Anne Frank: She Hid Behind a Bookcase for Two Years… Then Her Diary Reached the World
Thirteen-year-old Anne Frank hid with her family in secret rooms behind a bookcase in Amsterdam for more than two years. She wrote in her diary every day. After the war, her father published it, and today people read it in about seventy languages. Learn five A2 words with the true story of Anne Frank.
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them. Words in bold show today's grammar.
A girl behind a for two years.
She could not go outside.
She could only write.
Today, millions of people read her words.
How? This is the story of Anne Frank.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
. A is a book.
Every day, you write in it what happens and how you feel.
She got a for her .
. When you , you go to a place where nobody can find you.
The past is .
The family had to .
. Something is something other people must not know about.
They lived in rooms.
. A is a piece of furniture with shelves for books.
The door was behind a .
. is the feeling that good things can happen.
Her is full of .
Now, one pattern: for, plus a time.
It tells us how long something happened.
They . Two years. They for two years.
Ready? Let's begin.
Anne Frank was born in Germany in 1929.
Her family was Jewish.
In 1934, they moved to Amsterdam.
For a few years, Anne was a happy girl with many friends.
But in 1940, the German army came.
Life became dangerous for Jewish people.
On her thirteenth , in 1942, Anne got a red and white .
She loved it.
Three weeks later, a letter came for her sister, Margot.
She had to go to a work camp.
The next morning, the family went to .
Where? In rooms behind her 's office.
The door to the rooms was behind a .
Eight people lived there.
In the day, they had to be very quiet.
For more than two years, they never went outside.
Anne wrote in her for hours every day.
She wrote to a friend called Kitty.
But Kitty was not real.
Kitty was her .
Through the attic window, she saw a big tree.
She did not lose .
In 1944, a man on the radio said: keep your .
After the war, we want to read them.
Anne had a dream.
She wanted to be a writer.
For weeks, she wrote her again, as a book.
Then, in August 1944, the police came.
They found the .
They found the rooms.
Everyone was taken away.
In 1945, Anne died in a camp.
She was only fifteen.
A helper, Miep Gies, kept the safe.
Only Anne's , Otto, came back.
In 1947, he her .
Her dream came true.
Today, people read it in about seventy languages.
Let's review. She got a for her .
The family had to .
They lived in rooms.
The door was behind a .
Her is full of .
And remember: they for two years.
Anne Frank's story teaches us: even in a small, room, words can carry to the whole world.
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Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
diary noun
a book where you write what happens every day and how you feel
“She got a diary for her birthday.”
hide verb (hid, hidden)
to go to a place where nobody can find you
“The family had to hide.”
secret adjective
that other people must not know about
“They lived in secret rooms.”
bookcase noun
a piece of furniture with shelves for books
“The door was behind a bookcase.”
hope noun
the feeling that good things can happen
“Her diary is full of hope.”
publish verb
to make a book and sell it to many people (past: published)
“In 1947, her father published her diary.”
birthday noun
the day you were born, every year
“On her thirteenth birthday, Anne got a diary.”
father noun
a man who has a child; your dad
“Only Anne's father, Otto, came back.”
Grammar in the story
for + a period of time
We use it for: to say how long something happened
- for + time: They hid for two years.
- She wrote for hours every day.
- For weeks, she wrote her diary again.
From the story
- They hid for two years.
- Anne wrote in her diary for hours every day.
Find it in the story 7 times
Your turn
They lived in the secret rooms more than two years.
Anne wrote in her diary for every day.
Anne went to school in Amsterdam seven years.
Step 4
Story Challenge
10 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
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Take it further
Before you watch: Do you write a diary, a journal or notes about your day? Why do people write about their lives?
After you watch: Write three sentences with for + a time about your own life. For example: I lived in Hanoi for five years. I study English for thirty minutes every day. Last night I read for an hour.
Think about it: Anne wrote: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Why do you think her diary still gives hope to so many people today?
