Exercises

 

I. Choose the right item:

1. Sam and Bill had the idea of …..

lending money (taking a loan from the bank)

robbing somebody to get money

kidnapping someone and demanding a ransom

2. When Sam and Bill saw the boy for the first time he was …..

playing with his friends

throwing stones at a kitten

going out of the house

3. Johnny was hidden in …..

the cave

the neighbour town

the garret of the house

4. The Red Chief called Sam …..

Hawk-eye

Sly fox

Snake-eye the spy

5. The old Dorset offered two desperate men …..

the ransom for his son

to pay him two hundred and fifty dollars

his friendship

6. Finally Sam and Bill decided …..

to take the boy with them

to bring Johnny home

to leave the Red Chief in the forest

 

II. Put the sentences in the right order:

1.    It was just twelve o’clock when we knocked at Ebenezer’s front door.

2.    I had a plan to get that ransom without danger.

3.    We were in the south, in Alabama - Bill and myself.

4.    Just at daybreak I woke up because Bill was screaming.

5.    On the slope of the mountain there was a cave.

6.    I went up to the top of the little mountain and looked down at the town.

7.    He was trying to take Bill’s scalp.

8.    With much difficulty his father tore him off.

9.    I took the parcel and hurried back to the cave.

10.   The boy threw a stone at Bill and hit him in the eye.

 

III. Say “true” and “false”:

1.    Sam and Bill decided to kidnap the only child of a prominent rich man.

2.    The boy was happy when Bill suggested him a bag of candy and a nice ride.

3.    Johnny liked living in the cave; he was enjoying himself.

4.    The kidnappers were afraid that their captive would run away.

5.    Sam couldn’t sleep because he remembered that Red Chief was going to burn him at sunrise.

6.    Sam and Bill managed to take a big ransom for the boy.

 

IV. Answer the questions:

1.    Why did the idea of kidnapping someone occur to Sam and Bill? Whom did they decide to kidnap?

2.    Describe the way the two men kidnapped the boy. What do we learn about the boy's character when Sam and Bill were kidnapping him?

3.    Using the text, prove that the boy enjoyed his stay in the cave.

4.    What letter did the two men send to the boy's father? What answer did they expect to get? What was the answer they got?

5.    Describe the scene of returning the boy to his father.

 

V. Guess the meaning of the following words and phrases:

tail-feather; daybreak; pale-face; war-hoop; redskin; handkerchief; noiselessly

 

VI. Choose a synonymous expression:

1. The mouth of the cave

(the) width

(the) entrance

2. His father tore him off

pulled him away

beat him

3. I like to camp out

to leave the camp

to live in the open air

4. Bill could not stand it

stay near it

bear it

 

Discussing the text

I. Prove that:

1.  Two tramps had the idea of kidnapping someone and demanding a ransom.

2.  The boy liked living in the cave.

3.  Bill was simply terrorised by Red Chief.

4.  The neighbours were happy that the boy had been lost.

 

II. Say what you like/dislike in the story and why.

Example: I like the tolerance and human nature of Bill and Sam.

                I dislike that they had to pay money to get rid of the boy.

 

III. Act out the talks between:

a)    Sam and Bill

b)   Johnny and Sam

c)    Bill and old Dorset