Unit 30: The Heirs

Click or select any word to translate.

Word List

  • n. A bill is a statement of money owed for goods or for a service.
    I have so many bills that I do not know how to pay them all.
  • n. A boundary is the line where one area of land stops and another begins.
    This fence shows the boundary between our yard and yours.
  • n. Chaos is a situation that is confusing and not ordered.
    His presentation was in chaos. I couldn't understand what he meant.
  • adj. If a person is consistent, they always have the same behavior or attitude.
    Sara comes in every day and is our most consistent worker.
  • n. A cyclone is a large storm with heavy rain and winds that spin in a circle.
    Hundreds of homes were damaged by the cyclone.
  • adj. If someone or something is doomed, they are going to fail or be destroyed.
    Since I spent all my money, my date with Jane is doomed.
  • n. An heir is a person who receives the money or property of someone who dies.
    The princess was the heir to the king and queen's throne.
  • adj. If something is martial, it is related to fighting or war.
    Karate is a martial art that began many years ago in Japan.
  • adj. If food is organic, it is grown without adding chemicals to it.
    The organic carrots are more expensive, but they're better for you.
  • n. Poultry is a bird, such as a chicken, that is used for meat and eggs.
    He raises poultry and sells their meat for extra money.
  • v. To scramble is to move somewhere quickly and desperately.
    The hikers scrambled down the side of the hill.
  • n. A sergeant is a soldier or police officer of middle rank.
    He was promoted to sergeant after a year in the army.
  • adj. If you describe something as sheer, it is complete and total.
    I was impressed by her sheer dedication to jogging.
  • n. A stance is an attitude about an issue that someone states clearly.
    My stance is that using oil and gas is bad for the environment.
  • n. A telegraph is a method of sending electric messages on wires.
    In the 1900s, the telegraph was the fastest way to send a message.
  • n. Textile is cloth that has been woven or knitted.
    The blue textile was going to be used to make blouses.
  • n. A tornado is a tube-shaped formation of air that spins very quickly.
    During a tornado, the safest place to be is underground.
  • n. A typhoon is a large tropical storm that moves in circles.
    Thousands of people lost electricity after a typhoon hit Australia.
  • v. To wail is to show sadness by crying loudly.
    The baby wailed because it was hungry.
  • n. A wardrobe is the collection of all of a person's clothing.
    She bought some new clothes to expand her wardrobe.

 

Exercise

A ‣ Circle the answer that best fits the question.

  1. Which of the following is a kind of storm?
    • a. A typhoon
    • b. A bill
    • c. A sergeant
    • d. A boundary
  2. Which of the following would come from a farm?
    • a. Organic vegetables
    • b. Wool textiles
    • c. A person's wardrobe
    • d. Short telegraphs
  3. Which of the following would help students taking a test?
    • a. Reading in chaos
    • b. Sheer luck
    • c. Taking martial arts classes
    • d. Consistent studying
  4. Who should expect to receive something?
    • a. A brave sergeant
    • b. A dead man's heir
    • c. A man with a strong stance
    • d. A man who needs a bill
  5. Which of the following would be loudest?
    • a. Cooked poultry
    • b. A scrambling woman
    • c. A doomed project
    • d. Wailing children
  6. Which word is not related to martial arts?
    • a. Taekwondo
    • b. Karate
    • c. Judo
    • d. Tango
  7. What can a person get from poultry?
    • a. Meat
    • b. Fruit
    • c. Pants
    • d. Soldiers
  8. What is part of a person's wardrobe?
    • a. A dog
    • b. A vegetable
    • c. A dress
    • d. A teacher
  9. Where would you most likely find a sergeant?
    • a. In a store
    • b. In an army
    • c. In a factory
    • d. In a class
  10. Which situation is full of chaos?
    • a. A man driving a car
    • b. Students reading
    • c. A girl walking
    • d. Armies fighting

 

B ‣ Match the phrases to make complete sentences.

  1. The heir of Mr. Smith's fortune _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  2. This is a martial matter, _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  3. The kids started wailing _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  4. I used the telegraph to _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  5. Everyone scrambled to _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  6. The sergeant ordered the _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  7. He's very consistent and _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  8. When the cyclone arrives, _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  9. The boundary of my land _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby
  10. First we color the textiles, _____.
    • a. there will be a lot of wind and rain
    • b. when their toys were taken away
    • c. is the fence not the road
    • d. and the soldiers should take care of it
    • e. other soldiers to march
    • f. never really changes his attitude
    • g. avoid the rushing water
    • h. and then we make them into clothes
    • i. will become very rich
    • j. tell my family about the new baby

 

C ‣ Match the clauses to make complete sentences.

  1. During the summer, we always keep a supply of food and water in the basement _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  2. He didn't like a strong central government, _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  3. He failed the test, _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  4. I won't go to fast food restaurants _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  5. I was disappointed in the team _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  6. The police were called _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  7. We all took shelter, _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  8. He quickly took out his credit card, _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  9. I want to buy a new suit, _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common
  10. She lost a few kilos _____.
    • a. because I only eat organic food
    • b. because the event turned into chaos
    • c. so he could pay the bill
    • d. because she ate only poultry and fruit
    • e. but that doesn't mean his school year is doomed
    • f. because of their sheer lack of sportsmanship
    • g. but my wardrobe is pretty full
    • h. so we knew his stance on politics
    • i. since the typhoon was raging
    • j. because that's when tornados are common

 

The Heirs

Martin, Paul, and Tom were brothers. They were very different, but they were consistent about two things. They couldn't succeed in business, and they never agreed about anything. Martin was a hardworking farmer, growing organic vegetables and raising poultry. But he was disorganized and forgot to pay his bills. Paul owned a textile factory that produced clothes. He was organized, but he was greedy and used too much for his own clothing. His wardrobe was filled with his own products. Tom was once a sergeant in the army. He ran a martial arts school, but his stance on discipline was too strong. He had almost no students.

One day, they received a telegraph saying that their father had died. They were heirs to his old farm. They planned to sell it as soon as possible, so they went to see it even though there was a terrible storm. The house didn't look great, but there was a lot of land. There was so much, in fact, that they could barely see its boundary.

Suddenly, the storm got worse. The sheer force of the wind almost knocked them over. Martin said, "Look, it's a typhoon!" Paul said, "No, it's a cyclone." Tom said, "No, it's a tornado!" They argued until Paul began to wail and said, "Whatever it is, it's coming right at us! We're doomed!" The three brothers scrambled inside the old house. Martin said, "If we survive, we must stop fighting. This farm could be great if we fixed it up. With my hard work, Paul's organization, and Tom's discipline, we could run a great business together!" The storm finally ended. And luckily, it didn't wreck the farm.

"Just think," Martin said, "it took the chaos of a typhoon to bring us together." Paul replied, "You mean a cyclone brought us together.” Tom said, "Didn't I tell you both that it was a tornado?" The brothers never agreed on what kind of storm it was, but by combining their skills, they started a successful farm.

 

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

  1. _____ Tom was a farmer who grew organic vegetables and poultry.
    __________
  2. _____ Paul's wardrobe was filled with clothes from his factory.
    __________
  3. _____ Tom was a sergeant in the army before running a martial arts school.
    __________
  4. _____ Martin's stance on discipline was too strong.
    __________
  5. _____ The brothers learned of their father's death through a telegraph.
    __________
  6. _____ The brothers could see the land's boundary.
    __________

 

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. What is the passage about?
    • a. Fixing a bad trait
    • b. Putting aside differences to work together
    • c. Trying to create a new business
    • d. Surviving a bad storm
  2. What two things were the brothers consistent about?
    _____
  3. Why wasn't Paul's textile factory successful?
    _____

 

Answer Key

Leave a comment

Name
Comments
Comments

Load more