In this episode, we’re checking in with you to see how you’re doing in this troubling time of uncertainty.
We’ve got a story from José that will help your listening comprehension and some feedback from listeners around the world.

Voice message from Karina from Cadiz
Personally, I’m doing well
XHope everything goes to an endX – ..comes to an end

If you have time on your hands, studying for an English qualification is a good way to invest it.
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Voice message from Andres who is teaching from his home in Colombia
Episode on Costa Rica: https://inglespodcast.com/305 – ‘pura vida’

A story from José about his neighbour called Manolo.

Vocabulary
his back is bent – curved, not straight
He walks with a cane (walking stick) un bastón
Sideburns (hair at the side of the face)
his eyebrows are bushy (thick hair above the eyes)
stretcher – camilla
to pray – rezar (prey (noun) = presa / prey on/upon (verb) cazar algo, abusar de

Comprehension questions
1) Where does Manolo live?
2) How did José and Manolo intend to stay in touch during the lockdown?
3) Who does José say are one group of heroes in this current fight against the coronavirus?

Elderly Manolo by José Molina Marco

Manolo is an elderly man who is a good person. He is around 90 years old. He is living alone because his only son is living in Canada.
Let me describe him to give you an idea of how he looks.

He is a lonely man and he had to be strong, tall but currently, his back is a little bent because of his age. He walks without a cane, slowly but firmly. His face is square, with black eyes. They used to be big but not anymore. He has a lot of black hair combed back. His sideburns are gray like his moustache. His eyebrows are bushy and gray showing how elderly he is. He is a tidy person, polite and talkative about interesting things.

He lives two floors above me and I usually see him when he goes for a walk. Once, he told me, that he used to go almost every day to the market to buy some fresh food. Then, when he arrived home, he cooked what he had bought. This showed me that Manolo was also a stable person.
Because of this quarantine, we have to be locked down at home. I thought that he had to take special care of himself. So, I went up to his home and offered to help him with anything that he needed. We exchanged our telephone numbers.

Ten days later, I was bored at home and I went out to my balcony to spend some time outside. It was noon. Nobody was on the street, no cars, just the sun shining. I thought it was a pity that we couldn’t take the advantage of this beautiful day. It was such a silence that I could hear the twelve chimes of one neighbour’s clock.

The only different thing I could see was one ambulance going along the street. The ambulance driver is one of our daily heroes that work for all of us. It stopped in front of the door of my building. I was wondering what it was doing there.

Ten or fifteen minutes later they went out with Manolo on a stretcher. I could see his face from my balcony.
I felt sad. Manolo didn’t call me for help. He had managed himself to go to the hos pital. Now he will be there alone like millions of people.

I don’t know if I will be able to see him again. Last night I prayed for him and for all people who are alone in the hospital.

Comprehension questions – answers
1) Where does Manolo live? – Two floors above José
2) How did José and Manolo intend to stay in touch during the lockdown? – By phone. They exchanged numbers
3) Who does José say are one group of heroes in this current fight against the coronavirus? – the ambulance drivers

Improvements
He is living (lives?) alone because his only son is living (lives?) in Canada.
take the advantage (take advantage) of this beautiful day.
It was such a silence that I could hear the chimes of the neighbour’s clock
It was such a silent day / there was such silence
One (an) ambulance

José has sent us stories in the past. One about his dog, Captain: https://inglespodcast.com/214
How to tell a story in English: https://inglespodcast.com/137

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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On next week’s episode: Incorrect grammar in song lyrics and your questions and comments

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’

Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash