eat a lot of candy. She loves all sweet things. She likes milk chocolate and dark chocolate and white chocolate candy bars. She likes marshmallows. She likes gummy candy. She likes sweet desserts. She likes pastries and donuts. She likes cinnamon rolls and cake with cream and fruit.

Silvia has problems with control. When she wants something sweet, she goes to the candy store and buys a bag of candy. Then she eats the whole bag in less than an hour! Silvia needs to control herself because her addiction to sweets is causing health problems.

One day, Silvia eats a chocolate when her tooth hurts. The pain is intense. Silvia drinks a little water and tries to eat her chocolate again. When she bites the chocolate, her tooth hurts terribly. Silvia has a toothache and she needs to call the dentist.

Silvia doesn’t go to the dentist much. She knows that she needs to go every six months, but sometimes she doesn’t go to the dentist for a whole year. Silvia dials the dentist’s number and talks with the receptionist, Mark.

“Anderson Dental Office. This is Mark,” Mark says when he answers the phone.

“Hi, Mark, this is Silvia. I need to make an appointment with the dentist. I have a toothache,” Silvia says.

“You are lucky, Silvia. There was a cancellation and there is an appointment available for today at three,” Mark comments.

“Thanks, Mark. I will see you at three,” Silvia responds. Silvia is a little nervous. She believes that she has a cavity because her tooth hurts a lot.

Silvia goes to the dentist office. When she enters, she sees Mark.

“Hi Mark, I’m Silvia. I have an appointment for three o’clock.”

“Hi Silvia. Could you fill out this information sheet?” Mark says and he passes a paper and pen to Silvia.

Silvia takes the pen and paper and sits in the waiting room. The paper has basic information like her name, address, emergency names and numbers and her dental insurance information. Silvia fills in all the information and returns the paper to Mark. A little later, a woman enters the waiting room. 

“Silvia?” The woman asks.

“That’s me,” Silvia responds and stands.

“I’m Emma. I am your dental hygienist. Come with me, please,” the woman says. Silvia goes with Emma to a small room. In the room there is a special chair, a computer, and multiple dental instruments.

Silvia sits in the chair. Emma puts a heavy apron on Silvia. She moves a special machine close to Silvia’s cheek. 

“I’m going to take an x-ray,” Emma explains. “We need to see your teeth well to determine if you have a cavity.”

Emma takes x-rays of Silvia’s teeth. Then, she puts a paper dental bib on Silvia and she explains that she is going to clean her teeth well.

“Open your mouth, please,” Emma says. Silvia opens her mouth and Emma uses a small mirror to examine Silvia’s teeth and gums.

“Your gums look good. They are not inflamed. There is no evidence of gingivitis. But your teeth have problems. There is a lot of plaque and tartar on your teeth. I am going to take off the tartar,” Emma explains.

Silvia closes her eyes and thinks about her grocery shopping list while Emma takes the tartar off her teeth. It takes a long time to remove the tartar because Silvia has a lot of tartar buildup on her teeth due to all the sweets she eats.

Finally, Emma finishes removing the tartar from Silvia’s teeth. Then she uses an electric brush to clean the teeth and take off the rest of the tartar. Then she takes dental floss. Emma uses the dental floss to clean the space between the teeth. When Emma is satisfied with the teeth, she calls the dentist.

“Hi, Silvia. I am doctor Anderson,” the dentist introduces herself. “I understand that you have a toothache.”

“Yes. The pain is here,” Silvia says while she indicates the hurt tooth.

The dentist projects Silvia’s x-rays. There is a black mark in the tooth that hurts. There are other marks in other teeth too.

“You have some cavities, Silvia,” the dentist explains while pointing at the black marks. “There are five cavities. The have to make another appointment to fix the cavities. I need time to clean the cavities and fill them.”

Silvia is not happy she has five cavities, but she isn’t surprised either.

“I recommend that you eat fewer sweets and that you clean your teeth with toothpaste and dental floss every morning and night,” the dentist continues. “You need to take care of your teeth or you will have more serious dental problems.”

Silvia doesn’t want to have more serious problems. Her grandmother had dental problems. Now, her grandmother doesn’t have teeth. Silvia doesn’t want to be like her grandmother. She wants to have teeth when she is 60 years old.

Doctor Anderson leaves and Emma finishes her work by applying fluoride to Silvia’s teeth. The fluoride prevents cavities and Silvia doesn’t want more cavities – five is enough!

Finally, Silvia thanks Emma and walks to Mark to make an appointment for the fillings. When she goes home, Silvia wants to go to the candy store, but she decides that her teeth are more important than her sweet tooth.

The End.

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Season 1, episode 30

Luis just wants to dance the night away, but a car accident lands him in the emergency room with his date. Now, instead of salsa, he must deal with x-rays, stitches and a cast. What fun!

This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words “crash”, “hurts/pains”, “neck”, “leg”, “arm”, “cast” and “neck brace”.

The Car Accident

Luis is a big, strong man. He is friendly and funny too. Luis has a lot of friends. He is especially popular with women because he is very handsome and he can dance. Luis dances the salsa and the tango. 

Luis uses the Tinder app to look for friendly, pretty women. One day Luis sees the photo of an especially fantastic woman. She is called Angela. Angela is tall and chubby. She is funny and friendly like Luis and she also has a lot of friends.

Luis makes a date with Angela. They go to a restaurant. In the restaurant Luis talks about work. He had a good day at work. Angela listens and cuts her steak. Angela is bored because Luis talks and talks and he doesn’t ask Angela any questions. She simply listens to Luis’s fantastic day. Angela wants to go home, but after eating Luis invites her to dance. Angela likes dancing a lot and she decides to give Luis another chance.

Angela and Luis go to a club in Luis’s car. Angela is very happy because she read on Tinder that Luis dances very well. They enter the club and Luis dances. He is incredible! Luis dances very well. But, Luis dances in a big group with a lot of women and men. He doesn’t dance with Angela. Angela is mad at Luis. She walks to Luis and says, “I want to go home.”

“What’s wrong?” Luis responds, confused.

“I want to go home,” Angela repeats.

Luis walks to his car with Angela. In the car, Angela puts on her seatbelt. Luis doesn’t put on his seatbelt. Luis starts the car and goes very fast through the streets of the city. He passes a park. There are some very pretty women in the park. Luis is distracted. He doesn’t see the road because he is looking at the pretty women. Angela looks at the road and she sees a small child. The small child runs after a dog in the street!

“Stop!” Angela yells. 

Luis sees the child at the last moment. He hits the brakes on the car and turns to the right because he doesn’t want to crash into a child or a dog. Luckily, Luis doesn’t crash into the child, but he does crash into a parked car. With the impact, Luis’s forehead hits the windshield. His arm and leg are also hurt. Angela hurts her neck with the impact.

Luis and Angela are hurt. They need medical help, but they can’t drive the car to the hospital. So, Angela calls an ambulance. The paramedics arrive in the ambulance and help Angela and Luis. They check their condition.

Angela doesn’t have many injuries. Her neck hurts so a paramedic gives her a neck brace. Angela can’t move her head well because the neck brace stabilizes her head. But Angela can walk and she walks to the ambulance.

Luis requires more attention than Angela because he has more injuries. The paramedic puts a bandage on the cut on Luis’s forehead. He puts a neck brace on Luis’s neck. Luis can’t walk because his leg hurts a lot, so the paramedics move Luis on a stretcher.

The ambulance goes to the emergency room at the hospital. In the emergency room a doctor examines Luis. The doctor is dark, short, and very intelligent.

“What happened?” The doctor asks.

“I was dancing the salsa, because I like to dance a lot, when Angela wanted to go home. On the way home, a child ran into the street. I like children and, because I am good, I didn’t want to crash into a child. I hit the brakes and crashed into a parked car. Some people think I am a hero because the child was perfectly fine,” Luis responds.

“What hurts?” The doctor asks. She is not affected by Luis’s exaggerated words.

“My head hurts a lot. My arm and leg hurt. And my heart hurts,” Luis says dramatically.

“Your heart hurts? That’s not good,” the doctor reacts.

“My heart hurts because you are so pretty, but I am here with another woman,” Luis says.

The doctor touches the cut on Luis’s forehead. “Ow!” Luis yells.

“The cut is very serious. It needs stitches,” the doctor says. She gives Luis a shot and then she gives him seven stitches to close the cut. Then she examines Luis’s arm and leg. They hurt Luis a lot

Luis goes to a special room. In the special room, a technician takes an x-ray of his arm. He doesn’t see anything special in the x-ray. Then the technician takes an x-ray of Luis’s leg. He sees a problem in Luis’s leg and talks to the doctor. The doctor talks to Luis.

“Sir, your leg is broken. You need a cast.”

“And my heart?” Luis asks dramatically. The doctor ignores Luis and examines Angela.

“What hurts?” She asks Angela.

“My neck hurts,” Angela responds.

The doctor examines Angela’s neck. It is not broken. The doctor gives her some pills for the pain and says Angela needs to use the neck brace for a few more days.

Another doctor arrives and puts a cast on Luis. The doctor is efficient and good. Luis is not happy with the cast. He wants to dance the salsa and the tango and he can’t with a cast. He can’t walk with the cast!

Luis sits in a wheelchair because he can’t walk due to his broken leg. Angela pushes the wheel chair for Luis because Luis’s arm hurts too.

Luis understands that his date with Angela was not the most fantastic date.

“I’m sorry about the accident,” Luis says to Angela.

“It’s okay, Luis. It was an accident,” Angela responds.

Angela and Luis pass a group of nurses. Luis looks at the nurses and says, “Hello beautiful ladies. How are you doing?”

Angela is very mad at Luis. First the horrible dinner, then the group of women in the club, the accident in front of the women in the park, then the doctor, and now the nurses! Angela pushes Luis’s wheelchair and the cast on his leg crashes with the door.

“Ow, ow!” Luis cries.

“Oh, sorry. It was an accident,” Angela says sarcastically. Then she calls two Ubers. She doesn’t want to spend another minute more with Luis.

The end.

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Season 1, episode 29

Paloma is a near perfect child. She just has one problem that threatens to take over her life – Paloma is a worrier. She worries about EVERYTHING from school to shopping to what she wears. Paloma reaches out to her mom, who realizes that she needs more help than she can give. So, Paloma meets with a therapist. At first she is worried, but after time she begins to develop confidence and her worrying subsides.

This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words “worried”, “worries about”, “don’t worry”, “feels”, “comfortable”, and “therapist”.

Worried

There is a girl named Paloma. Paloma is a pretty and polite girl. When people see Paloma, they think that she is a perfect child. But Paloma has a secret. Paloma is not perfect. Paloma has a problem. 

Paloma is always worried. She worries about everything. She worries about her school work. She worries about being sick. She worries about getting up on time. She worries about being alone. She worries about her clothes. She worries about the weather. Paloma worries about everything.

Paloma spends all day worried. She is never okay with her life. When she is in the car, she worries she will have an accident and so she puts on her seatbelt and checks the door multiple times. When she is in the supermarket, she worries about getting lost and so she is always very close to her mom. When she is in school, she worries about being wrong on her work so she is always asking her teacher questions.

At first, the worrying isn’t terrible. Paloma breathes and focuses and moves forward. But with time, the worrying is more and more obsessive. Paloma decides to talk with her mom.

“Mom, I have a problem.”

“Yes, dear? What is your problem?” Her mom asks her with compassion.

“Mom, I am not okay. I am always worried. I don’t want to do anything because I am always worried. I don’t want to talk with people because I am worried. I don’t want to go to the store because I am worried. I don’t want to do my school work because I am worried it will be incorrect, but I am also worried to not do my work because I want to be a perfect student,” Paloma admits.

“Dear, these worries are normal,” her mom responds. “Don’t worry.”

“Mom, when you say ‘don’t worry,’ I worry more!”

“Honey, there is nothing to worry about.”

“But mom, when I brush my teeth, I worry about cavities. When I swim, I worry about fish. When I visit the doctor, I worry about dying. When I travel in a car, I worry about accidents. I am so worried that don’t think about anything else. I am always worried and I can’t take it anymore!” Paloma cried. 

Paloma’s mother listens attentively. She notes that her daughter is very upset. Paloma’s mom wants to help, but she is not a professional in this area. She doesn’t know how to help Paloma, so she makes an appointment with a therapist.

The therapist is called Filomena. Filomena is very patient and understanding. She listens to children all day because she is a child therapist. Filomena is an expert in child psychology and she wants to help Paloma.

Paloma is worried about her appointment with the therapist. She is worried because she doesn’t know Filomena. Paloma imagines a strict woman in an ugly white office. She is worried because maybe she has a horrible mental problem and there is no cure. She doesn’t want to go to a mental hospital!

When Paloma enters Filomena’s office, she is more calm. First, Filomena has a pretty smile and she doesn’t seem strict. Second, Filomena’s office has toys and crayons. It is a comfortable space and not intimidating and ugly.

Paloma sits with her mom on a couch. Filomena sits on a chair near the couch. Filomena asks questions and Paloma responds to the questions. Paloma likes Filomena’s tone of voice. Paloma feels good and talks about her problems. Filomena listens. She doesn’t interrupt she doesn’t give instructions to Paloma. She just listens. Paloma talks and feels good. She doesn’t feel worried.

In the next appointment with Filomena, Paloma draws. She draws some of her worries and talks about her drawings with Filomena. Paloma feels good with Filomena. She feels that she can talk about her worries and when she talks about her worries, they don’t seem so big.

Paloma has two appointments each month with her therapist. She likes to visit her therapist. In the appointments, sometimes they color. Sometimes they paint. They play with puppets or dolls. Paloma talks. Filomena listens and asks questions. Filomena is always patient and attentive. Filomena never says that it is silly to worry. Filomena doesn’t believe that Paloma is silly for her worries.

After visiting with her therapist, Paloma feels happy. She is still worried, but her worries don’t control her life. Paloma has more confidence. When she brushes her teeth, she doesn’t think about cavities. When she is in the car, she looks at the trees and she doesn’t think about accidents. When she visits the doctor, she doesn’t think about dying.

At school, Paloma talks with other kids. She is still a little worried, but she doesn’t allow her worry to control her. She thinks about her sessions with the therapist and she is confident.

Paloma’s mom notices a difference in her daughter. She notices that her daughter is more happy. She notices that her daughter smiles more. Paloma’s mom also learns from Filomena. She learns to be patient with Paloma and she learns that the phrase “don’t worry” is not a good phrase to use with Paloma because when she hears “don’t worry”, she only worries more.

Paloma is not perfect. In the past she worried about being perfect, but now she is happier and she has more confidence. She feels good about her life.

The end.

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Season 1, episode 28

The Mesoamerican Reef system is the second largest in the world. Located in the Caribbean Sea, the most beautiful section of this reef is accessible through the island of Roatán in Honduras. Here you can see the plant and animal life that call this tropical paradise home.

This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words island, fish, coral reef, film, and scuba dive.

Under the Sea 

There is a man named Michael. Michael likes water a lot. When he was a child, Michael played in the water all the time. He swam in lakes and rivers. He was particularly fascinated by animals in the water. He liked watching fish when they swam. 

Now, Michael is an adult and he works in the water. Michael’s work is very fun. Michael makes videos of animals that live in the water. Michael is an aquatic cameraman.

Michael travels to the coasts of several nations. He goes out in boats and goes in the water to make his videos. One day, Michael goes to the island of Roatán. Roatán is part of Honduras. Honduras is located in Central America and it has a long coast on the Caribbean Sea. The island of Roatán, Honduras is popular with underwater filming because of its coral reefs. The coral reefs of Honduras are spectacular and part of the second biggest reef in the world. They have crystal waters so it is very easy to see all the marine life, the plants, and the coral.

Michael wants to scuba dive in the Caribbean Sea to film the aquatic life. First, Michael goes in a boat to the coral reef. Michael is going to scuba dive for a long time in the water and he wears a wetsuit. He also puts on a mask. The mask gives protection to Michael’s eyes. Michael needs to swim with his eyes open, so he uses the mask to see while he swims.

Michael puts fins on his feet to swim better. The fins give a lot of movement with little energy. Furthermore, when Michael uses the fins to swim, he doesn’t need to use his hands to swim, so he can use his hands to film.

Michael is human, so he needs oxygen to breathe. The oxygen is in a tank. Michael wears the oxygen tank in a vest on his back. Michael breathes the oxygen from the tank through a regulator. The regulator is connected to the tank with a tube.

With the mask, fins, regulator, and oxygen tank, Michael is ready to to scuba dive and film the aquatic life. Michael takes his camera and dives in the water. In the water, Michael sees a lot of fish. The fish are all the colors of the rainbow. There are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple fish. The fish swim in groups in the crystal water

Michael films the fish. They swim among the coral in the reef. There are more than 60 species of coral in the waters of Honduras. Like the fish, the coral also comes in many colors. Michael’s favorites are the pink coral. There are a lot of fish among the coral. Some fish have camouflage. It is impossible to see some fish in the coral! 

Michael uses his fins to explore the reef more. He sees a movement and investigates. It is a sea turtle!  The sea turtle is big. There are six species of sea turtles in the Caribbean. Michael films the turtle while it swims. Turtles are slow and clumsy on land, but they are very elegant in the water.

The turtle leaves and Michael keeps exploring the coral reef. He sees some blue crabs. The crabs don’t swim, they walk. Crabs like spaces in the rocks. They use their pincers for protection. There are many crabs in Honduras and crab soup is a very delicious local dish. Michael thinks that he wants to eat crab soup after his scuba diving trip.

Michael continues on his adventure. He sees a very big animal. It is a whale shark, the biggest fish in the Caribbean. The whale shark is huge, but Michael is not scared. Michael is not scared because the whale shark is not vicious like other sharks. The whale shark is docile. It eats plankton and it doesn’t attack people. Michael films the whale shark on his camera. The whale shark is bigger than Michael!

Michael is very satisfied with his trip in the coral reef. He decides to return to the boat. He moves his fins and swims in the direction of the boat. Suddenly, there is movement. There are other people scuba diving in the sea. These people are looking for a particular kind of fish. It is a lion fish. The lion fish is not native to the Caribbean Sea and causes a lot of destruction to the coral reef. The lion fish eats animals that take care of the reef. That’s why there are people that capture lion fish.

Michael sees the lion fish. It is a very pretty fish because it has an elegant appearance with its many fins and stripes of brown and white. But Michael understands that the lion fish causes destruction. He films a little bit of the lion fish on his camera and then he alerts the people looking for the lion fish. They come and capture it.

Michael returns to the boat. Getting back on the boat is a little complicated with his scuba equipment. In the boat he takes off his mask, the fins, the regulator, and the vest with the oxygen tank. The boat driver is careful in the water because of the presence of other boats and scuba divers.

Michael looks at the Caribbean Sea. The water is very pretty. Suddenly, a dolphin jumps out of the water. Then another dolphin jumps out of the water. The dolphins swim next to the boat for a time and then they return to the sea.

Michael is very happy. The Caribbean Sea is magical with all its incredible animals.

The end.

You can also watch a video of this story on YouTube!

Today’s episode was inspired by @Diver23. Check out his videos of animals from the story: Schools of fish, Sea turtle, Crab, Whale shark, Dolphin

I really enjoy creating and sharing simple, comprehensible stories. I work hard to provide tools and supports for those who want to learn. Please, consider buying me a taco to support my work!

You can download a printer-friendly PDF of this story.