Stranger than fiction urban myths worksheets activities

Activity worksheets

PENGUIN READERS Teacher Support Programme

LEVEL 2

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths While reading Chapter 1 1 Match the questions with the answers. a In No Jobs in the Cupboard, who does Billy live with? ….. b Why does Billy buy a newspaper? ….. c Who is Mr Davidson? ….. d How many people are there for the job? ….. e Why does Billy walk into the cupboard? ….. f Who finds Billy in the cupboard? ….. g In The Bigger the Better, why does the rich woman say that it is going to be difficult to get the big car in there? ….. h Why is the rich woman angry? ….. i What does the rich woman do to the small car? ….. j In Cheap and Easy, why is the library going to move to a new building? ….. k In Watch the Water, why does Willie walk into the river? ….. l What do Willie’s friends think? …..

1) Seven.

2) Because the young woman drives into her parking place.

3) The boss of the office.

4) Because the building is too small.

5) Because he thinks that it is the door out of the office.

6) The cleaner.

7) She drives at it and hits it hard.

8) His mother, Mrs Harris.

9) Because the parking place is very small.

10) Because he wants to find a job.

11) That he is very upset or mad.

12) Because he wants to get his car keys from his bag.

2 Discuss these questions with another student.

What do you think?

Did you laugh while reading any of the stories in Chapter 1? If so, which stories did you laugh at?

3 Discuss these questions with another student.

What do you think?

Do you think that the story Hit and Hear is true?

Why or why not?

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Chapter 2 4 Choose the right answers, 1 or 2. a In Falling into Bed, the weather is …..

1) cold and windy.

2) sunny and warm. b In Falling into Bed, the man doesn’t kill himself when he falls off the building because …..

1) the building isn’t tall enough.

2) he falls onto a bed on top of a car. c In Flying Cow, the car driver is famous because he is a …..

1) movie star.

2) TV newsreader. d In Flying Cow, the man can’t get the cow out of the car because it is …..

1) sleeping.

2) very heavy. e In Flying Cow, the cow falls off the bridge because …..

1) the man hits it with his car.

2) the bridge is very wet. f In Look Before You Jump, Peter’s father gives him a ….. for his birthday.

1) motorbike 2) bicycle g In Look Before You Jump, Mr Fletcher is Peter’s …..

1) teacher.

2) father. h In Look Before You Jump, Mr Fletcher jumps in front of the ….. motorbike.

1) right 2) wrong i In Don’t Lose Your Teeth, Bill …..

1) finds his teeth in the water.

2) throws Fred’s teeth into the water. j In Don’t Lose Your Teeth, ….. men lose their teeth.

1) two 2) three k In Never Leave Your Name, the young man’s car is …..

1) red.

2) blue.

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths - Activity worksheets of 2

Activity worksheets

PENGUIN READERS Teacher Support Programme

LEVEL 2

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths

l In Never Leave Your Name, the taxi driver asks the women for …..

1) some paper and a pen.

2) a pencil and a piece of paper.

Chapter 3 5 Discuss these questions with another student.

What do you think?

Do you think that New York is a dangerous city?

Why or why not? Do you think that big cities are more dangerous than small towns? Why or why not?

6 Answer these questions. a In Hit the Floor!, why are Jenny and Robert afraid before they get into the lift? ……………………………………………… b In Biker at the Bank, what does the man in the office give Joe? ……………………………………………… c In The Hair on Her Hands, why do the police want to catch the man? ……………………………………………… d In Hats On!, what does the young policeman take from the shop? ……………………………………………… e In The Bank Robber’s Mistake, when does the head of the bank telephone the police? ………………………………………………

7 In The Bank Robber’s Mistake, what happens first? What happens next? Write the numbers 1–12. a The cashier gives the robber all the money in the desk. c b The robber goes home and turns on the radio. c c The cashier looks at the envelope the robber put on the desk. c d The head of the bank telephones the police. c e The man walks over to the cashier’s window. c f The cashier gives the policeman the robber’s envelope. c g A man comes into the bank. c h The man pushes an envelope across the desk to the cashier. c i The robber runs out of the bank with the money in a green bag. c c Pearson Education Limited 2008

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j The cashier tells the police about the robbery. c k The police arrive at the robber’s house. c l The police arrive at the bank. c 8 Draw a picture to describe what happens in one of the stories in Chapter 3.

Chapter 4 9 Match the letters (a–h) with the numbers (1–8) to complete the sentences. a In Dead Cold, it is hard to buy food ….. b In Dead Cold, there is a frozen chicken ….. c In Dead Cold, there is a long line of people ….. d In Coat from the Dead, it is dangerous to walk ….. e In Coat from the Dead, there is a coat ….. f In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, it is hot ….. g In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, there are some bottles of beer ….. h In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, there is a smile …..

1) in the hospital.

2) in a bag.

3) in the Soviet Union.

4) along a road when it is dark and late.

5) at the cashier’s desk in the shop.

6) under the old woman’s hat.

7) in the back of the man’s car.

8) on the old man’s face.

10 Discuss these questions with another student.

What do you think?

Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not? Have you ever seen or heard a ghost? If so, describe the experience to your partner. Do you know any ghost stories? If so, tell one of them to your partner.

After reading 11 Work in pairs. Which stories in the book do you think are true? Why do you think this?

Which stories in the book do you think are untrue? Why do you think this? Which do you prefer to read – true stories or untrue stories?

Why do you feel this way?

12 Work in pairs. Do you think any of the stories in the book are funny? If so, which ones? Why do you think they are funny? Which story in the book is your favourite? Why do you feel this way?

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths - Activity worksheets of 2

Progress test

PENGUIN READERS Teacher Support Programme

LEVEL 2

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths

Photocopiable

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

1 Match the letters (a–l) with the numbers (1–12) to complete the sentences. a Billy ….. b Mr Davidson ….. c Mr Harvey ….. d Mrs Harvey ….. e Will Fraser ….. f Charlie ….. g Mr Taylor ….. h Mr and Mrs MacDonald ….. i Mr and Mrs Brown ….. j Tom King ….. k Stan Graham ….. l Harry …..

1) can’t hear anything in his left ear.

2) loses his wife.

3) is a taxi driver.

4) is an unpopular boss.

5) lives at number 20.

6) live in a small town in Scotland.

7) has no job.

8) sends Billy a letter.

9) is very beautiful.

10) live at number 22.

11) is a very good golfer.

12) is much older than his wife.

3 Who says the sentences a–l? Write the right names. a ‘I want to see New York. Let’s go there.’ ………… b ‘Everybody says New York’s a dangerous place …’ ………… c ‘I don’t like this dark place.’ ………… d ‘On the floor, Girl!’ ………… e ‘What did I do? What’s happening?’ ………… f ‘You’ll get very wet there at the bus-stop.’ ………… g ‘I think you were very lucky, sir.’ ………… h ‘I’m very happy to help you.’ ………… i ‘Put them under your hat!’ ………… j ‘We had a robber in here – he left only two minutes ago!’ ………… k ‘How did you find me?’ ………… l ‘The cashier gave us your envelope – with your name and address on it.’ …………

Chapter 2 2 In Never Leave Your Name, what happens first?

What happens next? Write the numbers 1–12. a A big taxi comes around the corner. b The man asks for some paper and a pen. c The owner of the red car comes back. d Mrs Roberts and Mrs Jones sit in the park. e The taxi hits the red car. f The man gets into the taxi and drives away. g The man reads the letter and gets angry. h The taxi driver stops. i The man writes something on the paper. j A young man parks his red car. k The man goes to the shops. l The taxi driver gets out of his car.

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c c c c c c c c c c c c

Chapter 4 4 Underline the right words. a In Dead Cold, meat / milk is the most difficult thing to find. b In Dead Cold, the old woman’s hat is very big / small. c In Dead Cold, the chicken helps / kills the old woman. d In Coat from the Dead, there aren’t many cars on the road because it is early / late. e In Coat from the Dead, James is going to London / Oxford. f In Coat from the Dead, James finds the coat five / three days later. g In Coat from the Dead, the woman’s daughter died five / ten years ago. h In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, John Buss lives with his father / grandfather. i In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, Frank doesn’t like the food / noise in the hospital. j In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, Frank usually drinks two or three bottles of beer / water every day. k In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, Frank is happy / sad when he dies. l In Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow, John cries / laughs when he remembers the bottles of beer that he gave Frank.

Stranger than Fiction: Urban Myths - Progress test of 1