i need some help please and thank you

alright so im new to this. this being the community and programming in C++. I have programmed some in java but not that much.

so could someone please explain to me how to read in a file, and then search that file.

What i am trying to do is make a text file that has a list of first names, last names and phone numbers.
the user will then type in the first name and last name and will give the corresponding telephone number.

*note we have not talked about arrays so i cant use that, as much as i would like to*

right now all i can do is read in the file.
what i cant do is compare what the user inputed to the file *well i can for the first name and i can say that there is a person with that first name and a person with that last name* it reads it all in sepertly, how do i get all one line to be one entry and not break at the spaces but at the end of the line?

any help in directing me where to go after that i would love you forever!
also the sooner you can help me the more i will love you. i tryed googleing my problem but got answers with arrays.

thank you for reading.