The books in the series "Reading for English Learners" are intended for people who already have a good knowledge of English but want to improve its practical use and also learn new words through texts that are interesting to read but written in relatively simple and commonly used English.
"60 Stories About Life" are 60 interesting stories based on real facts, told in the first person by both women and men; that is; seen from their point of view.
Table of Contents
- 1. Together for Better or for Worse
- 2. Sad Spring
- 3. New Family
- 4. The River of No Return
- 5. Unwanted Marriage
- 6. It’s All About Roses
- 7. Dangerous Love
- 8. A Mysterious Neighbour
- 9. Dinner with a Stranger
- 10. The Selection
- 11. True Liberation
- 12. The Price of Being Single
- 13. The Betrayal
- 14. Broken Oath
- 15. Failed Experiment
- 16. Backup Option
- 17. The Will
- 18. Bitter Taste of a Victory
- 19. An Uncomfortable Chair
- 20. On the Path Again
- 21. Natural Beauty
- 22. A Nasty E-mail
- 23. The Tenth Anniversary
- 24. Painful Revenge
- 25. Unexpected Confession
- 26. The Case of no Significance
- 27. Winter Holiday
- 28. The Evidence of Betrayal
- 29. Too Late
- 30. The Disappointment
- 31. The Moment of Satisfaction
- 32. Mutual Respect
- 33. A Man Without Future
- 34. There Is Only One Path
- 35. The Truth Will Come Out Anyway
- 36. Successful Date
- 37. The Same Husband
- 38. Lost Chance
- 39. Unexpected Situation
- 40. True Love
- 41. I Won
- 42. Difficult Period
- 43. Pre-Wedding Stress
- 44. Forbidden Affair
- 45. Finding Myself
- 46. Ready for New Challenges
- 47. New Standards
- 48. The Man of my Life
- 49. And I Tried So Hard!
- 50. I Can Do It Myself
- 51. The Heart Is Not a Servant
- 52. What Will the Future Bring?
- 53. Internal Conflict
- 54. The Best Revenge
- 55. How to Save Man’s Pride
- 56. Inner Peace
- 57. A Plan for the Future
- 58. Nothing Happened
- 59. I Am with Him Because I Want to
- 60. Trust Takes Years to Build
Objective & Themes
This book, "60 Stories About Life," is designed to assist English learners in improving their practical language usage and expanding their vocabulary. It presents 60 engaging, first-person stories based on real-life facts, narrated from diverse points of view, with the aim of making the learning process both interesting and effective.
- Real-life stories and experiences
- Personal perspectives and emotional journeys
- Relationship dynamics (love, betrayal, marriage, divorce)
- Self-discovery and personal growth
- Overcoming life's challenges
- Practical English language acquisition
Excerpt from the Book
1. TOGETHER FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
However, I was worried that something had started to change recently. Several times, quite a large amount of money used to disappear from the bank account, but Stephen reassured me that these were only temporary problems. Although I tried to trust, but my inner anxiety [la mia ansia interiore] did not give me composure [compostezza]. I felt that something was wrong.
The kitchen was our favourite place to talk. It was always full of the smell of freshly brewed coffee [l'odore del caffè appena fatto], with warm light coming in through the window. I was sitting at the table, nervously tapping my fingers on the counter [tamburellando nervosamente con le dita sul bancone], when Stephen entered the room with a cup in his hand. ‘Maddie, is something wrong?’ he asked, noticing my tense posture [la mia postura tesa]. ‘You know what,’ I replied, trying to control the trembling [il tremore] in my voice. ‘What’s happening with our money? It’s disappearing from our bank account, and I don’t even know why.’ ‘It’s nothing serious, really. Just a temporary [temporaneo] problem,’ he began to explain, stirring his coffee [cominciò a spiegare, mescolando il caffè]. ‘Temporary?!’ I interrupted, feeling my frustration growing. ‘How many times have I heard that? What’s really going on?’ I could see a hint of concern [un accenno di preoccupazione] in his eyes, but his face remained calm. ‘I promise everything will be okay. It’s just … things have gotten a little complicated,’ he tried to reassure me [ha cercato di rassicurarmi], but his words rang hollow [risuonavano vuote]. He was hiding [Stava nascondendo] something. I could feel that he wasn’t telling me something, that he was hiding the truth from me that could change everything. And although I tried to believe him, my inner voice told me otherwise. Could I really trust his assurances [fidarmi delle sue rassicurazioni]? Two days later, a letter arrived from the bank. My heart was beating fast, and my eyes were scanning the lines of text that made me increasingly worried. Arrears [Arretrati]? Credit? We didn't take out any credit! I could feel the anger starting to fill me. ‘Stephen!’ I shouted, not hiding the growing irritation in my voice. My husband entered the room and I waved the letter at him. ‘What's that supposed to mean? Why are we in arrears and have a credit that I don't know anything about?' He looked at me for a moment, his face a mixture of surprise and concern. ‘It’s not what you think. I can explain everything,’ he tried to explain, but his words brought me no comfort. ‘Explain it to me now!’ I shouted, feeling that I could no longer bear [non potevo più sopportarlo] this uncertainty. ‘You’re hiding something from me, and I want to know what’s going on.’ He didn’t answer immediately, and that only increased my frustration and distrust [ciò non fece che aumentare la mia frustrazione e sfiducia]. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff [sul bordo di una scogliera], not knowing what I would find at the bottom if I jumped. When Stephen left for work, I decided to act. I had to find out the truth. I searched through his files with growing anxiety [con crescente ansia], hoping in my heart that I wouldn’t find anything that would confirm my fears. Finally, I came across a stack of contracts and notes. My heart sank in my chest [sprofondò nel petto] when I saw that it was about a business loan. With shaking hands, I closed the file, my mind racing with thoughts. Was Stephen really risking our lives together so much? When he got home, I was waiting for him in the kitchen. ‘We need to talk,’ I said quietly but firmly. He looked at me with concern, knowing I had discovered something. ‘Is something wrong?’ he asked, although there was already a note of resignation in his voice. ‘I found some documents. A loan for a business that didn’t work out, right? Why didn’t you tell me?’ My questions were like bullets that wouldn’t let him escape. Stephen sighed, his shoulders slumping [sospirò, le sue spalle si abbassarono] as if he’d lost all his strength.
Summary of Chapters
1. Together for Better or for Worse: A wife discovers her husband's secret financial troubles and a hidden business loan, leading to a tense confrontation and forcing them to re-evaluate their marriage.
2. Sad Spring: A biology teacher, accustomed to a solitary and orderly life, finds her world subtly altered by unexpected feelings and a growing connection with a student's mother, challenging her established routines.
3. New Family: A woman's dream of motherhood is confronted by her husband's confession of having a child from a previous relationship, pushing her to reconcile with betrayal and potentially form a new, complex family unit.
4. The River of No Return: During spring cleaning, a woman uncovers evidence of her husband's affair on his old phone, leading to a calm but resolute confrontation that marks the irreversible end of their marriage.
5. Unwanted Marriage: Karl, pressured into marriage, finds himself increasingly unhappy and unfulfilled by constant expectations from his wife and mother, ultimately leading to the discovery of his wife's infidelity and a decision to pursue his true passions.
6. It’s All About Roses: A wife grows suspicious when roses, a flower her husband dislikes, appear in their garden, leading her to uncover his affair through his phone and confront him and his mistress, symbolizing the end of her marriage.
Keywords
Relationships, Betrayal, Marriage, Divorce, Personal Growth, Self-discovery, Communication, Trust, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Family, Conflict, Independence, Life Decisions, English Learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work essentially about?
This work, "60 Stories About Life," is a collection of 60 first-person narratives based on real-life experiences, designed to engage readers and enhance their English language skills.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas revolve around human relationships, including aspects of love, betrayal, marriage, divorce, personal growth, self-discovery, and the various challenges individuals face in their lives.
What is the primary goal or research question?
As a collection of stories for English learners, its primary goal is not a research question, but rather an educational and engaging objective: to improve readers' practical English language use and vocabulary through compelling, authentic narratives.
Which scientific method is used?
This book is a collection of personal stories and does not employ a scientific method. It focuses on narrative storytelling to explore human experiences and facilitate language learning.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part of the book consists of 60 individual, self-contained stories, each told from a first-person perspective, detailing various life events, emotional conflicts, and pivotal decisions faced by different characters.
What keywords characterize the work?
Key words characterizing the work include: Relationships, Betrayal, Marriage, Divorce, Personal Growth, Self-discovery, Communication, Trust, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Family, Conflict, Independence, Life Decisions, English Learning.
How does the book aim to improve English learners' skills?
The book intends to improve English learners' skills by providing interesting texts based on real facts, written in relatively simple and commonly used English, thereby enhancing practical language use and expanding vocabulary.
What format are the stories presented in?
All stories in "60 Stories About Life" are presented as first-person narratives, offering unique and intimate perspectives on the events described.
Are the stories in "60 Stories About Life" fictional or based on reality?
The stories are explicitly stated to be based on real facts, offering authentic insights into diverse human experiences and personal challenges.
What kind of emotional journey can readers expect from these stories?
Readers can expect a wide range of emotional journeys, exploring themes such as anxiety, frustration, love, heartbreak, guilt, hope, and determination, reflecting the complexities of real-life situations and the process of overcoming them.
- Citation du texte
- Jacek Gordon (Auteur), 2025, 60 Stories About Life. 60 storie sulla vita, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1661704
