Funny Stories are a fun way to learn English. This short story is written for A1 beginner English learners. It uses simple words, easy sentences, and a funny ending. Enjoy the story and learn English while you read!

The story has been rewritten especially for English language learners.

Contents

It’s The Butcher – A Small Joke Story

Vocabulary

Comprehension Questions

Grammar Exercises

It’s The Butcher

An old woman was lonely. She decided to get a pet, She didn’t have much money so she went to a second hand pet shop.

She saw many animals: a three legged cat, a dog without a tail, fish that could only swim backwards and a beautiful bird that could only say one thing, “Who is it?” and She decided to buy buy the bird. She bought a cage for her bird and went home. She put the bird by the door and went downtown to do some shopping.  

While she was gone, a man knocked on the door.  

“Who is it?” replied the parrot.

“It’s the butcher,” he said.  

“Who is it?”, repeated the bird.

“It’s the butcher,” said the man.

“Who is it?” asked the parrot.

“It’s the butcher!!,”, said the man angrily.

“Who is it?”           

“It’s the butcher!!!!”, he screamed.  

“Who is it?”       

“It’s the butcher, the butcher, the butch…”

Suddenly the butcher fell to the floor. He had had a heart attack.  

Later that day, the old woman came home and found the man laying on her doorstep. She opened her door and asked the parrot, “Who is it?” . The parrot replied,  

“It’s the butcher!”

— THE END –

  1. Lonely /ˈləʊnli/ — feeling sad because you are alone.
    Example: An old woman was lonely.
  2. Pet /pet/ — an animal that people keep at home.
    Example: She decided to get a pet.
  3. Animal /ˈænɪməl/ — a living thing such as a dog, cat, or bird.
    Example: She saw many animals.
  4. Beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfəl/ — very pretty or attractive.
    Example: She saw a beautiful bird.
  1. Cage /keɪdʒ/ — a box or structure with bars where an animal or bird lives.
    Example: She bought a cage for her bird and went home.
  2. Knock /nɒk/ — to hit a door to get someone’s attention.
    Example: A man knocked on the door.
  3. Angrily /ˈæŋɡrəli/ — in an angry way.
    Example: “It’s the butcher!!,” said the man angrily.
  4. Scream /skriːm/ — to shout very loudly.
    Example: “It’s the butcher!!!!”, he screamed.
  1. Why did the old woman decide to get a pet?
  2. Where did the old woman go to buy a pet?
  3. What kind of animal did the old woman buy?
  4. What could the bird say?
  1. Where did the old woman put the bird?
  2. Who knocked on the door while the woman was away?
  3. What happened to the butcher?
  4. What did the parrot say when the old woman came home?
  1. An old woman _ lonely.

A) are
B) is
C) am
D) be

  1. She _ to get a pet.

A) decide
B) decides
C) decided
D) deciding

  1. She _ a beautiful bird.

A) buy
B) buys
C) bought
D) buying

  1. She put the bird _ the door.

A) by
B) at
C) in
D) on

  1. A man _ on the door.

A) knock
B) knocks
C) knocked
D) knocking

  1. The old woman bought a bird. _ put the bird by the door.

A) He
B) She
C) It
D) They

  1. The bird _ only say one thing.

A) can
B) could
C) is
D) was

  1. The parrot _, “Who is it?”

A) say
B) says
C) said
D) saying

Answer Key

1-B, 2-C, 3-C, 4-A, 5-C, 6-B, 7-B, 8-B

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