Chapter 7 : The Indian Boy

Fry Words 201 – 225 : every   near   add   food   between   own below   country   plant – planted   last   school   father   keep   tree never   start   city   earth   eye   light   think – thought   head   under story   see - saw

As Bill walked back to his laboratory, something made him think about his father. They used to wake up early every morning when the light was cool and clear, and plant seeds under the earth together on the farm in the country to grow their own food, and sometimes they planted trees near the house, between the fields. Then his father would work all day while Bill was at school in the city. He started school at 8am every day and studied until 8pm at night, so he never saw his father again until bedtime, when his eyes were closing and he put his heavy head down on the pillow and his father read him a story.

Bill used to climb under the covers in his warm safe bed and he thought, “I hope this will keep going and last forever.”

When Bill arrived at his laboratory he found that his door was a little open.

He stopped. He had added a lock two weeks ago, and it now lay broken on the floor below the handle.

He pushed the door gently with his finger and it squeaked open.

Inside, darkness.

A laboratory

There was no sound, except for his own breathing and the beating of his heart.

“What's going on?” he thought. Suddenly he noticed a small figure move in the darkness behind a unit, which was covered in broken computers and smashed monitors.

“Oh,” Bill thought. “All my equipment! It's been destroyed!”

Just then the figure ran at him, trying to squeeze past and through the door, but Bill caught him by the scruff of his neck.

It was an Indian boy! He stared up at Bill snarling and spitting like a wild animal, before grabbing the piece of paper from his hand and kicking him in the leg. “Ow!” Bill shouted. Then he twisted from Bill's grip and ran off.

Bill watched him go. “Wait!” he called, but the boy disappeared into the dark trees.

With a sigh Bill entered his laboratory and switched on the light. Everything had been destroyed. His computers, his hard drives, his files. All his life's work – gone!

© Chris Young 2018

Chapter 6 : The Indian Girl

Fry Words 226 to 300 : left   might   something   paper   together group   run - ran   important   children   side   feet   mile   night   walk white    sea   begin – began   four   state   book   without   second   late   miss   idea   face   watch   Indian   above   girl   sometimes   mountain   cut   young   talk   soon   list   song   leave -left   family   music   colour

Bill walked to the town square through the failing light and when he arrived it was completely dark. There was a group of four children there, who had come down from the mountain. One was a young girl carrying a book. Her face was white in a state of fear and she made a high pitched sound. 

Seeing the girl's Indian face, Bill got an idea. He couldn't communicate with the mountain people. Sometimes it's too soon to talk with words, but you can use music. And colour. 

“It's okay,” he said as he watched them run back to their families without a second look. “I'm not going to harm you.” He didn't want them to leave but it was too late. He had missed his chance.

While he was walking back to the six sponge balls, he thought of ways to communicate through colour and music. It was important not to make a mistake, and who knew if colours and music had the same effects in their language?

But first it was important to find something that might change colour and also produce music. Like what? A singing chameleon? No. He needed his computer. He would put a song list together on paper first. 

A chameleon

Then he saw something white moving in the dark and he began to run after it. It was a piece of paper from the Indian girl's book.

In the light of the moon he could just see what was on it. Under some writing which he couldn't read there was a picture of the six black balls in the town square with the four children around it in a group. At the left side was a taller figure – a man – with a book at his feet. Above them, white lights cut through the night, and in the background, miles behind them, the sea, and on its white waves, a ship, exploding in red, fiery sparks.

© Chris Young 2018

Image credit : https://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/5950321085

Chapter 5: Talking to Animals

(Fry Words 301-325:   being   it's   your   stand – stood   sun   questions   fish   area   mark   dog   horse   birds   problem   complete   room   know – knew   since   ever   piece   tell - told   usually   didn't   friends   easy - easily   heard) 

As the sun set on the burning wreck Bill sat down. There was nothing he could do. He was lucky to be alive, but how many people on that ship had died? Had it been an accident? Or was someone trying to kill him?

Too many questions. But he knew sitting out here looking at a burning ship wouldn't solve his problem. Which was communication, as usual.

Ever since he was a young man he'd never had many friends. He didn't make friends easily. His mother usually told him to go out and talk to people, but he liked to just stay in his room and think. He liked being in his room. His parents had been farmers and he'd preferred to talk to his animals – he liked animals much better than humans.

He remembered their red horse, called Flame, whose job was to plough the fields but could run like the wind through the woods. They also had a black dog called Coal, that Bill had loved to play with for hours in the fields and out on long walks, whatever the weather. They'd had other animals as well – fish, birds – that for fun Bill had sometimes asked questions to, and usually he never heard them answer, but sometimes - just sometimes - he thought he did.

“It's your problem,” he remembers a bird singing to him once. 

“What's my problem?” he asked.

But they just kept repeating, “It's your problem.”

He didn't find it easy to understand the fish, however, as they were usually under water. He wondered what happened to Flame and Coal.

And now this was his problem. How to communicate with the black sponge balls. Where had they come from? Nobody knew. One morning five years ago the people of the town had woken up and they had been there ever since. A complete mystery. A piece of a puzzle.

It was almost dark. It was time to stand up and go back to the town square. Bill was hungry, but he had to mark out an area around the sponge balls to stop other people touching them. He decided to try one more time tonight and then go to bed.

Read Chapter 1 : The English Scientists
Read Chapter 2 : Song Of War
Read Chapter 3 : The Plan
Read Chapter 4 : Bill's Ship Sails

Read Chapter 6 : The Indian Girl

© Chris Young 2018

Image credit : https://pixabay.com/en/arabian-arabian-horses-horses-2853176/

Chapter 4 : Bill's Ship Sails

Fry Words 326 to 350 : order   red   door   sure   become   top   tip   across   today   during   short better   best   however   low   hours   black   products   happen - happened   whole   measure   remember   early   waves   reach - reached

Bill had become better at remembering what happened. He sat on the beach where the waves almost reached his toes. He had been there for many short hours today, since early morning, remembering the whole conversation between himself, the farmer and the English Scientist. They had told him he was sure to be the best person to learn how to speak to the black sponge balls, to ask for their help, if possible, and then catch a ship across the sea to the island.

However, that had not happened. During his time trying to communicate with the six black sponge balls in the town square, he had learnt nothing. He had measured them and found them to be one hundred centimetres across, from top to bottom. And when he reached up and touched them they became red and warm. But that was all.

So now he was sitting here on the beach, watching the waves and feeling not a whole lot better.

He looked across the sea to the island and saw the ship he should have gotten on.

Bill knew he had to do more tests on the sponge balls, but he had to order some products to help him. He would order them tomorrow.

The ship had stopped, and black smoke was now coming from its engines.

Bill stood up in surprise and shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand to try to get a better look.

Suddenly the ship exploded.


Read Chapter 1 : The English Scientists
Read Chapter 2 : Song Of War
Read Chapter 3 : The Plan

Read Chapter 5 : Talk To Animals.

© Chris Young 2018
Image Credit : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Burning_Ship_144x.jpg

Chapter 3 : The Plan

Words used : (Fry 351-375) : listen  wind    rock   space   covered fast   several   hold – held   himself   towards   five   step – stepped morning   pass – passed   vowel   true   hundred   against   pattern numeral   table   north   slow – slowly   money   map   door   waves low   units   six   sponge    balls   English   scientist   course   listen – listened – listening 

Check these words in a dictionary and write down the meanings:

strike (v)

genetic (adj)

grotesque (adj)

be up to someone

The Plan

The farmer slowly pulled out something from his cloak and placed it on the table. It was money – a lot of money – and a map. Along the top were the numerals from one to five, and up the side were the vowels A,E,I,O,U, to form a grid pattern. Bill and the English Scientist looked at the map. In square A-three was the town to the north, where they had come from in the morning. In square O-five was the location of the farm they were at now, three hundred units away.

Outside the singing voice had stopped. Bill stood up and put his ear against the door to listen but heard nothing but the wind.

“So what is your course of action, old man?” asked the English Scientist. Bill turned round and took a step towards the table. “We are listening.”

The old man with the scar leaned heavily against the table and waited until several seconds had passed. Finally he said, “We, the famers, will strike.” Bill and the English scientist looked at each other. “The king and his armies will have no food. Then you and the English scientists will take this money and map and prepare an attack on the night of the next full moon.”

“You are crazy,” said the English scientist. “We are scientists, not soldiers. We cannot fight against an army, even a hungry one.”

Then the old man smiled, his scar twisting grotesquely. “It's true, you cannot. You must use the science of the six sponge balls to fight,” he said. “And you must win.”

There was silence in the room, and the wind howled outside.

Suddenly the door opened and a young woman came in. She was beautiful and shy, and had the same scar on her face as the old man.

Bill and the English scientist looked at her in surprise.

“It's genetic,” said the old man, as the young woman stepped towards him to be held.

That evening we took off fast and flew low over the waves back to the town in the north.

Alone in a space in the town square Bill sat and watched the red light of the sunset play against the black sponge balls, and held himself. The map and the money were in his pocket. 

It was up to him.

Reading/Writing tasks :

1. What is the old man's plan?

2. Why does the English scientist think this will not work?

3. How do you think Bill feels at the end?

Choose five difficult new words and write an example sentence for each one below:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Read Chapter 1 : The English Scientists
Read Chapter 2 : Song Of War

Read Chapter 4 : Bill's Ship Sails
Read Chapter 5 : Talking To Animals

© Chris Young 2018

The Hallowe'en Plagiarist

This is a short story I wrote on 31/10/2017 for an Upper Intermediate student to practice Academic Vocabulary. It's from the great book Destination C1 & C2 Grammar & Vocabulary by Malcolm Mann & Steve Taylor-Knowles, published by Macmillan. Unit 2 Page 12 Topic Vocabulary : Learning.

Check the following words in your dictionary and then read the story and answer the questions below.

academic (n,adj)  cloisters (n)  conscientious (adj) 

cram (v)  curriculum (n)  extra-curricular (adj)

distance learning (n)  graduate (v,n)  ignorant (adj)

inattentive (adj)  intellectual (adj)  intelligent (adj)

intensive (adj)  knowledgeable (adj)  lecture (n,v)

mock exam (n)  plagiarise (v)  a plagiarist (n)

self-study (n)  seminar (n)  social implications (n)

special needs (n)  spontaneous combustion (n)  tuition (n)

a tutorial (n)

The Hallowe'en Plagiarist

I wasn't a very conscientious student.

At Oxford the extra-curricular activities took priority over my coursework, so I rarely attended lectures, often opting for 'distance learning' from my unmade bed via my room-mate's hastily scribbled notes.

Bernard was an intellectual with black curly hair drifting down past the smudged lenses of his John Lennon spectacles. Imagine. We'd been thrust together at the whim of some administrative assistant, who'd thought that if we shared one course and the same initials then we'd at least have that in common.

Bernard was, how shall I put it, of a delicate persuasion. The persuasion that made meeting other undergrads late at night in velvet gowns in the cloisters of the chapel to stand around a pentagram drawn in warm chicken blood on the cold stone floor chanting Latin sound like the makings of a good Saturday night. I on the other hand was happy with popcorn and a drive-in. Call me old-fashioned.

The mid term mock exams were soon upon us and I had done no studying whatsoever. I hadn't attended any tutorials and my copies of Bernard's notes were in complete disarray.

“You off out Bernie?” It was the night before Hallowe'en.

He turned at the door, his dark slender form silhouetted by the corridor light. “Ye – yes,” he stammered. “Quite a biggie tonight.” He attempted a smile which came out more like a nervous grimace. Even the irises of his eyes seemed black.

“Not worried about the Social Implications essay due in on Monday? Worth half the mark.”

“Done it,” he said, nodding towards his desk.

I followed his gaze. “Oh?” His desk was relatively in order.

There was an awkward silence.

“Well,” I said, “Have a good night. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.”

He gave me an odd look then. Pale. One that I will remember for ever.

And then he was gone.

The next morning, dead.

Shock, tears, investigations, police, parents, packed things.

What happened? Nobody knew. His body had been discovered in the river, his skin slit by countless non-fatal knife marks. Non-fatal individually. Not together.

That evening, when things had quietened down, I sat on my bed wrapped in a blanket staring red-eyed, high and paranoid, at the glowing red numbers of the digital clock on the desk on his side of the room.

As I watched, 11:47 changed to 11:48.

I slowly stood up, walked shakily over to the desk, and pulled open the top drawer.

“Social Implications, by B. R.”

I reached inside, my joint hanging from my mouth.

Some ash fell on the papers.

11:59 changed to 00:00.

“Sorry Bernie,” I whispered.

They found me the next morning. Or at least my charred skeleton, my lower legs and my hands. I'd spontaneously combusted, my right hand still clutched the papers in a rigor mortis death grip.

So that's me - a ghost - left here to wander forever through the dark, lonely university corridors, my only amusement frightening the odd undergraduate or lecturer on their way home late at night.

Something like this must surely affect the entire community, but how? I don't know. I never studied the social implications.

The End

1) What do you think were the 'extra-curricular activities' that Bernie was taking part in?

2) How do you think he died?

3) Why do you think the narrator died at the end?

Discussion/Writing Questions

4) Is it ever acceptable to copy someone else's work?

5) Have you ever been to university or college? Tell us about that.

6) Have you ever cheated on an exam? Tell all.

7) Have you ever had a ghostly experience? Tell us all about it! :)

8) What did you think of the story? Like? Dislike? Why?

9) Now your turn! Write a short ghost story using the above new vocabulary :)

Image Credit : https://www.flickr.com/photos/artiomp/4061353880/

© Chris Young 2017

The Story of Bill : Chapter 1 : The English Scientists

This is the first chapter of a story I wrote recently to help a 12 year old Polish boy at school in P7 here in Scotland improve his literacy skills. It's designed to help children read the page 5 words from a file called Fry Frequently Used Word List 1-600. Using key words to write sentences or even a story is a great way to help students or anyone with reading, writing and vocabulary. I've started at the back and come forwards so it should get easier as we go.

The story doesn't make much sense yet, but the point isn't about how good the story is, it's about reading the words and getting used to them in context, even if it's a weird one.

Chapter One : The English Scientists

Bill suddenly felt it can't matter too much. Perhaps the object built in the town square was made of a special, heavy material that included power in its six dark, round objects.

Am I able to rule among the thousands of people? He thought in his own language. Will I be full, filled with the power that comes from these round shapes? He stood at the base of the building and looked up. The heat from the six circles made them glow in the night. He reached out and touched one. It was dry and warm and his hand went deep inside the material, like a sponge.

But he felt no different.

I don't understand, he thought. These common people need a strong government system, not one made by English scientists.

He ran quickly around the island's streets, looking out at the deep, green sea and feeling the hot stars as if inches from his face. Suddenly he saw a boat-plane come in to land on the surface of the ocean, but he decided to stay and rest behind a building. As he watched, a person came out of the flying machine – the third he had seen in a week. Ten days ago, the English scientists had come in their machines with wheels, but even though they tried to explain - why did they bring their large, square boxes of magic? Their equations were not yet clear.

The fact was, in minutes he would be inches deep in the street, which was made of the same dark material as the orbs, so he finally decided to run to them, down the road and through the waves, taking nothing, and when he reached the boat-plane, climbed carefully inside.

The heat-filled engine of the flying machine sounded strong and powerful.

“Did you bring it?” a voice asked in English.

Bill looked behind him and saw a tall person with a fine beard. “Oh,” he said quickly, but could not finish the sentence. How can he explain? How can he make them understand? Will this boat-plane not finally fly? he thought.

But the person said, “I am a scientist. It cannot matter,” and looked out the window at the deep green waves of the ocean.

Bill looked at the streets and the roads and the building in the square with its six large black balls where he had stood minutes ago. He could have shown him them. He wanted to stay. He decided if he wanted the power of the thousands to make a new government he would have to wait.

The engine made a strong noise and the boat plane moved quickly along the surface of the ocean, before slowly rising into the air and turning left towards the full, heavy moon...

Questions

1) Who do you think Bill is?
2) What do you think the six balls in the square do?
3) Who are the English Scientists?
4) What does Bill want to do?


Read Chapter 2 : Song Of War
Read Chapter 3 : The Plan



Read Chapter 4 : Bill's Ship Sails
Read Chapter 5 : Talk To Animals.

Story © Chris Young 2018

Image credit : http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Luna-Reflection-Sea-Superluna-Night-Super-Water-1826849