The Ferry That Was Full
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
When the ferry to a small island is full, Tamsin finds a faster water taxi instead of waiting two hours.
Tamsin arrived at the dock ten minutes before the ferry. A worker stood at the ramp with a clipboard. "Sorry, this ferry is full," he said. "The next one leaves in two hours," he added. Tamsin looked out at the small island across the water. Two hours felt like a long time to wait. She walked along the dock and looked at the boats. A small motorboat sat near the end of the dock. A sign on it read "Water Taxi, Ask Inside." Tamsin walked into the little office next to the sign. "Can you take me to the island?" she asked. "Sure, it takes fifteen minutes," the driver said. Tamsin paid for a ticket and stepped onto the boat. The small boat sped across the water fast. Waves splashed up over the sides now and then. Tamsin held her bag close and laughed at the spray. The boat reached the island well before the ferry. She stepped onto the dock and looked at the sea. The ferry was still just a dot near the mainland.
