ADVANCED ENGLISH STORY 🏡 The Cottage 🏡 Level 4 / 5 / B2 / C1 | British English Story with Subtitles

Summary

In this heartwarming story, Rita, an avid traveler, returns home after two years to settle down. With a desire for a stable job and a home, she envisions a quaint British cottage. After inheriting her late Aunt Julie's charming cottage, she faces the challenge of turning it into her dream home. Amidst the process, she secures a job at a local charity, embracing a new chapter of life that aligns with her values and aspirations, all while honoring her aunt's legacy.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Rita, after two years of world travel, decides to settle down and seek stability.
• 🏠 She yearns for a place to call home, with a desire for privacy and her own space.
• 💰 Rita has saved a substantial amount of money from working in New Zealand, which she plans to use for a home deposit.
• 🚐 During her travels, she lived frugally, using free Wi-Fi to apply for jobs back home.
• 📝 Rita has a diverse work experience, from marketing to teaching English, and is open to any decent-paying challenge.
• 🏡 She dreams of living in a typical British cottage with a picturesque village setting.
• 💻 Despite receiving an interview invitation from a large corporation in London, Rita is not enthusiastic about the corporate environment.
• 🛫 Upon returning to the UK, Rita learns of her Aunt Julie's passing and inherits her dream cottage.
• 🏡 The cottage is a charming thatched-roof home filled with character and fond memories for Rita.
• 📜 Rita discovers her Aunt Julie's will and a letter expressing a desire for Rita to inherit the cottage.
• 🏢 Rita declines a job interview at a corporation, choosing to pursue a job closer to her new home and aligned with her values.
• 🌱 She finds a potential job at a charity that aligns with her interests and Aunt Julie's legacy.
• 🏡 Rita commits to renovating the cottage with her savings, honoring her Aunt Julie's vision.
• 💪 She secures the charity job, demonstrating her drive and determination, qualities she shares with her late aunt.

Q & A

What was Rita's main desire after traveling the world for over two years?

Rita's main desire was to settle down, get a stable job, and plant some roots, as she wanted to have a place to finally call home.

How did Rita manage to save a substantial amount of money during her travels?

Rita saved money by working in a small company in New Zealand that paid decent wages, and she also budgeted and traveled around the South Island in a van to save on accommodation costs.

What type of job was Rita looking for when she returned home?

Rita was looking for a job that paid decently so she could buy her dream home. She was open to various fields and was up for any challenge.

What was Rita's vision of her dream home?

Rita envisioned living in a typical British cottage in the heart of a homely village, with a garden full of wildflowers and wisteria cascading down the house.

How did Rita feel when she received an email inviting her for an interview with a big corporation in London?

Rita felt a little unappreciative and her heart sunk because she preferred working for smaller companies or charities, not big corporations.

What was the sad news Rita's parents shared with her upon her return to the UK?

Rita's parents informed her that her Auntie Julie had passed away, and they had decided to wait until she was back to tell her.

What did Auntie Julie leave to Rita in her will?

Auntie Julie left her beautiful old cottage to Rita in her will, expressing her wish for Rita to one day inherit it.

How did Rita feel about the possibility of owning Auntie Julie's cottage?

Rita felt unworthy and overwhelmed by the thought of owning the cottage, as she considered such an inheritance to be something that happens to spoiled rich kids, not a normal person like her.

What was Rita's decision regarding the job interview at the corporation in London?

Rita decided to decline the job interview at the corporation in London, as it wouldn't work for her if she wanted to stay close to her cottage.

How did Rita find out about a potential job opportunity at a charity close to her heart?

Rita found out about the job opportunity at a charity by looking through her Auntie Julie's CV and then calling the charity directly to inquire about vacancies.

What was Rita's promise to herself if she got the job at the charity?

Rita promised herself that if she got the job, she would renovate the cottage with her savings and make it exactly how her Auntie Julie had envisioned it.