Hello, welcome to the mini-story for “Plateaus.”
Let’s get started.
* * * * * Allen was in agony.
His back hurt all the time.
Did Allen feel good?
No, no, no, he felt terrible.
He was in agony.
He was in terrible pain.
He felt terrible pain.
He was in what?
He was in agony.
Who was in agony?
Allen, Allen was in agony.
So, did Allen feel great or was Allen in pain?
He was in pain.
He was in agony.
He felt terrible pain.
Why as Allen in agony?
Well, because his back hurt.
His back was in agony, it hurt so much, “Oooh!”
What hurt?
Allen’s back.
Allen’s back hurt.
In fact, Allen was in agony.
Who was in agony?
Allen, Allen was in agony.
Why?
Because his back hurt all the time.
Did his back hurt a little bit?
No, not a little bit.
He was in agony, terrible, horrible pain.
His back didn’t hurt a little bit his back hurt a lot.
He was in agony “Oooh, terrible, every day.”
So, Allen went to a doctor in Los Angeles.
He said “Doctor, I’m in agony!
Help me!”
The doctor said “Allen, don’t do any strenuous exercise, stay in bed.”
What did the doctor say?
The doctor said “Don’t do any strenuous exercise, stay in bed.”
Did the doctor want Allen to do strenuous exercise?
No.
No, he didn’t.
He said “Don’t do any strenuous exercise.”
Don’t do any tough, difficult exercise.
Who said “Don’t do any strenuous exercise, stay in bed?”
The doctor.
The doctor in Los Angeles.
Who did he say that to?
To Allen.
He said to Allen “Don’t do any strenuous exercise.”
What kind of exercise did he want Allen to avoid?
He wanted him to avoid strenuous exercise.
He said “Don’t do any strenuous exercise, stay in bed.”
Why did he want Allen to avoid strenuous exercise?
Well, to help his back, to help his back pain.
He wanted to help Allen heal his back pain, so he said “Don’t do any strenuous exercise,
stay in bed.”
And so Allen did not do any strenuous exercise, he stayed in bed for 11 months.
He ate in bed.
He drank in bed.
He worked from his bed.
But, still, after 11 months he was still in agony.
“Oooh, my back, oooh!” Allen was still in agony after 11 months of avoiding strenuous
exercise.
And so he went to Monterey, California to another doctor.
He said “Doctor, I’m in agony.
My back, oh, it’s killing me.
It hurts!”
This doctor said “Allen, if you are lazy and you stay in bed all day back pain is inevitable.
You must exercise.”
Hum...he said if you are lazy and you stay in bed all day back pain is inevitable.
Did the Monterey doctor want Allen to exercise?
Yes, he did.
He said “You must exercise.”
He said “If you don’t exercise back pain is inevitable.”
Back pain will not be avoided.
Back pain is 100% sure to happen if you don’t exercise.
If you don’t exercise what is inevitable?
Back pain.
Back pain is inevitable if you don’t exercise.
If you don’t exercise is back pain inevitable?
That’s right.
It’s inevitable, unavoidable.
Back pain is inevitable if you don’t exercise.
Is a headache inevitable if you don’t exercise?
No, not a headache.
A headache isn’t inevitable if you don’t exercise.
Maybe you won’t get a headache, but back pain is inevitable if you don’t exercise.
If you don’t exercise you will surely, 100%, definitely, have back pain.
That’s what the Monterey doctor said to Allen.
He said “Back pain is inevitable if you are lazy and you stay in bed all day.
You must exercise!”
So Allen began to exercise every day.
He trained for a marathon.
Every day he ran more and more and more.
The back pain was terrible and enduring.
Did his back pain continue for a long time?
Yes, it did.
It was enduring.
Was his back pain short term, temporary or long term, lasting a long time?
Well, it was long term.
It was enduring back pain.
It continued to happen for a long time.
What was enduring?
Allen’s back pain.
Allen’s back pain was enduring.
It continued for a long time.
Whose back pain was enduring?
Allen’s, Allen’s back pain was enduring.
It continued for a very long time.
Was it temporary or was it enduring?
It was enduring.
It was enduring back pain, but, still, Allen continued to run every day.
He trained for a marathon every day.
Finally, his pain started to improve, but it did not improve steadily.
Did Allen’s pain improve steadily?
No, it did not.
It did not improve steadily.
How did his pain improve?
His pain improved in spurts, suddenly, in short spurts.
Did his pain improve steadily or did his pain improve in spurts?
His pain improved in spurts.
Suddenly it improved and then again suddenly it improved and then again suddenly it improved.
It improved in spurts.
What improved in spurts?
Allen’s pain.
Allen’s pain improved in spurts.
How did it improve?
In spurts.
His pain improved in spurts.
So it would improve suddenly and then nothing and then later improve again suddenly and
then nothing and then later improve again suddenly and then nothing.
Until one day, finally, Allen ran a complete marathon and he felt great!
No pain, no back pain.
In fact, Allen felt serene during the entire race.
Was Allen in agony during the marathon?
No, no, he was not in agony.
He felt serene, he felt calm and relaxed.
Did Allen feel serene during the race or was he in agony during the race?
He felt serene during the race, very calm.
Who felt serene during the marathon?
Allen did.
Allen felt serene during the marathon.
Why did he feel serene?
Well, because he had no pain.
He had no back pain, so he felt very serene.
When did Allen feel serene?
During the marathon race.
During the marathon he felt serene, very calm.
He was not in agony anymore.
He finished the race and after that he never had back pain again.
Allen was serene, calm and very, very happy.
* * * * * And that is the end of the mini-story for “Plateaus.”
I hope you are feeling serene, calm and happy.
I hope you’re smiling with a big smile, your shoulders are back, you’re breathing
deeply and you’re moving your body.
I hope you do this every time you listen to my lessons, every time you listen to English,
every time you speak English.
Control your physiology to control your emotions.
See you next time, bye-bye.