Lesson 7 Too late
The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning.
They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamonds from South Africa. A few hours earlier,
someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds. When the plane
arrived, some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were
waiting on the airfield. Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the
Customs House. While two detectives were keeping guard at the door, two others opened the
parcel. To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!
Lesson 8 The best and the worst
Joe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town. Nearly everybody enters
for The Nicest Garden Competition each year, but Joe wins every time. Bill Frith's
garden is larger than Joe's. Bill works harder than Joe and grows more flowers and
vegetables, but Joe's garden is more interesting. He has made neat paths and has built a
wooden bridge over a pool. I like gardens too, but I do not like hard work. Every year I
enter for the garden competition too,
and I always win a little prize for the worst garden in the town!
Lesson 9 A cold welcome
On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall. It was the last day of the year
and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock. It would strike
twelve in twenty minutes' time. Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the
clock stopped. The big minute hand did not move. We waited and waited,
but nothing happened. Suddenly someone shouted. It's two minutes past twelve!
The clock has stopped! I looked at my watch. It was true. The big clock refused to
welcome the New Year. At that moment, everybody began to laugh and sing.