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Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts

Thursday, April 6, 2023

LEARN ENGLISH HAPPILY - ĐỌC TRUYỆN TIẾNG ANH

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LEARN ENGLISH HAPPILY là kênh giúp ta học tiếng Anh bằng cách đọc truyện. Có hơn 100 truyện (đến tháng 4/2023), chia làm 5 trình độ. 
Level 0: 15. 
Level 1: 53. 
Level 2: 28. 
Level 3: 4. 
Level 5: 3. 

Hãy bấm chuột vào liên kết sau để xem Danh Sách Phát và chọn truyện vừa trình độ để nghe.
READ MORE - LEARN ENGLISH HAPPILY - ĐỌC TRUYỆN TIẾNG ANH

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Learn English With News: Advanced English Vocabulary, Grammar, Pronunc...

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READ MORE - Learn English With News: Advanced English Vocabulary, Grammar, Pronunc...

Learn English through story - level 1 🍁Nick | WooEnglish

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READ MORE - Learn English through story - level 1 🍁Nick | WooEnglish

learn English through story - level 2 🍁Frozen Pizza | WooEnglish

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READ MORE - learn English through story - level 2 🍁Frozen Pizza | WooEnglish

learn English through story - level 3 🍁 A GIRL MISSING | WooEnglish

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READ MORE - learn English through story - level 3 🍁 A GIRL MISSING | WooEnglish

Learn English through story 🍀 level 4 🍀 A Strong Woman

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READ MORE - Learn English through story 🍀 level 4 🍀 A Strong Woman

Learn English through story 🍀 level 5 🍀 Remembering and Forgetting

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READ MORE - Learn English through story 🍀 level 5 🍀 Remembering and Forgetting

Friday, April 1, 2022

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Bác sĩ tự phẩu thuât - A surgeon who operated on his own

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In 1960, Leonid Rogozov, a 27-year-old surgeon accompanying the Antarctic research team and the only doctor on the team, suddenly developed a high fever and pain in his lower right abdomen. He immediately diagnosed that he had appendicitis and that the hospital was so far away that no one could save him except himself.

He planned carefully how to do this operation on his own and asked two of his teammates to be his assistants.

General anesthesia was not possible, and he was only injected with the local anesthetic drug Novocaine in the abdominal wall.

"There was a lot of bleeding, but I pressed on, opened the peritoneum, I accidentally damaged the appendix and had to repair it, my head was getting dizzy and every five minutes I had to rest for 20-25 seconds" .

"Finally I found the damn appendix and I saw black spots on the tail, which meant that in another day it could have perforated".

But he didn't fail. Two hours later he finally got the last stitches in.

After taking antibiotics and sleeping pills, he fell into a deep sleep... and two weeks later, he was back at his job.

 

https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-screenshot-you-think-deserves-attention

 

Bác sĩ tự phẩu thuật

 
Năm 1960, Leonid Rogozov, một bác sĩ phẫu thuật  27 tuổi đi cùng 
nhóm nghiên cứu Nam Cực và là bác sĩ duy nhất trong nhóm, đột 
nhiên bị sốt cao và đau ở bụng dưới bên phải. Anh ngay lập tức chẩn
 đoán rằng anh bị viêm ruột thừa (appendicitis)  và bệnh viện quá xa
 nên không ai có thể cứu anh ngoại trừ chính anh ta.
 

Anh lên kế hoạch cẩn thận cách thực hiện cuộc phẩu thuật này một mình và nhờ hai đồng đội làm trợ lý cho anh.

 

Không thể gây mê toàn thân, và anh chỉ được tiêm thuốc gây tê cục bộ Novocain vào thành bụng.

 

“Chảy máu nhiều nhưng tôi ấn vào, mở phúc mạc (peritoneum), tôi sơ ý làm hỏng ruột thừa (appendix) và phải khâu lại, đầu tôi choáng váng và cứ năm phút lại phải nằm nghỉ 20-25 giây”.

 

"Cuối cùng tôi cũng tìm thấy phần ruột thừa chết tiệt và tôi thấy những đốm đen trên đuôi, điều đó có nghĩa là nó có thể đã bị thủng vài ngày trước đó".

 

Nhưng anh ấy không thất bại. Hai giờ sau, cuối cùng anh cũng thực hiện thành công những mũi khâu cuối cùng.

 

Sau khi uống thuốc kháng sinh và thuốc ngủ, anh chìm vào giấc ngủ sâu ... và hai tuần sau, anh ấy đã trở lại công việc của mình.

 


 

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appendicitis \ ə-ˌpen-də-ˈsī-təs \ : bệnh viêm ruột thừa

peritoneum \ ˌper-ə-tə-ˈnē-əm \ : Phúc mạc là một màng thanh mạc lớn nhất trong cơ thể. Phúc mạc bao bọc tất cả các cơ quan trong ổ bụng và hố chậu, lót mặt trong thành bụng, mặt dưới cơ hoành và mặt trên hoành chậu hông.

Perforate | \ ˈpər-fə-ˌrāt \: to make a hole through

anesthesia \ ˌa-nəs-ˈthē-zhə \ : sự gây mê
READ MORE - Bác sĩ tự phẩu thuât - A surgeon who operated on his own

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Vừa nghe kể và vừa đọc

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 Trên website dltk-kids.com có phần dạy tiếng Anh bằng cách vừa đọc vừa nghe kể chuyện, gồm những chuyện ngụ ngôn, thần thoại và nhiều chuyện thú vị khác được Delia, một diễn viên xinh đẹp kể rất duyên dáng làm người nghe phải say mê. Hãy bấm vào liên kết sau đẻ mở phần đọc kể chuyện thú vị này. Hãy nghe một truyện nhiều lần.

https://www.dltk-kids.com/storyteller/index.htm
READ MORE - Vừa nghe kể và vừa đọc

CÔ GÁI TÊN LÀ GOLDILOCKS VÀ 3 CON GẤU

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 DLIK'S SITES FOR KIDS là websites giáo dục, trong đó mục Nursery Rhymes có kể nhiều truyện cổ tích .Thử  nghe một truyện về cô gái có tên Goldilocks và 3 con gấu.

https://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/goldilocks_story.htm

 

Để tiếp tục đọc và nghe những truyện khác, hãy trở lại website, chọn Nursery Rhymes, chọn truyện muốn nghe, chọn Listen. Nếu nghe 1 lần chưa hết, chọn Next phía dưới bên phải truyện.

READ MORE - CÔ GÁI TÊN LÀ GOLDILOCKS VÀ 3 CON GẤU

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Short Stories with Moral in English - Truyện ngắn giáo dục đạo đức

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Short Stories with Moral in English

By Yogesh, May 03, 2021

 

Here we have collected the best short stories with moral in English. These short stories are very interesting and have very good morals.

 

These short stories are very valuable and teach life lessons to children and help your kids (nursery to Class 1-5) understand people and the world, so I am sharing with you the short story with ethics in English.

 

1. The Thirsty crow

 


It was a hot summer’s day. A thirsty crow flew into a village in search of water. The crow flew over the houses, fields, and trees. But he didn’t find any water. After a long time, he came across a farm. Under one of the trees on the farm was a pitcher of water.

 

Happy that he found some water finally, he swooped down to the tree and then down to the ground. He quickly moved towards the pitcher and looked inside. There was very little water in the pot. The crow put his beak inside the pitcher but could not reach the water. The water level was too low, and the narrow opening prevented his neck from going all the way down.

 

He tried to push the vessel down to let the water out, but it was too heavy. The crow was disappointed. He was really thirsty and needed a drink of water badly. He could have given up and flown to another farm, looking for water.

 

But he didn’t. Instead, he looked around and thought, “What else can I do?” He saw that there were a lot of pebbles on the farm. And, he had an idea! He collected a pebble and put it into the pitcher.

 

He collected another pebble and another and put them all in the pitcher. As he added more and more stones, the water level came up to the brim.The crow drank the water and flew back home happily

 

Moral

Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

 

2. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

 


Once a wolf was roaming around in a forest in search of a prey. He came near a village that was located at the edge of the forest. There he saw a flock of sheep grazing in a pasture.

 

While he was planning to kill a sheep, he found a sheep-skin lying by the foot-path. Seeing the sheep-skin, a wicked idea clicked him.

 

He thought of wearing it and slipping into the flock because then, it would be easy to get a prey.

 

When the wolf got into the flock, the shepherd drove it to the village. Reaching there he enclosed it in the pen and shut the door immediately. Just then his wife came there and said, “Today I have nothing to cook for dinner. So, kill one sheep for me. “

 

The shepherd went into the pen and looked for a meaty sheep. Mistaking the disguised wolf for a sheep, he killed him with an axe.

 

Moral

The wickedness is its own punishment. The wolf wanted a sheep as his prey but himself became the food of the shepherd.

 

3. The Turtle And The Rabbit

 


One day a rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for being so slow. Much to the rabbit’s surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The fox was to be the umpire of the race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone thought.

 

The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept going.

 

However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full speed to the finish line but found the turtle there waiting for him.

 

 

Moral

Never underestimate the weakest opponent.

 

4. The Wolf and his shadow

 


A Wolf left his lair one evening in fine spirits and an excellent appetite. As he ran, the setting sun cast his shadow far out on the ground, and it looked as if the wolf were a hundred times bigger than he really was.

 

“Why,“

 

 exclaimed the Wolf proudly,

 

“see how big I am! Fancy me running away from a puny Lion! I'll show him who is fit to be king, he or I.“

 

 Just then an immense shadow blotted him out entirely, and the next instant a Lion struck him down with a single blow.

 

Moral

Do not let your fancy make you forget Realities

 

4. The Horse Rider

 

Once, a man went to a library. There he read a book, 'How to ride a horse'. After few days, he went to a friend who had a horse.. seeing it, he couldn't control himself and asked for a ride from his friend. The friend agreed.

 

The man tried to ride the horse. But a horse always recognises its rider. It reared up and flung the man to the ground.

 

The friend asked, “Where did you learn to ride?“ the man exposed his foolishness saying that he learnt it from a library book.

 

One must remember that one can’t learn anything by oneself. You need a teacher if you want to learn.

 

  

5. The Shepherd and Lion 

 

A Shepherd, counting his Sheep one day, discovered that a number of them were missing.

 

Much irritated, he very loudly and boastfully declared that he would catch the thief and punish him as he deserved. The Shepherd suspected a Wolf of the deed and so set out toward a rocky region among the hills, where there were caves infested by Wolves. But before starting out he made a vow to Jupiter that if he would help him find the thief he would offer a fat Calf as a sacrifice.

 

The Shepherd searched a long time without finding any Wolves, but just as he was passing near a large cave on the mountainside, a huge Lion stalked out, carrying a Sheep. In great terror the Shepherd fell on his knees.      

 

“Alas, O Jupiter, man does not know what he asks! To find the thief I offered to sacrifice a fat Calf. Now I promise you a full-grown Bull, if you but make the thief go away!“

 

We are often not so eager for what we seek, after we have found it.

 

 

6. Fox And Crow

 

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree.      

 

“That's for me, as I am a Fox,“  said Master Fox, and he walked up to the foot of the tree.      

 

“Good day, Mistress Crow,“  he cried.

 

“How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds.“

 

   The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.       

 

“That will do,“  said he.

 

“That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: “

 

Do not trust flatterers.“

 

 

 

7. Donkey And Its Driver

 

A Donkey was being driven along a road leading down the mountain side, when he suddenly took it into his silly head to choose his own path. He could see his stall at the foot of the mountain, and to him the quickest way down seemed to be over the edge of the nearest cliff. Just as he was about to leap over, his master caught him by the tail and tried to pull him back, but the stubborn Donkey would not yield and pulled with all his might.     

 

“Very well,“  said his master, “go your way, you willful beast, and see where it leads you.“

 

    With that he let go, and the foolish Donkey tumbled head over heels down the mountain side.

 

    They who will not listen to reason but stubbornly go their own way against the friendly advice of those who are wiser than they, are on the road to misfortune.

 

 

8. The Farmer

 

Once, in a village, there lived a farmer who was very kind hearted by nature He could not see anybody in trouble and was always ready to help others.

 

It was a high winter morning and it was so cold that everything looked frozen. While returning home from his farm, the farmer saw a snake lying by the foot-path. It was almost frozen and looked half-dead due to severe cold.

 

The farmer could not see it in such a condition and decided to help it. He lifted the snake and took it to his home. There, he placed it near the fire. In a short time, the warmth of the fire revived it and it started moving, turned upon the farmer and bit him. The farmer died repenting, “Had I not shown mercy to this wicked creature, I would have been alive today. “ 

 

 

9. Two Travelers

 

It was high summer. The sun was extremely hot. Two travelers were going along a dusty road that had no trees along its sides. Looking for some shelter from the hot sun, they saw a tree with big leaves and branches spread like an umbrella.

 

They placed their belongings on the ground and sat in the cool thick shade of the tree. After taking some rest, one traveler said to the other, “What a useless tree it is! It bears no fruits at all. “

 

Hearing this, the tree felt pinched and burst out, “You ungrateful soul! On one hand, you are taking shelter in my cool shade from the burning heat of the sun and on the other hand, you are calling me useless. Get up and leave the place immediately to be scorched again.“

 

Moral

Never Be Ungrateful

 

 

10. The Stranger in the Garden

 


Once upon a time, there was a man who had a big garden. He had planted many fruit trees and cared for them till they bore fruits. Now he wanted to harvest the fruits and sell them to make money for his family.

 

One fine day, while picking the fruits with his son, the man saw a stranger sitting on the branch of a tree and picking fruits. The man became angry and shouted, "Hey you! What are you doing on my tree? Aren't you ashamed of stealing?"

 

The stranger sitting on the branch looked at the gardener, but didn't reply, and continued picking the fruits. The gardener was very angry and shouted again, "For a whole year I have taken care of these trees. You have no right to take the fruits without my permission. So come down at once!"

 

The stranger on the tree answered, "Why should I come down? This is the garden of God and I am the servant of God, so I have the right to pick these fruits. You should not interfere with the work of God and his servant."

 

The gardener was very surprised at this answer and thought of a plan. He told the stranger to come down from the tree. As the stranger climbed down the tree, the gardener tied him to the tree and began beating him with a stick. The stranger began to scream, "Why are you beating me? You have no right to do this."

 

The gardener paid no attention and continued beating him. The stranger screamed, "Don't you fear God? You are beating an innocent man. The gardener answered, "Why should I fear? This wood in my hand belongs to God and I am the servant of God. You shouldn't interfere with the work of God and his servant."

 

The stranger hesitated and then spoke, "Wait. Don't beat me, I am sorry for taking the fruits. This is your garden and I should seek your permission before taking the fruits. So, please forgive me and set me free." The gardener smiled and said, "Don't use God's name to justify your ill-conceived actions."

 

Then the gardener untied him and let him go free.

 

11. The Fox and The Goat

 

It was a hot summer day. A fox and a goat were very thirsty. Looking around for a place to quench their thirst, they came across a well that had very little water in it. They both were so thirsty that they got down into it and quenched their thirst. Having had their fill, the goat wondered how they would get out of the well.

 

The fox said, "Don't worry. You leave that to me. All you have to do is stand firm, while I'll climb up with your help. Once I get out, I'll pull you up." The goat unaware of the fox's shrewdness, agreed and soon the fox was out. Once out, it went its way, leaving the poor goat behind. 

 

 

12. AN HONEST WOODCUTTER

 

A poor woodcutter accidentally dropped his axe into the river. He was very upset, as he had no money to buy another axe.

 

Just then a fairy appeared in the river holding out a golden axe to him. "I found this axe in the river. Is this yours?" "That's not mine", replied the woodcutter.

 

The fairy then brought out a silver axe. The woodcutter disowned this one too. Finally, the fairy held out a wooden axe.

 

Smiling with happiness, the woodcutter said, "That's mine. Thank you very much." The fairy felt very happy seeing his honesty and said, "Such honesty deserves a reward." She gave the poor man all the three axes and disappeared.


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https://www.moralstory.live/2021/05/10-lines-short-stories-with-moral-english.html

READ MORE - Short Stories with Moral in English - Truyện ngắn giáo dục đạo đức

Thursday, November 18, 2021

STORYNORY, TRANG SƯU TẬP TRUYỆN NGỤ NGÔN VÀ CỔ TÍCH ĐỂ NGHE VÀ ĐỌC

- READ MORE - STORYNORY, TRANG SƯU TẬP TRUYỆN NGỤ NGÔN VÀ CỔ TÍCH ĐỂ NGHE VÀ ĐỌC

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears

 

Duration 3:15.
Based on the Charming version by the Victorian writer Andrew Lang.
Read by Natasha.

Once upon a time there were three bears, who lived together in a house of their own in a wood. One of them was a little, small wee bear; one was a middle-sized bear, and the other was a great, huge bear.

One day, after they had made porridge for their breakfast, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling. And while they were walking, a little girl came into the house. This little girl had golden curls that tumbled down her back to her waist, and everyone called her by Goldilocks.

Goldilocks went inside. First she tasted the porridge of the great, huge bear, and that was far too hot for her. And then she tasted the porridge of the middle bear, and that was too cold for her. And then she went to the porridge of the little, small wee bear, and tasted that. And that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right; and she liked it so well, that she ate it all up.

Then Goldilocks went upstairs into the bed chamber and first she lay down upon the bed of the great, huge bear, and then she lay down upon the bed of the middle bear and finally she lay down upon the bed of the little, small wee bear, and that was just right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay there until she fell fast asleep.

By this time, the three bears thought their porridge would be cool enough, so they came home to breakfast.

“SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!” said the great huge bear, in his great huge voice.

“Somebody has been at my porridge!” said the middle bear, in his middle voice.

Then the little, small wee bear looked at his, and there was the spoon in the porridge pot, but the porridge was all gone.

“Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!” said the little, small wee bear, in his little, small wee voice.

Then the three bears went upstairs into their bedroom.

“SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!” said the great, huge bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.

“Somebody has been lying in my bed!” said the middle bear, in his middle voice.

And when the little, small, wee bear came to look at his bed, upon the pillow there was a pool of golden curls, and the angelic face of a little girl snoring away, fast asleep.

“Somebody has been lying in my bed, and here she is!” Said the little, small wee bear, in his little, small wee voice.

Goldilocks jumped off the bed and ran downstairs, out of the door and down the garden path. She ran and she ran until she reached the house of her grandmama. When she told her grandmama about the house of the three bears who lived in the wood, her granny said: “My my, what a wild imagination you have, child!”

 

Nguồn:  https://www.storynory.com/category/fairy-tales/small-stories/


READ MORE - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Monday, March 9, 2015

A series of interactive stories

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THE BIG DREAM
A series of interactive stories
by Mark White (2005)
1. The Graveyard (“be” verbs)
2. The Strange Old Woman (there is/there are)
3. The Letter from a Stranger (present simple)
4. The Attack in the Park (present perfect)
5. The Transfer (present continuous)
6. The Trip to New York (future “going to”)
7. The Restaurant (“would” conditionals)
8. Working in New York (gerunds)
9. The Rich Stranger (one/some/almost all of them)
10. The Bad Day (adjective plus infinitive)
11. The Old Man (should)
12. The New Job (comparatives)
13. The Temple (used to)

1.THE GRAVEYARD (“be” verbs)

It is a Sunday afternoon in the countryside. Is it hot? A small boy is in a rice field. He is ten years old. When is his birthday? He walks up a hill. Is it a big hill? He goes into a graveyard. Is it an old graveyard? He sees his father’s gravestone. What colour is it? He sits down in front of the gravestone. Is he sad?
Suddenly the small boy hears a sound. Is it loud? The boy turns around. He sees a man. Is he tall? The man has very short hair. He has handcuffs on his wrists. The man grabs the boy. Is the boy afraid? The man turns the boy upside down. He shakes him.
There is a rice ball in the boy’s pocket. Is it round or triangular? Is it very big? The rice ball falls out. The man picks up the rice ball. He eats it. Is it tasty? He eats very quickly because he is very very hungry. The boy feels sorry for the hungry man. The man asks for food. He asks for some tools too. He wants to take the handcuffs off.
The boy goes to get food. The man sleeps on the hill behind a tree near the graveyard. Is he very tired? Is he afraid of ghosts?
Two hours later the boy comes back. He has some bread. Is it fresh? He also has some cooked rice. Is it hot? Is it in a bag? He has some fruit too. What kind of fruit is it? He has a bottle of sake too. Is it expensive sake? He has some tools too. What tools are they?
The man is very grateful. He eats the food. He takes the handcuffs off. He runs away.
Two days later the boy is in the rice fields again. Is it a warm day? The boy hears a sound. It is a police siren. A police car comes. What colour is it? Four policemen get out. Are they young or old? They run up the hill. They catch the man. They put handcuffs on him. They put him in the car? The car drives away. Is it fast? The small boy watches the car. He thinks about the man. He feels sorry for the man.
The man is an escaped prisoner. The police take him back to prison. Are the police nice to him? The man is from a poor family. He lives in prison now. Where is the prison? Is it a big prison?
The boy lives with his aunt and his uncle. His father is dead and his mother is dead too. Is he lonely? He lives in an old house in a village. Is it a big house? Is it a traditional Japanese farmhouse?
The boy likes school. Is his school far from his house? What is the name of his favourite teacher? The boy wants to go to university. Is university expensive? The boy wants to go to university but he cannot go to university because his family is poor. Is his uncle a farmer?
At night the boy thinks about his father and his mother and he thinks about school and he thinks about the escaped prisoner and he thinks about his dream. He wants to go to university. Is he happy?

2. THE STRANGE OLD WOMAN (there is/there are)

A little boy lives in a small village with his aunt and his uncle. His parents are dead. How many houses are there in the village? The little boy’s family is poor. He helps his uncle in the fields.
There is a beautiful little girl in the village. She is about ten years old. Is her hair long? One day the little boy sees the girl. The little boy watches her. He likes her but she does not look at him.
The little boy grows up. He goes to high school and he sees the little girl every day but she does not look at him. How many students are there at the boy’s high school? They take the same bus each morning. How many people are there on the bus each morning? What colour is the bus?
There is a strange old woman in the village. She is very very rich. How old is she? Is her hair white? She owns a lot of rice fields and houses too.
The young high school girl lives with the strange old woman. Her parents are dead. The boy’s parents are dead and the girl’s parents are dead too. Every day after school, the girl goes home. She talks to the old woman. The old woman talks to the girl but she does not talk to other people. She stays inside the house.
One day a letter comes to the boy’s house. It is from the rich old woman. It is an invitation. It is an invitation to the house. The boy wants to meet the girl. The next day he puts on clean clothes. He goes to the house. He walks. It is a big house on a hill outside the village. Is it a beautiful house? There is a big wall around the house. The boy goes to the gate. He rings a bell. The girl comes to the gate. She opens it. He goes inside. The girl says, “Kiss me”. The boy kisses her on the cheek. Is her cheek soft? The girl says, “Follow me”. The boy follows her. They go inside. The house is huge. How many rooms are there in the house? Is it a three-storey house?
The boy and the girl go upstairs. They meet a man on the stairs. He is a strange man. He has a big red nose. He says “Aaah, very good, very good!” and he nods his head.
The boy goes into a room. He meets the strange old woman. The old woman lives in a big bedroom. The room is a bedroom. It is very dirty. There is a cake on the table. It is very old. The woman is very thin and she has a strange high voice. She says, “Play cards”. The boy and the girl sit on the floor and they play cards. The old woman watches. After thirty minutes the old woman says “Enough!” She puts some money in the boy’s pocket. She says, “Come back next week.” The girl takes the boy to the gate. She does not say “goodbye”. The boy goes home. How much money is there in his pocket?

3. THE LETTER FROM A STRANGER (present simple)

A high school boy lives in a village. Every week he goes to a big house on a hill outside the village. A strange old rich woman lives in the village. A beautiful young girl lives with her. The boy plays with the girl. What games do they play? The old woman pays the boy each week. How much does she pay him?
The boy wants to go to university. What does he want to study? Does the girl want to go to university?
One day the boy goes to the old woman’s house and the girl opens the gate. Does she say, “Hello”?
The boy goes inside and plays with the girl. After they play, the old woman says, “Today is the last day.”
The girl takes the boy to the gate. She says “Am I beautiful?” The boy says, “Yes, you are!” The girl says, “You are ugly!” She slaps him.
The boy goes home. How much money is there in his pocket? Does he love the girl? Does she love him? Is he sad?
The girl goes away to another school in the city. What is the name of the school?
The boy does not see the girl anymore. Does he miss her? He thinks about university. He studies hard at school. What is his favourite subject at school? Does he have many friends? What sport does he play? Does he get good marks at school?
The boy wants to go to university but he cannot go because he does not have enough money. How much does it cost per year? He worries about the future.
One day a letter comes to the house. It is a letter from a stranger. The letter says the boy can go to university. It will cost nothing. A rich man will help him. The boy is surprised. Is he happy?
One year later the boy moves to the city. He moves in to a small apartment. How many rooms are there in his apartment? Is there a unit bath? Does it have a kitchen?
A man with a big red nose comes to the boy’s apartment. He is a lawyer. He tells the boy to come to his office each month. Each month the boy comes and the man with the red nose gives him money. How much does he give him per month? How much is the rent for the apartment?
The boy goes to university every weekday. How many classes does he have per week? What course does he do? Does he join a circle? Does he have a part-time job?
One day the boy takes the bus to university. He sees a girl on the bus. It is the beautiful girl from his village. He remembers her and he still thinks about her a lot. Does she remember him? He says “Hello” to her but she does not answer him. She ignores him.

4. THE ATTACK IN THE PARK (present perfect)

A young guy is a university student. What faculty is he in? Is he a first year student? His parents are dead and he comes from a poor family but he can go to university because a stranger pays his tuition and his living expenses. How much is his tuition per year? How much are his living expenses?
The young guy does not know the stranger. He has never met him. It is exam time. How many tests does the guy have? Is he nervous? He goes to see a lawyer with a big red nose. The lawyer gives him money every month. The money is from a stranger. The young student has never met the stranger.
There is a girl at the same university. She is from the same village. The young guy is in love with her but she always ignores him. The young guy has a friend. It is another student. The friend is a guy in the same faculty. The young guy tells his friend about the girl. How long has he known his friend? How long has he known the girl? Has his friend ever seen the girl?
One night the guy is walking home. He walks through a park. He sees a man and a woman. The man attacks the woman. The woman screams. It is the same woman. It is the beautiful girl from the young guy’s village. He wants to help her. He wants to save her. He shouts at the man. He hits him. The man stops. He runs away. The girl cries. The young student takes her to a coffee shop. Has he ever been to that coffee shop before? Has the girl ever been there before?
The two students sit in the coffee shop for a long time. They talk about their village. They talk about the strange old woman. They talk about the lawyer with the big red nose. The young woman gives the young guy her phone number. She has beautiful long hair. The guy holds her hand. Has he ever held a woman’s hand before? After several hours they both go home.
The next day the guy calls the girl but there is no answer. He calls her ten times but nobody answers the phone. He goes to his friend’s house. He talks to his friend. His friend has a girlfriend. How long has he known his girlfriend? How many girlfriends has he had?
The two friends study for their exams. They both want to work in another country. They both want to get good jobs and travel and see the world. The young guy from the village has never been overseas. Which country does he want to go to? His friend has been to three countries in Asia. Which countries has he been to? Has he been to America?
The final exam period comes. The two friends sit their final exams. They both pass. They both get really high marks. The young guy from the village gets a job at a computer company.

5. THE TRANSFER (present continuous tense)

A young Japanese computer engineer is in his apartment. It is late at night. He is lying in his bed. He is thinking about his life. He is thinking about his parents. Is he thinking about his aunt and his uncle too? Does he miss his aunt and his uncle? Does he visit his village often?
The young engineer comes from a poor family but he has been to university because a rich stranger helped him. He has never met the stranger. The next day he goes to see a lawyer. The lawyer works for the rich stranger. The lawyer is sitting at his desk. He is reading something. What is he reading?
The young guy comes in and he sits down. He has known the lawyer for five years. He has asked him about the rich stranger many times but the lawyer has never answered his questions. He asks him again. The lawyer will not answer.
That weekend the young guy goes back to his village. He visits his aunt and his uncle. Are they still living in the same house? What is the uncle doing when he arrives? What is the aunt doing? There is a strange old lady in the village. The young man thinks the old lady is giving him money. He goes to her house. He knocks on the door. A beautiful girl answers. What is she wearing? Is she wearing a hat? The guy has not seen the girl for two years. He still remembers her. He still loves her. He does not want to love her but he does. He cannot stop his feelings.
The young woman takes the young man to see the old lady. She is sitting in the same room. She is sitting in the same chair. She is wearing the same dirty old white dress. She is reading something. What is she reading?
The young engineer says, “You are giving me money. I know. Thank you, but I don’t need money now. I have a good job. I want too pay you back.” The old lady laughs. She says, “I have never given you any money.”
The young guy is confused. He wants to know who is giving him money. He goes to work on Monday. The boss telephones him. He goes to his boss’s office. The boss is sitting in a big leather chair. Is he wearing a suit? Is he wearing a tie?
The company has a branch in New York City. There are some problems in New York. The young guy has to go to New York. He has to live there and work there for two years. Is he happy about this?
That night he telephones his uncle. What is his uncle doing when the phone rings? What is his aunt doing? He tells them about his transfer to New York. After that he goes to bed. One hour later the telephone rings. It is the beautiful girl from his village. Is he sleeping when she calls? She wants to meet him in New York.

6. THE TRIP TO NEW YORK (future “going to”)

A young Japanese computer engineer is going to go to New York City. He is going to work there for his company. How long is he going to stay? Is he going to get a raise? Is he going to get a promotion?
Before he leaves, the engineer calls a lawyer. He says he is going to go to New York City. He says he is going to leave in one week. Two days later the lawyer calls the engineer back. He says he has a message from the rich stranger. The rich stranger is living in New York City now. He is going to contact the engineer in New York.
The engineer is very curious. He wants to meet the rich stranger. The stranger has helped him a lot. He wants to thank him. He goes home and he opens his cupboard. He looks at his clothes. How many suits is he going to take? How many pairs of shoes is he going to take? How many shirts is he going to take? What is he going to wear on the plane?
The engineer visits his village again. He wants to say “Goodbye” to his aunt and his uncle. He is going to miss them. Is he going to write? Is he going to ring? Do they have email?
That afternoon the young engineer goes to the strange old woman. He wants to say goodbye to her. Is he going to write to her? He wants to see the beautiful girl too. The beautiful girl is not at the house. She is in the city.
The next day the guy goes back to the city. He visits his old friend from university. They go to a little bar. They drink a lot and they talk a lot. The friend is going to go to Malaysia. When is going to leave? Is he going to stay in Kuala Lumpur? How long is he going to stay there? Is he going to get a promotion? Is he going to get a raise?
A week later the young engineer catches a plane to New York City. Is the plane full? Does he have a window seat? A woman sits next to him. She is European. Which country is she from? She is going to New York too but she is not going to stay there long. She is going to change planes in New York and then she is going to fly to Chicago. How many hours is she going to stay in New York? What is she going to do in Chicago?
Then Japanese guy talks to the European woman. He likes her. She likes him. They talk about music. What kind of music does she like? She gives him her telephone number in Paris. She lives in Paris. Is he going to call her? Is he going to email her?
The plane arrives in New York. The engineer says goodbye to the European woman. He goes through customs and immigration. A man from his company meets him in the arrivals lounge. They take a taxi to his new apartment. Does the engineer have jetlag? That night he has to meet his new co-workers at a restaurant. What time is he going to meet them? Are they going to meet in a Japanese restaurant?

7. THE RESTAURANT (“would” conditionals)

Five Japanese engineers are at a Japanese restaurant in New York City. They all work at the same company. They are welcoming a new staff member from Japan. He has just arrived in the United States. Does he have jetlag? Would you go to a Japanese restaurant on your first night in New York City?
The five engineers order sushi and sake. Would you order the same thing? The new guy is tired. He eats and drinks but he does not enjoy his food. A waitress comes to the table with more sake. He looks up. He recognizes her. It is the beautiful girl from his village. She lowers her eyes. She ignores him. Would you ignore him, if you were her? Would you say “Hello” if you were him?
The guy goes to the bathroom. He waits in the corridor near the kitchen. He stands in front of the waitress when she passes him. He says, “Why are you ignoring me? I love you.” Would you do the same thing?
The waitress gives him a piece of paper. There is a telephone number on it. She says, “I love you too, but it is dangerous now. I cannot talk. Call me tomorrow.”
The guy says, “Okay”. He goes back to his table. As he walks past the kitchen door, he looks in. He sees a man. He recognizes the man’s face. He remembers the face but he cannot place it. He sits down and he thinks about it. The other guys talk to him but he cannot concentrate because he is thinking about the girl and the guy in the kitchen.
After dinner the new engineer takes a cab home. Would you take a cab or walk? He goes to bed and then the next day he gets up early. He is very very tired. He takes a shower and he goes to work. He does not eat breakfast. Would you eat breakfast? He takes a taxi to work. If you were him, would you take a taxi or a subway to work?
At lunchtime he calls the girl. Would you call her? There is no answer. He calls her again. Would you call her again?
That night the guy goes back to the restaurant. He looks for the girl but she is not there. Would you do the same thing? He asks for her but the manager says “Nobody of that name works here.”
That night the guy lies in bed and he thinks about the girl. He has known her for many years. He has loved her for many years. He wants to stop loving her but he cannot. He cannot control his feelings. What would you do?
Suddenly he remembers the guy from the restaurant. It is the guy from the park three years ago. He attacked the beautiful girl in the park three years ago. It is the same guy. The engineer cannot understand. Why is the beautiful girl working with the bad guy from the park? Would you try to find her or forget her? How would you find her?


8. WORKING IN NEW YORK (gerunds)

A young Japanese engineer is working in New York. Is working in New York interesting? He has been there for three months. Is living in New York fun? Is it expensive? A girl from his village is in New York and he wants to see her but he cannot find her. Finding someone in New York City is hard because it is a very big city and there are lots of people.
The new job is hard. The young engineer has a lot of responsibility. He has to do a lot of overtime. Sometimes he works till ten at night then he goes for a drink with his co-workers. Is going to bars in New York City safe?
One day the engineer gets home from work at seven pm. Getting home before nine pm is unusual for him. There is a letter for him. It is from a rich stranger, He has never met the stranger. The stranger has helped him for many years. He has paid for his education. Is getting a good education expensive? He wants to thank the stranger and he wants to repay him but he has never met him.
The letter says that the stranger is in New York. He wants to meet the young man. He invites him to a restaurant in Chinatown. The invitation is for seven pm in three days. Is eating in Chinatown cheap?
The next day the guy goes to work. He thinks about his life. He thinks about the rich stranger. He is curious to meet him. He also thinks about the beautiful girl from his village. He wants to find her. He wants her to be his girlfriend. He is single and he is lonely. Is finding a girlfriend in New York City difficult? Is being alone in New York lonely? Is meeting people in a big city hard?
The guy logs on to his computer. There is an email from a beautiful European woman. He knows her from the plane. She lives in Paris. Is living in Paris interesting? Is it expensive? Does the guy answer the email? Would you answer it?
Two days later it is the day of the appointment. The engineer is going to go to Chinatown. He is going to meet the rich stranger. He is very excited. He is very curious. He really really really wants to meet him.
That day it is very busy at work. There are a lot of problems. The engineer has to work overtime. Is working overtime important? The engineer wants to go to the restaurant to meet the rich stranger but he has to work overtime. Would you go to the restaurant or work overtime?
The engineer leaves work at 6:45. He jumps in a taxi. Is finding a taxi hard in New York? The traffic is very heavy. The guy sits in the back of the taxi. The driver is an African. He does not speak English. He gets lost. The young engineer arrives at the restaurant at 7:25. He gets out of the cab. He pays the driver. He runs into the restaurant.

9. THE RICH STRANGER (none/one/some/most/almost all/all of them)

A young Japanese engineer is standing outside a restaurant in Chinatown in New York. Is eating in Chinatown expensive? He is about to go in and meet a rich stranger. The stranger has changed his life. He has paid for his education. He has helped him a lot. Is helping people good?
The young guy goes in. He looks around. There are a lot of people in the restaurant. Most of them are Caucasians. A few of them are Chinese. None of them are Japanese. The guy is confused. He cannot find the rich stranger. He walks around the restaurant. He looks at all the people. Most of them are eating. A few are still waiting for their food. How many people are there in the restaurant? How many of them are Asians?
The engineer talks to a waiter. The waiter says there is another room upstairs. The Japanese guy goes upstairs. There are about twenty people in the upstairs room. Almost all of them are Chinese. How many of them are not Chinese? An old man is sitting alone at a table by a window. He is not eating. What is he wearing?
The engineer goes up to the old man. He says, “Are you Japanese?” The old man is Japanese. He is waiting for the young man. He is the rich stranger. The engineer sits down. They talk for a long time.
After dinner the young Japanese engineer leaves the restaurant. He walks through the streets of New York. He thinks about his life. He passes many people. Where are they from? Where are they going? Where are they coming from?
The guy goes in to a bar. He orders a drink. What does he order? There are a lot of people in the bar. How many of them are Asians? How many of them are Caucasians? How many of them are Afro-Americans? Where do most of them come from?
The guy meets a drunk businessman. The businessman is from Boston. Sometimes he goes to Japan on business. He has a lot of Japanese friends. Where are they from? The engineer and the guy from Boston talk about Japan. The Japanese guy gets drunk. After three hours he leaves the bar. He walks through the streets.
Suddenly he comes to a Japanese restaurant. He remembers the restaurant. The beautiful girl from his village works in the restaurant. The bad guy from the park three years ago works there too. The engineer goes in.
The restaurant is full. There are four waiters. One of them is from Osaka. Where are the other three from? The one from Osaka comes up to the drunk engineer. He says, “The restaurant is full.”
The engineer wants to talk to the waitress from his village.

10. THE BAD DAY (adjective plus infinitive)

A young Japanese computer engineer is working in New York City. It is late at night. He is in a Japanese restaurant. He has just met a rich old stranger from his past. Is it good to meet people from the past? The stranger is an escaped prisoner.
The engineer is drunk. The restaurant is full. It is not possible to eat now. It is not possible to get a seat. It is too late. Is it expensive to eat Japanese food in New York? Is it difficult to find authentic Japanese food there?
A beautiful young woman from the young engineer’s village is one of the waitresses at the restaurant. Is it easy to get a job as a waitress in New York City? Is it easy to in Japan?
The Japanese guy is very drunk. It is difficult for him to stand up. He staggers in to the restaurant. He sees the waitress. He calls out her name. Is she embarrassed to see him? She says, “Meet me outside in thirty minutes”. The guy goes outside. He falls asleep in the street. A policeman comes. He arrests the Japanese guy. Is it illegal to sleep in the street in New York?
The policeman takes the Japanese guy to the police station. He puts him in a prison cell. The next morning he wakes up at six o’clock. He has to pay some money. Is it expensive to get out of prison? He has a hangover. He goes home and he takes a shower then he goes to work.
At work the young engineer sees his boss. His boss is very angry because the engineer left early the day before. The engineer has a bad hangover but he has to work overtime until midnight. Is it normal to do overtime till midnight at that company? Is it bad to go home early?
After work the Japanese guy staggers home. He enters his apartment but he does not take his shoes off. It is normal to take your shoes off in the house in Japan but it is not common in the States. Does the young engineer usually take his shoes off inside in his apartment in New York?
The engineer calls the waitress. She does not answer. Is it rude to ring after midnight? The engineer goes in to the bathroom and he runs a bath. Is it normal for him to take a bath or a shower? Is it normal for him to wash in the morning or at night or both?
The engineer relaxes in the bath. He falls asleep. Is it dangerous to fall asleep in the bath? A few minutes later he wakes up. He comes outside. There is a strange man in his apartment.
It is the man from the restaurant kitchen. He is a big man. He has a scar on his face. He is very angry. He shouts at the young engineer. He says, “It is dangerous for you to come to the restaurant! Do not come again!”

11.THE OLD MAN (should)

And old man is in a big house in New York. He is from Japan originally. He is a criminal. He is sitting ion front of the TV. He is thinking about the past. He has broken many laws. He has committed many crimes. Has he ever killed anybody? Has he ever robbed a bank? He has been in prison many times. In Japan the police are looking for him. He is not happy because he wants to go back to Japan. Should he go back to Japan? Should he turn himself in to the police? Would you turn yourself in, if you were him?
In another part of New York City, there is a young engineer. He is working for a Japanese computer company in New York. He knows the old man. The old man has helped him with his education. Should he turn the old man in? Would you turn him in?
The engineer goes to work. His boss is angry. His boss shouts at him. Should he shout back? His boss hits him. Should he hit back? Should he go to the police? He argues with his boss. His boss fires him. He leaves the office. He goes to a bar. He thinks about his life. He thinks about his boss and his job. Should he go back to the office? Would you? He thinks about the waitress from his village. Should he go to the restaurant and see her? Would you? He thinks about the bad man from the restaurant. Should he go to see him? Would you?
Suddenly the engineer’s mobile phone rings. It is the old man. He wants to see the engineer. He says, “You are like my son.” Should the engineer go to see him? Would you?
The engineer goes to see the old man. He meets him at his house. It is a very big old house in New Jersey. The two men talk about life. The old man tells the young man the story of his life. His mother is Korean. Can he speak Korean? His father is half Korean and half Japanese. Is discrimination a problem in Japan? Should all people be equal?
The young man talks about the beautiful waitress. He talks about the bad man at the restaurant. The old man knows about the bad man and he knows about the beautiful waitress. He says, “The waitress is married to the bad man!” The young engineer is shocked. Should he believe the old man? Would you believe him? The old man says the waitress is selfish. He says she is a bad woman. He says she wants to trick the young engineer. Should the engineer believe the old man? Would you believe him?
The young engineer leaves the old man’s house. He goes back to Manhattan. He has no job and he has no girlfriend. He has no parents and a criminal has paid for his education. Should he feel bad? He has to move out of his apartment in one week. What should he do? He has to get a new job? How should he find a new job? Should he go back to Japan?

12. THE NEW JOB (comparatives)

A young engineer is in his apartment in New York. Is it big? Is it bigger than his apartment in Osaka? He looks out the window. Is the view better than the view from his apartment in Osaka? Is Osaka bigger than New York? Is Osaka more interesting than New York? How does Osaka compare to your hometown?
The young guy goes out to a shop. He buys a newspaper. He looks for a job. There are two computer jobs in the paper. One is for a big company and one is for a small company. Which one has a higher salary? Which one has better working conditions? One job is in Chicago and one job is in Boston. Which is closer, Chicago or Boston? Which is closer from Japan?
The guy calls about the two jobs. Which one does he call about first? He arranges two interviews. The interview for the job in Boston is the next day. The guy gets up early. He takes a shower and he puts on a suit. He goes to the interview. There are two interviewers. One is a young man. One is an old man. Which one is taller? Which one is nicer? Which one is handsomer? The young engineer knows one of the interviewers. He knows him from a bar. He likes the interviewer and the interviewer likes him too. He is from Boston. The guy from Boston offers the Japanese guy the job.
He has to move to Boston. Is Boston bigger than New York? Is his salary at his new job higher than his salary at his old job? Does he get more holidays? Does he get a company car? Does he get a free apartment? Does he get a moving allowance?
In his new job the Japanese guy has to travel to Japan five or six times a year. How does Japan compare to the United States?
After two months at the company in Boston, the young engineer makes a trip to Japan. He flies to Tokyo. How does Tokyo compare to Osaka? He stays in Tokyo for two weeks. One weekend he takes the Shinkansen to Osaka than he goes to his village. How does the Shinkansen compare to the local train? Has the village changed much?
The guy visits his aunt and his uncle. Has his aunt changed much? Has his uncle changed much? The guy talks about living in Japan and living in America. How does living in America compare to living in Japan? How does living in the city compare to living in the countryside?
The guy drinks beer with his uncle and then he takes a bath and he goes to bed. The next day he reads the paper. A famous Japanese criminal has turned himself in in New York. The engineer looks at the photo of the man. He knows the man. It is the rich stranger from his past. The old man wants to die in Japan. The next day the young engineer goes back to Tokyo then he flies to Boston a week later.

13. THE TEMPLE (used to)

A Japanese engineer is working in Boston. He has lived in Boston for two years now. He works for an American computer company. Does he like working for an American company? He used to work for a Japanese company. Where did he use to live before Boston?
The guy goes to Japan half a dozen times a year. Where did he use to live in Japan? When he goes to Japan, he tries to visit his aunt and his uncle. He also visits a prison sometimes. He knows an old man in prison. The old man used to be a famous gangster, but now he is in prison. Where did he use to live? Where is the prison? How long has the guy been in this prison? Which prison did he use to live in before?
The young guy has a girlfriend. She is European. She lives in London but sometimes she visits him in Boston and sometimes he visits her in London. She used to live in Paris. Has the Japanese engineer ever been to Paris?
In the summer the Japanese engineer takes a trip to Japan. He works in Tokyo for two weeks then he takes a vacation. He goes back to his village. His girlfriend visits him in his village. She used to live in Japan seven years ago. Did she use to live in Tokyo or in Osaka? She works in the fashion industry. She works for an English company. Did she use to work for a French company before? What is her nationality?
The engineer arrives in his village. He introduces his girlfriend to his aunt and uncle. She used to speak Japanese before but she has forgotten a lot. The four people eat together. What do they eat? They drink a lot then they go to bed. In the morning the guy wakes up. His girlfriend is still asleep. He buys a newspaper. He reads it. He reads the paper every day now. Did he use to read it every day when he was a student?
After he reads the paper, he goes to the graveyard. Did he used to go the graveyard when he was younger? He visits his parents’ grave. Did his father used to be a farmer? After that he goes to the temple. Does he pray? There is a beautiful woman at the temple. The engineer knows here. He has known her for a long time. He used to love her but he has forgotten about her now. Now he loves his new girlfriend.
The girl comes up to him. She smiles at him. She says, “Hello.”
The guy says, “Where is your husband?”
She says, “He is in prison in New York.” He used to beat her up. Why did he use to beat her up? Why did she marry him? The guy talks to the girl for ten minutes. She says, “Do you love me?” What does he say?

The guy looks up. He can see his girlfriend. She is walking towards them. She is walking under a huge cedar tree. The guy used to play under that tree. His girlfriend is walking closer and closer. Is she beautiful?
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