It looks as if I would never be 3 страница

I got no supper again, but I must allow that in a curious way I was proud of myself. I might starve to death, but I'd go a NeW Englander..

The third day I ventured off the stump. I watched a blue jay gather buckeyes from a tree overhanging the ravine, followed a lizard as it skittled from sunny spot to sunny spot, made shadow pictures of a fox, a duck, and a swan on the canvas of the tent.

Finally, hungry and afraid to push Mama any further, I closed nay eyes, pulled the trigger a few times, and, lo and behold, shot a squirrel. It was blasted near to pieces and no good for anyone to eat except a dog or a coyote, but I took it into the tent, dropped it on the table, and lay down on ray bed to read Ivanhoe.

"I plan to rent out your bed," said Mama, "to someone who will pay for it. Kindly remove your carcass."

At that I realized Mama's stubborn streak was a mile wider and a good deal deeper than mine. I sat outside the cabin day after day shooting rabbits and squirrels and any wild creature that moved until I discovered that I didn't mind killing birds as much, so we ate prairie chicken every day and would, I said, until someone else agreed to do the hunting. Jimmy Whiskers said prairie chicken with biscuits and lard gravy didn't taste bad at all, but the buckshot sure was hard on his gums.

2.4. True or false?

1. Moving west was an unwelcome change for the girl.

2. The girl's mother was a sensible, practically-minded woman.

3. California was glad to get some life experience while hunting.

4. All other family members were dying to go hunting, too.

5. California gave in for fear of severe punishment.

6. Hunting turned out to be quite an occupation for the girl.

2.5. Understanding points of view.

Scan the story and try to explain what the characters meant.

California, "Mama was trying to make a Westerner out of me."

Mother, "What is to become of you, girl?"

California, "I may starve to death, but I'd go a New Englander."

Mother, "Don't Mama me!"

Mother, "When you were little, wind spooked you."

Mother, "Every tub has to learn to stand on its own bottom sometime."

Mother, "I have a perfectly able daughter with a perfectly good trigger finger."

2.6. Storing vocabulary.

Paraphrase the following using the expressions from the story.

1. The kids ran into the room shouting happily.

2. He was very romantic, being in love with poetry and beauty.

3. It was a frightening story, so I wouldn't read it again for love or money.

4. You'll have to think of a way to raise the sum of money you need.

5. It's hard to like her, she's a snob, and thinks too much of herself.

6. The class was silent, as nobody risked going to the blackboard.

7. We didn't think much about our winnings; it looked like we were just being lucky, nothing more.

8. Whatever your difficulty might be, you can always cope with it.

Choose from: to venture, to bolt into, to find a way, to have a... streak, spooky, to take to.

2.7.GRAMMAR.

California seems to have great powers of imagination. When alone in the wild, she could almost see Indians coming. What about her other fears? The table below will help you speak about them.

California

could almost see

a grizzly bear colored feathers coyotes hungry wolves

What was the girl actually able to see happen or happening?

2.8. More grammar.

California disagreed with her mother a lot. Yet she finally decided she'd better take Mummy seriously. For her own sake, she'd better do some other things, too. Give her some advice, please.

Girl you'd better _________________________________________________________

III. POST-READING

3.1. Feelings.

Girls will always read romantic novels and dream about Prince Charming. In pairs, discuss California's reading tastes. Why Sir Walter Scott?

3.2. Dreams - and reality.

American Wild West is a synonym to adventure and danger, shooting and looting. California could have had plenty of those. Name five things that the girl must have missed the most. Prioritize them and compare your lists. Prove to the group that your list is undoubtedly more realistic

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

3.3. Mothers and daughters.

It looks like the title above is both the name for a kids' game and the way to describe a family conflict. Hold a debate arguing whether the problem of misunderstanding does exist in many a family today.

3.4. Study of names.

California is not an altogether strange name for a girl. Anyway, the natural world abounds in the names given to children in the Englisn-speaking world. What do you think parents think about when they name their children like this?

Azalea

Blossom

Clover

Diamond

Flower

Rain

Amber

Beryl

Charity

Delight

Emerald

Rosemary

Could you think of more intriguing names to be given to newly born babies? Think of some, please.

3.5. Project work: reading habits survey.

Make a survey in the group to find out the most preferred book read by the majority of students in early teenage years. Use the questionnaire below. Commission one student to process the results of the survey, then publish them. You might even think about writing an article based on your research.

THE MOST MEMORABLE CHILDHOOD BOOK

1. Author ancient classical modern anonymous

2. Genre fairy-tale fantasy adventure romance satire

3. Plot realistic futuristic imaginary

4. End happy very happy even happier

3.6. Limerick writing.

Limericks are fun, and everyone knows that. A classical limerick always features some person's name or a place name coupled with an appropriate rhyme. Study the two sample poems below written by Susan Leigh and Christine Tailby. The authors were, respectively, 8 and 7 years old.

There was a young man called Jim,

Who thought he would go for a swim.

He jumped in a pool,

But felt such a fool,

Because there was no water in.

There was a young lady of Leeds,

Who was constantly doing good deeds,

As she bit her young brother,

She said to her mother,

"I"ll bind up the wound if it bleeds!'

Do you think you can try writing a limerick or two? Start with the names of the characters in the stories you've read, then refer to your group mates.

e.g. There was a young lady from Brest,

Who was never, yes, never at rest. When she...

The last line's rhyme might be zest, quest, west, test, vest, and best!

THE BLACKBERRY PIE

by Linde Pilcher

I. PRE-READING

1.1. SHARE your experiences in doing housework. Are you fond of doing the chores? If not, this can be more or less understandable. If the answer is yes, you are worth your weight
in gold.

1.2. DlSCUSS the message of the proverb about the hunter who got into his own trap. Do you think you can recollect a situation to illustrate the proverb?

1.3. ARGUE the opinion that extra washing-up helps build character.

II. READING

2.1. Understanding the title.

The title of the story means what it means, Blackberry Pie. What do you think this pie tastes of? Berries? Sweet summer days? Fantasy? Give your reasons, please.

2.2. Reading for pleasure and enrichment.

Read the story and answer the question: Was the boy's mother really so spooky?

The following words will be helpful to understand the events better.

Parcel oui— divide something among several people.

Creek — a small narrow stream or river.

Polliwog — a water creature with a long tail, a would-be frog.

Bullhead— a large frog that makes a loud noise.

Scramble— climb with difficulty.

Skipper — a water insect.

Shuffle —walk slowly and noisily.

A little Joe!" There it was, Ma's voice coming on the wind.

Little Joe sighed. There was nothing he'd rather do on a summer day than lie here in the meadow and watch cloud pictures in the sky. Right now a giant spaceship was headed for the far horizon. Maybe if he kept very still, Ma would stop calling.

"Little Joe!"

That was another thing! He was nine years old! Time they quit calling him Little Joe. His mother called again, loud and cranky. No use. She always seemed to know when he was being lazy.

"Comin', Ma," he shouted back.

Slowly he rose and shuffled down the path, his bare feet making soft curls in the dust. He opened the screen door and entered the kitchen where Ma parceled out the chores. On the table were three shiny buckets.

"One for you, Little Joe, one for Matthew, and one for Mary."

Matthew and Mary were the twins, tow-headed and freckled like he used to be when he was five years old. He was always getting stuck with them. Wouldn't you think Ma would know that he'd rather be with big kids like himself?

"I hear there's a good crop of wild blackberries on that logged-off land behind the mill," Ma said. "Fill your buckets, and I'll make each of you a little pie."

Joe headed out the door, Matthew and Mary trailing after him.

"Don't let the twins play in the creek, Little Joe. Don't you play there, either."

"Yes, Ma."

A short walk down an old logging road brought them to the berry patch.

"Can we pick with you, Joe?" asked Mary.

"We'll do better if we each find a patch," Joe replied.

Blackberry vines twined around every log and stump, and it wasn't hard to find spots for Mary and Matthew. Little Joe watched carefully to be sure that the twins were busy picking, then he headed for the creek, stopping now and then along the way to pick berries.

When he looked at his bucket, he saw that it was already a quarter full. He was bigger than Mary and Matthew and he could pick much faster. Surely Ma wouldn't mind if he took a minute to catch a polliwog or maybe even a bullhead.

He slid down the bank to the stream. It was running low at this time of the year, and mud oozed through his toes and dirtied the water. A skipper darted across the ruffled surface of the stream, and a tiny frog hopped out of his way. If there was anything he liked better than cloud-watching, it was playing in the creek.

He sailed little twig boats downstream, skipped rocks, and looked for polliwogs lying in pools beside the creek bed. If he could find a polliwog, he would put it in his goldfish bowl and watch it turn into a frog.

It seemed that he'd been down at the creek for only a few minutes when he heard Mary call, "I nearly got my bucket full."

"Oh, my gosh," exclaimed Little Joe. His bucket was no fuller than it had been when he'd slid down the bank. Berries just didn't grow in the shade and the wet.

Quickly he took off his shirt and poured his berries into it. He filled his bucket half full with shiny rocks from the creek bed, dumped the berries on top, and put his shirt back on. He scrambled up the bank and began picking berries as fast as he could. By the time Mary and Matthew had their buckets full, his was up to the top.

Little Joe felt good walking home. Their buckets were all alike. Ma wouldn't know whose bucket had the rocks. Anyway, it was halfway full of berries, plenty for a pie. Joe could smell the pies baking as he swung in the big tire in the fir tree. Ma was going to give them berry pie and a big glass of milk for lunch. If there was anything he liked, it was wild blackberry pie.

Finally Ma called them to wash up. They sat down at their usual places. Mary and Matthew started eating the golden brown pies in front of them, but Little Joe wanted to think on his a minute. Which side should he eat first? That was easy to decide. The side nearest. He set to it.

His fork broke through the crust and stopped. Something was wrong. His pie was not like Mary's or Matthew's. It was half full of rocks and half full of berries — just like his pail. How could Ma have known that bucket was his?

Little Joe sneaked a look at his mother, but she was not looking at him. He drank his milk and quietly left the table.

"Sometimes," he whispered to himself, "it's spooky the way Ma always figures things out."

2.3. True or false?

Let's see if you understand the character of Little Joe who...

hated being called little because he felt he had grown.

was good at mixing work and play.

knew well the business of berry-picking.

dreamed about becoming a great pollywogilogist

was fond of mummy's cooking.

suffered from remorse — and hunger — that evening.

2.4. Understanding points of view.

Scan the story and try to explain what the character meant.

Wouldn't you think Ma would know that he'd rather be with big kids like himself?

Surely Ma wouldn't mind if he took a minute to catch a polliwog or maybe even a bullhead.

It's spooky the way Ma always figures things out.

2.5. "Getology" in focus.

Catch the following expressions with their definitions.

Get about   Get by Get out of hand Get through with Get to the bottom of Get even with someone

continue to live, often in difficulty find an answer to some mystery finish doing something move freely, travel pay back, revenge become uncontrolled

2.6. Get the right "Get".

Fill in the right get-phrase from the list below.

The matter is complicated, so you'll need a breakthrough to_____ it.

You've been ages on your homework! Come on, _____ it!

She is still in hospital. Let's send her a_____ card.

The underground is surely the fastest means to _____ in big cities.

The team began losing, so the fans ______ and started throwing things.

How do I _____ to the city center? I seem to be lost.

She didn't need that dress, but she bought it to ______ with her friend.

It's never easy to ______ early, but winter makes it almost impossible.

His life is full of problems. It's a miracle how he manages to _____.

Do you want a lift? If you do, _____ and let's go.

How are these two _____ with each other? They are so different!

Expressions to choose from: get well, get to some place, get in, get about, get by, get up, get out of hand, get through with, get to the bottom of, get even with, get on with.

2.7. Grammar.

When describing some specific behaviour of a person, we normally use Progressive Tenses. For instance, Joe's mother always knew when Joe was being lazy. Complete the following remembering the characters you read about previously.

Bessie is being_____with father for she_____

Wade is being_____with his father because_____

Eugenia is being_____because_____

Lara is being_____with everybody for she_____

California is being _____with her mother because_____

Think of real-life situations to be described using the above construction.

2.8. Pick-a-berry!

Berries are a common commodity in summer. And in phraseology, too, they are pretty common. Make sure you can pick the right "berry".

1. John Steinbeck published "The_____of Wrath" in 1939.

2. "_____ Fields Forever" is a famous song by the Beatles.

3. After a month at the seaside he became as brown as a _____.

4. The teacher was fresh out of college, as green as a _____.

5. Is it a rare book you say? Why, it's as common as ______.

6. The girl felt awkward, her cheeks as red as ______.

7. We can't get it, anyway. Calling it sour______ won't help.

8. Chuck ______ was the singer who influenced the Beatles a lot.

9. Looks like I recognize this Irish rock group. It's "______ "!

Berries to pick: blackberries, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, grapes, water­melon, gooseberry, berry(2), cranberries, mulberry.

III. POST-READING

3.1. Future: in focus.

With all his k.een interest in the natural world, Little Joe may one day become — what? Try to foresee Joe's future. What will become of him one day?

3.2. Day-dreaming.

Some drearrus cease to be such when fulfilled. Others remain never-to-be-rea lized, but they stay with you forever, shining like a beacon. Would yoou like to share your golden dream with the group? Find out whose dream is the dreamiest of all?

Make a list of top ten dreams in the group.

Dream # 1

Dream # 2

Dream # 3

3.3. Poems to read & discuss.

Find poems describing children's experiences of meeting with Mother Nature. The following one can be an example- Can you read it well? Try.

KICKING LEAVES UP THE HILL

By Christine B. Kluge

My sister and I are kicking leaves up the hill,

their colors of cider, honey, wine, apple

We touch the splayed green hand of mountain lautd and

Moss green

Fern green

Pale blue lichen

My sister's shout bounces against the looming rocks

It echoes, echoes

When we climb upward through the secret cave,

we come out with white sparks leaping off our hair,

Queens of the Cliff

I hate the edge,

but I love the sun in my sister's wild eyes

above the shivering woods

3.4. Project work: more poems.

Find other poems describing children who are spending time out-of-doors. Read them well, and recite them in class — beautifully.

FISTFIGHT

by Kathleen Stevens

I. PRE-READING

1.1 SHARE some recollections of the past with the group. Did you ever have a major disagreement, if not a fight, with your best friend? Remember it now - to forget it altogether later.

1.2 ADVISE your friend on the things he or she should always forgive and forget. Compare your view on that with those of your group mates. What do you think is the one thing everyone agrees to forget?

1.3. DISCUSS your experiences of watching, participating in, or interfering in some kids' fight. Say if that was an experience of sorts for you.

II. READING

2.1. Understanding the title.

The story, has a title that evokes but one association. It is something violent, if not bloody. What do you think the conflict described in the story was caused by?

2.2. Reading for pleasure and enrichment.

Read the story and answer the question: What was the mistake Mr Barber, the teacher, made in class?

The following words will be helpful to understand the events better.

Flash — show something to someone for a very

short time Bounce — move from a surface

Warble — sing (used with a twist of humor)

Call out — challenge someone to a fight

Culvert — a pipe that takes a stream under a road

Spin to a stop — turn around fast and stop

When my best friend, Tucker, turned sideways during science class and flashed a piece of folded paper, I figured he was trying to get my attention. Up front, Mr. Barber pointed to the blackboard. "Cotyledon," he said. "That's the first leaf to appear when a seed sprouts."

Tucker pitched the note. It shot toward my left ear, and I batted it down. The wad of paper bounced on the floor and spun to a stop at Mr. Barber's feet.

Uh-oh.

Mr. Barber picked up the note. "What's this — special delivery?" He unfolded the sheet of paper and read the note aloud. "Mary Ellen — will you wait for me after school? Tucker."

Tucker wanted to meet Mary Ellen after school? I couldn't believe it! Tucker always walked home from school with me. Besides, Tucker hated girls.

Mary Ellen slid down in her seat, and the girls started giggling. Tucker turned so red, his freckles vanished.

"Tucker," Mr. Barber said sternly, "note passing is not part of the science curriculum. I'd keep you after school to remind you of that fact, but I have a previous appointment. In the future, please arrange your social engagements outside class."

The dismissal bell rang. "O.K., people," Mr. Barber said. "That's it for today."

Everybody ran toward the door. On the school steps, Tucker grabbed my arm. "Phil, keep your crummy hands off my notes!"

"Tucker, you got snagged!" hooted Wally Davis.

Marvin Johnson warbled, "Meet me after school, Mary Ellen!" "Phil made a fool out of you, Tucker. Are you going to let him get away with it?" demanded Soup Claypool.

Kids pressed closer, curious to see what would happen.

"Call him out," Wally advised Tucker.

Marvin echoed, "Yeah, call Phil out."

Tucker looked at the ring of kids watching us and muttered, «I... I call you out, Phil."

Tucker and I hadrbeen buddies since second grade. Now he was challenging me to a fight! With that crowd listening to every word, what could I do but accept.

"Where will you fight?" Marvin asked me.

How would I know? I'd never been in a fight before.

"What's the matter, Phil?" Soup jeered. "Afraid you'll get a faceful of Tucker's fist?"

"Any place is fine with me," I blurted.

"Behind the cement factory," Wally decided. "Let's go."

The crowd poured across the street, sweeping Tucker and me along in the middle. It looked like the whole sixth grade of Burton P. Kendall Elementary couldn't wait to see Tucker and me bash each other's brains in.

"Why did you send that stupid note?" I whispered to Tucker.

"Why did you knock it down?"

"You dummy — I thought it was for me!"

The cement factory stood at the top of a hill, next to the railroad track. The whole mob swarmed across the factory yard, and I wished someone would come out and chase us away. No one did.

Next to the plant, a strip of cinders and weeds overlooked the gully where the railroad track cut through. Waving his arms at the gang of kids, Marvin ordered, "Step back! Give "em room."

I had a lump in my stomach, big as a watermelon. And I could see Tucker's freckles plain now. Real plain. This was crazy. Tucker didn't want to fight any more than I did.

"Lost your nerve?" sneered Wally.

Tucker balled his hands into fists. I crouched and danced sideways.

"Get him, Tucker!" somebody yelled.

"Murder him, Phil!" Tucker's shoulder twitched, and I threw a wild punch. Tucker swung and missed by a mile. We backed off, circling each other. "Go for it, Phil!" "After him, Tucker!"

I swung again, and Tucker ducked — right into my fist. He staggered sideways, clutching his nose, kids shouting around him. Was he hurt? I dropped my guard and Tucker rushed forward, butting me in the chest so hard I stumbled and fell. Tucker landed on top of me. "Hold it!" someone warned. Then I heard the sputtering noise everybody was listening to.

"Barber's motorbike!" said Wally. "He must know about the fight. Let's get out of here."

Everyone in the crowd shot over the fence and vanished down the embankment. If Mr. Barber caught Tucker and me fighting, he'd skewer us for shish kebab! "Get off," I grunted. Tucker heaved himself to his feet and hauled me after him.

We rolled over the fence and followed the crowd down the hill to the tracks and up the other side. Tumbling over the opposite fence, we crouched in the weeds along Muriel Avenue and peered back at the cement factory.

Putt-putt-bang! Instead of entering the factory yard, Mr. Barber's bike turned left. The sputtering faded, then grew loud again as Mr. Barber whizzed across the tracks on High Street. I turned to watch him cross the tracks — and saw a row of kids' heads along the fence rail.

"He's headed this way!" someone shouted as Mr Barber turned into Muriel Avenue. Five zillion kids jumped the fence, swarmed back down to the tracks, and ran up the other side. This time a factory window banged open, and somebody bawled, "You kids get out of here!'

Glad to oblige, Mister.

Most everyhody headed for the street. Tucker gave me a shove in the other direction, toward the patch of w0ods behind the cement factory. "The storm pipe," he panted.

We stumbled through the bushes to the Culvert where the storm sewer emptied out. Inside the pipe, we cr°Uched over the trickle of water, puffing like Tucker's spaniel wl^en it chases a rabbit. "How's your stomach?" Tucker managed.

"Better than your face."

Tucker wiped away the smear of blo»od under his nose. "Think we're in trouble with Barber?"

"I don't know — but if I don't get homes soon, my grandmother' 11 staple my ears to the wall."

"Let's go," said Tucker.

We sneaked through the woods to the railroad crossing. No one was in sight. We crossed the tracks to Muriel A.venue and started home.

At the corner, Tucker stopped abruptly. Leaning against the soda machine at Peterson's Gas Station was Mr. Barber. A mechanic was bent over his motorbike.

Mr. Barber waved his can of Orange Sparkle. "Hello, boys. Late getting home, aren't you?"

"We, uh, stopped to play ball," I stammered.

Mr. Barber's eyebrows arched. "Who won?" he asked.

Tucker and I looked at each other. "Ga,me ended in a tie," Tucker mumbled.

Mr. Barber grinned. "Glad to hear it. See you tomorrow."

Tucker blew out a sigh of relief. "Berber didn't say anything about the fight," he whispered.

"Pure luck he came along when he did," I said.

Tucker elbowed me. "Lucky for you. I was about to take you apart."

"Sure — as soon as your nose stopped, bleeding."

"Call it a draw," said Tucker. "Stop for me in the morning, Phil?"

"Like always," I told.

2.3. True or false?

1. Phil and Tucker have been buddies for ages.

2. Mr Barber never suspected there would be a fight.

3. The two boys looked forward to having a good fight after class.

4. The fist fight put an end to the boys' friendship once and forever It was the pressure of the crowd that drew the friends into the fight.

5. A factory yard was an ideal place for having a fist fight in.

6. The teacher made a mistake of reading the note aloud in class.

7. Mr Barber knew there was going to be fight somewhere.

2.4. Understanding points of view.

Scan the story and try to explain what the characters meant.

"What's this — special delivery?" "Tucker, you got snagged!" "Glad to oblige, Mister."

"If I don"t get home soon, my grandmother'11 staple my ears to the wall."

"Lucky for you. I was about to take you apart." "Game ended in a tie." "Call it a draw."

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