Video from：
B站：5天听5遍，形成英语耳，70岁 我决定不退休了，美国小学4年级水平 | 听故事学英语 | 英文故事 | 英语听力 | 英语口语
油管：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB5Z01j4ClY
Contents:
Ben was seventy years old and his life felt empty.
For forty years, he had been a vice president at a phone book company.
The work was important. Retirement was good at first.
His wife was his best friend. They traveled and learned new things together.
But then she died, and the quiet in his house became very loud.
He had a good son and family, but he did not want to be a problem for them.
Every day was the same. He woke up early and made coffee.
The smell just filled an empty kitchen.
He went to the market, but the bright colors of the fruit felt strange in his gray world.
His friends were disappearing. Funerals became a regular thing.
Money was not the issue. The real problem was time.
He had too much time, and no purpose for it.
But something was about to change his quiet, gray world forever.
One morning, Ben saw a paper on a wall.
It was a flyer. A new company wanted senior interns.
The company was an online clothing store. It was a young company.
The flyer said, “Are you over 65? Do you want to work again?”
Ben thought, “Yes.l want that.” He went home. The application was online.
It was not a paper form. He needed to make a video.
Ben did not know how to make a video. His grandson helped him.
He showed him how to use the computer camera.
Ben wore a suit for the video. He sat at his desk. His voice was calm and steady.
He said, “My name is Ben. I have a lot of experience. I want to be busy again. l want to help. “
His words were honest. The company liked his video. They called him for an interview.
The interview was strange. A young woman asked him a question.
She said, “Where do you see yourself in ten years?”
Ben smiled. He thought, “A young question for an old man. In ten years, l will be eighty.”
He did not say that. Ben just said, “l want to be here. I want to learn.”
He got the job. The company was called “AboutThe Fit.”
The office was a big open space. It had been a phone book factory.
Ben knew the building. He had worked there for forty years.
Now it was different. Young people were everywhere.
They wore casual clothes. They moved fast. The energy was high. Keyboards clicked like fast rain.
Music played from speakers. People laughed and talked loudly on the phone.
Ben wore his suit and tie. His quiet shoes made no sound on the concrete floor.
His white hair stood out. Ben sat at his assigned desk. He opened his old briefcase.
He took out a calculator, reading glasses, and a pen.
His small corner of the office looked very different. He looked at his new computer.
The screen was black. He did not know how to turn it on.
A young woman pointed to a small button. “Press that, ” she said. Ben pressed it.
The screen came to life. His first email arrived. It said he would work for the founder.
Her name was Jules. The other workers looked at him. They felt sorry for him.
Jules was very busy. She was a perfectionist. She started the company in her kitchen.
Eighteen months ago, she had 25 employees. Now she had 220.
Jules rode a bicycle inside the office. It saved time.
Her assistant had to run to keep up. She checked every detail.
A poster for the website was a big problem. Jules made the designer change it many times.
She wanted everything to be perfect. Ben was curious about this woman.
He went to see her assistant, Becky. Becky was very stressed. Her eyes were wide and tired.
She gave Ben some advice. “Talk fast, ” Becky said. “Jules hates slow talkers. And don’t forget to blink.”
Ben remembered the advice. He walked into Jules’s office. Jules did not look up from her computer.
She spoke very quickly. She said, “l am not good with older people. This might not work.”
Jules suggested he work for someone else. Ben refused. He said, “l can do this job.”
The meeting was less than two minutes. Jules did not give Ben any work.
For days, he sat at his desk. He had nothing to do. But Ben did not complain.
He watched everything. He learned the names of the young workers.
Ben observed the flow of the office. He thought, “This is a new world. I must understand it first.”
He started to understand. This busy office needed something different.
He started to help other people in the office.
A young man needed advice about a girlfriend. He looked very sad. Ben listened carefully.
He gave him good advice. The young man smiled for the first time that day.
Another person had a problem with a customer. The customer was very angry.
Ben helped solve it. He spoke in a calm voice. The anger went away.
He was like a calm island in a busy sea. He saw a desk in the middle of the office.
It was covered with boxes and old papers. Everyone called it “the junk table.”
Jules hated it. She walked past it every day. Her face showed her dislike.
One morning, Ben arrived very early. He cleaned the entire table.
Every box was gone. Every paper was in the trash.
When Jules arrived, she saw the clean table. A small smile appeared on her face.
She looked around. Someone told her that Ben did it. She looked at Ben’s desk.
He was reading the newspaper. Jules started to see him differently.
The company had a special benefit. It was a massage service.
A woman named Fiona was the masseuse.
Because Ben cleaned the table, he got a free massage.
Fiona was a nice woman. She was also very professional. She rarely smiled.
Her hands were strong. She worked on his tired shoulders. They talked quietly.
Ben said something funny. Fiona suddenly laughed. It was a big, happy laugh.
After the massage, Ben asked for her number. She smiled and gave it to him.
The other young interns saw everything. They had never heard her laugh like that.
They were impressed. Ben became their love expert. He felt happy and useful again.
But that good feeling did not last.
One afternoon, Ben looked out the window. He saw Jules’s driver.
The driver was drinking alcohol in the car. Ben was worried. Jules’s safety was important.
He went down to the car. Ben spoke to the driver quietly.
He said, “You should not drive today. ” The driver knew he was wrong.
He was afraid to lose his job. When Jules came to the car, the driver said he was sick.
He asked for the day off. Jules said okay. Ben was standing nearby. He offered to drive her.
Ben was now driving Jules to an important meeting. The company had grown very fast.
Jules worked day and night. But she could not do everything.
Important things were slipping. Her investors saw this. They wanted her to hire a CEO.
Jules did not want a CEO. She had built this company. It was her baby.
The idea of another person incharge made her sad.
In the car, her phone rang constantly. Her mother called. Then her business partner called.
She was stressed. Ben drove smoothly and quietly. He did not say a word.
The car was a peaceful space. They arrived at the meeting place. Jules told Ben he could go home.
She said she would take a taxi back. Ben said, “No, l will wait.” He knew she might need someone later.
The meeting was long. When Jules came out, her face was sad. Her shoulders were down.
She looked defeated. Ben had bought her some chicken soup. It was hot in a paper cup.
He held it out to her. He did not speak. She took the cup. Her fingers were cold.
They drove back in silence. Jules called her partner again. She complained about the CEO candidate.
She was angry. But her partner was quiet. Jules knew the truth. She was just scared.
She whispered, “l’m sorry.” When they got to her house, Ben stopped the car. Jules got out.
She started to walk away. Then she stopped. She turned back. Jules knocked on the car window.
Ben opened it. “Thank you, Ben, ” she said. She looked at him. He looked back.
He said, “You started this business all by yourself. You have 220 people now. Remember who did that. “
His words were a small gift. They made her feel stronger.
Her husband, Matt, and their little daughter came to the door. Jules waved goodbye to Ben.
Her family was her safe place. The next morning, the phone woke Ben up. It was Becky.
Jules’s regular driver was missing. She asked Ben to drive Jules again. Ben got dressed quickly.
He drove to Jules’s house. He rang the doorbell. Matt opened the door. He was very friendly.
He invited Ben inside for coffee. Jules was still getting ready. Ben did not want to intrude.
But Matt insisted. Ben sat in the living room. Jules’s daughter, Paige, was playing.
She was a sweet girl. Ben played with her. They made each other laugh. Jules came downstairs.
She saw Ben playing with her daughter. She did not like it. Her home was her private space.
This old man was in it. She felt uncomfortable. In the car, she was quiet. Ben sensed her mood.
He apologized for being in her house. Jules said it was okay. But it was not okay.
She wrote an email on her phone. It was a request to transfer Ben to another department.
She thought Ben watched her too much. His constant observation made her nervous.
But she was wrong. Ben was not judging her. He admired her.
He saw her teaching employees how to fold clothes for shipping.
She cared about the ustomer’s experience. He saw the passion in her eyes.
Later that day, Jules was working late. She was eating pizza at her desk. She saw Ben at his desk.
He was waiting, just in case she needed him. Jules felt a little guilty.
She walked over with the pizza box. She offered him a slice. They started talking.
Jules learned that the building was once Ben’s workplace. He had worked there for forty years.
He knew every corner of it. Ben said, “lt feels like home.”
For Jules, his strange behavior now made sense. He was not iust an intern.
He was part of the building’s history. Jules noticed Ben trying to create a social media account.
He was struggling. She took his picture with her phone. She helped him fill out his profile.
They were becoming friends. She felt relaxed with him. The age difference did not matter.
For the first time, she fell asleep in the car on the way home. When she woke up, she felt refreshed.
“That was amazing, ” she said. The next day, Ben did not drive Jules.
Jules had transferred him. She immediately regretted it. She went to find him.
Ben was buying coffee for his new team. Jules walked up to him. She looked ashamed.
“l made a mistake,” she said. “l’m a very private person. I was wrong. “
Ben smiled warmly. He understood. He accepted her apology. He became her intern again.
Jules gave him a desk next to Becky. Becky was not happy. She started to cry.
She said to Ben, “Jules never asks for my help. But she trusts you. You are fifty years older than me.”
Ben listened. He was kind. He told Becky she was doing a great job.
He said she should take more breaks. Ben looked at the company’s sales data.
With his years of experience, he saw a problem.
They were spending too much money on small markets.
He suggested they focus on bigger customers. He presented his idea to Jules.
He made sure to say that Becky helped him. Jules was impressed. She also praised Becky.
One day, there was a crisis. Jules was very angry with her mother.
She wrote a mean email to her business partner. It was a way to share her anger.
But an assistant sent the email to her mother by mistake.
Her mother had a heart condition. The email could be dangerous for her.
Jules was in a panic. Her face was white.
She thought, “This is not a small thing. A shock like this… it could really hurt her.”
She wanted to get the email back.
She wanted to hack into her mother’s computer. The tech guys did not know how.
Ben had an idea. It was a simple, old-fashioned idea. He said, “Let’s go to her house.”
Jules needed to stay at work. So Ben took three other young interns with him.
They drove to Jules’s parents house. Jules told them the key was under a flower pot.
But there were dozens of flower pots. They searched every one. Finally, they found the key.
They opened the door. A loud alarm started to ring. The sound was sharp and terrible.
It filled the whole house. Everyone panicked. The young interns looked at Ben.
Their eyes were wide with fear. Ben called Jules. “What’s the password?”he asked.
Jules said,”My parents are cheap. The alarm is probably fake. ” Ben hoped she was right.
They found the computer. They deleted the email just in time. Then they heard police sirens.
They ran out of the house. They jumped into the car and drove away fast.
It was a crazy adventure. It brought them all closer.
One afternoon, Ben saw something terrible. He was waiting for Jules’s daughter outside her school.
Matt’s car was there. A woman was with him in the car. They kissed. Ben’s heart broke for Jules.
What could he do? Telling her was necessary, but the truth would hurt her.
The next day, Jules had to fly to San Francisco. She was going to meet the final CEO candidate.
He thought, “Telling her now will break her. But leaving her alone is worse. I must be there.”
Ben decided to go with her. He could not let her be alone. The hotel room was quiet.
The city lights blinked outside the window. Jules walked back and forth. She could not be still.
Finally, she sat down. She looked at Ben, and her voice was just a whisper.
“Ben, ” she said, “I have to tell you something. And it will change everything.”
He waited. He knew this was important. Jules asked him about his marriage.
He spoke about his wife, Molly. He said, “She had the best laugh.”
He talked about their long, happy life together. They had built a home. They had raised a family.
His love for her was still strong. He thought, “lt will never go away.”
His words were beautiful and sad. Jules listened. Then she started to cry.
She confessed that she knew about Matt. She had found out weeks ago. She blamed herself.
She thought her focus on work had pushed him away. She was thinking about giving up the CEO role.
Maybe if she worked less, she could fix her marriage. Ben listened patiently.
He told her about what he saw. He told her Matt was wrong. She should not blame herself.
Jules felt lost. She was afraid of being alone. She was afraid of divorce.
She worried about her daughter. Ben comforted her.
He said, “You can be buried with me and Molly. We have plenty of space.”
His strange offer made her laugh through her tears. He made her feel safe.
She finally fell asleep. The next day, Jules met the CEO candidate.
He was a good man. He was perfect for the job. She flew home.
She told Matt she would hire the CEO. She would work less. They would fix their family.
Matt was happy. But later, he confessed. He told her he was wrong.
He said he would end the affair. He wanted to be with her. He wanted their family back.
His confession changed everything for Jules. The next morning, Jules did not go to work.
She went to find Ben. She found him in a park. The morning air was cool and fresh.
He was doing Tai Chi with a group of people. Their movements were slow and graceful.
He looked peaceful. She walked towards him. He saw her. He smiled.
He already knew. He could see it in her eyes. She had changed her mind.
She was not going to hire the CEO. The company was hers. She could run it.
And she could fix her family. Ben had been herintern. He was also her teacher.
He became her best friend.
At seventy years old, Ben had started a new life. He found his purpose again.
He found a new family, And he showed everyone that it is never too late to begin again.
Words：
vice president /vaɪs ˈprɛzɪdənt/ (名詞) 副總裁 公司中高層管理職位
retirement /rɪˈtaɪərmənt/ (名詞) 退休 永久離開工作崗位
strange /streɪndʒ/ (形容詞) 奇怪的 不尋常或令人驚訝的
funeral /ˈfjuːnərəl/ (名詞) 葬禮 為逝者舉行的告別儀式
purpose /ˈpɜːrpəs/ (名詞) 目的 某事存在的理由或意圖
senior /ˈsiːniər/ (形容詞) 年長的 指年齡較大或資深的人
online /ˈɒnlaɪn/ (形容詞) 線上的 透過網際網路連接的
application /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/ (名詞) 申請書 提交的正式請求文件
steady /ˈstɛdi/ (形容詞) 穩定的 牢固地固定且不易移動
experience /ɪkˈspɪəriəns/ (名詞) 經驗 從實踐中獲得的知識
honest /ˈɒnɪst/ (形容詞) 誠實的 說實話且不欺騙他人
interview /ˈɪntərvjuː/ (名詞) 面試 評估應聘者的正式會面
casual /ˈkæʒuəl/ (形容詞) 休閒的 非正式且放鬆的風格
energy /ˈɛnərdʒi/ (名詞) 活力 充滿生命力的精神狀態
concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt/ (名詞) 混凝土 建築用的堅硬材料
assign /əˈsaɪn/ (動詞) 分配 指派任務或職責給某人
briefcase /ˈbriːfkeɪs/ (名詞) 公事包 用於攜帶文件的扁平箱
founder /ˈfaʊndər/ (名詞) 創辦人 建立公司或組織的人
perfectionist /pərˈfɛkʃənɪst/ (名詞) 完美主義者 追求極致完美的人
employee /ɪmˈplɔɪiː/ (名詞) 員工 為薪水而受雇於他人者
assistant /əˈsɪstənt/ (名詞) 助理 幫助他人完成工作的人
designer /dɪˈzaɪnər/ (名詞) 設計師 從事設計工作的人
curious /ˈkjʊəriəs/ (形容詞) 好奇的 渴望知道或學習某事
stressed /strɛst/ (形容詞) 壓力大的 感到精神或情緒緊張
advice /ədˈvaɪs/ (名詞) 建議 為幫助決策而提供的意見
suggest /səˈdʒɛst/ (動詞) 建議 提出想法供他人考慮
refuse /rɪˈfjuːz/ (動詞) 拒絕 表示不願做某件事情
complain /kəmˈpleɪn/ (動詞) 抱怨 表達對某事的不滿
observe /əbˈzɜːrv/ (動詞) 觀察 仔細地注視某人或某事
customer /ˈkʌstəmər/ (名詞) 顧客 購買商品或服務的人
solve /sɒlv/ (動詞) 解決 找到問題的答案或辦法
dislike /dɪsˈlaɪk/ (名詞) 厭惡 對某人或某物的不喜歡
benefit /ˈbɛnɪfɪt/ (名詞) 福利 公司提供的額外好處
masseuse /mæˈsɜːz/ (名詞) 女按摩師 提供按摩服務的女性
professional /prəˈfɛʃənl/ (形容詞) 專業的 表現出高水平的技能
impressed /ɪmˈprɛst/ (形容詞) 印象深刻的 對某人或某事深感欽佩
expert /ˈɛkspɜːrt/ (名詞) 專家 在某領域有淵博知識者
alcohol /ˈælkəhɒl/ (名詞) 酒精 存在於酒類中的物質
safety /ˈseɪfti/ (名詞) 安全 免於危險或傷害的狀態
investor /ɪnˈvɛstər/ (名詞) 投資者 投入資金以期獲利的人
hire /haɪər/ (動詞) 僱用 付錢讓某人為你工作
constantly /ˈkɒnstəntli/ (副詞) 不斷地 持續發生或重複進行
defeated /dɪˈfiːtɪd/ (形容詞) 挫敗的 感覺被打敗或失望的
candidate /ˈkændɪdət/ (名詞) 候選人 被考慮擔任某職位的人
strong /strɒŋ/ (形容詞) 堅強的 有力量且不易受影響的
insist /ɪnˈsɪst/ (動詞) 堅持 堅決要求或主張某事
private /ˈpraɪvət/ (形容詞) 私人的 屬於個人而非公開的
uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌmftəbl/ (形容詞) 不自在的 感到不安或尷尬的
transfer /trænsˈfɜːr/ (動詞) 調動 將某人從一處移到另一處
observation /ˌɒbzərˈveɪʃən/ (名詞) 觀察 注意並記錄某事的行為
admire /ədˈmaɪər/ (動詞) 欣賞 懷著敬意和喜愛看待
passion /ˈpæʃən/ (名詞) 熱情 對某事物的強烈喜愛
guilty /ˈɡɪlti/ (形容詞) 內疚的 因做錯事而感到懊悔
history /ˈhɪstəri/ (名詞) 歷史 關於過去事件的記錄
struggle /ˈstrʌɡl/ (動詞) 掙扎 費力地應對困難的事
regret /rɪˈɡrɛt/ (動詞) 後悔 為過去的行為感到悲傷
ashamed /əˈʃeɪmd/ (形容詞) 羞愧的 因做錯事而感到尷尬
accept /əkˈsɛpt/ (動詞) 接受 同意接收或承擔某事
present /prɪˈzɛnt/ (動詞) 呈現 展示或提出想法供考慮
crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ (名詞) 危機 一個充滿困難的時刻
dangerous /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/ (形容詞) 危險的 可能造成傷害或損害
panic /ˈpænɪk/ (名詞) 恐慌 突然無法控制的恐懼
old-fashioned /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/ (形容詞) 過時的 不再現代或流行的
alarm /əˈlɑːrm/ (名詞) 警報器 發出警告聲的設備
necessary /ˈnɛsəsəri/ (形容詞) 必要的 需要被完成或存在的
confess /kənˈfɛs/ (動詞) 坦白 承認自己做錯了某事
divorce /dɪˈvɔːrs/ (名詞) 離婚 婚姻關係的合法終結
affair /əˈfɛər/ (名詞) 婚外情 與非配偶發生的戀情
graceful /ˈɡreɪsfl/ (形容詞) 優雅的 動作平穩而有吸引力
siren /ˈsaɪərən/ (名詞) 警笛 發出響亮警告聲的裝置