DiscoverEnglishStories
82 Episodes
Reverse
Princess Rose and the Creature
There was once a beautiful princess named Rose. Her mother, the queen,
however, was not as beautiful as the princess. The queen felt bad that she was not
the most beautiful woman in the kingdom anymore. She was tired of competing
with her daughter. She made a decision. She prepared a drink for the princess.
After the princess drank it, she fell asleep. Then the queen took the princess to
the forest. She left the princess there. It was a very serious thing to do. "Either
she will be killed by animals or she will get lost in the forest," the queen thought.
The princess had a dream. She dreamed about a man with brown hair and
brown eyes. It was the man she would wed.
The princess woke up. She saw a strange creature on the ground. It looked like
a man, but he was hairy and green. He had horns on his head and a pig's nose.
The creature said, "Did I scare you? I hope not. Let me introduce myself. I am
Henry."
"I am not scared. To tell you the truth, I think you are cute," said Rose.
Rose and Henry spent the day together. They collected
berries, caught fish, and had lunch. They had a very good day
filled with nice conversations.
"Rose, I have to go home," said Henry. "My ship will sail
home soon. I can't leave you here in the forest alone. Will you
come with me?"
Rose was very happy. She gave Henry a kiss right on his pig
nose. As soon as she kissed Henry, he began
to change. His pig nose turned into a man's
nose. His horns and green hair went away.
Standing in front of her was the man Rose
had dreamt about.
Rose and Henry were married, and
they lived happily.
Reading Comprehension
Answer the questions.
1. What is this story about?
a. A strange creature that competes with a princess
b. Why a queen had a conversation with a princess
c. How a princess met a creature in a forest
d. A serious decision made by a princess
2. Which of the following is NOT true in the story?
a. The queen fell asleep in the forest.
b. The princess had a dream.
c. The creature wasn't mean or scary.
d. Henry said he was going to sail away on a ship.
3. What did the queen want to happen to the princess?
a. A creature would wake the princess.
b. A creature would prepare a drink for the princess.
c. An animal would kill the princess if she was left on the ground.
d. Rose and a creature would collect either berries or fruits.
4. Which of the following is true at the end of the story?
a. Rose introduces Henry to the queen.
b. Rose and Henry wed.
c. The queen learns the truth about Rose.
d. The queen sails away on a ship.
77
5. What did the princess dream in the forest?
73
UNIT 11
anymore [ènimo:r] adv.
Anymore means any longer.
Her old pants don't fit her anymore.
ORADENS
asleep [ǝsli:p] adj.
When a person is asleep, they are not awake.
The baby has been asleep for hours.
-
berry [ber] n.
A berry is a small round fruit that grows on certain plants and trees.
The berry looked delicious.
-
collect [kelékt] v.
To collect things is to group them together all in one place.
-
→ I collected shells when I was younger.
compete [kampi:t] v.
To compete is to try to be better than someone.
He will compete with very good athletes.
conversation [känvərseiſən] n.
A conversation is a talk between people.
There were two conversations going on at once.
creature [krí:tſər] n.
A creature is any living thing.
The creature we saw today was either a dolphin or a porpoise.
-
decision [disizən) n.
A decision is a choice.
He made the wrong decision.
either [ber] conj.
Either is used with "or" to say there are two or more possibilities.
You can choose to be either white or black when you play chess.
forest [fɔ̃(:)rist] n.
A forest is a place with lots of trees and animals.
→ I love to go walking in the forest.
ground [graund] n.
The ground is the top part of the Earth that we walk on.
→
→ The ground under our feet was dry and brown.
introduce [intrədjū:s] v.
To introduce someone or something is to say who they are.
→ I introduced myself to our newest co-worker today.
marry [mæri] v.
To marry is to legally become husband and wife.
Rose and Henry were married, and they lived happily.
Oprepare [pripéər] v.
To prepare is to get ready for something.
I prepared my speech to the class.
sail [seil] v.
To sail is to move a boat on the water.
→ I love to sail my boat on the lake.
serious [siaries] adj.
When something is serious, it is bad or unsafe.
The accident was very serious.
->
$21319x3
spend [spend] v.
To spend is to use time doing something or being somewhere.
→ I like to spend my free time fishing.
strange [streind3] adj.
When something is strange, it is not normal.
→ Joe had a strange look on his face after he saw what happened.
truth [true] n.
The truth is a fact or something that is right.
-
▸ He was telling the truth about seeing a large green snake.
wake [weik] v.
To wake is to not be sleeping anymore.
He is always full of energy when he wakes in the morning.
Exercise 1
Choose the right word for the given definition.org
1. to marry
a. collect
2. a living thing
a. conversation
b. truth
3. to move a boat across the water
a. spend
b. berry
b. wed
4. one thing or the other
a. asleep
5. any longer
a. ground
b. compete
b. strange
Exercise 2
W
4. I stop sleeping when the dog barks.
c. prepare
c. creature
5. The area was full of trees and plants.
f
c. forest
c. either
3. He loved to travel in his boat to many islands.
sa
c. wake
d. introduce
d. decision
Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.
1. The doll broke when it fell onto the floor.
gr
2. I like to use my time taking long walks in the forest.
sp____ time
HITT
d. sail
d. serious
d. anymore
The First Peacock
Argos lived in Ancient Greece. He was a husband and a proud father. He
worked hard and did well at his job. But one thing about him wasn't normal. He
was born with 100 eyes. Having many eyes was usually a benefit to him. He had
a chance to see many things.
Also, since he had so many eyes, he was very good at guarding things. While
sleeping, he only rested a few eyes at a time. The others stayed awake. He worked
for Hera, a great goddess. His primary function was to guard a special cow. The
cow was very important to Hera. It was her favorite pet. The most essential part
of his job was to keep the cow alone. It had to be kept separate from all the other
cows and far away from people.
This was an easy job for Argos. The cow just ate grass all day. But the god Zeus
wanted the cow. He wanted to take it away from Hera. He had a plan. He found a
great music player. He asked the man to play a beautiful song for Argos. Zeus was
certain Argos would go to sleep.
The song had an immediate effect. Argos couldn't focus on his job. He fell
asleep. Zeus saw this, and he took the cow.
Hera was very angry with Argos. She turned him into a peacock. She put his
many eyes on his tail. Argos was very sad.
Zeus saw how much trouble he had
caused Argos. He made another
plan. He turned Argos into a
group of stars. He wanted
Argos to remain in the
sky forever. Even today,
Argos' image remains
there, above the
site where all his
problems began.
We can still
see him in the
night sky.
:
Answer the questions.
1. What is this story about?
a. Why it is essential to guard cows
b. How to play beautiful music
Reading Comprehension
c. How the image of a peacock in the sky came about
d. How being born with 100 eyes benefited a man
2. Why was guarding Hera's cow easy for Argos?
a. All it did was eat grass all day.
b. It was kept separate from all the other cows.
c. He had a chance to listen to music.
d. He was able to sleep instead of focusing on it.
3. Why did Zeus turn Argos into a group of stars?
a. He wanted Argos to see the site of his trouble.
b. He was certain that Argos would fall asleep.
c. He wanted to make Argos remain in the sky forever.
d. He wanted to cause Argos immediate trouble.
4. What was the primary function of Argos' job?
a. To make sure the cow was never sad
b. To keep the cow far away from people
c. To see the effects of music on the cow
d. Work for a proud goddess named Hera
5. How did Argos sleep?
UNIT
10
62
Word List
benefit [bénəfit] n.
A benefit is a good thing.
-
→ Being able to fly is a good benefit to birds.
certain [sərtən] adj.
If you are certain about something, you know it is true.
→
I am certain that zebras have stripes.
chance [tæns] n.
A chance is an opportunity to do something.
→ I had a chance to see the Roman Coliseum last summer.
effect [ifekt] n.
An effect is a change made by something else.
The medicine had a good effect on the boy.
essential [isenfǝl] adj.
If something is essential, it is very important and necessary.
→ It is essential to have oxygen when you scuba dive.
far [fa:r] adj.
If something is far, it is not close.
→ It's far going from the east coast to the west coast of America.
focus [foukǝs] v.
To focus on something is to think about it and pay attention to it.
→ My mom always helps me to focus on my school work.
function [fankən] n.
The function of something is what it does.
-
→ The function of a flashlight is to help you see in the dark.
grass [græs] n.
Grass is the green leaves that cover the ground.
The grass looked so soft and green.
-
guard [gard] v.
To guard something is to take care of it.
The police officer will guard us from any harm.
Page 63
image [imidz] n.
The image of something is a picture of it.
The image of her eye was very clear.
immediate [imi:diət] adj.
If something is immediate, it happens quickly.
An immediate response came from the pizza place.
primary [praimeri] adj.
If something is primary, it is the most important thing.
His primary thoughts are about money.
proud [praud] adj.
If someone feels proud, they are happy about what they have done.
→
She is proud of the picture she drew of her house.
remain [rimėin] v.
To remain somewhere is to stay there.
→ My sister had to remain home since she was sick.
Crest [rest] v.
To rest is to stop being active while the body gets back its strength.
→
I rested on the couch after work.
separate [sepereit] adj.
If two things are separate, they are not together.
New York and Los Angeles are in two separate parts of America.
site [sait] n.
A site is a place.
› We found the perfect site for our picnic.
tail [teil] n.
A tail is a part of an animal's body, sticking out from its rear or back.
Our dog wags its tail when it's happy.
-
trouble [trábǝl] n.
Trouble is a problem or a difficulty.
→ I have trouble working with my boss.
Exercise 1
Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.
1. It is very important that you call your mother soon.
essen
2. The good thing about being old is that you know many things.
bene
3. I have problems with my science homework.
tro
4. I am sure that she will come to his party.
cer
5. The job of the stove is to cook.
fun
6. That is the place where they met.
si _______
7. I saw his picture on TV.
8. The twins don't like to be apart.
S
9. I like to stay at home on the weekends.
r
10. His part that comes out of his rear was shaking because he was happy.
t___
The Starfish
Last summer I took a trip to an island. I had a lot of fun. I sat and watched the
waves and listened to the ocean. I learned to identify birds. I discovered pretty
things and enjoyed the taste of new foods. It was a very nice time.
One evening I took a pleasant walk by the ocean. When the waves came in,
many starfish* fell on the beach. Some starfish went back into the water, and
they were safe. But other starfish were still on the sand. They would die if they
did not get into the water. There were many starfish on the beach that night. It
made me sad, but I knew I could not fix the problem. I stepped very carefully so
I did not damage them.
Then I saw a little girl. She was also sad about the starfish. She wanted to
prevent all of them from dying. She asked me if I could perhaps help her.
"To be frank, I don't think we can do anything," I said.
The little girl started to cry. She sat back against a rock and thought for a
while. Finally, the emotion was gone. She stopped crying and stood up. Then
she picked up a starfish and threw it into the water.
"What are you doing?" I asked her. But she did not answer me. She just threw
as many starfish as she could. "You cannot save all of them!" I said.
She stopped to look at me. "No, I cannot save them all," she replied. Then
she picked up a very big starfish and said, "But I can save
this one." And then she smiled and threw the starfish as
far as she could into the ocean.
*starfish - an animal shaped like a star that lives in the water
Reading Comprehension
Answer the questions.
1. What is this story about?
a. A girl who wants to save starfish
b. How to throw starfish
c. A girl who is too frank
d. Birds and animals at the ocean
2. What causes the little girl's emotion?
a. She cannot fix the damage she finds to homes.
b. She cannot prevent starfish from dying in the sand.
c. She discovers starfish in the water.
d. She steps on a rock and hurts her foot.
3. What does the man think is NOT good about the island?
a. Watching the waves
b. Identifying birds
c. The starfish dying on the sand
d. Tasting new food
4. What does the girl think the man can perhaps do?
a. Identify birds
b. Take a walk on the beach
c. Discover something pretty
d. Help her save starfish
5. Which starfish were safe on the beach?
UNIT
9
Word List
against [agenst] prep.
To be against something is to be touching it or opposed to it.
They both leaned against the wall.
→
beach [bitn.
The beach is a sandy or rocky place by the ocean.
The little girl built a sandcastle on the beach.
damage [dæmidz] v.
To damage something is to break it.
The car was damaged in the accident.
-
discover [diskávər] v.
To discover something is to find it for the first time.
→ I discovered some new information in this book!
emotion [imouſən) n.
An emotion is how you feel.
Anger is a common emotion that we all feel.
-
fix [fiks] v.
To fix something is to make it work.
My dad has many tools to help him fix broken things.
frank [frænk] adj.
If you are frank, you are being very honest.
The teacher had a frank discussion with her students.
identify [aidentəfai] v.
To identify something is to be able name it.
→ I used the file to identify his name.
island [ailand] n.
An island is land in the middle of water.
→ Japan is a group of islands.
ocean [oufan] n.
The ocean is all of the salt water that surrounds land.
The ocean can make powerful waves.
perhaps [perhaps] adv.
happened
Perhaps is used when you say that something could happen.
→ Perhaps I will eat an apple for lunch.
pleasant [pléznt] adj.
If something is pleasant, you enjoy it.
→ The character had a pleasant look on its face.
prevent [privent] v.
To prevent something is to stop it from happening.
The handcuffs prevented me from moving my hands.
rock [rak] n.
A rock is a hard thing in the dirt.
→ I stacked rocks on top of one another.
save [seiv] v.
To save something is to keep it from being hurt.
→ I want to help save the world.
step [step] v.
To step is to walk.
→
Be careful where you step.
still [still adv.
Still is used when you say that a situation keeps going on.
→ They are still waiting in line to get tickets.
taste [teist] n.
A taste is the flavor something makes in your mouth.
The taste of the fruit was sweet.
-
9
throw [erou] v.
To throw something is to use your hand to make it go through the air.
The pitcher can throw the baseball very fast.
wave [weiv] n.
A wave is a line of water that moves higher than the rest of the water.
The water was filled with large blue waves.
-
How the Sun and
the Moon Were Made
Do you ever wonder where the moon and the sun came from? The Inuit people
of Alaska have a theory.
They tell a story about a beautiful girl. She was very nice. In contrast, her brother
was a mean little boy. One day he proposed something. "We should go to a party,"
he said. The girl accepted. First, it was necessary for her to prepare. She arranged
her hair and put on nice clothes. This required a lot of time. But the girl worked hard,
and soon she had success. She looked perfect.
They attended the party together. The girl was having fun. Later, she walked
into the bathroom. Suddenly, the lights were turned off! Someone grabbed her
hair and tore her clothes. She ran out of the bathroom. She wanted to know who
did this to her.
Then she had an idea. She fixed her hair again. This time it was even more
beautiful. She even balanced beautiful jewels in it. She wanted to encourage the
person to grab it again. She put black dirt in her hair. The purpose of this was
catch the person.
She went to the bathroom again, and it
was the same pattern. The lights went
off, and someone grabbed her hair.
When he released it, his hand
was black. The girl returned to the
party. She knew there was only a
single person with a black hand.
When she saw that person, he
was very familiar. It was her
brother!
He ran into the woods.
The girl ran after him. They
both carried fire so they could
see in the dark. The smoke
went into the air. As they ran,
they grew. They became huge.
Then they went into space. When
the girl's fire went out, she hung
in the sky. She became the moon,
and her brother became the sun. They
chase each other forever.
Reading Comprehension
Answer the questions.
1. What is this story about?
a. The contrast between the sun and the moon
b. A theory of how the moon and the sun were made
c. The purpose of the sun and the moon
d. Why it is necessary for the moon to balance in the sky
2. Why does the girl encourage someone to grab her hair?
a. She doesn't want him to tear her dress.
b. She wants to become huge and hang in the sky.
c. She wants to know who grabbed her hair.
d. She wants the party to be a success.
3. What was true of the boy in the story?
a. He accepted the invitation when his sister proposed a party.
b. He didn't want to attend the party.
c. He was the only person with a black hand.
d. He wore a shirt with a beautiful pattern.
4. Why does the girl become angry?
a. The boy doesn't release her hair.
b. She is required to arrange her hair.
c. The smoke from her fire went into the air.
d. She sees someone familiar with a black hand.
5. How does the girl get ready for the party?
UNIT8
50
Word List
accept [æksept] v.
To accept something that is offered is to take it.
-
I accepted the girl's very nice gift.
arrange [ǝreindz] v.
To arrange things is to put them in the right place.
→ Please arrange the bowling pins in order so we can play.
attend [etend)] v.
To attend something is to go to it.
→ My sister and I attend the same school.
balance [bælans] v.
To balance something is to keep it from falling.
We saw an elephant balance itself on a ball.
contrast [kantræst] n.
A contrast is the sharp difference between two things.
The contrast between my parents is very noticeable.
encourage [inkə:ridz] v.
To encourage someone is to make them want to do something.
→ My football coach will encourage us when we are losing.
familiar [familjər} adj.
If someone or something is familiar to you, you know them well.
The two friends were very familiar with each other.
grab [græb] v.
To grab is to take a hold of someone or something suddenly.
-
I grabbed a pear from the tree.
chang [hæn] v.
To hang something is to keep it above the ground.
→ I drew a picture of my family, and my mother hung it on the wall.
huge [hju:d3] adj.
If something is huge, it is very big.
→ At work, my father drives a huge truck.
necessary [nėsəsèri] adj.
If something is necessary, you must do it.
→ It is necessary to have a passport when you travel to a foreign country.
pattern [pætern] n.
A pattern is a way in which something is done or organized.
→
My pattern of brushing my teeth is the same as most people's.
propose [prepouz] v.
To propose something is to say that it should be done.
-
→ Santa Claus proposed that I try to be a good boy all year.
purpose [parpəs] n.
A purpose is the reason that you do something.
The purpose of exercising is to get into shape.
release [rili:s] v.
To release something is to stop holding it.
She released the bird from her hands.
→
require [rikwaiǝ:r] v.
To require something is to say that it is necessary.
-
→ We require teachers to have a university degree.
single [singǝl] adj.
If something is single, then there is only one.
→ I have a single key in my hand.
success [sǝkses] n.
Success is doing something well that you choose to do.
My daughter was a big success at school.
→
tear [tear] v.
To tear something means to pull it apart.
→ It is easy to tear paper.
theory [:ari) n.
A theory is an idea about how something works.
We talked about Einstein's theory of relativity in class.
Exercise 1
Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.
1. She looks like someone that I know well.
fami
2. Drinking water is something that she must do.
neces
3. He has an idea of how the machine works.
the_.
4. The reason that I am doing this is to help children.
pur
5. My teacher will make me want to get good grades.
enc
6. I agree with your idea. I think it will work.
ac
7. It is difficult to keep from falling when you stand on one foot.
ba
8. Her routine of exercising after work is common for many people.
pa
9. There is a big difference between day and night.
с
10. The Earth has a solitary moon.
S
The Best Prince
King Minos was very sick. His condition was getting worse. He had three sons.
He loved them all. He had to announce who would become king.
Two of the princes stood waiting outside the king's room. Theseus was the
oldest and strongest. He thought his father would make him king. Pelias, the
second son, thought differently. He was an expert with weapons. He thought the
king would choose him.
"When I'm king," Theseus told Pelias, "I'll let you contribute to the defense of
our country. You can lead the army."
Pelias became angry. "Father knows I'm famous for my sword skills. He'll make
me king."
"You?" Theseus yelled. "He won't choose you!"
"The kingdom is mine!" Pelias claimed. "Father will give it to me-or I'll use
force to take it!"
Theseus made a sudden move to take out his sword. Then Pelias did the same.
"Beating me will be a challenge," Theseus said. "Fight me now. The
winner gets the kingdom!"
Pelias agreed.
King Minos could hear his sons fighting. The youngest son, Jason,
stood beside him. He sensed his father's sadness. The king laid his
hand flat on Jason's arm.
"Your brothers fight too much," the king told him. "I must
protect my kingdom from all harm. They'll divide it between
them. The people won't know what to do. There'll be war. I can't
allow either of them to be king. Therefore, I'm making you king.
Your kindness has always made you special. It's the difference
between you and your brothers. You can bring peace. They
can't."
Then the king died. Theseus and
Pelias heard that their youngest
brother was king. They were surprised.
They realized that their fighting was
wrong. It had kept them from saying
goodbye to their father. They agreed to
have Jason as their king. He was the
best choice.
TH
A
Word List
allow [ǝlau] v.
To allow something to happen means to let it happen.
→ Having a ticket will allow you to enter the show.
announce [ǝnáuns] v.
To announce something is to make it known.
He announced to everyone his new idea for the company.
beside [bisaid] prep.
When someone or something is beside you, they are next to you.
The two brothers stood beside each other.
challenge [tælind3] n.
A challenge is something difficult to complete.
->
It was a challenge to climb to the top of the mountain.
phibp98
claim [kleim] v.
To claim means to say that something is true.
He claimed to know why the country's laws were weak.
→
condition [kəndiſən] n.
The condition of someone or something is the state that they are in.
The patient's condition was very good.
-
contribute [kantribju:t] v.
To contribute to something means to do something to make it successf
We decided to contribute money to the new hospital.
→
difference [difərəns] n.
A difference is a way that something is not like other things.
The biggest difference between the birds is the color of their feathers.
→
divide [divaid] v.
To divide something is to make it into smaller parts.
We divided the pizza.
expert [ekspert] n.
An expert is someone who is very good at doing something.
The wizard was an expert at magic.
famous [feimas] adj.
If someone or something is famous, they are known to many people.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is very famous.
force [fors] n.
Force is a person's strength or power.
He used all his force to try and open the door.
→
harm [harm] n.
Harm is hurt or problems caused to someone or something.
A hot iron can cause great harm if you are not careful.
lay [lei] v.
To lay means to put or place in a horizontal or flat position.
Don't lay your socks on the floor.
peace [pi:s] n.
Peace is a time without war.
A white dove is a symbol for peace.
prince [prins] n.
A prince is the son of a king.
→
→ The prince and the princess were married.
protect [pretékt] v.
To protect someone is to stop them from getting hurt.
→ Firemen protect us from fires.
→
sense [sens] v.
To sense something is to know about it without being told.
→ I could sense that he was watching me.
sudden [sádn] adj.
When something is sudden, it happens very quickly.
He felt a sudden pain in his chest.
therefore [oca:rfb:r] adv.
Therefore means for this reason.
He is fat. Therefore, he will go on a diet.
Exercise 1
Part A Choose the right word for the given definition.
1. something difficult that you have to do
a. condition
b. sense
2. the son of a king
a. prince
b. expert
3. to do something to help succeed
a. contribute
b. sudden
4. for this reason
a. allow
b. therefore
5. to stop someone from getting hurt
a. claim
b. protect
1. Sarah let Tim go to the game.
allo
c. challenge
2. The child promised not to hurt our cat.
har_
c. famous
c. harm
c. announce
c. lay
3. She was a well-known writer in our town.
fam
4. You should say it's true that you never lie.
cl___
d. divide
Part B Write a word that is similar in meaning to the
underlined part.
5. The food was cut into smaller parts so we could all eat.
d
d. force
d. peace
d. beside
d. difference
The Friendly Ghost
A nice woman lived by a large river. She loved children. She wanted to help
them in any way. She loved her community, and everyone in the community loved
her. She lived a very long time and became very wise.
When she died, she became a ghost. She was dead, but every night she
returned to her community. She wanted to help children and not to cause them
fright. But she had a scary voice. Children were afraid of her, but the ghost was a
good one. She only scared them to help them.
One night, some children and a dog were playing by the river. They were
having fun with their pet. But they were far from home. Then the weather became
bad. It rained and rained. The river was rising. It was very dark. The children knew
they were lost. They needed to go north, but they didn't know which direction it
was. When the moon came out, they saw a ghost by the river. The ghost said, “Go
away!"
The children felt great fright. They knew it was a ghost. Then the ghost moved
closer. She yelled again, “Go away!” The children became very upset. Some of
them began to cry. The children knew they had a choice: they could escape, or
they could stay and face this scary individual in the dark.
The children ran a long distance away. The ghost followed them all the way.
Finally, the children reached home. The ghost was very
happy. Soon the river rose higher and higher. It
was very dangerous. The ghost had helped the
children survive! She had saved them from the
rising water. She also used her power to
lead them home. Sometimes, meeting a ghost
has advantages. A ghost can save
your life!
UNIT 6 Word List
advantage (odvdontids) n. un Child.s
[edvæntid3]
An advantage is something that helps you.
→ Being tall is an advantage to a basketball player.
cause [kɔ:z] v.
To cause is to make something happen.
The cold weather caused her to get sick.
choice [tois] n.
A choice is the act or possibility of picking something.
I had my choice of five doors to open.
community [kamjú:nəti] n.
A community is a group of people who live together.
→
→ The kids from my community usually play together.
dead [ded] adj.
To be dead is to not be alive.
-
→ A dead person is usually buried in the ground.
distance [distəns] n.
The distance between two things is how far it is between them.
The distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,400 kilometers.
-
escape [iskeip] v.
To escape is to run away from something bad.
The butterfly could not escape from the cage.
-
face [feis] v.
If you face a problem, you deal with it.
My sister and I have to find a better way to face our differences.
follow [falou] v.
To follow means to go behind someone and go where they go.
The little boy followed his mother home.
fright [frait] n.
Fright is the feeling of being scared.
She was filled with fright.
ghost (goust] n.
A ghost is the spirit of a dead person.
→ Many people are afraid of ghosts.
individual [indevidzuǝl] n.
An individual is one person.
Only one individual could win the bicycle race.
pet [pet] n.
A pet is an animal that lives with people.
· Out of all my pets, the dog is my favorite.
reach [rit] v.
To reach means to arrive at a place.
→ I was happy to finally reach my destination.
return [riten] v.
To return is to go back to a place.
→ I was happy to return home to my mom after school.
survive [servaiv] v.
To survive is to stay alive.
My dog survived her fall into the water.
www
upset [Apsēt] adj.
To be upset is to be unhappy about something.
→
She was upset because she broke her toy.
voice [vois] n.
A voice is the sound a person makes when they talk or sing.
He used a microphone, so everyone could hear his voice.
weather [wedə:r] n.
The weather is the condition of the air: hot, rainy, windy, etc.
The weather can be sunny, rainy, or cold.
6
wise [waiz] adj.
To be wise is to use experience and intelligence to make good choices.
Many people believe that owls are very wise animals.
Exercise 1
Part A Write a word that is similar in meaning to the
underlined part.
1. Sam was happy to go back to his house.
re___n
2. Her grandfather is a smart old man.
wi
3. William wanted an animal to live with.
P__
4. He studies what the condition of the air is like.
we
5. I have to deal with my rising credit card bill.
f
Part B Choose the word that is a better fit for each sentence.
1. fright / ghost
The
A scary place might cause
2. dead / upset
lives in the old house.
The tree fell down because it was
I was
3. advantage / reached
4. escape/ distance
He wanted to
He lived a long.
when I got a bad grade on the test.
After 10 hours of driving, I finally
He is smart and has a(n)
5. community / individual
The man is a nice
The town is a small
California.
in class.
from the room.
from the school.
The Jackal
and the Sun Child
A jackal is a wild dog with a big black back. It resides in the desert. But how
did the jackal get his black back? This was how it happened.
One day, the jackal saw a girl. She was sitting upon a rock. She was not a
normal child. She was a rare and beautiful sun child. She was bright and warm
like the sun. The child saw the jackal and smiled.
She said, "Jackal, I have been relaxing on this rock for too long. I must get
home soon. But, I am slow and you are fast. You will likely get me home more
quickly." Then she requested, "Will you carry me home? If you do, I'll give you a
gift. This necklace belongs to me, but I will give it to you."
The wild jackal agreed. So the sun child sat on the dog's back. They started
to walk. But soon, the jackal felt ill. The sun child was very hot on his back. The
heat was hurting his back very badly. "I made a terrible error in judgment." he
thought. He shouldn't have agreed to carry her. So he asked her to get off.
But she did not. The jackal's back continued to get hotter and hotter. He had to
get away from the sun child. So he made a plan. First, he ran as fast as he could.
He hoped the sun child would fall off. But she did not. So when the
sun child was looking at the sky, not aware of the jackal’s next plan,
he jumped into a field of flowers. As a result, the child rolled off his
back. The jackal ran away.
But the sun child left a mark on the jackal’s back, a visible
black mark. Ever since his experience with the sun child, the
jackal has had a black back.
Word List
aware [ǝwtər] adj.
If you are aware of something, you know about it.
-
→ I was not aware of the ringing phone.
badly [badli] adv.
Badly means in a severe or harmful way.
He hurt his arm badly playing with friends.
-
belong [bil(:)n] v.
If something belongs to you, you own it.
The blue suit belongs to Paul.
continue [kontinju:] v.
To continue something is to keep doing it.
→ She stood under her umbrella as the rain continued to fall.
error [erər] n.
An error is something you do wrong.
→ I made an error on my report, so my boss was angry.
experience [ikspiǝrians] n.
An experience is something you have seen or done.
Rock climbing was a fun experience.
field [fi:ld] n.
A field is a big area of land.
The field of flowers looked so pretty.
hurt [hərt] v.
To hurt is to do something that makes you feel pain.
She hurt her leg falling down the stairs.
→
judgment [dzidzment] n.
Judgment is the ability to form opinions or decisions.
→ It's good judgment to recycle your aluminum cans.
likely [laikli] adv.
If something likely happens, it will probably happen.
+ I will likely stay at home and watch TV tonight.
→
normal [nɔ̃:rməl] adj.
If something is normal, it is not strange nor surprising to you.
→ It is normal for me to bathe every night.
rare [reer] adj.
If something is rare, you do not see it very often.
→ It is rare for him to miss his flight.
relax [rilæks] v.
To relax is to rest.
The frog relaxed in the warm sun.
→
request [rikwėst] v.
To request something is to ask for it.
→
The little girl requested a special gift from Santa Claus.
reside [ri:zaid] v.
To reside means to live somewhere permanently or for a long time.
My brother and his family reside in a lovely house on the beach.
o result [rizált] n.
A result is something that happens because of something else.
→
As a result of all the rain, the man had to climb on the roof.
roll [roul] v.
To roll is to move by turning over and over.
→ You must roll the ball into the pins when you bowl.
since [sins] prep.
Since is used to talk about a past event still happening now.
→ Since 1992, he has been driving that car.
visible [vízəbəl] adj.
If something is visible, it can be seen.
The moon and stars were visible in the night sky.
1
wild [waild] adj.
If something is wild, it is found in nature.
You should be careful around a fox, because it is a wild animal.
The Dog's Bell
John's dog was a bad dog. He bit people frequently. John had great concern
about this. It was not an appropriate way for a dog to behave. His friends in the
village always expected the dog to bite them. The news about John's dog spread
through the village. None of the people wanted to go to John's house.
John tried to instruct the dog to behave, but it never worked. He tried to be
patient and teach the dog to be calm. That also didn't work. John didn't want to
punish the dog. "How will I stop my dog's bad habit?” John asked himself.
John's friend came to talk to him about the issue. During their important
meeting, his friend said, "The people in the village asked me to represent them.
We want your dog to stop this habit. Why don't you put a bell around the dog's
neck? This way, we would hear your dog coming down the street.”
John thought this was a great idea. Now, people could stay away from the dog.
It would not be able to bite anyone anymore.
The dog liked the bell, too. People looked at him when they heard his bell. This
made the dog very content. He liked the song the bell played when he walked.
One day, John's dog strolled through the village and met some other dogs. He
expected them to want a bell like his. But they
laughed at his bell. They said the bell made
people avoid him. John's dog shook his head.
"No, they look at me because they like the
bell."
The other dogs said, "You have the wrong
idea of what makes you popular. Of course
they like your bell. It tells them where you are
so they can avoid you. You aren't able to bite
them anymore!"
You see, being popular isn't something
positive when it's for the wrong reason.
Reading Comprehension
Answer the questions.
1. What is this story mainly about?
a. A dog that is frequently bad
b. A dog's stroll through town
c. A content man and his dog
d. A village that liked John's dog
2. What is true of the dog?
a. He likes none of John's friends.
b. He shakes his head too much.
c. He bites when it's not appropriate.
d. He expects people to be calm around him.
3. Why did the issue with the dog bother John?
a. People didn't think of John in a positive way.
b. People avoided going to John's house.
c. People didn't want John to represent them.
d. People didn't like the song that John played.
4. What did John do to stop the dog's bad habit?
a. He instructed the dog on learning tricks.
b. He punished the dog for biting.
c. He was patient and showed concern.
d. He put a bell around the dog's neck.
5. What did the other dogs say about the bell?
UNIT 4 26 Word List
appropriate [aprouprieit] adj.
When a thing is appropriate, it is right or normal.
→ It's appropriate to wear a suit when you go to the office.
avoid [ǝvoid] v.
To avoid something is to stay away from it.
Avoid the broken bottle on the floor.
behave [biheiv] v.
To behave is to act in a particular way, especially to be good.
→ She always behaves well when her father is around.
calm [ka:m] adj.
When someone is calm, they do not get excited or upset.
A nice warm bath makes me feel so calm.
concern [kənsə:rn] n.
Concern is a feeling of worry.
I was filled with concern after reading the newspaper.
content [kentent] adj.
To be content is to be happy and not want more.
→
The baby looked very content sitting on the floor.
expect [ikspekt] v.
If you expect something to happen, you believe it will happen.
-
→ I expect the bus to be here very soon.
o frequently [fri:kwantli] adv.
When something happens frequently, it happens often.
→ We meet frequently, either at the beginning or ending of the week.
habit [habit] n.
A habit is a thing that you do often.
Smoking is a bad habit that can kill you.
instruct [instrákt] v.
To instruct is to teach.
→ My teacher instructs us in several subjects.
issue [iju:] n.
d
An issue is an important topic.
The men spoke about issues that were important to the people.
none [an] pron.
None means not any of someone or something.
He spent all his money. There is none left.
patient [péifent] adj.
If a person is patient, they don't become angry or upset easily.
-
→ I had to be patient and wait until 5 o'clock to leave.
positive [pazǝtiv] adj.
If something is positive, it is good.
She has a positive future ahead of her after finishing college.
punish [páni] v.
To punish means to make someone suffer for breaking the rules or laws.
To punish me, my teacher had me stand in the corner.
represent [réprizent] v.
To represent is to speak or act for a person or group.
My lawyer will represent me in court.
shake (jeik] v.
To shake is to move back and forth or up and down quickly.
→ When people shake hands, it usually means they agree.
spread [spred] v.
To spread is to move quickly to more places.
I like to spread butter on my toast.
stroll [stroul] v.
To stroll means to walk slowly and calmly.
→ My dog and I strolled through the park today.
4
village [vilid3) n.
A village is a very small town.
→ There are only a few houses in my village.
27
The Report
Lee sat among the books at the library and thought about his group project.
They had to turn it in soon, but he hadn't even started his part! Jack and Claire
were in his group. They had worked hard. They were also very smart, and Lee
didn't want them to get a bad grade.
Jack did the report. He wrote a lot of very good sentences and described things
with great adjectives. Claire drew a nice map of the stars. Now, Lee needed to do
his part of the project.
"Well, I suppose I need to start my model," Lee thought.
Making a model of a planet was really hard. Lee tried to read several books,
but he couldn't comprehend any of the charts. "We're going to fail because of
me!" Lee said. He put his head down on the table and said, "I wish I could see a
planet, instead of having to read about it!"
Suddenly, there was a bright light. Lee was pulled from his chair, through the
roof, and right into a strange ship! "Hello, kid," said an alien. "Did you ask for
help?"
Lee told the friendly alien all about his project. The alien agreed to help Lee
solve his problem. "First, we'll fly through space to view the universe. Then, I can
help you make a model of my planet."
Soon, they were going through the clouds. They passed the moon. Then they
viewed Mars. Lee was very excited. Instead of a bad grade, his group would have
the best project ever!
"It's time to go home," the alien finally said. On the way back, he helped Lee
make a model of the planet
Mars. Soon, they were on
Earth.
"Thanks," Lee said.
"My model will be
awesome!" Then he
took his model and
said goodbye to his
new friend.
Word List
alien [eiljan] n.
An alien is a creature from a different world.
The alien came in peace.
-
among [ǝmin] prep.
If you are among certain things, they are all around you.
There was a red apple among the green ones.
->
o chart [tfart] n.
A chart is a list of information.
→ We used a chart to see how we had improved.
cloud [klaud] n.
A cloud is a group of water drops in the sky.
The sky was filled with white clouds.
comprehend [kamprihend] v.
To comprehend something is to understand it.
Henry could not comprehend the message.
describe [diskraib] v.
To describe is to say or write what someone or something is like.
They described their tree as colorful with gold ribbon and a star.
ever [evər] adv.
Ever means at any time.
→ Going skiing last winter was the most fun I've ever had.
fail [feil] v.
To fail means you do not succeed in what you try to do.
Since he failed to get the job, he was sad.
friendly [frendli] adj.
Friendly is behaving in a pleasant, kind way toward someone.
The friendly animals came up to the girl.
grade [greid] n.
A grade is a score or mark given to someone's work.
✦ I managed to get good grades on my report card.
instead [insted] adv.
Instead means in place of.
He ate the carrot instead of the ice cream.
library [laibreri] n.
A library is a place where you go to read books.
The library at school is full of books.
-
planet [plænet] n.
A planet a large round thing in space.
Saturn is the planet with the ring around it.
-
report [ripo:rt] n.
A report is something students write for school.
→ Karen had trouble writing her report.
several [sevərǝl] adj.
Several is more than two but not many.
→ He had to read several books for class.
solve [salv] v.
To solve something is to find an answer to it.
→→ All the students could easily solve the math problem.
suddenly [sádnli] adv.
If something happens suddenly, it happens quickly and unexpectedly.
I was suddenly surprised by the cake my friends brought me.
suppose [sǝpouz] v.
To suppose is to guess.
I suppose I should go home now.
universe [jú:nəvə:rs] n.
The universe is the known or supposed objects in space.
The universe is so large that it cannot be measured.
3
view [vju:] v.
To view is to look at something.
→ Michael likes to view himself in the mirror.
The Laboratory
Mia's father had a laboratory, but she had no idea what was in it. Her dad
always closed and locked the door when he went in. She knew that he used it to
do projects for work. He never told Mia what these projects were.
One night, Mia approached the door to the laboratory. She stopped and
thought, "I wonder what crazy experiment he is doing now." Suddenly, she
heard a loud noise. It sounded like an evil laugh. The noise scared her, so she
walked quickly back to her room.
The next night, her friend Liz came to her house. When Liz arrived, Mia told
her about the night before. "Oh, it was terrible," she said.
"Why don't we see what is in there?" Liz asked. "It will be a fun adventure!"
Mia felt nervous about going into her father's laboratory, but she agreed. As
always, the door was locked. They waited until Mia's father left the laboratory to
eat dinner. "He didn't lock the door!" Liz said. "Let's go."
The laboratory was dark. The girls walked down the stairs carefully. Mia
smelled strange chemicals. What terrible thing was her father creating?
Suddenly, they heard an evil laugh. It was even worse than the one Mia
heard the night before. What if a monster was going to kill them? Mia had to do
something. She shouted for help.
Mia's father ran into the room and turned on the lights.
"Oh, no," he said. “You must have learned my secret."
"Your monster tried to kill us," Mia said.
"Monster?" he asked. "You mean this?" He had a
pretty doll in his hands. The doll laughed. The laugh
didn't sound so evil anymore. "I made this for your
birthday. I wanted to give it to you then, but you
can have it now. I hope you like it!"
HE
UNIT2 14 Word List
adventure [adventſər] n.
An adventure is a fun or exciting thing that you do.
Riding in the rough water was an adventure.
→
approach [ǝprout] v.
To approach something means to move close to it.
The boy approached his school.
carefully [ktərfəli] adv.
Carefully means with great attention, especially to detail or safety.
→ The baby carefully climbed down the stairs.
chemical [kemikǝl] n.
A chemical is something that scientists use in chemistry.
The scientist mixed the chemicals.
create [kriéit] v.
To create means to make something new.
→ She created an igloo from blocks of snow.
evil [i:vǝl] adj.
Evil describes something or someone bad or cruel, not good.
The evil figure scared us all.
experiment likspérament] n.
An experiment is a test that you do to see what will happen.
The student did an experiment in science class.
-
kill [ki] v.
To kill someone or something is to make them die.
→
I killed the fly with a fly swatter.
laboratory [læbəratòri] n.
A laboratory is a room where a scientist works.
→ My mother works in a laboratory.
laugh [læf] n.
Laugh is the sound made when someone is happy or a funny thing occurs
→ The sound of their laugh filled the room.
loud [laud] adj.
If a sound is loud, it is strong and very easy to hear.
The man's voice was so loud that we all could hear him.
→
nervous [nårvəs] adj.
When a person is nervous, they think something bad will happen.
The boy became nervous when he heard the news.
noise [noiz] n.
A noise is an unpleasant sound.
The crying baby made a loud noise.
project [pradzēkt] n.
A project is a type of work that you do for school or a job.
His afternoon work project was to paint the room green.
scare [skea.r] v.
To scare someone is to make them feel afraid.
-
→ My uncle was scared by what he saw in the room.
secret [si:krit] n.
A secret is something that you do not tell other people.
The two boys were sharing a secret.
-
shout [Jaut]
To shout is to say something loudly.
→ My boss shouted at me because I was late for work.
smell [smel] v.
To smell something means to use your nose to sense it.
The two friends smelled the flower.
terrible [terǝbǝl] adj.
If something is terrible, it is very bad.
The way he treated his classmate was terrible.
-
worse [wers] adj.
If something is worse, it is of poorer quality than another thing.
→ Business was worse this month than last month.
Comments
Top Podcasts
The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best News Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Business Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Dan Bongino Show Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Mark Levin Podcast – June 2024
United States