📖 Reading
Maria had always wanted to save money for a new bicycle. She had a small job at a bakery, and every week she put a few coins into a jar. By the time summer came, she had saved almost eighty euros. Her brother Tom told her he had already spent all his money on video games. He said he was broke and asked her for a loan.
Maria thought about it carefully. She said, 'If I lend you money, you must pay me back in one month.' Tom agreed happily. He explained that he had lost his part-time job the week before, so he had no income at all. Maria decided to help him because he had always helped her with her homework in the past.
A month later, Tom still hadn't paid her back. Maria was worried. She told her mother that Tom had promised to return the money, but he hadn't done it yet. Her mother said that Tom should be more responsible with money. She also said that people who borrow money must remember their promises.
The next day, Tom finally gave Maria fifty euros. He said he had found a new job at a supermarket and had received his first payment. Maria was relieved. She used the money, plus her savings, to buy the bicycle she had wanted for so long. She told Tom that she was proud of him for keeping his word in the end.
🗣️ Speaking — discussion
Context
- A young entrepreneur had started a small café five years ago with borrowed money from family and friends.
- The business failed after two years because she had made poor financial decisions and had not planned for unexpected costs.
- She lost all her savings and felt ashamed, but decided to learn from her mistakes.
- Today, she has started a new business using what she had learned, and it is doing much better.
- She now advises other young business owners about money management and planning ahead.
Themes
- Learning from Failure — The importance of understanding past mistakes and using that knowledge to make better decisions in the future. Failure is an opportunity to grow and improve.
- Financial Responsibility — How managing money wisely, planning ahead, and avoiding risky decisions can protect your future and build success.
- Second Chances and Resilience — The power of trying again after disappointment, and the strength it takes to rebuild trust and confidence in yourself.
- Seeking Wisdom — How asking for advice from experienced people and learning from others' experiences can help you avoid costly mistakes.
Personal Response
- Have you ever made a financial mistake? What had happened before you realized it?
- What would you have done differently if you had been in her position?
Themes & Ideas
- Why do you think many new business owners fail? What could they have done to avoid this?
- If she had saved more money at the beginning, do you think her business would have survived?
Critical Thinking
- What financial habits had she developed before she lost her business? How had these habits contributed to her failure?
- What do you think she had learned from her experience that made her second business more successful?
Cultural & Social Topics
- In your country, how do people usually get money to start a business? Had she chosen a good way to get funding?
- Should family and friends lend money to each other for business? Why or why not?
🎭 Classroom activity
Role-play: One student is the failed entrepreneur giving advice to a young person who wants to start a business. The young person asks questions about financial planning, budgeting, and what mistakes to avoid. Focus on using reported speech (e.g., 'She told me that I should save money first') and past perfect (e.g., 'I had not realized how important budgeting was').
✏️ Questions
- By the time Sam arrived at the bank, he realized he ___ his wallet at home.
- The manager told us that the shop ___ a big sale the next week.
- If she ___ enough money, she will buy that new bicycle tomorrow.
- My grandfather said that he ___ never borrowed money from a bank.
- When I opened my piggy bank, I found that I ___ more coins than I expected.
- If you spend all your salary on clothes, you ___ have any money left for rent.
- How did Maria save money for the bicycle?
- a) She borrowed it from Tom
- b) She put coins in a jar every week from her bakery job
- c) She found money in the street
- d) Her mother gave it to her
- Why did Tom ask Maria for a loan?
- a) He wanted to buy a bicycle too
- b) He had spent all his money on video games and had no income
- c) He needed money for school books
- d) He wanted to give a gift to Maria
- What condition did Maria give Tom before lending him the money?
- a) He had to pay her back within one month
- b) He had to buy her a bicycle
- c) He had to get a job first
- d) He had to ask their mother for permission
- What had happened to Tom before he asked Maria for money?
- a) He had bought a bicycle
- b) He had lost his part-time job
- c) He had started a new job
- d) He had saved a lot of money
- What does the word 'relieved' suggest about Maria's feelings when Tom repaid her?
- a) She felt angry and upset
- b) She felt less worried and more comfortable
- c) She felt bored and tired
- d) She felt confused about the money
- Why was Maria able to buy the bicycle at the end of the story?
- a) She used only the money Tom gave her
- b) She used her savings plus the money Tom repaid her
- c) Her mother bought it for her
- d) She borrowed more money from a friend