Henry and Lillian live in New York City. They love it. Lillian grew up there. She was born in Manhattan. She has been living in New York City her whole life.
Henry did not grow up in New York. He moved there from Massachusetts. After high school, he went to college in New York. All of his friends are jealous. They love New York City. There are a lot of diverse cultures. It’s beautiful and lively. Henry knows this. But he also knows how difficult it is.
There are many problems living in New York City. Henry’s apartment is small. It is a studio. A studio is an apartment that is one big room. It’s also very expensive. New York is a stressful city. There are so many people. It is always loud. Residents can be anxious. They need to relieve stress. Some people exercise. Some do yoga.
Henry & Lillian Meet
Henry and Lillian are friends. They met in a yoga class. Lillian is very anxious. She bites her nails. Sometimes she can’t sleep at night. She loves yoga because it is calming. Henry is more anxious. His job is stressful. He drinks coffee all day. His heart races. Sometimes, he has panic attacks.
The yoga classes help Henry and Lillian. Their instructor’s name is Quanasha. One day, she talked about panic attacks. She asked if anyone has them. Henry raised his hand. “Can you tell us what it feels like?” Quanasha asked.
“Sure,” said Henry. “It feels like I can’t breathe. I start sweating. My heart starts beating faster and faster. My chest hurts. I think I’m dying. I never believe it will end.” Lillian listened to Henry. She felt bad for him. When class ended, she introduced herself to him.
“Hi, I’m Lily,” She said. “I’m glad you were brave enough to talk about that today.”
“Oh, thanks,” Henry replied. “I don’t mind talking about it. Even though it’s scary.”
“I’m always so anxious,” Lillian replied. “It helps me know that other people are feeling anxious, too. It makes me think I can do something about it. What do you do about it?”
“Well, this class helps me a lot,” Henry mentioned. “When I leave here, I feel peaceful.”
“Yeah, this class is great; I look forward to it all week!” Lillian admitted. “We should get a coffee and talk sometime.”
“How about now?” Henry offered. “I’m feeling great!”
“Alright, let’s go!” Lillian said.
Lillian and Henry starting walking. They found a coffee shop across the street. They walked in. Henry ordered a coffee and a muffin. Lillian ordered a tea and a sandwich.
They sat down and talked for a long time…
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Questions
Fill-in-the-Blanks
Topic: Stress
Grammar: Present Perfect Continuous
Lillian has been living in New York City her whole life.