The Lost Phone
Vocabulary
Read each word out loud.
retrace
/ɹɪˈtɹeɪs/
verb
to go back over something with attention
Example:
After I retraced my steps, I found my wallet on the floor in my bedroom.
playground
/ˈpleɪˌɡɹaʊnd/
noun
an area at a park or outside of a school where children play
Example:
I loved going to the playground and sliding down the slides as a child.
hopeless
/ˈhoʊplɪs/
adjective
a sad feeling when a person lacks hope
Example:
I am starting to feel hopeless after failing my test three times.
give up
/ˈɡɪvˌʌp/
phrasal verb
to stop trying to do something
Example:
I wanted to collect every Pokémon card ever made, but I gave up after I found out how expensive some are.
bench
/bɛntʃ/
noun
a long narrow seat for many people to share, often found in public places
Example:
The park near me has benches by the lake so you can relax and watch the birds.
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Story
Read the story out loud or play the audio and follow along.
Audio generated by AI
The Lost Phone
One Saturday afternoon, I was walking in the park and listening to music on my phone. It was a warm, sunny day, and many people were out. After about an hour, I decided to sit on a bench and rest. I took out a book from my bag and started reading.
When I got up to leave, I felt something was missing. I reached into my pocket and I noticed that my phone was gone! I checked my bag, the ground, and the bench, but it wasn’t there. I must have dropped it or left it somewhere during my walk.
I started retracing my steps, looking everywhere I had been. I asked a few people if they had seen a phone, but no one had. I was starting to feel hopeless. My phone had all my photos, contacts, and work messages.
Just as I was about to give up, a young girl came running toward me with a phone in her hand. “Is this yours?” she asked. It was mine! She had found it near the playground. I was so thankful and promised to be more careful in the future.
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Conversation Practice
Working with a tutor? Try asking or answering these questions out loud with them.
Working alone? Try speaking your answers out loud or write them in the lesson discussion below.
1. Have you ever lost your phone before? What happened?
2. How will you try to look for something before you give up?
3. Did you play on the playground a lot as a child?
4. Do you enjoy spending time at the park?
5. What is the most important thing on your phone? How would you feel if you lost it?
6. A young girl found the phone and returned it. Have you ever found something that belonged to someone else? What did you do?
7. The writer felt hopeless before the phone was returned. What do you do to stay positive when things go wrong?
Written by:
Thomas
Lesson updated:
October 14, 2026