A quiet morning without a phone
Follow a woman’s morning while her phone charges at home. An original everyday story.
On Sunday morning, Emma picks up her phone, but the screen is dark. She forgot to charge it last night. She plugs it in on the kitchen shelf and decides to go out for bread while it charges.
Usually, Emma looks at messages on the short walk to the bakery. Today, she notices a yellow bicycle outside a new flower shop. A man is putting plants beside the window. He says good morning, and Emma stops to ask when the shop opened. “Only yesterday,” he says.
At the bakery, there is a short queue. Emma talks to the woman in front of her. They both want the same kind of brown bread. When it is Emma’s turn, she buys a small loaf and pays with the coins in her pocket.
She returns home after twenty minutes. Her phone has enough power to turn on now. There are two messages from her sister. Emma reads them while she makes breakfast. Then she writes a reply about the new flower shop and their plans to visit it together.
Words to take with you
- charge
- To put electrical power into a battery.I charge my phone in the evening.
- shelf
- A flat board used to hold things.The cups are on the kitchen shelf.
- notice
- To see or become aware of something.I noticed a new shop near the station.
- queue
- A line of people waiting for something.There are three people in the queue.
- A small part of clothing used to carry things.My keys are in my coat pocket.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer, then check each question.
Use your English
Describe one thing you might notice on a walk without looking at your phone.
Say your answer aloud or write two or three sentences.