현관 옆의 신발
Nari planned to spend her birthday evening quietly at home in Daejeon. On the way home, she bought only a small pack of strawberries and ingredients for seaweed soup.

What you'll learn
- Bilingual graded story
- English translation
- 8 useful words
- 2 comprehension questions
Warm-up vocabulary
Preview 4 optional words before reading
Your Korean story
Tap highlighted words when you need help
나리는 생일 저녁을 대전의 집에서 조용히 . 퇴근길에 작은 딸기 팩과 미역국 재료만 사서 현관문을 열었어요. 거실은 이상할 만큼 조용했고 부엌 불도 꺼져 있었어요. 불을 켜려고 하는데 현관 옆에 친구들의 신발 보였어요. 나리는 웃음을 참으며 아무것도 부엌으로 들어갔어요. 갑자기 불이 켜지고 친구들이 작은 케이크와 따뜻한 미역국을 들고 나왔어요. 혜진이 “큰 파티 싫어하니까 준비했어. 그런데 어떻게 알았어?”라고 물었어요. 나리는 대답 대신 문 옆의 신발을 가리키며 먼저 웃었어요.
Show full English translation
Nari planned to spend her birthday evening quietly at home in Daejeon.
On the way home, she bought only a small pack of strawberries and ingredients for seaweed soup.
The living room was strangely quiet, and the kitchen light was off.
As she reached for the light, she saw three pairs of her friends’ shoes by the door.
Holding back a laugh, Nari walked into the kitchen and pretended not to know.
Suddenly the lights came on, and her friends appeared with a small cake and warm seaweed soup.
Hyejin said, “You don’t like big parties, so we kept it to just us. But how did you know?”
Instead of answering, Nari pointed at the shoes by the door and laughed first.
Vocabulary recap
Reading Comprehension Exercise
A2 Korean Reading Comprehension Exercises
1. What reveals the surprise before Nari enters the kitchen?
Correct: Three pairs of friends’ shoes
The shoes by the entryway are physical evidence that her friends are already inside.
2. Why do the friends keep the celebration small?
Correct: Nari dislikes big parties
Hyejin says 큰 파티 싫어하니까, showing that the scale reflects Nari’s preference.
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- 8 new expressions
- 1 grammar pattern
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