It is the 22nd century and the world is very different. With new technologies, people can have the bodies that they want. Read this story and see what happens when Mr. Smith decides to change his body.
Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.
Before you read the story we recommend you do vocabulary activity (1) and vocabulary activity (2), which practise some of the more difficult words in the text. If you wish, you can listen to the first part of the story. When you have finished reading the story, do an activity that practises your comprehension. You can also practise parts of the body and idioms that use parts of the body. Finally, do some writing yourself.
Page one of two. Go to page two
"Well, Mr. Smith, if you prefer a different type of nose, we have a large selection available."
"I think this nose is a bit too small."
"Small noses are very fashionable this year, Mr. Smith, very fashionable."
"Do you think it suits me?" asked Mr. Smith.
"I think it looks very nice," said the shop assistant.
"OK, I’ll take it!"
On the airbus home, Mr. Smith called his wife on his wristphone.
"Hello dear! Do you like my new nose?" Mrs. Smith looked at her husband’s new nose on the videophone monitor on the wall in the kitchen.
"I think it’s a bit too small, dear," she said.
"Small noses are very fashionable this year," replied Mr. Smith, "very fashionable."
"It’s all so easy now," thought Mr. Smith. "A hundred years ago, it was impossible to change your body. Or almost impossible – there was the old-fashioned ‘plastic surgery’, but it was expensive, painful and dangerous. Ugh! Now, thanks to our 22nd century genetic engineering, we can change our bodies when we want!"
He looked at his new small nose in the mirror, and thought about how fashionable he was. He was very happy with his new nose. The only problem now, he thought, was that he needed some new hair to go with his new nose.
He looked on the Internet for some new hair, but the Internet was so slow. Eventually he decided to go to Bodyco in person.
"Good morning, Mr. Smith," said the Bodyco shop assistant. "How can I help you today?"
Mr. Smith remembered the robot shop assistant in the Bodyco shop a few years ago. The robot was friendlier and more efficient, but too many robots made too much unemployment, and the robot was replaced by a human.
"I’d like some new hair, please."
"Certainly, Mr. Smith. What type of hair would you like? Short, blond hair goes well with a small nose. How about short, blond hair?"
Mr. Smith looked at his hair. It was old and grey. Yes, he thought, short and blond. When he was young he had short, blond hair. He wanted to look young again.
"Yes, I’ll have short blond hair please. Could it be a bit curly as well?"
"Curly?" asked the shop assistant.
"Yes, you know, curly – not straight!"
"Yes, Mr. Smith, I know what ‘curly’ means, but curly hair isn’t very fashionable this year."
"Isn’t it?"
"No, it isn’t."
"But I like curly hair!"
"Very well, Mr. Smith – short, blond, curly hair. Would you like anything else? We have a special offer on ears this week."
"Ears?"
"Yes, Mr. Smith, the things you hear with."
"I know what ears are! What type of ears are on offer?"
Mr. Smith went out of the shop with new short, blond, curly hair, and two new ears.
After this, his interest in his new body started to grow. In the next few weeks he bought new eyes (green, unusual but fashionable), new hands, new arms, new knees and new feet. Mrs. Smith was happy because Mr. Smith’s new feet didn’t smell as bad as his old feet.
His body was now completely different.
"Am I the same man I was a few weeks ago?" thought Mr. Smith. "I have a new nose, new hair, new ears, new eyes, hands, arms, knees and feet. But I have the same brain - so I think I’m the same man." He thought he was the same man, but he wasn’t sure.
Go to page two
| 
