3. What encouraged Ali to take up boxing?
4. How did his sporting career develop?
38
1. Read the article and say in 23 sentences what it is about.
FAIRY TALES TEACH US A LOT
For hundreds of years, and perhaps even thousands of years, adults have told traditional fairy tales to their children. The stories have been handed down from one generation to another. They have become a fundamental part of our culture. In early versions of fairy tales there is much more cruelty and violence than in the stories published for children today. The case of 'Cinderella' is a good, example.
In this variant, Cinderella's step-sisters are very pretty (rather than ugly, as they are in the modern version). But they are much more cruel. Cinderella works like a slave and has no bed to sleep in. Her step-sisters throw her food into the fire. Cinderella has to pick it out of the fire-place so that she can eat.
When news comes that there is going to be a big party so that the prince cai choose a future wife, naturally Cinderella is told that she can't go. Cinderella] visits her real mother's grave* and cries. Her tears fall on the ground and a tree grows. From the branches of the tree, beautiful clothes fall down. So when Cinderella finally goes to the party, she looks beautiful and the prince falls in love with her.
The prince comes looking for Cinderella bringing with him the golden shoe that Cinderella was wearing. Cinderella's sisters try on the shoe but it doesn't fit. To make it fit, one sister cuts off her toes*; the other cuts off her heel*. Their mother says: "You won't need to walk when you become queen!" Eventually, the prince finds Cinderella and the story ends happily
Even if there is violence and cruelty in fairy stories, they all have elements that make them forever popular. They are simple stories which usually involve some form of cruelty or injustice. Good people become victims* and must work impossibly hard to try to solve their problems and find happiness. Children who identify with the hero or heroine may sometimes be encouraged to try to find solutions to their own problems. In any case, the stories have a happy ending and give children great pleasure.
a grave [greiv]
a victim ['viktim toes [tauz]
2. Are fairy tales part of our culture? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What happens in the old version of "Cinderella"?
4. Why do people like fairy tales?
39
1. Read the article and say in 23 sentences what it is about.
HAVE YOU READ?
Children's writer Michael Morpurgo tells a very enjoyable story. If you have not yet discovered his books, you will be surprised. The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, for example, was published earlier this year.. Lily Tregenze who is 12, lives on a farm in the village of Slapton with her mother and grandfather. It's 1943, the middle of the Second World War, and her father is away in the army. Lily's life centres on her local school, currently filled with people from London sent to the country for safety, and Tips, her beloved cat. Tips keep having kittens. But one of Lily's parents always drowns the kittens, to Lily's despair, because they cannot keep and feed a lot of cats. Then, when they have to move to their Uncle George's farm to make way for the army, Tips disappears. For months it is only the kindness of a young American soldier and his army friend who help Lily search for her cat that helps her get j through the many changes and challenges in her life. And there's a lovely twist at the end which I shan't spoil for you as the story shoots forward 60 years. If you like The AmaMng Story of Adolphus Tips then you will probably also enjoy Michael Morpurgo's Kensuke's Kingdom, Billy the Kid, Private Peaceful and many others.
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Michael was Children's Laureate* from 2003 to 2005, an honour which involves telling as many people as possible how important children and children's books are. He followed Quentin Blake and Anne Fine. Jacqueline Wilson was Children's Laureate until 2007
As well as being an author, Michael Morpurgo, with his wife Clare, runs a charity called Farms for City Children. It enables groups of children to holiday in Devon, in the south west of England, or Wales. The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo. Published in hardback by Harper Collins. Due out paperback in February 2006. Also available as an audiobook, set of 3 CDs read by Michael Morpurgo and actress Jenny Agutter. Duration three hours.
a laureate ['lo:ri3t]
