Easy to Read Short Story Collections About Anxieties of Modern World

Accept y'all tried to run a marathon with no practice?

I hope not. You lot might pull a muscle.

You demand to start small in lodge to achieve something big like that.

When it comes to learning English, what if I told you that you lot tin can understand big ideas with just a little scrap of text?

You do non demand to wait several years to deal with complex ideas.

Just because yous are learning a language does not mean you lot need to limit your thinking.

Stories are all about going beyond reality. It is no wonder that they permit you understand big ideas with but a little bit of English reading do.

Simply this works better when you're reading better stories.

I am talking about honor-winning short stories, told using linguistic communication hands understood by English beginner learners. These will not but better your English reading but also open your mind to different worlds.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that y'all can have anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Why Brusque Stories Are All-time for English Learning

Curt stories are amazing resources for any English learner. That'south because:

• You get more time to focus on individual words. When a text is curt, you tin spend more than time learning how every single word is used and what importance it has in the piece.
• You lot can read a whole story in one sitting. Attending spans are very of import for learning, and the ability to finish a story gives yous more time to understand it. Brusque stories are designed to give you lot maximum information with minimal effort.
• It is all-time for consistency. It is far easier to read i story every day than trying to read a big novel that never seems to finish.
• Y'all can share them easily in a group. Since short stories can be read in a single sitting, they are ideal for volume clubs and learning circles. Most of the time these groups do not piece of work considering members have no time to read. Short stories are the perfect solution.
• You can focus more on ideas and concepts. Linguistic communication is less about words and more about the significant backside them. If yous spend all your time learning vocabulary and grammar, you will never be able to fluently speak a language because you will have petty to talk nearly. These curt stories give yous the opportunity to empathise big ideas in context.

You tin can cull almost any short story and get something useful out of it. Each story has its ain special features that yous tin can appreciate.

The best kind of story will exist one that is interesting, has a strong message and, of course, helps you to both exercise and acquire English. It will be one that leaves an touch on, both in your English education and in your imagination.

Short stories are also a great resource for English learners because they allow you to piece of work on reading, speaking and listening at the same time. In our fantastic digital age, information technology is possible to notice wonderful short stories online in video grade. If you find a video that includes English-language subtitles, you lot can read while also listening to how a native speaker pronounces words.

If you're looking for short stories in video form, why non check out FluentU?

Each video contains interactive subtitles and so you can read along as you listen.

If you don't know a word, simply click on information technology to encounter a definition and instance sentences from other videos.

Even better, each FluentU video comes with a vocabulary list, a transcript and a comprehension quiz. This means that each video is likewise a powerful language-learning tool in and of itself.

Some of the short stories highlighted beneath are bachelor in video format on FluentU. Exist sure to cheque them out if you desire to piece of work your listening comprehension and pronunciation alongside your reading skills.

25 Easy English Short Stories with Big Ideas

ane. "The Bogey Fauna" by Flora Annie Steel

A woman finds a pot of treasure on the route while she is returning from piece of work. Delighted (very happy) with her luck, she decides to continue information technology. As she is taking it home, information technology keeps changing. Yet, her enthusiasm refuses to fade away (disappear or faint slowly).

What Is Great About Information technology: The old lady in this story is ane of the most cheerful characters anyone can see in English fiction. Her positive disposition (personality) tries to make every negative state of affairs seem similar a gift, and she helps u.s.a. look at luck as a matter of our view rather than events.

2. "The Tortoise and the Hare" by Aesop

This archetype fable (story) tells the story of a very slow tortoise (another word for turtle) and a speedy hare (another word for rabbit). The tortoise challenges the hare to a race. The hare laughs at the idea that a tortoise could run faster than him, just when the two actually race, the results are surprising.

What Is Slap-up About Information technology: Take you ever heard the English expression, "Irksome and steady wins the race"? This story is the basis for that mutual phrase. This timeless (archetype) short story teaches a lesson that we all know but can sometimes forget: Natural talent is no substitute for hard work, and overconfidence oftentimes leads to failure.

This short story is available on FluentU, so you can have reward of all of FluentU's slap-up language-learning features while revisiting this childhood archetype.

Start by watching the video and following along with the subtitles. Or, begin by clicking the "Dialogue" tab to read through the entire short story before watching and listening. Make sure you check out the video'due south vocabulary list, too.

And as you're watching, follow along with the interactive subtitles. This is perfect for start learners, since yous'll exist getting congenital-in speaking and pronunciation practice.

If you come to a discussion you lot don't know, but click on it to learn its definition or add it to a custom vocabulary list. For example, if y'all click on "whooped and hollered," here's what yous'll see:

Click the "Add To" push button in the top-correct corner to put this phrase into a custom flashcard deck or vocabulary list. It'll be stored there then yous tin come dorsum and practise later on. You'll as well run across examples of the phrase in sentences. Plus, you can click on other FluentU videos that include the same phrase in different contexts and situations.

Don't overlook video versions of brusk stories! They're incredibly valuable language-learning resources, since they allow y'all to improve your grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening and pronunciation skills all at the aforementioned time.

You lot can watch this and other FluentU short story videos on your desktop or have them with you wherever you become by downloading the FluentU app for iOS or Android.

3. "The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse" by Beatrix Potter

Timmie Willie is a country mouse who is accidentally taken to a city in a vegetable handbasket. When he wakes upwardly, he finds himself at a party and makes a friend. When he is unable to comport (tolerate or feel) the city life, he returns to his home just invites his friend to the village. When his friend visits him, something similar happens.

What Is Great About It: Humans take been living without cities or villages for about of history. That ways that both village and city life are recent inventions. And just like every other invention, nosotros need to decide their costs and benefits.

The story is precisely (exactly) about this debate. It is divided into short paragraphs and has illustrations for each scene. This is best for beginners who want to commencement reading immediately.

four. "The Dark Train at Deoli" past Ruskin Bail

Ruskin Bond used to spend his summer at his grandmother's business firm in Dehradun. While taking the train, he always had to pass through a small station called Deoli. No one used to get down at the station and cipher happened there. Until one 24-hour interval he sees a girl selling fruit and he is unable to forget her.

What Is Slap-up About It: Ruskin Bond is a writer who can communicate deep feelings in a uncomplicated way. This story is about our attachment to strangers and why we cherish (value or appreciate deeply) them even though nosotros do not run into them ever again.

5. "There Will Come up Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury

Earth has been destroyed by state of war and no one lives on it anymore. The robots and the machines go along to function and serve homo beings who have long ago died.

What Is Great About It: The title is taken from a verse form that describes how nature will continue its work long after humanity is gone. Merely in this story, we meet that nature plays a supporting role and the machines are the ones who have taken its place.

They continue their work without any human being or natural assist. This shows how technology has replaced nature in our lives and how it can both destroy us and carry on without humanity itself.

6. "Orientation" past Daniel Orozco

This is a humorous story where the speaker explains the office policies, as well as gossip about the staff, to a new employee.

It is extremely easy to read every bit the sentences are short and without any overly difficult words. Many working English learners will chronicle to information technology as it explains the absurdities (silly moments) of modern office life and how so niggling of it makes sense.

What Is Great Nigh It: Modernistic workplaces ofttimes feel like theaters where nosotros pretend to work rather than get bodily work done. The speaker exposes this reality that nobody will ever acknowledge to. He over-explains everything from the view out the part window to the intimate details of everyone's life—from the overweight loner to the secret series killer.

It talks about the things that go unsaid; how people at the office know about the deep secrets of our habitation life, but practise not talk about it. Instead, the secrets get just blend into the office environment, like a potted plant that is seen but does not stand out.

The speaker accomplishes this past discussing the details of the tragic death of a coworker'south wife in the same unwavering, mundane (normal) tone every bit he discusses the details of the copier and part refrigerator. This absurd residue manages to brand the story both light and deep at the same time.

seven. "Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu

Jack's mother tin can brand paper animals come up to life. In the outset, Jack loves them and spends hours with his mom. Only as soon every bit he grows up he stops talking to her since she is unable to antipodal (speak) in English.

When his female parent tries to talk to him through her creations, he kills them and collects them in a box. After a tragic loss, he finally gets to know her story through a hidden message which he should have read a long time agone.

What Is Great About Information technology: The story is a simple narration that touches on complex issues. Information technology is nearly leaving your own state with the promise of a amend life.

Information technology is besides about the conflicts that can occur between families when dissimilar cultures and languages collide. In this case, the tension is so high that it destroys the relationship betwixt a mother and her son. It also has a moving bulletin about never taking your loved ones for granted.

8. "The Missing Mail" by R.K. Narayan

Thanappa is the village mailman who is practiced friends with Ramanujam and his family. He gets to know nigh a failed marriage and helps Ramanujam's girl become engaged with a suitable friction match. Just before the hymeneals, Thanappa receives a tragic letter of the alphabet nigh Ramanujam's brother. He decides not to evangelize it.

What Is Great Nigh It: Despite the all-time of intentions, our actions tin can cause more harm to our loved ones than nosotros ever intended. The story is nearly the complicated play of relationships and feelings which are e'er nowadays in our social circles, only we are oft ignorant of information technology.

Notation: You tin can find this story as part of a collection of stories by this author in PDF format hither.

9. "Harrison Bergeron" past Kurt Vonnegut, Jr

The year is 2081 and anybody has been made equal past strength. To do this, every person who is superior in any style has been handicapped (something that prevents a person'due south full apply of their abilities) past the authorities.

Intelligent people are distracted past agonizing noises. Good dancers have to article of clothing weights so that they do not dance too well. Attractive people wear ugly masks so they do not look better than anyone else.

Even so, 1 twenty-four hour period there is a rebellion, and everything changes for a brief instant.

What Is Corking About It:Engineering science is always supposed to brand us improve. But in this case, we see that it tin be used to disable our talents. Moreover, the author shows us how the mindless use of a unmarried value like equality tin create more suffering for everyone.

ten. "The School" by Donald Barthelme

A school teacher is narrating all the recent incidents that have happened on campus. Showtime, they mention a garden where all the trees died. Pretty before long deaths of all kinds begin to occur.

What Is Great About It:Most of the adults do not know how to bargain with death, fifty-fifty though they want to teach children about it. Information technology makes us realize how weak our instruction systems are because they can non help us deal with life'south nigh basic issues.

Eventually, the students start to lose organized religion in everything, and the adults have to put on a show of love to brand themselves less frightened. It shows how adults tin can neglect to explain and understand expiry, and and then they just pretend that they practice. In this way, the cycle of misunderstanding and fugitive life's bug continues.

eleven. "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

A mother is telling her daughter how to live her life properly. The girl does not seem to have any say in it.

What Is Great Nigh Information technology: This may not exist technically a story since there is no plot. "Girl" talks about how girls are taught to live restricted lives since childhood. The female parent instructs (tells) her to do all the household chores, indicating that information technology is her sole purpose (just aim or duty).

Sometimes the mother tells her to non attract attention, to not talk to boys and to always keep away from men. On the other hand, she hints that she will have to be bonny to bakers and other suitable males in lodge in order to live a skillful life.

This story is about these conflicting ideas that girls face when growing upwards.

12. "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" is about a Mongoose who regularly visits a family unit in India. The family feeds him and lets him explore their firm, simply they worry that he might bite their son, Teddy.

One day a snake is most to assault him when the Mongoose kills it. Eventually, he becomes a part of the family unit forever.

What Is Great Most It: This is a uncomplicated story most humans and animals living together as friends. Information technology is old, just the linguistic communication is adequately piece of cake to understand. Information technology reminds u.s.a. that animals can too feel feelings of dear and, like humans, they will besides protect the ones they beloved.

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" is part of Kipling's short story collection "The Jungle Volume," which was famously made into a movie by Disney. If you enjoy the story simply demand a intermission from reading, check out this captivating trailer for Disney's newer version of the movie.

That video is also available on FluentU, so y'all don't have to worry that you won't understand—but click on whatever word in the interactive subtitles for an instant definition. There are also flashcards and fun quizzes to help you acquire from the video, besides as the thousands of other real English videos bachelor on FluentU.

xiii. Excerpt from "Little Dorrit" past Charles Dickens

Dorrit is a child whose father has been in prison ever since she could recollect. Unable to pay their debts, the whole family is forced to spend their days in a cell.

Dorrit thinks about the outside earth and longs to see information technology (wishes to see information technology).

This excerpt introduces you to the family and their life in prison. The novel is almost how they manage to get out and how Dorrit never forgets the kindness of the people who helped her.

What Is Great About It: Injustice in police is often reserved for the poor. "Fiddling Dorrit" shows clearly how it works in gild.

It is about the authorities jailing people for non being able to return their loans, a historical practice the writer hated since his own father was punished in a similar way. The story reveals how the rich crook the poor and so put them into prisons instead of facing penalty.

14. "To Build a Burn" by Jack London

A human travels to a freezing, isolated identify called Yukon. He only has his dog with him for visitor.

Throughout his journey, he ignores the communication other people had given him and takes his life for granted. Finally, he realizes the existent power of nature and how delicate (easily broken) human being life actually is.

What Is Great Near It: The archetype fight between life and death has ever fascinated us. Nature is often seen as a powerful force that should be feared and respected. The homo in this story is devil-may-care and, despite having helpful information, makes silly mistakes. He takes the power of natural forces too lightly.

The animal is the one who is cautious and sensible in this unsafe situation. By the end, readers wonder who is really intelligent—the human being who could not bargain with nature or the canis familiaris who could survive?

fifteen. "Evil Robot Monkey" by Mary Robinette Kowal

Sly is a chimpanzee who is much smarter than the other chimpanzees. He loves to play with clay on a potter's wheel all 24-hour interval and likes to keep to himself.

But one solar day when the school kids bully him, he loses his temper and acts out in anger. Seeing this, the teacher punishes him and takes away his dirt.

What Is Great Well-nigh It: Sly is a character who does non fit into society. He is too smart for the other chimps, but humans practice not accept him. He is punished for acting out his natural emotions. Merely the style he handles his rage, in the stop, makes him expect more mature than well-nigh human beings. Nominated for the Hugo honor, many readers have connected with Sly since they can see similarities in their own lives.

sixteen. "The Zero Meter Diving Squad" by Jim Shepherd

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was ane of the nigh deadly accidents in the twentieth century.

This is a story about that event through the eyes of a father and his sons. The family was unfortunate enough to be close to the disaster area and give a detailed account of the accident.

The story exposes the whole system of corruption that led to a massive explosion taking innocent lives and poisoning multiple generations.

The technical vocabulary and strange words make this text a petty more than hard. However, the story is relatively easy to follow.

What Is Great About It:It is no secret that governments lie to their own people. But sometimes these lies can toll lives. Very often we accept this as normal, only this tale opens our eyes to the cost of our indifference (lack of worry).

The story is divided into minor parts that make it both easy and heady to read.

The various events are about life in general in what was then known equally the Soviet Wedlock. And just like any other good story, it is also almost human relationships and how they change due to celebrated events.

17. "The Monkey'south Manus" past Due west.Westward. Jacobs

A man brings a magical monkey'south paw from Republic of india, which grants three wishes to three people.

When the White family buys it from him, they realize that sometimes you do not want your wishes to come true.

What Is Bang-up About It: Sometimes we wish for things, but we do not call back most their consequences.

In this story, the characters immediately regret when their wishes come true considering either someone dies or something worse happens. The characters realize that they never thought about the ways their wishes could destroy people and their lives.

18. "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin

Mrs. Mallard has heart troubles that could kill her.

When her husband dies, the people who come to give her this news endeavour to do so gently. When she is finally informed, she bursts into tears. Somewhen, she goes to her room and locks herself in.

However, while thinking nigh the hereafter, she is excited by the thought of freedom that could come afterwards her husband's death.

After an hr, the doorbell rings and her husband is standing in that location alive and well. When she sees him, she has a heart assault and dies.

What Is Corking About It: Marriages can be like prisons for women. The ane in this tale definitely seems like a heavy burden. Despite her grief, Mrs. Mallard is able to go on herself good for you with the hope of freedom from her married man.

But as soon as she realizes that she will have to go back to her old life, her body is unable to take it. The story explores the conflicting range of human emotions of grief and hope in a short span, and the impact it can have on a person's mind and body.

19. "A Tiny Feast" by Chris Adrian

The bones characters are taken from Shakespeare'south famous play "A Midsummer Night'southward Dream."

However, in this story, the plot and the concept are entirely different.

Titania and Oberon are the rulers of fairies who have been dealing with bug in their marriage. 1 day they notice a man child and decide to adopt him. They hope that this child volition help them save their relationship.

However, the child develops a deadly affliction and the fairies have no idea what to do since they have never known affliction or death. This is a tragic tale well-nigh how they try to sympathize something they have never seen before and their deep love for a stranger who is so unlike them.

What Is Great Well-nigh Information technology: The story isable to explore man relationships through imaginary creatures. It explores the grief of parenthood and as well the dubiousness of knowing whether your child will ever even know you. It also beautifully captures the sense of the unknown and the helplessness which every man faces in front of it.

20. "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

Every year, a small town holds an outcome known as "the lottery" that anybody attends. During this event, someone from the community is randomly called…just for what reason?

What Is Slap-up About Information technology: The story makes you wonder about human beliefs, particularly within a group of people. Perhaps yous may have heard of the term "mob mentality" and how it tin can allow for some pretty surprising things to happen.

This short story is considered to be 1 of the well-nigh famous curt stories in American literature.

It shows an example of what is known every bit a dystopian society, where people live in a frightening way. To larn more than, you can check out this TED-ED video on FluentU that tells y'all how you can recognize a dystopia.

21. "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams

A elementary, stuffed rabbit toy is given to a young boy as a Christmas present. In the beginning, the rabbit isn't noticed, equally the male child is distracted by much fancier gifts. While being ignored, the rabbit begins to wonder what it ways to be "real."

1 solar day, a sure outcome brings the rabbit into contact with the male child. Later that, the toy'southward life changes dramatically (a lot).

What Is Groovy About It: Have y'all always loved a toy or doll and so much, that you treated it equally if it were alive? This story shows the power of love from a very unexpected viewpoint: that of a fluffy stuffed rabbit. The velveteen rabbit toy is loved dearly by its owner, regardless of how worn out he becomes.

Although this story was made for children, its message is for anyone of whatever historic period. The rabbit'due south quest (journeying) of becoming "real" can be understood in a very homo mode. The story shows the importance of self-value, being true to yourself and finding forcefulness in those who love you.

22. "The Happy Prince" by Oscar Wilde

In the middle of a city is a very fancy, busy statue of a prince, and it is known every bit the Happy Prince. One day, a swallow bird decides to rest on the statue, only to become wet past the tears of the crying statue.

The Prince, equally it turns out, is not happy at all. When he was alive and living in his palace, he had no idea how much suffering was happening exterior his home. At present every bit a statue that stands high to a higher place the city, he tin finally encounter the many injustices happening to the people.

Past the Prince's request, the consume begins to take off pieces of the statue and give them away to the poor. Together, the two work to endeavour and give what aid they can to the less fortunate.

What Is Great Virtually It: It tin be piece of cake to ignore people who are struggling and having a difficult time. However, it is non skilful to always "turn a blind eye" and pretend not to discover. Sometimes, fifty-fifty one good deed (action) tin make a large impact for both the person doing it and the person receiving information technology.

"The Happy Prince" is a story that shows the importance of charity and empathy. These ii things tin can come with a lot of sacrifices, but you lot can proceeds a lot in other ways. The story also points out that you should guess a person not by what they have, but by what they give.

23. "Cinderella" by Charles Perrault

 You may already know the story of Cinderella; many people saw the Disney movie or read a children'due south book for information technology. Still, there are really many unlike versions of "Cinderella."

This one past Charles Perrault is the most well-known i and is often the version told to children.

What Is Great Most It:

"Cinderella" is a loved story because it describes how a kind and hard-working person was able to go the happy ending she deserved.

Even though Cinderella's step-sisters treated her awfully, Cinderella herself remained gentle and humble. Information technology goes to show that even though you may experience hardships, it is of import to stay kind, forgiving and mindful.

A brusque version of this story is also bachelor on FluentU, consummate with some fun illustrations!

24. "The Friday Everything Changed" by Anne Hart

In a school located in a small town, the boys are responsible for conveying water from the nearby h2o pump. Because only "strong boys" are immune to do this, the girls are teased for being "weaker." Not but that, but the boys also get more privileges than the girls, such as being the first to get magazines.

One Friday, a girl asks the classroom instructor why girls are not allowed to get water likewise. This 1 question causes a big reaction.

What Is Great Nearly It: One brave act, from one dauntless person, can crusade a big change for the amend. In this story, a single girl speaks out against what she thinks is incorrect. Her courage surprises everyone, but she inspires the girls to stand up up for themselves against the boys who mistreat them.

The story reflects on gender equality and how of import it is to fight for fairness. Only because something is accepted every bit "normal" does not mean information technology is correct.

25. "Hills Similar White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway

At a Spanish train station, an American man and a young woman await for a railroad train that would take them to the city of Madrid.

The woman sees some faraway hills and compares them to "white elephants." This starts a conversation between the two of them, just what they discuss seems to have a deeper significant.

What Is Great About It: This story is very well-known as a text that makes you "read betwixt the lines"—in other words, you accept to effort to find a hidden meaning behind what you read.

Much of the story is a back-and-forth dialogue betwixt two people, but you tin tell a lot most them just from what they say to each other.

At that place is a lot of symbolism and context clues that you can clarify in this story. One time yous realize what the real topic of the characters' chat is about, you tin can figure out the quiet, sadder meaning behind it.

I hope you have fun with these stories while improving your English language.

Happy reading!

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Dhritiman Ray is a author of fiction, verse and not-fiction. He specializes in topics similar instruction, psychology and lifestyle. To know more than click here.

Download: This blog post is available every bit a convenient and portable PDF that yous tin can take anywhere. Click here to get a re-create. (Download)

Easy to Read Short Story Collections About Anxieties of Modern World

Source: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/easy-english-short-stories-2/

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