1 A journey to adventure

Reading Escape from the fire

Chapter 1: Grandad
Robert was excited. He was going to stay with his grandfather at the weekend. Lucy,
his cousin, was going to stay too. She was the same age as Robert and they were good
friends.
While Robert was packing his bag, the telephone rang noisily. Robert answered it.
It was Lucy.

“I hope we have a great weekend,” said Lucy.

“So do I,” said Robert. “It’s always good fun at Grandad’s.”
While Robert was travelling on the bus, he thought about Grandad. There were two
things about him that Robert and Lucy really liked. First, he was very, very clever. He
was an inventor. He invented lots of things, but mostly he invented new kinds of mobile
phones. The other thing they liked was that Grandad loved history. His house was full of
history books. When Robert and Lucy came to stay, Grandad told them exciting stories
from history. The cousins loved the stories because they were true. They loved Grandad’s
tales of explorers who used to sail across the oceans and travel across deserts to distant
lands.
Robert knocked on Grandad’s door. Mrs Green, the maid, opened it.
“Hello, Robert,” she said. “Come in.”
“Hello, Mrs Green,” Robert said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” said Mrs Green. She took his bag from him. “Your grandfather is in his
study.”
Robert hurried into Grandad’s study. “Hello, Grandad,” he began. Then he stopped in
surprise.
Grandad was sitting in an armchair. There was a big bandage on his foot.

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 “Grandad, what happened?” Robert asked.
“I’ve hurt my ankle,” Grandad said. “The doctor says I mustn’t walk on it for a few
days.”
“Poor Grandad. Does it hurt? I’ll help you and so will Lucy. Where is she? Has she
arrived yet?”
Grandad looked worried. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I think she has disappeared.”
“Disappeared?” said Robert. “What do you mean?”
Grandad leaned towards him and whispered, “I think she has travelled back in time.”

Chapter 2: The time-travel phones

Robert looked at Grandad, amazed. “How could Lucy have travelled back in time?” he
asked.
Grandad showed him a mobile phone. “Look at this,” he said. “This is not an ordinary
phone. This is my newest invention.”
Robert thought the mobile phone looked ordinary. “What’s special about it?” he asked.
“Do you promise not to tell anyone?”
“Not even Lucy?”
“Lucy knows already.”
“Not even Mum and Dad?”
“I’ll tell them soon.”
“Okay. So what does it do?” asked Robert.
“With this mobile phone you can travel back in time.”
“Wow!” Robert exclaimed. “Can you really do that?”
Grandad nodded proudly. “I’ve worked on this invention for two years,” he said. “It’s
ready now.”
Robert’s eyes widened. “How does it work?”
“Let me show you. You put in the date you want to visit. Then you put in the place you
want to visit. Then you put in the password, Adventure.”
“Did you tell Lucy this?”
“Yes. And now one of the time-travel phones is missing.”
“How many time-travel phones have you made?” Robert asked.
“Four,” Grandad shook his head. “I’m worried, Robert. I think Lucy has used the
missing phone to travel back in time.”
“Wow!” Robert exclaimed. “Where do you think she has gone?”
From Escape from the Fire, by Richard Brown (Macmillan English Explorers Level 4)

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 Reading comprehension and vocabulary
1 Who said these words? Circle the answer.
1 I hope we have a great weekend. Lucy Robert
2 It’s always good fun at Grandad’s. Lucy Robert
3 Hello, Robert. Come in. grandfather Mrs Green
4 I’ve hurt my ankle. grandfather Mrs Green
5 What’s special about it? Robert grandfather
6 You put in the date you want to visit. Robert grandfather

2 Talk about the answers to these questions.

1 Do you think Grandad is an interesting person? Why or why not?
2 Do you think time travel could be good fun or too dangerous? Why?
3 Look at the title of the story again. Do you know about any big fires? Where might Lucy
have gone?

3 Label the picture. maid   study   inventor   armchair   ankle   bandage

1 2 3 4 5 6

4 Match the verbs and the definitions.

a nod   b escape   c shake   d promise   e mean
1 to say you will do something
2 to move an object from side to side quickly
3 to move your head up and down
4 to explain an idea
5 to get away from

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 Hi! It’s time for some fantastic grammar!
Grammar

1 Look and read.

Robert was packing his bag.
The telephone rang.

While Robert was packing his bag, the telephone rang.

2 Look, read and match. Write the letters.

a b c d

1 While the boys were playing football, a dog took their ball.
2 While Jim was swimming, he saw a shark.
3 While we were having a picnic, it started to rain.
4 While Sue was watching TV, someone knocked on the door.

3 Complete the sentences. The pictures will help you.

Hello.

1 While Meg was shopping, 2 While the children were

she ... walking in the forest, they ...

3 ... , he found a ring. 4 ... , the telephone rang.

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 Grammar in conversation
1 Listen and read.

Molly: Do you remember when you were little?

Sam: Yes, of course. I used to go to my grandmother’s
house every day.
Molly: Really? Why?
Sam: Because she used to look after me while
Mum was at work.
Molly: Did you like going to her house?
Sam: It was great. Grandma used to read stories
and sing songs.
And we used to make cakes together, too.
Molly: That sounds nice.
Sam: Yes, it was.

2 Think, write and say.

Think about when you were little. What happened then but not now?

I used to build castles with bricks.

I used to play with dolls.

I used to sleep in a tiny bed.

My mum used to read stories to me.

3 Let’s talk! Tell me about when

you were little.

When I was little,

I used to … Useful phrases
How about you? Really?
Why? That sounds nice.

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 Spelling In words with wh, sometimes you can’t hear the h.

Where
Where will the time machine take me?

1 Complete the words with wh. Write the words. Read the words.
eel isper ale istle

Listen and say the words.

2 Complete these question words with wh. Write the words. Read the words.
ere y at en ich

Listen and say the words.

3 Choose a word from Activity 2 to complete these questions.

1 Hello, is your name?
2 will the train arrive?
3 shoes do you like?
4 is your homework, Dan?
5 does an elephant have a long trunk?

4 Listen and say.

Time machine, time machine, take me away!

Take me somewhere exciting today!

Show me the world of long ago

When mammoths walked through ice and snow.
Show me the pyramids rising high
Into the Ancient Egyptian sky.
Show me adventurers brave and bold
Sailing the seas for Aztec gold.

Time machine, time machine, take me away!

Take me somewhere exciting today!

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 Class composition

Do you remember Grandad’s invention?

Here is the start of another adventure!

1 Look at the pictures.

Read the speech bubbles.

2 Write the story.

The Chinese inventors

Grandad was holding the time-travel phone. He put in ‘China, 2000 years ago, Adventure’.
Suddenly, they were standing in a large courtyard.
Chinese ladies always used to

carry umbrellas in the garden.
Those soldiers look very fierce.

These men are scientists and

I think they are inventing ...

… gunpowder!

Look out! The soldiers are coming!

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 Listening
1 Look and read. 2 Look, listen and read. 3 Talk about the story.

The skyscraper moneybox – Part 1

Hello, Jamie!
Who’s that?

Go and see, Jamie.

Bob! What a surprise! I’ve brought a

Wow! A £20 note!
present for Jamie.

See you soon! Oh! It’s heavy.

Sorry I can’t stay.

How much money

How much have you got? I haven’t got any money.
have I got now?

You spend your money. I save mine.

What are you going to buy?

I’ve seen the one I want.

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