📖 Tom Sawyer – Chapter 4 (Adapted)

Title: Sunday Trouble

Sunday morning came, and Aunt Polly was busy getting Tom ready for church. She brushed his hair, cleaned his face, and gave him his “Sunday clothes”—stiff and uncomfortable.

Sid was already dressed neatly, looking like the perfect boy. Tom felt hot and itchy in his clothes. He also had to take his Bible to church. Aunt Polly had promised a Bible as a prize to any child who could learn two thousand Bible verses. Tom had no interest in learning them, but he was very interested in the prize.

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The Ticket Game

In Sunday school, children earned coloured tickets for learning Bible verses—red for two verses, blue for five, yellow for ten. When they had enough tickets, they could trade them for a Bible.

Tom had discovered a clever way to get tickets—by trading. He swapped marbles, fishing hooks, and other treasures for tickets from other boys who didn’t care about prizes.

That morning, Tom proudly walked into Sunday school with a mountain of tickets—enough to get a Bible. The teacher, Mr. Walters, was surprised but pleased.

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The Important Visitor

Just then, an important visitor arrived—Judge Thatcher, the most respected man in town, along with his daughter. Tom’s heart jumped—it was the same girl in the blue dress from yesterday! Now he had to impress her.

When the time came to present the prize, Mr. Walters called Tom forward.

“For learning two thousand verses—Thomas Sawyer!”

Everyone was amazed. Aunt Polly smiled proudly.

The Judge shook Tom’s hand.

“You must love the Bible, my boy. Tell me—who were the first two disciples of Jesus?”

Tom froze. He had no idea. He searched his mind desperately.

“David… and Goliath?” he guessed.

The room went silent. A few boys laughed. Aunt Polly’s face turned red with embarrassment. Tom wished the ground would swallow him.

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That afternoon, Tom decided that impressing the girl was going to take more than Bible tickets.

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📘 Glossary

Word	Meaning
Stiff	Hard and not comfortable
Verses	Sentences from the Bible
Trade	To exchange something for something else
Prize	Something you win
Respected	Admired by many people
Embarrassment	Feeling ashamed or awkward

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What did Aunt Polly give Tom to wear for Sunday?

2. How could children earn tickets in Sunday school?

3. How did Tom get enough tickets for a Bible?

4. Who was the important visitor at Sunday school?

5. What mistake did Tom make in front of everyone?

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✅ Answers

1. His uncomfortable “Sunday clothes.”

2. By learning Bible verses.

3. He traded toys and treasures for them.

4. Judge Thatcher and his daughter.

5. He guessed that the first two disciples were “David and Goliath.”

 

✦ IELTS Topic: Extreme Weather – 10 Useful Phrases

1. Severe storm
   e.g., A severe storm hit the region, causing widespread damage.

2. Flash flood
   e.g., The flash flood caught everyone by surprise after heavy rainfall.

3. Prolonged drought
   e.g., The crops failed after a prolonged drought during the summer months.

4. Hurricane warning
   e.g., A hurricane warning was issued for the entire coastline.

5. Natural disaster
   e.g., The earthquake and flood together created a huge natural disaster.

6. Emergency services
   e.g., Emergency services worked all night to rescue trapped families.

7. Power outage
   e.g., The storm caused a power outage that lasted two days.

8. Evacuation order
   e.g., Residents received an evacuation order due to rising floodwaters.

9. Torrential rain
   e.g., Torrential rain triggered landslides in the hilly areas.

10. Strong winds
    e.g., The strong winds blew roofs off houses during the cyclone.

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✦ IELTS Speaking Practice – Extreme Weather

Part 1: Introduction & Interview

1. Have you ever experienced extreme weather?

2. What kind of weather is common in your country?

3. How do people prepare for severe storms?

4. Do floods or droughts affect your area?

5. Do you think climate change is increasing extreme weather?

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Part 2: Cue Card

Describe an experience you had with extreme weather.
You should say:

• what the weather was

• where and when it happened

• what you did
  and explain how it affected you or others.

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✦ Sample Answers Using the Phrases

Part 1 Answers

1. Yes, we had a severe storm last year with strong winds and a power outage.
2. In my country, we mostly face droughts and flash floods.
3. People store food, charge devices, and listen for hurricane warnings.
4. Yes, a prolonged drought last year led to water restrictions.
5. Definitely — I believe natural disasters are more frequent now.

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Part 2 Sample Answer

A few years ago, I experienced a flash flood while visiting a mountainous area during monsoon season. It started with torrential rain, and within hours, the streets were flooded.

There was a power outage across the town, and the local authorities issued an evacuation order. We stayed in a shelter overnight with help from emergency services.

It was frightening, but I also felt grateful for the help we received. It showed me how dangerous extreme weather can be, especially when it comes suddenly.

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✦ Comprehension Test: Extreme Weather Vocabulary

1. "A severe storm hit the region, causing widespread damage."
Q: What happened in the region?

2. "The flash flood caught everyone by surprise after heavy rainfall."
Q: What caused the sudden flood?

3. "The crops failed after a prolonged drought."
Q: Why did the crops fail?

4. "A hurricane warning was issued for the entire coastline."
Q: What alert was given?

5. "The earthquake and flood created a huge natural disaster."
Q: What kind of event was it?

6. "Emergency services worked all night to rescue trapped families."
Q: Who helped during the disaster?

7. "The storm caused a power outage that lasted two days."
Q: What happened to the electricity?

8. "Residents received an evacuation order due to rising floodwaters."
Q: What were people told to do?

9. "Torrential rain triggered landslides in the hills."
Q: What caused the landslides?

10. "The strong winds blew roofs off houses during the cyclone."
Q: What damage did the wind cause?

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✦ Answer Key

1. A storm caused damage.

2. Heavy rainfall.

3. Lack of water over time.

4. A storm warning.

5. A serious natural event.

6. Emergency responders.

7. Electricity was lost.

8. Leave the area.

9. Very heavy rain.

10. Roofs were removed.

 

📖 Tom Sawyer – Chapter 3 (Adapted)

Title: Tom the Hero

Tom walked proudly into the house. He felt like a king. He had made the other boys do his work—and they paid him for it!

Aunt Polly was surprised to see the fence finished so quickly.

“Well, I never! Maybe Tom is a good boy sometimes,” she said, smiling.

At dinner, Tom tried to be quiet and polite. But Sid, his half-brother, broke a plate—and Aunt Polly blamed Tom.

“Tom! What did you do this time?”

“It wasn’t me! It was Sid!”

“Don’t lie to me, Tom,” she said, and she sighed.

Tom felt angry. It wasn’t fair.

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After dinner, Tom left the house to go for a walk. He was still upset, but soon forgot everything when he saw a beautiful girl in a blue dress.

She was standing in her garden, holding a flower. Tom had never seen her before. He fell in love immediately.

He stood on the sidewalk and showed off. He stood on his hands, did tricks, and whistled. The girl pretended not to see him, but when he wasn’t looking, she threw a flower over the fence.

Tom picked it up gently and held it to his heart. Then he ran off, full of joy.

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Later that evening, Tom came home and climbed through his bedroom window. He didn’t want to talk to Aunt Polly.

Sid was already asleep. Tom lay in bed, thinking about the girl.

“I don’t even know her name,” he whispered.

He held the flower close and smiled.

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📘 Glossary

Word	Meaning
Proudly	With a strong, happy feeling about something you've done
Half-brother	A brother who shares one parent with you
Blamed	Said that someone is responsible for a mistake
Sidewalk	A path for people to walk beside a road
Pretended	Acted in a way that is not true
Whistled	Made a sound by blowing air through the lips or teeth

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. How did Aunt Polly react when she saw the fence was finished?

2. Why did Tom get in trouble at dinner?

3. What did Tom see during his walk?

4. How did the girl react to Tom’s tricks?

5. What did Tom do when he got home?

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✅ Answers

1. She was surprised and thought Tom might be a good boy after all.

2. Sid broke a plate, but Aunt Polly blamed Tom.

3. He saw a beautiful girl in a blue dress in her garden.

4. She acted like she didn’t see him but secretly threw him a flower.

5. He climbed into his room quietly and went to bed thinking about the girl.