The Power Outage
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
When the lights suddenly go out during homework time, Naomi's family finds an unexpected way to spend the evening together.
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Naomi does her homework every night after dinner. Tonight, she sits at her desk. Her lamp is on, and her laptop is open. She writes her homework for school.
Her brother Eli plays a video game nearby. Her mom washes the dishes in the kitchen. Her dad reads a book on the sofa. The house is warm and quiet.
Suddenly, the lights go out. The television turns off too. Eli shouts, "Hey! What happened?"
Naomi looks up from her desk. Her laptop screen turns black. "The power is out," she says.
Her dad stands up in the dark. "Everyone stay calm," he says. "Let's find the flashlights."
Her mom lights two candles in the kitchen. The candles make small, warm circles of light. Eli finds a flashlight in a drawer.
"This is fun," Eli says with a smile.
Naomi closes her laptop. She can't finish her homework now. She picks up a candle. She walks to the living room.
The family sits together near the candles. Dad tells a story from long ago. Mom hums a quiet song. Eli makes funny shadows on the wall.
Naomi watches the shadows and starts to laugh. For once, nobody looks at a screen.
After an hour, the lights come back on. But nobody moves to turn on the television.
"Let's finish the story first," Naomi says.
