Page 38 - Ext. Listening Reading_Neat

READING

Activity 1 Short Stories

A. Choose one among three short stories and read it all the way to the end. The words in bold may be
new to you. Do not stop to look up the words you do not know. Try to guess. At the end of each
story, you will have a chance to find out the meanings of these words in the glossary.

Story 1: Maker of the Twenty-first Moon
by Sean Patrick Hannifin

"We might kill the Wizard King was born
wizard tonight," Jonlen only once every
whispered. thousand years. They'd
"Or be killed," Slip create a new moon in
whispered back. the sky to let the world
"If he makes a know of their coming.
moon, he'll be They'd gather countless
completely out of followers, and their
energy. It will be easy. power was so grand, so
He'll be just like any unstoppable, that
ordinary man." they'd rule all who saw
Jonlen slowly led the moon,
Slip around the trees to the edge of the overthrowing every king, overturning
forest. every economy, reorganizing and shifting
"Is that the house?" Slip asked, peering the powers of the planet. The twenty moons
through the branches. already in the sky were the tombstones of
"That's the house. He's got a wife and a the Wizard Kings of the past, each marking
kid, seven years old. Puts the kid to bed an a life that had thrown the world into a new
hour after sunset, then he and his wife stay era.
up for two-and-a-half hours or so, talking But not this time, Jonlen thought, not
and reading. Planning things, I'm sure." this millennia.
"Dear gods, how long have you been There was one way to defeat a Wizard
watching him?" King, and that was to kill him right after the
"Long time," Jonlen said. And he was making of a new moon. Making a moon
proud of it. And tonight it would all be would temporarily drain their power,
made worthwhile. creating a short window of opportunity to
"Huh," Slip said, "looks like the kid gets stop them before it was too late.
to stay up late tonight." I am here and I am watching and I will
Jonlen squinted. Slip was right, the not let you change the world.
man was leading his son outside. Jonlen watched the man talking
"Ha!" Jonlen smiled. "He's definitely enthusiastically to his son and pointing to
making a moon tonight, letting his son stay the sky.
up for the show. Watch them carefully. And Go on. Make a moon.
watch the sky. There'll be more than stars Eventually the man put his hands up
up there before this hour's done." towards the sky as if trying to push it away.
Jonlen watched with excitement. Long Then the air trembled. A low hum came
had he daydreamed of this moment. A from nowhere, like a groan of stone against

34 | Extensive Listening & Reading