A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.

Lesson Info

Post Type
Social Post
Level
Level 4 / B2
Published
Title
Is this weird?
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/smposts/2026-04-10-is-this-weird/

In this lesson:

  • Warm-up Prediction task and general discussion questions.
  • Vocab List Useful words and meanings.
  • Reading Read the main text.
  • Comment Tone Check Read comments and identify the tone.
  • Listen and Fill Gaps Listen for missing words.
  • Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
  • True or False Check understanding.
  • Put Events in Order Arrange events from the story into the order they happened.
  • Multiple Choice Check understanding.
  • Words That Go Together Connect words and collocated phrases from the lesson.
  • Discussion Builder Think about how ideas relate to each other to choose connecting expressions.
  • Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
  • Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.

Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this post?

a) A neighbor complains about loud music late at night.

b) The poster first sees her behavior at home as a good sign.

c) A couple argues about moving in together.

A young woman from behind, bare-backed in pajama bottoms, opens her apartment door to her middle-aged father. Her boyfriend reacts with a shocked expression from the bedroom.
Answering the door.

Ask: (1) How do you relax at home? (2) Are there clothes you only like wearing at home? Why?

VOCAB LIST

boundary (n.) — A limit about what feels acceptable or comfortable.
undressed (adj.) — Not wearing clothes.
privacy (n.) — Freedom from other people watching or entering your personal space.
without warning (phrase) — Suddenly, with no notice before.
topless (adj.) — Not wearing anything on the upper body.
overreact (v.) — To respond more strongly than a situation seems to need.
bra (n.) — A piece of underwear worn to support the breasts.
weird (adj.) — Strange or unusual.

Reading

Is it just me, or is this weird? My girlfriend (23F) and I (25M) have been dating for six months, but we've known each other for almost two years because we used to work together.

Lately, I spend most weekends at her apartment because she lives alone and we have privacy there. During that time, I noticed that she is far more comfortable with her body than I am. When we get back, she often changes into boxers or pajama bottoms and stays topless. She told me bras feel awful, and at home she just wants to relax.

I took that as a good sign. It seemed that she is comfortable with me, even if I am much shyer about being undressed. Still, it made me realize how different our boundaries are, and last week that difference suddenly felt much bigger.

One morning, her dad came by without warning to drop something off. We were still in bed, but she got up, walked to the door in pajama bottoms, and answered it topless. I was shocked. What felt even stranger was that she stood there talking to him for about ten minutes as if nothing was unusual.

When she came back, I asked why she had not put on a t-shirt first. She said that when she was growing up, walking around like that at home was normal in her family. I told her that, to me, a child doing that is very different from an adult daughter greeting her father that way. She disagreed and said every family has its own boundaries. Now I keep wondering if I am overreacting, or if this would feel uncomfortable to most people.

Is this weird?

Level 4 Social

Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A young woman from behind, bare-backed in pajama bottoms, opens her apartment door to her middle-aged father. Her boyfriend reacts with a shocked expression from the bedroom.
Answering the door.
Eric NumberOneBarista

Is it just me, or is this weird? My girlfriend (23F) and I (25M) have been dating for six months, but we've known each other for almost two years because we used to work together.

Lately, I spend most weekends at her apartment because she lives alone and we have privacy there. During that time, I noticed that she is far more comfortable with her body than I am. When we get back, she often changes into boxers or pajama bottoms and stays topless. She told me bras feel awful, and at home she just wants to relax.

I took that as a good sign. It seemed that she is comfortable with me, even if I am much shyer about being undressed. Still, it made me realize how different our boundaries are, and last week that difference suddenly felt much bigger.

One morning, her dad came by without warning to drop something off. We were still in bed, but she got up, walked to the door in pajama bottoms, and answered it topless. I was shocked. What felt even stranger was that she stood there talking to him for about ten minutes as if nothing was unusual.

When she came back, I asked why she had not put on a t-shirt first. She said that when she was growing up, walking around like that at home was normal in her family. I told her that, to me, a child doing that is very different from an adult daughter greeting her father that way. She disagreed and said every family has its own boundaries. Now I keep wondering if I am overreacting, or if this would feel uncomfortable to most people.

likes · 3 comments

Comment Tone Check

Comment Tone Check

Choose the tone that best matches each comment.

  • PizzaTheHutt81

    Different families can have different rules, and this may just be a boundary difference between you two.

    Supportive Critical Neutral Defensive Worried

    Neutral
  • SkyDancer00

    You are not overreacting if this crosses a real boundary for you. You should talk about it clearly.

    Supportive Critical Neutral Defensive Worried

    Supportive
  • drift35

    You seem focused on what feels weird to you, but her family may truly see this as normal.

    Supportive Critical Neutral Defensive Worried

    Critical

Speaker: American Male  Duration: 1:44  Watch on YouTube

Two ways to use this audio:

  • Method 1: Listen for the main idea: what is the article about in one sentence? Listen a second time for more details, then try the Understanding activities below.
  • Method 2: Read the article first to learn the vocabulary and ideas. Then look at the gap-fill sentences to see what to listen for, and listen to fill them in.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

Is it just me, or is this weird? My girlfriend (23F) and I (25M) have been (1) for six months, but we've known each other for almost two years because we used to work together.

Lately, I spend most weekends at her apartment because she lives alone and we have (2) there. During that time, I noticed that she is far more comfortable with her body than I am. When we get back, she often changes into boxers or pajama bottoms and stays topless. She told me bras feel awful, and at home she just wants to (3) .

I took that as a good sign. It seemed that she is comfortable with me, even if I am much shyer about being undressed. Still, it made me realize how different our (4) are, and last week that difference suddenly felt much bigger.

One morning, her dad came by without (5) to drop something off. We were still in bed, but she got up, walked to the door in pajama bottoms, and answered it topless. I was shocked. What felt even stranger was that she stood there talking to him for about ten minutes as if nothing was (6) .

When she came back, I asked why she had not put on a t-shirt first. She said that when she was growing up, walking around like that at home was normal in her family. I told her that, to me, a child doing that is very different from an adult daughter greeting her father that way. She disagreed and said every family has its own boundaries. Now I keep wondering if I am overreacting, or if this would feel (7) to most people.

Main Idea

Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.

Main Idea

Choose one:

  • The poster is mainly upset because his girlfriend spends weekends at home without getting dressed.
  • The poster realizes he and his girlfriend have very different boundaries at home and wonders if he is overreacting. Correct answer
  • The poster thinks surprise visits from family are the biggest problem in his relationship.
True or False

Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.

  • The poster and his girlfriend met only after they started dating.
    He says they have dated for six months, but they knew each other for almost two years because they used to work together.
  • The poster felt the difference in their boundaries became much bigger after her father arrived unexpectedly.
    He says that difference suddenly felt much bigger when she answered the door topless.
  • The girlfriend said walking around topless at home was never normal in her family.
    She says it was normal in her family when she was growing up.

True or False

1. The poster and his girlfriend met only after they started dating. TRUEFALSE False

2. The poster felt the difference in their boundaries became much bigger after her father arrived unexpectedly. TRUEFALSE True

3. The girlfriend said walking around topless at home was never normal in her family. TRUEFALSE False

Put Events in Order

Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (5):

  • He realized their personal boundaries were quite different.
  • After they disagreed about it, the poster kept wondering if he was overreacting.
  • The poster and his girlfriend knew each other from work before they started dating.
  • Her father arrived without warning, and she answered the door topless and talked to him.
  • He began spending most weekends at her apartment and noticed she felt very comfortable with her body at home.
  1. The poster and his girlfriend knew each other from work before they started dating.
  2. He began spending most weekends at her apartment and noticed she felt very comfortable with her body at home.
  3. He realized their personal boundaries were quite different.
  4. Her father arrived without warning, and she answered the door topless and talked to him.
  5. After they disagreed about it, the poster kept wondering if he was overreacting.

Multiple Choice

1. Why does the poster spend most weekends at his girlfriend's apartment?

   a) Because his own apartment is being repaired

   b) Because she lives alone and they have privacy thereCorrect

   c) Because her father is usually away on weekends

   d) Because they still work together nearby

2. What did the poster first think when his girlfriend stayed topless at home?

   a) It meant she wanted to shock him

   b) It showed she was angry about bras

   c) It made him want to leave

   d) It seemed like a sign that she felt comfortable with himCorrect

3. What is the poster wondering at the end of the post?

   a) Whether he is overreacting or most people would also feel uncomfortableCorrect

   b) Whether he should stop spending weekends at her apartment

   c) Whether her father knew he was still in bed

   d) Whether his girlfriend wants to break up

Words That Go Together

Loading vocabulary activity...

Words That Go Together

Match each word with the words it goes with:

1. come byf) without warning

2. spende) weekends

3. haved) boundaries

4. change intoc) boxers

5. answerb) the door

6. greeta) her father

a) her father

b) the door

c) boxers

d) boundaries

e) weekends

f) without warning

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. something can feel normal in one family and strange in another.

    Also, / For example, / To me, / Still,

    To me, something can feel normal in one family and strange in another.

  2. Couples should talk about boundaries early small differences can become big problems later.

    and / but / because / so

    Couples should talk about boundaries early because small differences can become big problems later.

  3. They clearly have different family rules. I would tell the poster to explain his boundary calmly and listen to her side too.

    Like, / Because of that, / Still, / Also,

    They clearly have different family rules. Because of that, I would tell the poster to explain his boundary calmly and listen to her side too.

Discussion Questions

  1. Did anything in this story surprise you? Explain.
  2. What advice would you give the poster now?
  3. Can something feel normal in one family but strange in another? Give an example.
  4. Why do you think the poster first saw his girlfriend's behavior as a good sign?
  5. Would you have felt shocked in the same situation? Why or why not?
  6. Should family members always warn each other before visiting?
  7. How should couples talk about different boundaries without starting a fight?
  8. Is being comfortable with your body always a positive thing?
  9. In your culture, what kinds of clothing feel acceptable in private and in public?
  10. Have you ever thought, "Is this weird, or is it just me?"

Answers Is this weird? / Level 4

Think Ahead: b

Tone:

  1. Neutral
  2. Supportive
  3. Critical

Listening: (1) dating, (2) privacy, (3) relax, (4) boundaries, (5) warning, (6) unusual, (7) uncomfortable

Main Idea: The poster realizes he and his girlfriend have very different boundaries at home and wonders if he is overreacting.

True or False:

  1. False. He says they have dated for six months, but they knew each other for almost two years because they used to work together.
  2. True. He says that difference suddenly felt much bigger when she answered the door topless.
  3. False. She says it was normal in her family when she was growing up.

Multiple Choice: b, d, a

Put Events in Order:

  1. The poster and his girlfriend knew each other from work before they started dating.
  2. He began spending most weekends at her apartment and noticed she felt very comfortable with her body at home.
  3. He realized their personal boundaries were quite different.
  4. Her father arrived without warning, and she answered the door topless and talked to him.
  5. After they disagreed about it, the poster kept wondering if he was overreacting.

Vocabulary:

  1. come by: without warning
  2. spend: weekends
  3. have: boundaries
  1. change into: boxers
  2. answer: the door
  3. greet: her father

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Opinion. 2) Reason. 3) Result.

  1. To me,
  2. because
  3. Because of that,

eslnewsstories.com