The Fearless Fluency Club: Story 1

This story is based off of the conversation with Jonathan about his experience being a professional
soccer referee. It’s based on a true story from the conversation but the details are fictional. Check the
course guide for ideas about how to use the story.
KEY: Vocabulary, Extra vocabulary, Grammar

“I’m so excited. Jonathan is really starting to get around the college leagues!” Vanessa said to Dan as
they were driving down to Georgia. They were going to support Jonathan as he officiated some of the
biggest soccer matches of the year at Georgia State University (GSU). They had watched Jonathan forf
years as he learned the ropes of refereeing. He was starting to gain a reputation in the leagues, so he
could pick and choose some of the matches. “Ever since he graduated from GSU, he has always
wanted to ref games there,” Dan said, “but I hope he’s not just feeding his ego. Messing up at this
level could have big repercussions.”

When Dan and Vanessa got to GSU, they met Jonathan outside of the soccer stadium. Jonathan had
an air of importance as he stood among the other officials. “So, is this your new norm? Traveling to all
the big US colleges?” Vanessa asked Jonathan. Jonathan tried to reply humbly, “Nah. This is just
something I’m trying before I’m between jobs again!” They all laughed and entered the stadium. It
was huge and tens of thousands of people were making their way to the seats. Dan tried to get a read
on how nervous Jonathan was. If he was nervous, Dan couldn’t really pick up on it. “Well, it’s time for
me to get out there before I talk myself out of it.” Jonathan said, laughing. Dan chuckled to himself;
Jonathan was nervous after all.

Dan and Vanessa seated themselves two rows above the players benches. The first match was the
men’s game. They picked out Jonathan right away; he looked much more nervous now. The game
began, and before long they could see Jonathan was in the flow of the game. After a little while, Dan
and Vanessa forgot about Jonathan altogether and just watched the game; exactly what should
happen with a good referee. The whole game passed smoothly, and Jonathan didn’t make a bad call

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 1

the whole game. When the game was over, they met with Jonathan before the woman’s game. He was
beaming with confidence. “I’ve got the next game in the bag!” He said, too prematurely… Oh, how
hindsight is 20/20!

The women’s game began just as smoothly as the men’s, but then the trouble happened. A few of the
girls on each team were especially feisty. They came at each other with nasty words, and Jonathan
seemed to intervene with too many words himself. He was trying too hard to get his point across:
“Girls! You need to stop fighting or I’m going to start throwing red cards!” Soon he became their
scapegoat, and both sides yelled right back at him. Then he lost control and was stranded in a sea of
explosive women. There was screaming. There was spitting. There were copious amounts of hair
pulling. And when all was said and done, the police were called to shut the whole thing down. In
short, it was a disaster.

After the game, when everything was sorted out, Dan and Vanessa finally got to see Jonathan to see
how he was doing. He was dejected, but also looked hopeful. “I just spoke with an evaluator who
watched the whole thing,” he said, “The main takeaway? She said I have two ears and one mouth…
which means I need listen twice as much as I speak.”

Extra Vocabulary:
1. To make your way to: to go towards something
- After church we made our way to the restaurant.
- I have to make my way through the corn field to get to your house.
2. To have something in the bag: to be completely confident that you can accomplish something
- The Wolves are up 10 to 1, they have this game in the bag.
- You’ve got this in the bag. Just get in there and do the speech!
3. When all is said and done: after everything has finished, especially in an argument or conflict
- The meeting turned into a shouting match. When all was said and done, three employees
were fired.
- Even after a huge argument, when all is said and done, I know my wife and I will reconcile.

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 2

Story 1: Questions
1. Why was Vanessa excited? She was excited because Jonathan was really starting to get around
the college leagues.
2. What was the result of Jonathan gaining a reputation in the leagues? He could pick and choose
some of the matches.
3. Did Jonathan look unconfident? No, he had an air of importance as he stood among the other
officials.
4. What did Dan and Vanessa see when they entered the stadium? They saw tens of thousands of
people making their way to the seats.
5. What couldn’t Dan pick up on? He couldn’t really pick up on if Jonathan was nervous.
6. What happened to Jonathan before long in the first game? He was in the flow of the game.
7. Did the first game go poorly? No, the whole game passed smoothly, and Jonathan didn’t make
a bad call the whole game.
8. What did Jonathan say too prematurely? “I’ve got the next game in the bag!”
9. How did the women come at each other? They came at each other with nasty words.
10. What happened after Jonathan tried too hard to get his point across? He became their
scapegoat, and both sides yelled right back at him.
11. What happened when all was said and done? The police were called to shut the whole thing
down.
12. What was Jonathan’s main takeaway? He has two ears and one mouth which means he needs
to listen twice as much as he speaks.

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 3

Story 1 + Questions
“I’m so excited. Jonathan is really starting to get around the college leagues!” Vanessa said to Dan as
they were driving down to Georgia. They were going to support Jonathan as he officiated some of the
biggest soccer matches of the year at Georgia State University (GSU).
1. Why was Vanessa excited? She was excited because Jonathan was really starting to get
around the college leagues.
They had watched Jonathan for years as he learned the ropes of refereeing. He was starting to gain a
reputation in the leagues, so he could pick and choose some of the matches. “Ever since he graduated
from GSU, he has always wanted to ref games there,” Dan said, “but I hope he’s not just feeding his
ego. Messing up at this level could have big repercussions.”
2. What was the result of Jonathan gaining a reputation in the leagues? He could pick and
choose some of the matches.
When Dan and Vanessa got to GSU, they met Jonathan outside of the soccer stadium. Jonathan had
an air of importance as he stood among the other officials.
3. Did Jonathan look unconfident? No, he had an air of importance as he stood among the
other officials.
“So, is this your new norm? Traveling to all the big US colleges?” Vanessa asked Jonathan. Jonathan
tried to reply humbly, “Nah. This is just something I’m trying before I’m between jobs again!” They all
laughed and entered the stadium. It was huge and tens of thousands of people were making their way
to the seats. Dan tried to get a read on how nervous Jonathan was.
4. What did Dan and Vanessa see when they entered the stadium? They saw tens of thousands
of people making their way to the seats.
If he was nervous, Dan couldn’t really pick up on it. “Well, it’s time for me to get out there before I talk
myself out of it.” Jonathan said, laughing. Dan chuckled to himself; Jonathan was nervous after all.
5. What couldn’t Dan pick up on? He couldn’t really pick up on if Jonathan was nervous.
Dan and Vanessa seated themselves two rows above the players benches. The first match was the
men’s game. They picked out Jonathan right away; he looked much more nervous now. The game
began, and before long they could see Jonathan was in the flow of the game.

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 4

 6. What happened to Jonathan before long in the first game? He was in the flow of the game.
After a little while, Dan and Vanessa forgot about Jonathan altogether and just watched the game;
exactly what should happen with a good referee. The whole game passed smoothly, and Jonathan
didn’t make a bad call the whole game.
7. Did the first game go poorly? No, the whole game passed smoothly, and Jonathan didn’t
make a bad call the whole game.
When the game was over, they met with Jonathan before the woman’s game. He was beaming with
confidence. “I’ve got the next game in the bag!” He said, too prematurely… Oh, how hindsight is
20/20!
8. What did Jonathan say too prematurely? “I’ve got the next game in the bag!”
The women’s game began just as smoothly as the men’s, but then the trouble happened. A few of the
girls on each team were especially feisty. They came at each other with nasty words, and Jonathan
seemed to intervene with too many words himself.
9. How did the women come at each other? They came at each other with nasty words.
He was trying too hard to get his point across: “Girls! You need to stop fighting or I’m going to start
throwing red cards!” Soon he became their scapegoat, and both sides yelled right back at him. Then
he lost control and was stranded in a sea of explosive women.
10. What happened after Jonathan tried too hard to get his point across? He became their
scapegoat, and both sides yelled right back at him.
There was screaming. There was spitting. There were copious amounts of hair pulling. And when all
was said and done, the police were called to shut the whole thing down. In short, it was a disaster.
11. What happened when all was said and done? The police were called to shut the whole thing
down.
After the game, when everything was sorted out, Dan and Vanessa finally got to see Jonathan to see
how he was doing. He was dejected, but also looked hopeful. “I just spoke with an evaluator who
watched the whole thing,” he said, “The main takeaway? She said I have two ears and one mouth…
which means I need listen twice as much as I speak.”
12. What was Jonathan’s main takeaway? He has two ears and one mouth which means he
needs to listen twice as much as he speaks.

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 5

Story 2: First person perspective + Present tense
“I’m so excited. Jonathan is really starting to get around the college leagues!” I say to Dan as we drive
down to Georgia. We’re going to support Jonathan as he officiates some of the biggest soccer matches
of the year at Georgia State University (GSU). We’ve watched Jonathan for years as he learned the
ropes of refereeing. He’s starting to gain a reputation in the leagues, so he can pick and choose some
of the matches. “Ever since he graduated from GSU, he has always wanted to ref games there,” Dan
says, “but I hope he’s not just feeding his ego. Messing up at this level could have big repercussions.”

When Dan and I get to GSU, we meet Jonathan outside of the soccer stadium. Jonathan has an air of
importance as he stands among the other officials. “So, is this your new norm? Traveling to all the big
US colleges?” I ask Jonathan. Jonathan tries to reply humbly, “Nah. This is just something I’m trying
before I’m between jobs again!” We all laugh and enter the stadium. It’s huge and tens of thousands
of people are making their way to the seats. Dan tries to get a read on how nervous Jonathan is. If he’s
nervous, Dan can’t really pick up on it. “Well, it’s time for me to get out there before I talk myself out
of it.” Jonathan says, laughing. Dan chuckles to himself; Jonathan is nervous after all.

Dan and I seat ourselves two rows above the players benches. The first match is the men’s game. We
pick out Jonathan right away; he looks much more nervous now. The game begins, and before long we
can see Jonathan is in the flow of the game. After a little while, Dan and I forget about Jonathan
altogether and just watch the game; exactly what should happen with a good referee. The whole
game passes smoothly, and Jonathan doesn’t make a bad call the whole game. When the game is over,
we meet with Jonathan before the woman’s game. He’s beaming with confidence. “I’ve got the next
game in the bag!” He says, too prematurely… Oh, how hindsight is 20/20!

The women’s game begins just as smoothly as the men’s, but then the trouble happens. A few of the
girls on each team are especially feisty. They come at each other with nasty words, and Jonathan
seems to intervene with too many words himself. He’s trying too hard to get his point across: “Girls!

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 6

You need to stop fighting or I’m going to start throwing red cards!” Soon he becomes their scapegoat,
and both sides yell right back at him. Then he loses control and is stranded in a sea of explosive
women. There’s screaming. There’s spitting. There are copious amounts of hair pulling. And when all is
said and done, the police are called to shut the whole thing down. In short, it’s a disaster.

After the game, when everything is sorted out, Dan and I finally get to see Jonathan to see how he’s
doing. He’s dejected, but also looks hopeful. “I just spoke with an evaluator who watched the whole
thing,” he says, “The main takeaway? She said I have two ears and one mouth… which means I need
listen twice as much as I speak.”

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 7

Story 3: Future Tense
“I’m so excited. Jonathan is really starting to get around the college leagues!” Vanessa will say to Dan
as they drive down to Georgia. They’ll be going to support Jonathan as he officiates some of the
biggest soccer matches of the year at Georgia State University (GSU). They will have watched Jonathan
for years as he learned the ropes of refereeing. He’ll be starting to gain a reputation in the leagues, so
he can pick and choose some of the matches. “Ever since he graduated from GSU, he has always
wanted to ref games there,” Dan will say, “but I hope he’s not just feeding his ego. Messing up at this
level could have big repercussions.”

When Dan and Vanessa get to GSU, they’ll meet Jonathan outside of the soccer stadium. Jonathan will
have an air of importance as he stands among the other officials. “So, is this your new norm? Traveling
to all the big US colleges?” Vanessa will ask Jonathan. Jonathan will try to reply humbly, “Nah. This is
just something I’m trying before I’m between jobs again!” They’ll all laugh and enter the stadium. It’ll
be huge and tens of thousands of people will be making their way to the seats. Dan will try to get a
read on how nervous Jonathan is. If he is nervous, Dan won’t really pick up on it. “Well, it’s time for
me to get out there before I talk myself out of it.” Jonathan will say, laughing. Dan will chuckle to
himself; Jonathan will be nervous after all.

Dan and Vanessa will seat themselves two rows above the players benches. The first match will be the
men’s game. They’ll pick out Jonathan right away; he’ll look much more nervous now. The game will
begin, and before long they’ll see that Jonathan is in the flow of the game. After a little while, Dan and
Vanessa will forget about Jonathan altogether and just watch the game; exactly what should happen
with a good referee. The whole game will pass smoothly, and Jonathan won’t make a bad call the
whole game. When the game is over, They’ll meet with Jonathan before the women’s game. He’ll be
beaming with confidence. “I’ve got the next game in the bag!” He’ll say, too prematurely… Oh, how
hindsight is 20/20!

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 8

The women’s game will begin just as smoothly as the men’s, but then the trouble will happen. A few
of the girls on each team will be especially feisty. They’ll come at each other with nasty words, and
Jonathan will seem to intervene with too many words himself. He’ll be trying too hard to get his point
across: “Girls! You need to stop fighting or I’m going to start throwing red cards!” Soon he’ll become
their scapegoat, and both sides will yell right back at him. Then he’ll lose control and will be stranded
in a sea of explosive women. There will be screaming. There will be spitting. There will be copious
amounts of hair pulling. And when all is said and done, the police will be called to shut the whole
thing down. In short, it’ll be a disaster.

After the game, when everything is sorted out, Dan and Vanessa will finally get to see Jonathan to see
how he’s doing. He’ll be dejected, but also look hopeful. “I just spoke with an evaluator who watched
the whole thing,” he’ll say, “The main takeaway? She said I have two ears and one mouth… which
means I need listen twice as much as I speak.”

The Fearless Fluency Club www.SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com 9