Tom Sawyer – Part Ten

Before you read the text, read the following comprehension questions.

1. Which book did Aunt Polly use to give her ‘post-breakfast’ lessons?

2. How many verses did Tom try to memorize?

3. Why did Tom choose to learn his verses from The Sermon on the Mount?

4. What did Mary give Tom as a reward when he managed to recite the verses correctly?

5. Was Tom’s reward something dangerous?

Now read the text and answer the questions.

The sun rose on a tranquil world, and shone down on the peaceful village like a benediction.
After breakfast Aunt Polly had family prayer. It began with solid lessons from the bible, together with a thin layer of originality. After this, she delivered a biblical lesson, not unlike Moses from the top of Mt. Sinai.
Then Tom got ready, because it was his turn to "say his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom put all his energy to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter.
At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, but no more, for his mind was crossing the whole field of human
thought, and his hands were busy doing distracting thinggs. Mary took his book to hear him recite from memory, and he tried to find his way through the fog:
"Blessed are the--a--a--"
"Poor"—
"Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--"
"In spirit--"
"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--"
"THEIRS--"
"For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--"
"Sh--"
"For they--a--"
"S, H, A--"
"For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!"
"SHALL!"
"Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you want to be so mean for?"
"Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, you'll do it and, if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. There, now, that's a good boy."Diccionario online
"All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is."
"Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice."
"I’m sure that's true, Mary. All right, I'll try it again."
And he did "try it again", and under the double pressure of curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" knife worth twelve and a half cents, and the happiness that swept his system shook him to his foundations.
True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was pride and respect in that fact. Although, where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be dangerous is a mystery and will always be one, perhaps.
Tom started to mark the cupboard with it, and was just starting on the desk, when he was called to dress for Sunday-school.

... to be continued!

* The text has been adapted from the Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain


  Download the original book for free

 

*Consulta un PDF con la información y resumen de 100 libros en inglés
que puedes descargar en 1 único archivo.


 

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Tom Sawyer – Part Eleven

Before you read the text, read the following comprehension questions.
 

1. Was Tom’s first attempt to wash his face successful?

2. Did Tom wash his face on the second attempt?

3. What didn’t Tom like about the way Mary had arranged his hair?

4. Do you think Tom has a lot of clothes?

5. What was Tom hoping that Mary would forget?
   

Now read the text and answer the questions.
 
Mary gave him a bowl of water and a piece of soap, and he went outside the door and put the bowl on a little bench there. Then he dipped the soap in the water and put it down, turned up his sleeves, poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the kitchen and began to wipe his face carefully on the towel behind the door. But Mary took the towel and said:
"Now aren't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt you."
Tom was a bit annoyed. The bowl was refilled, and this time he stood over it a little while, collecting his strength, took a deep breath and began. When he went back in the kitchen, with both eyes shut and feeling for the towel with his hands, soap and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from the towel, he was not yet satisfactory. The clean part of his face stopped at his chin and his jaws, like a mask. Below and beyond this line there was a dark area of dirt and mud that went down his neck at the front and the back.
Mary took him by the hand and when she had finished with him he was completely clean and his wet hair was neatly brushed, its short curls arranged in a pretty, symmetrical way.
Tom smoothed out the curls, with difficulty, and pushed his hair close to his head. He didn’t like curls and thought them effeminate. Curls made him unhappy.
Then Mary got out a suit for him that had been used only on Sundays for two years. They were simply called his "other clothes". By this, you can guess the size of Tom’s wardrobe.
The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed himself. She buttoned his huge collar around his chin and turned it down over his shoulders, brushed him down and crowned him with his straw hat. He now looked very much
better and rather uncomfortable.
He was, in fact, as uncomfortable as he looked. There was nothing he liked about the restrictions of cleanliness and smart clothes.
He hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but she didn’t. She cleaned them and gave them to him. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively:
"Please, Tom, that's a good boy."Diccionario online
So he got into the shoes as he complained. Mary was soon ready, and the three children set off for Sunday school, a place that Tom hated with his whole heart, but Sid and Mary were fond of it.

... to be continued!

* The text has been adapted from the Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain


  Download the original book for free

 

*Consulta un PDF con la información y resumen de 100 libros en inglés
que puedes descargar en 1 único archivo.


 

  Haz click para comprobar las soluciones

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