Jose’s True Story

Vocabulary

Outskirts – alrededores
To flow – when liquid moves – fluir
Channel – a waterway (brazo, cauce, acequia) / canal
To drag – arrastrar
To overflow – derramarse
To slip – resbalarse
To yell – gritar – scream, shout
Edge – borde (bank – the land at river’s edge – orilla
To drown – to die/kill in water – ahogar(se)
To scold – regañar – (to tell off)
To hug – abrazar

Comprehension questions

1. How old was Jose when the story happened?
2. Who had drowned in the chanal in the past?
3. How long did the incident take from start to finish?

Now listen to Jose’s story and answer the questions

1. How old was Jose when the story happened – 10
2. Who had drowned in the chanal in the past? – gypsy children
3. How long did the incident take from start to finish – 30 seconds

Corrections

XHere is my story, I hope you likeX (it)
XAll over us had forgiven playing close to the channelX (All of us had been forbidden to play close to the canal)
You know how children are (good word order)
Pronunciation of ‘drown’ and ‘water’
XNowadays, the water is running undergroundX (runs underground)
XI realised that I was approaching to the tunnel.X – I realised that I was approaching the tunnel.

Transcript Jose's true story

I was living in the outskirts of Valencia, in the same city where I’ve always lived. Close to my home flowed one of the seven main channels in this city. Its water was used by a big paper factory, therefore the channel passed into the factory by a tunnel where there were two enormous wood blades rolling constantly in order to break up the things that the water dragged.

Back then, the children we played on the street all our free time and naturally all of us had forbidden playing (had been forbidden to play) close to the channel. But you know how children are because you have also been two of them not very long ago.

One day, we were around this forbidden place and the channel was so fast-flowing because of the previous rainy days, that water was on the edge, almost overflowing. I was walking on the edge admiring the speed and strength of the water when I slipped and fell into the water. My friends started to yell my name because they wanted to help me, but they couldn’t because the water ran speedily and swept me along very quickly. I tried several times to reach the edge to get out from the water, but I couldn’t.

I realized, that I was approaching to the tunnel dangerously close to the tunnel and I knew I had just one more chance to reach the edge, but I fell again. Then, I knew that I didn’t have enough time to try it again. I was afraid because I was already entering into the tunnel and I knew that this meant dying like many gypsy children had already drowned.

However, the volume of the water was so high that my small body hit into the top of the tunnel and it stopped me for a few milliseconds and gave me time to reach the edge and get out from the water when my legs were already into (in) the tunnel. All of it happened just in around thirty seconds, no more.

When my parents were told about that, they didn’t scold me. Just gave me a huge hug and they thank God THAT nothing bad had HAPPENED to me. So, I could survive this way from a certain death from drowning. Surely I had still a lot of things to do in my life.

Of course, we never went to play near the channel again, at least me.

A few years later this channel was covered because of the city development, and nowadays the water is running underground.

Well, this is my story. I hope you like (it).

Recap – What makes a good story, like Jose’s?

An accurate mix of verb tenses. eg past simple V past continuous V present perfect, etc.
A varied, interesting range of vocabulary, including expressions/idioms
Using detailed, descriptive language, especially adjectives and adverbs
Using linking expressions. eg. contrast (although, etc); addition (on top of that, etc.); time (afterwards, etc.); consequence (as a result, etc.); reference (as for, etc) and so on.
Using suspense, drama, mystery, shock, and other emotions that grab the reader’s attention

*Dispones de más PODCAST en inglés publicados en los cuadernos anteriores
a los que puedes acceder directamente así como al índice de su contenido.