W. Somerset Maugham (1929) — a man loses his job, but it makes him rich
Original version available: read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
This is a famous short story, told here in simple English. Read each part, then stop and talk about the questions. The end is a surprise — read slowly and do not jump ahead.
Albert worked at a church. He was the verger. The verger is the man who opens the church and helps in it. Albert worked there for sixteen years. He liked his job and he did it well.
One day a new boss came. The boss was the vicar — the head of the church. The new vicar learned something about Albert. Albert could not read. He could not write.
The vicar was very surprised. He said to Albert:
"You must learn to read and write. I will give you three months. If you cannot read in three months, you must leave your job."
Albert thought about it. Then he said, "I am too old to learn now, sir. I am sorry."
So Albert left his job at the church.
Albert walked home. He felt sad. He did not have a job now.
Albert wanted a cigarette. But he had no cigarettes at home. So he walked down the long street to buy some. He looked and looked, but there was no shop on the street. There was nowhere to buy cigarettes.
Then Albert had an idea. He said to himself:
"This is a long street, and there is no shop. I am not the only man who wants a cigarette here. I can open a small shop. I can sell cigarettes and sweets."
So Albert opened a small shop on that street. The shop did very well. People came and bought cigarettes and sweets. Albert was happy.
Then Albert opened a second shop. Then a third shop. After ten years, Albert had ten shops. He was a rich man.
One day, Albert went to the bank. He had a lot of money there. The bank manager wanted to talk to him.
The manager talked about Albert's money. He wanted Albert to sign some papers. But then he learned something. Albert still could not read. He could not write — only his name.
The manager was very surprised. He stood up from his chair. He said:
"This is amazing! You have ten shops and a lot of money, and you cannot read! Think what you could be now if you could read and write!"
Albert smiled a small smile. He said:
"I can tell you that, sir. I would be the verger of the church — the man who opens the door."
Ten useful words. Tap each card to see what it means and an example sentence.
1. Albert could not ______ or write. 2. He opened a small ______ on the street. 3. After ten years he was very ______.
This story happened in the past, so it uses the past simple. We use the past simple for a finished action in the past. Albert worked at a church. He opened a shop.
Regular verbs end in -ed: work → worked, open → opened, want → wanted, look → looked.
Irregular verbs change in a different way (you must learn them): go → went, have → had, say → said, leave → left, come → came.
1. Albert at a church for sixteen years. (work)
2. He a cigarette. (want)
3. He a small shop on the street. (open)
4. The shop Albert a lot. (help)
5. The manager about the money. (talk)
1. worked 2. wanted 3. opened 4. helped 5. talked
1. A new vicar to the church. (come)
2. Albert he was too old to learn. (say)
3. He his job at the church. (leave)
4. He to the bank one day. (go)
5. After ten years he ten shops. (have)
1. came 2. said 3. left 4. went 5. had
A good short story makes you think. The writer surprises you at the end. Here are some simple ideas from this story.
For the whole story, we feel sorry for Albert. He lost his job. But at the end, we learn that this was a good thing! He is rich now. If he could read, he would still be a poor verger. This big surprise at the end is called a twist. It makes us think about the story again.
Albert could not read. This looks like a bad thing — a weakness. But because of this, he lost his job and opened a shop. So his weakness made him rich! When a bad thing becomes a good thing like this, we call it irony.
Many people walked down the long street. But only Albert saw the gap — the street with no shop. He saw an idea where other people saw nothing.
Do all three. Use the timer and try to keep talking. The sentence starters can help you begin.
Now tell the story again in your own words. Use short, simple sentences. Try to use four or five words from the Words tab, and tell the events in order.
These steps will help you: he works at a church for many years · the new boss learns he cannot read · he leaves his job · he opens a shop and becomes rich · the bank manager is surprised — he says he would only be a verger.
Albert had a good idea — he opened a shop where there was no shop. Tell about a good idea you had, or a good idea for a new shop or business in your town.
Albert lost his job, but it was a good thing in the end. Tell about a time when a bad thing became a good thing — you, someone you know, or a person from a book or film.