Lesson six Percy Buttons
I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street.
Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door.
He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer.
In return for this, the beggar stood on his head
And sang songs. I gave him a meal. He ate the Food and drank the beer.
Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away.
Later a neighbour told me about him. Everybody knows him.
His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the street once a month
And always asks for a meal and a glass of beer.
Lesson seven 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 door, two others opened the parcel.
To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!
Lesson eight 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 lager 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 his 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 nine 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 minute’s 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.
Lesson Ten Not for jazz
We have an old musical instrument. It is called a clavichord.
It was made in Germany in 1681. Our clavichord is kept in the living room.
It has belonged to our family for a long time. The instrument was bought
By my grandfather many years ago. Recently it was damaged by a visitor.
She tried to play jazz on it! She struck the keys too hard and two of the
Strings were broken. My father was shocked. Now we are not allowed
To touch it. It is being repaired by a friend of my father’s.
