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

a fflu e n t • d is a p p o in tm e n t • g ift-w ra p p e d • sto rm e d • g o th ro u g h • p o s s e s s io n s • b ru sh a w a y • a m o u n t

A Reading

Read the text and complete the sentences. a. A young m an was from 1 a poor family. 2 a wealthy family. 3 an orphanage. b. Parents always gave th e graduate 1 a car. 2 th e Bible. 3 a w atch. c. Looking for a car Bill and his father spent 1 a m onth. 2 a year. 3 m onths. d. Bill’s father han d ed him 1 a w rapped box. 2 th e 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 testam ent.

B Language

Read the sentences. How does Beckah say them? a. It was the custom in th at wealthy com m unity for the parents to give the graduate a car. b. Bill and his father looked for a car for m onths. c. The week before graduation they cam e across th e perfect autom obile. d. He and his father never m et again. e. He dusted the Bible.

11 © C Listening

Look through the statements before you start listening. Listen to Kelly's graduation speech and mark the statement as true (7) or false (F). a. Kelly is a senior w ho is ready to graduate an d move forward in the world. b. She m easured the tim e spent in high school in bad m arks an d losses. c. After she graduates, she will m easure h er tim e at school in friendships. d. Kelly’s speech is ab o u t h er future career.

D Mediation and communication

You and your friend think of some questions to conduct a survey am ong 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. W hat m akes you feel so? c. W hat 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 w riting is more about Re-Writing. Follow the steps. a. After you have conducted th e survey, sort out answers. b. Think w hat questions triggered the m ost interesting answers. c. Plan your article. d. Write th e draft. e. Read the draft to your p artn er at school. f. Come back hom e an d rewrite it again. We are sure th at you have som e 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.