Reading Pleasure

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A multi-genre reading course in English ©Wordzila 2012 This book is in copyright. No reproduction in any part may take place without the written permission of the publisher.

Series editor

: Charlayne Gomes

Published and distributed by Wordzila

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Insight This is a multi-genre graded reader series designed for students of grade one to nine. The series presents a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g. philosophical, ethical aesthetic) of human experience. Students are led to apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate and appreciate the texts through a variety of fun-filled and stimulating activities. The texts have been carefully selected from the world of authentic children’s literature and adapted and abridged whenever necessary to suit our children. These texts have been grouped according to genres because genre provides an important frame of reference which helps the young readers to identify, interpret and enjoy the different texts with all their distinctive features, richness and variety. Each book in the course invites the students to use their imaginations, expand their vocabularies, and gain a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. It serves both as a mirror in which children see themselves reflected and a window through which they can explore the world around them.

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Fun reading

Eletelephony Have you heard of an elephant talking on the telephone?

A telephant talking on the elephone?

Eletelephony Laura E. Richards Once there was an elephant Who tried to use his telephant No, no! I mean an elephone Who tried to use the telephone. (Dear me! I am not certain quite That even now I've got it right.) Howe'er it was, he got his trunk Entangled in the telephunk; The more he tried to get it free, The louder buzzed the telephee. (I fear I better drop the song of elephop and telephong!) Howe'er = However

1 Once upon a time there lived a young frog who often sat upon a very soft lily pad.

Sniffy and Fluffy Have an Adventure

His name was Sniffy. Probably because he liked flowers.

One day, Sniffy was scrubbing his toes in the pond. He felt something moving in the water!

Phew! It was his friend, Fluffy, a small fish from just up the pond. She giggled.

Fluffy had good news. She heard there were giant flowers on the other side of the pond!

Sniffy could hardly wait! He packed a nutritious lunch and they set off to smell the flowers.

They swam.

Stop and tell! Where are Sniffy and Fluffy going? What are they carrying with them? What do you think will happen now?

And swam.

They encountered a storm...

A very large bird stole their nutritious lunch.

Sniffy and Fluffy were beginning to think they would never see any giant flowers...

Stop and tell! Do you think they will see the flowers?

...when they realized they were at the other side of the pond!

The flowers were huge! Sniffy was so happy!

Fluffy was feeling a little left out. She couldn't smell the flowers from the water.

But Sniffy helped Fluffy, and Fluffy felt very lucky to have a friend like Sniffy.

ge!

Let's learn some new words! encounter: giant: giggle: nutritious: scrubbing:

meet very big laugh quickly and quietly food that helps you stay healthy cleaning

Time to work 1. Answer the following. a. b. c. d. e.

Why was Sniffy called Sniffy? Who was Sniffy's friend? Why did Sniffy and Fluffy go to the other side of the pond? What did Sniffy and Fluffy take with them? Who stole their nutritious lunch?

2. Complete the sentences with words form the story. a. b. c. d. e.

Sniffy was sitting upon a _____________. Sniffy liked _____________. He packed a _____________ lunch. Fluffy was a _____________ When Sniffy saw the flowers he was _____________.

Let's talk! Tell the story of Sniffy and Fluffy in your own words to your class.

2 Rain

I want to go out and play!

I have an umbrella!

Rain Robert Louis Stevenson

The rain is falling all around It falls on field and tree, It rains on umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea.

It’s raining. You will get wet.

Time to work 1. Where is the rain falling? 2. Do you think it is nice to play in the rain?

Discuss in groups. Discuss and find out where rain comes from.

A fun thing to do Draw the picture of rain falling down.

Atchoo! It was not fun playing in the rain. Atchoo! Atchoo! Rain, rain go away. Come again some other day.

Look, Teddy. So many people!

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Sing a Song of People Yes! There are people everywhere. Let's sing a song about them!

Sing a Song of People Lou Lenski

Sing a song of people Walking fast or slow; People in the city, Up and down they go. People on the sidewalk, People on the bus; People passing, passing, In back and front of us. People on the subway Underneath the ground; People riding taxis Round and round.

People with their hats on, Going in the doors; People with umbrellas When it rains and pours. People in tall buildings And in stores below; Riding elevators Up and down they go. People walking singly, People in a crowd; People saying nothing, People talking loud. People laughing, smiling, Grumpy people too; People who just hurry And never look at you! Sing a song of people Who like to come and go; Song of city people You see but never know.

Let’s learn some words! elevator: grumpy: sidewalk: subway: underneath:

lift not happy pavement on side of roads where people walk a tunnel under the ground for trains to run below

Time to work 1. 2. 3.

Name any five things people do on the street. Where do people go when it rains? How many times is the word people repeated in the poem?

A fun thing to do Sing this poem aloud in the class..

Group discussion Do you live in a city or in a village? Are city people different from village people? Discuss and make a list of a few differences.

Think about it it! You see so many people on the street every day. Where do you think they are going to or coming from?

Guess where I’m going!

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Tall Trees

What’s the use of trees?

Before you read Do you know the names of some trees? How tall are they? They’re very very useful. They give us fresh air, shade, fruits and so many other things.

Tall Trees Eileen Mathias With their feet in the earth And their heads in the sky The tall trees watch the clouds go by. When the dusk sends quickly The birds to rest, The tall trees shelter them Safe in a nest. And then in the night With the tall trees peeping, The moon shines down On a world that's sleeping.

Let’s learn some words! dusk: peep: shelter:

evening to look quickly and secretly through an opening to give a place to live

Time to work 1. Find words that rhyme in the poem. a) b) c)

and and and

2. Five words that you have read in the poem are hiding in the below. Find them.

abcdheadb bcloudleczyk estvmntrees acduskghijkl jytshrestpqr

Let’s talk! How are trees useful to us? Talk among yourselves. Then tell the class.

Knowledge bank The tallest trees are found in North America. They are redwood trees and they grow up to 350 metres tall.

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Cat in the Dark

I think I saw a ghost last night. It was dark and I saw its shiny green eyes! I was so scared!

Cat in the Dark John Argad Look at that! Look at that! But when you look There's no cat. Without a purr Just a flash of fur And gone Like a ghost. The most You see Are two tiny Green traffic lights Staring at night.

That can't be! I'm sure it was your cat.

Let’s learn some words! flash: purr: stare:

shine suddenly and brightly for a short time a low brrrr sound made by a cat to look at something or someone for a long time without moving your eyes

Time to work 1. 2. 3.

Why can’t we see cats in the dark? What are the “two tiny green lights” shining in the dark? Do you like cats? Write a few sentences describing a cat.

Let’s talk! Why do you think cats are so quiet?

Project Find a picture of a traffic light or draw one yourself. What are the different colours of the traffic light? What does each colour mean? Write it down. Then tell the class.

It really was my cat.

I wonder why… I wonder how…

6 I Wonder Why

About the wonders of nature, Pencee!

About what?

I Wonder Why Jeannie Kirby I wonder why the grass is green, And why the wind is never seen? Who taught the birds to build a nest, And told the trees to take a rest? Or, when the moon is not quite round, Where can the missing bit be found? Who lights the stars, when they blow out, And makes the lightning flash about? Who paints the rainbow in the sky, And hangs the fluffy clouds so high? Why is it now, do you suppose, That dad won't tell me, if he knows?

Let’s learn some words! wonder: flash: fluffy:

think about something to shine brightly very light and soft

Time to work 1. Complete this word ladder using words from the box. g

r

e

e

n

r

wonder green never rainbow round

w

r

2. Fill in the blanks. a. b. c. d.

The shape of the moon is ................................ . Clouds are ................................ . Birds build ................................ . Grass is ................................ .

What about you? Do you also wonder about things? What do you wonder about? Write it down and show it to your teacher.

I wonder about the sky. I wonder what the moon is made of.

A fun thing to do Draw a rainbow here. Colour it and write the names of the colours.

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Seasons arefun How many seasons are there?

There are four seasons. Let's find out all about them.

Seasons are fun One, two, three and four, A year too has seasons four. Autumn, winter, spring, summer All come one after the other. Five, six, seven and eight, Hot summers make us waitFor ice creams and shady trees, And holidays by the seas. Nine, ten, eleven and twelve, Autumn came and leaves fell. Days are short; the air is cool, Autumn for three months is here to rule.

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, Sheets of snow cover the green. Cold winter days are no fun, Oh! How we long for cheerful sun. Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, Beautiful flowers bloom aplenty. Birds and bees and animals sing, Spring is such a jolly good thing!

Did you know?

Ice creams were first eaten by the Chinese more than a thousand years ago.

Let's learn some words! aplenty: jolly:

in large amounts happy, fun, cheerful

Time to work Can you complete these sentences? a) b) c) d)

The days are ________ in summer. The nights are ________in winter. Beautiful _______ bloom in spring. Leaves ________ in autumn.

Let's talk! 1. 2.

What season is it now? Which is your favourite season? Why do you like it?

Group discussion In groups, make a list of things that take place in different seasons. And discuss it with the class.

A fun thing to do Draw a colourful picture of the season you like best.

8 Honey Bear Before you read Do you know who makes honey? Have you ever eaten honey? How does it taste?

Honey Bear Elizabeth Lang There was a big bear Who lived in a cave; His greatest love Was honey. He had two pence a week Which he never could save, So he never had Any money. I bought him a moneybox Red and round, In which to put His money. He saved and saved Till he got a pound, Then spent it all On honey.

Time to work 1. Answer these questions by looking back at the poem carefully.

Knowledge bank

a. What is the title of the poem? b. Who wrote the poem? c. What is the size of the bear in the poem? d. Where did the bear live? e. What did the bear love to eat?

We have rupees and paisas. In the UK they have pounds and pence.

2. Connect the rhyming words. big

fox

box

honey

money

sound

save

pig

pound

cave

A fun thing to do Choose an animal or any word you like and try writing a name poem about it. Here’s an example with HONEY. H - Honey is gold and yummy! O - Oh! How I love honey! N - Not only bears but me as well! E - Everyone loves honey! Y - You will shine like money if you eat honey! Choose your own word or you can use these words and make your own name poem. BEAR

LOVE

MONEY

9 Before you read

What is a lie? A lie is something you say that is not true.

I am a bear! Do you think I'm telling the truth or lying?

Here are some sentences. Next to each sentence, write the word true if it is real or the word false if you think it is a lie! (1)

The sky is blue.

(2)

Pigs can fly.

(3)

Nepal is a beautiful country.

(4)

Telling the truth is better than telling a lie.

(5)

Fish can walk on land.

Is telling a lie a good thing or a bad thing? It is a bad thing. When you lie, you have to lie again. If you just tell the truth, you do not have to think of another lie. Discuss among yourselves. Have you ever told a lie? Do you like people who tell lies to you?

Pinocchio Once upon a time, a woodcutter found a big lump of wood, good for making a table. But when he cut it, he heard a cry. Aah! Aah! The sound came from the wood. The woodcutter was very frightened. Immediately, he gave away the wood to a cobbler. The cobbler made a puppet out of it. At night a fairy appeared in front of the cobbler and said, "You have a nice puppet here. I'll make it nicer by giving it a life." And so! The puppet turned into a real boy. The cobbler was so happy. He named the boy Pinocchio. Pinocchio was a very naughty boy. He always disturbed his father in his work. The cobbler used to shout at him, "You naughty boy, one day I'll box your ears!" But the cobbler loved little Pinocchio very much. One day Pinocchio suddenly went out of his house and did not come for two days. His father was very worried. He missed Pinocchio very much. He

searched for him everywhere but did not find him. But one evening he saw him at the door. He had become very dirty and his clothes were torn. "Where have you been?" asked his father in an angry voice. "I was taken away by a fairy," replied Pinocchio. But as he said that, his nose started to grow longer. His father saw this and came with a big axe and started to cut it, chop, chop, chop! But the nose grew and grew and grew. The cobbler was tired of cutting it. Just then the fairy appeared. "Pinocchio, if you tell lies, you nose will grow longer. You should always tell the truth and help your father in his work." After saying this, the fairy disappeared. Pinocchio's nose became normal again.

From that day onwards, Pinocchio did not tell a lie. He helped his father in his work and soon they became very rich.

Let’s learn some words! box : hit lump : piece puppet : a type of toy What are qualities?

Time to work 1. Put the following qualities in the right box. Telling lies Disturbing others Being kind to others Telling the truth Being helpful Being rude to others Good qualities

Qualities are what make up people from the inside. They are much more important than the way we look. There are good qualities and bad qualities.

Bad qualities

2. Read the clues to find out what these words are. CCHOPNIOI He is the main character of the story. FRYIA She wants to help Pinocchio become a real boy. LEI This is the opposite of truth

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What do you think is better, a house or a cat?

Before you read Draw a cat here.

Now draw your cat wearing the boots.

Good job! You have just drawn Puss in Boots.

Draw a pair of boots.

Do you know these three famous cats? One is Garfield, the other is Sylvester and the last one is Tom.

Puss in Boots Once upon a time there was a miller who had three sons. When he died, his things were given to his sons. The older sons got the house but the youngest only got a cat. “My brothers are lucky,” he said. “They have got the house to live in and I have only got a cat!” The cat, who heard this, said “Don’t worry, my good master. Give me a bag and a pair of boots and I will change your luck.” The miller’s youngest son did as he was told. He gave the cat a bag and a pair of boots. The cat took the bag over his shoulders and put on the boots. He called himself Puss in Boots and went on his way.Puss in Boots went to a forest and caught many rabbits in his bag. He then went to the palace to meet the king. “Your majesty, I have brought you rabbits from the lands of my master,” said Puss in Boots. “Who is your master?” asked the king. “My master is a rich man from the great land of Carabas,” replied Puss in Boots. The king was very happy with the gift and said, “Tell your master from Carabas that I said many thanks

” The next day, Puss in Boots said to his master, “If you do as I say master,you will have a castle instead of just a house.” “Go to the river and take a bath,” said Puss in Boots. The master did exactly as the cat said. While he was bathing, the king passed by in his carriage with his daughter. Puss in Boots jumped in front of the king’s carriage shouting, “Help! Help! My master of Carabas is in the river and he cannot get out! Thieves stole his clothes!”The king told his guards to help the master of Carabas and give him new clothes. Then the king asked the master of Carabas to ride in his carriage. The king’s daughter soon fell in love with him.Puss in Boots did not ride with them because he had to continue his geat plan. He went ahead of the carriage and arrived at a beautiful castle. But the castle was owned by a a scary ogre. Puss in Boots went inside the castle and spoke with the ogre. “People say that you have magical power. You can turn

yourself into any kind of big animal that you want. Is it true?” To show off his magic, the ogre turned himself into a big lion! Puss in Boots was really scared but he did not show that he was. “People say that you can change yourself into small animals like a rat or a mouse? But I don’t believe that!” said Puss in Boots. “I will show you!” said the ogre proudly.The ogre turned himself into a small mouse.Puss in Boots jumped at the mouse and ate it! That was the end of the ogre.Just then, the carriage of the king came by the castle and Puss in Bootswelcomed them. “Welcome to the castle of Carabas,” he said. “This is a beautiful castle, Master of Carabas,” said the king.When they went inside, a wonderful dinner was prepared for them. The king was very happy with the master of Carabas. “You must marry my daughter,” he said.So the miller’s son married the princess and soon became a king. It was all because of Puss in Boots. Puss in Boots lived with his master in the palace. He wore the most beautiful boots in the land! They all lived happily ever after.

Let’s learn some words. miller: ogre: show off:

someone who grinds an ugly giant behave in a way to get attention

Time to work 1. Answer the following questions. Who got the better gift? The older sons or the youngest son? What did Puss in Boots do after the ogre changed into a small mouse?

Was the king happy with the master of Carabas?

Whose castle did Puss in Boots take for his master?

What about you?Sometimes the best gifts are small. Do you agree? Yes/No

2. Circle the qualities Puss in Boots has. intelligent

bad

stupid

tricky

helpful

brave

11 Before you read

Hansel and Gretel are lost in the jungle. Help them find their way back home!

Did you know? A witch is a female, a wizard is a male. They know magic tricks.

witch

wizard

Hansel and Gretel Once upon a time a very poor woodcutter lived in a tiny cottage in the forest with his two children, Hansel and Gretel.Hansel and Gretel had a stepmother who did not like them. She always told the woodcutter to send them away. “There is not enough food in the house for all of us. There are too many mouths to feed! We must get rid of them!”

“Take them far into the forest, so they can never find their way back home!” she shouted at the woodcutter. Finally the woodctutter did as he was told. He took the children into the forest. Hansel took some bread along with him and dropped the crumbs on the way. He wanted to mark the way back home. Their father left them in the jungle and returned home. Hansel and Gretel wanted to go back home too. They looked for the breadcrumbs to find their way back. But the birds of the forest had eatenthe breadcrumbs. They were truly lost. “I’m frightened,” said Gretel. But they walked and walked till they came to a strange cottage in the middle of the forest.

“This is chocolate!” shouted Hansel breaking a piece of the cottage. They were very happy and started eating the pieces of the sweet cottage. “We’ll stay here,” said Hansel. They were just about to try a piece of the biscuit door when it slowly opened. “Well, well,” said an old woman coming out of the cottage. “Come in, come in! You have nothing to be afraid of,” went on the old woman. Hanseland Gretel did not know that the sugar cottage belonged to an old witch. “You’re nothing but skin and bones!” said the witch, locking Hansel into a cage! “I will make you fat and then eat you up!” The witch did not lock up Gretel. She made her do the work of the house. The witch had a very bad eyesight. “Let me feel your finger!” she said and touched Hansel’sfinger every day. She wanted to find out if he was getting any fatter. One day, Gretel gave her brother a chicken bone. So when the witch went to touch his finger, Hansel held out the chicken bone. “You are still too thin!” shouted the witch. One day the witch was tired of waiting. “Light the oven,” she told Gretel. “We are going to have a tasty roasted boy today!” “See if the oven is hot enough,” said the witch to Gretel after sometime. “I can’t tell if it is hot enough or not,” replied Gretel.

“Useless child! All right, I’ll see for myself,” shouted the witch. But when the witch bent down to check the oven, Gretel pushed her and shut the oven door! That was the end of the witch. Gretel opened the cage and set her brother free. They stayed several days to eat some more of the house. Then they found a big chocolate egg in the witch’s cupbaord. Inside the egg were many gold coins. “The witch is now burnt to ashes,” said Hansel, “so we’ll take this treasure with us.” They set off into the forest to look for the way back home. Luckwas with them. They saw their father coming towards them crying. “Your stepmother is dead. I am so sorry. Please come back home, my children!” said the father. The two children hugged the wood cutter. “Promise you’ll never leave us again,” said Gretel, throwing her arms around her father’s neck. Hansel then showed him the gold coins!“Look father! We are rich now! You will never have to chop wood again.” And they lived happily ever after.

Let’s learn some words. crumbs: oven: set off: truly:

pieces of bread a place for cooking started a journey in fact, really

Time to work 1. Together with a classmate answer these questions. See who knows most of the answers. You can check if your answer is correct by looking back at the story. a) Who lives in the small cottage? b) Is the old lady in the cottage a witch? c) Who does the witch try to eat first? d) What happens to the witch? e) Do Hansel and Gretel go back home safely? f) Hansel and Gretel are brother and sister. True or False? g) Hansel and Gretel have a mean stepmother. True or false? h) Where do Hansel and Gretel get lost in? i) What do they see in the forest? 2. Write the missing letter to complete these words. co.........tage swe.........t f.........ther for.........st broth.........r stepm.........ther w.........tch si.........ter l.........st

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Where do frogs live?

Where does a prince live?

Before you read Draw the picture of a place where a frog lives.

Look at the list here.

Draw the picture of a place where a prince lives.

Write down what a frog does.

swim in ponds marry a princess catch flies jump very far live in a castle croak ride a horse wear a nice dress

Write down what a prince does.

The Frog Prince Once upon a time, there lived a princess whose favourite toy in the world was a golden ball. One day she was playing by a pond. The golden ball fell from her hands into the pond. The pond was very deep. “Oh dear! I will never find it again!” the prinCess said. Suddenly she heard a voice. “What is the matter, beautiful princess? Why are you crying?” said the voice. The princess looked down and saw a green frog. “I am sad because my golden ball fell into the pond,” said the princess. “I can get it for you,” said the frog. “But what will you give me?” “Whatever you like, frog. How about a golden crown?” the princess asked.

“I don’t want a golden crown.” said the frog. “Will you be my friend if I get your golden ball?” “All right. I promise I will be your friend,” said the princess. But she was lying. The frog went deep into the pond and soon returned with the golden ball. As soon as the frog gave the ball back to the princess, she took it and ran home. She did not stop to even thank the frog. The princess forgot all about the frog. But the next day, she heard a knock on the door. “Princess, open the door!” she heard a voice shout. The princess opened the door and saw it was the frog. She quickly shut the door before he could come in. Her father, the king, asked what the matter was. “It is only an ugly frog, don’t worry father,” she replied. “And what does a frog want from you?” he asked. The princess told her father how the frog helped her and how she had promised to be his friend. “If you made a promise, you must keep it. Let him in,” said the king. The princess was not happy but she did as she was told. The frog followed her to the table and said, “Lift me up next to you.” The frog shared the princess’ dinner and she was not happy! After dinner, the frog said he was tired and wanted to go to bed. “Carry me upstairs so I can sleep in your bed.”

The princess was not happy. But did as she was told remembering her promise to be his friend. The frog jumped into bed and rested his green little head on the soft pillows of the princess’ bed. The princess went to get ready for bed too. When she got into bed she heard the frog crying. “What is the matter now, little frog?” she asked. “All I ever wanted was a friend,” the frog replied. “But you don’t like me at all!” The princess felt very sad hearing this. She sat next to the frog and said, “I’ll be your friend.” This time she was not lying. She really wanted to be his friend. The princess gave him a goodnight kiss on his green little cheek. Suddenly the frog turned into a handsome prince! The prince and the princess bacame very good friends. A few years later, they were married and lived happily ever after.

Time to work 1. Read at the sentences below. Then number them from 1 to 4 according to the story. The princess was crying. The frog found the golden ball for the princess. The frog came to the palace. The frog turned into a hadsome prince. 2. Fairy tales always begin with “Once a upon time” and always end with “and they lived happily ever after.” Write your own fairy tale with the help of these steps. A fairy tale always has a START, a MIDDLE and an END. First, think of one or two main characters. Next, draw them, name them and write down their qualities. Then, think of what will happen in the middle of the story to your characters. And finally, think of what will happen in the end. Now start writing your very own fairy tale. Once upon a time.....

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A Wooden Horse I have heard so many stories from Greece. Where is this place?

Teacher! Can you show us Greece on a map?

A Wooden Horse Long ago, Prince Paris from Troy was in love with Helen, a Greek princess. He stole Helen and took her to the city of Troy. To rescue the princess, King Ulysses, other Greek kings and their soldiers sailed to Troy.

The Greek armies fought with the Trojans outside the city. They could never go inside the city because huge walls protected the city of Troy. The war between the Greeks and the Trojans was fought for many years. Many soldiers died in the war. They still couldn’t get Helen back.

Stop and tell! Do you think the Greeks will be successful in taking Helen back to Greece? What do you think will happen now? But the Greeks were not going to give up. At last, King Ulysses had an idea. They built a wooden horse. Ulysses hid inside the horse, he told the soldiers to go away and hide somewhere. They left the horse outside the city gates and pretended to go away. The people of Troy did not see the Greeks and started celebrating their victory, "We've won the war! We've won the war! They've all run away!" Someone saw the horse and said, "Look! They've forgotten a beautiful horse here." They took it in. In the night, when everyone in Troy was asleep, Ulysses came out of the wooden horse and opened the gates of the city. The Greeks marched in and set fire to the city of Troy. They rescued the beautiful Princess Helen. The Trojan War was over.

Let’s learn some words! Greek: pretend: rescue: Trojan:

someone from Greece to act as if something is true when it is not to save someone from Troy

Time to work 1. 2. 3.

Where was Prince Paris from? Why did the Greeks and the Trojans fight? Why couldn't the Greeks get into the city of Troy?

Let's discuss! Discuss in groups why the Greeks built the wooden horse.

Look and write. Look around you at school and at home. What things do you see that are made of wood? List five things that can be made from wood.

14

The Horse and the Prince

Alexander was a Greek Prince. He lived in Greece a long time ago. Once when Alexander's father was king, a man brought a horse to him. Alexander liked the horse. It was a fine horse - young and tall and strong.

Why did Alexander ride a horse? Because there were no cars at that time!

"That's a beautiful horse!" thought Alexander. The king liked the horse too. "Who will ride this horse?" He asked his soldiers. "I will," said a captain. He went near the horse but it kicked out and the captain fell. "Who else will try?" asked the king. Another soldier tried. He was also thrown off. Then a third soldier tried and failed. "It's a beautiful horse," said the king. "But what's the use? It throws its rider off."

Stop and guess! Choose what you think will happen to the horse. The man will take the horse back. The horse will run away. The king will buy the horse. "Father, let me try," said young Alexander. "Ride the horse, and I'll buy it for you," said his father. Alexander watched the horse. When the horse moved, the horse's shadow moved in front of it. The animal was frightened of its own shadow! Alexander smiled and turned the horse to the sun. Now its shadow fell behind it. The prince spoke to the horse and patted it on its neck. Then he jumped onto the horse's back. It rose on its front legs but Alexander was not afraid. After some time, the horse walked round the palace with Alexander on its back. The king bought the horse and gave it to his son. Alexander loved it very much. When he grew up and was king of Greece, the horse carried him to many countries in many lands.

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b.

Why didn't the horse let anyone ride it? Why did the horse let Alexander ride it?

2. Describe a horse.

Think and discuss. Why was the horse scared of its own shadow?

Let's talk! Can you see shadows in the dark? When can you see shadows? Have you seen your own shadow?

A fun thing to do Draw the picture of a horse and colour it. Give it a name too.

Name of the horse: .......................................

15

The Gingerbread Boy

Once upon a time, a little old man and a little old woman lived in a little old house next to a forest. They were very happy except for one thing. They had no child, and they wished for one very much. One day, the little old woman was baking gingerbread. She cut a cake in the shape of a little boy and put it into the oven. In a little while, she went to see if it was baked. When she opened the oven door, the little Gingerbread Boy jumped out and began to run away as fast as he could go.

What did you have for breakfast today?

I had bread. Thank God it didn't run away like the gingerbread boy!

The little woman called her husband. They both ran after the Gingerbread Boy, but they could not catch him. Soon, the Gingerbread Boy ran past a field full of farmers. He called out to them as he went by, saying: "I've run away from a little old woman, A little old man, And I can run away from you, I can!" All the farmers started to run after him. They ran fast, but they could not catch him.

Soon, the Gingerbread Boy ran past a cow. He called out to her: "I've run away from a little old woman, A little old man, A field full of farmers, And I can run away from you, I can!" The cow started to run at once, but she couldn't catch him. Next, the Gingerbread Boy ran past a pig. He called out to the pig: "I've run away from a little old woman, A little old man, A field full of farmers, A cow, And I can run away from you, I can!"

The pig ran after him, but he couldn't catch him. Then, the Gingerbread Boy ran past a hungry fox. He called out to the fox: "I've run away from a little old woman, A little old man, A field full of farmers, A cow and a pig, And I can run away from you, I can!" The fox began to run after the Gingerbread Boy. Foxes can run very fast. Before long, the fox caught the Gingerbread Boy and began to eat him. In a moment, the Gingerbread Boy said, "Oh, dear! I'm onequarter gone!" And then, "Oh, I'm half gone!" And at last, "I'm all gone!" That was the end of the Gingerbread Boy.

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b. c. d.

What did the old woman bake? What happened when the old woman opened the oven door? What did the Gingerbread Boy keep saying to everyone who ran after him? Who ate the Gingerbread Boy?

2. Complete this sentence with the words from the story. The Gingerbread Boy first ran away from the little old woman, then the little old man, then the ..................................., then a ..................................., then a ..................................., and then a fox. 3. Match the words with the shapes. a. one-quarter b. half c. three-quarters d. whole 4. Copy the words and make phrases. A slice of ____________________

meat

A jug of

____________________

soup

A piece of ____________________

milk

A bowl of ____________________

bread

Let’s discuss! What things in the story do you find difficult to believe? Discuss in pairs and tell your teacher.

The Sky is Falling

16 Help! Help! Something has fallen on my head. I can’t see.

Hey! That reminds me of an old story from England.

The Sky is Falling A folktale from England One day, Chicken Little felt a leaf fall on his head. He ran to Henny Penny and cried, "The sky is falling!" "Oh! I must tell everyone!" cried Henny Penny. Soon Henny Penny met Ducky Lucky. "The sky is falling!" cried Henny Penny. "Ducky Lucky, the sky is falling!"

Ducky Lucky asked, "How do you know that?" "Chicken Little told me," cried Henny Penny. "We must tell everyone!" cried Ducky Lucky. Soon they met Goosey Loosey. "The sky is falling!" cried Ducky Lucky. Goosey Loosey asked, "How do you know that?" "Henny Penny told me," cried Ducky Lucky. "Chicken Little told me '"cried Henny Penny. "We must tell everyone!" cried Goosey Loosey. Soon they met Turkey Lurkey. "The sky is falling!" cried Goosey Loosey. Turkey Lurkey asked, "How do you know that?" "Ducky Lucky told me," cried Goosey Loosey. "Henny Penny told me," cried Ducky Lucky. "Chicken Little told me," cried Henny Penny. "We must tell everyone!" cried Turkey Lurkey.

Stop and guess! Why do the birds think they have to tell everyone? Let's read further to find out what happens.

Soon they met Foxy Loxy. "The sky is falling!" cried Turkey Lurkey. Foxy Loxy asked, "How do you know that?" "Goosey Loosey told me," cried Turkey Lurkey. "Ducky Lucky told me," cried Goosey Loosey. "Henny Penny told me," cried Ducky Lucky. "Chicken Little told me," cried Henny Penny. "Look," said Foxy Loxy. "Do you see the sky falling?" "No, we don't see it falling," they said. "Listen," said Foxy Loxy. "Do you hear the sky falling?" "No, we don't hear it falling," they said. "Feel," said Foxy Loxy. "Do you feel the sky falling?" "No, we don't feel it falling," they said. "Silly birds," said Foxy Loxy. "Next time you should see, hear and feel for yourselves before you tell anyone else!"

Knowledge bank The ostrich is the biggest bird. It cannot fly. The hummingbird is the smallest bird and it can fly backwards. Penguins and kiwis are birds that cannot fly.

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b. c.

Why did Chicken Little say the sky was falling? Did the birds see the sky falling? Why did Foxy Loxy call them "silly birds"?

2. Say 'Yes' or 'No.' a. Chicken Little told Goosey Loosey that the sky was falling. b. Foxy Loxy believed that the sky was falling. c. The sky was really falling. d. Chicken Little felt a leaf fall on his head.

Let's discuss! Discuss with the class why we should see, hear and feel for ourselves before we tell anyone else.

A fun thing to do Identify the characters from the story. Foxy Loxy Turkey Lurkey Goosey Loosey Henny Penny Ducky Lucky

17

The Boy Who Cried Wolf Hey Teddy, what happens if I tell a lie?

No one will believe you again even when you speak the truth. Let's read a story to find out what happens if you lie.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf Once upon a time, there lived a shepherd boy in a village. He watched a flock of sheep near the village. One day, he thought it would be fun to fool the villagers. So he climbed up a tree and cried, "Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is killing my sheep! HELP!" His neighbours came to help him but he laughed at them. He kept fooling the villagers by crying wolf for a few more days.

Stop and guess! Do you think the villagers will come the next time he shouts for help?

The wolf, however, did truly come at last. The shepherd boy was really scared and started shouting for help, "Please, do come and help me. The wolf is killing my sheep!" But no one paid any attention to his plea. The wolf ate all his sheep one by one and the shepherd boy was helpless. He learnt a valuable lesson and never lied again.

Let's learn some words! plea: request for help valuable: important

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b.

Why did the shepherd boy cry for help? When the wolf actually came, why didn't the villagers believe him?

2. Complete the sentences using the words given in the box. a. b. c. d.

A A A A

group of sheep is called a _____________. group of cattle is called a _____________. group of lions is called a _____________. group of wolves is called a _____________.

pride pack flock herd

Think and discuss. What do you learn from the story? Discuss it in the class.

Let's talk! Have you ever told a lie? If you have, tell what happened when the people found out the truth.

18

The Lion and the Mouse

Why is it important to help others?

Well, Pencee, this story will tell you why.

The Lion and the Mouse One day a lion lay asleep in the jungle. A tiny mouse was running about in the grass and he did not notice where he was going. He ran over the lion's head and down his nose. The lion awoke with a loud roar. The mouse squeaked, "Pardon me, sir! I … actually… am sorry. I didn't … mean to disturb you. Please let me go! If you spare my life, I may be able to help you someday."

Stop and guess! Do you think the lion will eat the mouse now?

"Ha ha ha!" roared the lion. "How could a tiny creature like you help a big lion. I'm the king. I don't need help. You may go. You are not even fit for my breakfast!" The mouse thanked the lion and ran away. Some time after this, the mouse, scurrying about, heard a lion's roar for help. It was the same lion who had freed him.

He remembered his promise and ran to see if he could help him. The mouse saw the lion caught in a hunter's net.

Stop and guess! What will happen next? Can you guess?

"Don't worry! I'll get you out of this net," said the mouse. The mouse cut the net with his sharp little teeth. The lion thanked his little friend and before the hunters came, he was safe somewhere in the jungle.

Let's learn some words! creature: living thing scurrying: moving quickly with short steps spare: not hurt or harm

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. The lion thought he was big and strong and he didn't need anyone's help. Was he right? b. Why did the mouse help the lion? 2. Find the words with opposite meanings from the box. a) strong

_____________

light

b) big

_____________

tiny

c) huge

_____________

weak

d) long

_____________

short

e) heavy

_____________

small

Think and discuss. What did you learn from this story? Discuss in groups and tell the class.

19

The Three Billy Goats Gruff I’m fat.

Once there were three Billy Goats. They wanted to go across the river to eat grass and grow fat. There was Big Billy Goat Gruff, Bigger Billy Goat Gruff, and Biggest Billy Goat Gruff.

But I’m fatter than you.

Under the bridge across the river lived a troll. He was a giant with a loud, angry voice. Big Billy Goat went across the river first. Trip-trip, trip-trip, went his small feet over the bridge. "Who is walking over my bridge?" said the troll in his loud voice. "I am," said Big Billy Goat in a squeaky little voice.

"I am going to gobble you up," shouted the troll. "Wait for my brother," said Big Billy Goat Gruff. "He is much bigger than I and will be coming soon." "All right, be off!" said the troll. Then Bigger Billy Goat Gruff started across the bridge. Triptrap, trip-trap, went his feet. "Who is trip-trapping across my bridge?" roared the big troll. "I am," said Bigger Billy Goat Gruff. "I am going to gobble you up," shouted the troll. "My brother is much bigger," said Bigger Billy. "You will have more to eat." "Off with you then," said the troll. Soon, Biggest Billy Goat Gruff started across the bridge. Traptrap, trap-trap, went his great big feet. "Who is stamping on my bridge?" roared the troll. "I am," said Biggest Billy. "I have been waiting for you all morning and I'm going to eat you up," roared the troll. "Come along then," said Biggest Billy Goat Gruff. The troll climbed on the bridge. But the Biggest Billy Goat Gruff pushed the troll off with his great big horns. The troll fell into the river with a roar and a splash! After that, the three Billy Goats went across the bridge every day. They ate grass and grew fat.

Let’s learn some words! gobble: stamp: troll:

to eat fast without chewing the food well to walk with loud heavy steps a big bad and ugly giant

Time to work 1. Match the goats to the sounds they make. a) b) c)

Big Billy Goat Gruff Bigger Billy Goat Gruff Biggest Billy Goat Gruff

2. Answer these questions. a) b) c)

Why did the three Billy Goats want to go across the river? Where did the troll live? Why didn't the giant eat Big Billy and Bigger Billy?

3. Fill in the blanks. a) b) c)

The troll likes to eat __________. The goats like to eat ___________. I like to eat ___________.

A fun thing to do Who was the strongest? Colour the picture.

20

Neil Armstrong: A Boy Who Wanted To Fly I know that!

Tell me the name of the first man on the moon.

Neil Armstrong.

There was a little boy in America called Neil Armstrong. He had a wonderful dream. In his dream, he flew like a bird above the ground. Below him, the houses, the streets, the trees and the cars looked very small. Neil liked to fly. His father took him on a ride on a small plane when he was six years old. The plane was very small and could seat only about a dozen people. Although the ride was noisy and bumpy, Neil loved it. As Neil grew older he collected lots of books and magazines on flying. He made many model aeroplanes. He wanted his childhood dream to come true. He mowed lawns and worked in shops to

earn some money for his flying lessons. He took those lessons and became a pilot on his sixteenth birthday! Neil Armstrong first became a Navy Pilot. Later, he became an astronaut. He and his team flew to the moon on a spaceship called Apollo 11. On July 16, 1969, he became the first person to walk on the moon. His dream came true that day.

Let’s learn some words! dozen: equals to twelve lawn: an area of ground covered with grass mow: cut navy pilot: a person who flies a warplane at sea

Time to work 1. Write the answers. a) b) c) d) e)

What was Neil's dream? When did he first fly? How did he pay for his flying lessons? What was Neil's first job? What was the name of the spaceship that first landed on the moon?

2. Use each of these words in the box to make a sentence of your own. earth

fly

pilot

dream

moon

Let's talk! a) b)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Share it with the class. If you had wings and could fly, where would you go?

21

Dana's Flower Garden

Look how beautiful Dana’s garden is! Do you know the names of the flowers?

I know how to draw flowers but I don't know their names.

Before you read Can you tell the names of five flowers?

Dana's Flower Garden Dana loves flowers. Her favourites are daisies, tulips and daffodils. Tulips and daffodils come up every spring and daisies come up later in the summer. These plants live for a long time. They come up year after year. Dana loves the spring because she can go to the flower market to buy her annuals. The annuals only last one season, but they add a lot of colour to the garden.

pansy

petunia

periwinkle

greanium

daffodil

tulip

daisy

Dana got up Saturday morning very early. She wanted to get to the market early so she would have time to plant everything when she got home. Off she went to Barton's Flower Market. She ran into some friends. "Hi, Dana," they called out to her. "Hi," said Dana with a big smile. "Let's look around together!" Dana and her friends saw pansies, geraniums, periwinkles and petunias. "Oh, so many pretty flowers!" exclaimed Dana. "I love them all." Dana decided to buy red and yellow pansies, blue periwinkles, and purple petunias. That will add a lot of colour to my garden, thought Dana. She said good-bye to her friends and went home. Dana happily began planting her new flowers around the tulips and daffodils. Dana was so happy. She loved her flower garden and she knew she would enjoy it all summer long. Dana had a perfect day.

Let’s learn some words! annual: perfect:

a plant that grows and dies within one year very nice

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. Why does Dana love spring? b. Which flowers bloom in spring? c. What is the name of the flower market? d. What flowers did Dana buy at the market? e. When do daisies come? f. Why did Dana love her garden? 2. Rearrange these letters to make the names of flowers. a.

aisyd

daisy

b.

pilut

______________________

c.

nypas

______________________

d.

fafoddli

______________________

e.

pinetau

______________________

Time to write Write a few lines about your favourite flower.

Project Do you have a garden? Try to find the names of different flowers in your garden. Then tell the class the next day.

A fun thing to do Colour the given picture.

22

The Monkey Orchestra

No, Mowgli is the hero of the book. It was written by Rudyard Kipling. Let's read a story from The Jungle Book.

Do you know who wrote The Jungle Book? I think Mowgli wrote it.

Before you read Write the names of five musical instruments. Can you play any of them?

The Monkey Orchestra Mowgli was a little boy who had been brought up in the jungle. He was walking through the jungle one morning, singing a merry song. On the way, he met his friend Baloo, the bear. "What a beautiful song!" said Baloo. "What a pity that there isn't any music to go with it. If there was, it would be really nice." Suddenly, there was a swishing sound in the branches of the tree above them. Baloo and Mowgli looked up. It was the monkeys howling and shrieking. The monkeys always made a lot of noise. "We heard you," they chattered. "We will make music for you." "We would be very happy," said Baloo. "But how can you? You

haven't any guitars, drums or any musical instruments like that." But the monkeys just laughed. "We don't need any of them," they cried. The monkeys jumped over to an old hollow trunk of a tree that was lying on the ground. They hit it with their hands and made a nice sound - dug-bug, dub-dubba-dub. Some of them brought some dried gourds with seeds in them and started shaking them like rattles –chang-chang, changchanga-chang. Some of them tied some vines to a couple of branches and began playing them. Twang-twang, they went, twang-twang twang-twanga-twang. “What a wonderful music band you make!” exclaimed Mowgli. So Mowgli sang his song and his monkey band played along with him. The sound of the band was so good that Baloo just had to dance and sing too – Boppedy-doo-da, Boppedy-doo! What a lovely time they had!

Let’s learn some words! chatter: to make a sound like the monkeys gourd: large fruit, narrow at the top instrument: an object used to make music orchestra : a big group of people playing different instruments together rattle: a musical instrument swish: make a soft sound in the air trunk: the main stem of a tree vine: stem of climbing plants

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b.

Where did Mowgli grow up? How did the monkeys make music?

2. Write true or false. a. b. c. d.

Mowgli was a monkey. Baloo was a bear. Baloo liked Mowgli's song. The monkeys played the music.

_______ _______ _______ _______

Now correct the false sentences. 4. Match the animals with the sounds they make. monkeys lions bees dogs

bark chatter roar buzz

A fun thing to do Pick a song that all of you know and sing it together in class.

23 Yummy Chocolate

Hey Pencee! I have some chocolates for you! Mmm… I love chocolates. I can eat them all day.

Everybody loves chocolates but too much of it is not good for anyone.

Don't we all love chocolates! We eat this delicious food as chocolate bars, ice creams, cakes, biscuits and when we add it to milk or water, it becomes a drink. The Indians living in Central America first main ingredient of chocolate is cocoa. The Indians collected the seeds of the cocoa plant, dried them and used cocoa as a powder. They mixed it in water and drank it. It gave the warriors and hunters lots of energy.

used chocolate. The Central America? Europe? Where are these places? Maybe I should ask my teacher!

The European explorers who travelled to Central America learnt how to drink cocoa. They brought the drink back to Europe. The drink had a bitter taste, not everyone liked it. However, when mixed with milk, honey, raisins, nuts and sugar, people liked it. This is how people started eating chocolate.

Let’s learn some words! bitter: not tasty delicious: very tasty explorers: people who travel to unknown places to find out about them ingredient:something used to make food, for example, flour is an ingredient to make bread warriors: people who fight in wars

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. b. c. d.

What is the main ingredient of chocolate? Who used chocolates first? Who made chocolates popular in Europe? Why didn't everyone like cocoa drink at first?

2. Make five words from the letters of the word CHOCOLATE. For example, hot. ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................

Let's talk! Why do you like chocolate? Tell your class.

24

The Bridge in the Sky

I like rainbows.

Long ago, people thought that rainbows were Me too. Rainbows magic. Some people are really believed that a beautiful. rainbow was a bridge for the gods to use when they wanted to come down to earth. Other people believed that if you could find the end of the rainbow - where it touched the ground - you would find a pot of gold there. Today, we know that rainbows are not magic. They are made by sunlight shining through raindrops. To see a rainbow, you must have the sun behind you and rain falling in front of you. Sunlight looks white, but it really contains many colours. When sunlight enters a raindrop, it separates into violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. We see these colours in the rainbow. Often, the colours blend, so we see only four or five of them. A rainbow appears in the sky when many rays of sunlight separate into their colours and reflect off many raindrops. If the rain is heavy, the ends of the rainbow may appear to touch the ground.

Let’s learn some words! blend: reflect:

mix send back light

Time to work 1. Answer these questions. a. Who thought rainbows were magic? b. What must you have behind you to see a rainbow? c. What must you have in front of you? 2. What are the different colours that make up sunlight? ______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

A fun thing to do

25

Healthy Teeth

Why do we have to brush our teeth?

We have to brush our teeth everyday because it keeps our teeth clean and healthy.

When we are six or seven years old, we begin to lose our baby teeth and our adult teeth grow. We must take care of our teeth from this age. Healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and milk keep our teeth strong and white. We have to brush our teeth at least twice a day, after meals and before we go to bed. We must always brush our teeth after eating sweet foods like ice creams and chocolates. There are certain rules for brushing our teeth. We have to brush gently and not roughly. We have to make sure we brush round our teeth and in all the gaps. This is the way to take care of our teeth.

Let’s learn some words! adult: grown up regularly: at the same time each day gap: space between two things

Time to work Write true or false. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Children do not grow their adult teeth until they are adults. We should not brush after eating ice cream. Healthy food keeps our teeth strong. We must brush our teeth before we go bed.

What about you? a) b) c)

Do you eat healthy food to keep your teeth strong and white? Do you brush your teeth after meals and before you go to bed? Do you visit the dentist regularly?

Let's talk! Do you remember the first time your tooth fell out? Share the experience with your friends.

Project Make a poster to tell your class what to do to take care of their teeth. You can draw pictures, cut and paste pictures from magazines or write about it.

26

Pirate's Treasure Who is a pirate?

"Ten steps from the porch and twenty steps from the rose bushes," growled Bluebeard in Jimmy's dream one night. "There be treasure there! Aawrgh."

Pirates are the robbers of the sea.

Stop and discuss. 1.What is a treasure? 2. Who do you think is Bluebeard?

So the next day Jimmy began to dig. He dug until the hole was deep and the dirt pile was high. He kept digging. The hole got deeper and the dirt pile got higher.

Stop and guess. Do you think Jimmy found the treasure? Let's read further to find out.

He dug until the hole was deepest and the dirt pile was at its highest. He sighed, "I'm too tired. I can't dig anymore." Then he spied something… …but it was only one of Woofy's bones. Instead of treasure, all Jimmy had was a big bone, a hole, and a big pile of dirt to fill it in with. He thought, "That pirate lied to me!"

This is a pile.

But when Jimmy's mother saw what he had done, she clasped her hands and smiled a smile from here to Sunday. "Oh, thank you, Jimmy. I always wanted a rhododendron bush planted just there. Here's five dollars for digging that hole."

Let’s learn some words! bush : clasp: growl : porch :

a plant smaller than a tree and has many branches coming from the ground to hold tightly to say something in a low, angry voice a veranda

Time to work 1.

Answer these questions.

a. b. c. d. e.

Who came in Jimmy's dream? Why did Jimmy start digging in the garden? What is the name of Jimmy's dog? What did Jimmy find in the ground? Why did Jimmy get the money from his mother?

2. Write the name of our national flower? __________________________

Let's discuss! Did Jimmy really find the treasure? Discuss in the class.

Fun reading

ELEPHANT'S TEARS Way down south, Where bananas grow, A grasshopper stepped on An elephant's toe. The elephant said, With tears in his eyes, "Pick on somebody your own size."

When do elephants cry?

Let's read to find out.

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