When Martin bought a pair of noise cancelling headphones, he believed his life would improve in several sensible ways. He would focus better at work. He would enjoy music without hearing traffic. He would not hear his neighbour testing a leaf blower at midnight. What he did not expect was to lose the ability to judge his own volume.
On Monday morning, Martin walked into a small office where ten people were typing politely and pretending not to judge each other. He put on the headphones, pressed play, and felt calm for the first time in weeks. He also felt a sneeze preparing for take off.
Martin tried to hold it. He failed.
He sneezed like a confused trumpet.
He removed the headphones and saw ten shocked faces. The room was silent, except for a printer that sounded frightened. Martin said, “Sorry, that was quieter in my head.” Nobody laughed. They nodded in a way that suggested they would remember this moment forever.
At lunchtime, Martin decided to buy soup from a busy café. He kept the headphones on because he felt brave. When the server asked what he wanted, Martin replied, “YES, PLEASE” because he thought she had asked if he wanted a bag. Several customers stepped back. The server blinked and asked again. Martin removed the headphones, pointed at tomato soup, and whispered, “This one.” The server smiled in a way that meant she had already told this story in her head.
Later, Martin visited a library to return a book about ancient bridges. He forgot to remove the headphones. At the desk, he said, “I AM RETURNING THIS BOOK” with the confidence of a town crier. The librarian lifted one finger to her lips and then another finger to a form. Martin nodded so many times that his glasses tried to escape.
Feeling embarrassed, Martin decided to walk home through the market. A stall owner offered him a free sample of cheese. Martin, still wearing the headphones, replied, “I DO NOT KNOW YOUR GOAT” because he thought the man had asked about pets. The stall owner stared at him, then laughed so hard that he had to hold a stack of paper plates.
Two teenagers filmed Martin for three seconds. Martin noticed and waved politely, which made the filming longer.
Finally, Martin reached his front door and removed the headphones. The world returned at a normal volume. He took a careful breath and said, “Tomorrow, I will remember.”
The next morning, he remembered.
He remembered until a colleague offered him a biscuit. Martin replied at a normal volume, “Thank you.” The colleague looked disappointed, as if a favourite television show had been cancelled.
At lunch, the server from the café saw him again. Martin ordered soup in a sensible voice. She nodded, but her smile suggested that she preferred the louder version.
At the library, the librarian returned his book with professional calm. Martin whispered, “Have a nice day.” She whispered back, “I already am.”
At the market, the cheese stall owner offered another sample. Martin said, “Thank you, I like this one.” The man leaned closer and said, “Please tell me about my goat.” Martin laughed and said, “I am sorry, I panicked.”
They both laughed. It felt good.
That evening, Martin placed the headphones on his desk. He decided to use them only at home. He wrote a small note and stuck it to the side. The note said, “Remove before speaking.”
He never forgot again.
Well, almost never.
One month later, he attended a very quiet meditation class. He sat down, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the silence. A sneeze arrived, confident and proud.
Martin whispered, “Not today.”
He sneezed anyway.
It was perfect. It was gentle. It was finally, beautifully silent.
The room did not react.
Martin smiled.
He had learned the volume of his own life.
Vocabulary Notes
“Noise cancelling”
Meaning: Designed to reduce or block outside sounds, especially background noise.
Example: “When Martin bought a pair of noise cancelling headphones, he believed his life would improve…”
Similar words / phrases: sound blocking, noise reducing, soundproof (not exact but related), acoustic
Extra example: “Noise cancelling headphones are useful in busy offices.”
“Embarrassed”
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or ashamed because of something awkward or silly.
Example: “Feeling embarrassed, Martin decided to walk home through the market.”
Similar words: ashamed, awkward, uncomfortable, self conscious
Extra example: “She felt embarrassed when she realised everyone was watching her.”
“Confidence”
Meaning: The feeling of being sure about yourself and your actions.
Example: “He said, ‘I AM RETURNING THIS BOOK’ with the confidence of a town crier.”
Similar words: certainty, belief, self assurance, boldness
Extra example: “He spoke with confidence during the meeting.”
“To panic”
Meaning: To suddenly feel very nervous or scared and lose calm control.
Example: “Martin laughed and said, ‘I am sorry, I panicked.’”
Similar words: freak out, lose control, become anxious, overreact
Extra example: “She panicked when she could not find her phone.”
“Professional calm”
Meaning: A polite, controlled, and formal behaviour, even in awkward situations.
Example: “At the library, the librarian returned his book with professional calm.”
Similar words: composed, controlled, formal, polite
Extra example: “The nurse explained everything with professional calm.”
Story written by ChatGPT.
Image created by ChatGPT.
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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