Рассказы для изучения английского языка

Чтение коротких рассказов на английском – один из самых эффективных методов изучения языка. Интересные истории на английском языке с переводом помогают расширить словарный запас и улучшить грамматику. Кроме того, это лучшая практика для тренировки изученных слов и закрепления правил.

Вот какую пользу дает чтение рассказов и историй на английском:

• чтение историй на английском расширяет словарный запас, позволяет понять специфику употребления многих идиом, разговорных оборотов, художественных приемов;
• во время работы с историями на английском развивается умение понимать главную идею написанного;
• чтение историй на английском языке позволяет увидеть практическое применение грамматических структур;
• при чтении историй на английском у читателя появляется возможность научиться понимать оценить стиль автора.

Читая истории на английском можно значительно повысить мотивацию к изучению: понимание текста на иностранном языке вдохновляет на дальнейшее обучение. Изучая английский, истории полезно читать для проверки своих знаний и умения понимать и интерпретировать иноязычную речь.

Методика работы с историями

Выбранную историю первый раз нужно прочитать бегло: попытаться понять общую идею прочитанного, не стремиться понять каждое слово;
во время чтения истории на английском во второй раз обратить внимание на интересные слова и структуры, употребление грамматики;
интересные фразы и слова из истории можно выписывать в отдельную тетрадь для того, чтобы в дальнейшем иметь возможность возвращаться к ним.

Если вы испытываете трудности с пониманием прочитанного или не понимаете большую часть, то скорее всего вам не хватает теоретических знаний. В таком случаем рекомендуем подтянуть ваш уровень пройдя бесплатный курс английского с нуля до разговорного уровня для занятых.

Для начинающих подходят истории на английском с простым сюжетом и несложными грамматическими конструкциями. Это могут быть истории-сказки, шуточные истории, простые сюжеты и рассказы о животных, детях, путешествиях. Мы подготовили для вас короткие, но интересные истории на английском языке с переводом. Но перевод находится под хайдом, чтобы вы не подглядывали во время чтения. Постарайтесь самостоятельно понять о чем история, и только потом открывать перевод.

A Good Lesson (Хороший урок)

Once a rich Englishwoman called Mrs Johnson decided to have a birthday party. She invited a lot of guests and a singer. The singer was poor, but he had a very good voice.
The singer got to Mrs Johnson’s house at exactly six o’clock as he had been asked to do, but when he went in, he saw through a door that the dining-room was already full of guests, who were sitting round a big table in the middle of the room. The guests were eating, joking, laughing, and talking loudly. Mrs Johnson came out to him, and he thought she was going to ask him to join them, when she said, «We’re glad, sir, that you have come. You will be singing after dinner, I’ll call you as soon as we’re ready to listen to you. Now will you go into the kitchen and have dinner, too, please?»

The singer was very angry, but said nothing. At first he wanted to leave Mrs Johnson’s house at once, but then he changed his mind and decided to stay and teach her and her rich guests a good lesson. When the singer went into the kitchen, the servants were having dinner, too. He joined them. After dinner, the singer thanked everybody and said, «Well, now I’m going to sing to you, my good friends.» And he sang them some beautiful songs.
Soon Mrs Johnson called the singer.
«Well, sir, we’re ready.»
«Ready?» asked the singer. «What are you ready for?»
«To listen to you,» said Mrs Johnson in an angry voice.
«Listen to me? But I have already sung, and I’m afraid I shan’t be able to sing any more tonight.»
«Where did you sing?»
«In the kitchen. I always sing for those I have dinner with.»

The Shoebox (Коробка от обуви)

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoebox in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoebox and took it to his wife’s bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two knitted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents.

‘When we were to be married,’ she said, ‘ my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and knit a doll.’

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

‘Honey,’ he said, ‘that explains the dolls, but what about all of this money?

Where did it come from?’

‘Oh,’ she said, ‘that’s the money I made from selling the dolls.’

Hit the Floor! (Мордой в пол!)

Jenny and Robert Slater were on holiday in America. They were young and it was their first time away from home in England. They had a car and visited many famous and interesting places.

‘I want to see New York,’ Jenny said one morning. ‘Let’s go there.’

‘Mmm, I don’t know, love. Everybody says New York’s a dangerous place and there are a lot of very strange people there,’ her husband answered.

‘We’ll be careful,’ said Jenny. ‘Then we won’t have any problems.’

So they arrived in New York early in the evening and found a hotel. Later they went out and drove round the streets. They didn’t have any problems. ‘See,’ Jenny said. ‘Nothing to be afraid of.’

They had dinner in a good restaurant and then went to a cinema. They arrived back at their hotel at midnight. Under the hotel was a garage so they drove into it and left the car. It was quite dark there and they couldn’t see very well.

‘Where’s the lift?’ Jenny asked.

‘Over there, I think, near the door,’ Robert answered. ‘Come on, let’s go. I don’t like this dark place.’

Suddenly they saw a very tall young man with a big black dog. They were nervous and walked past him as fast as they could to the lift. The door of the lift opened and Jenny and Robert got in. Before the doors closed the man and the dog jumped in – three people and one big black dog in the lift.

‘On the floor, Girl!’ the tall man said. Jenny and Robert were afraid now, so they quickly got down on the floor. When the lift stopped at the next floor, they stood up, gave the man all their money and got out fast.

‘That man was a robber! Perhaps he had a gun… It’s dangerous here!’ Robert said. ‘We’re going to leave New York now!’

‘Yes, you’re right.’ Jenny answered. ‘There are some dangerous people in New York.’

First thing next morning they took their room key to the desk and gave it to the woman.

‘There’s nothing to pay, Mr Slater,’ she said. ‘A tall young man with a nice dog came to the desk late last night and paid for your room. Oh, wait a minute – he left this for you, too.’ She gave Robert an envelope.

He opened it carefully and took out a letter. They read it together: ‘Here’s your money and I’m very sorry you were afraid in the lift last night. “Girl” is the name of my dog.’

Will’s experience at the airport (Случай с Уиллом в аэропорту)

After his return from Rome, Will couldn’t find his luggage in the airport baggage area. He went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that his bags hadn’t shown up on the carousel.

She smiled and told him not to worry because they were trained professionals and he was in good hands.

Then she asked Will, “Has your plane arrived yet?”

Fortune and the man (Фортуна и мужик)

One day a man was walking along the street. He carried an old bag in his hands. He was wondering why people who had so much money were never satisfied and always wanted more. “As to me,” he said, “if I had enough to eat, I should not ask for anything else.”Just at this moment Fortune came down the street. She heard the man and stopped.

“Listen,” she said, “I want to help you. Hold your bag, and I shall pour diamonds into it. But every diamond which falls on the ground will become dust. Do you understand?”

“Oh, yes, I understand,” said the man. He quickly opened his bag and stream of diamonds was poured into it. The bag began to grow heavy. “Is that enough?” asked Fortune. “Not yet.” The man’s hand’s began to tremble.

“You are the richest man in the world now.” Said Fortune.

“Just a few more, and a few more,” said the man. Another diamond was added and the bag slipped. All the diamonds fell on the ground and became dust.

Fortune disappeared, leaving the man in the street.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Сер Артур Конан Дойль)
Everyone has heard of Sherlock Holmes. Everyone has read stories about Sherlock Holmes at one time or another. Sherlock Holmes was a famous detective. Actually, he was the most famous detective of all times.The author of the Sherlock Holmes stories was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Once Sir Arthur arrived in Paris. He took a cab and asked the cabman to take him to the Ritz, the hotel where he was going to spend the night.The cabman brought him to the hotel. When he received the fare he said:
“Thank you very much, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
“How do you know who I am?” asked Sir Arthur. He was very much surprised.“Well, sir, I read in the newspaper yesterday that you were coming to Paris from the South of France. I also noticed that your hair was cut by a barber in the South of France. Your clothes and especialy your hat told me that you were English. I put all the information together and quessed that you were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”

“That is wonderful,” said Sir Arthur.
“You could recognize me though you knew very few facts.”

“Besides,” added the cabman. Your name is on both of your travelling bags. That also helped.”

So, the cabman played a good joke on Conan Doyle.

A present from the son (Подарок от сына)
Long ago there lived an old woman in England. She had a son who was a sailor. He went to different countries and always brought presents for his old mother.Once he went to China and brought some tea from that country.
At that time tea was very expensive and only rich people could buy and drink it. So the old woman was very happy to have such a nice present. But she didn’t know what to do with it as she had never bought tea before. She thought it was a vegetable. She told her friends about her son’s present and invited them to taste it with her. At last the day of the tea-party came. The woman called her guests to the dining-room and put a big dish of tea leaves on the table. The guests began to eat the leaves with salt just as they ate vegetables. Nobody liked it but didn’t tell the woman about it and continued to eat the leaves.Some tome later the sailor came into the room. When he saw that all the guests were eating leaves, he smiled.“What are you doing? Why are eating these leaves? Where is the tea?”
“Here it is, my son,” the old woman said.
“And where is the water in which you have boiled the leaves?” asked the man laughing.
“I threw it away, of course,” answered the woman.

Wrong car (Не та машина)

It happened about a year ago. Our family bought a new car, and parents decided to celebrate it all together in the cafe. We enjoyed great food, had a conversation and a lot of fun. Dad was happy and he told us many jokes, everybody laughed more and more. We played the fools and couldn’t stop.When it was time to go, Dad paid and left cafe to warm up the car, and Mom, her friend, my brother and I lingered in the cafe. When we went out, we realised that it was already dark outside — so we couldn’t see well. And the second thing we reailsed was the fact, that nobody can remember exactly, what our new car looks like! But Mom confidently went toward the black car, that was standing nearly. «Oh, Dad is waiting inside, it’s ours. Come on».
Just imagine: the company of four very noisy people, singing, talking loudly, laughing out, get into car. Mum turn to driver and exclaimed cheerfully: «Sasha, let’s go!»…The driver looked at us with eyes full of fear and cried out desperatly: «I am not Sasha, I am Egor!!! Who are you?!»Then we, absolutly confused and quiet, get in the right car, we told Dad about it. He couldn’t drive for 5 minutes becouse of laughing.

A Magic Ring (Волшебное кольцо)

Once upon a time there lived a young farmer. He worked very hard but was very poor. One day when he was far from home in the forest, an old woman looking like a peasant came up to him and said, «I know you work very hard, and all for nothing. I will give you a magic ring! It will make you rich, and your work won’t be in vain. When you turn the ring on your finger and say what you wish to have, you’ll have it at once! But there is only one wish in the ring, so think carefully before you wish.»

The astonished farmer took the ring given to him by the peasant woman, and went home. In evening he came to a big city. There he went to a merchant and showed him the magic ring. When the merchant heard the astonishing story, he thought of a plan. He invited the farmer to stay in his house for the night. At night he came up to the sleeping peasant, carefully took the ring off the man’s finger, and put on another ring, which looked exactly like the one he had taken off.

In the morning when the farmer had gone away, the merchant ran into his shop, shut the door, and said while turning the ring on his finger, «I wish to have a hundred thousand pieces of gold.» And down they came, on his head, shoulders, and arms, like a rain of gold! The frightened merchant tried to get out of the shop, but in vain. In a few minutes he was dead.

When the farmer returned home, he showed the ring to his wife. «Take a look at this ring,» he said. «It’s a magic ring! It will make us happy.”

The astonished woman could hardly say a word «Let’s try. Maybe the ring will bring us more land,» she said at last.

“We must be careful about our wish. Don’t forget there’s only one thing that we may ask for,» he explained. «Let’s better work hard for another year, and we’ll have more land.”

So they worked as hard as they could and got enough money to buy the land they wished to have.

Then the farmer’s wife thought of asking for a cow and a horse. They discussed the matter more than once.
“My good wife”, — said the farmer, — “we shall get a horse and a cow without the ring.”
They went on working hard for a whole year and again bought the things they wished to have.

«What happy people we are!» said the farmer.

“I don’t understand you,» answered his wife angrily. «There’s nothing in the world that we can’t have, and still we spend days and nights working as hard as before, because you don’t want to use your magic ring!”

Thirty, then forty years had gone by. The farmer and his wife had grown old. Their hair became as white as snow. They were happy and had everything they wanted. Their ring was still there. Although it was not a magic ring, it had made them happy. For you see, my dear friends, a poor thing in good hands is better than a fine thing in bad hands.

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Существует миф, что книги в оригинале могут читать только знатоки английского. Но сегодня ты убедишься, что даже новичок способен осилить литературное произведение и понять его смысл (особенно, если это адаптированные книги на английском языке для начинающих). К тому же, на Lingualeo ты всегда можешь нажать на незнакомое слово и увидеть его перевод.

Почему так важно читать книги на начальном уровне?

• Во-первых, чтение книг гарантирует более глубокое погружение в язык, чем тексты из учебников.
• Во-вторых, это огромный плюс к самооценке и мотивации, что очень важно для дальнейшего изучения языка.
• И, наконец, это одно из наиболее легких и интересных занятий, если подобрана подходящая литература.

Поэтому мы нашли для тебя лучшие адаптированные версии зарубежных произведений (просто переходи по ссылкам). Все книги переписаны профессиональными лингвистами и значительно сокращены: средний объем упрощенного варианта составляет примерно 10-20 страниц, что вполне реально прочитать за один вечер.

Мы расположили ссылки по возрастанию сложности и объема книги, следовательно, ты добьешься большего прогресса, если будешь изучать все последовательно.

Первые шаги: легкие книги на английском языке для начинающих

Marcel and the Shakespeare Letters by Stephen Rabley (beginner — 4 pages) История о дружбе двух смышленых мышей из Франции и Великобритании, обеспокоенных судьбой культурного наследия Шекспира. В этой книге часто используется прямая речь, значит, в будущем у тебя не будет проблем с разговорным английским.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (beginner — 7 pages) Трудно найти того, кто не слышал о захватывающих приключениях Тома Сойера. А читать о них в оригинале еще веселее. Лексика рассказа подойдет даже тем, кто «вчера» начал учить английский.

Robin Hood by Sally M. Stockton (elementary — 6 pages) Нестареющая повесть о храбром лучнике, который борется за справедливость. После прочтения книги можно посмотреть одну из многочисленных экранизаций.

Freckles by Andrew Mathews (elementary — 6 pages) Прекрасный рассказ о девушке-подростке Сьюзи, живущей в тени своей более привлекательной подруги Донны. Сьюзи ненавидит свои веснушки и считает, что они делают ее некрасивой. Узнай, чем закончится история, и изменится ли отношение Сьюзи к самой себе.

Ghost of Geenny Castle by John Escott (elementary — 8 pages) В нашей подборке нашлось место и для истории про призраков. У автора очень яркий стиль повествования, поэтому от рассказа сложно оторваться. Значит, ты запросто осилишь 8 страниц за один подход.

Также читайте: Первые шаги в английском: с чего начать изучение

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (elementary — 9 pages) Еще одно произведение Марка Твена в нашей подборке порадует тебя историей Гекльберри Финна. Отличный шанс вспомнить детство. Адаптированная версия этой детской книжки — настоящая находка для новичка!

Больше десяти страниц — успех! Простые книги на английском языке для начинающих

Jaws by Peter Benchley (elementary — 12 pages) Адаптированная версия знаменитых «Челюстей» — романа о большой белой акуле, атакующей отдыхающих курортного городка (бррр, ужас!). Из-за длинных распространенных предложений книга может показаться сложной для уровня elementary, но мы верим, что 12 страниц для тебя не проблема.

Hercules Serpents Shadows by Timothy Boggs (elementary — 13 pages) Если тебе нравятся мифы Древней Греции и рассказы про подвиги, то история Геркулеса попала в наш список специально для тебя. Приготовься пополнить свой словарный запас парой десятков эпичных слов.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (elementary — 13 pages) Замечательная возможность еще раз оказаться в Стране Чудес и узнать имена героев на английском языке. Книга читается очень быстро и легко — проверено на собственном опыте в начальной школе.

Call of the Wild by Jack London (elementary — 15 pages) Душещипательная история о жизни пса во времена золотой лихорадки. Книга заостряет внимание на отношении человека и животных. По-моему, это произведение одно из лучших в нашей подборке по сюжету и стилю написания.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green (elementary — 16 pages) Прекрасная возможность познакомиться с подвигами короля Артура и знаменитых рыцарей круглого стола. Добро пожаловать в эпоху английского Средневековья.

Для тех, кто настроен серьезно. Читаем книги на английском языке для начинающих

Woman in Black by Susan Hill (elementary — 17 pages) Мы решили добавить в нашу подборку что-то мистическое и устрашающее. Но сложность языка в этом рассказе тебя совсем не испугает.

Mary Poppins by Pamela Lyndon Travers (pre-intermediate — 18 pages) Все мы когда-то были знакомы с историей Мэри Поппинс. Совсем скоро ты сможешь похвастаться ее прочтением в оригинале (хоть и адаптированном).

Также читайте: Подборка книг для уровней upper-intermediate и advanced

Sherlock Holmes. The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (pre-intermediate — 19 pages) Вторая повесть Артура Конан Дойля, посвященная расследованиям Шерлока Холмса. В упрощенной версии произведения прекрасно сохранены красота повествования и таинственность этой детективной истории.

Persuasion by Jane Austen (pre-intermediate — 19 pages) «Доводы рассудка»  Джейн Остин — отличный пример классической британской литературы. Подойдет любителям красивых эпитетов и английских романов XVIII века.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (pre-intermediate — 51 pages) Роман «Север и Юг» описывает противостояние фабрикантов и аристократов во времена промышленной революции в Англии. Книга придется по душе не только поклонникам романтической классики в исполнении Джейн Остин, но и тем, кому нравятся исторические произведения.

Книги на английском с переводом для начинающих

Сохрани нашу подборку в закладки и приступай к чтению книжек. Тогда путь к уровню intermediate будет гораздо быстрее и интереснее. Еще больше книг для начинающих ты найдешь здесь: Growing Strong, или Книги для новичков 2.0

Кстати, рекомендуем тебе установить на телефон наше приложение. Так ты сможешь читать эти адаптированные книги на английском языке онлайн в любую свободную минуту.