Effective English Listening Practice with Short Stories and Questions

Have you ever listened to someone speak English, caught a few words,

您是否曾经听过某人说英语，听懂了几个单词，

but missed the full meaning?

但却错过了完整的含义？

You're not alone.

你并不孤单。

Listening is one thing, but truly understanding is another.

倾听是一回事，真正理解又是另一回事。

The best way to improve is by training your ears, and one way to do that

提高的最好方法是训练你的耳朵，其中一种方法

is by listening to short stories.

就是听短篇故事。

Just like we're going to do today.

就像我们今天要做的那样。

Hello, everyone.

大家好。

My name is Anna from English Like a Native.

我的名字叫安娜，来自《像当地人一样英语》。

And today I'm going to give you three short stories that will help

今天我要给你们讲三个小故事，它们将有助于

to sharpen your comprehension skills.

提高你们的理解能力。

After each story, I'll ask you five questions to see how much you understood.

每个故事结束后，我都会问你五个问题，看看你理解了多少。

Do you think you can get them all right?

你认为你能把它们搞定吗？

Let's find out.

让我们来看看吧。

My dad was always a bit of a mystery to me.

我的父亲对我来说总是有点神秘。

He was super strict.

他超级严格。

Always watching me with these serious eyes that made me feel

总是用这些严肃的眼睛看着我，让我感觉

like I was constantly being judged.

自己一直在受到评判。

Deep down, I know he had my interests at heart.

在内心深处，我知道他把我的利益放在心上。

But back then, it just felt like too much.

但当时，感觉太多了。

My father was dead set on not being too indulgent.

我父亲坚决不让自己太纵容。

He thought being soft would make me weak.

他认为温柔会让我变得软弱。

Every time I did something good, he'd just give a quick nod.

每次我做了好事，他都会快速点头。

Every mistake meant a long talk.

每一个错误都意味着一场长谈。

He wanted me to do well so badly that he forgot kids need

他非常希望我表现出色，以至于他忘记了孩子们需要

a bit of love and understanding.

一点爱和理解。

He was pretty aloof.

他很冷漠。

Which made me feel like I was some kind of project rather than his daughter.

这让我觉得我是某种项目而不是他的女儿。

During my teenage years, when I was struggling with friendships,

在我的青少年时期，我在友谊、

self confidence, and the turbulent emotions of adolescence.

自信和青春期的动荡情绪中挣扎。

I just wanted him to cut me some slack.

我只是想让他放过我一些。

Just once.

就一次。

I wish he had listened without lecturing me or trying to fix everything.

我希望他没有教训我或试图解决一切问题。

Now, years later, I can see how we grew apart bit by bit.

多年后的现在，我可以看到我们是如何一点点疏远的。

I wish we could clear the air and really talk, but it feels like

我希望我们能够澄清误会并进行真正的交谈，但感觉

those moments have already passed.

那些时刻已经过去了。

My dad's getting older now and he's much quieter.

现在我爸爸年纪大了，也安静多了。

The intensity of his strictness has faded, but so has our connection.

他的严格程度已经减弱，但我们的联系也随之减弱。

I can't help wondering if he ever realised how much I just

我不禁想知道他是否意识到我是多么

wanted him to understand me.

希望他能理解我。

I wanted him to see me as his daughter, not as some

我希望他将我视为他的女儿，而不是某个

project that needed perfecting.

需要完善的项目。

It's funny how relationships can get so complicated.

有趣的是，人际关系竟然变得如此复杂。

Sometimes I think some connections are like frail pieces of string, easy

有时我觉得有些联系就像脆弱的绳子，容易

to break, tough to put back together.

断，却很难重新组合起来。

Here are the comprehension questions.

这里是理解题。

Get a pen or pencil at the ready.

准备好钢笔或铅笔。

Here we go.

开始了。

1. Why did the narrator want their father to cut them some slack?

1. 为什么叙述者希望他们的父亲放过他们一些？

2. What does the narrator compare relationships to?

2. 叙述者将关系比作什么？

3. Why does the narrator wish they could clear the air with their father?

3. 为什么叙述者希望他们能与父亲消除误会？

4. Why did the narrator feel that their father had their interests at heart?

4.为什么叙述者觉得他们的父亲把他们的利益放在心上？

Number five.

第五。

Why did the father's aloof behavior affect the narrator?

为什么父亲的冷漠行为会影响叙述者？

Nice work!

干得好！

How did you do?

你做得怎么样？

Keep track of your answers and at the end of this lesson let me know in

记录下您的答案，并在本课结束时在

the comments how many you got right.

评论中告诉我您答对了多少个。

If you enjoy this type of comprehension exercise, check out Podcast Plus.

如果您喜欢这种类型的理解练习，请查看 Podcast Plus。

This is a membership where you'll get access to interactive quizzes

这是一个会员资格，您可以访问互动测验

and transcripts to my latest podcast episodes, as well as a space

和我最新播客剧集的文字记录，以及

to do some writing of your own.

一个自己写作的空间。

Now it's a great way to transform your passive listening into

现在，这是将被动聆听转变为 主动学习体验的

an active learning experience.

好方法 。

I'll leave a link in the description for you to learn more.

我将在描述中留下一个链接，供您了解更多信息。

Now let's move on to our next story.

现在让我们继续我们的下一个故事。

Abigail had been teaching French at Oakwood Secondary School for five years.

阿比盖尔已在奥克伍德中学教法语五年。

Exam time was approaching and she was on her way to a department meeting about it.

考试时间临近，她正在去参加有关考试的部门会议的路上。

We need to create the end of year exam for year ten.

我们需要为第十年创建年终考试。

The head of department announced, Abigail and Matthew, you'll

部门主管宣布，阿比盖尔和马修，你们来

be responsible for this.

负责这件事。

Abigail sighed.

阿比盖尔叹了口气。

She felt uneasy about working with Matthew, a new teacher who

她对与 当年加入现代外语系的

had joined the modern foreign languages department that year.

新老师马修一起工作感到不安

He had seemed standoffish during their first few staff meetings.

。 在最初的几次员工会议上，他显得冷漠。

He always sat quietly at the far end of the table and spoke

他总是安静地坐在桌子的另一端，

only when absolutely necessary.

只有在绝对必要的时候才说话。

Abigail approached Matthew during the lunch break.

阿比盖尔在午休时间接近马修。

Shall we discuss the exam?

我们可以讨论一下考试吗？

she asked tentatively.

她试探性地问道。

Matthew nodded and pulled out his notebook.

马修点点头，拿出笔记本。

As they began discussing potential question types and assessment criteria,

当他们开始讨论潜在的问题类型和评估标准时，

something surprising happened.

令人惊讶的事情发生了。

Matthew's initial standoffish attitude seemed to disappear.

马修最初的冷漠态度似乎消失了。

I was thinking we could focus on practical language use, he said.

“我想我们可以专注于实际的语言使用，”他说。

Abigail's eyes lit up.

阿比盖尔的眼睛亮了起来。

Spot on, she replied.

点对点，她回答道。

They started sharing ideas and it quickly became clear that they were

他们开始分享想法，很快就发现他们

on the same page about assessment.

在评估方面意见一致。

Matthew's methodical approach complemented Abigail's creative thinking.

马修的有条不紊的方法补充了阿比盖尔的创造性思维。

They wanted an exam that would genuinely test the student's French skills, not just

他们希望考试能够真正测试学生的法语技能，而不仅仅是

their ability to memorise grammar rules.

记住语法规则的能力。

Hours passed as they worked, sketching out sections for reading comprehension,

他们工作了几个小时，勾勒出阅读理解、

writing tasks and speaking assessments.

写作任务和口语评估的部分。

Their initial awkwardness disappeared, replaced by a shared enthusiasm for

他们最初的尴尬消失了，取而代之的是对 创建公平且具有挑战性的考试的

creating a fair and challenging exam.

共同热情 。 随着下午的过去

We should forge ahead with this draft, Matthew suggested

，马修建议我们应该继续推进这份草案

as the afternoon wore on.

。

Abigail agreed and they refined their plan, checking and

阿比盖尔同意了，他们完善了计划，检查并

double checking every detail.

仔细检查每个细节。

By the end of the day, they had created an exam that they both felt proud of.

到一天结束时，他们创建了一个令他们都感到自豪的考试。

What had started as an uncomfortable collaboration

最初的合作是令人不舒服的

Okay, here are the questions.

好吧，这是问题。

Number one, why was Abigail uneasy about working with Matthew?

第一，为什么阿比盖尔对与马修一起工作感到不安？

Number two, how did Abigail and Matthew realise they were on the same page?

第二，阿比盖尔和马修是如何意识到他们意见一致的？

Number three, what helped Matthew appear less standoffish?

第三，是什么让马修显得不那么冷漠？

Number four, What does forge ahead mean in the context of Abigail and Matthew's work?

第四，在阿比盖尔和马修的作品中，锐意进取意味着什么？

Number five.

第五。

How did Abigail and Matthew's working relationship change

故事结束时， 阿比盖尔和马修的工作关系发生了怎样的变化

by the end of the story?

？

Great job.

干得好。

Listening to different stories like this is an amazing way to

听这样的不同故事是

improve your English naturally.

自然提高英语的好方法。

You get to hear vocabulary in context, making it easier to

您可以在上下文中听到词汇，从而更容易

remember and use in real life.

记住和在现实生活中使用。

Are you ready for the final story?

你准备好观看最后的故事了吗？

Let's go.

我们走吧。

I've been running this corner shop for over 20 years now.

我经营这家街角小店已有20多年了。

And every day feels both the same and different.

每一天都感觉既相同又不同。

The constant hum of the fridges and the flickering neon lights have become

冰箱持续不断的嗡嗡声和闪烁的霓虹灯

as familiar to me as my own heartbeat.

对我来说就像我自己的心跳一样熟悉。

When I first started, I knew it would be a challenge to hold my own

当我刚开始时，我知道要

against the big supermarket chains that were popping up everywhere.

与随处可见的大型连锁超市抗衡 将是一个挑战 。

But I've learned a thing or two about surviving.

但我学到了一两点关于生存的知识。

While they can offer cheaper prices, I offer something they can't.

虽然他们可以提供更便宜的价格，但我提供他们不能提供的东西。

A personal touch.

个人风格。

I know most of my regulars by name.

我知道大多数常客的名字。

There's Mr Jackson who comes in every morning for his

杰克逊先生每天早上都会来买

newspaper and custard creams.

报纸和奶油冻。

And the local school kids who sometimes mess about near the

还有当地学校的孩子，有时放学后会在甜蜜区附近乱搞

sweet section after school.

。

I've worked hard to stand out from the competition.

为了在竞争中脱颖而出，我付出了很大的努力。

I carefully choose my stock, ordering the products I know people want.

我仔细选择我的库存，订购我知道人们想要的产品。

The school kids might laugh and joke, but they appreciate that I stock their

学校的孩子们可能会大笑、开玩笑，但他们很感激我储备了他们

favourite crisps and energy drinks.

最喜欢的薯片和能量饮料。

The older residents appreciate that I keep hard to find British

老居民很欣赏我一直在努力寻找英国

brands and always have a kind word.

品牌，而且总是说些好话。

Running an independent shop isn't easy.

经营一家独立商店并不容易。

Some days the takings are low and I worry about keeping the business going, but then

有时收入很低，我担心业务能否继续下去，但随后

a regular will come in, share a story, or simply smile and thank me for being

就会有常客进来，分享一个故事，或者只是微笑着感谢我来到

here and I remember why I love what I do.

这里，我记得为什么我喜欢我所做的事情。

The shop might be small, tucked away on this quiet street, but

这家商店可能很小，隐藏在这条安静的街道上，但

it's more than just a business.

它不仅仅是一家企业。

It's a community hub, a little piece of local life that keeps ticking

这是一个社区中心，是当地生活的一小部分

along, and despite the challenges, I wouldn't have it any other way.

，尽管面临挑战，但我别无选择。

As evening approaches and the last customer drifts out, I tidy some

夜幕降临，最后一位顾客渐渐散去，我整理了一些

shelves and prepare for another day.

货架，为新的一天做好准备。

Ready for the questions.

准备好提问。

Number one.

第一。

How did the shopkeeper hold his own against the supermarket chains?

店主如何与连锁超市抗衡？

Number two, what does the hum of the shop refer to in the story?

第二，故事中商店的嗡嗡声指的是什么？

Number three, why do the school kids mess around in the shop?

第三，为什么小学生在店里乱搞？

Number four, how does the shopkeeper make his shop stand out from the supermarkets?

第四，店主如何让自己的店铺在超市中脱颖而出？

Number five, what makes the corner shop an important part of the community?

第五，是什么让街角商店成为社区的重要组成部分？

How many questions did you answer correctly?

你正确回答了多少个问题？

Let me know in the comments.

请在评论中告诉我。

Now, if you enjoyed these stories and you do want to take your learning further,

现在，如果您喜欢这些故事并且确实想进一步学习，

remember that Podcast Plus has full episode transcripts, quizzes, and a

请记住 Podcast Plus 提供完整的剧集记录、测验和

space for you to practice your English.

供您练习英语的空间。

So click on the link below to learn more.

因此，请点击下面的链接了解更多信息。

And of course, please subscribe for more fun lessons like this.

当然，请订阅更多这样有趣的课程。

I'll see you in the next video.

我们将在下一个视频中见到您。