The Shortest Stories Ever
LEAD-IN: In pairs, discuss the following questions: a) What is the shortest story you have ever read? b) What was its approximate length? c) Can you imagine a story in fifty words? You’re going to listen to a story told in exactly fifty words. Listen carefully and try to guess the last two words: H___________B___________! Peter had just arrived home. It was late in the evening. The front door was open; everything was dark and quiet. “Where’s everybody?” he wondered. Panic-stricken, he ran upstairs but found nobody. He came downstairs
again
and
as
he
entered
the
living
room
he
heard
all
them
shouting
H___________B__________! MINI SAGAS A mini saga is a story told in exactly 50 words (plus a title of up to 15 words), which appeals readers through the use of irony, word puns and unexpected turns. They are alternately known as microstories and ultra-shorts. The idea was originally made up by writer Brian Aldiss (Norfolk, UK 1925)
(Adapted from English File Upper Intermediate)
1) You have 9 mini sagas below. Read them carefully with the glossary and guess the missing words: Glossary of terms: Story 1: vanish (disappear). Story 2: utter (complete). Story 3: stab (push the knife into). Story 4: prefects (children at school that have special responsibilities), bully (tease, torment); chin up! (be brave!). Story 5: rip apart: break into pieces; vile (awful, horrible); grubby (dirty). Story 6: burglar (a person who steals from houses). Story 7: begging (ask for something intensely); stepped on board (took a step and entered a vessel). Story 8: snarled (made an angry face); slam (close with a loud noise); hissed (made a noise like a snake); “Just my luck!” (set expression meaning “I’m so unlucky”).
1. A moment in Venice They collided in St. Mark’s Square. As they apologized, in their different languages, he sensed that something had passed between them. His heart had been touched. In that second, something almost magical had occurred. He watched her vanish amongst the gathering of people and pigeons. She had _________his wallet. 2. Utter Loneliness. It was the 31st of December and there were no colleagues to eat out with. No friends to go clubbing with. No family to celebrate the New Year with. In her mobile phone only one contact. Soledad dialled but the network was engaged: she was even too busy for ________. 3 Revenge is sweet They had been arguing bitterly the night before. He had come in from the garage with oil on his shoes. Fed up, desperate, she stabbed him. Horrified at what she had done, she drove away from the house along the cliff road. Suddenly, she realized that the brakes weren’t _________. 4. Like Mother, like son 1955 Dear Mummy I hate this boarding school.Food awful, prefects bully me. Please take me home.Love, David Dear David Nonsense! Chin up. Mother 1997 Dear David I hate this home. Food awful, nurses treat me like a child. Fetch me immediately. Mother Dear Mother _________! Chin up. David 5. Why she’s smiling An explosion ripped the Louvre apart. Many masterpieces were destroyed in the act of terrorism. “Who would profit from such a vile attack?” the newspapers demanded. But a small boy ran off with a trophy in his grubby hand. Now over his bed hangs the smile of the _______________.
6. Caught in the act Sergeant Boxwell knew he had caught the burglar at last. “You don’t have to say anything at all,” he told him, “but your footprints were found at the scene of eleven burglaries”. Then, triumphantly, “Have you got anything to say?” “Only this, “replied the suspect”. “Yesterday, I ____________those boots”. 7. Written in the cards She recognized the writing on the envelope immediately. The gypsy had warned her that she had no future with this man, yet here he was, five lonely years after their last meeting, begging her to join him in New York. She felt unbelievably happy as she stepped on board the ___________. 8. A disastrous holiday The vampire snarled, and folded his black silk cloak around him before slamming the coffin lid shut. “Just my luck”, he hissed. It had seemed a good idea to leave his castle for Greenland and lots of healthy unsuspecting Eskimos. Nobody at Transylvanian Tours Ltd. Had mentioned the midnight_____________. 9. Noise at Midnight He arrived home from work. His wife was already in bed. He fell asleep but woke up after a while: “I’ve told you many times I don’t want the dog to sleep with us” he said. “The dog is outside” she replied sleepily. “Then who is _________ under the bed?”.
2) Compare and discuss your predictions in pairs/groups. Discuss the following questions: a) Which mini-saga did you like best? Why? b) Three of the mini sagas above were written by students of English as a Foreign Language. Which ones? c) Apart from the number of words, what do the stories have in common? 3) WRITE A MINI SAGA! In groups of three write a mini saga. Your story must be 50 words exactly (not including the title). Follow these steps: 1. Think of a plot: your story must be a narrative text (you can include direct speech). Something must happen, preferably something which will keep the reader thinking. 2. Write a first draft without worrying about the number of words. 3. Now count the words and try to cut or add words until the story has exactly 50 words. 4. Think of a title of no more than 15 words, which will, ideally, set the scene and illuminate or counterpoint the text.
KEY 1. Stolen 2. Herself 3. Working 4. Nonsense 5. Monalisa 6. Found 7. Titanic 8. Sun 9. Snoring 2) b) mini sagas 2 and 9 c) Unexpected ending, irony