John Larrysson's Column: How to Avoid Extra Homework this Summer
文章日期:2020年6月23日

If you do not seem to be busy reading or learning something this summer your mother may find extra homework for you. What can you read this summer that will avoid extra homework? To help you, there is an English story being told on Ming Pao Life. (link.mingpao.com/63795.htm) This summer I will read you the eighth chapter of The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

Of course the story is slightly edited to make it easier to understand. Unlike some simplified books, I do not shorten or change the story. This online story is edited to make it easier for learners of English. It is the whole story and does not cut out any interesting parts. 

[audio 1]

Eight summers ago I read you chapter one. The story is about a little girl, named Laura, and her family. She grew up in the American wilderness long ago, when America was a wild country without computers, electricity, telephones or cars. Her family lived in a little log house in a big forest. They had to grow or hunt all their own food. In the first chapter we learned about life in the forest and the games they played.

[audio 2]

In the second chapter we learned that winter in the forest was a difficult time. Laura, and her sister Mary, stayed indoors and helped their mother with the housework.

In the third chapter you learned about the gun her father used for hunting. His gun was not modern and was not easy to use. He needed to be very skilled to shoot animals and bring home meat to eat.

[audio 3]

In the fourth chapter it was Christmas. However their family Christmas was very different from our modern shopping holiday. Their conservative values and real poverty limited the way they celebrated Christmas.

The fifth chapter was about a typical Sunday and Laura's family were puritanical Christians. Her parents and grandparents were very strict about what must be done, and what must not be done, on Sunday.

[audio 4]

In the sixth chapter Laura's family had trouble with bears in the forest. Bears are dangerous if not dealt with correctly. Do not feed bears or other dangerous animals in the wild.

Last summer's chapter, chapter 7, was a happy chapter. It was spring and the maple syrup could be harvested. Maple syrup was one of the few types of sweet food that Laura's family had.

In this summer's chapter, Laura is going to a big family party at Grandfather and Grandmother's house. The party is to celebrate getting so much maple syrup. Since they live in the forest, they do not meet other people very often. This party will be a big event. 

[audio 5]

*The original book is in the public domain under Hong Kong copyright law. This simplified copy is under my new copyright, which Ming Pao has permission to use. (John Larrysson's Column: Good Safe Public Domain Sources)

Little House in the Big Woods

Chapter 1 - Part 1: Introduction

Chapter 1 - Part 2: Wolves in the Night

Chapter 1 - Part 3: Venison

Chapter 1 - Part 4: Smoked Meat

Chapter 1 - Part 5: Food for Winter

Chapter 1 - Part 6: Butchering Time

Chapter 1 - Part 7: After Butchering Time

Chapter 1 - Part 8: Winter

Chapter 1 - Part 9: Winter Night

Chapter 1 - Part 10: About the Author & Where to Find the Book

Chapter 2 - Part 1: Winter Days and Winter Nights

Chapter 2 - Part 2: Jack Frost

Chapter 2 - Part 3: Laura and Mary Helped Mother with the Housework

Chapter 2 - Part 4: Churn on Thursday

Chapter 2 - Part 5: The Best Time of All

Chapter 2 - Part 6: Her Father Began to Play his Fiddle and Sing

Chapter 2 - Part 7: Father Told Stories

Chapter 2 - Part 8 - The Story of Grandfather and the Panther

Chapter 3 - Part 1: Introduction (The Long Rifle)

Chapter 3 - Part 2: Making Bullets

Chapter 3 - Part 3: Cleaning the Gun

Chapter 3 - Part 4: Loading the Gun

Chapter 3 - Part 5: Where and Why to Keep a Gun

Chapter 3 - Part 6: The Story of her Father and the Voice in the Forest Part 1

Chapter 3 - Part 7: The Story of her Father and the Voice in the Forest Part 2

Chapter 4 - Part 1: Christmas in the Forest

Chapter 4 - Part 2: Making a Gift for his Wife

Chapter 4 - Part 3: Christmas is Coming

Chapter 4 - Part 4: Children Make Pictures in the Snow

Chapter 4 - Part 5: Prince & the Blue Dress (part 1 of 3)

Chapter 4 - Part 6: Prince & the Blue Dress (part 2 of 3)

Chapter 4 - Part 7: Prince & the Blue Dress (part 3 of 3)

Chapter 4 - Part 8: Christmas Morning

Chapter 4 - Part 9: Santa Claus Only Gives Presents to Children

Chapter 5 - Part 1: Sundays

Chapter 5 - Part 2: The Weekly Bath

Chapter 5 - Part 3: Being Quiet

Chapter 5 - Part 4: The Story of Grandfather's Sledge and the Pig (part 1 of 4)

Chapter 5 - Part 5: The Story of Grandfather's Sledge and the Pig (part 2 of 4)

Chapter 5 - Part 6: The Story of Grandfather's Sledge and the Pig (part 3 of 4)

Chapter 5 - Part 7: The Story of Grandfather's Sledge and the Pig (part 4 of 4)

Chapter 5 - Part 8: Sunday Music

Chapter 5 - Part 9: Birthday Spanking

Chapter 6 - Part 1 - Introduction (Two Big Bears)

Chapter 6 - Part 2 - Getting Ready to Go

Chapter 6 - Part 3 - Milking Sukey the Cow (1 of 2)

Chapter 6 - Part 4a - Milking Sukey the Cow (2 of 2)

Chapter 6 - Part 4b - Review Questions: Milking Sukey

Chapter 6 - Part 4c - Answers for Review Questions

Chapter 6 - Part 5 - Her Father Has Not Come Home

Chapter 6 - Part 6 - The Story Of Her Father And The Bear In The Way (1 of 2)

Chapter 6 Part 7a - The Story of Her Father and the Bear in the Way (2 of 2)

Chapter 6 Part 7b - Review Questions: The Bear in the Way

Chapter 6 Part 7c - Answers for Review Questions

Chapter 6 Part 8 - Evening with Father

Chapter 6 Part 9 - When idiots see a bear: Hey let's feed the real live teddy bear!

Chapter 7 Part 1 Introduction - Maple Syrup

Chapter 7 Part 2 - The snow is melting

Chapter 7 Part 3 - Sugar Snow

Chapter 7 Part 4 - Grandfather prepares to make maple syrup

Chapter 7 Part 5 - Grandfather harvests maple syrup

Chapter 7 Part 6 - Why is it called a sugar snow?

Chapter 7 Part 7 - Delaine Dress

by John Larrysson

[email protected]

A native English speaker who has been teaching practical English in Hong Kong for over two decades.

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