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An old woman runs a marathon. She is from the USA. It is her 15th marathon. Her time is seven hours, seven minutes and 42 seconds. She is the oldest woman in the marathon. Her time is also the best for her age group.
The woman started to run in 1999. Her friends were ill. They had cancer. She wanted to help them. She helped them by running a marathon. This marathon helped people with cancer.
Source: newsinlevels.com
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
Dictionary
1) Old-adjective /oʊld/- having lived or existed for many years:
an old man
We’re all getting older.
I was shocked by how old he looked.
Now come on, you’re old enough to tie your own shoelaces, Carlos.
I’m too old to be out in the clubs every night.
a beautiful old farm house in the country
a battered old car
That’s an old joke – I’ve heard it about a thousand times.
I think this cheese is old, judging by the smell of it.
2) Run-verb /rʌn/- (of people and some animals) to move along, faster than walking, by taking quick steps in which each foot is lifted before the next foot touches the ground:
The children had to run to keep up with their father.
I can run a mile in five minutes.
The sheep ran away/off in fright.
A little girl ran up to me, crying for her daddy.
In the semi-final she will be running against her nearest rival.
The first two races will be run in 20 minutes.
3) Time-noun /taɪm/- the part of existence that is measured in minutes, days, years, etc., or this process considered as a whole:
He wants to spend more time with his family.
Time passes so quickly when you’re having fun.
She grew more and more fascinated by the subject as time went on/by.
The curtains have faded over/with time (= as years have gone past).
You’ll forget her in time (= in the future).
Over the course of time (= as years have gone past), holes have formed in the rock.
When Paula was ill, I took her some magazines to help her pass the time.
If you’d taken more time with/over (= spent more time doing) this essay, you could have done it much better.
It takes a long time (= many hours are needed) to get from London to Sydney.
We’d save time on our journey (= it would be quicker) if we went by train.
I only worked there for a short period of time.
The kitchen clock is gaining/losing time (= is going fast/slow).
My watch has never kept very good time (= been correct).
4) Also-adverb /ˈɑːl.soʊ/ in addition:
She’s a photographer and also writes books.
I’m cold, and I’m also hungry and tired.
We have a spare bedroom which also functions as a study.
He’s a comedian who also does magic.
For a teacher to hit a child is not just morally wrong but also illegal.
Famous mainly for his wonderful voice, Cole was also a virtuoso on the piano.
The Royal Shakespeare Company also have many modern plays in their repertoire.
5) Best-adjective /best/ of the highest quality, or being the most suitable, pleasing, or effective type of thing or person:
This is the best meal I’ve ever had.
He’s one of our best students.
Are you sure this is the best way of doing it?
What’s the best (= shortest or quickest) way to get to their house?
Your parents only want what is best for you.
She was my best friend (= the friend I liked most).
It’s best (= it is wise) to get to the supermarket early.
Simple short stories for learning English
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
6) Age-noun /eɪdʒ/ the period of time someone has been alive or something has existed:
Do you know the age of that building?
What age (= how old) is your brother?
I’d guess she’s about my age (= she is about as old as I am).
She was 74 years of age when she wrote her first novel.
He left home at the age of 16.
I was married with four children at your age.
She’s starting to show/look her age (= to look as old as she is).
I’m really beginning to feel my age (= feel old).
His girlfriend’s twice his age (= twice as old as he is).
7) Start-verb /stɑːrt/ to begin doing something:
When do you start your course/your new job?
We’ll be starting (the session) at six o’clock.
Can you start (= begin a new job) on Monday?
They started building the house in January.
I’d just started to write a letter when the phone rang.
8) Cancer-noun /ˈkæn.sɚ/ a serious disease that is caused when cells in the body grow in a way that is uncontrolled and not normal, killing normal cells and often causing death:
cancer cells
a cancer patient
It was a secondary cancer.
9) Wanted-adjective /ˈwɒn.tɪd/-wished for and loved by other people:
An old woman runs a marathon-level 2
An old woman runs a marathon-level 2
A 91 year-old American woman completed her 15th marathon. Her time was seven hours, seven minutes and 42 seconds. She became the oldest woman to compete in the race. She also set a US record for the fastest time for a woman in her age group.
The woman started running in 1999. She knew people who were ill from leukaemia. She wanted to help, so she ran in her first marathon which helped people with leukaemia.
The woman is a cancer survivor herself. She has cancer in her legs.
Source: newsinlevels.com
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
Dictionary
1) Complete-verb /kəmˈpliːt/-to finish doing something:
He’s just completed filming his 17th feature film.
The palace took over 20 years to complete.
She will complete her studies in France.
2) Become-verb /bɪˈkʌm/-to start to be:
I was becoming increasingly suspicious of his motives.
It was becoming cold, so we lit the fire.
After giving up smoking, he became fat and irritable.
Margaret Thatcher became the U.K.’s first woman prime minister in 1979.
He has just become a father.
3) Race-noun /reɪs/- a competition in which all the competitors try to be the fastest and to finish first:
Do you know who won/lost the race?
Let’s have a swimming race.
They’re taking part in a race to the top of Mont Blanc.
Simple short stories for learning English
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
4) Fast-adjective /fɑːst/- moving or happening quickly, or able to move or happen quickly:
fast cars
a fast swimmer
Computers are getting faster all the time.
UK The fast train (= one that stops at fewer stations and travels quickly) to London takes less than an hour.
5) Know-verb /nəʊ/-to have information in your mind:
“Where did he go?” “I don’t know.”
“What does it cost?” “Ask Kate. She’ll know.”
She knows the name of every kid in the school.
I don’t know anything about this.
We don’t know when he’s arriving.
I don’t know (= understand) what all the fuss is about.
I just knew (that) it was going to be a disaster.
She knew (= was aware) (that) something was wrong.
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
6) Leukaemia-noun /luːˈkiː.mi.ə/- a serious disease in which the body produces too many white blood cells
7) Survivor-noun /səˈvaɪ.vər/ a person who continues to live, despite almost dying:
He was the sole (= only) survivor of the plane crash.
She’s a cancer survivor/a survivor of cancer.
8) Herself-pronoun /hɜːˈself/- used to refer to a female object of a verb, that is the same person or animal as the subject of the verb:
She kept telling herself that nothing was wrong.
My mother would worry herself to death if she knew what I was doing.
An old woman runs a marathon-level 3
An old woman runs a marathon-level 3
“I’m Harriette Thompson, and I’m 91 years old, and I’m running the marathon at San Diego.”
That’s right! Ninety-one-year-old Harriette Thompson ran her way into the record books on Sunday after she completed the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon for the 15th time.
Completing the race in seven hours, seven minutes and 42 seconds, Hariette became the oldest woman to compete in the race, and also set a US record for the fastest time for a woman in her age group.
The second oldest marathon runner in US history, Harriette started running back in 1999, when a friend of hers was running to raise money to fight cancer.
“I started running because I had friends who were very ill from leukaemia, and a friend of mine was gathering money for the race. She was going to run for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, and I decided, well, I could walk that, so I signed up, and I came out here in 1999 and ran my first marathon.”
A cancer survivor herself, Harriette had just undergone nine radiation treatments for cancer in her legs, and at one point during the race, didn’t think she could make it to the finish line. But, despite aching legs and sapping sun during the course of her latest run, it seems that the race is far from over for Harriette, who hopes to take on next year’s competition.
“When I get over that finish line, that’s the best part!”
Dictionary
1) Gathering-noun /ˈɡæð.ər.ɪŋ/- a party or a meeting when many people come together as a group:
There will be a gathering of world leaders in Vienna next month.
a social gathering (= when people meet for pleasure not work)
The city is hosting a gathering of business leaders next month.
They met at a social gathering organized by the company.
They started as informal gatherings but they have become increasingly formalized in the last few years.
Our next gathering will take place in London on 5 August.
He didn’t enjoy these social gatherings and would look for an excuse to leave early.
2) Decided-adjective /dɪˈsaɪ.dɪd/ certain, obvious, or easy to notice:
She had a decided advantage over her opponent.
3) Sign up— phrasal verb with sign verb to agree to become involved in an organized activity:
I’ve signed up to make the sandwiches for the party.
She’s signed up for evening classes at the community college.
4) Undergo-verb /ˌʌn.dəˈɡəʊ/- to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change:
She underwent an operation on a tumor in her left lung last year.
Playing board games is undergoing a revival in popularity.
He seems to have undergone a change in attitude recently, and has become much more co-operative.
After the accident, he underwent reconstructive surgery to rebuild his face.
I had to undergo a medical examination when I started my pension scheme.
Athletes must undergo a mandatory drugs test before competing in the championship.
The company is undergoing a radical reorganization.
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
5) Treatment-noun /ˈtriːt.mənt/ the way you deal with or behave toward someone or something:
Prisoners of war were subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment.
They were accused of inhumanity in their treatment of the hostages.
She’s had really unsympathetic treatment from the management.
I don’t expect special treatment – I just want to be treated fairly.
We were given the full VIP treatment.
6) Despite-preposition /dɪˈspaɪt/- without taking any notice of or being influenced by; not prevented by:
I still enjoyed the week despite the weather.
Despite repeated assurances that the product is safe, many people have stopped buying it.
He managed to eat a big lunch despite having eaten an enormous breakfast.
7) Ache-noun /eɪk/- a continuous pain that is unpleasant but not very strong:
As you get older, you have all sorts of aches and pains.
I have a dull (= slight) ache in my lower back.
Peter gets special treatment because he knows the boss.
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3
8) Sapping-adjective /ˈsæp.ɪŋ/- making someone or something weaker over a period of time:
These losses have clearly had a sapping effect on morale.
Her season has not been helped by a sapping list of injuries.
a confidence sapping blow
a sapping weakness in her legs
9) Get over something— phrasal verb with get verb /ɡet/ to return to your usual state of health or happiness after having a bad or unusual experience, or an illness:
She’s just getting over the flu.
I can’t get over how short he is (= it surprised me).
Source: newsinlevels.com
Simple short stories for learning English level 1-level 2-level 3