It was a cold winter evening. The Miller family was at home. Dad was cooking dinner in the kitchen. Mom was reading a book on the sofa. The two children, Emma and Tom, were playing video games. Suddenly, all the lights went out. The television turned off. The house became completely dark. 'What happened?' Emma asked in the dark. 'It is a power outage,' Dad answered from the kitchen. Mom used her phone as a flashlight. She walked carefully to the closet. She found some candles and matches. Soon, soft candlelight filled the living room. 'But my game was not saved!' Tom said sadly. 'Do not worry, we will find something fun to do,' Mom said. Dad came from the kitchen with bad news. 'The stove is electric. I cannot finish cooking dinner.' 'What will we eat?' Emma asked. Mom smiled and went to the kitchen. She came back with bread, cheese, and fruit. 'Tonight we will have a picnic in the living room,' she said. The children thought this was exciting. They spread a blanket on the floor. The family sat together and ate by candlelight. 'This is actually quite nice,' Dad said. After eating, Tom asked what they could do without electricity. 'I have an idea,' Dad said with a smile. He went to the closet and found an old board game. 'I have not played this in years!' Mom said excitedly. They set up the game on the coffee table. The whole family played together for the first time in months. Emma won the first round and cheered loudly. Tom demanded a rematch. They played three more rounds. Outside, the wind was blowing hard. They could hear the trees moving. 'I think a storm caused the power outage,' Dad said. After the games, Mom suggested telling stories. Dad told a funny story from his childhood. Everyone laughed at his adventure with a neighbor's dog. Mom shared a story about her first day at work. Emma and Tom asked many questions about their parents' past. The evening passed quickly. Soon it was time for bed. Mom gave each child a candle to take upstairs. 'Be careful with the flame,' she warned. The children went to their rooms safely. Emma looked out her window at the dark neighborhood. Not a single light was on anywhere. The stars were very bright without the city lights. She had never seen so many stars before. In the morning, Emma woke up to sunlight. She heard a humming sound. The refrigerator was working again. The power was back! Emma ran downstairs to tell everyone. At breakfast, the family talked about the previous night. 'That was actually fun,' Tom admitted. 'Can we have another game night soon?' Emma asked. Mom and Dad smiled at each other. 'Of course,' Dad said. 'We do not need a power outage for that.' From that day, every Friday became game night. No phones, no television, just family time. The power outage had brought them closer together.
English Story (A2)The Power Outage
This A2 English story is designed for elementarys learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
When a winter storm causes a power outage, the Miller family discovers the joy of spending time together without electronics. They have a candlelit picnic, play board games, and share stories. The experience brings them closer, and they decide to make game nights a weekly tradition.
Translations in English
Linked wordUnderlined wordOther words
Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What did Mom use to light the dark house after the power went out?
2
What did the family eat for dinner during the power outage?
3
What did Dad find in the closet for the family to do after dinner?
4
What new tradition did the family start after the power outage night?
Vocabulary
30 words from this story
