🌿 The Secret Garden – Chapter 7: A Young Gardener

Mary now spent most of her time in the garden. Each morning, she visited the hidden place with her key and closed the door behind her. She loved the quiet sounds—the wind, the birds, the rustling leaves.

Every day, the garden looked a little more alive. Tiny green buds appeared. The grass grew greener. Flowers started to wake up.

But Mary didn’t know how to do everything. She needed help.

One morning, while talking to Martha, she asked, “Is there anyone who knows how to plant flowers? A boy, maybe?”

Martha smiled. “There’s my brother, Dickon. He’s twelve. He loves animals and growing things. Animals follow him around like he’s one of them.”

“Could I meet him?” Mary asked quickly.

“I’ll tell him to come see you,” said Martha.

A few days later, Mary heard footsteps near the garden wall. She peeked out and saw a boy with a kind face and messy hair. A fox followed him, and a crow sat on his shoulder.

“Are you Dickon?” she asked.

He smiled. “That’s me. You must be the girl Martha talks about.”

Mary opened the gate to let him in. “Do you want to see something secret?”

Dickon’s eyes lit up. “I love secrets.”

Mary led him through the ivy-covered door.

He stopped and looked around. “This is the secret garden?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “I found the key. I’ve been working here, but I don’t know much about plants.”

Dickon knelt down, touching the earth. He looked at the trees, the flower beds, and the climbing vines.

“This garden isn’t dead,” he said. “It’s just sleeping.”

“Can you help me wake it up?” Mary asked.

“With joy,” he said. “We’ll make it come alive again.”

The two children began to work side by side. Dickon showed her how to plant seeds, how to water roots, and how to speak kindly to flowers.

The robin sang above them, flying from branch to branch.

“Even the birds know something good is happening here,” Dickon said.

That evening, Mary returned to the house tired but happy.

She had a friend now—not just a bird or a garden—but a real friend who shared her secret.

And the garden was no longer just a mystery.
It was a place of hope.

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Buds	Small parts of a plant that become leaves or flowers
Rustling	Soft sounds made by leaves or grass in the wind
Messy hair	Hair that isn’t tidy or brushed
Knelt	Went down on one or both knees
With joy	Happily, gladly
Hope	A feeling that good things are coming

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What does Mary do each morning?

2. Who is Dickon, and what is special about him?

3. What animals come with Dickon?

4. How does Dickon feel about secrets?

5. What does Dickon say about the garden?

6. What does he help Mary do?

7. How does Mary feel by the end of the chapter?

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✅ Answers

1. She visits the secret garden.

2. He is Martha’s brother, and he is good with animals and plants.

3. A fox and a crow.

4. He says he loves secrets.

5. That it isn’t dead—it’s sleeping.

6. He teaches her to garden and helps her care for the plants.

7. Happy and no longer alone—she has a real friend.

 

📖 Overview

Adverbs give more information about verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or the whole sentence. At B2 level, it’s important to understand both the types of adverbs and where they usually appear in a sentence.

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🕐 Types of Adverbs

1. Adverbs of Manner → how something happens

   • Example: She sings beautifully.

2. Adverbs of Frequency → how often something happens

   • Example: He often visits his grandmother.

3. Adverbs of Time → when something happens

   • Example: They arrived yesterday.

4. Adverbs of Place → where something happens

   • Example: We met outside.

5. Adverbs of Degree → to what extent

   • Example: She is very tired. / He almost finished.

6. Comment/Opinion Adverbs → what the speaker thinks

   • Example: Unfortunately, we missed the train.

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🔹 Position of Adverbs in Sentences

1. Adverbs of Manner, Place, and Time usually go after the object or at the end of the sentence:

• He answered the question correctly.

• We played football in the park yesterday.

2. Adverbs of Frequency go before the main verb but after the verb 'to be':

• She always arrives on time.

• They are never late.

3. Adverbs of Degree usually go before the word they modify:

• The water is extremely cold.

• He nearly won the race.

4. Comment/Opinion Adverbs often go at the beginning of the sentence:

• Luckily, nobody was hurt.

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✍️ Practice: Fill in the Blank (1–20)

Choose the correct adverb and place it in the right part of the sentence.

1. She __________ goes to the gym. (rarely)

2. We met __________. (yesterday)

3. He runs __________ in competitions. (fast)

4. They are __________ tired. (completely)

5. I saw her __________. (outside)

6. __________, I forgot my ID card. (Unfortunately)

7. The teacher spoke __________. (clearly)

8. He __________ forgot the meeting. (almost)

9. I have __________ finished my project. (nearly)

10. We __________ go to the cinema on Fridays. (usually)

11. The baby is __________ asleep. (already)

12. I cleaned my room __________. (yesterday)

13. She danced __________ at the party. (gracefully)

14. The instructions were __________ confusing. (very)

15. My dog waits __________ at the door. (patiently)

16. They __________ eat meat. (never)

17. She is __________ happy with the results. (extremely)

18. __________, the weather improved. (Luckily)

19. He travels __________. (abroad)

20. We are __________ ready for the trip. (almost)

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✅ Answer Key with Explanations

1. She rarely goes to the gym. (Frequency adverb before main verb)

2. We met yesterday. (Time adverb at the end)

3. He runs fast in competitions. (Manner adverb after verb)

4. They are completely tired. (Degree adverb before adjective)

5. I saw her outside. (Place adverb after object)

6. Unfortunately, I forgot my ID card. (Comment adverb at beginning)

7. The teacher spoke clearly. (Manner adverb after verb)

8. He almost forgot the meeting. (Degree adverb before main verb)

9. I have nearly finished my project. (Degree adverb before past participle)

10. We usually go to the cinema on Fridays. (Frequency adverb before verb)

11. The baby is already asleep. (Degree adverb before adjective)

12. I cleaned my room yesterday. (Time adverb at end)

13. She danced gracefully at the party. (Manner adverb after verb)

14. The instructions were very confusing. (Degree adverb before adjective)

15. My dog waits patiently at the door. (Manner adverb after verb)

16. They never eat meat. (Frequency adverb before verb)

17. She is extremely happy with the results. (Degree adverb before adjective)

18. Luckily, the weather improved. (Comment adverb at beginning)

19. He travels abroad. (Place adverb at end)

20. We are almost ready for the trip. (Degree adverb before adjective)

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Keep Practicing! Mastering adverb types and positions will help make your writing and speaking more accurate and natural. Try writing 5 of your own sentences using different types of adverbs!

 

🌿 The Secret Garden – Chapter 6: Meeting Ben Weatherstaff

Mary couldn’t stop thinking about the garden.

Each day, she woke up early and visited the hidden place. She brought small tools and cleared more weeds and branches. The work made her feel stronger and happier.

One morning, while walking near the wall, she saw a man with a shovel. He was old and thin, with a sharp face and rough hands. His clothes were dusty, and his boots were muddy.

The robin flew down and landed on a branch between them.

“You again?” the old man said to the bird.

Mary stepped closer. “You talk to him too?”

He looked at her with surprise. “You’re the little girl from inside. You’ve got sharp eyes.”

“What’s your name?” Mary asked.

“Ben Weatherstaff,” he said. “I take care of the gardens—when I’m not too stiff to move.”

“I like your robin,” Mary said.

“He’s not mine,” Ben said. “But he knows I’m friendly. He likes you too, I can tell.”

Mary smiled. She didn’t often smile, but she felt safe around the old gardener.

“Do you know about the locked garden?” she asked suddenly.

Ben’s face changed. He looked serious.

“Everyone knows about it. It was locked up after Mrs. Craven died. Nobody’s been inside for ten years.”

“Do you think it’s dead?” Mary asked.

Ben shook his head. “Things grow, even when no one sees them. Nature’s full of secrets.”

Mary wanted to tell him that she had found the door. That she had the key. But something told her to wait.

Instead, she asked, “Could I learn to plant flowers? To take care of them?”

Ben looked at her. “You’re small, but you’ve got fire in you. Maybe you could. But you’d need practice.”

He showed her how to hold a small spade and dig a hole. He pulled up weeds and explained the names of plants. Mary listened closely.

As they worked, the robin flew around them, singing.

“You’ve made a friend,” Ben said. “That robin’s a smart one.”

Mary felt proud. She didn’t have friends before—not even in India. But now she had a bird, a secret garden, and maybe even Ben.

That night, she lay in bed and smiled to herself.

She wasn’t lonely anymore.

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Shovel	A tool used to dig or move dirt
Weeds	Wild, unwanted plants
Rough	Not smooth or gentle
Stiff	Difficult to move or bend
Spade	A small tool for digging
Practice	Doing something many times to get better
Fire in you	Energy, determination, or strong spirit

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What does Mary do each day in the garden?

2. Who does she meet near the wall?

3. What is Ben Weatherstaff’s job?

4. What does Ben say about the robin?

5. What does Mary ask Ben to teach her?

6. Why doesn’t Mary tell Ben about the door?

7. How does Mary feel by the end of the chapter?

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✅ Answers

1. She works in the garden—cleaning and exploring.

2. An old gardener named Ben Weatherstaff.

3. He takes care of the gardens at Misselthwaite Manor.

4. That the robin likes friendly people and seems to like Mary.

5. How to plant flowers and care for plants.

6. She wants to keep the garden a secret for now.

7. She feels happy, safe, and not lonely anymore.