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Nora Pulls the Cord
A small first adventure — doing one important job on your own.
Nora takes the number nine bus to the market with her aunt. It is a big day, and she has one important job: watch for the stop and pull the cord at the right moment. A gentle A1 listening story for new English learners, with seven everyday travel words and short speaking practice.
This is a short story about Nora’s first bus ride to the market with her aunt. She has one important job to do on the way. Before you listen, two words to know:
Listen to the whole story once. Then tap the Questions button on the player and choose the best answer — you’ll see right away if it’s correct.
Today is a big day. Nora is going on the busbus · a big car that takes many people from place to place. She is going with Aunt Carla. They are going to the market.
Nora waits at the bus stopstop · the place where the bus waits for people. She has two coinscoins · small, round metal money in her hand. The coins are warm and shiny.
“Here it comes!” says Aunt Carla. “That’s the number nine bus.”
The big bus stops. The doors open. Nora puts her coins in the box. The driverdriver · the person who drives the bus smiles.
“Good morning,” says the driver. “Find a seat.”
Nora runs to a windowwindow · the glass part you look through seat. She likes the window. She can see everything.
The bus starts. Cars go by. People walk on the sidewalk. A small dog runs in a yard. A man waves at the bus.
The bus is full of sounds. The engine hums. The coins rattle in the box. Two kids laugh near the door. Nora likes all the sounds.
“Look, a bridgebridge · a road that goes over a river!” says Nora. The bus goes over a long bridge. Below the bridge, a river is blue and bright. Nora is happy.
But then Nora has a worry. “Aunt Carla, where is our stop? I don’t want to miss it.”
“Don’t worry,” says Aunt Carla. “Watch for the green store. Then pull the cordcord · a thin rope you pull to ask the bus to stop. That’s our stop.”
Nora watches the window. She sees a red store. She sees a yellow store. Then she sees the green store!
“Now!” says Aunt Carla.
Nora pulls the cord. Ding! A light comes on. The bus slows down. It stops.
“Good job,” says the driver. “This is your stop.”
Nora and Aunt Carla get off the bus. The market is right there. Apples, oranges, and big yellow bananas are everywhere.
“You’re a good bus rider,” says Aunt Carla. “Next time, you can pull the cord again.”
Nora smiles. The bus was fun. The window was fun. And the cord was the best part.
Listen again and read along with the transcript. Then tap the Questions button on the player and answer each one.
Today is a big day. Nora is going on the busbus · a big car that takes many people from place to place. She is going with Aunt Carla. They are going to the market.
Nora waits at the bus stopstop · the place where the bus waits for people. She has two coinscoins · small, round metal money in her hand. The coins are warm and shiny.
“Here it comes!” says Aunt Carla. “That’s the number nine bus.”
The big bus stops. The doors open. Nora puts her coins in the box. The driverdriver · the person who drives the bus smiles.
“Good morning,” says the driver. “Find a seat.”
Nora runs to a windowwindow · the glass part you look through seat. She likes the window. She can see everything.
The bus starts. Cars go by. People walk on the sidewalk. A small dog runs in a yard. A man waves at the bus.
The bus is full of sounds. The engine hums. The coins rattle in the box. Two kids laugh near the door. Nora likes all the sounds.
“Look, a bridgebridge · a road that goes over a river!” says Nora. The bus goes over a long bridge. Below the bridge, a river is blue and bright. Nora is happy.
But then Nora has a worry. “Aunt Carla, where is our stop? I don’t want to miss it.”
“Don’t worry,” says Aunt Carla. “Watch for the green store. Then pull the cordcord · a thin rope you pull to ask the bus to stop. That’s our stop.”
Nora watches the window. She sees a red store. She sees a yellow store. Then she sees the green store!
“Now!” says Aunt Carla.
Nora pulls the cord. Ding! A light comes on. The bus slows down. It stops.
“Good job,” says the driver. “This is your stop.”
Nora and Aunt Carla get off the bus. The market is right there. Apples, oranges, and big yellow bananas are everywhere.
“You’re a good bus rider,” says Aunt Carla. “Next time, you can pull the cord again.”
Nora smiles. The bus was fun. The window was fun. And the cord was the best part.
Here are the seven key words from the story. Look at each picture, read the line where the word appears, and say the word out loud.
| Picture | Word | Type | Line from the story | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bus | noun | “Nora is going on the bus.” | A big car that takes many people from place to place. | |
| stop | noun | “Nora waits at the bus stop.” | The place where the bus waits for people. | |
| coins | noun | “She has two coins in her hand.” | Small, round metal money. | |
| driver | noun | “The driver smiles.” | The person who drives the bus. | |
| window | noun | “Nora runs to a window seat.” | The glass part you look through. | |
| bridge | noun | “Look, a bridge!” says Nora. | A road that goes over a river. | |
| cord | noun | “Then pull the cord.” | A thin rope you pull to ask the bus to stop. |
Type the right word in each gap. You can use the word bank to help.
Fill the gap from memory — no word bank this time. Type the word.
You listened, noticed the words, and used them yourself. Come back any time to listen again — repetition is how the words stick.
