Graded story

A2 French short story: a surprise on the balcony at dawn

Léon finds a pigeon nesting in a flowerpot on his balcony. An A2 story in the past tenses about patience and small changes, with glosses and questions.

In short

An A2 story mixing passé composé and imparfait. A bird builds a nest on Léon's balcony and he changes his habits to protect it. Follow what he does, week by week.

A pigeon sits beside two eggs in a flowerpot on a balcony.
Léon finds un nid on his balcony at dawn. Illustration: Atelier

Une surprise sur le balcon

Un matin, à l'aube1, Léon est sorti sur son balcon avec son café. Dans le grand pot de fleurs2, il y avait un nid3 ! Une pigeonne couvait4 deux œufs blancs.

Léon ne voulait pas déranger5 l'oiseau. Il a arrêté d'arroser le pot et il a bu son café dans la cuisine. Il regardait le balcon par la fenêtre.

Trois semaines plus tard, les œufs6 ont éclos7. Deux petits oiseaux gris ouvraient le bec toute la journée. Léon a pris des photos pour ses voisins.

À la fin du mois, les jeunes pigeons se sont envolés8. Léon était un peu triste. Il a laissé le nid dans le pot : « Ils reviendront peut-être l'année prochaine. »

Read it in English

One morning, at dawn, Léon went out onto his balcony with his coffee. In the big flowerpot, there was a nest. A pigeon was sitting on two white eggs.

Léon didn't want to disturb the bird. He stopped watering the pot and drank his coffee in the kitchen. He watched the balcony through the window.

Three weeks later, the eggs hatched. Two little grey birds opened their beaks all day long. Léon took photos for his neighbours.

At the end of the month, the young pigeons flew away. Léon was a little sad. He left the nest in the pot: "Maybe they'll come back next year."

What Léon changed
BeforeAfter
coffee on the balconycoffee in the kitchen
watering the flowerpotno watering
ignoring the balconywatching it through the window
Question 1No account needed
What did Léon find in the flowerpot?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

a nest with two eggs. Un nid… deux œufs blancs.

Question 2No account needed
Why did he stop watering the pot?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

He didn't want to disturb the bird.. Il ne voulait pas déranger l'oiseau.

Question 3No account needed
Les œufs ont éclos means…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

the eggs hatched. Éclore is to hatch; it takes être or avoir.