RICHMOND READERS
6XSHUFRPSXWHUPDQ
Supercomputerman is very intelligent, but
he has a problem.
‘I understand many things in the world.
Mathematics is very easy. Chemistry and
Physics are no problem for me. But there is
one thing I don’t understand.What is it?
You, people.’
Why can’t Supercomputerman understand
people?
....................................................
Jeremy Taylor is a writer and a teacher.
He lives in the Czech Republic.
............................................................................
S TA R T E R L E V E L
............................................................................
C HAPTER O NE
:KRDP,":KDWDP,"
I am a ‘supercomputer’. That is a very special, very intelligent
computer.
Today I exist for the first time. Who am I? That is
a good question. But you must ask, ‘what am I?’
I am a ‘supercomputer’. That is a very special, very
intelligent computer. I am the first of the new
supercomputers. A lot of old computers can do
many things. They can calculate millions of
numbers in no time. They can play many games.
They can drive a car. But I am very special. I have
something different. It is something very
important. I can think.
5
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
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Look at me. Do you think I am a man? I have got
two arms, two legs and a head. My head has got
eyes and ears, a nose and a mouth. But in my head
there is a supercomputer. I am a very intelligent
supercomputer. I want to know everything. I like
to study but I don’t study at school. I know all the
information in three million books. But I want to
know more. I want to understand everything. I
want to be perfect. I understand many things in
the world. Mathematics is very easy. Chemistry
and Physics are no problem for me. But there is
one thing I don’t understand. What is it? You,
people.
What is it? You, people.
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C H A P T E R
1
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C HAPTER T WO
0LFKDHODQG3HWHU
Animals are easy to understand. Most animals are
very simple. They eat, drink, sleep, make babies .
Okay, people eat, drink, sleep and make babies
too. But you people do many more things. I have
many examples of things I don’t understand. I
have a very interesting video here. I would like
you to watch it.
★
Good evening, Michael. It is good to see you again.
7
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
Peter:
Michael:
Peter:
Michael:
Peter:
Michael:
Peter:
Michael:
Peter:
Good evening, Michael. It is good to
see you again.
It is good to see you too, Peter. How
are you?
I’m fine.
And how is your beautiful wife?
She’s fine thank you, Michael.
And how are your children?
They are fine. Simon is at school now.
Susan is with her mother. So, are you
ready for business?
You know me, Peter. I am always ready
for business.
Okay, look at this photograph.
The two men look at the photograph. There is a tank in a
field.
8
M I C H A E L
A N D
P E T E R
...........................................................................................
Michael: Very nice, but I don’t to buy a tank. I
want something more ...
Peter:
Now look at this photograph.
The two men look at the second photograph. It is the same field
but now there is no tank ...
Michael: Wow! Super!
Peter:
Now look at this photograph.
The two men look at another photograph. It is a photograph of
a missile.
9
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
This is a British anti-tank missile. They
are very popular.
Michael: I am not surprised.
Peter:
Okay, Michael. I can give you more
photographs and videos of everything
you buy. I know your clients like
photographs and videos.
Michael: You are right, Peter. These photographs
are fantastic.
Peter:
Thanks, Michael. So this is what you
want.
Peter:
Twenty-five Russian tanks, four aeroplanes …
10
M I C H A E L
A N D
P E T E R
...........................................................................................
Michael: Twenty-five Russian tanks, four
aeroplanes from China and ten British
anti-tank missiles.Yes, that is everything.
My clients are going to be very happy.
Peter:
I like happy people. Now, Michael, have
you got the money?
Michael: Here it is, in this bag. Would you like to
see it?
Peter:
No, no, Michael. I know you. I know
all the money is there.
Michael: Thank you, Peter. It is always good to
do business with you.
Peter:
It is good to do business with you, too,
Michael. Goodbye.
Michael: Goodbye.
Who is Peter? Who is Michael? I know that. I
know where they live. I know where they work.
Michael and Peter are very rich men. They buy
and sell tanks and missiles. They buy from anyone.
They sell to anyone - well, to anyone who has the
money.
I don’t understand it. I am a computer. I can think
and I have morals. I know a lot of things. I can do
many bad things. But I don’t do bad things. Why
not? Because they are bad. It is very simple for
me. Some things are good. Some things are bad.
People (and Supercomputers) with morals do
good things. Selling military equipment to anyone
11
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
is a bad thing. So why do Michael and Peter do
this? Perhaps they have no morals. But all people
have morals. Am I wrong? I know people are
stupid , but have they got morals?
★
I know people are stupid, but have they got morals?
■
■
12
■
J U L I E
A N D
RO S E
...........................................................................................
C HAPTER T HREE
-XOLHDQG5RVH
Okay, it is time for another video. Watch this!
Two girls are at school. Some boys are playing a game of
football.
Julie: Hey, you - what’s your name?
Rose: Me? Rose Long.
Julie: Well, Rose Long, I am Julie Snow and I
have a question. What are you doing?
Rose: Nothing.
13
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
Julie: Yes you are.You are looking at me.
Rose: No I’m not.
Julie: Yes you are. I don’t like it - and I don’t
like you.
Rose: I’m not looking at you. I’m looking at the
football game over there. I’m looking at
the boys.
Julie: Football is stupid.
Rose: No it isn’t. Some football players are very
intelligent.
Julie: Do you think I’m intelligent?
Rose: Maybe, I don’t know.
Julie: Only maybe?
Julie takes some of Rose’s hair. She pulls it hard.
14
J U L I E
A N D
RO S E
...........................................................................................
★
Rose: Yes. Ow! That hurts . Stop it! Okay, okay, I
think you’re intelligent.
Julie: Good girl, Rose. Hey, you’re wearing new
trainers !
Rose: And?
Julie: I want them. Give them to me!
Rose: No!
Julie: No? Are you stupid?
★
Julie takes Rose’s hair again.
Rose: No, ow! Yes, yes, I’m stupid. I’m very
stupid.
Julie: Okay, Rose Long, give me your trainers.
Rose: No. They are mine. I ...
Julie: GIVE ME YOUR TRAINERS! NOW!
15
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
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Julie takes Rose’s arm. She pushes it hard.
No, ow, my arm! You are breaking my arm!
So, give me your trainers.
Okay, okay, here they are.
Good girl, Rose. Here, you can have my
old trainers. One more thing. Don’t say
anything to the teachers, or ...
Rose: You are a horrible girl.
Julie: What?
Rose:
Julie:
Rose:
Julie:
Julie takes Rose’s arm again.
Rose:
Julie:
Rose:
Julie:
Rose:
Julie:
You are ... ow! MY ARM!
Am I horrible?
No, no.
So, what am I?
You are ... good.
Only good?
16
J U L I E
A N D
RO S E
...........................................................................................
Julie takes Rose’s ear. She pulls it.
Rose:
Julie:
Rose:
Julie:
Ow! That hurts! Okay, you are great.
And intelligent?
Yes, you are very intelligent.
And beautiful?
Julie takes Rose’s ear again.
Rose: Ow! Yes, you are very beautiful.You are a
supermodel!
Julie: Good girl, Rose. Good girl.
17
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
That is a very sad situation. Poor girl. Rose Long
is only seven years old. The other girl, Julie Snow,
is eight years old. Julie is not good, she is not
intelligent and she is not beautiful. Julie is a
bully . There are thousands, maybe millions of
bullies in the world. But why? Supercomputers
never hurt anyone. Julie wants Rose’s trainers. But
Julie has got money. She can buy new trainers.
Why does she bully poor Rose? I don’t
understand it.
★
Okay, supercomputers are very intelligent and
people are stupid. But people have got morals. So
why are some people bullies? I don’t understand
people. Computers are perfect. But people?
Sometimes you are very, very bad.You must learn
a lot of things.
■
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18
■
DAV I D
A N D
H E L E N
...........................................................................................
C HAPTER F OUR
'DYLGDQG+HOHQ
Okay, here is the last video. Please watch this.
Helen, I want to talk to you.
David: Helen, I want to talk to you.
Helen: Okay, David, what do you want to talk
about?
David: I want to talk about you and me.
Helen: Me and you? Is there a problem?
David: Well, yes and no.
Helen: So what is it?
David: I love you.
Helen: Is that a problem?
19
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
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★
David: I love you and I want to marry you.
Helen: Well, David, I love you and I want to
marry you, too. I can’t see any problem.
Helen, you are rich, your family is rich and I am not.
David: But, Helen, you are rich, your family is
rich and I am not.Your father doesn’t like
me.Your mother doesn’t like me.Your ...
Helen: That is not true. My mother likes you.
She thinks you are very intelligent.
David: But you live in a big house.Your father
drives a Mercedes.Your mother drives a
Porsche. I have got an old bicycle.
Helen: My father drives an old Mercedes. My
mother drives a very old Porsche. Listen
to me, David, money is not important.
I love you, not money.
David: You say that today, but think about
tomorrow. Think about next year.
Helen: David, I am always going to love you.
David: Oh, Helen.You are very good to me.
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DAV I D
A N D
H E L E N
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Helen: That is because I love you.You are very
important to me. But ...
David: What is it?
Helen: I have a problem.
David: You have a problem? What is it?
Helen: I am twenty-five years old.
David: And?
Helen: And you are only nineteen.
David: But that is not important. I love you,
Helen. Love is the only thing that is
important.
Helen: But I am an old woman.
But I am an old woman.
David: That is not true.You are young and you
are beautiful.
Helen: Do you think so?
David: Oh, yes I do.
21
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
Helen:
David:
Helen:
David:
Helen:
David:
Oh, David, I love you.
I love you too, Helen. But...
What is it, David?
There is another problem.
Another problem? What is it?
I ...
Oh, David, I love you.
And that is only part of the video. People! You are
so stupid. Love! What is love? It is a very bad idea.
You don’t need love to live. Love is not
important. Love is a very big problem. Why?
Because when people are in love, they do not
think. Thinking is very important. Crazy Helen
says money is not important. She thinks love is
important. Poor Helen, you are wrong. David only
has an old bicycle. Do you know why he only has
a bicycle? Because he buys flowers and chocolates
for Helen every week. Sometimes David can’t
sleep because he is in love with Helen.
★
22
DAV I D
A N D
H E L E N
...........................................................................................
Supercomputers don’t have this problem. People
must learn.You don’t need love. Love is not
important. Love is not logical. Perfect
Supercomputers live without love. People in love
are simply stupid.
People in love are simply stupid.
I think you understand now. Supercomputers are
very intelligent. People are very stupid. Some
people have no morals. Do you remember
Michael and Peter? Supercomputers have morals.
We only do good things. Some people are bullies.
Remember Julie Snow and poor little Rose Long?
Supercomputers are never bullies. We never hurt
anyone or anything. Computers do not need love.
Remember David and Helen? They talk and talk
and talk about love. They are crazy.
Supercomputers are perfect.
■
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23
■
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
C HAPTER F IVE
$UHVXSHUFRPSXWHUVSHUIHFW"
Okay, that is all for today. I want to go for a walk.
I must buy some new batteries. There is a shop
two kilometres, eight hundred and fifty-four
metres, sixty-two centimetres from here. I can
walk there in twenty-six minutes and fourteen
seconds. I can go there now.
I must walk along this street and then ... Oh,
look! Look at that woman! She is ... beautiful! I
feel ... different. I don’t understand. I want to see
her. I want to talk to her. Where is she? I must
find her.
Look at that woman! She is ... beautiful!
24
ARE
SUPERCOMPUTERS
PERFECT?
...........................................................................................
Four hours later ...
I know all the information from three million
books ... but where is that beautiful woman? I
don’t know! I want to see her again. I don’t
understand it, but I must see her again. I can’t find
her but I must find her. I ... What’s this? A light
from my batteries. There is a problem with my
batteries! I need new batteries now!
I need new batteries now!
Quick! I must run. No, I have only got six
minutes. I haven’t got time to run. I must go in a
car. I can drive to the shop very quickly. I need a
car! Quickly! Ah, there’s a woman by a car.
25
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
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Supercomputerman: Help me! I need to buy
some batteries.
Woman: Okay, there is a shop in the centre of
town about three kilometres ...
Supercomputerman: Two kilometres, eight
hundred and fifty-four metres, sixtytwo centimetres. I know, but I must buy
some batteries now! I have only got
five and a half minutes!
Woman: No, no, the shop is open for another
hour.
Supercomputerman: You don’t understand.You
are only a person, a stupid person.
Woman: What?
Supercomputerman takes the keys.
26
ARE
SUPERCOMPUTERS
PERFECT?
...........................................................................................
Woman: Hey stop it! What are you doing? Hey,
those are my keys! That’s my car! Stop!
STOP! COME BACK!
Supercomputerman: What a stupid woman! I
must have my batteries. Now, I’ve only
got five minutes! Come on, come on.
People, you are so stupid.You drive
very slowly. Look at me. I can drive
very ... Ahhhhh!
Supercomputerman crashes.
27
S U P E R C O M P U T E R M A N
...........................................................................................
Supercomputerman: Oh no, and here is a man.
He is coming in my direction. He
doesn’t look very happy.
Man:
Are you crazy? What do you think you
are doing?
Supercomputerman: I’m sorry. I’m going to
the shop. I need new batteries. I must
have new batteries!
Man:
You are crazy.You must pay me for a
new car door. Look at my door!
Supercomputerman: No, I must go to the shop.
I must ...
Man:
Pay me the money or ...
Supercomputerman takes the man’s arm. He pushes it hard.
28
ARE
SUPERCOMPUTERS
PERFECT?
...........................................................................................
Ow! Ow! That’s my arm! Ow! You’re
breaking my arm!
Supercomputerman: Don’t stop me. I must go
to the shop. I must have batteries.
Man:
You are crazy.
Supercomputerman: No, I am not crazy. I am a
supercomputer. I am not a person. But I
must have ... new ... batteries ...
Without batteries ... my ...
superintelligence ... I ... people ... stupid
... supercomputer ... perfect ... stupid ...
I ... perfect ... stupid ... Ahhhhhhh!
Man:
I am not crazy. I am a supercomputer.
■
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29
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....................................................................................................................
E X E R C I S E S
A Comprehension
Chapter 1
1 Why is Supercomputerman special?
Chapter 2
2 What do Michael and Peter do?
3 What does Michael give Peter?
Chapter 3
4 What is Rose Long doing?
5 What does Julie Snow want?
Chapter 4
6 What is David’s problem?
7 What is Helen’s problem?
Chapter 5
8 Why does Supercomputerman need to go to the shop?
9 Why is Supercomputerman late?
10 What happens to Supercomputerman at the end of the
story?
B Working with Language
Complete the sentences with these words
bully
money
poor
football
new
rich
sell
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Supercomputerman is very very .............. .
Michael and Peter buy and ............. tanks.
Michael gives Peter ........... in a bag.
Rose Long is watching .............. .
Julie Snow is a ........... .
Helen is very ........... .
David is very ............ .
Supercomputerman needs ............. batteries.
30
intelligent
....................................................................................................................
C Activities
1 What do you think is going to happen to
Supercomputerman now? Write a different ending for the
story.
2 There are many things Supercomputerman does not
understand. Write a dialogue about what happens when
Supercomputerman meets one of the people in the video.
C H A P T E R
1
. ..... . ....... . ..... . . ..... . ...... . ..... . . ..... . ...... . ..... . ....... . ...... . ..... . ...... . ..... . . ..... . ...... . ..... . ....... . ...... . ..... . ...... . ..... . . ..... . ...... . ..... .
G L O S S A RY
babies plural of baby, very small child
bully someone who is bad when s/he wants something
from other people, for example, hitting them
crazy not normal
hurt feel bad
marry be husband and wife
stupid not intelligent
trainers shoes for sport
31
Radio Boy
...................................
JOHN ESCOTT
Richmond
P U BL I S HING
C HAPTER O NE
▼
The Girl on the Beach
‘Good morning! You’re listening to Roundbay Radio,
your favourite local radio station! It’s Saturday morning
and this is Tara Mason.The time is nine o’clock. Hi,
everyone.’
Steve opens his eyes. ‘Hi, Tara,’ he says to the
radio. Then he sits up in bed. He always listens to
Tara Mason on Saturday mornings. She is his
favourite person on Roundbay Radio.
‘Well, let’s have some music ... .’
34
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
‘Good idea,’ Steve says.
His mother calls from the kitchen. ‘Steve? Are you
getting up?’ she says.
Steve does not answer. He does not want to get
up. He closes his eyes again.
‘Steve!’ his mother calls again. ‘You must go to the
shop for me after breakfast! Are you getting up?’
‘OK, OK!’ Steve stays. ‘Soon.’
‘Not soon - now!’ his mother says. ‘I’m making
your breakfast.’
‘OK,’ Steve says. He opens his eyes. ‘I’m getting
up now.’
After a moment, he gets out of bed and walks
across to his window. He can see Roundbay beach
across the road. It is not raining, but the sky is
grey. There are one or two people on the beach. A
man and a small boy walking, and a woman with
a dog.
And a girl ... .
‘What’s she doing?’ Steve thinks. He watches the
girl for a minute or two.
The girl has short brown hair, and she is wearing
jeans and a yellow shirt. She puts something into a
bag, then walks on. A moment later, she stops
35
T H E
G I R L
O N
T H E
B E AC H
...........................................................................................
Steve can see Roundbay beach from his window.
36
R A D I O
B OY
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Anna is looking for interesting things – for pebbles and shells.
37
T H E
G I R L
O N
T H E
B E AC H
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again. She looks at something on the beach. She
takes it and puts it in her bag.
‘What is it?’ Steve thinks. ‘It’s something red.’
He watches her for another minute or two, then
he puts on his clothes.
■
■
■
Anna walks along the beach. She is looking for
interesting things - for pebbles and shells. She sees
something red.
‘What’s that?’ she says. ‘A red ... bottle? There’s
some writing on it, but I can’t read it. It’s not in
English. Is it Russian?’
She sees something red.
38
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
She puts the bottle in her bag with the pebbles
and shells. She looks at the grey sky. ‘It’s going to
rain again soon,’ she thinks. ‘Another five minutes,
and then I must go home.’
She sees a man and a small boy walking by the
sea, and a woman walking with her dog. Then the
woman with the dog stops and looks at something
on the beach. The woman calls the man and the
boy. Now the three of them are looking at ...
what? Anna doesn’t know. The man says to the
boy, ‘Don’t go near it, Tom.’
‘What is it?’ Anna thinks. ‘What are they looking
at?’
It begins to rain and she walks quickly up to the
road. It is time to go home.
■
■
■
Steve sits in the kitchen. He eats his breakfast and
listens to the music on the radio.
‘I need some shopping,’ his mother says.
‘OK,’ Steve says.
‘Can you go to the shop now, please?’ his mother
says.
‘OK,’ Steve says again.
‘Here are the things we need.’ She gives him a list.
39
T H E
G I R L
O N
T H E
B E AC H
...........................................................................................
Steve’s mother gives him a list.
40
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
‘Can I listen to Tara Mason before I go?’ Steve
says. ‘She finishes at eleven o’clock.’
‘I need those things before eleven, Steve,’ his
mother says.
‘OK - er, all right,’ Steve says. ‘I can take my
personal stereo with me.’
‘You can listen to Tara Mason later,’ his mother
says. ‘Why don’t you find something to do? You
can help me.You can wash the car or do some
work in the garden. Don’t sit and listen to the
radio all morning.’
‘OK,’ Steve says. But he doesn’t mean it. He likes
the radio and he likes Tara Mason.
Steve finishes his breakfast. Then he gets his
personal stereo and puts the headphones on. His
mother gives him some money.
‘Don’t be long,’ she says.
Steve doesn’t hear her. He has music in his ears.
41
C H A P T E R
1
...........................................................................................
C HAPTER T WO
▼
The Red Bottle
Anna takes her bag to her room and sits on the
bed. She can hear her young brother, Andy,
watching a television programme in his room.
Andy is five years old. He likes to watch children’s
television on Saturday mornings.
Anna puts the shells, pebbles and other things
from the beach on her table.
‘Shall I draw the pebbles first?’ she thinks. ‘Or a
shell? Or the red bottle?’ She looks at a big shell.
‘That’s beautiful,’ she says.
She sits down and draws the shell on some paper.
She sits down and draws the shell on some paper.
42
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
She looks at it. She is not happy with it. She looks
for some more paper to do it again, but she
cannot find any.
‘Andy! Where’s my paper?’ Anna calls.
No answer.
Anna goes into her brother’s room. Andy does not
look at her. He is sitting on his bed and watching
television.
‘Where’s my paper?’ Anna says. ‘I want to draw.’
‘I don’t know,’ Andy says.
‘That’s not true!’ Anna says.
‘Yes, it is!’ Andy says.
Anna’s father comes into the room. ‘What’s the
matter?’ he says. ‘Please be quiet. I’m trying to
work.’ Anna’s father is a writer. He writes books
and works on a computer in one of the other
rooms of the house.
‘Andy has all my paper,’ Anna says.
‘Have you, Andy?’ her father asks.
Andy does not answer for a moment. Then he
says, ‘Maybe.’
‘That means “yes”!’ Anna says. ‘I can’t draw the
things from the beach, and- ’
43
T H E
R E D
B OT T L E
...........................................................................................
‘Please be quiet. I’m trying to work.’
44
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
‘All right, all right!’ her father says. ‘Be quiet, both
of you! I haven’t got any drawing paper, Anna, but
here’s some money. Go and buy some from the
shop in West Street. Get some for Andy, too.’ He
gives Anna some money.
‘Thanks,’ Anna says.
Her father goes to his room and Anna puts on her
coat.
■
■
■
Steve walks along the street. The shopping is in a
bag in his hand. It is not raining now and there is
some blue in the sky.
‘Maybe the sun is going to come out,’ Steve
thinks. ‘I can wash the car, then go for a walk on
the beach later.’
He is in South Street. He doesn’t need to walk
home along this street. But the Roundbay Radio
building is in South Street and Steve likes to walk
past it. He wears his headphones and he listens to
the music. He looks at the windows of Roundbay
Radio Station.
‘Tara’s in there,’ he thinks. ‘Maybe only twenty or
thirty metres away from me! Hi, Tara!’
At that moment, the music stops and Tara Mason
begins to say something in his ear.
45
T H E
R E D
B OT T L E
...........................................................................................
The Roundbay Radio building is in South Street and Steve likes
to walk past it.
46
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
‘That’s Cloud Nine. And now .... Oh, wait a minute.
Some news is coming in ... and we must go over to
Mike Quinn in the newsroom. What’s the news, Mike?’
‘Some important information from the police,Tara.The
police are looking for red bottles along the beach. People
must not open these red bottles.They must call the
police.’
‘What’s in the bottles, Mike?’
‘The police aren’t saying at the moment, but it’s
something bad. Something to make you ill.’
‘OK ... thanks, Mike. Now for some music ... .’
47
T H E
R E D
B OT T L E
...........................................................................................
Steve stops in the middle of the road. On the
beach ... something red ... .
‘The girl in the yellow shirt!’ he thinks.
A car goes by and the driver calls to Steve. ‘Get
out of the road!’
‘Get out of the road,’ the driver calls.
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R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
Steve walks quickly on. ‘I must do something,’ he
thinks. ‘I must go to the police. Maybe the girl
doesn’t know the news. Maybe she’s going to
open the bottle and- ’
He stops and looks at the windows of the radio
station.
And he has an idea.
■
■
■
Andy goes into his sister’s room. ‘These things are
from the beach,’ he thinks. ‘Anything interesting?
Anything for me to play with?’
Anna is at the shops. Their father is in his room.
The house is quiet.
Andy goes across to the table near the window.
He sees the pebbles and the shells. And then he
sees the red bottle.
‘What’s in this?’ he thinks. He looks at it. ‘Can I
open it?’
49
T H E
R E D
B OT T L E
...........................................................................................
‘Anything for me to play with?’
50
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
C HAPTER T HREE
▼
‘Stop! Don’t Break It!’
Anna gives some money to the woman in the
shop. The woman puts the paper into a bag.
‘There you are, Anna,’ the woman says.
‘Thank you, Mrs Clark,’ Anna says.
Mrs Clark puts the paper into a bag.
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‘ S TO P !
D O N ’ T
B R E A K
I T ! ’
...........................................................................................
‘You’re always buying paper,’ Mrs Clark says.
‘I’m always drawing,’ Anna says.
‘What are you going to draw today?’ Mrs Clark
asks.
‘Some shells and pebbles, and a bottle from the
beach,’ Anna says. ‘I got them this morning. Now I
must go. Dad is working and Andy is watching
television. It’s a good time to do some drawing.
Bye, Mrs Clark.’
‘Bye, Anna,’ Mrs Clark says.
Mrs Clark goes into the room behind her shop.
There is a radio on the table near the window.
Then she hears the words ‘red bottle’ and she sits
down to listen.
She hears the words ‘red bottle’ and she sits down to listen.
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R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
‘... a girl with a red bottle on the beach, Steve? Is that
right?’
‘Something red, Tara. Maybe a bottle.’
‘What is she wearing?’
‘Jeans and a yellow shirt. And she has short brown
hair.’
‘Thanks, Steve.Well, the police know about this now
and they are looking for this girl. But do you know her,
listeners? Then call her quickly.
‘And now for some music.’
Mrs Clark does not wait to hear the music. She
runs out of the shop into the street. ‘Anna!’ she
calls. ‘Anna, wait!’
Anna is thirty metres along the road, but she
stops. ‘What’s the matter, Mrs Clark?’ she says.
■
■
■
Andy is angry. He wants to open the red bottle,
but it is very difficult. His little hands are not
very strong. He likes red. It is his favourite
colour.
‘Maybe it’s a nice drink,’ he thinks. ‘I’m going
to take the bottle out into the garden and break
it!’
53
‘ S TO P !
D O N ’ T
B R E A K
I T ! ’
...........................................................................................
‘Anna!’ she calls. ‘Anna, wait!’
54
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
He goes out into the garden with the bottle and
begins to hit it with one of Anna’s big pebbles.
‘One ... two ... three ...,’ he says. It is a very strong
bottle and Andy is angry.
‘One … two … three …’
55
‘ S TO P !
D O N ’ T
B R E A K
I T ! ’
...........................................................................................
He stops. Someone is calling him.
‘Andy! Andy! Where are you?’ It is Anna. She runs
down the garden.
Andy has the big pebble in one hand and the
bottle in the other.
‘Stop!’ Anna calls. ‘Don’t break it!’
She runs and takes the bottle out of his hands.
‘OK, OK!’ he says. ‘What’s the matter? It’s only an
old bottle!’
‘Oh no it isn’t,’ Anna says. And she goes into the
house and calls the police.
■
■
■
Anna goes into the house and calls the police.
56
R A D I O
B OY
...........................................................................................
It is eleven o’clock at Roundbay Radio Station.
Tara Mason puts down the phone and looks at
Steve.‘That’s good news,’ she says. ‘The police are
talking to the girl now.’
‘They’ve got the red bottle,’Tara says. ‘Thanks to you.’
57
‘ S TO P !
D O N ’ T
B R E A K
I T ! ’
...........................................................................................
‘And the bottle?’ Steve says. ‘Have they got it?’
‘Yes, they’ve got that, too,’ Tara says. ‘Thanks to
you.’
Steve feels happy. ‘Me, on the radio!’ he says. ‘Now
I’m famous!’
‘Yes. Do you like it?’ she asks.
‘It’s great!’ Steve says. ‘I want to work on radio
one day.’
‘It’s not always this exciting!’ Tara says.
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....................................................................................................................
E X E R C I S E S
A Comprehension
Chapter 1
Write answers to these questions.
1 What does Steve’s mother need?
2 Why can’t Anna read the words on the red bottle?
3 How can Steve listen to Tara Mason and go shopping?
Who says or thinks these words?
4 ‘I’m making your breakfast.’
5 ‘What are they looking at?’
6 ‘Can I listen to Tara Mason before I go?’
Chapter 2
Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Andy is ten years old.
2 Anna’s father writes books and works on a computer.
3 Roundbay Radio Station is in West Street.
Who says or thinks these words?
4 ‘Where’s my paper?’
5 ‘Be quiet, both of you!’
6 ‘The police are looking for red bottles along the beach.’
7 ‘The girl in the yellow shirt!’
8 ‘These things are from the beach.’
Chapter 3
Who in this chapter ...
1 ... sells paper to Anna?
2 ... likes the colour red?
3 ... wants to work on radio one day?
Find answers to these questions.
4 Where is Mrs Clark’s radio?
5 Mrs Clark runs after Anna. How far from the shop is
Anna?
6 Andy cannot open the red bottle. What does he do?
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....................................................................................................................
B Working with language
1 Use these words to join the sentences together.
and then
and
or
but
a It is not raining. The sky is grey.
b You can wash the car. Do some work in the garden.
c A car goes by. The driver calls to Steve.
d He watches her for another minute or two. He puts on his
clothes.
2 Draw two boxes. Write beach below one box and radio
below the other. Write the words in the correct boxes.
station pebble shell headphones newsroom sea
3 Answer these questions with full sentences.
Chapter 1 Steve sees four people and an animal on the
beach. Who or what are they?
Chapter 2 Anna’s father gives her some money. What is it
for?
Chapter 3 Anna tells Mrs Clark, ’It’s a good time to do
some drawing?’ Why is it?
C Activities
1 Write about your favourite radio programme.
2 Anna calls the police. She tells them about the red bottle.
Imagine their conversation, and write it.
60