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    Lucas and the Blocked Drain

    solving a problem togethera neighborhood streetCEFR A2
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    Story

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    Lucas lived on a quiet neighborhood street. He liked to walk outside every morning. One day, he saw a big in the road. The was very wide. Water could not move because the was . Leaves and were inside the . Cars could not drive past easily. Some people walked around the . Lucas looked at the problem. He felt worried. He wanted to help. He did not know what to do alone. He decided to talk to his neighbors. He knocked on the door next to his house. A woman named Sara opened the door. "Hello, Sara," said Lucas. "There is a big outside.

    The is . Can you help me?" Sara looked at the . "Yes, I can see it," she said. "It is a big problem." Sara got a from her home. Lucas got a and some . They walked to the together. Lucas put on his . He pulled the leaves out of the slowly. Sara used the to push the away. A neighbor named Tom saw them working. "Can I help?" Tom asked. "Yes, please!" said Lucas and Sara. Tom brought a second . He helped to carry the away. They all worked together for about thirty minutes. Soon, the water started to move. It went slowly into the .

    Then it moved faster and faster. The got smaller and smaller. Finally, the road was clear. "We did it!" said Lucas happily. Sara smiled. "It was easy because we worked together," she said. Tom nodded. "One person cannot do everything alone," he said. Lucas felt very happy. He thanked Sara and Tom. They all felt . The street looked clean and safe again. Lucas learned something important that day. He learned that neighbors can help each other. Small problems are easier to solve together. He smiled and walked home.

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    Key Vocabulary

    How to use these cards
    1. Read each word and its meaning.
    2. Tap “Cover the meanings”, then tap a card to check yourself.
    3. Tap “Quick quiz” for a short test. Tap “I know this” on cards you have learned.
    drain
    /dreɪn/
    noun

    a pipe or opening in the ground that carries water away

    "The drain was blocked, so water filled the road."

    blocked
    /blɒkt/
    adjective

    something is stopped and cannot move through

    "The pipe was blocked with leaves and rubbish."

    puddle
    /ˈpʌd.əl/
    noun

    a small area of water on the ground

    "There was a large puddle in the middle of the street."

    rubbish
    /ˈrʌb.ɪʃ/
    noun

    things that you throw away because you do not need them; waste

    "He picked up the rubbish and put it in a bag."

    gloves
    /ɡlʌvz/
    noun

    coverings for your hands that protect them

    "She wore gloves to keep her hands clean."

    broom
    /bruːm/
    noun

    a long brush used for sweeping floors or the ground

    "Sara used a broom to push the rubbish away from the drain."

    bucket
    /ˈbʌk.ɪt/
    noun

    a round open container with a handle, used for carrying things

    "Lucas carried the wet leaves away in a bucket."

    proud
    /praʊd/
    adjective

    feeling pleased because you or others did something good

    "They all felt proud after fixing the problem together."

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    Useful Phrases

    How to use these cards
    1. Read each phrase and its meaning.
    2. Tap “Cover the meanings”, then tap a card to check yourself.
    3. Tap “Quick quiz” for a short test. Tap “I know this” on cards you have learned.

    work together

    to do a task as a group

    "The neighbors decided to work together to fix the drain."

    Can you help me?

    a question used to ask someone for help

    ""Can you help me?" Lucas asked Sara when he saw the puddle."

    walk around

    to go around the side of something to avoid it

    "People walked around the puddle to keep their feet dry."

    look at

    to turn your eyes towards something

    "Lucas looked at the drain and saw it was full of leaves."

    pull out

    to remove something by taking hold of it and bringing it away

    "He pulled out the leaves from the drain with his hands."

    get smaller

    to become less in size

    "The puddle got smaller as the water went into the drain."

    thank someone

    to tell a person that you are grateful for what they did

    "Lucas thanked Sara and Tom for their help."

    feel proud

    to have a good feeling because something was done well

    "They all felt proud when the street was clean again."

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