Improve your English in the Reading Rooms
Listen and write
Red Level
22. Wally worked on his house last weekend
Wally worked on his house last weekend. He needed to replace an old deck that hung over the back of the house. The wood on the deck was beginning to rot. When wood begins to rot, it’s time to replace it. Wally figured it was a two-man job, so he called his brother, Steve, and asked him to lend a hand.
Wally has almost all of the tools necessary for a project like this one. He owns hand tools and power tools. A good hammer and a cordless drill are especially helpful to have. He used the hammer to pound in nails and the cordless drill was used for the screws. Steve brought over his circular saw because Wally had only a hand saw to cut the pieces of lumber.
With Steve’s help, they got the job done quickly. They removed the old pieces of wood that were rotting and replaced them with new lumber. They also sealed the wood to prevent it from rotting in the first place. Afterwards, they tested the deck by sitting on it to make sure it was strong enough to hold a group of people. They also double-checked all the work they did before calling a building inspector. The inspector’s job is to make sure that construction work is properly done.
Next week, Wally will go over to Steve’s house to help him pour concrete for a patio and a walkway. They enjoy working together. Not only does it make a job go faster, they learn from each other, and they enjoy each other’s company.
Wally pounds in a nail with a hammer.
Wally’s brother lent a hand.
This is a cordless drill.
This is a hammer.
This is a circular saw.
| vocabulary |
|---|
|
cordless: This adjective describes an electric tool or appliance that gets energy from batteries deck: usually a wooden structure that provides an outdoor space for relaxation or protection from sun and rain. double-check: to inspect the quality of something more than once. hung: the past tense form of the verb “hang.” You can also “hanged” for the past tense. lend a hand: to help lumber: wood that is used for construction projects replace: to install something new rot: natural decay from exposure to moisture |
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Now you try it. Read the paragraph above. If you have a microphone, you can record your voice.
How much do you remember from the reading? Fill in the blanks.
- 1A: What did Wally need to replace?
- 1B: He needed to replace his ________.
- 2A: What was the problem?
- 2B: The wood was beginning to ________.
- 3A: What did Steve bring over?
- 3B: Steve brought over his ________ ________.
- 4A: Where is Wally going to go next weekend?
- 4B: He’s going to go over to _________ house.
(ANSWERS: 1. deck; 2. rot; 3. table saw; 4. Steve’s)
