Lost in translation: Easy English Story (Level 4) with Audio

Level 4 Story 7 of 16 · 218 words · upper intermediate (B2)

Key words

toolbox meeting a short safety and planning meeting at the start of a shift
knock off finish (also: finish work for the day)
sparkies electricians
goes over my head is too difficult for me to understand
run something by someone explain something to someone

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Retell the story in your own words in 4 or 5 sentences. Say it out loud, or write it down. Then read the story again and check what you missed.

Lost in translation

Graded story, level 4 · englishcoaching.co

1. Vocabulary: write the meaning

toolbox meeting: ________________________
knock off: ________________________
sparkies: ________________________
goes over my head: ________________________
run something by someone: ________________________

2. Questions

What does 'sparkies' mean?
☐ Plumbers ☐ Electricians ☐ Carpenters
What did Thanh decide to do after his mistake?
☐ Say nothing ☐ Talk to the foreman ☐ Quit
How did the foreman react?
☐ He was angry ☐ He laughed warmly and agreed ☐ He ignored him
What was the most valuable phrase, according to Thanh?
☐ She'll be right ☐ Sorry, can you run that by me again? ☐ Righto

3. Talk or write about it

Retell the story in 4 or 5 sentences.

Transcript

During his first week as a site engineer in Brisbane, Thanh realised that his university English hadn't prepared him for the conversations on site.

At the morning toolbox meeting, the foreman ran through the day's jobs at remarkable speed. "Righto, we'll knock off the formwork on level two before smoko, then the sparkies are in this arvo, so keep the walkways clear."

Thanh nodded as if he understood, but he had caught perhaps half of it. Later, he made a mistake that cost the team an hour: he hadn't realised that 'sparkies' meant electricians.

Embarrassed, he considered saying nothing. Instead, he approached the foreman at lunch. "Mate, can I ask you something? Some of the slang goes straight over my head. Would you mind slowing down a bit in the meetings?"

To his surprise, the foreman laughed warmly. "Course! Half the young blokes don't know what I'm on about either. Just stop me when I lose you."

From then on, Thanh kept a list in his phone: tradie terms, shortened words and phrases like 'she'll be right'. Within a couple of months, he was the one explaining them to new arrivals.

Looking back, he says the most valuable phrase he learned that year wasn't technical at all. It was simply: "Sorry, can you run that by me again?"

Answers: 1. Electricians · 2. Talk to the foreman · 3. He laughed warmly and agreed · 4. Sorry, can you run that by me again?

Frequently asked questions

What level is the story 'Lost in translation'?

Level 4, upper intermediate (B2). It has 218 words, with audio, key words and a quiz.

Can I listen to this English story?

Yes. Press Play and each sentence is read aloud and highlighted, so you can read and listen at the same time. Choose Slow speed if you're a beginner.

Which words will I learn?

toolbox meeting, knock off, sparkies, goes over my head, run something by someone.