Silvana’s Story - Level 1
I come from Vukovar, in Croatia. Vukovar was a beautiful city before the war and I was very happy there. I was very sad to leave my family and friends. I didn’t know much about Australia, and I could only speak a little English.
We arrived in Melbourne in September 1998. I was five months pregnant. I started an English class at St Albans AMES. I learned a lot of English in that class. My class finished three weeks before my daughter Maya was born. I wanted to continue my English classes. But how could I do that with a small baby?
Then my teacher told me about the Volunteer Tutor Program. Helen, a volunteer tutor, comes to my house twice a week to help me with my English. Helen is wonderful! She helps me to learn English, and she helps me to learn about life in Australia. Together we visited the Infant Welfare Centre in St Albans, and I joined a group of mothers with young babies. We meet once a week. Sometimes we go out together for coffee or a swim at the pool with our babies. Now I have a lot of new friends and my English is much better.
Helen still comes to my house to help me with my English. We are good friends. Next month I am going to return to my English classes at St Albans AMES.
(There is one exercise for this story)
Exercise 1 - Comprehension
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Silvana was pregnant when she arrived in Australia. She couldn’t speak very much English. She started an English class at St Albans AMES. Then Silvana’s daughter was born. She was worried because she didn’t think she could learn English with a small baby.
Silvana’s teacher told her about the Volunteer Tutor Program. A tutor comes to Silvana’s house to help her with English. She took Silvana to the Infant Welfare Centre. Silvana met some mothers there and they go out for coffee together. Next month she is going back to her English class at St Albans AMES.