Learn new vocabulary and improve your listening comprehension with a short story called The Street Seller.

Jose’s possibly true story – AIRC214
Josep’s True English Story – AIRC171
How to tell a story in English: https://inglespodcast.com/137

Vocabulary
despite (the fact that)
to bump into (someone) – this phrasal verb has a literal and idiomatic use.
from head to toe (from top to bottom)
to belittle someone (to talk down to them) – denigrar
to prove something (proof)
Stool – taburete
Easel – caballete
Harp – arpa

Comprehension questions
1. How did the girl prove that she was an artist?
2. How much money did José pay for the painting?

THE STREET SELLER by José Molina Marco

I was walking on the footpath and a street-seller came to me and stopped me. In my haste I bumped into her. I said sorry to her and I stopped, despite (the fact that) I was in a hurry, as an attention for bumping (in) to her.

The around 25 years old girl (The girl seemed about 25 years old and) was wearing a coat and thick colorful stockings, but what it was weird to me is that she was also wearing a lot of tattoos in her face (also had a lot of face tattoos). This made me think that she would be tattooed from head to toe.

She was trying to sell me one (a) painting. She shown (showed) me some of them that she had in a big folder.

I wasn’t interested and I wasn’t paying too much attention. Is not that I was belittling her but I wasn’t showing much attention to the paintings because I didn’t want to buy any.

Then she told me that the paintings had being (been) painted by herself (she had painted them/She’d done the paintings) and I felt embarrassed for not having shown more interest to (in) them. I told her that I didn’t believe her. To be truth I didn’t want it was truth. (to be honest, I didn’t want it to be true.)

Then she told me that for proving it to me she was capable (she could prove it to me by painting my portrait) to paint my face in a portrait in 15 minutes if I bought it from her. I told her that I didn’t want to commit on (to) it. I only would buy the portrait If I liked it.

Then she told me that I followed her (she told me to follow her) and she started to jog in a happy way to a more spacious place 10 m. from (where) we were and where she had all her stuff.

She sat down on a stool and give me to me another one (gave me one to sit on, too).

She took a soaked paintbrush and looking at me for two seconds she started to paint the paper she had in (on) the easel.

There was a lot of people passing by but nobody looked at us because there was something better to watch for (see).

Close to us there was (were) two girls. One was playing the Arpa (harp). Another one was dancing ballet tippy toes.

Fifteen minutes later she started to dry off the paintbrush and told me “Here you are”. She showed it to me and I liked it. I told her I will (would) buy the painting for 20€. She told me that the painting costed (cost) 15€. I insisted in (on) paying 20€ for it.

So, This story had a happy end (ending). I took the portrait and she took 20€.

Comprehension questions – Answers
1. How did the girl prove that she was an artist? – She painted José’s face in 15 minutes.
2. How much money did José pay for the painting? – 20 euros.

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English. Do you have a story? Tell us about something that has happened to you recently.

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We’ve received an email from Mónica who said: ‘This is my first message to you but won’t be the last. I have been listening to your podcast since the pandemic began and I enjoy them very much. Today I was listening to your last podcast about changing hàbits and how the restrictions are affecting our lives (Mónica also lives in Valencia) and I wanted to tell us that my new habit in this pandemic situation is listening to your podcast while I’m walking. I usually go for a walk two or three days a week. And today while I was walking I heard my name at the final (end) of the podcast and that made me laugh and smile. Thank you very much.

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On next week’s episode: I find it surprising – more uses of ‘it’

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

Photo by Samuele Giglio on Unsplash