EXTRA READING 2

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

BEFORE YOU READ

1 Look at the cover of the book. What’s a prince? What do you think a pauper
is? Read the description to check your answer.
Mark Twain was an American writer. The Prince and the Pauper is one of his most
popular books. The story takes place in 1547. At the beginning of the story, Henry VIII
is the King of England. Henry’s only son, Edward, was born in 1537. Prince Edward
was not a healthy boy, but Henry took care of him very well. When Henry died in 1547,
Edward became King Edward VI. He was only nine years old. Edward died when he was
only 15.
A pauper is a very poor person. About one third of people in England in 1547 were
very poor. A lot of poor people didn’t have a place to live or any food to eat. Most poor
families lived in one room and had to sleep on the floor. Poor children had to work, so
they didn’t go to school.

WHILE YOU READ

2 1  Read an excerpt from The Prince and the Pauper and match the words
in bold to the glossary definitions on the next page.

The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper

Nearly 500 years ago in London, two baby boys were born on the same day. One family wanted their baby
very much. This baby wore beautiful, expensive clothes. His family and a lot of servants took care of him. He
was Edward Tudor, the future King of England.
Everybody in England wanted this baby. When he arrived, the country was very happy. There was a holiday,
and everybody had big parties. People kissed each other and danced in the streets.
The other baby boy’s family was very poor and they did not want another baby. This baby was called Tom
Canty. Nobody danced for him. He was a pauper and he wore rags.
For nine years, Tom Canty lived in a small house near London Bridge. About 100,000 people lived in the
old city of London then, perhaps more. Some parts of London were very rich, but London Bridge was very
poor. The houses were made of wood and they had small, dark windows. The streets were narrow and dirty
and there were too many people. There was always a horrible smell because people threw garbage on the
streets.
Tom lived in a house in Offal Court. Many poor families lived in that house and it was often a noisy and
dangerous place to live. Every night people shouted and argued. There were always a lot of fights. Tom’s
family lived in one room on the third floor of the house. He lived with his mother, father, sisters, and
grandmother. They all dressed in rags. Tom’s mother and father slept in a bed, and the others slept on the
dirty floor.
Tom had twin sisters, Nan and Bet. They were both 15 years old. His mother and his sisters were not
smart people, but they were kind and friendly. Tom loved them, but he was frightened of his father and his
grandmother. They often hit Tom, his sisters, and his mother.
Tom’s father was called John Canty. He did not work. He stole money and told Tom and his sisters to steal
too. Tom said he did not want to be a thief, but his father hit him. The family was very poor and hungry. Tom
and his sisters begged for money in the streets. Some people gave them money. Other people laughed and
shouted at them.
But little Tom Canty was happy. He thought that everybody was poor and hungry like his family. He sometimes
played with his friends. They went swimming in the river or they played in the mud.
A man named Father Andrew lived in Offal Court. Father Andrew was a good man. He taught Tom to read and
write. Tom loved listening to Father Andrew’s stories about princes and palaces. He read Father Andrew’s
books about kings and queens. When he read, he dreamed of a different life. Tom’s big dream was to see a
real prince.

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EXTRA READING 2
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Tom sometimes pretended he was a prince. He walked

and talked like a prince. He had a royal court and people pauper (n): a very poor person
asked him for help. These people thought Tom was a very (adj): not clean
smart boy, like a real prince! (v): to ask people for money or food,
usually because you are very poor
Tom wanted to see a prince very much. He thought about (n): old and dirty clothes
it all the time. One night, Tom dreamed about being a (v): to take something from someone
prince. He lived in a beautiful palace and he was loved by without permission
many people. When he woke up, he knew it was a dream. (n): very soft, wet earth
He looked at the small, dirty, cold room and he cried. (n): someone who steals something
(n): things you throw away, such as
old food
AFTER YOU READ
3 Make notes about the characters in the story. Think about their
families, homes, clothes, and dreams.

Book title: Author:

The Prince The Pauper

Both

4 Write four sentences comparing the two boys. In what ways were they similar or different?
Edward was rich but Tom was poor.
5 a 2  Listen to the beginning of the next chapter of the story. Choose the
correct title for the chapter – (a) King Tom, (b) Tom’s Dream, or (c) Tom
Meets the Prince.

b What do you think happens next in the story?

6 Read the text below and answer the questions.

After the two boys meet, they talk and become fascinated by each other’s life. They also realize
that they both have exactly the same faces. As a game, they exchange clothes and then switch
lives. The prince becomes Tom and Tom becomes the prince. Many books and movies are about
people who switch lives with another person or pretend to be someone else.

1 Who would you prefer to be – Prince Edward or Tom? Give reasons for your answer.
2 Think of another book or movie with characters who switch lives or pretend to be someone else?
3 Why do you think we like these types of stories?

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EXTRA READING 2
England by Rachel Bladon

BEFORE YOU READ

1 Look at the cover of the book about England. What topics do you think it
includes? Read the description to check your answers.
England is a small country: about 640 kilometers from north to south and 480
kilometers across its widest part. Some of the world’s greatest writers are from
England and many of the most popular sports started there. In this book, you
can read about the country’s past, present, and future. There are chapters on
history, traditions, cities and sights, nature and the environment, daily life, sports,
entertainment, and English heroes.

WHILE YOU READ

2 1  Read an excerpt from England. Which of the chapters
mentioned in Exercise 1 do you think it’s from?

It’s 7:30 and I can hear my alarm clock. I go back to sleep, and five minutes
later I hear my mom shouting. This time I really have to get up. A quick shower,
a piece of toast for breakfast, and I’m ready for school. Well, as ready as I’ll
ever be.

At 8:15 I walk down the road to catch the school bus with my sister Kate. We
live in a village in Warwickshire, so we take the bus to our school in Stratford-
upon-Avon, half an hour away. If we miss the bus, Mom has to drive us, and
then she’s late for work (she’s a nurse).

School starts at five to nine, and that’s when we have to be in our tutor
rooms. My tutor’s OK. He does the register – calls out everyone’s name so he
knows who is there. He also helps us with any problems and tells us what’s
happening at school. I’m in year 10 now. I’m 15, so last year we had to
Ed Myers, 15. choose our subjects for our GCSE exams next year. I’m doing math, English,
science, art, French, history, geography, and media studies. Media studies is
all about movies, TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines – it’s my favorite subject. When we hear the bell,
we go off for lessons. All my lessons are in different rooms or places around the school and with different
teachers.

We have two lessons – an hour each – then break, then another two lessons, and then lunch. FOOD! I’m
always hungry. Some days I bring sandwiches to school, but today I’m eating in the cafeteria – it’s like a café,
but you have to wait in a queue and choose what you want. Pizza and salad, not bad. I sit with some friends
and we talk about parents and exams.

Two more lessons, then at four o’clock the school day is over, but I have school jazz band practice. I play the
piano and the saxophone, so music is quite a big part of my life. There’s no late school bus, so I walk to my
friend Jay’s house and wait there until Mom comes to drive me home.

In the evenings, there’s homework and music practice, and I might go to the park and kick a soccer ball
around with some friends, watch a bit of TV maybe, go on the computer, call a few friends, listen to a bit of
music. At about 10, Mom tells me to go to sleep, but
I’m never ready to. Just like I’m never ready to get up In England, education is free for all children ages 5
in the morning … to 16. It is also compulsory – everyone must have
an education. In addition to state schools, which are
run by the government, there are also independent
schools, which families have to pay for. About 6
percent of children in England go to independent
schools. Some families also home-school: they teach
their children at home.

© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2017. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
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EXTRA READING 2
England by Rachel Bladon

AFTER YOU READ

3 Complete the information for the fact file.

Ed’s Fact File

Age: 8:15
Favorite school subject: 8:55
Musical instruments: 11:00
Ed’s daily routine (most important events) 1:15
7:30 4:00
7:35 10:00

4 Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F). Choose T or F. Give reasons for your answers.
1 Ed likes getting up in the morning. T/F
2 Ed’s tutor teaches most of his classes. T/F
3 Ed never plays sports. T/F
4 The majority of children in England don’t go to independent schools. T/F

5 Listen to an audio excerpt from another part of the chapter. Which of

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these topics is it about – education, families, food, or free-time activities?

6 Read about the two types of book and answer the questions.

There are two main types of books – fiction and nonfiction. Fiction refers to books and
stories about imaginary events and people. Books with facts about real events, things, or
people are called nonfiction. These include biographies, history books, cook books, and
guidebooks.

1 What type of book is England? Write the titles of two other fiction and nonfiction books.
2 Which type of book do you prefer reading – fiction or nonfiction?
3 What topics would you include in a nonfiction book about your country?

© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2017. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
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