Unit 10 — Reading a Short Story
Track E · Klasse 7 · Niveau E
Learning objectives Link to heading
- I can read a short story and identify setting, characters, mood, and at least one concrete detail that creates the mood.
- I can use adverbs of manner and direct speech to write a short narrative continuation.
- I can write 100 words of original story continuation that matches the source story’s tone.
Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading
- 3.2.1 Themen — short narratives in everyday settings.
- 3.2.3.2 Leseverstehen — short literary text.
- 3.2.3.5 Schreiben — narrative writing.
- 3.2.3.7 Wortschatz — adverbs of manner; sensory verbs.
- 3.2.4 Text- und Medienkompetenz — recognise the role of detail in creating mood.
Lead-in story Link to heading
Aisha read the first paragraph of a short story aloud in class. “What’s the mood?” Ms. Reyes asked. Ben said, “Sad.” Aisha said, “Quiet. It’s not the same thing.” Ms. Reyes nodded. “Find me one detail that makes it quiet, not sad.”
1. Activate Link to heading
Mood scan. On the slide there are three single sentences from three different short stories (no titles). For each one, write one mood word and one detail that gives the mood.
2. Input Link to heading
Reading text — The Last Bus Link to heading
Salim missed the last bus by two minutes. He could see the red tail-lights at the corner; then they were gone. The shelter smelled of rain. There was an old man in a coat that was too big, holding a paper cup. Salim sat on the cold metal bench and stared at his shoes. “First time?” the old man said. “First time what?” “First time you missed the last bus.” Salim almost laughed. “Yes.” The old man nodded. “Sit. Walk later. The walk is always longer than you think, and a little better than you remember.”
Quick reading check (oral):
- Where is Salim?
- Who is the second character?
- What is the mood, and which detail creates it?
Language focus — adverbs of manner Link to heading
Adverbs of manner usually come after the verb and tell us how something is done.
| Adjective | Adverb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| quiet | quietly | He spoke quietly. |
| slow | slowly | She walked slowly. |
| happy | happily | They laughed happily. |
| easy | easily | He found it easily. |
| good | well | She did it well. (irregular) |
| fast | fast | He ran fast. (no -ly) |
Spelling: happy → happily (y → ily), true → truly, possible → possibly.
Language focus — direct speech vs. reported speech Link to heading
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| “First time?” he said. | He asked if it was the first time. |
| “Yes,” she answered. | She answered yes / She answered that it was. |
| “Sit.” | He told him to sit. |
Vocabulary cluster — story bones Link to heading
| Element | Words |
|---|---|
| setting | place, time, weather, mood |
| character | protagonist, narrator, stranger |
| plot | event, problem, turning point, resolution |
| mood | quiet, tense, hopeful, melancholy, warm |
| technique | detail, dialogue, sensory image, repetition |
3. Practise Link to heading
Niveau G — controlled Link to heading
A. Build the adverb.
- happy → ___ , 2. slow → ___ , 3. quiet → ___ , 4. good → ___.
B. Match the mood word to the detail.
| Detail | Mood |
|---|---|
| 1. cold metal bench, smell of rain | a. warm |
| 2. orange light, smell of bread, small laughter | b. quiet, lonely |
| 3. fast steps, slammed door, no greeting | c. tense |
Niveau M — productive Link to heading
C. Direct → reported. Rewrite.
- “Walk later,” he said. → He told the boy ___ .
- “Is this your first time?” she asked. → She asked ___ .
- “Sit down here,” the woman said. → The woman told us ___ .
D. Continue the sentence with a sensory detail.
- The shelter was empty except for ___ .
- He could hear ___ .
- The cup in the old man’s hand smelled of ___ .
4. Produce Link to heading
Writing task — Salim’s Walk. Write 100–120 words continuing The Last Bus. What does Salim do next? Where does he go? Whom does he meet, see, hear, or remember? Stay in past simple. Use:
- at least one adverb of manner,
- at least one short line of direct speech,
- one sensory detail.
Sample student response (Niveau M, 118 words) Link to heading
Salim said goodbye to the old man and started walking slowly along the street. The rain had stopped, but the pavement was still wet and shining under the orange streetlights. He passed a bakery where someone was already baking bread for the morning — the smell was warm and round, like a friend who had stayed up to wait. “Hello,” he said quietly to the dark window, just to hear his own voice. By the time he reached his street, his shoes were soaked and his fingers were cold, but the walk had felt like a small, quiet film. The old man, he thought, had been right.
5. Reflect Link to heading
- I can identify setting, characters, and mood in a short story.
- I can use adverbs of manner correctly.
- I can write a 100-word continuation that matches the source story’s tone.
One sentence in your notebook: What is one mood I want my next written piece to have, and which detail will give it that mood?
Exam example Link to heading
Time. 45 minutes.
Total. 60 points.
Task 1 — Reading (20 BE) Link to heading
Read the short story The Last Bus.
Salim missed the last bus by two minutes. He could see the red tail-lights at the corner; then they were gone. The shelter smelled of rain. There was an old man in a coat that was too big, holding a paper cup. Salim sat on the cold metal bench and stared at his shoes. “First time?” the old man said. “First time what?” “First time you missed the last bus.” Salim almost laughed. “Yes.” The old man nodded. “Sit. Walk later. The walk is always longer than you think, and a little better than you remember.”
- Why is Salim at the bus stop alone? (3)
- What is the weather like? (2)
- Who is the other person at the stop, and what does he hold? (3)
- What does the old man’s last sentence mean — what kind of advice is it? (6)
- Find one detail in the story that creates the mood. Explain in one sentence why it works. (6)
Task 2 — Use of English (10 BE) Link to heading
A. Adverbs of manner (5 BE). Build the adverb from the adjective.
- quiet → ___
- slow → ___
- happy → ___
- good → ___
- easy → ___
B. Direct → reported speech (5 BE). Rewrite.
- “First time?” the old man said. → The old man asked ___ .
- “Yes,” Salim answered. → Salim answered ___ .
- “Sit,” the old man said. → The old man told Salim ___ .
Task 3 — Mediation (10 BE) Link to heading
Your German cousin sends you the start of a German short story:
“Lena verpasste den letzten Bus um zwei Minuten. Sie sah die roten Rücklichter um die Ecke verschwinden. Es regnete leise auf das Dach des Wartehäuschens.”
Write three sentences in English for an English-speaking friend who reads stories: tell them what happens at the start and what mood the writer creates.
Task 4 — Writing (20 BE) Link to heading
Write 100–120 words continuing The Last Bus. What does Salim do next? Stay in past simple. Use:
- at least one adverb of manner (quietly, slowly, calmly),
- at least one short line of direct speech,
- one sensory detail (something Salim hears, smells, or feels).
Downloads Link to heading
- Title + Lead-in (4 min). Aisha vs. Ben — quiet is not the same as sad. Open with that distinction.
- Activate (5 min). Three-sentence mood scan.
- Input (15 min). Read The Last Bus twice — once fast, once slowly with marking-pencil. Adverb table; direct/reported speech mini-lesson.
- Practise (8 min). Niveau split.
- Produce (10 min). Silent writing. Strong-mover circulate.
- Reflect (3 min).
Differentiation — support (below Niveau E).
Use these starters to build your continuation of The Last Bus. Finish each line, then join them into one paragraph in past simple:
- Salim stood up slowly and started to walk toward ___ .
- The night air smelled of ___ , and he could hear ___ .
- He said ___ quietly to himself, just to feel less alone.
- By the time he got home, he ___ , but he thought the old man had been right.
Extension (above Niveau E / Oberstufe).
Write a two-paragraph continuation in which the mood shifts from quiet loneliness to guarded hope without ever naming a feeling — carry the change entirely through sensory detail, sentence rhythm, and one loaded line of dialogue. Then add a short analytical note (3–4 sentences) explaining which single detail does the most work and why, comparing your technique to how the source story uses the “coat that was too big” to suggest character before any emotion is stated.
Common pitfalls Link to heading
- He spoke quiet → ✗ / He spoke quietly → ✓.
- He went home fastly → ✗ / He went home fast → ✓ (irregular).
- She said me → ✗ / She told me OR She said to me → ✓.
- L1 transfer: German leise / langsam easily slip into English without -ly.
Further reading / listening Link to heading
- Project Gutenberg — Short Story collections by Saki, O. Henry, Katherine Mansfield. https://www.gutenberg.org
- BBC Learning English — English in a Minute: Adverbs of manner. https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
- The New Yorker — short fiction archive (selected stories at Klasse 9+ level for keen readers). https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/fiction
Downloads
Listen
The vocabulary, dialogues and reading texts of this unit as audio, spoken by a native voice. The spoken text is shown beneath each clip.
Show text
Salim missed the last bus by two minutes. He could see the red
tail-lights at the corner; then they were gone. The shelter
smelled of rain. There was an old man in a coat that was too
big, holding a paper cup. Salim sat on the cold metal bench and
stared at his shoes. "First time?" the old man said. "First
time what?" "First time you missed the last bus." Salim almost
laughed. "Yes." The old man nodded. "Sit. Walk later. The walk
is always longer than you think, and a little better than you
remember."
Show text
quiet · slow · happy · easy · good · fast
Show text
setting · character · plot · mood · technique
Show text
Salim said goodbye to the old man and started walking slowly
along the street. The rain had stopped, but the pavement was
still wet and shining under the orange streetlights. He passed
a bakery where someone was already baking bread for the morning
— the smell was warm and round, like a friend who had stayed
up to wait. "Hello," he said quietly to the dark window, just
to hear his own voice. By the time he reached his street, his
shoes were soaked and his fingers were cold, but the walk had
felt like a small, quiet film. The old man, he thought, had
been right.
Show text
Salim missed the last bus by two minutes. He could see the red
tail-lights at the corner; then they were gone. The shelter
smelled of rain. There was an old man in a coat that was too
big, holding a paper cup. Salim sat on the cold metal bench and
stared at his shoes. "First time?" the old man said. "First
time what?" "First time you missed the last bus." Salim almost
laughed. "Yes." The old man nodded. "Sit. Walk later. The walk
is always longer than you think, and a little better than you
remember."
Show text
"Lena verpasste den letzten Bus um zwei Minuten. Sie sah die
roten Rücklichter um die Ecke verschwinden. Es regnete leise
auf das Dach des Wartehäuschens."