Twenty Questions

Story 18 of 80

Listen to this story

Highlighted words are key vocabulary — tap one to see its translation. Colors show the part of speech:

Verb Adjective Adverb Expression

On Friday the last lesson is a game. The teacher writes one word on a small paper and puts it in her pocket.

"You have twenty questions," she says. "The rules are simple: I answer only with short sentences."

"Where do we find it?" Dilnoza asks. "In every house."

"How much does it cost?" "Almost nothing."

"How often do people use it?" "Every evening."

"Who uses it?" "Everybody in the room."

"How many parts does it have?" "Two."

"When do we use it?" "When the sun goes down."

"Why do we use it?" "Because the room is dark."

"How does it work?" "With electricity."

Nineteen questions and no answer. The class is quiet. Sherbek guesses a lamp, a phone, a television — all wrong.

Then Afsona asks the twentieth question, and it is the best one: "Where in the room is it?"

The teacher looks at the wall next to the door.

"A light switch," Afsona says. "Two parts: on and off."

Vocabulary from this story

Tap a card to flip it.

rules
qoidalar
cost
turadi (narx)
Almost
deyarli
electricity
elektr
guesses
taxmin qiladi
twentieth
yigirmanchi
switch
kalit (vyklyuchatel)

Grammar from this story

Key patterns that appeared in the text.

Wh- word + do/does + subject + verb?

Soʻroq soʻzi eng oldinga chiqadi, keyin PE-10 dagi qolip takrorlanadi: Where do we find it?, Why do we use it?

  • Where do we find it?
  • How does it work?

How + another word

how much (narx, sanalmaydigan), how many (sanaladigan), how often (qanchalik tez-tez), how long (qancha vaqt), how old (necha yosh).

  • How much does it cost?
  • How many parts does it have?
  • How often do people use it?

Who as subject needs no “do”

Agar soʻroq soʻzi eganing oʻzi boʻlsa, do/does kerak emas va feʼl oddiy shaklda qoladi: Who uses it? — “Who does use it?” xato.

  • Who uses it?
  • What is the answer?

Check your understanding

Read the story, then choose the best answer. Tap a choice to check it.

1. What is the word in the teacher's pocket?

2. Which question is correct English?

3. Why does the last question win the game?