The Night the Lights Went Out
Do more with this exercise
Read what happened when the lights went out at Omar’s library. Then answer the questions.
Reading text
community
people who live or work in the same areabattery
the part of a phone that stores powertorch
a small light you carry in your handtorch
a small light you carry in your handneighbour
a person who lives near youpower line
a cable that carries electricitypavement
the path beside a road for people walkingsquare
an open public area in a townpower
electricity for lights and machinesPractice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Read the story and choose the best answer.
1.Why was the whole street dark?
2.Who was still inside the library?
3.Where was Eva’s mother waiting?
4.What did Eva leave for Omar the next day?
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each statement agrees with the story.
5.Omar’s phone had plenty of battery.
6.The neighbour said a tree had fallen across the road.
7.Omar’s sister waited outside in the rain.
Complete the sentence
Use a word from the story.
Listen and choose
Listen to each sentence and choose the answer.
11.What was happening before the lights went out?
12.What damaged the power line?
13.Who looked for her daughter?
Listen and write
Listen and type the sentence you hear.
14.Listen and write the sentence.
15.Listen and write the sentence.
16.Listen and write the sentence.
Frequently asked questions
What level is this story?
It is for B1 learners. It uses the past simple, past continuous and past perfect to put events in order.
How can I practise with it?
Read the story, answer the questions, then listen to the narration and try the dictation sentences.
Can I listen at a slower speed?
Yes. Use the 0.75× control for the whole story or play one sentence at a time.
Answer key
1. Why was the whole street dark?
Answer: A tree had damaged a power line
A fallen tree damaged a power line.
2. Who was still inside the library?
Answer: Eva
Eva had stayed behind to finish her homework.
3. Where was Eva’s mother waiting?
Answer: At the bakery
Eva remembered that her mother was waiting at the bakery.
4. What did Eva leave for Omar the next day?
Answer: A note
Eva left a thank-you note on Omar’s desk.
5. Omar’s phone had plenty of battery.
Answer: False
The battery was nearly empty, and the phone later stopped working.
6. The neighbour said a tree had fallen across the road.
Answer: True
A neighbour explained that a tree had fallen and damaged a power line.
7. Omar’s sister waited outside in the rain.
Answer: False
She waited inside a nearby shop.
8. It had ___ heavily for hours before the lights went out.
Answer: rained
The text says it had rained heavily for hours.
9. Eva was frightened, so Omar found a ___ to help them see.
Answer: torch
Omar found a small torch in his desk.
10. In the past simple, Eva’s mother ___ for her daughter after the power cut.
Answer: looked
Eva’s mother looked for her daughter after the lights went out.
11. Listening question 11: It had rained heavily for hours, and the wind was shaking the windows.
Answer: Rain and wind
It had rained heavily for hours, and the wind was shaking the windows.
12. Listening question 12: A neighbour explained that a tree had fallen across the road and damaged a power line.
Answer: A fallen tree
A tree had fallen across the road and damaged the line.
13. Listening question 13: Eva’s mother looked for her daughter after the lights went out.
Answer: Eva’s mother
The sentence says Eva’s mother looked for her daughter.
14. Dictation 14
Answer: Then he heard a loud noise outside and saw that the whole street was dark.
The sentence contrasts what Omar heard and saw after the lights went out.
15. Dictation 15
Answer: A girl called Eva had stayed behind to finish her homework.
Had stayed places Eva’s action before Omar heard her.
16. Dictation 16
Answer: When Omar finally reached the bus stop, his sister was still there.
The sentence places his arrival at the bus stop after the events at the library.