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The Patient Cat and the City's Secret
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High Beginner (A1 High) Academic CEFR A1

The Patient Cat and the City's Secret

Tom is a small gray cat. He lives in a big city. Tom loves to watch the people and the cars. One day, he sees a bird with a shiny key. The bird drops the key into a small hole.Tom wants the key. He tr...

Duration

5 min read

Length

114 words

Story

3 paragraphs

Story Excerpt

Sample preview reading passage

Paragraphs 1–2 of 3

Tom is a small gray cat. He lives in a big city. Tom loves to watch the people and the cars. One day, he sees a bird with a shiny key. The bird drops the key into a small hole.

Tom wants the key. He tries to get it, but the hole is too small. Tom waits and watches. He sees a rat come out of the hole. The rat has the key in its mouth. Tom stays very still. He does not move. He waits for a long time.

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Educational Objectives

Story Details

Grammar focus and learning objectives covered in this story.

Grammar Level

A1 · Present Simple, prepositions of place, negatives

Learning Outcomes

  • read and understand a short A1 story about a cat and a key
  • use the present simple with he, she, and it correctly
  • recognise and use prepositions of place like in, into, and out of
  • form negative sentences with does not and a base verb
  • answer simple questions about the story's events and characters

Grammar Focus

Present Simple: subject + verb(-s)

Use the present simple to talk about facts and things that happen regularly. Add -s to the verb with he, she, or it.

“ Tom is a small gray cat.
Tip: Remember to add -s to the verb when the subject is he, she, or it.
Prepositions of place: in, into, out of, to

Use these words to show where someone or something is or moves. 'In' shows a position inside, 'into' shows movement inside, 'out of' shows movement from inside to outside, and 'to' shows direction.

“ The bird drops the key into a small hole.
Tip: Use 'into' for movement going inside and 'in' for a position that is already inside.
Present Simple negative: subject + does not + verb

Use 'does not' (or 'doesn't') before the verb to say that someone does not do something. The main verb stays in its base form.

“ He does not move.
Tip: After 'does not', never add -s to the main verb: say 'does not move', not 'does not moves'.

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