Module 4 A taste of literature
Unit 7 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
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Reading
Miss Liu wanted to encourage her students to read famous books, so she showed them this humorous story from a novel called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.
Tom Sawyer paints the fence
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On Saturday morning, every boy in town was happy, except Tom Sawyer.
Tom's aunt gave him a task of painting their fence. It was 30 yards long and 3 yards high. He painted one board and surveyed his progress, and then he sat down to have a rest.
Tom began to think of the games that he wanted to play. He knew the boys who were free would soon come along and make fun of him. Just then, he had an idea. He picked up his brush and went back to work.
Ben Rogers came along the road. He was singing happily and carrying an apple.
"I'm going swimming," said Ben. "Do you want to come? Oh, you have to work, don't you? What a pity!"
"Work?" said Tom. "This isn't work. I'm enjoying myself. Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?" Then he went on painting.
Ben watched Tom in silence. He became more and more interested.
After a while, he said, "Tom, will you let me do some painting?"
Tom said, "No, Ben, I can't. Aunt Polly warned me to do it well. I'm the only person that can do it right."
"Oh, please, Tom," said Ben. "I can do it. I'll be really careful. I'll give you half my apple. Wait, I'll give you all of it."
"That's a deal," said Tom. "But you must be careful."
Tom gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart. He sat down again and started to eat the apple.
When Ben got tired, Billy Fisher was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for the chance to paint. Then Johnny Miller offered him two toy soldiers.
Soon Tom had got many new toys, and the fence got three coats of paint. Aunt Polly was so pleased that she gave Tom a big apple!
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Listening
A jumping frog
Mark Twain first became famous for a short story he wrote in 1865. This interesting story is called "The celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County".
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A Listen to the story and put the pictures in the correct order. Write the numbers 1–6 in the boxes.
Listening
Jim Smiley always kept a small box with him. One day, a stranger asked, "What have you got in the box?"
Jim answered, "I've got a frog that can jump farther than any other frog in Calaveras County. His name is Daniel."
The man looked at the frog, and then said, "Well, I haven't got a frog, but I bet you 40 dollars that any other frog could beat him."
Jim said, "Hold my box, and I'll get you a frog."
So the man took the box and sat down to wait. After a while, he got Daniel out, opened his mouth, and filled him with small pieces of lead.
Finally, Jim caught a frog. He came back with the frog and gave it to the man.
They set the two frogs next to each other on the ground. Then Jim said, "One, two, three, jump!"
The new frog jumped off. However, Daniel tried and tried, but could not move.
The stranger took the money and left.
Jim thought that there was something wrong with Daniel, so he picked the frog up and turned him over. Out came the pieces of lead.
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B Listen to the recording again and circle the correct answers.
Listening
Jim Smiley always kept a small box with him. One day, a stranger asked, "What have you got in the box?"
Jim answered, "I've got a frog that can jump farther than any other frog in Calaveras County. His name is Daniel."
The man looked at the frog, and then said, "Well, I haven't got a frog, but I bet you 40 dollars that any other frog could beat him."
Jim said, "Hold my box, and I'll get you a frog."
So the man took the box and sat down to wait. After a while, he got Daniel out, opened his mouth, and filled him with small pieces of lead.
Finally, Jim caught a frog. He came back with the frog and gave it to the man.
They set the two frogs next to each other on the ground. Then Jim said, "One, two, three, jump!"
The new frog jumped off. However, Daniel tried and tried, but could not move.
The stranger took the money and left.
Jim thought that there was something wrong with Daniel, so he picked the frog up and turned him over. Out came the pieces of lead.
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1
Jim Smiley was _____.
a Daniel's owner
b the man who filled the frog with pieces of lead
c a very happy man
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2
Because his frog won, the stranger got _____.
a Daniel
b 14 dollars
c 40 dollars
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3
Daniel could not jump because he _____.
a was turned over
b was too heavy
c was too fat
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4
In the end, Jim discovered _____.
a the man's trick
b that his frog could jump farther
c that the other frog was better at jumping
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Speaking
A Talk time
Expressing congratulations and sympathy
When we are happy about other people's good luck or success, we congratulate them.
When we feel sorry about their bad experiences, we show them sympathy.
Read the conversation below and practise it in pairs. Pay attention to the words in blue.
Judy: Hi, Paul. Long time no see. What's new?
Paul: I won first prize in a writing competition.
Judy: Congratulations! That's wonderful news!
Paul: Thanks. What's new with you, Judy?
Judy: I lost my favourite book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer! It was a birthday gift from my uncle.
Paul: What a shame! I'm sorry to hear that.
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