Lisa worked in a large office with many colleagues. She enjoyed her job and liked most of her coworkers. One Monday morning, Lisa arrived early at work. Her colleague Maria was already there, waiting by the coffee machine. 'Lisa, did you hear the news?' Maria asked excitedly. 'No, what happened?' Lisa replied curiously. 'I heard that our manager Mr. Hansen is leaving the company,' Maria whispered. 'Really? Where did you hear that?' Lisa asked surprised. 'From Tom in accounting. He said Mr. Hansen had a big argument with the director.' Lisa did not know if this was true, but the story sounded interesting. Later that day, Lisa met her friend Emma at lunch. 'Have you heard about Mr. Hansen?' Lisa asked. 'No, what about him?' Emma looked curious. 'Apparently, he is leaving because he had a fight with the director and got fired!' Lisa noticed that the story had already changed a little. Maria had said he was leaving, not that he was fired. But Lisa did not correct herself. By the afternoon, the gossip had spread through the whole office. People were talking in small groups everywhere. Some said Mr. Hansen had stolen money from the company. Others said he had a secret relationship with someone in the office. The rumors became wilder and wilder. Lisa started to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation. The next morning, there was a company meeting in the main hall. Everyone was nervous and curious about what would happen. The director walked to the front of the room. 'Good morning, everyone,' he said with a smile. 'I have some exciting news to share with you today.' Everyone looked at each other with worry. 'Mr. Hansen has been promoted to Regional Director!' The room went completely silent. Lisa felt her face turn red with embarrassment. She had helped spread completely false information. Mr. Hansen stood up and thanked everyone for their support. 'I know there were some rumors going around,' he said. 'I want you to know that none of them were true.' Lisa looked down at her hands and felt terrible. After the meeting, she walked to Mr. Hansen's office. She knocked on the door softly. 'Come in,' Mr. Hansen said. 'Mr. Hansen, I need to apologize,' Lisa said quietly. 'I was one of the people who spread the rumors.' Mr. Hansen looked at her calmly. 'I appreciate you coming to tell me that,' he said. 'Rumors can really hurt people, even when they are not true.' Lisa nodded and promised to be more careful in the future. That evening, Lisa went home and thought about the day. She learned an important lesson about gossip. Stories can change quickly when people share them without checking the facts. From that day on, Lisa never spread rumors again.
English Story (A2)Office Gossip
This A2 English story is designed for elementary learners. Click any word for instant translation and build your vocabulary as you read.
aboutStory
Lisa hears a rumor about her manager Mr. Hansen leaving the company and spreads it to her colleagues. The gossip grows wilder throughout the day. At a company meeting, the truth is revealed: Mr. Hansen was actually promoted. Lisa learns an important lesson about not spreading rumors.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What did Maria tell Lisa about Mr. Hansen?
2
How did the rumor change as it spread through the office?
3
What was actually announced at the company meeting?
4
