Том Сториз Английский язык для школьников: рассказы и практика. Учимся понимать и говорить по-английски

A Group Project That Went Wrong

Group projects are supposed to teach teamwork, right? At least that’s what our teacher always says. But for me, they usually feel like a mix of confusion, stress, and last-minute panic. This time was no different, except that everything went wrong in a more interesting way than usual.

We were given a history project about ancient civilizations. The task sounded simple: work in groups, prepare a presentation, and present it in front of the class. Our group had four students, including me. At first, everyone seemed motivated. We even agreed to meet after school to plan everything properly.

During the first meeting, we sat together in the library. We talked about dividing tasks, and it seemed like a good plan. One person would research, another would make slides, someone else would prepare speaking notes, and I would combine everything. It sounded organized and fair.

But things started to change quickly.

The first problem was communication. One group member didn’t reply to messages. Another kept saying, «I’ll do it later,» but later never came. I tried to stay calm and remind everyone about deadlines, but it didn’t really help. Slowly, I realized that most of the work was falling on me.

A few days before the presentation, I asked everyone to send their parts. Only one person actually did it, and even that part was incomplete. I remember staring at my laptop late in the evening, thinking, «How is this going to work?»

So I started fixing everything myself. I rewrote the text, created the slides, and tried to make the presentation look at least acceptable. I didn’t feel angry at first, just stressed. But later, that stress turned into frustration because I felt like I was doing a group project alone.

On the day of the presentation, we stood in front of the class. I could feel my heart beating faster than usual. The slides were ready, but I wasn’t fully confident about the content because I had to put everything together so quickly.

When we started speaking, things didn’t go smoothly. One person forgot their part completely and just stood there silently. Another read directly from the screen without looking at the class. I tried to guide the presentation and keep it moving, but it felt awkward.

At some point, the teacher asked a question, and no one could answer properly. That was probably the most uncomfortable moment. I remember looking at the floor for a second, wishing the presentation would just end.

After class, we sat down and didn’t really say much. There was a strange silence. Finally, I said, «Next time, we need to plan better and actually work together.»

No one argued with that.

On my way home, I thought about what went wrong. It wasn’t just about laziness or bad planning. It was also about responsibility and communication. When people don’t take their part seriously, the whole group suffers.

Later, I realized something important. Even though the project was stressful, I learned how to manage situations when others don’t do their part. I also understood that sometimes you have to step up and take control, even if it’s not your job.

It wasn’t the presentation I wanted, but it definitely stayed in my memory longer than any successful project probably would.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

group project — групповой проект

teamwork — командная работа

to feel like a mix of something — чувствовать как смесь чего-то

to divide tasks — разделить задачи

to stay motivated — оставаться мотивированным

to work properly — работать нормально

to reply to messages — отвечать на сообщения

to remind someone about deadlines — напоминать о дедлайнах

to fall on someone — ложиться на кого-то (об обязанностях)

to fix something — исправить что-то

to feel stressed — чувствовать стресс

to feel frustrated — чувствовать раздражение

to work alone — работать одному

to stand in front of the class — стоять перед классом

to feel nervous — чувствовать нервозность

to go smoothly — проходить гладко

to forget a part — забыть часть

to guide the presentation — вести презентацию

an uncomfortable moment — неловкий момент

to stay silent — оставаться в тишине

to take control — взять контроль

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

At first, we planned to… — Сначала мы планировали…

Things started to go wrong when… — Всё начало идти не так, когда…

I tried to stay calm but… — Я пытался сохранять спокойствие, но…

Most of the work fell on me — Большая часть работы легла на меня

I ended up doing… — В итоге я сделал…

It felt like I was… — Казалось, что я…

No one managed to… — Никто не смог…

I realized that… — Я понял, что…

Next time, we should… — В следующий раз нам нужно…

It was difficult to… — Было трудно…

Now think about your own experience:

1. Have you ever worked on a group project? How was it?

Yes, I have. Sometimes it goes well, but other times it is difficult when people don’t do their part. I usually try to organize the work to avoid problems.

2. What is the biggest problem in group work?

The biggest problem is communication. For example, when people don’t reply or don’t finish tasks on time, the whole project becomes stressful.

3. Do you prefer working alone or in a group? Why?

I prefer a mix of both. Group work is good for ideas, but I like working alone because I can control the result better.

4. What do you do when someone doesn’t do their part?

I usually remind them politely first. If nothing changes, I try to adjust the plan so the work is still finished.

5. How can group work be improved?

It can be improved with clear planning and deadlines. Also, regular communication helps everyone stay responsible.

6. Why do teachers give group projects?

Teachers give them to develop teamwork and communication skills. It helps students learn how to work with different people.

Complete the sentences:

Our group project was about ancient ______.

We decided to divide ______ between group members.

One student didn’t reply to ______.

I had to fix everything at the last ______.

The presentation did not go ______ smoothly.

The Secret Behind the Locker

It started as a completely ordinary school day. Nothing felt unusual. The corridors were noisy as always, students were rushing to classes, and lockers were opening and closing with loud metallic sounds. I was just thinking about my next lesson when something small caught my attention.

Near the end of the corridor, there was a locker that everyone seemed to avoid. It wasn’t broken or strange at first glance, but there was something about it that made people walk past it quickly. I had noticed it before, but that day I stopped for a moment longer than usual.

There was a small piece of paper taped to the locker door. It was old and slightly torn, and I couldn’t read everything at first. But one word was clear: «Do not open.»

That should have been enough to ignore it and move on. But curiosity is a strange thing. The more you try not to think about something, the more it stays in your mind. I kept wondering why someone would put a message like that on a school locker.

During the break, I told my friend about it. She laughed and said it was probably just a joke from older students. «People do that all the time,» she said. But her answer didn’t fully convince me. If it was a joke, why did it feel so serious?

After school, I went back to the corridor. It was almost empty, and everything felt quieter than during the day. The locker was still there, standing between two others like nothing was wrong. I looked around, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly reached for the handle.

My heart started beating faster.

For a second, I thought about stopping. It would have been easier to just walk away and forget everything. But I opened it anyway.

Inside, there was nothing dangerous or dramatic. Just a few old notebooks, some pens, and a small photo stuck to the back wall of the locker. The photo showed a group of students standing together, smiling, clearly from many years ago.

On the back of the photo, there was a message written in faded ink: «This locker belonged to our group. Don’t forget us.»

At that moment, everything became clearer. It wasn’t a warning. It was a memory. Someone had used the locker as a small time capsule, leaving something behind before graduating.

I stood there for a while, holding the photo, thinking about the students in the picture. They looked happy, like they had no idea that one day they would leave this place and become just a memory in a hallway.

Later, I showed it to my friend. She looked surprised and said, «So that’s it? No mystery, just old memories?»

I nodded. «Sometimes that’s what secrets are,» I said.

We decided to put the photo back exactly where we found it and leave the locker as it was. It felt wrong to take it away, like we were interrupting something that belonged to someone else’s story.

On the way home, I kept thinking about how easily we walk past things without noticing their meaning. A simple locker, a small note, an old photo — all of it can look ordinary until you stop long enough to pay attention.

And I realized that not every mystery needs to be solved in a dramatic way. Some of them are just quiet reminders of people who were once here, living their own school days, just like us.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

ordinary school day — обычный школьный день

to catch someone’s attention — привлечь внимание

to walk past something — проходить мимо чего-то

a piece of paper — листок бумаги

to be taped to something — быть приклеенным к чему-то

to ignore something — игнорировать что-то

to stay in your mind — оставаться в мыслях

to tell someone about something — рассказать кому-то о чём-то

to convince someone — убедить кого-то

to go back to a place — вернуться в место

to hesitate for a moment — на мгновение сомневаться

to reach for something — потянуться к чему-то

to feel your heart beating faster — чувствовать учащённое сердцебиение

to walk away — уйти

to open something anyway — всё равно открыть что-то

a faded message — выцветшее сообщение

a group of students — группа учеников

to stand there for a while — постоять там некоторое время

to become clearer — стать яснее

a time capsule — капсула времени

to leave something behind — оставить что-то после себя

to pay attention — обращать внимание

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

It started as… — Это началось как…

At first, I thought… — Сначала я думал…

I couldn’t understand why… — Я не мог понять, почему…

I decided to… — Я решил…

I hesitated because… — Я сомневался, потому что…

It turned out that… — Оказалось, что…

I realized that… — Я понял, что…

I stood there thinking… — Я стоял там, думая…

We decided to… — Мы решили…

It felt like… — Казалось, что…

Now think about your own experience:

1. Have you ever found something mysterious or interesting at school?

Yes, I have. Sometimes small things in school, like notes or old objects, make me curious. I usually try to find out the story behind them.

2. What would you do if you found a «Do not open» note?

At first, I would probably hesitate. But my curiosity might make me check it, especially if it seemed important or unusual.

3. Do you think curiosity is a good or bad thing? Why?

I think it is mostly good because it helps us learn and discover new things. However, sometimes it can lead to unnecessary risks.

4. What kinds of things make you curious?

I become curious when I see something unusual or unclear. For example, strange notes or hidden messages always make me want to know more.

5. How do you feel about old memories or photos?

I think they are interesting because they show real moments from the past. They help us understand how life was before.

6. Why do people leave messages or memories behind?

People do it to remember important moments or share something with others in the future. It is a way of keeping memories alive.

Complete the sentences:

The locker had a small piece of paper ______ to the door.

The message said «Do not ______ it.»

I felt my heart beating ______ when I reached for the handle.

Inside the locker, I found an old group ______.

It turned out to be a quiet ______ from the past.

When I Missed an Important Test

It was one of those weeks when everything feels slightly out of control. I had several assignments, sports practice after school, and a long list of things I kept telling myself I would do «later.» The problem was that later kept turning into never.

On Tuesday, our teacher announced an important math test. It wasn’t a surprise test, but it was serious enough to affect our final grade. I remember writing the date in my notebook and thinking, «I have enough time to prepare.» That thought, as I later realized, was the beginning of my mistake.

At first, I studied a little. I opened my textbook, looked through a few exercises, and solved one or two problems. Then I got distracted. I checked my phone for «just a minute,» which somehow turned into half an hour. After that, I told myself I would study properly the next day.

But the next day was the same. And the day after that, I was busy again. Slowly, I stopped thinking about the test altogether.

The evening before the test, I finally sat at my desk. I opened my notebook and felt a strange mix of stress and panic. There was too much to learn, and not enough time left. I tried to focus, but my mind kept jumping from one topic to another. I stayed up late, hoping I could somehow catch up, but it didn’t really work.

In the morning, I felt tired and unprepared. Still, I went to school, telling myself that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

When I arrived in the classroom, I noticed something strange. My classmates were calm, talking quietly, revising notes, and organizing their pens. I suddenly realized they had actually prepared properly. That made me even more nervous.

Then the teacher entered and said, «Take out everything from your desks. The test is starting.»

My heart sank.

I looked at the paper in front of me. Some questions looked familiar, but others felt completely unclear. I tried to remember what I had studied the night before, but my mind was blank. Time passed quickly, and I kept moving from one question to another without feeling confident about any of them.

When the test ended, I stayed in my seat for a second longer than everyone else. I didn’t want to stand up. I already knew it hadn’t gone well.

After class, I felt disappointed with myself. It wasn’t because the test was too difficult, but because I hadn’t prepared properly. I kept thinking about all the moments when I could have studied but chose not to.

Later that day, I talked to my teacher and honestly told her what happened. She didn’t look surprised. Instead, she said something simple: «You still have time to improve. One test doesn’t define you, but your habits do.»

That sentence stayed in my mind.

On the way home, I decided I needed to change how I manage my time. Not in a dramatic way, but in small, realistic steps. I started thinking about planning my study sessions earlier, avoiding distractions, and being more responsible with deadlines.

The test itself was over, but the lesson from that day stayed with me much longer than any score ever could.

Here are some useful expressions you might have noticed:

to feel out of control — чувствовать, что всё выходит из-под контроля

to keep telling myself — постоянно говорить себе

to turn into never — превращаться в «никогда»

to affect the final grade — влиять на итоговую оценку

to write something in a notebook — записывать в тетрадь

to realize a mistake — осознать ошибку

to get distracted — отвлекаться

to check your phone — проверять телефон

to study properly — нормально/как следует учиться

to stop thinking about something — перестать думать о чём-то

a mix of stress and panic — смесь стресса и паники

to catch up — наверстать

to stay up late — поздно ложиться спать

to feel unprepared — чувствовать себя неподготовленным

to revise notes — повторять записи

to take out everything from the desk — убрать всё со стола

to feel your heart sink — почувствовать, как сердце упало

to look familiar — казаться знакомым

to stay in your seat — оставаться на месте

to feel disappointed — чувствовать разочарование

to manage your time — управлять временем

to define you — определять тебя как личность

You can use patterns like these in your own speech:

I kept telling myself that… — Я постоянно говорил себе, что…

I thought I had enough time to… — Я думал, что у меня достаточно времени, чтобы…

I got distracted by… — Я отвлёкся на…

I decided to study later, but… — Я решил учиться позже, но…

It turned out that… — Оказалось, что…

I felt nervous when… — Я чувствовал себя нервно, когда…

I realized that I should have… — Я понял, что мне следовало…

I tried to focus, but… — Я пытался сосредоточиться, но…

The problem was that… — Проблема была в том, что…

I need to change the way I… — Мне нужно изменить то, как я…

Now think about your own experience:

1. Have you ever missed an important test or deadline?

Yes, it has happened before. Usually it is because I didn’t manage my time properly or I left preparation for the last moment. After that, I try to plan better.

2. How do you usually prepare for tests?

I try to start preparing a few days in advance. I review notes and solve practice tasks to feel more confident.