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Adventure Ambition Art Breakups Career Childhood Coming of Age Confidence Courage Crime Customer Service Determination Drama Emotional Empathy Everyday Life Family Fantasy Fate Fear Feel-Good First Job Food Freedom Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horror Identity Independence Inspirational Job Hunting Justice Kindness Life Lessons Loss Love Marriage Mindfulness Miscommunication Mystery Nature New Beginnings Ocean life Parenthood Patience Personal Growth Relationships Responsibility Romance School Secrets Self-Discovery Siblings Social Issues Suspense Technology Tragedy Transformation Travel Wisdom Work comedy horror
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
LENGTH
25 Words (15 sec) 50 Words (30 sec) 75 Words (45 sec) 100 Words (1 min) 125 Words (1 min 15 sec) 150 Words (1 min 30 sec) 175 Words (1 min 45 sec) 200 Words (2 min) 250 Words (2 min 30 sec) 300 Words (3 min) 350 Words (3 min 30 sec) 400 Words (4 min) 500 Words (5 min) 600 Words (6 min) 1000 Words (10 min) 1500 Words (15 min) 2000 Words (20 min)
CATEGORY
Adventure Ambition Art Breakups Career Childhood Coming of Age Confidence Courage Crime Customer Service Determination Drama Emotional Empathy Everyday Life Family Fantasy Fate Fear Feel-Good First Job Food Freedom Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horror Identity Independence Inspirational Job Hunting Justice Kindness Life Lessons Loss Love Marriage Mindfulness Miscommunication Mystery Nature New Beginnings Ocean life Parenthood Patience Personal Growth Relationships Responsibility Romance School Secrets Self-Discovery Siblings Social Issues Suspense Technology Tragedy Transformation Travel Wisdom Work comedy horror
LEVEL
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
ABOUT
WRITE
House key lying on the ground near a park bench

The Lost Key

Loss Fear Hope Social Issues Everyday Life School Childhood Life Lessons
A2
200 Words - 2 min

Story Audio

Story Reading

Liam came home after school. He looked in his backpack for his house key. It was not there. He checked every pocket. He looked in his lunch bag too. He looked on the ground near his door. The key was not there. Liam felt worried.

Liam thought about his day. He stopped at the playground. He watched his friends play soccer. Maybe he dropped the key there. Liam walked back to the park. He looked around the benches. He looked near the swings. He looked on the path. The sun was going down.

After a few minutes, he saw something small under a bench. It was shining. It was his key! Liam felt very glad.

A woman sat near the bench. She smiled at Liam. She said, "I saw the key earlier. I hoped the owner would come back for it."

Liam said thank you to the kind woman. He put the key in a small zipper pocket. He did not want to lose it again.

Liam walked home quickly. He opened his front door with the key. He felt very happy. He felt relieved too.

After that day, Liam always checked for his key before he left home. He never wanted to lose it again.

Vocabulary Exercises

Match 

Match the Words with Their Meanings

1. worried              a. happy because something bad is over
2. playground           b. feeling nervous or concerned
3. shining              c. a place where children play
4. glad                 d. giving off or reflecting light
5. kind                 e. feeling happy
6. relieved             f. friendly and helpful
7. zipper               g. a device used to open and close a pocket
1. b | 2. c | 3. d | 4. e | 5. f | 6. a | 7. g

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the blanks with the words below:

worried - shining - glad - kind - relieved - zipper - playground

1. Liam felt ______ when he could not find his key.
2. Liam went back to the ______ to look for the key.
3. He saw something small and ______ under a bench.
4. Liam felt very ______ when he found his key.
5. A ______ woman told him she had seen the key.
6. Liam felt ______ after opening his front door.
7. He put the key in a small ______ pocket.
1. worried | 2. playground | 3. shining | 4. glad | 5. kind | 6. relieved | 7. zipper

Odd One Out 

Odd One Out

1. worried - nervous - concerned - happy

2. playground - park - swings - kitchen

3. shining - bright - glowing - dark

4. glad - happy - pleased - worried

5. kind - friendly - helpful - cruel

6. relieved - calm - reassured - anxious

7. zipper - pocket - backpack - soccer
1. happy 2. kitchen 3. dark 4. worried 5. cruel 6. anxious 7. soccer

Comprehension Exercises

True/False 

Answer with True or False

1. Liam came home after school.
2. Liam found his key in his backpack immediately.
3. Liam thought he might have dropped the key at the playground.
4. The sun was going down when Liam searched the park.
5. Liam found the key under a bench.
6. A woman had seen the key earlier.
7. Liam put the key in his lunch bag.
1. True 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. True 6. True 7. False

Multiple Choice 

1. What was Liam looking for?

a. His backpack
b. His house key
c. His lunch
d. His phone

2. Where did Liam think he might have dropped the key?

a. At school
b. At home
c. At the playground
d. On the bus

3. Where did Liam find the key?

a. Near the swings
b. Under a bench
c. On the path
d. In his backpack

4. Who was sitting near the bench?

a. His friend
b. His teacher
c. A woman
d. His mother

5. What did the woman say she had seen?

a. Liam's backpack
b. Liam's key
c. Liam's friends
d. A soccer ball

6. Where did Liam put the key?

a. In his lunch bag
b. In his backpack
c. In a small zipper pocket
d. Under the bench

7. What did Liam do after he got home?

a. He went back to the park.
b. He opened his front door.
c. He played soccer.
d. He went back to school.
1. b | 2. c | 3. b | 4. c | 5. b | 6. c | 7. b

Ordering 

Put the Events in Order

1. ___ Liam looks for his key in his backpack.
2. ___ Liam walks back to the playground.
3. ___ Liam finds the key under a bench.
4. ___ A woman tells Liam she saw the key.
5. ___ Liam puts the key in a zipper pocket.
6. ___ Liam opens his front door.
7. ___ Liam decides to check for his key before leaving home.
1. Liam looks for his key in his backpack. 2. Liam walks back to the playground. 3. Liam finds the key under a bench. 4. A woman tells Liam she saw the key. 5. Liam puts the key in a zipper pocket. 6. Liam opens his front door. 7. Liam decides to check for his key before leaving home.

Find the Evidence 

Find a phrase from the story that supports each statement.

1. Liam cannot find his key.
2. Liam thinks he may have lost the key at the playground.
3. It is getting late when Liam searches for the key.
4. Liam finds something under a bench.
5. A woman helps Liam by telling him about the key.
6. Liam puts the key somewhere safe.
7. Liam learns to check for his key before leaving.
1. "The key was not there." 2. "Maybe he dropped the key there." 3. "The sun was going down." 4. "It was shining. It was his key!" 5. "I saw the key earlier." 6. "He put the key in a small zipper pocket." 7. "Liam always checked for his key before he left home."

Grammar Exercises

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb

Past Simple

1. Liam ______ home after school. (come)
2. He ______ in his backpack for his key. (look)
3. He ______ every pocket. (check)
4. Liam ______ back to the park. (walk)
5. He ______ something small under a bench. (see)
6. The woman ______ Liam about the key. (tell)
7. Liam ______ his front door. (open)
1. came | 2. looked | 3. checked | 4. walked | 5. saw | 6. told | 7. opened

Choose one 

Choose the Correct Preposition

1. Liam looked (in / on / at) his backpack.
2. He looked (on / at / under) the ground near his door.
3. Liam walked back (to / from / under) the park.
4. He saw something (under / between / above) a bench.
5. The woman sat (near / into / across) the bench.
6. Liam put the key (in / on / from) a zipper pocket.
7. He walked (to / under / between) home.
1. in | 2. at | 3. to | 4. under | 5. near | 6. in | 7. to 
Choose A, AN, or THE

1. Liam looked for ___ house key.
2. He walked back to ___ playground.
3. He saw ___ small object under the bench.
4. It was ___ key.
5. ___ woman sat near the bench.
6. He put the key in ___ small zipper pocket.
7. He opened ___ front door.
1. a | 2. the | 3. a | 4. the | 5. a | 6. a | 7. the

Transformation 

Change to the Past Tense

1. Liam comes home after school.
2. He looks in his backpack.
3. He checks every pocket.
4. Liam walks back to the park.
5. He sees something under a bench.
6. The woman tells him about the key.
7. Liam opens his front door.
1. Liam came home after school. 2. He looked in his backpack. 3. He checked every pocket. 4. Liam walked back to the park. 5. He saw something under a bench. 6. The woman told him about the key. 7. Liam opened his front door. 
Make the Sentences Negative

1. Liam found his key in his backpack.
2. Liam knew exactly where he lost the key.
3. The streets were crowded.
4. The woman ignored Liam.
5. Liam found the key immediately.
6. Liam lost the key again.
7. Liam forgot to check for his key.
1. Liam did not find his key in his backpack. 2. Liam did not know exactly where he lost the key. 3. The streets were not crowded. 4. The woman did not ignore Liam. 5. Liam did not find the key immediately. 6. Liam did not lose the key again. 7. Liam did not forget to check for his key. 
Turn the Sentences into Questions

1. Liam came home after school.
2. He looked in his backpack.
3. Liam walked back to the park.
4. He found the key under a bench.
5. A woman saw the key earlier.
6. Liam put the key in a zipper pocket.
7. Liam opened his front door.
1. Did Liam come home after school? 2. Did he look in his backpack? 3. Did Liam walk back to the park? 4. Did he find the key under a bench? 5. Did a woman see the key earlier? 6. Did Liam put the key in a zipper pocket? 7. Did Liam open his front door?

Find the Adjectives 

Find the adjective in each phrase.

1. cold town
2. heavy bag
3. small key
4. kind woman
5. wet shoes
6. happy traveler
7. front door
1. cold 2. heavy 3. small 4. kind 5. wet 6. happy 7. front

Find the Adverbs 

Find the adverb in each sentence.

1. Liam walked slowly back to the park.
2. He looked around carefully.
3. The key was shining brightly.
4. Liam walked home quickly.
5. The woman smiled kindly.
6. He always checked for his key.
7. Liam finally felt relieved.
1. slowly 2. carefully 3. brightly 4. quickly 5. kindly 6. always 7. finally

Speaking Activities

Discussion 

Why did Liam put the key in a zipper pocket?
He wanted to keep it safe and avoid losing it again. 
Would you help someone who lost an important item?
Yes. I would try to help them find it and return it to them.

What Would You Do? 

1. What would you do if you lost your house key?

2. Would you go back to a place where you thought you lost it?

3. Would you ask someone nearby for help?

4. Would you keep an important key in a special pocket?

5. Would you wait for someone if you found their lost key?

6. Would you thank someone who returned your lost key?

7. How would you make sure you never lost your key again?
1. I would go back and look for my key. 2. Yes, I would go back to check. 3. Yes, I would ask someone for help. 4. Yes, I would keep it in a safe pocket. 5. Yes, I would wait if I could. 6. Yes, I would thank them politely. 7. I would always check my pocket before leaving.

Rate the Story 

1. How worried is Liam?

1 = Not worried
5 = Extremely worried

2. How kind is the woman?

1 = Not kind
5 = Extremely kind

3. How difficult is Liam's problem?

1 = Not difficult
5 = Very difficult

4. How happy is Liam when he finds the key?

1 = Not happy
5 = Extremely happy

5. How useful is the lesson Liam learns?

1 = Not useful
5 = Extremely useful

6. How realistic is the story?

1 = Not realistic
5 = Very realistic

7. How interesting is the ending?

1 = Not interesting
5 = Extremely interesting

Writing Exercise

Change the Ending 

Write a new ending for the story. Keep the story the same until Liam finds the key, but change what happens after he finds it.
Liam picked up the key and thanked the woman. Then he noticed that another small key was lying beside the bench. He picked it up and asked the woman if it belonged to her. She looked surprised and said it was her lost key. Liam gave it to her, and she thanked him warmly. They both walked home feeling happy that they had helped each other.

Dialogue 

Write a dialogue between Liam and the woman after Liam finds the key.
Example answer: Liam: Is this my key? Woman: Yes, I saw it under the bench earlier. Liam: Oh, thank you so much! Woman: You're welcome. I hoped you would come back for it. Liam: I was very worried because I couldn't find it. Woman: I'm glad you found it. Liam: I'll be more careful with it from now on. Woman: That's a good idea. Have a safe walk home.