Maria sat on the train with her new notebook. She was traveling to Italy for the first time. Her grandmother had given her the notebook as a gift. 'Write down everything you see and feel,' her grandmother had said. Maria opened the notebook to the first page. She wrote the date at the top. Through the window, she could see green hills and small villages. She began to describe what she saw. The train arrived in Florence in the afternoon. Maria walked out of the station with her suitcase. The city was beautiful and full of old buildings. She found her small hotel near the river. After unpacking, Maria went for a walk. She crossed the famous old bridge. There were small shops on both sides of the bridge. Maria stopped to look at jewelry in one shop. In the evening, she sat at a small cafe. She ordered a coffee and took out her journal. She wrote about the bridge and the jewelry shops. She also drew a small picture of the sunset. The next morning, Maria visited a famous museum. She saw beautiful paintings from hundreds of years ago. One painting showed a woman with a mysterious smile. Maria wrote her thoughts about the paintings in her journal. For lunch, she found a small restaurant. She tried pasta with tomato sauce. It was the best pasta she had ever eaten. She wrote down the name of the restaurant. On the third day, Maria took a bus to the countryside. She visited a small village with vineyards. The hills were covered with grape vines. An old farmer showed her how they made wine. Maria drew pictures of the vineyard in her journal. She wrote about the farmer and his family. On her last evening in Florence, Maria sat by the river. The sun was setting behind the old buildings. She looked through her journal from the beginning. She had written so much in just a few days. There were descriptions of food, places, and people. There were also many small drawings. Maria smiled as she read her own words. The journal helped her remember every moment. The next day, Maria took the train back home. She wrote in her journal during the whole trip. When she arrived home, her grandmother was waiting. 'Show me your journal,' her grandmother said with a smile. Maria opened the notebook and showed her everything. Her grandmother looked at each page carefully. 'You have captured your journey beautifully,' she said. Maria felt proud of her travel journal. She decided to keep a journal on every trip from now on. Years later, Maria had many journals full of memories. Her first journal from Italy was still her favorite.
English Story (A2)Keeping a Travel Journal
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
Maria travels to Italy for the first time with a notebook from her grandmother. She begins keeping a travel journal, writing about the train journey, Florence's old bridge, museums, and a countryside vineyard. Each day she records her experiences with words and drawings. When she returns home, she shows the journal to her grandmother, who praises her work. Maria decides to keep a journal on every future trip.
Translations in English
Linked wordUnderlined wordOther words
Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Who gave Maria the notebook?
2
What was on both sides of the famous old bridge?
3
What did the old farmer show Maria?
4
What did Maria do during the train ride back home?
Vocabulary
30 words from this story
