Try it out 1 The Bible

The Bible

A young man from a wealthy family was about to graduate from high school. It was the custom in that affluent neighborhood for the parents to give the graduate an automobile. Bill and his father had spent months looking at cars, and the week before graduation they found the perfect car. Bill was certain that the car would be his on graduation night.

Imagine his disappointment when, on the eve of his graduation, Bill’s father handed him a gift-wrapped Bible! Bill was so angry; he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. He and his father never saw each other again. It was the news of his father’s death that brought Bill home again.

As he sat one night, going through his father’s possessions that he was to inherit, he came across the Bible his father had given him. He brushed away the dust and opened it to find a cashier’s check, dated the day of his graduation, in the exact amount of the car they had chosen.

Check these words in the dictionary. Beckah Fink

affluent • disappointment • gift-wrapped • stormed • go through • possessions • brush away • amount

A Reading Read the text and complete the sentences. a. A young man was from 1 a poor family. 2 a wealthy family. 3 an orphanage. b. Parents always gave the graduate 1 a car. 2 the Bible. 3 a watch. c. Looking for a car Bill and his father spent 1 a month. 2 a year. 3 months. d. Bill’s father handed him 1 a wrapped box. 2 the Bible. 3 money. e. Bill was so 1 happy. 2 excited. 3 furious. f. After his father’s death Bill found 1 a cashier’s check. 2 a letter. 3 a testament.

B Language Read the sentences. How does Beckah say them? a. It was the custom in that wealthy community for the parents to give the graduate a car. b. Bill and his father looked for a car for months. c. The week before graduation they came across the perfect automobile. d. He and his father never met again. e. He dusted the Bible.

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C Listening Look through the statements before you start listening. Listen to Kelly’s graduation speech and mark the statement as true (T) or false (F). a. Kelly is a senior who is ready to graduate and move forward in the world. b. She measured the time spent in high school in bad marks and losses. c. After she graduates, she will measure her time at school in friendships. d. Kelly’s speech is about her future career.

D Mediation and communication You and your friend think of some questions to conduct a survey among students in Year 11. Here are some questions you can use to begin it. Conduct the survey and report results to your class. a. Are you happy to leave school? b. What makes you feel so? c. What will you miss? d. Will you receive any gifts from your parents on your graduation? e. Have your discussed your gift with your parents?

E Writing as a process You are asked to write an article for a school newspaper about school graduates. The topic is “Saying ‘good bye’ to school.” 1 Skills. Do not get anxious with your writing. Remember that writing is more about Re-Writing. Follow the steps. a. After you have conducted the survey, sort out answers. b. Think what questions triggered the most interesting answers. c. Plan your article. d. Write the draft. e. Read the draft to your partner at school. f. Come back home and rewrite it again. We are sure that you have some different opinions. Sometimes, you may come up with three or more copies of the same article. Choose the one you and your friends like the most.