The Mirror in the Attic - Reading & Listening Story for ESL Practice
- Rose Sensei
- May 29
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 8
Reading Comprehension & Listening ESL Practice Story
Join Sophie as she discovers an enchanted mirror hidden in her grandmother’s attic.
This story is perfect for ESL students looking to practise listening and reading comprehension with an inspiring tale about self-discovery and potential.
It’s a great story for intermediate and advanced learners, offering opportunities to discuss deeper issues like self-esteem, confidence, and change.
📚Your Reading Guide:
A. Story
B. Vocabulary List - Meaning & Example Sentence
C. Vocabulary Quiz
D. Grammar Quiz
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🎥 Watch the video to improve your listening and pronunciation!
👉The Mirror in the Attic : https://youtu.be/JvL7CTY1y88
A. 📚Story: The Mirror in the Attic - Reading
Sophie had always been curious about her grandmother’s old house. It was a large, mysterious home filled with dusty furniture, forgotten rooms, and creaky floors.
As a child, she would play in the garden and peek into the shadowy corridors, but there was one place she had never explored: the attic.
One summer, when Sophie was in her early thirties, her grandmother passed away, and Sophie inherited the house. She wasn’t sure what to do with it.
Life in the city had become overwhelming—her job was stressful, her friends were distant, and she felt lost. Taking a break in the quiet countryside seemed like a good idea, so she decided to spend a few weeks at the house, clearing her mind.
On her third day there, Sophie found the old attic key in her grandmother’s bedroom drawer. She hesitated for a moment, but curiosity won, and she climbed the narrow staircase leading to the attic.
Inside, the attic was exactly as she imagined—dusty and cluttered with old trunks, books, and forgotten family heirlooms.
In the far corner, something caught her eye: a large, antique mirror covered with a faded cloth. When Sophie pulled the cloth off, she gasped. The mirror had an elegant, gold frame and was much taller than she was.
As she wiped the dust from the surface, something strange happened. The reflection was not her.
Instead, staring back at her was a version of herself, but different. The woman in the mirror looked happier, more confident, and full of life. She wore colorful clothes, her posture was relaxed, and she smiled warmly.
Sophie blinked in confusion and looked closer. The woman in the mirror began to speak, but not with words—rather, Sophie could hear her thoughts.
"This is who you can be," the reflection seemed to say. "If only you believed in yourself more."
Startled, Sophie backed away, but the reflection smiled kindly and held out a hand.
"You’re so focused on who you think you should be that you’ve forgotten who you are," the voice continued.
"You have the strength to change, to become this version of yourself—but first, you need to let go of the weight you're carrying."
For a long moment, Sophie stood there, listening to the voice in her mind, feeling the truth in its words.
She thought about her life—how she had been trying to meet everyone else’s expectations, how she had been afraid of disappointing others, and how that fear had made her lose touch with her dreams and passions.
Finally, Sophie reached out and touched the mirror. At that moment, she felt a warmth spread through her, as if the reflection was transferring its energy to her. Slowly, she began to see herself not just as she was, but as she could be.
Sophie left the attic that day with a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in years. Over the next few weeks, she started making small changes in her life.
She reconnected with her old hobbies, called friends she had lost touch with, and started saying "no" to things that drained her energy. Little by little, she began to become the person she had seen in the mirror.
And whenever she doubted herself, she would return to the attic and look into the mirror again, reminded that her true self had always been there, waiting for her to embrace it.
📌Moral of the Story:
Sometimes, the greatest transformation happens when we stop trying to be what others expect and start listening to the voice within us. We all have the power to become the best version of ourselves if we let go of fear and trust in our own potential.
B. 📖Vocabulary List
a) attic=(a space or room just below the roof of a house, often used for storage)
e.g. Sophie found the old mirror in the attic.
b) curious= (eager to learn or know something)
e.g. Sophie was curious about the locked attic door.
c) reflection= (an image seen in a mirror or shiny surface)
e.g. She saw a confident version of herself in the mirror’s reflection.
d) cluttered= (filled with too many things in an untidy way)
e.g. The attic was cluttered with old boxes and furniture.
e) overwhelming= (very intense, difficult to deal with)
e.g. Sophie felt overwhelmed by her busy life in the city.
f) reconnect=(to make contact or become involved with someone or something again)
e.g. After her experience with the mirror, Sophie reconnected with her old hobbies.
g) potential= (the ability to grow or develop into something in the future)
e.g. The reflection showed Sophie what her potential could be if she believed in herself.
h) hesitate=(to pause before saying or doing something because of uncertainty)
e.g. Sophie hesitated before opening the attic door.
i) confident= (feeling sure of oneself and one's abilities)
e.g. The reflection in the mirror showed Sophie as a confident person.
j) inspire= (To encourage or motivate someone to do something)
e.g. The vision in the mirror inspired Sophie to make changes in her life.
k) unlock= (to open something, usually a door, using a key)
e.g. Sophie unlocked the attic door with her grandmother’s key.
l) faded= (having lost colour or brightness)
e.g. The mirror’s frame was faded from years of sitting in the attic.
Over to You!
C. ✏️Vocabulary Quiz
What does "curious" mean in the context of the story?
A. Bored
B. Interested
C. Angry
In the story, Sophie felt “overwhelmed.” What is a synonym for “overwhelmed”?
A. Relaxed
B. Stressed
C. Happy
What is the best definition of “potential” as used in the story?
A. Something you might become or achieve
B. A type of magic power
C. A mirror that can reflect
Which word best describes the "attic" in the story?
A. A sunny room
B. A storage space under the roof
C. A room full of mirrors
D. ✏️Grammar Quiz
Focus on grammar points in the story, such as verb tenses, conditionals, or adjectives.
Example Questions:
"Sophie had always been curious about the house." What tense is used in this sentence?
A. Present Perfect
B. Past Perfect
C. Future Perfect
"If only you believed in yourself more, you could be like me." What type of conditional is this?
A. First Conditional
B. Second Conditional
C. Third Conditional
"She reconnected with her old hobbies." What is the best definition of “reconnected”?
A. To forget something
B. To lose something again
C. To start doing something again after a break
🔑Answers
1. (B)
2. (B)
3. (C)
🎥 Related Videos: YouTube Channel Playlist
🔗ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/37rf8e23
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
🔗Quick and Easy Vocabulary https://tinyurl.com/44chnrb9
Need More Practice?
🎬 Watch the video lesson to follow the story and hear how the words are used in real life.
💬 Have a question or want to share your answers? Leave a comment — we’d love to hear from you!
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