Tom is a paramedic. He works in Manchester. Today his shift starts at four in the afternoon and ends at midnight.

At five o’clock, the radio makes a sound. “We have a call,” says his partner, Lisa. “An old man has fallen in a shop.”

They drive fast. The shop is busy. An old man is on the floor. He looks scared but he is smiling.

“I am fine,” he says. “I just lost my balance.”

Tom checks his heart and his blood pressure. Everything is normal. He helps the man stand up. The shop manager says, “Thank you.” Tom and Lisa leave.

At seven o’clock, they eat sandwiches in the ambulance. It starts to rain.

Then another call comes. “Car accident on Green Road. Two people are hurt.”

Green Road is dark and wet. A small blue car has hit a tree. A young woman is inside. She cannot open the door. Lisa calls for help. Tom talks to the woman.

“What is your name?” he asks.

“Anna,” she says. Her leg hurts a lot.

Firefighters arrive and open the door. Tom and Lisa move Anna carefully to the ambulance. They take her to the hospital. The doctor says Anna will be okay. Anna says, “Thank you so much.”

At ten o’clock, Tom and Lisa are tired. They think the evening is finished.

But at eleven o’clock, there is a final call. A woman at home is having a baby. The ambulance cannot move fast because of the rain and traffic.

They arrive at the house. The woman is in her bedroom. Her husband is very nervous.

“Please help us,” he says.

Lisa helps the woman breathe. Tom gets the medical bag ready. Ten minutes later, they hear a new sound. It is a baby crying. It is a healthy boy.

The parents are crying too, but they are happy tears.

At midnight, Tom finishes his shift. He drives home in the rain. He is tired, but he feels proud. It was a long evening, but it was a good evening.

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Vocabulary Notes

Paramedic
A paramedic is a person whose job is to help sick or hurt people before they get to the hospital. They usually work in an ambulance.
From the story: “Tom is a paramedic.”
Example: “The paramedic gave the man oxygen.”
Similar words: ambulance worker, first responder, emergency medic

Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force of your blood moving through your body. Doctors and nurses check it to see if you are healthy.
From the story: “Tom checks his heart and his blood pressure.”
Example: “My blood pressure is a little high today.”
Similar words: pulse is related but different – pulse is how fast your heart beats, pressure is how strong the blood flow is

Move carefully / carefully
Carefully means you do something with attention so you do not make a mistake or cause harm.
From the story: “Tom and Lisa move Anna carefully to the ambulance.”
Example: “Please carry the glass carefully, it can break.”
Similar words: slowly and gently, with care, cautiously

Nervous
If you are nervous, you feel worried or a little scared about what will happen.
From the story: “Her husband is very nervous.”
Example: “I was nervous before my English test.”
Similar words: anxious, worried, tense. Opposite: calm, relaxed

Proud
If you feel proud, you feel happy about something good that you or someone close to you has done.
From the story: “He is tired, but he feels proud.”
Example: “She feels proud because she helped her team win.”
Similar words: pleased, satisfied. Note: “proud” is a good feeling about an achievement

Story and Image generated by Meta.

Animation generated by ClipBee

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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