The Great Car Breakdown Comedy
You're driving to an important meeting when your car starts behaving strangely. Navigate a series of mechanical mishaps with humor and questionable decision-making skills.
A free Story Adventure for Adults at CEFR B2 level. Topic: Common car breakdowns (Remix) (Remix).
Story
- You're driving your ten-year-old sedan down the motorway on a sunny Tuesday afternoon when you notice something peculiar: the engine is making a grinding noise that sounds suspiciously like a angry robot. The check engine light has been blinking on and off for weeks, but you've been optimistically…
- You decide that the presentation is too important to miss, so you accelerate optimistically down the motorway. The grinding noise becomes louder, and now the car is also emitting a mysterious burning smell that could be either the engine or your overheating anxiety. A few kilometers later, the…
- You pull over safely and call a local mechanic, explaining that your engine is grinding and making suspicious noises. The mechanic, who sounds like he's heard this story a thousand times before, asks you to describe the noise in detail. You do your best impression of an angry robot, which he…
- You execute a dramatic U-turn and head back to the service station, your engine still grinding ominously. When you arrive, a mechanic named Derek emerges from the garage, wiping his hands on an oil-stained rag. You explain your symptoms: grinding noise, burning smell, check engine light. Derek…
- The roadside assistance team arrives within forty minutes, and a cheerful technician named Marcus jumps out of the van. He quickly connects a diagnostic scanner to your vehicle and examines the results with a knowing expression. He explains that your engine has overheated due to a faulty cooling…
- Against all logic and despite the obvious warning signs, you turn the key again. The grinding noise intensifies to an almost apocalyptic level, accompanied by a violent shaking of the entire vehicle. Suddenly, there's a loud bang, and the engine dies permanently. Smoke begins pouring from under the…
- You sit in your car for thirty minutes, listening to a podcast about the history of automotive engineering, which feels oddly appropriate given your current predicament. The technician arrives in a white van and immediately connects diagnostic equipment to your vehicle. After a thorough…
- You download a car diagnostic app and spend twenty minutes scrolling through forums where amateur mechanics discuss symptoms similar to yours. The internet suggests your problem could be anything from a simple loose battery terminal to a completely seized engine. One particularly unhelpful forum…
Vocabulary
- grinding noise
- check engine light
- optimistically ignoring
- service station
- crucial
- stalls
- hard shoulder
- burning smell
- coasts
- stranded
- seized transmission
- faulty alternator
- technician
- maintained
- contemplating
- diagnostic test
- neglect
- severe damage
- symptoms
- ominously
- diagnostic scanner
- cooling system
- coolant
- bearing
- extensive repairs
- friction
- catastrophic failure
- total loss
- write-off
- emergency services
- apocalyptic
- alternator
- preventive maintenance
- diagnostic equipment
- inexpensive
- complimentary
- serpentine belt
- pulleys
- slipping
- worn out
Printable worksheet
This Story Adventure comes with a free printable worksheet: 2 parts for students to do after the game, and an answer key for the teacher. It prints at three levels (Support, Core and Challenge); this is the Challenge sheet. Sign in free to print the whole sheet.
What's on the worksheet
- Remember the story · Answer in a full sentence.
- A new ending · Write a new ending for the story. Use three story words.
Part 1: Remember the story
Answer in a full sentence.
- Why is the protagonist ignoring the check engine light?
- What happened as a result of the protagonist's decision to continue driving?
- What does the mechanic suggest about the cause of the noise?