**Featured Story**

**The Valentine's Day Mix-Up* 🍫**
Diana accidentally buys a romantic gift.

* A mix-up (a misunderstanding)

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🟢 Beginner:

Diana buys some chocolate for a friend.
The cashier says, "A Valentine’s gift?"
Diana laughs. "No, just a gift!"

Expression: Jump to conclusions (to decide something quickly without enough information)
• Some (determiner, an unspecified amount or number of something)
• Gift (noun, something given to another person as a present)
• Friend (noun, a person you know and like to spend time with)
• Laugh (verb, to make a sound when something is funny or enjoyable)
• Buy (verb, to get something by paying money for it)

Example:
Emma saw her friend talking to a doctor. "Oh no! Are you sick?" she asked.
Tom laughed. "No, I’m just asking for directions!"
"Oops! I jumped* to conclusions!"

*jumpED = past

🟡 Intermediate:

Diana bought chocolate for her friend but realized they were in a heart-shaped box.
When Diana gave them to her, her friend blushed.
"Oh! I thought—"
Diana laughed. "No, no, just a friendship gift!"

Expression: Send the wrong message (to accidentally give the wrong impression)
• Realize (verb, to suddenly understand or become aware of something)
• Blush (verb, to turn red in the face from embarrassment or shyness)
• Friendship (noun, a relationship between people who like and trust each other)
• Gift (noun, something given to another person as a present)
• Thought (verb, past form of “think”)
• Bought (verb, past form of “buy”)

Example:
Jake texted his coworker, "Let’s have dinner tonight."
She hesitated before replying. "Oh… is this a date?"
Jake quickly responded, "No, no! Just to discuss the project!"
He realized his words had sent the wrong message.

🔴 Advanced:

Diana bought chocolate for her roommate, but the shop assistant winked, assuming it was for romance.
Later, when her roommate opened the box and said, "Diana, are we dating now?"
Diana groaned. "Next time, I’m buying plain chocolate bars."

Expression: A recipe for confusion (a situation that is likely to cause misunderstanding)
• Assumption (noun, something that is believed to be true without proof)
• Wink (verb, to close and open one eye quickly as a playful or secret gesture)
• Groan (verb, to make a low sound when in pain or frustration)
• Plain (adjective, simple and without decoration or pattern)
• Date (verb, to go on romantic experiences with another person)

Example:
Leo sent a text saying, "See you tonight!" to the wrong person—his boss instead of his friend.
"Well," he sighed, "this is a recipe for confusion."

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The Valentine's Day Mix-Up