Traveling for Vacations | Learn English Through Story Level 3 | Graded Reader

it is my first day in Rio de Janeiro I just arrived at the airport I feel excited but also a little tired my suitcase is big and it feels heavy but I don't mind I have my passport my plane ticket and my phone in my bag I walked to the taxi area there are many people waiting for taxis I hear people speaking Portuguese I don't understand what they are saying but everyone is smiling I smile too a taxi driver looks at me and says do you need a ride I nod and say yes to the

hotel please he helps me put my suitcase in the car the taxi is small and the driver turns on the radio there is music playing the song is very cheerful as we drive to the hotel I look out the window the city is beautiful I see tall buildings colorful houses and Big Green Mountains suddenly I see the ocean it is blue and shiny wow I say out loud the taxi driver laughs and says beautiful right I smile and say yes very beautiful beautiful after 30 minutes we stop in front of the hotel the building is

tall and there are palm trees outside I take my suitcase and go to the reception desk a woman is standing there she smiles and says Welcome to Rio how can I help you I say I have a reservation my name is Anna she checks her computer she looks at me and says H one moment please I wait and feel a little nervous did something go wrong is there a problem with my reservation she looks at me again and says your room is not ready yet can you wait for 1 hour I feel disappointed I want

to rest okay I say she points to a couch in the lobby and says you can wait there would you like some water I sit down on the couch and drink the water my phone rings it is my friend Maria she lives in Rio de Janeiro she says Welcome to Rio are you at your hotel now yes I say but my room is not ready I have to wait for for 1 hour Maria says I will come to see you wait for me now I feel happy I will not be alone while I wait I

wonder what will Maria say when she gets here will we go somewhere fun I hope nothing goes wrong I am sitting on the couch in the hotel lobby my suitcase is next to me I keep looking at it I don't want anything bad to happen my phone rings again it is Maria she says I am on my way I will be there in 20 minutes I feel better I sip my water and try to relax but then I hear a noise someone is arguing at the reception desk it is a man he looked looks upset

the receptionist is trying to calm him down I cannot hear everything they say but I hear the man shout where is my suitcase now I feel worried what if my suitcase gets lost too I look at it again it is still there but I stand up and move closer to it I don't want to take any risks after a few few minutes Maria arrives she is smiling she hugs me and says Welcome to Rio I feel happy to see her thank you I say Maria looks around and says why are you waiting here is there

a problem I tell her my room is not ready yet I have to wait for 1 hour Maria says don't worry let's go to to the beach you don't need to wait here I look at my suitcase but what about my luggage I ask she says leave it here it will be safe in the lobby I feel unsure what if someone takes it I ask Maria laughs and says no one will take it this is a good hotel I decide to leave my suitcase in the lobby I tell the receptionist please take care of my

bag she nods and says of course Maria and I walk outside the sun is warm and I feel excited again we take a taxi to the beach Maria says you will love it the sand is soft and the water is clear at the the beach I see many people they are swimming playing volleyball and eating snacks Maria and I sit down on the sand she says let's take a selfie we take a photo and laugh then Maria says do you want a coconut drink I say yes that sounds nice she goes to buy the drinks

while I wait I check my phone suddenly I see a text message it is from the hotel the message says urgent please come back there is a problem with your luggage I feel nervous what happened to my suitcase did someone take it I call the hotel but no one answers Maria comes back with the coconut drinks I show her the message she looks worried and says we should go back now we leave the beach and hurry back to the hotel I keep thinking will my suitcase still be there Maria and I rush back to the

hotel the taxi feels so slow and I keep checking my phone I want to call the hotel again but no one is answering I feel my heart beating fast what do you think happened I asked Maria she looks serious and says I don't know maybe someone took your bag when we arrive at the hotel I run to the lobby my suitcase is not by the couch I look around and feel Panic where is it the receptionist sees me she waves and says Miss Anna please come here I walk quickly to the desk where is my

suitcase I ask she looks sorry and says we moved it to a safe room but she pauses but what I ask my hands feel cold she says someone else is claiming it they say it is their suitcase I freeze what that is my bag Maria steps in and says let's see the bag maybe there is a mistake the receptionist nods and takes us to a small office inside there is a man he is holding a suitcase my suitcase that is mine I say loudly the man looks at me and says no this is my suitcase

he sounds very very sure Maria looks at the receptionist and says can we open the bag we will know who it belongs to the man looks nervous no you can't open it he says it's private I feel confused why doesn't he want to open it the receptionist says sir we need to check please let us open the bag he shakes his head no I need to leave now he says and tries to walk away Maria stands in front of the door you can't leave she says we need to solve this the receptionist calls security two

guards arrive they ask the man to stay finally the man gives up he says okay open it I I feel nervous but also a little angry what will we find inside one of the guards opens the suitcase inside I see my clothes my shoes and my book it's mine I say the man looks at the bag and says oh I made a mistake I thought it was my bag I don't believe him Maria doesn't believe him either she says why did you try to leave so quickly that is not normal the man looks nervous again

he doesn't answer the security guard says we need to check your ID the man gives them his ID but his hands are shaking I keep thinking what if he is lying what if he wanted to steal my things the guards take the man's ID and look at it carefully one guard says wait here we need to check something the man tries to stay calm but I can see he is nervous his hands are in his pockets and he keeps looking at the door Maria Whispers to me do you think he is lying I nod and

say yes that is my suitcase I know it the guard comes back and says sir your ID says you live in s Paulo what are you doing in Rio the man stutters I I came for a vacation Maria crosses her arms and says then why are you taking someone else's suit case the man doesn't answer the guards ask him to to sit down they say we need to ask you more questions I step closer to the suitcase I point to it and say can I check inside I want to make sure my things are there

the guards nod and I open the bag at first I see my clothes my shoes are there too but then I see something something strange there is a black box at the bottom of the suitcase what is this I asked Maria looks surprised that is not yours right I shake my head no I don't know what it is the guards take the box out of the bag it is heavy and it has a lock on it one guard asks the man what what is in this box the man looks pale he doesn't say anything the

guard repeats the question louder this time what is in this box the man finally speaks he says it's nothing it's just personal things the guards don't believe him one says we need to open it do you have the key the man shakes his head no no I don't have it Maria Whispers to me this is so strange why was this in your suitcase I feel scared now I don't know I say but I don't think it belongs to me the guards take the box to another room they say we will open it there they asked

the man to follow them the reception stays with Maria and me Maria looks at me and says this is crazy do you think the man put the Box in your bag I nod slowly maybe but why would he do that we wait in the lobby the minutes feel like hours finally the guards come back they look serious one of them says we open the box there is something important inside I feel my stomach drop what is it I ask the guard says we cannot tell you yet but we need to ask you more questions Maria

and I look at each other my heart is racing what is inside that box and why was it in my bag the guard looks at me and says we need to ask you some questions my heart is beating fast why do they need to ask me I didn't do anything wrong Maria holds my hand she Whispers don't worry just answer their [Music] questions I follow the guards to a small room Maria stays outside I feel nervous the room is quiet and I sit at a table one of the guards sits across from me he says

Miss Anna we found something in the Box do you know what it is I shake my head no I don't know anything about the box it is not mine the guard looks at me carefully then he says inside the Box we found money a lot of money I am shocked money how much money I ask the guard says thousands of dollars maybe more I cannot believe it but that is not my money I don't know why it was in my suitcase I say quickly the guard nods slowly we believe you he says but we need

to understand what happened happened the man who claimed your bag is acting very suspicious I feel a little better at least they believe me but I still don't understand did the man put the box in my bag I ask the guard says maybe we are still investigating but there is one problem I feel my stomach tighten what problem I ask the guard leans forward and says the man says he knows you he says you are traveling together I freeze what that is not true I don't know him the guard looks serious are you sure he

knows your name he says you are his friend I feel angry now he is lying I don't know him I came here alone the guard nods again we believe you but we need proof do you have anything that shows you came alone like your flight ticket or hotel reservation I think for a moment yes my flight ticket is in my bag I say the guard leaves the room to check my bag I sit alone feeling scared and confused how does this man know my name after a few minutes the guard comes back he is holding

my ticket he says your ticket shows only your name that helps but we still need to talk to the man suddenly there is a loud noise outside the room someone is shouting it is the man he is yelling I want my lawyer the guard looks at me and says wait here I will be back soon as he leaves I sit in the small room thinking how did my trip to Rio become such a mess who is this man and why is he lying about me I sit alone in the small room waiting my mind is

full of questions why did the man say he knows me why was the money in my suitcase I feel tired and scared after a few minutes the door opens the guard comes back he says Miss Anna we have news I stand up quickly what happened I ask the guard says the man confessed he admitted he put the Box in your suitcase at the airport I am shocked what why would he do that the guard explains he was carrying the box when he arrived in Rio he was afraid the airport security would check his bag so

he looked for someone with a big suitcase that was you he put the Box in your bag and planned to take it later I feel angry he used my suitcase and he lied about knowing me the guard nods yes he thought it would be easy to trick you but we caught him he will go to jail I feel a little better but I am still upset what about my suitcase is everything okay the guard smiled yes your things are fine the box is gone and the man is in custody you can take your bag now

I leave the room and go back to the lobby Maria is waiting for me when she sees me she jumps up Anna are you okay I nod and smile yes I am fine but you will not believe what happened I tell Maria everything she listens carefully and says that man was so dangerous you are lucky the guards caught him I laughed nervously yes but my vacation started with so much drama Maria hugs me don't worry the bad part is over now we can enjoy Rio we take my suitcase and go back to my hotel room

I finally check in and my room is beautiful there's a big bed and a window with a view of the beach Maria says let's forget about the suitcase problem what do you want to do tomorrow I smile and say I want to go to the beach but this time I will keep my bag closed we laugh and I feel happy again the day was stressful but now I can relax I am ready to enjoy my vacation here are 10 questions about today's story write your answers in the comments below let's see how many you get

right one where does Anna go on her vacation a Paris B Rio Janeiro C New York D Madrid two why does Anna wait in the hotel lobby a her friend is late B her room is not ready C she lost her suitcase D she is waiting for a taxi three who calls while she is waiting a her boss b her mom C her friend Maria D the receptionist four what does Maria suggest they do while waiting a go to the beach B take a nap C eat lunch D visit a museum five what happens to

Anna's suitcase at the hotel a it gets lost B someone claims it C it is locked in a room D it is stolen six what is found in the suitcase that does not belong to Anna a clothes b a passport C a black box d shoes seven what is inside the Black Box a jewelry B Money C books D tickets eight why does the man say he knows Anna a he is her friend B he wants to trick her C he is telling the truth D he wants to help her nine what does Anna plan

to do after solving the suitcase problem a visit a museum B go to the beach C leave Rio D sleep all day how did you do if you want to check the correct answers you can find them in the pinned comment below don't forget to share your score and thoughts in the comments let's keep learning together