A ghost in love and other plays 400 headwords oxford bookworms library

A GHOST IN LOVE AND OTHER PLAYS Most people not believe in ghosts, until they see one with their own eyes In these three plays, Richard, Jenny and Brad all have their lives changed completely by the ghosts who appear to them Richard Little is surprised and very afraid when he sees the ghost of his dead brother-in-law He knows that he must help the ghost to find peace, although he himself will be in great danger When Jenny Lawson meets the ghost of her dead husband, she understands that he has a special message for her — something that he did not manage to tell her when he was alive And finally, in the title play, Brad Davis meets the ghost of the girl he loved and left three hundred years ago Is he going to stay with her and make her happy, or return to twentieth-century America? OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 0x2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With offices in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam OXFORD and OXFORD ENGLISH are registered trade marks of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries This edition © Oxford University Press 2007 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published in Oxford Bookworms 1999 10 No unauthorized photocopying All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the ELT Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer Any websites referred to in this publication are in the public domain and their addresses are provided by Oxford University Press for information only Oxford University Press disclaims any responsibility for the content ISBN 978 19 423501 A complete recording of this Bookworms edition of A Ghost in Love and Other Plays is available on audio CD ISBN 978 19 423507 Printed in Hong Kong Illustrated by: Kay Dixey/Linda Rogers Associates For more information on the Oxford Bookworms Library, visit www.oup.com/elt/bookworms CONTENTS One Ghost for the Day, One Ghost for the Night Sleep now, My Darling A Ghost in Love GLOSSARY ACTIVITIES: Before Reading ACTIVITIES: While Reading ACTIVITIES: After Reading ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE BOOKWORMS LIBRARY INTRODUCTION Richard Little is at home on a dark night in 1653 Two years ago, his sister Beth’s husband, James, died She found a new husband But the man at the window in the dark night is James Heston And he is angry with Richard … CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY Richard Little Mary Little, Richard’s wife The ghost of James Heston, Richard’s brother-in-law David Keech, Beth’s second husband Judge Timms Oliver Barker, who speaks for Richard in court Philip Reynolds, who speaks against Richard in court Six women and six men PERFORMANCE NOTES Scene 1: A room with a book, a table, chairs and a dress for Mary to have in her hand Scene 2: In court, with the judge’s chair, chairs for six men and six women, something to eat, a bag, money Scene 3: The same room as Scene 1, with a knife, table and chairs Scene 4: In prison, with a bed, table, chair and book You will need black clothes for the men, long dresses for the women The tables and chairs only move in Scenes and in the character’s head; they not move on the stage In Scene we hear Heston’s ghost, but we cannot see him One Ghost for the Day, One Ghost for the Night SCENE A ghost comes to Richard Little The year is 1653 It is a cold, dark winter night and Richard Little, a man of forty, is sitting in his chair He is reading a book He hears something He goes to the window, looks out and then goes back to the chair His wife, Mary, comes in She is making a dress She has the dress in her hand RICHARD MARY There’s nothing there Read your book, Richard RICHARD MARY Come and sit with me No I’m making a dress I’m going upstairs RICHARD MARY Mary, I can hear something outside Mary, please There’s something out there Oh, Richard! Mary goes out and James Heston’s ghost comes in HESTON Hello, Richard RICHARD HESTON Aaaagh! You! James! James Heston! But you — you’re dead! Yes I am dead But I can’t find peace because of you RICHARD Because of me? Why — why because of me? HESTON Beth had a new husband after me That animal, Keech RICHARD HESTON Yes Beth was a good woman And a good sister to me I said to her, ‘Don’t go with Keech.Think of James He’s dead now.’ She was Keech’s wife for only three months Then she died And now Keech has my son And he has my son’s money RICHARD HESTON Oh, you remember now? Before I died, I said to you, ‘My boy gets my money at twenty-one and not before’ He is eight now Eight And Keech has his money RICHARD HESTON I’m sorry about that, but what can I do? You must get my boy’s money Get it from Keech RICHARD HESTON Ah I understand now No! Keech can kill me with one hand He’s big — he always has a knife in his pocket Last year he killed a man with that knife I’m afraid of him, James Are you afraid of me? RICHARD HESTON Only a little, eh? Look at the table RICHARD HESTON No Oh! Yes, a little You’re a ghost! (Looking at the table) Oh no! The table is moving! (He stands up and walks to the table.) Oh no! Oh, the chair is moving now! And now my chair is moving! James! Don’t this to me! At this minute, Keech is building a new home in a village near here with my son’s money Stop him! RICHARD I’m sorry, James I can’t (He gets a book and throws it across the room.) I didn’t want — that was my hand but — James, can you get in my head? Can you tell my hand — He looks at his hand and at the book (Laughing) Yes, Richard And your answer is going to be ‘Yes’ Or you are going to this again and again and again and — Richard gets a book and throws it across the room again Then he runs across the room Then he moves the table, the chairs and his chair Heston laughs Richard stops HESTON RICHARD HESTON Oh yes Now, I can it to you again or you can say ‘Yes’ and get my son’s money Which? RICHARD HESTON I’m going mad! Why does my hand throw a book, when I don’t want to? Can all dead people this? Can they get in a man’s head, so he moves a chair or throws a book? But how? How can I get the money from Keech? Sit down I’m going to tell you ACTIVITIES While Reading One Ghost for the Day, One Ghost for the Night Read Scene 1, then circle the correct words in these sentences Mary can hear something / nothing outside Richard is afraid / happy when he sees Heston Heston is pleased / angry with Richard Last year, Keech / Heston killed a man Keech now has Richard’s / Heston’s son’s money Read Scenes and 3, and complete the summary In the court, Reynolds _ Keech about Tom’s money.Keech _ the money to everyone Then Richard _the court about the ghost, and everyone _ at him But then everyone _ the dead man’s voice Keech killed a man and _ his money, Heston said Keech _ away from the court Later, he _ Richard Read Scene 4, and then answer these questions Where is Keech, and why is he afraid? Why can’t Keech hit Richard? Who is going to be with Keech every night? Sleep now, My Darling Read Scene Choose the best question-word for these questions, and then answer them What / Where / Who / Why _ is Gilbert going today? _ made the bread? _ was the name of Gilbert’s best film? _ must Gilbert go to America? _ does Jenny want to do? Read Scenes and Who said these words, and to whom? ‘I know you I know your face.’ ‘But forget about me I want to talk about you.’ ‘I was happy when I was an actress.’ ‘I write books now, you know.’ ‘Smile Be happy.’ ‘She’s white in the face!’ ‘We phoned you at home There was no answer.’ Read Scene Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? Gilbert died when the plane crashed Jenny’s father was at the airport Laura was at the airport Laura is a writer Jenny is going to be an actress again A Ghost in Love Read Scene 1, then match the people with the information Ellen / Matthew / Jerry / Mrs Finch / Brad / Brad’s father _ and _ arrive in a village in England _ died one month ago Brad sees the ghost of _ in his hotel room A long time ago, _ was Ellen’s boyfriend _ works at the hotel Read Scenes and What people say about Ellen and Matthew? Match these halves of sentences Matthew stole things, they were ill the next day The men loved Ellen, and Ellen sold them Matthew took all Ellen’s money, but the women didn’t When Ellen looked at people, but she loved him Read Scene Correct the mistakes in this summary Ten men came for Matthew and Ellen, but they ran away Matthew went to France Ellen wasn’t with him because the ship went late She died at home Before you read Scenes and 6, can you guess what Brad is going to do? He is going back to America He is staying in England ACTIVITIES After Reading Heston wants Richard to get his son’s money (see page 4) Put their conversation in the right order, and write in the speakers’ names Richard speaks first (number 6) _ ‘You can take Keech to court Then you can tell the judge about my son’s money.’ _ ‘What! A ghost! In court?’ _ ‘You must tell everyone about Keech.’ _ ‘But Keech is going to be angry! I’m afraid of him!’ _ ‘No! Do it tomorrow! Go to court and get my boy’s money Do it! Or you want to go mad?’ _ ‘What must I do?’ _ ‘Well, I need to think Maybe next week …’ _ ‘That’s easy Tell the judge to call me I’m going to come to the court!’ _ ‘Don’t worry The judge is going to send Keech to prison Keech is going to die there He can’t hurt you.’ 10 _ ‘I can say “Keech took the money.” But how can I show that it’s true?’ 11 _ ‘Yes I’m going to tell the court about Keech — and his money! I know some bad things about him!’ 12 _ ‘How can I that?’ This is a page from Jenny’s diary, on the day that Gilbert leaves (see page 17) Use these words to fill in the gaps actress, because, director, film, garden, next, together, unhappy, went, works Gilbert _ to America today He’s going to make a _ He’s a good _, and he often _ in America I can’t go with him, _ I have work to in the house and _ I feel very _ because I’m at home all the time Perhaps next year Gilbert and I can go to America _ Perhaps I can be in his _ film I’m a good _, I think Here are some other titles for the plays Can you match the titles with the plays? Which title you like best for each play, and why? One Ghost for the Day, One Ghost for the Night Sleep now, My Darling A Ghost in Love Matthew Comes Home Jenny Learns to Live The Man with the Knife Two Americans on Holiday A Dead Man in Court Time to be Happy Again No More Waiting Thank you, Gilbert No Peace for a Killer Perhaps this is what some of the people in A Ghost in Love are thinking Who are the people, and what is happening in the play at the moment? Jerry / Mrs Finch / Mrs Morgan / Brad / Ellen ‘What a lovely old room! Wait a minute I remember this room And this wasn’t a hotel, it was a house A girl lived here, and I loved her.’ ‘Oh, that poor boy! He looks white Perhaps he’s tired? Or hungry? He needs one of my dinners!’ ‘Why isn’t Matthew here? It’s quarter past one And that ship? Where is it going? Is Matthew in it?’ ‘Why does everyone say these terrible things about Ellen Bannister? She wasn’t a bad girl Those two American boys are very interested in her!’ ‘So it’s true! There really is a ghost! It’s the ghost of a young girl, and she’s talking to Brad.’ Which play did you like best, and which did you like least? Can you explain why? Write a short review of one of the plays Use these words to help you I like / don’t like this play because _ It is a good play because _ My favourite character is _ because _ It’s exciting when _ Find words from the three plays to complete this crossword Then find the hidden word Some people say Ellen was a _ (5) Ellen waited for Matthew at the _ (7) Gilbert’s plane _ into the sea (7) Two ghosts visited Keech when he was in _ (6) The _ at the café was friendly to Henry (8) We get milk from _ (4) Keech killed a rich man and _ his money (5) At Keech’s trial, the people can’t see Heston but they can hear his _ (5) Jenny heard some bad news when she was at the _.(7) The hidden word is _ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Dean taught and lectured in ELT, EFL and Business English for many years He was a Visiting Lecturer at Cass Business School in London, and is now a freelance writer He has written two books in the Oxford Junior English series for Hong Kong schools, as well as Listening and Integrated Skills books for OUP Hong Kong, a series which has also been successful in China He is the author of English Grammar lessons for OUP He has published many other ELT textbooks and skills books, as well as support and supplementary material, in the Arab world, Eastern Europe, Holland, Germany and Spain OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Classics Crime & Mystery Factfiles Fantasy & Horror Human Interest Playscripts Thriller & Adventure True Stories World Stories The OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY provides enjoyable reading in English, with a wide range of classic and modern fiction, non-fiction, and plays It includes original and adapted texts in seven carefully graded language stages, which take learners from beginner to advanced level An overview is given on the next pages All Stage titles are available as audio recordings, as well as over eighty other titles from Starter to Stage All Starters and many titles at Stages to are specially recommended for younger learners Every Bookworm is illustrated, and Starters and Factfiles have full-colour illustrations The OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY also offers extensive support Each book contains an introduction to the story, notes about the author, a glossary, and activities Additional resources include tests and worksheets, and answers for these and for the activities in the books There is advice on running a class library, using audio recordings, and the many ways of using Oxford Bookworms in reading programmes Resource materials are available on the website .The Oxford Bookworms Collection is a series for advanced learners It consists of volumes of short stories by well-known authors, both classic and modern Texts are not abridged or adapted in any way, but carefully selected to be accessible to the advanced student You can find details and a full list of titles in the Oxford Bookworms Library Catalogue and Oxford English Language Teaching Catalogues , and on the website THE OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY GRADING AND SAMPLE EXTRACTS STARTER 250 HEADWORDS present simple — present continuous — imperative — can/cannot, must — going to (future) — simple gerunds … Her phone is ringing — but where is it? Sally gets out of bed and looks in her bag No phone She looks under the bed No phone Then she looks behind the door There is her phone Sally picks up her phone and answers it Sally’s Phone STAGE 400 HEADWORDS … past simple — coordination with and, but, or — subordination with before, after, when, because, so …I knew him in Persia He was a famous builder and I worked with him there For a time I was his friend, but not for long When he came to Paris, I came after him — I wanted to watch him He was a very clever, very dangerous man The Phantom of the Opera STAGE 700 HEADWORDS … present perfect — will (future) — (don’t) have to, must not, could — comparison of adjectives — simple if clauses — past continuous — tag questions — ask/tell + infinitive …While I was writing these words in my diary, I decided what to I must try to escape I shall try to get down the wall outside The window is high above the ground, but I have to try I shall take some of the gold with me — if I escape, perhaps it will be helpful later Dracula STAGE I000 HEADWORDS … should, may — present perfect continuous — used to — past perfect — causative — relative clauses — indirect statements …Of course, it was most important that no one should see Colin, Mary, or Dickon entering the secret garden So Colin gave orders to the gardeners that they must all keep away from that part of the garden in future The Secret Garden STAGE 1400 HEADWORDS … past perfect continuous — passive (simple forms) — would conditional clauses — indirect questions — relatives with where/when — gerunds after prepositions/phrases.I was glad Now Hyde could not show his face to the world again If he did, every honest man in London would be proud to report him to the police Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde STAGE 1800 HEADWORDS …future continuous — future perfect — passive (modals, continuous forms) — would have conditional clauses — modals + perfect infinitive … If he had spoken Estella’s name, I would have hit him I was so angry with him, and so depressed about my future, that I could not eat the breakfast Instead I went straight to the old house Great Expectations STAGE 2500 HEADWORDS … passive (infinitives, gerunds) — advanced modal meanings — clauses of concession, condition When I stepped up to the piano, I was confident It was as if I knew that the prodigy side of me really did exist And when I started to play, I was so caught up in how lovely I looked that I didn’t worry how I would sound The Joy Luck Club BOOKWORMS PLAYSCRIPTS STAGE The Butler Did It and Other Plays BILL BOWLER Retold by Clare West How you get a licence if you want to keep a monkey? What can you if your wife has a lover? How can you see into the future? Where can you go for an exciting but cheap holiday somewhere hot and far away? How can you persuade your girlfriend or boyfriend to marry you? The characters in these six original short plays are looking for answers to these questions While trying to solve their problems, people get into some very funny situations Each play gives an amusing view of life today, and there is often an unexpected ending BOOKWORMS PLAYSCRIPTS STAGE The Murder of Mary Jones TIM VICARY The court room is full for today’s trial Two young men, Simon Clark and Dan Smith, stand up The clerk asks, ‘Are you guilty of the murder of Mary Jones?’ ‘Not guilty!’ they reply But perhaps they are guilty The police found the murder weapon in their stolen car, and there was blood on Simon’s face If the court finds them guilty, they will go to prison for a very long time Can the lawyers find out the truth, by asking the right questions? Everyone in court wants to know who murdered Mary Jones, especially her mother, and her boyfriend, Jim You can help to find the answer, too! BOOKWORMS PLAYSCRIPTS STAGE Hamlet WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Retold by Alistair McCallum Why does Hamlet, the young Prince of Denmark, look so sad? Why does he often say strange things? His family and friends are worried about him Perhaps he is mad! But Hamlet thinks that he has discovered a terrible secret about a recent crime in his family Now he has no time for Ophelia, the sweet girl who loves him, or his friends, who were at school with him He sits alone, and thinks, and plans What will he decide to do? Will he ever be happy again? This famous play by William Shakespeare, written in about 1600, is one of the finest in the English language BOOKWORMS PLAYSCRIPTS STAGE Romeo and Juliet WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Retold by Alistair McCallum What’s in a name? Does it really matter if you are called Montague or Capulet? When Romeo, son of Lord and Lady Montague, falls in love with the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen, he finds out that it does matter It makes all the difference in the world, because both families hate each other bitterly For a time, Romeo and Juliet manage to keep their love secret But when Romeo is sent away from Verona, and arrangements are made for Juliet to marry Paris, a friend of her father’s, hope begins to die Can any of their friends help the young lovers to be together for ever? BOOKWORMS FANTASY & HORROR The Withered Arm STAGE THOMAS HARDY Retold by Jennifer Bassett A woman and a man … words of love whispered on a summer night Later, there is a child, but no wedding-ring And then the man leaves the first woman, finds a younger woman, marries her … It’s an old story Yes, it’s an old, old story It happens all the time – today, tomorrow, a hundred years ago People don’t change But this story, set among the green hills of southern England, has something different about it Perhaps it is only a dream, or perhaps it is magic – a kind of strange dark magic that begins in the world of dreams and phantoms … BOOKWORMS FANTASY & HORROR STAGE The Canterville Ghost OSCAR WILDE Retold by John Escott There has been a ghost in the house for three hundred years, and Lord Canterville’s family have had enough of it So Lord Canterville sells his grand old house to an American family Mr Hiram B Otis is happy to buy the house and the ghost — because of course Americans don’t believe in ghosts The Canterville ghost has great plans to frighten the life out of the Otis family But Americans don’t frighten easily — especially not two noisy little boys — and the poor ghost has a few surprises waiting for him