ENHANCED

C D
 S7

Frances Hodgson Burnett

ecret (Darden

Text adaptation and dossiers by Jenny Pereira

Activities by Jenny Pereira and Kenneth Brodey
 (Contents

Some Notes on the Author 5

The World of TheSecret Garden 6

Chapter One aA S p o ilt JSittle § i r l 9

ACTIVITIES 13

About India 18

Chapter Two A piary V i s its the hardens 22

ACTIVITIES 27

Chapter Three qA B ry in the S K iy lt 30

ACTIVITIES 37

English Gardens 40

Chapter Four d )iclo n 45

ACTIVITIES 49

Chapter Five Bolin 53

ACTIVITIES 57
Chapter Six SW et ^Weat 60

ACTIVITIES 65

Chapter Seven $ % €ill £ ive ^ o r 8>ver and Sver! 69

ACTIVITIES 73

Chapter Eight £ (a cjic 77

ACTIVITIES 82

IN T E R N E T P R O J E C T 87

The Rich and Poor in

Victorian Times 88

EXIT TEST 94
KEY TO EXIT TEST 96

PET Cambridge Prelim inary English Test-style exercises

T: g r a d e s 4 /5 T rinity-style exercises (Grades 4/5)

The story is recorded in full.

T hese sym bols in d ic a te th e c h a p te rs and e x e rc ise s
i p featured on the accom panying CD.
 Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Some Notes on the Author,

Frances Hodgson Burnett
Frances Hodgson Burnett was born in M anchester, England in
1849. W hen she was s ix te e n y e a rs old, she and he r fam ily
emigrated 1 to Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. She wrote a lot of very
popular books for children. Her most famous novel, Little Lord
Fauntleroy (1886) started a fashion in velvet2 suits for small boys!
The Secret Garden is a much-loved children’s book that is still
p o p u l a r to d ay , and has b een m ad e in to a s u c c e s s f u l film .
Children and adults of today enjoy the story of how two sad,
unw anted 3 children find happiness by tending an abandoned
garden as much as they did when it was first written in 1911.

1. emigrated : left one country in order to live in another.

2. velvet : a soft, smooth material.
3. unwanted : undesired.
 The World of The Secret Garden
At the tim e that F rances H odgson B urnett w rote The Secret
Garden in 1911, Britain controlled all of India.
H undreds of B ritish people went to India to help govern the
country. Many of them lived a luxuriant life-style, and Indian
servants did everything for them. The British were often unkind to
their servants and did not always treat them as equal human beings.
The British children who lived in India were looked after by
native 1 nursemaids 2 who had to do anything that the children asked.

A British officer in India receives a pedicure from an Indian servant.

1. native : som eone who is born in a country.

2. nursem aids : people who are paid to look after children.

6
They did not even have to put on their own clothes. It was not
surprising that some of these children became spoilt1 and lazy.
Back in Britain, things were similar for most children of rich
f a m i l i e s . T h e y , to o , w e r e b r o u g h t up by s e r v a n t s a n d
governesses, 2 and they only saw their parents for a short time
each day.
Life was very different, however, for poor families. There were
often ten or more children living with their parents in small
houses with only one or two bedrooms. There was not always
enough food for everyone and clothes were passed down from

Children queuing for breakfast at a Salvation Army hostel in London.

1. spoilt : made unpleasant because they are given everything they want or
ask for.
2. governesses : wom en teachers who taught young children.

7
the older children to the younger ones. Children started work at
an early age to earn 1 money to buy food and clothes for the rest
of the family.

D Read the sentences and decide if they are true (T) or false (F).
Then correct the false ones.

T F
a. When Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote
The Secret Garden India controlled all of Britain. □□
b. Hundreds of British people went to live in India. □□
c. Many British people lived very well there. □□
d. British children looked after Indian nursem aids. □□
e. Things were very different in Britain for
rich families. □□
f. Rich children in Britain saw a lot of their parents. □□
g* Poor families lived in houses w ith no bedroom. □□
h. Younger children wore old clothes. □□
i. Poor children started work after finishing school. □□

1. earn [3:rn] : receive money for doing a job.

8
 Chapter One

ary Lennox was spoilt, rude 1 and had a bad

temper. 2 Because she was often' ill she was
th in , w ith a sad face. She c o m p la in e d 3 a
lot. No one liked her at all.
This was not really M ary’s fault. She lived in India w ith her
m other and father, but she did not see her parents very often.
M ary’s father was busy w ith his w ork and her m other was a
very b e a u tifu l w o m an w ho lo v ed p a rtie s an d w as not
interested in her small daughter. She left Mary in the care of
an Indian nanny, 4 called an ayah. Her ayah let Mary do w hat
she w anted because she d id n ’t want Mary to cry and irritate her ^
mother. Mary soon became a spoilt and unpleasant young girl.

1. rude : im polite, impertinent.

2. had a bad temper : became angry quickly.
3. com plained : said ‘N o’ a lot.
4. nanny : nursemaid; a woman who is paid to look after children.

9
 oJfie Secret harden

W h e n M a ry w a s n i n e y e a r s o ld s h e w o k e u p o n e h o t
m orning and felt that there was som ething wrong. She heard
strange cries a n d sh o u ts a n d th e s o u n d of feet o u ts id e he r
door, but no one came to see her. She w ent back to sleep.
Later, w h e n Mary woke up, the house was silent. She heard
nothing. M ary was angry b ecause no one came to bring her
food or to d re s s her. S u d d e n l y h e r d o o r o p e n e d a n d tw o
Englishm en entered. Mary looked at them angrily.
‘Why has everyone forgotten m e?’ she asked. ‘W here is my
ayah? Why does no one com e?’
‘Poor little k id,’ 1 said one of the men. ‘There is nobody here.’
T hat is h o w M ary disc o v e red th a t h e r m o th e r a n d father
were dead and that the servants were dead too, because of a
terrible d is e a s e .2 That was w hy the house was so silent. Mary
Lennox was com pletely alone.

There was no one in India to look after Mary, so she w ent to

England to live w ith her uncle, Mr Craven, who lived in a big
house in Yorkshire, called M isselthw aite Manor.
M rs M e d lo c k , h e r u n c l e ’s h o u s e k e e p e r , 3 m e t M a ry in
L ondon. M ary d is lik e d Mrs M e d lo c k im m ed ia te ly . But this
was nothing new, because Mary disliked everyone.
Mrs M edlock did not like Mary. She thought that the little
girl was bad-tem pered, rude and p l a i n 4 - and she was right.
During the long train journey to Yorkshire, Mrs Medlock told
Mary about the house where she was going to live. It seem ed

1. kid : a young person or child. 3. housekeeper : a person w hose

2. d isease : illness caused by )ob is to look after a h ou se'
bacteria or infection. 4. plain : not attractive.

10
 tA S p o ilt JAittle A ir t

very large and gloom y,1 and it was near the edge of a m o o r.2
‘T h e re ’s nothing for you to do there, and your uncle is not
in te r e s te d in y o u ,’ said Mrs M edlock. ‘H e ’s got a cro o k e d 3
back. He was a s o u r 4 young m an u ntil he m a rrie d .’
Mary listened more carefully now. She did not know that
her uncle was m arried.
‘His w ife w as very pretty, a n d he lo v ed h e r very m u ch .
W hen she died he becam e even stranger,’ Mrs M edlock said.
‘Oh, did she die?’ asked Mary.
‘Yes, and now he likes nobody. H e’s away m ost of the time,
so you m ust look after yourself.’
It was dark and raining when they got out of the train. They
travelled to the house by horse and carriage,5 but Mary could see
nothing outside because of the rain and the darkness of the night.

1. gloom y : dark and depressing.

2. moor : an area of open, uncultivated high land.
3. crooked [krukid] : bent, not straight.
4. sour : disagreeable, unpleasant.
5. carriage : four-wheeled vehicle pulled by horses.

11
 W ie Secret

‘It’s miles and miles of land,’ replied Mrs Medlock. ‘Very little
grows on it, and nothing lives on it except ponies and sheep.’
The c a rriage s to p p e d at last in a c o u rty a rd . 1 A b u t le r 2
o pened a heavy w ooden door.
‘Take her to her ro o m ,’ he said to Mrs Medlock. ‘The Master
d o e s n ’t w ant to see her. H e ’s going to London tom orrow .’
Mrs M edlock took Mary upstairs, along m any corridors 3 to
a room w ith a fire burning in it and food on the table.
‘Well, here you are,’ said Mrs Medlock. ‘This is w here y o u ’ll
live. This room and the next is w here you m ust stay. You c a n ’t
go into the other parts of the house. D on’t forget th a t.’
Mary Lennox felt terribly alone.

1. courtyard : an open area of ground surrounded by w alls or buildings.

2. butler : the most important male servant in a rich household.
3. corridors : hallways or passages connecting parts of a building.

12
 a c t i v i t i e s

What happened in Chapter One?

p E T l For each question, mark the letter next to the correct answer -
A, B, C or D.

1. Who liked Mary Lennox? A □ Mrs M edlock

B □ her ayah
C □ her m other
D □ no one

2. Who looked after Mary? A □ her ayah

B □ her m other
C □ her father
D □ no one

3. Where did M ary’s uncle live? A □ Yorkshire

B □ London
C □ India
D □ Devonshire

4. What was the name A □ Mr Medlock

of Mary’s uncle? B □ Mr Craven
C □ Mr Lennox
D □ Mr M isselthwaite

5. Who was Mrs Medlock? A □ M ary’s new nanny

B O M ary’s aunt
C □ M ary’s teacher
D □ Mr Craven’s housekeeper

6. What happened to Mr Craven A □ He w ent to live on

after his wife died? the moor.
B □ He became even stranger
than w hen he was a
young man.
C □ He got a crooked back.
D □ He became rich.

13
 A C T I V I T I E S

What do you think?

B Would you like Mary to be your friend? Why/why not? Do you
think that Mary was happy to go to Misselthwaite Manor?

Describing people
B a. P eo p le th ou gh t that M ary w as ‘s p o ilt, rude and bad
tem p ered ’. Com plete these sen ten ces. Add the nam es of
famous people, or of people you know.

a is kind, generous and friendly.

b........................... is young, pretty and rich.
c........................... is strong, handsome and brave.
d...........................is intelligent, hard-working and successful.

Now write similar sentences using the words below.

Use your dictionary to help.

good clever old attractive amusing

charming wealthy gentle strange
weird puzzling tired quiet

14
 A C T I V I T I E S

Listening
P E T ® The beginning of Chapter One talks about a little girl named
Mary Lennox and her life in India.
Listen to the text and for each question, fill in the m issing
information in the numbered space.

M ary’s Life in India

Family
Mary’s father was always busy with (1) ......................................
Mary’s mother loved ( 2 ) ......................................
What Mary was like
Mary always did what ( 3 ) ......................................
She was a spoilt and ( 4 ) ......................................child.
How Mary left India
The house was silent because Mary’s parents and the servants
were (5) ......................................
This happened when Mary was ( 6 ) ....................................years old.

Speaking
T: GRADE 4
H TOPIC - HOBBIES
The secret garden becomes Mary, Dickon and C olin’s hobby.
Bring to class a picture showing a hobby that you have or one
that interests you and use the following questions to help you
talk about it.

a. What activity does the picture illustrate?

b. Is it an activity you can do on your own, or do you have to do
it with others?
c. Is it an activity which can be done at any time of the day or
only at certain times?
d. Is it an expensive hobby?

15
 A C T I V I T I E . S

Name the objects

Q[ What are the numbered objects? Use your dictionary to help.

Example: Number 1 is a bed.

Number 2 ........................................................................................
Number 3 ........................................................................................
Number 4 ........................................................................................
Number 5 ........................................................................................
Number 6 ........................................................................................
Number 7 ........................................................................................
Number 8 ........................................................................................
Number 9 ........................................................................................
Number 10 ........................................................................................
Number 11 ........................................................................................
Number 12 ........................................................................................

16
 A C T I V I T I E S

Write a letter
P E T |§ Pretend you are Mrs Medlock and this is part of a letter you
have received from your friend who w orks in another big
Yorkshire manor.

I aleo have to look after two email children. I like them both very
much. Do you have to look a fte r children too? Do you like them?
Write your letter in about 100 words.
Say
• who Mary Lennox is
• why she came to Misselthwaite Manor
• what she is like
• if you like her

Summary
Qj Put the following sentences in the correct order.

a. □ They travelled by train to Yorkshire.

b. □ She was sent to England to live with her uncle.
c. □ Mary’s uncle d id n ’t want to see her.
d. □ Mary was met in London by her uncle’s housekeeper.
e. □ It was dark and rainy when they arrived at Misselthwaite
Manor.
f. □ Mary Lennox was spoilt, rude and had a bad temper.
g- □ Everyone in the house, except for Mary, died of a terrible
disease.
h. □ She lived in India with her mother and father.

N ow w rite out the se n te n c e s so that you h ave your ow n

summary of the story so far.

17
 About India
Mary Lennox was a child who was often ill when she lived in
India. She stayed in her room for most of the time, and the only
people she knew were her parents and the Indian servants. Mary
knew very little about the country in which she lived. Here are
some interesting things that you might like to know about that
most interesting country.
India is the third largest country in Asia. It has more people than
any country in the world, apart from China. Most Indian people are
farm ers,1 but there is never enough food to feed everyone. Many
poor people do not have enough to eat.
Most of India has three seasons: hot, rainy and cool. Sometimes
there are big floods 2 in the rainy season, and many people lose
their homes. If the hot season continues for too long, crops 3 do
not grow and many people are hungry.
In d ia was ru le d by the East India C om pany, a big trad in g 4
o rg an isa tio n , until 1858, w hen the B ritish g o v e rn m e n t took
control. In 1876, Queen Victoria took the title of Em press of
India.
Many English men and their families went to live and work in
India. Because of the climate, there was a lot of illness among
these families, and many children like Mary were never really

1. farmers : people who work on the land.

2. floods [flAdz] : water on land that is usually dry, e.g. when a river overflows.
3. crops : plants w hich are grown, such as vegetables, wheat and fruit.
4. trading : buying and selling things.
w ell. C h ild re n w ere often sent back to B rita in to live w ith
relatives or to go to boarding s c h o o ls.1
S o m e E n g l is h p e o p le did n o t r e s p e c t I n d ia n s . T h e y w e re
sometimes rude and unkind to their servants. The servants were
afraid to complain, 2 or they would lose their jobs.
India becam e in d ependent from B ritain in 1947. T heir great
leader, Mahatma Ghandi (1869-1948) led The Congress Party in
a p e a c e f u l s tru g g le 3 to allo w In d ia n s to g o v e rn th e ir ow n
country.

Members of the British Raj walking together in an Indian park.

1. boarding schools : schools where students sleep during term time.

2. com plain : express dissatisfaction.
3. struggle : fight.

19
The c o u n tr y was d iv id e d into
tw o co u n tries - In d ia an d
Pakistan - after independence.
T he m ain r e l i g io n in In d ia is
H i n d u , a n d m o s t p e o p l e in
Pakistan are Muslims.
India is still a m y ste rio u s and
a ttra c tiv e co u n try to m any
people. Each year thousands of
tourists go to see the Taj Mahal,
a wonderful mausoleum built by
an Indian emperor for his wife.
Many people from Europe enjoy
Indian cooking. There are Indian
r e s t a u r a n ts in m o st E u r o p e a n
cities. The Taj Mahal.

| Some questions about India.

a. W hich Asian country has more people than India?

b. How many seasons are there in India?
c. W hen did Queen Victoria become Empress of India?
d. Who was M ahatma Ghandi?
e. What is the m ain religion in India?
f. What is the Taj Mahal?
g. What do Europeans especially like about India?

20
 a c t i v i t i e s

Before you read

P E T Qc Listen to the beginning of Chapter Two.
For each question, put a tick ( / ) in the correct box.

1. Mary woke up when the housemaid came into her room to

A Q bring her breakfast.
B Q help Mary get dressed.
C Q light the fire.

2. In India, Mary spoke to her servants only to

A Q give them orders.
B □ say ‘Please’ or ‘Thank you’.
C Q ask them for help.

3. How many shillings a week does Martha’s father earn?

A Q six
B □ sixty
C Q sixteen

4. How old is Martha’s brother Dickon?

A Q two
B □ twelve
C Q thirteen

5. The closed garden was

A Q Martha’s
B Q Mr Craven’s
C Q Mr Craven’s wife’s

6. Mary thought that the gardens looked ugly because

A □ gardens in India are much more colourful and
interesting.
B □ she did not like plants.
C □ it was winter and the trees had no leaves and there
were no flowers.

21
 Chapter Two

ciJ)(lary Vit(ie hardens

he n e x t m o rn in g , M ary w oke up w h e n a
young h o u se m a id 1 came into her room to
light the fire. Her n a m e was M artha, an d
she talked to Mary w hile she worked.
Mary d i d n ’t und e rsta n d servants who were friendly. In India
she had spoken to servants only to give them orders. She never
said ‘Please’ or ‘Thank y o u ’. Once, she had even slapped 2 her
ay ah ’s face w hen she was angry w ith her. Somehow, she knew
that she m ust not behave in this way w ith Martha.
At first Mary did not listen to Martha, but after a w hile 3 she
began to like the sound of the friendly Yorkshire voice.
‘You should see all my little brothers and sisters in our little
cottage on the m oor,’ Martha said. ‘T here’s twelve of us, and my

1. housem aid : a female servant who worked in the house.

2. slapped : hit w ith the palm of her hand.
3. w h ile : period of time.

22
WJWtmm
 Uhe S e c r e t

father only earns 1 sixteen shillings 2 a week. It is hard for my

mother to f e e d 3 them all. The fresh air on the moor makes them
strong and healthy. Our Dickon’s twelve. H e’s always out on the
# moor. H e’s good w ith animals. H e’s tamed a w ild pony. 4
‘Go a n d look at th e g a r d e n s ,’ M a rth a said. ‘T h e r e ’s n o t
m uch growing now, but th e y ’re lovely in sum m er.’ She paused
for a m om ent, and th e n said quietly, ‘One of the gardens is
locked up. No one has been in it for ten years.’
‘W hy?’ asked Mary.
‘Mr Craven closed it after his wife died. It was her garden.
He locked the door, dug a hole and buried 5 the key.’
T h e e n o r m o u s g r o u n d s 6 of M i s s e l t h w a i t e M a n o r w e re
divided by high walls into m any gardens. In some there were
flowers, trees and fountains. Vegetables grew in others. Doors
o p e n e d from garden into garden. Because it was w inter, the
trees were bare and no flowers grew. Mary thought that it all
looked very em pty and ugly.
After a while an old m an came through one of the doors. He
had a s u r l y 7 old face and did not seem at all pleased to see Mary.
‘Can I go through that door?’ Mary asked.
‘If you like,’ he replied. ‘T h e re ’s nothing to see.’
Mary hoped that she might find the door to the locked garden.
She tried m any doors, b u t they all o p e n e d easily. Then, she

1. earns : receives for doing a job.

2. sixteen sh illin gs : eighty pence in modern, decim al currency.
3. feed : give food to.
4. tamed a w ild pony : trained it not to be afraid of people and to be obedient.
5. buried [berid] : put in the ground and covered w ith earth.
6. grounds : the land around a house.
7. surly : bad-tempered and unfriendly.

24
I

fM a r u ^Visits hardens

noticed one wall that was covered in ivy,1 but seemed to

have no door in it. She could see tall trees behind the
ivy-covered wall. A robin 2 on a high branch started to
sing. She stopped to listen, and the little bird with the
red breast seem ed alm ost to be calling to her. His
cheerful3 song brought a small smile to her sad face.
The old m an c o n tin u e d digging. He ig n ored
Mary until at last she said, ‘T h e re ’s a garden over
there w ith o u t a door.’
‘W hat garden?’ he asked angrily.
‘O n t h e o th er sid e of t h e w a l l,’ she
answered. ‘I saw a robin i n the trees over th ere .’
The old m an sto p p e d digging, an d to M a ry ’s
surprise he smiled. He looked quite different w hen
he s m ile d . He w h i s t l e d 4 v e ry softly. 5 T h e n , a
w onderful thing h appened. There was a sound of
wings, and the robin came dow n next to the m a n ’s foot.
‘Here he is,’ the old m an chuckled. 6 ‘He always comes to
me w h e n I whistle. I sn ’t he a nice little b ird ? ’
The robin h o p p e d about, pecking 7
at t h e e a r t h . T h e g a r d e n e r , B e n
W e a t h e r s t a f f , c o n t i n u e d d ig g in g .
‘H e ’s the only friend I’ve got,’ he said.
‘I’ve never had any friends,’
said Mary, sadly.

1. ivy : a climbing plant. 4 - w histled : made a m usical sound

by blowing air through his teeth.

2. robin : 5. softly : quietly.

6. chuckled : laughed softly.
3. cheerful : happy, joyful. 7. pecking : biting.

25
 Ben stopped digging and looked at Mary.
‘You a n d I are the same, t h e n / he said to her. W e’re not
good looking and w e ’re as s o u r 1 as we look.’
It was the first time that Mary had ever thought about her
a n g ry face a n d b a d te m p e r. N ow th a t she d id , she felt
uncomfortable. Just t h e n , 2 the clear sound of the ro b in ’s song
m a d e h e r lo o k t o w a r d s th e a p p le tre e w h e r e he sat. Ben
W eatherstaff laughed.
‘W hat did he do that for?’ asked Mary.
‘H e ’s decided to be your frie n d ,’ replied Ben. H e’s taken a
f a n c y 3 to y o u .’
‘To m e?’ said Mary, and she m oved softly tow ards the little
tree and looked up.
‘Would you make friends w ith m e?’ she said gently to the
robin, as if she was speaking to a person.
‘W hy,’ 4 said Ben quietly, ‘You said th a t like a real c h ild
instead of a little old wom an. You said it alm ost like Dickon
w h e n he talks to his w ild things out on the m oor.’
The robin flew over the wall.
‘There m ust be a door to that g a rden,’ Mary said firm ly .5
‘T here’s no door that you can find and in any case, it’s none
of your business,’ 6 Ben said s h a rp ly .7 ‘D on’t poke your nose i n 8
w here it d o e s n ’t belong.’ The gardener w alked away w ith o u t
saying goodbye.

1. sour : bad-tempered and unpleasant.

5. firmly : w ith determination.
2. Just then : Exactly at that moment.
6. business [bi3nis] : concern.
3. fancy : liking.
4. Why : (here) an expression to 7. sharply : angrily.
indicate surprise. 8. poke your nose in : interfere.

26
 A C T I V I T I E S

What happened in Chapter Two?

p e t B Decide if each statement is correct or incorrect.
If it is correct, mark A. If it is not correct, mark B.
A B
1. Martha understood that she must not be rude to Martha.
2. M artha’s brother was always outside.
3. M isselthwaite had many gardens.
4. The old man was very happy to see Mary.
5. Mr Craven’s wife died ten years ago.
6. Mary found the garden w ith the locked door.
7. The robin came w hen the old man w histled.
8. Mary had no friends in India.
9. Mary asked the old man to be her friend.
10. The old man became angry because Mary wanted
to find the door to the locked garden.

Now correct the incorrect statements in exercise 1.

Self-discovery
Qj Answer the following questions.

a. What did Ben Weatherstaff help Mary to discover about herself?

b. How did this make her feel?
c. In Ben’s opinion how did Mary talk?
d. How did she talk to the robin?

27
 A C T I V I T I E S

The gardens of Misselthwaite Manor

Q There were flower gardens, tree gardens and vegetable gardens
in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor.
Look at the words in the box and put them into the correct
gardens - vegetable words into the vegetable garden, flower
words into the flow er garden and tree w ords into the tree
garden. Use your dictionary to help you.

oak rose carrot elm ash pea pansy daisy

sycamore sunflower potato turnip buttercup
plane swede runner bean carnation

3.

28
 A C T I V I T I E S

Opposites
Q Write down the opposites of the words below. You can find them
all in Chapter Two.

a. e a s y ........................ ........... f. full ......................................

b. weak ...................... ........... g- beautiful ............................
c. ill ........................................ h. sad ......................................
d. bad .......................... terrible ...............................
e. tiny ......................... ........... j* tame ....................................

Before you read

Pf& rD L isten to the beginning o f Chapter Three. You w ill hear a
conversation between Mary and Martha about the locked garden
and Martha’s brother Dickon. Decide if each sentence is correct
or incorrect. If it is correct put a tick ( / ) in the box under A for
YES. If it is not correct, put a ( / ) in the box under B for NO.
A B
YES NO
1. The locked garden was Mr Craven’s.
2. Mrs Craven died after falling from a tree in
□□
the locked garden. □□
3. Mary thought she heard someone crying. □□
4. Mary liked staying inside when the weather was bad.
5. Martha’s brother went outside even when the
□□
weather was bad. □□
6. Martha’s brother had a crow and a fox. □□
Qj N ow read the begin n in g o f the chapter and correct those
sentences that are not correct.

29
 Chapter Three

I Sru in llie A ujhl

ary spent most of her days outside in the
grounds. The cold w in d m ade her cheeks
pink, and each evening she ate all of her
food. After d inner she liked to sit near the
fire and talk to Martha.
‘Why does Mr Craven hate the locked garden?’ Mary asked
once.
‘It w as M rs C r a v e n ’s g a rd e n . She lo v e d it. She a n d Mr
Craven looked after the flowers together. No gardeners were
allow ed in .’
‘But w hat h a p p e n e d ? ’ Mary asked impatiently.
‘Mrs Craven was sitting on a branch of a tree w hen it broke
and she fell. She was injured so badly she died. T hat’s why Mr
Craven hates the garden. He w o n ’t let anyone ever talk about it.’
Mary had never felt sorry for anyone before, but now she

30
realised how u n h a p p y her uncle m ust be.
The w ind m oaned 1 around the house, banging at the doors
and w indow s. M artha said it was ‘w u t h e r i n ’. 2 Mary listened
and through the noise she thought that she heard a child crying.
‘Do you hear someone crying?’ she asked Martha.
M artha su d d e n ly looked confused.
‘No,’ she answered, ‘It’s only the w ind or the scullery m a i d .3
S h e ’s cried all day w ith to o th a c h e.’ T hen M artha quickly left
the room.
N ext day, it r a in e d . M ary w as b o re d a n d c o m p la in e d to
M artha that she had nothing to do.
‘O n a d a y lik e t h i s at h o m e , w e a ll t r y to k e e p b u s y
i n d o o r s ,’ M a rth a said. ‘E x cept D ickon. He goes out on the
m oor in all types of weather. He brought hom e a fox cub 4 that
he found. H e’s got a c ro w ,5 too, called Soot.’ e^°
W h en M a rth a left h e r a lo n e ,
Mary decided to explore the house.
She w e n t a lo n g c o r r i d o r s a n d u p
a n d d o w n stairs. In th e s ile n c e of
the house she heard again the sound
of a c h i l d c ry in g . S he s t o p p e d to
listen at a door, but th en another door opened and out came
Mrs M edlock. ‘W hat are you doing h e re ? ’ she said, and she

1. moaned : made a long, sad sound.

2. wutherin : Northern British dialect word for the roaring noise made by the wind.
3. scullery maid : a young female servant who washed dishes and did housework.

4. fox cub : a baby fox.

5. crow : a large, black bird.

 fJke Secret

took Mary by the arm and p u lle d her away. ‘Get back to your
room at once!’
‘I d i d n ’t know w h ic h way to go, and then I heard someone
crying,’ said Mary.
‘You d i d n ’t hear any th in g ,’ said Mrs Medlock. ‘Go back to
your room, or I’ll tell the m aster that you disobeyed 1 h im .’
Mary was angry. She w anted to know w hat the cry was.

Soon the storm passed. ‘Wait un til the sun shines and lights
up the m oor,’ said Martha.
‘I ’d love to see y o u r cottage on the m oor a n d m eet your
m other,’ said Mary.
‘You w o u ld like my m other,’ M artha said. ‘S h e ’s kind and
good tem pered and works hard. W hen i t ’s my day off 2 and I
can go hom e and see her, I jum p for joy.’
‘I’d like to see Dickon, too,’ said Mary.
‘Yes, y o u ’d like h im ,’ M artha said. ‘Everyone likes D ickon.’
‘No one likes m e ,’ said Mary, sadly.
‘Maybe that’s because you don’t like yourself,’ laughed Martha.
‘I never thought of th a t,’ said Mary.
Mary found Ben W eatherstaff working in the garden.
‘S p rin g ’s co m in g ,’ he said. ‘The plants are growing u n d e r
the s o i l .3 Soon y o u ’ll see crocuses and daffodils.’ 4
Mary saw that the robin was on a wall covered w ith ivy.
He h o p p e d dow n to the soil at her feet. The robin tried to
find a w orm in the garden.

1. disobeyed : refused to do what she was told.

2. day o f f : the day in the week w hen she doesn ’t work.
3. soil : the substance on the surface of the ground in w hich plants grow.
4. crocuses and daffodils : flowers w hich grow in spring.

32
MM
 Suddenly, Mary saw an old, rusty key.
‘Perhaps i t ’s been buried for ten years,’ she said to herself.
‘Perhaps it ’s the key to the g a rden,’ she thought, putting it into
her pocket.
After supper, M artha told Mary all about her day at home.
‘M other has sent you a p re s e n t,’ she
said. She b r o u g h t o u t a s k ip p in g
ro p e 1 w i t h s tr i p e d 2 h a n d le s , a n d
show ed Mary how to skip.
‘Your m other is very k in d ,’ Mary said. She w o n d ered 3 how
M artha’s m other could find the m oney to buy her the rope
w ith all those hungry m ouths to feed.
Mary skipped all the time, and the more she skipped, the
stronger she grew. Her cheeks becam e red, and her plain face
started to look alm ost pretty.
O n e d a y as M a ry w a t c h e d t h e r o b i n in t h e g a r d e n , a
w onderful thing h appened. To Mary it was alm ost like magic.
A small gust 4 of w in d blew aside some of the ivy on the wall,
a nd b e n e a t h 5 the leaves, she saw a door. She rem em bered that
she h a d the key in her pocket. She tried it in the lock, and
although it was very stiff, 6 she tu rn e d it. The next m om ent,
she stood inside the secret garden.
It was the loveliest and m ost m ysterious looking place that
Mary had seen. It was overgrown and untidy, but she could see

1. skipping rope : a rope that is held in the hands to jump over.

2. striped : decorated w ith bands of colour.
3. wondered : asked herself.
4. gust : a sudden rush of wind.
5. beneath : underneath.
6. stiff : difficult to move.

34
p la n ts s ta rtin g to p u s h th e ir w ay u p t h ro u g h th e soil. She
p u lle d w eeds 1 away to make space for the spring flowers to
grow.
‘Now they look as if they can b r e a th e / 2 she thought. Then
sh e w h i s p e r e d to h e r s e l f , ‘I am th e f ir s t p e r s o n w h o h a s
spoken in here for ten y e a rs /
Time passed quickly as Mary cleared the w eeds and dead
grass. Soon it was time to go back to the house for her supper.
Mary w a n te d to tell M artha her secret, b u t she knew that
this was not a good idea. She m ight be forbidden 3 to go into
the secret garden again, so in ste a d she said, ‘I w o u ld like a
little garden to grow things i n /
‘Why, t h a t ’s just 4 w h a t you n e e d to keep you b u s y / said
M a r t h a . ‘I ’ll g e t D i c k o n to
bring some garden tools 5 and
some seeds 6 to p la n t.’

Mary w orked w ith her hands

each day in th e secret garden.
She was careful not to let Ben
W e a t h e r s t a f f se e w h e r e she
went. But Ben noticed a change in her.
One day he said, ‘The fresh air is good for you. You’re less
thin, and your skin is less yellow .’

1. w eeds : plants that grow w ild amongst garden flowers.

2. breathe : (here) have air around them.
3. forbidden : not allow ed.
4. just : exactly.
5. tools : objects used for work.
6. seeds : the small hard parts of plants from w hich a new plant grows.

36
 A C T I V I T I E S

What happened in Chapter Three?

Q Answer the questions.

a. Who looked after the garden before it was locked?

b. Who, according to Martha, was crying?
c. What did Mrs Matlock do w hen she found Mary exploring the
house?
d. What was M artha’s m other like?
e. Why, according to Martha, did nobody like Mary?
f. What did Mary find?
g. How did Mary discover the door to the secret garden?
h. Why d id n ’t Mary tell M artha about the secret garden?

B Changes

a. How is Mary changing physically?

b. Who is Mary sorry for? How does this show us that Mary is
changing?
c. What does Mary w onder w hen she receives the skipping rope
from Martha? How does this show us that Mary has changed
since her arrival at M isselthwaite Manor?

Q Why is a little girl like a garden?

a. How does the author describe the garden w hen we first see it?
b. How does the author describe Mary when we first meet her?
c. Why is the garden in that condition?
d. Why was Mary in that condition?
e. Why is Mary beginning to change?
f. Why is the garden beginning to change?
g. What does Mary think of the garden when she first sees it?
h. What do you think M artha and her m other think about Mary?

37
 A C T I V I T I E S

Grammar
He goes out on the moor in all types of w eather
In English there are two principal present tenses: the Present Simple
and the Present Continuous. Often, we use the Present Simple to
describe what we do generally, and the Present Continuous to describe
what is happening while we are speaking. Look at these examples.
• Mary works in the locked garden on nice days.
• Mary is working in the locked garden. (It is a nice, sunny day today.)
• Mr W eatherstaff speaks with a Yorkshire accent.
• Mr W eatherstaff is speaking with Mary about the robin.
Also, in English some verbs are not generally placed in the Present
Continuous or other Continuous tenses. Here are some of them:
fee l, hear, see, notice, like, hate, prefer, want, agree, believe, forget,
know, think, understand, need, have.

Put the verbs in brackets in the Present Sim ple or Present

Continuous according to the context.

Example: Today is a beautiful day. The birds ..&C6.6iflfljn0.. [sing),

and the sun .is. .shining. [shine).
a [you/see) that door? That is the
door to the locked garden.
b. M a rth a ........................ [not/work). Today is a holiday
and she is w ith her family.
c. I ....................................................... [understand) French perfectly.
I lived in Paris for ten years.
d. [Mrs M edlock discovers Mary in front o f a locked door) Mrs
Medlock: ‘W h a t...................................................... [you/do) here?’
e. Can you hear? A r o b in ....................................................... [sing) on
the wall of the locked garden.
f. M a ry ....................................................... [feel) sorry for her uncle.
g. M artha brought Mary a skipping rope. Now every morning
M a ry ....................................................... [skip) rope in the garden.

38
 A C T I V I T I E S

h. Mary is not in the house. S h e .......................................................

[pull] up weeds in the garden.
i. I know it is raining, but I ....................................................... [want]
to go out on the moor w ith Dickon.
j. John: ‘Philip, w h a t....................................................... (you/do)?’
Philip: ‘I’m a gardener.’

What is Mary doing?

Q | Look at the pictures and complete the sentences below with the
correct verb in the Present Continuous.

put on eat meet talk go (x2)

1. M a ry .................. 2. M a ry .... 3. M a ry ....

into the garden. to Colin. an apple.

4. Mary ... 5. Mary .... 6. Mary ...

to bed. Dickon. her hat.

39
 English Gardens
Mary Lennox learned to love flowers and gardens when she went
to live at Misselthwaite Manor.
Many English people are fond of 1 gardens. They like to grow
plants and flowers in their own small gardens, and they also
enjoy visiting the gardens of big houses, like M isselthw aite
Manor, which are open to the public.

Great Maythan Hall. Fictional Misselthwaite Manor was based on Great

Maythan Hall in Kent where Burnett lived as a tenant a century ago.

1. fond of : like very much.

40
S om e p e o p le like to grow flo w ers and v e g e ta b le s to put in
competitions at special shows 1 in summer. There are prizes for
the best flowers, and the biggest vegetables. Other people make
their own small gardens so beautiful that they can charge 2 the
public to look at them, and the money is given to charities.3 This
is called The National Garden Scheme.
Do you enjoy looking at lovely gardens? If you visit England in
summer, you may like
to go to T h e C h e l s e a
Flower Show. This is an
im p o rta n t event for
gardeners. It is a three
day show in L o n d o n .
Many wonderful gardens
are made ju st 4 for the
show, and you can see
thousands of plants and
flo w ers. W hen yo u
need to rest f ro m
w a l k in g aro u n d th e
show, you can sit at a
table and eat delicious
strawberries and cream!
Vegetables at Chelsea Flower Show.

1. show s : exhibitions.
2. charge : ask for money.
3. charities : organisations w hich give help to people in need.
4. just : only.

41
You m ay a lso lik e to v i s i t the
Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew,
in London. The gardens are near
the R iv e r T h a m e s and c o v e r a
large area. You can see trees from
many different parts of the world
there.
You can also see very big glass
houses where there are plants and
flowers from many countries.
English people are very proud of
their gardens. If you want to make
friends with English people, try
saying something nice about their
flowers! The spectacular Palm House
at Kew Garden.

Quiz: What do you know about English

Gardens?
Q Work with your group to find the right answers, and see
which group gets the highest score. Remember, there is only
one correct answer.

1. What do gardeners do to win prizes for their fruit and

vegetables?
A Q sell them to restaurants
B Q take photographs of them
C Q put them in shows

42
2. Who gets the money which people pay to see small
gardens?
A Q the gardener
B Q charities
C Q the National Garden Scheme

3. What important event for gardeners happens in London

each summer?
A Q The National Garden Scheme
B Q The Covent Garden Festival
C Q The Chelsea Flower Show

4. What can you eat when you are tired of walking around the
gardens?
A Q strawberries and cream
B Q fruit and vegetables
C Q pizza

5. Where in London are The Royal Botanical Gardens?

A Q Chelsea
B Hyde Park
c n Kew
6. What can you do if you want to make friends with English
people?
A Q give them a cup of tea
B □ say something nice about their flowers
C Q] pick some of their vegetables

43
 A C T I V I T I E S

Before you read

p e t O Look at the six sentences about the beginning of Chapter Four.
Decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct,
put a tick ( / ) in the box under A for YES. If it is not correct, put
a tick ( / ) in the box under B for NO.

A B
YES NO
1. Dickon had brown eyes.
2. When Mary first saw Dickon he was sitting under
□□
a tree playing a pipe. □□
3. Dickon had never heard of the secret garden before.
4. Dickon thought that the secret garden
□□
was quite ugly.
5. Mr Craven wanted to see Mary because he was
□□
going away the following day.
6. Mr Craven asked Mary if she wanted a piece
□□
of garden. □□
Now read the text and rewrite the incorrect sentences.

44
I

Chapter Four

Dicfc on
ne day Mary saw a boy sitting u n d e r a tree. He
seem ed about twelve years old. He played on a
pipe. Two rabbits and a s q u ir r e l 1 were near him.
They seem ed to listen to the tune he played.
The boy got up carefully because he d i d n ’t w ant to frighten
th e a n i m a l s . He h a d b l u e e y e s a n d a r o u n d , p i n k fac e .
‘I’m D ic k o n ,’ he sa id to Mary. ‘I ’ve
brought the garden tools and some
flower seed s.’
Dickon had a kind and gentle
s m ile a n d M a ry fe lt t h a t she
knew him quite well. She felt

1. squirrel : small animal that lives in trees.

45
 e S ecret harden

that if the w ild anim als could t r u s t 1 him, th en she could trust
him, too.
‘Do you know about the secret garden?’ asked Mary.
‘I’ve h e a rd about it,’ Dickon answ ered, ‘But I d o n ’t know
w here it is.’
‘Come w ith m e ,’ Mary said.
Mary was careful that no one saw them , and then she took
D i c k o n t h r o u g h t h e d o o r in t h e w a l l . D i c k o n w a s v e r y
surprised. ‘This is a strange, p retty p la c e ,’ he said. ‘I t’s like
being in a drea m .’
D ickon lo o k ed a ro u n d at all the p la n ts a n d trees w h ic h
M ary th o u g h t w ere dead. ‘All of th e s e w ill g ro w ,’ he said.
‘T h e re ’ll be flowers and roses everyw here in a few w eeks.’
Dickon and Mary w orked together to clear away the weeds
and dead wood. Mary felt that she had never know n anyone
like Dickon. She tried to speak in a warm, friendly voice, like
D ickon’s and M artha’s.
‘Do you like m e?’ she asked.
‘Yes, I d o ,’ he laughed. ‘The robin likes you, too.’
That evening, after dinner, Mrs M edlock took Mary to see
Mr Craven. ‘H e ’s going abroad 2 tomorrow, and he w ants to see
you first,’ she said.
M ary felt a little afraid. She felt sure th at she w o u ld not
like Mr Craven and that he w ould not like her. But she found
th a t Mr Craven w a s n ’t rea lly frightening, an d th a t his back
w a s n ’t really crooked. His face was h a n d s o m e ,3 but he looked

1. trust : believe he was honest and sincere.

2. abroad : to a foreign country or countries.
3. handsom e : good looking.
 fJiie S ecret

sad and worried. He asked Mary if there was anything that she
w ould like. Mary asked for a piece of garden in w h ic h to grow
her own flowers.
‘Of course,’ said her uncle. ‘You may take any bit that is not
u s e d .’
Mary was d e lig h te d .1 Now she could have the secret garden
for herself!
That same night, Mary was aw akened by the w in d roaring
around the house. She c o u ld n ’t sleep, and as she lay in bed,
she h e a rd the crying noise again. ‘T h a t’s not the w i n d ,’ she
thought. ‘I ’m going to find o u t 2 w here th at noise is coming
from .’
M a r y t o o k a c a n d l e to l i g h t h e r w a y a l o n g t h e d a r k
corridors. Suddenly, she noticed a light from u n d e r one of the
doors. The crying sound came from b e h in d the door, and Mary
knew that it was a child. She gently opened the door, and saw
that a young boy lay on the bed, crying.
W hen the boy saw Mary, he sto p p e d crying at once. ‘Are
you a ghost?’ he asked. He looked very frightened.
‘No, I’m Mary Lennox,’ she answered. ‘Who are you?’

I
1. delighted : very happy.
2. find out : discover, learn.

48
 What happened in Chapter Four?
p e t EI Read the questions below and for each question choose the
correct answer - A, B, C or D.

1. Who is Dickon ?
A Q M artha’s brother
B □ Mrs M edlock’s son
C Q] M ary’s cousin
D Q Ben W eatherstaff’s son
2. What did Dickon bring for Mary?
A Q seeds and tools
B Q a key
C Q a squirrel and two rabbits
d □ a pipe
3. Where did Mary take Dickon?
A Q out on the moor
B Q inside the house
C Q to the secret garden
D □ to the robin’s nest
4. What did Mary learn about the secret garden from Dickon?
A Q that it had a door
B Q that she had to pull the weeds out of the ground to
make the flowers grow
C Q that the plants and trees were not really dead
D □ that it was Mr Craven’s w ife’s garden
5. When Mary finally met her uncle she discovered that
A Q he did not really have a crooked back and he was handsome
B Q he was going abroad
C Q his wife had died ten years earlier
D □ he never went into the locked garden
6. What did Mary ask her uncle for?
A Q perm ission to enter the secret garden
B □ perm ission to go where she w anted in the house
C Q some seeds and tools for her garden
D □ an area of garden where she could grow her own flowers
 A C T I V I T I E S

Here are some sentences from the chapters you have read.
For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means
the same as the first, using no more than three words.

Example: She heard nothing.

She .didn/t.hear... anything.
1. Perhaps it’s the key to the garden.
It ................................................................ be the key to the garden.
2. Mary was very pleased to see them and she kissed them.
Mary was .................................to see them that she kissed them.
3. Go back to your room, or I’ll tell the m aster that you
disobeyed me.
If .............................................. it. to your room, I’ll tell the master
that you disobeyed me.
4. He’s going abroad tomorrow and he wants to see you first.
He wants to see you before .............................. tomorrow.
5. I’ll wait until the rain stops before I decide what to do.
I’ll decide what to do ............................................. the rain stops.

P E T 0 Read the sum mary of the first four chapters of The S e c r e t

Garden and choose the correct word for each space. For each
question, mark the letter next to the correct word - A, B, C or D.

Mary Lennox lived (0) .P. India, but when (1) .... ...... of Mary’s
parents died during a terrible epidemic, she was sent to live with
her u n cle, Mr Craven, in Y orkshire. M ary arrived (2) ........
London where Mr Craven’s housekeeper, Mrs Medlock was waiting
(3 ) her. They travelled by train to Yorkshire. During the trip
Mrs M edlock told Mary about her uncle. His wife had died ten
years before, and he was now a sour man. The (4) morning
the housemaid, a young girl named Martha, awakened Mary. She
told Mary about her large family (5) lived on the moor, and
about her brother Dickon, who loved animals. She also told her
about a walled garden that had been locked up for ten years. Mary
w ent out to look at the gardens. She found one w alled garden
w ithout a door.

50
 A C T I V I T I E S

One evening after dinner Mary asked Martha to tell her (6) ...........
Mr Craven had locked up the garden. She explained that his wife
had fallen from a tree there, and hurt herself so badly that she
died. As they were talking Mary thought she heard a child crying.
The next day in the garden, as Mary was watching a robin, she
found a key. Then another day, the w ind blew aside some ivy and
she saw a door. She opened the door w ith the key. She was then
inside the locked garden.
Mary went to the garden every day. But she never told (7) ...........
about it until one day Dickon came to see her. He was so kind
that she felt she could trust him. She took him to the garden.
That evening she met (8) ........... uncle for the first time. He was
going abroad and w anted to know if she w anted anything. She
said she w anted a piece of garden where she could grow flowers.
He told her that she could have any part of the garden that was
unused.
That night Mary was awakened by the wind, and once again she
heard a child crying. She decided to find (9) ............ the truth.
She left her room and finally found the room where the crying
came from. She opened the door, and inside she saw a young boy
lying on a bed. (10) ........... was Colin Craven, her u n c le ’s son.

0. A into B on C by (D)in
1. A both B either C together D two
2. A in B at C to D from
3. A for B on C by D to
4. A after B then C last D next
5. A w hich B who C whose D those
6. A how B why C because D what
7. A somebody B nobody C everybody D anybody
8. A his B her C its D hers
9. A out B in C over D by
10. A She B It C This D That

51
 a c t i v i t i e s

Before you read

pet | | Listen to Chapter Five and for each question put a tick ( / ) in the
correct box.
<©►
1. Who is Colin?
A Q M ary’s cousin
B □ Mr Craven’s cousin
C Q Mr Craven’s nephew

2. Colin’s father is afraid that

A Q Colin w ill grow up to have a crooked back.
B Q] Mary will stare at Colin.
C Q Colin will hate him.

3. Colin wants Mary

A Q to go away.
B Q not to look at him.
C [] to stay and talk to him.

4.Everybody at M isselthwaite m ust do what Colin says because

A Q if they don’t he will send them away.
B Q if they don’t he will become ill.
C [ ] if they don’t he w ill become very angry.

5. How old is Colin?

A □ eight
B □ nine
C Q ten

6. W hen Colin hears about the secret garden he becomes

A Q sad.
B Q excited.
C □ angry.

52
 C hapter Five

Golin
’m C o lin , M r C r a v e n ’s s o n , ’ s a id th e boy.
‘T h e n I m u st be y o u r c o u s in ,’ M ary sa id .
‘D on’t you know th at I cam e to live h e re ? ’
‘N o,’ he answ ered. ‘No one to ld m e.’
‘W hy?’ asked Mary.
‘B ecause I am a fraid th a t p e o p le w ill see m e. I w o n ’t let
people see me and talk about m e.’
‘W h y ? ’ a s k e d M ary. S he fe lt m o re p u z z le d 1 w ith e a c h
m om ent th at passed.
‘B e c a u s e I ’m a lw a y s i l l , a n d I m u s t s ta y in b e d . T h e
servants are not allow ed to speak about me. My father w o n ’t
le t a n y o n e m e n tio n m e. H e ’s a fra id I ’ll grow u p to h av e a

1. puzzled : unable to understand, confused.

53
 fjfie S e c r e t h a r d e n

crooked back. My father h ates 1 m e because m y m o th er died

w hen I was b o rn .’
‘Have you alw ays been h ere?’ asked Mary.
‘N early alw ay s,’ said Colin. ‘If I go out, people stare 2 at me,
and I hate it.’
‘If you d o n ’t like people to see y o u ,’ M ary said, ‘shall I go
aw ay?’
‘Oh, n o !’ C olin rep lied quickly. ‘You m ust stay and talk to
m e.’
M ary p u t her candle dow n on a table near the bed and sat
on a chair. They talked for a long tim e. Colin w anted to know
f
all about M ary and about her life at M isselthw aite. He told her
how u n h a p p y and lo nely he w as, even th o u g h he w as given
anything th at he w anted.
‘Everyone m ust do as I say,’ Colin said. ‘I w ill be ill if they
d o n ’t.’
‘Do you th in k you w ill get w e ll? ’M ary asked.
‘I d o n ’t suppose I w ill,’Colin answ ered. ‘No one believes I
w ill liv e u n til I grow u p . 3 L e t’s ta lk a b o u t so m e th in g else.
How old are you?’
‘I’m ten, like y o u ,’ M ary said.
‘How do you know I’m te n ? ’ he asked.
‘B e c a u se w h e n y o u w e re b o rn , y o u r fa th e r lo c k e d th e
garden door and b u rie d the key. It’s been locked for ten y e a rs,’
M ary answ ered.

1. hates : dislikes very much.

2. stare : look for a long time.
3. grow up : become adult.

54
 ‘W hat garden?’ Colin asked.
‘It was the garden Mr C raven h a te s,’ said Mary, n e rv o u s ly .1
‘He locked the door. No one knew w here he b u rie d the key.’
‘W h at’s the garden lik e?’ C olin p ersisted.
‘It’s been locked for ten y e a rs,’ M ary said, carefully. She did
not w ant him to know th a t she h ad found it.
But it w as too late to be careful. C olin w as very excited at
the idea of a h i d d e n 2 garden.
‘I w ill m ake them open the door,’ he said.
‘Oh, n o !’ cried Mary. ‘L et’s keep it a secret. If they open the
door, it w ill never be a secret again. If we find th e door one
day, we can go in sid e and no one w ill know about it except
u s .’
‘I w o u ld lik e t h a t ,’ s a id C o lin . ‘I ’ve n e v e r h a d a s e c re t
befo re.’ He w as tire d from talking, and as he fell asleep, M ary
w ent qu ietly away.

1. nervously : worried.
2. hidden : kept from being seen, secret.

56
 A C T I V I T I E S

What happened in Chapter Five?

Read the chapter again and answer the questions. Write out
your answers.

a. Mary asks Colin why no one told him that she lives at
M isselthwaite Manor. What is his reply?
b. Why is Colin afraid to go out?
c. Why does Colin think that his father hates him?
d. How does Mary know Colin’s age?
e. Why doesn’t Mary want Colin to know that she’s found the
secret garden?

Grammar
| Use the Saxon genitive to show the relationship between the
following people. Then rewrite each sentence using possessive
pronouns.

Example: Mr Lennox (Mary’s father) and Colin

Mr Lennox was Colin’s uncle. / Mr Lennox was his uncle.
Colin was Mr Lennox’s nephew./ Colin was his nephew.
a. Mary and Mr Craven

b. Mrs Lennox (Mary’s mother) and Colin

c. Mr Craven and Colin

d. M artha and Dickon

57
 a c t i v i t i e s

P E T | | Look at the text in each question. What does it say?

Mark the letter next to the correct explanation - A, B or C.

1. W e advise mixing powder in water and waiting until water is blue

before giving to patient

A [ ] Do not give the m edicine to the patient w ithout a glass

of water.
B Q Put the powder in water. Wait for the water to turn
blue, and then give it to the patient.
C Q Give the patient only blue powder.

2. J v lr s J\A.iAiock
TVtpAre mjJ -suifoAses for evening. I bi leAoin^ ^Fri
Morning ihsU a A of m I KaM tKou^Kt. J \/Ir CrAoen

A Q Mr Craven thinks he is leaving on Thursday evening.

B Q Mr Craven was going to leave on Thursday morning
but now he is leaving a day later.
C Q Mr Craven wants to leave on Friday but he has to leave
on Thursday.

3. Plant daffodil and crocus bulbs in late autumn or early winter, and not
in the spring or summer, otherwise plants will not produce flowers.

A Daffodils and crocuses produce flowers only in early

autum n.
B Q If the daffodil and crocus bulbs are planted in the
spring or summer they will produce flowers.
C [] If the daffodil and crocus bulbs are planted in the
autum n or early w inter they will produce flowers.

4. from fars fatfa oik to hovsikupir

thcKf) far Crwim's bifaooM iviry fay lU ip t Svnfay} but only 'if / till you
A Q Mrs Medlock will tell the housekeeper if she can clean
Mr Craven’s room on Sundays.
B Q The housekeeper must clean Mr Craven’s room Monday
to Saturday w hen Mrs Medlock tells her to do so.
C Q The housekeeper can clean Mr Craven’s room w ithout
Mrs M edlock’s perm ission on Sundays.

58
 A C T I V I T I E S

5. Dickon,
I met Colin Craven. I am not going to ta ll him th a t we go Inelde
tha se c r e t garden until I am sure I can tr u s t him.
Mary
A Colin wanted to know about the secret garden but
Mary did not tell him anything about it.
B □ Mary does not trust Colin. That is why she did not tell
him that she and Dickon have been inside it.
C When Mary feels that she can trust Colin she will tell
him that she and Dickon go inside the secret garden.

Before you read

P E T Q Listen to the beginning o f Chapter Six and d ecid e if each
sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, put a tick ( / ) in
the box under A for YES. If it is not correct, put a tick ( / ) in the
box under B for NO.

A B
YES NO
1. Martha was happy when Mary told her that

2.
she had found Colin.
Colin once cried until he became ill because
□□
he thought a gardener was looking at him. □□
3. Colin thinks that the moor is a horrible place.
4. Colin always seemed frightened w hen he said that
□□
he was going to die. □□
5. Colin thinks that his father will be happy when
he dies. □□
6. A famous doctor had said that Colin should go out. □□
| Now read the beginning of Chapter Six and correct the incorrect
sentences.

59
 C hapter Six

GW et GWeat(ier

ext m orning, M ary told M artha th at she had

found Colin. M artha was very upset. 1 She
th o u g h t th a t sh e c o u ld lo se h e r job for
allow ing M ary to find the young boy.
‘D o n ’t w o rry ,’ sa id M ary. ‘C olin w as p le a s e d to see m e. He
w ants to see me every day.’
£ ‘You m ust have b ew itch ed 2 h im ,’ said M artha.
‘W h at’s the m atter w ith h im ? ’ 3 M ary asked.
M a rth a to ld M ary th a t C olin h a d n e v e r b e e n a llo w e d to
w alk. His father th o ught th at his back was weak. Even though
a fam ous doctor h ad exam ined him , and said th at he w ou ld get

1. upset : sad and worried.

2. bew itched : put a magic spell on someone.
3. W hat’s the matter w ith him? : (here) Why is he ill?

60
 * - ^ j

strong if less fuss 1 w as m ade of him , Colin was still sp o ilt and
allow ed to do everything th at he w anted.
‘Colin th in k s he w ill d ie / said Mary.
‘M other says th at he has no reason to live if h e ’s closed up
in his room all the tim e ,’ said M artha.
‘I t’s good for me to be o u ts id e ,’ said Mary. ‘Do you th in k
th at it w o uld help C olin?’
‘O h, I d o n ’t k n o w ,’ M a rth a sa id . ‘He h a d a b a d te m p e r
ta n tru m 2 w h en he w as tak en into the garden. He w as u p se t
because he th o ught one of the gardeners was looking at him .
He cried u n til he felt ill.’
‘If he ever gets angry w ith me, I w o n ’t go to see him ag ain ,’
said Mary.
W h en M ary n e x t w e n t to see C o lin , sh e to ld h im a b o u t
Dickon. ‘H e’s not like anyone else,’ she said. ‘All the anim als on
the m oor love him . W hen he plays his pipe, they come to listen .’
‘The m oor m u st be a w o n d e rfu l p la c e ,’ said C olin. ‘But I
c a n ’t go there. I’m going to d ie .’
‘How do you know th a t? ’ M ary asked. She felt a little cross 3
w ith Colin. He seem ed to be p leased w ith the th o ught th at he
could die.
‘B ecause everyone says I w ill d ie ,’ C olin re p lie d . ‘I th in k
th at my father w ill be pleased w hen I’m d e a d .’
‘I d o n ’t b eliev e th a t,’ M ary said. ‘The fam ous d o cto r w as
right. They sh o u ld m ake m uch less fuss of you, and allow you
to go out. If you could see Dickon, y o u ’d w ant to get w e ll.’

1 fuss : too m uch attention.

2. tantrum : an uncontrolled explosion of anger.
3. cross : angry, irritated.
 e S e c r e t h a rd e n

T hen M ary to ld C olin about D ickon’s fam ily, w ho h a d no

m oney b u t w ere all h e a lth y 1 and cheerful.

It ra in e d for a w eek, so M ary co u ld n o t v isit the garden.

B ecause th e w eath er w as so bad, she sp e n t m ost of h er tim e
w ith Colin. They read books and talked together, and for the
first tim e M ary h eard C olin laugh. C olin often spoke about the
secret garden, and w o n d ered w hat w as in it. M ary felt th at she
could not tell him h er secret yet, so she still did not tell him
th at she knew w here the m ysterious garden was.
‘I’l l w ait u n til the rain stops before I decid e w h at to d o ,’
th o ught Mary.
On the day th at the rain fin ish ed , M ary w oke up early to
find th at the su n lig h t w as stream ing 2 th ro u g h h er w indow s.

1. healthy : free from illness. 2. streaming : flowing like water.

62
 * ■ ^W

She w e n t q u ic k ly to th e s e c re t g a rd e n , a n d she fo u n d th a t
D ickon was already there.
‘I c o u ld n ’t stay in b ed on a m o rn in g lik e t h i s ,’ he said .
‘Look at the g a rd e n .’ The rain and su n sh in e h ad m ade the new
p la n ts s ta rt to com e th ro u g h th e e a rth . T h ere
w e re som e p u rp le , o ran g e and g o ld
crocuses. M ary w as very pleased to see
th em a n d sh e k iss e d th em . T he ro b in
w as b u ild in g a n e s t.1
‘We m u stn ’t w atch too closely,’
D ickon said. ‘H e’ll stay here w ith
us if we d o n ’t frighten h im .’
A w hole w eek h ad gone by 2 since M ary had seen Dickon.
She to ld him th at she h ad found Colin.
‘If he com es out here in the garden, h e ’ll forget th at h e ’s ill,’
D ickon said. ‘H e’ll be an o th er ch ild, looking at the flow ers and
anim als, like u s .’
W hen M ary w ent back to the house at the end of the day,
M artha told her th at Colin was angry because she h ad not been
to see him .
‘I w o n ’t allow th at boy to com e here if you stay w ith him
in stead of m e ,’ Colin said.
‘If you send D ickon away, I’ll n ev er com e in to th is room
again!’ M ary replied.
‘You’re selfish !’ 3 Colin raged. 4

1.
2.
nest : a bird’s home.
gone by : passed.
5 %gp 3. selfish : egoistic, self-centred.
4. raged : spoke very angrily.

63
 e (Secret h a r d e n

‘W hat about you?’ M ary rep lied furiously. ‘You’re the m ost
selfish boy I know .’
‘W ell, I’m going to d ie!’ Colin said.
‘No, y o u ’re n o t!’ M ary rep lied . ‘You ju st say th at to m ake
people feel sorry for you. But they d o n ’t feel sorry. You’re too
n a sty !’ 1
M ary m a rc h e d to th e d o o r a n d th e n sa id an g rily , ‘I w as
going to tell you all about D ickon and his fox and crow, but I
w o n ’t n o w !’ She sla m m e d 2 the door b e h in d her.
Later, w h en M ary rem em bered how lo nely Colin w as, she
felt sorry for him .
‘I’ll go and see him tom orrow ,’ she thought. ‘I’ll go and sit
w ith h im .’
L a te r th a t n ig h t, M ary w as a w a k e n e d by th e s o u n d of
scream ing and crying. ‘I t’s C olin having one of his te m p e rs,’
she thought.
She p u t h er h an d s over h er ears, b u t she co u ld no t block
out the terrible noise.
‘Som eone sh o u ld stop h im !’ she cried. ‘He deserves 3 to be
p u n is h e d for b ein g so s e lfish . H e ’s w o k en ev e ry o n e in th e
h o u se .’
She ran into C olin’s room and sh o u ted at him , ‘Stop! I hate
you! E veryone hates you! Y ou’ll scream u n til you die, and I
hope th at you d o .’

1. nasty : unpleasant.
2. slam m ed : closed noisily.
3. deserves : merits.
 A C T I V I T I E S

What happened in Chapter Six?

Q Answer the questions.

a. Why did Colin have a tem per tantrum the last time he was
taken outside?
b. How did Colin know that he was going to die?
c. How could Colin get well, according to Mary?
d. How could Colin get well, according to Colin?
e. Why did Colin get angry w ith Mary?

|jj] Mary’s cousin Colin

a. How is Colin sim ilar to Mary w hen she first arrived at

M isselthwaite Manor?
b. Why do you think Colin seemed pleased w ith the thought that
he was going to die?
c. Why do you think Colin had a tem per tantrum in the m iddle
of the night?
d. What do you think about Mary’s reaction to that temper tantrum?

Mixed-up sentences
Q Here are six mixed-up sentences from the story. Put the words in
their correct order.

a. very upset was Martha.

b. the garden Mary not visit could rained It so week for a.
c. a nest was robin building The.
d. Mary week since had gone Dickon had seen by whole A.
e. crying and Mary awakened sound of screaming was by the.
f. ran into shouted him at Colin’s and room She.

65
 A C T I V I T I E S

The characters
Q Here are some adjectives that describe the characters in the
story. Choose two suitable adjectives for each character, and
write them under the picture.

old handsome selfish kind happy sad sour

friendly cheerful grumpy plain

Martha

Colin Mr Craven Dickon

66
 A C T I V I T I E S

What goes where?

Q a. Martha is helping Mary choose some clothes to wear when
she goes out to the garden. First label the articles of clothing.

b. Now complete the following sentences. The words you need

are in the box below. Use your dictionary to help.

neck head feet hands

a. She will wear the hat on h e r ........................

b. She will wear the gloves on h e r ........................
c. She will wear the scarf around h e r ........................
d. She will wear the boots on h e r ........................

67
 A C T I V I T I E S

Before you read

P E r f l Listen to the beginning of Chapter Seven. You w ill hear three
conversations: two with Colin and Mary, and one with Mary and
Dickon. For each question, fill in the missing information in the
numbered space.

Colin and his back

Mary looked at Colin’s back for ( 1 ) ......................................time.
She discovered that it was ( 2 ) ......................................hers.

What should be done for Colin

Dickon thinks Mary should use her ( 3 ) ....................................
voice w ith Colin.
That will make him ( 4 ) ......................................

Colin learns about the garden

Dickon is coming to see Colin w ith his ( 5 ) ..................................
Mary w aited to tell Colin about the garden until she was sure
she could ( 6 ) ......................................him.

68
 C hapter Seven

3 W ill Jliv e
'or liver and liver!

a "*: v o lin lo o k e d te r r ib le . H is face w as s w o lle n 1

from crying, b u t M ary was too angry to care. ‘If
you scream again, th e n I w ill scream lo u d e r,’
she told him .
‘I c a n ’t sto p ,’ Colin so b b e d .2 ‘T h ere’s som ething w rong w ith
my back. I w ill have a crooked back, and th en I w ill d ie!’
‘Turn over and let m e look at y our b a c k ,’ M ary said. She
looked at the poor, th in back for a long tim e. ‘T h e re ’s nothing
w rong w ith it. Your back is as straight as m in e ,’ she to ld him .
C olin sto p p e d crying, and M ary sat by his bed, talking to
him q uietly u n til he fell asleep.

1. sw ollen : larger than usual. 2. sobbed : cried in a noisy way.

69
 zJfie S e c r e t S a r d e n

The next m orning, M ary m et D ickon in the garden, and she

to ld him about C olin crying in the night.
‘We m ust get him out here, poor boy,’ said Dickon, kindly.
‘Yes, we m u st,’ said Mary, using the sam e, k in d Yorkshire
voice.
D ickon laughed. ‘Talk in your Y orkshire voice to C o lin ,’ he
said. ‘It’ll m ake him laugh, and M other says laughing is good
for people w hen th e y ’re ill.’
M ary w ent to see Colin later th at day. She told him about
D ickon and his squirrels w ho w ere called N ut and Shell. Then
C olin said, ‘I’m sorry I said th at I w ou ld send D ickon away. He
seem s a w o nderful boy.’
‘I’m glad you said th a t,’ said Mary, ‘because h e ’s com ing to
see you, and h e ’s bringing his a n im a ls.’
Colin su d d e n ly looked cheerful. He looked so happy, th at
M ary th o u g h t th at she w o u ld tell him her great secret.
‘T h a t’s n o t a ll,’ she said. ‘T h e re ’s so m eth in g even better.
I’ve found the door to the g a rd e n .’
C olin w as very p leased . ‘T hen we can go in and find out
w h a t’s in s id e ,’ he cried.
Mary w aited for a m om ent, and then she told him the tr u th .1
‘I’ve been inside. T h a t’s w hy I could tell you so m uch about it.
I c o u ld n ’t tell you my secret u n til I was sure th at I could t r u s t 2
y o u .’
At breakfast, Colin to ld his nurse, ‘A boy and his anim als
are c o m in g to see m e. B rin g th e m s tr a ig h t u p w h e n th e y
a rriv e.’

I
1. truth : the real facts. 2. trust : confide in.

70
 S W itSSive S’orand

Soon afterw ards, M ary h eard a bleating. 1 ‘T h a t’s D ickon’s

lam b,’ 2 she said. ‘T h e y ’re com ing.’
D ickon cam e in. He was sm iling. He
c a r r i e d a la m b a n d h is l i t t l e fo x
follow ed b e h in d him . The sq u irrel sat
on one sh o u ld er and the crow on the other.
The other squirrel was in his pocket.
C o lin s ta re d in s u rp ris e . D ick o n gave
the lam b to Colin and h a n d e d him a bottle to feed it. The little
boy was busy and happy.
A fter a w hile, Colin cried, ‘I m ust see it all. I
m ust see the secret gard en !’
‘Yes, of co u rse you m u s t,’ sa id M ary, ‘A nd
you m ust lose no tim e about it.’
They p u t Colin in his w h e e lch a ir,3 and Dickon
pushed it along the garden paths. Mary told Colin
all about the places they passed on th eir w ay to
the door that led 4 to the secret garden.
‘H e re ’s w h ere I m et Ben W e a th e rsta ff,’^ she
said, ‘and this is w here I saw the ro b in .’ Then
she said q uietly to him , ‘This is the secret g a rd e n .’
M ary lo o k ed a ro u n d to m ake su re th a t no one w as
w atching, and th e n D ickon p u sh e d the ch air qu ick ly in sid e.
C olin looked at the trees and flow ers. He listen ed to the sw eet
so u n d of the b ird s singing, and he felt the w arm sun on his

1. bleating : the noise that a lamb 3. w h eelchair : a chair on w heels for

or sheep makes. those who find it hard to walk.

2. lamb : a baby sheep. j 4. led : (past of lead) conducted.

71
 e S e c r e t h a rd e n

face. His pale 1 skin started to becom e p in k as he b reath ed in 2

the good, fresh air. T hen he cried out, ‘I will be w ell. I w ill live
for ever and ever!’ T hat day, the w orld changed for Colin.
‘It’s been a w o nderful day,’ said Dickon.
‘It certain ly h a s ,’ rep lied Mary.
‘Do you th in k / said Colin, ‘th at it was m ade like this j u s t 3
for m e?’
‘You sound alm ost as Yorkshire as D ickon 4 n o w / laughed
Mary.
‘I d o n ’t w ant this day to finish, but I w ill com e back every
d a y / Colin said.

1. pale : w ithout colour.

4. You sound almost as Yorkshire as
2. breathed in : inhaled. Dickon : Mary means that Colin is talking
3. just : (here) only, especially. with a Yorkshire accent like Dickon.

72
 a c t i v i t i e s

What happened in Chapter Seven?

p e t Q For each question, mark the letter next to the correct answer -
A, B, C or D.

1. How did Mary get Colin to stop crying?

A Q She became angry w ith him.
B Q She sang him an Indian song.
C Q She told him about Dickon’s animals.
D □ She looked at his back and told him that it was straight.
2. Dickon thought that it would be good for Colin if he
A Q went to see his father.
B □ went to see another doctor.
C Q talked w ith Dickon’s mother.
D Q w ent out into the garden.
3. Colin forgot about his jealousy and decided he wanted to meet
Dickon because
A Q Dickon knew a lot about gardens.
B □ Mary told him that she w ould never talk to him again
if he did not meet Dickon.
C Q Mary told him about Dickon’s squirrels.
D Q Dickon had a Yorkshire accent.
4. As Colin, Mary and Dickon walked to the secret garden, Mary
told Colin about
A Q how beautiful the secret garden was.
B Q how she had discovered that the secret garden was
really alive.
C Q all the things that happened to her in the gardens since
her arrival.
d □ how Mr Craven had given her perm ission to have her
own garden.
5. That day in the secret garden Colin realised that
A [^] Dickon was actually a nice boy.
B □ Mary was his best friend.
C Q] there was a secret garden.
D Q he was going to have a life of his own.

73
 A C T I V I T I E S

Grammar
I will be well! I will live for ever and ever!
We often use the expressions or words: I think, I expect, Perhaps,
Maybe, I am sure with will,
I am sure that you w ill get well. P erhaps it w ill rain tomorrow.
We use ‘w ill’ when we have decided to do something in the moment
we are speaking or when we offer to do something: (You are looking
at the m enu in a restaurant) 77/ ha ve a hamburger and French fries.
We also use ‘w ill’ when we promise to do something:
I w on't tell anybody about the secret garden I promise.
We use ‘going to ’ to talk about the future too. But it generally refers
to something we have already decided to do (not something we
decide while we are speaking), something we intend to do.
I am going to w ork as a gardener this summer. (Mr Craven has said I
can begin in June.)

Qj Complete the sentences below with going to or w ill according to

the context.

Example: Mary: Why have you got that bucket of water?

Ben: I [water) the rose bushes.
1. Mum: Has Mary decided about next year?
Martha: Yes, Mum. S h e ......................................... [study] w ith a
governess, but most of the time, s h e .........................................
[work] in her garden w ith Colin and Dickon.
2. Jamie: Carol, I lent you my bicycle a week ago!
Carol: Oh, you’re right! I’m sorry I ..................................
[bring) it back this afternoon.
3. Last week Idiscovered that my sister lied to me. I
......................................... [talk) to her about this tonight when
she comes home from school.
4. Sam: No, you can’t use my com puter I’m sure you
......................................... [break) it.
Jerry: Please, Sam I ..................................... [break) it. You can
trust me!

74
 A C T I V I T I E S

5. Martha: Mary, tomorrow is a holiday, and I ............................

(see) my m other and family.
Mary: Really? Tell your m other that I love the skipping rope.
Martha: Sure, I ............................. [tell) her.

Where are the rabbits?

There are six rabbits hiding in the secret garden. Using one of the
following prepositions, work with a partner to say where the rabbits
are hidden. See which pair can be first to find all the rabbits:
on under behind in front of on top of next to
The following words will help you: flower pot sunflower hedge

iWipifilSt

1. There is a rabbit
2
3..........
4...........
5...........
6...........

75
 A C T I V I T I E S

Before you read

P E T 0 | Listen to the beginning of Chapter Eight.
For each question, put a tick ( / ) in the correct box.
m
1. Who discovered Mary, Dickon and Colin in the garden?
A Q Mrs Medlock
B Q Mr Craven
C Q Ben W eatherstaff

2. What did Colin do when he saw that person?

A He told him /her to go away.
B Q] He told Mary and Dickon to run away.
C Q He showed that person that he could stand up.

3. What did Colin think had made him strong?

A Q] his m edicine
B Q the magic of the garden
C Q his friendship w ith Mary and Dickon

4. As soon as he was really strong he w anted to

A Q go into his father’s study and show him that he was a
normal, healthy boy.
B Q leave M isselthwaite and look for his father.
C run away w ith Dickon and Mary, and never return to
M isselthwaite.

5. It was not easy to keep a secret that Colin was no longer ill
because
A Q] Ben W eatherstaff had seen Colin walking.
B Q Dickon told M artha and M artha was not good at
keeping secrets.
C Q people could see from Colin’s appearance that he was
becoming healthier.

76
 C hapter Eight

maa ic
f c o u rse you w i l l,’ sa id D ickon. ‘Soon, w e ’ll
have you w orking and w alk in g .’
But suddenly, Ben W eatherstaff’s angry face
looked dow n at them from the top of the w all.
‘W hat are you doing in th e r e ,’ he s h o u te d a n g rily at M ary.
T hen he saw Colin, and his m outh opened in a s to n is h m e n t.1
‘Do you know w ho I am ?’ Colin asked.
‘Yes, of course I d o ,’ Ben answ ered. ‘You are the poor boy
w ho is alw ays ill.’
C olin sat up angrily. ‘T h e re ’s n o th in g w rong w ith me. I’ll
show y o u !’ he cried. He p u lle d h im se lf up out of his chair, and
w ith D ickon’s h elp he stood up s tra ig h t2 and tall. ‘Look at m e,’
he sh o u ted at Ben. ‘Just look at m e!’
‘You dear boy,’ said Ben, and he cried w ith h ap p in ess.
Colin stayed standing. Suddenly, he felt all his fears leave

1. astonishm ent : great surprise. 2. straight : not curved or crooked.

77
 e S ecret harden

him . T m not afraid any m ore!’ he cried. ‘It’s the m agic of the
secret garden. The m agic th at m ade all the p lan ts grow strong
has m ade me grow strong, to o .’
That evening w hen Colin sat w ith Mary, he was quiet. T m
not going to be a poor, sad boy any m ore. If I believe that, I
w ill be strong and w ell, th en the m agic w ill m ake it h a p p e n .’
T he n e x t day, w h e n th e c h ild r e n w e n t in to th e g a rd e n ,
C olin to ld D ickon and M ary to w atch him . T m going to show
you th at the m agic m ade me w e ll,’ he said.
Carefully, taking a few steps at a tim e, Colin w alked around
the garden. His face glow ed 1 w ith joy.
‘Please keep this a se cre t,’ he said. ‘W hen I can w alk and
ru n re a lly w ell, I w ill w alk in to m y fa th e r’s stu d y a n d say,
“Here I am, as w ell and strong as any boy in Y orkshire.’”
It was not easy to keep Colin’s secret. The magic garden m ade
Colin’s eyes shine and his pale face become pink. Each day, Colin
and Mary did exercises to make them strong, and soon they were
happier and healthier. Mary looked pretty and Colin d id n ’t look ill
any more. Everyone who knew them w o n d e re d 2 about the change, e*

At the tim e that the secret garden m ade its magic for Colin, Mr
Craven travelled in distant countries. For ten years he had tried to
run away from his sorrow 3 and nothing could com fort4 him.
Then, one day w h ile he w alked in A ustria, he sat dow n by a
stream . 5 He felt h is m in d an d h is b o d y s ta rt to rela x . T he
gentle sound of the ru n n in g w ater filled him w ith peace, and
su d d e n ly he was both h ealth y and happy.

1. glow ed : radiated, was bright.

2. wondered : (here) were surprised. 4. comfort : (verb) make happy.
3. sorrow : sadness. 5. stream : a small river.

78
 e S e c r e t h arden

T h a t sam e n ig h t, he d re a m t a b o u t h is w if e ’s g a rd e n at
M isselth w aite M anor. The dream m ade him decid e to re tu rn
hom e at once. As soon as he arrived hom e he w ent to the garden.
As he w alked slow ly tow ards the door of the secret garden,
all his sadness cam e rush in g 1 back to him . He w on d ered how
h e c o u ld f in d th e k ey to th e g a rd e n , a n d th e n h e h e a rd
laughter from the other side of the w all.
T h e n th e d oor o p e n e d a n d a boy ra n out. He w as a ta ll,
handsom e boy, and Mr Craven gazed a t 2 him w ithout speaking.
Colin stood still and looked at his father in surprise. Then he
said, ‘Father, I’m Colin, your son. You can’t believe it, but it*s true.’
C olin took his father into the garden and told him how the
m agic h ad m ade the flow ers and trees grow, and h ad m ade him
grow strong and healthy.
M r C raven th o u g h t th a t it w as a w o n d e rfu l story. He sat
dow n next to Mary, D ickon and the anim als and talked, and
laughed for the first tim e in m any years. He was so p ro u d 3 of
his happy, h ealth y son.
‘N ow th e re w ill be no m ore s e c r e ts ,’ s a id C o lin . ‘I w ill
never need my w h eelch air again. I w ill w alk w ith you, F ath er.’
They all stood up and w alked back to the house. Mrs M edlock
and M artha w atched in am azem ent as Mr Craven w alked across
the law n, 4 h appier than they had ever seen him. Next to him ,
w ith his head held up high and his eyes full of laughter, w alked
Colin, as strongly and ste a d ily 5 as any boy in Yorkshire!

1. came rushing : came very quickly. 4 law n : an area of cut grass in a garden
2. gazed a t : looked at for a long time. or park.
3. proud : (here) pleased, satisfied. 5. steadily : in a calm and controlled way.

80
 A C T I V I T I E S

What happened in Chapter Eight?

Answer the following questions.

a. What did Ben do when he saw Colin stand?

b. What had Mr Craven been doing for the last ten years?
c. What happened to Mr Craven by a stream in Austria?
d. Why did he decide to come back home?
e. What was Mr Craven thinking about w hen he finally saw
Colin again?
f. What did Mr Craven do for the first time in many years when
he was w ith Colin again?

Qj What’s in a name?

a. Look up the meaning of the surnam e of Colin and his father.

b. Do you think the author chose it on purpose? Why or why not?

Qj The Magic of the Garden

Say how the following people and things helped Mary become a
happy little girl.

a. Ben W eatherstaff e. The Yorkshire weather

b. Martha f. The robin
c. M artha’s m other g. The secret garden
d. Dickon

Say how the following people and things helped Colin.

a. Mary
b. Dickon
c. The secret garden

82
 A C T I V I T I E S

Speaking
T: GRADE 5
(3 TOPIC - TRANSPORT
When Mary arrives in England she travels first by train and then by
horse and carriage. Bring to class a picture of a different type of
transport and use the following questions to help you talk about it.

a. Is it a m odern m ethod of transport?

b. How many people can ride on it at the same time?
c. Is it considered a fast m ethod of transport?
d. How many other m ethods of transport can you think of?

Writing a letter
P E T 0 Father and son
Colin is the happiest boy in the world now that he is with his
father again. But do you think he w ill ever really forgive him for
having ignored him for ten years? Pretend that you are Colin
and that you are now 21 years old. You have just received a
letter from your cousin Mary in which she wrote:

I often think about Dickon, you, mo and our secret garden. Still, I often
wonder if you have ever really forgiven your father. Have you?

Now write your letter in about 100 words.

Include the following information:
• how your m other died
• how your father reacted to her death
• what happened to you
• why you have or have not forgiven him

You can begin like this:

My dearest Mary,
I s till think about how when my m other was pregnant with me and
one day...

83
 A C T I V I T I E S

Summing it up with words

| Complete the crossw ord puzzle. It contains words from the
entire book. Some of them can be found in the notes, but not all
of them.

Across
1. Someone who is usually well i s ..........
5. Mrs Medlock said that t h e was miles and miles of
empty land.
7. If your tooth hurts you have a ..........
8. A child.
9. Not straight. (Colin’s back was n o t )
10. A Yorkshire word used to describe the sound the w ind makes.
11. Somebody who only thinks about him self i s ..........
12. An adverb that means to do something w ithout patience.
15. ‘Ayah’ is the Indian word for this English word.
16. Peas, carrots, potatoes and cucumbers a r e ..........
19. A spirit, a phantasm .
22. A little boy who is allowed to do everything he wants will
b e c o m e ..........
23. Not comfortable.
26. Nut and Shell were the names of Dickon’s .........

Down
2. If y o u a door, you close it w ith a key.
3. Ask yourself, be surprised.
4. The area in northern England where The Secret Garden takes
place.
6. A beautiful little bird w ith an orange breast, and Ben’s only
friend.
13. Make happy. Give pleasure to.
14. ‘T his’ is used for things near us, and ‘.........’ is used for things
far from us.
17. If you do not obey your mother, y o u her.

84
 A C T I V I T I E S

18. A w ild anim al that looks like a small dog (Dickon had one as a
pet).
20. If you believe that a person will not hurt you and is good,
then y o u that person.
21. A baby sheep.
22. An unpleasant person i s ..........
24. Instrum ents for working a r e ..........
25. ‘It is none of y o u r ’ means ‘This is private and does not
concern you’.
27. This covered the door to the secret garden.

4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 □ 6
□ 5 □ □ □ □
7□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
« □ □ □ □
9□ □ □ □ □ □ □
1°□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
*0000000 13 i4 □
□ □ 12 □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
5' □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
16 □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 17
□ 18 □ □ □ 20 21 [J
22 □ □ !» □ □ □ □ □ ] □
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 24 25
27 [J 23 □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
26 □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0
0
0
0

85
 A C T I V I T I E S

A fairy tale
Q What parts of The Secret Garden are like a fairytale?
Now read this ‘fairytale version’ of the secret garden and say:

• who the princess is • what the evil spirit is

• who the good fairy is • who the wood nym ph is
• who the satyr is • what the magic spell is
• what the ‘sweet, sleepy land’ is • what the castle is
• what the ‘lovely land of roses and fruit trees’ is
Once upon a tim e there was a p rincess who lived in a sw eet
sleepy land where she had everything she wanted, but one day an
evil spirit came and killed everyone in the kingdom. The princess
ran away from the evil spirit. She travelled over vast seas until
she came to a castle, w here there lived a king and a prin ce.
Unfortunately, the same evil spirit had put a spell on this king
and p rin c e too: the king w alked about dream ing of his dead
queen, and the prince dreamt of his own death. Then one morning
she awoke to discover a good fairy singing in a halo of flame. This
good fairy told the princess that there was a magic spell to fight
the evil spirit. ‘Where exactly?’ asked the princess. But the good
spirit sm iled and said not a word. The princess left the king’s
palace and w alked for days and days u n til she heard a sweet,
magical song. She looked up and there was a little wood nym ph
all dressed in orange sitting in a tree. The wood nym ph lead the
princess through a door to a lovely land of roses and fruit trees.
Then it disappeared. The princess was surprised and frightened
but then she heard laughing. There in front of here was a satyr, a
strange creature, half boy and half goat. ‘So, said the satyr, ‘you
have come looking for the magic to fight the evil spirit. Well, you
will find the ingredients in the wind, the rain, the sun and scent
of flowers.’ Finally, she had enough of this magical powder. She
went to the sleeping prince and just as she was about to place
some powder on him a gust of w ind came. The powder did fall on
the prince, but it also fell on the king and everything else too. So
it was that the w hole kingdom aw akened, and the prince, the
princess and the king all lived happily ever after.

86
 A C T I V I T I E S

INTERNET PROJECT
The North York Moors National Park is an area like that described in
The Secret Garden.
Use one of the major search engines, or the site suggested by your
teacher to find out:
► W here it is
► W hat you can do there
p W hen the best time to see the heather in bloom is
► Some myths and legends of the area
The wild plants and animals that live in the park

□ ; North York Moors National Park- Discover This... as

a & m
j
J
Back -.Forward Stop
o
Refresh
J S S i© ' http://moors.uk.net/index.php
Home AuioFHI Print Moil Add
< s>
Search Larger
•
Smaller
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Preferences
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Scrapbook »
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0
N ORTH YORK MOORS N ATIONAL PARK ►how ►cometus mEMMCK «a«ch s >i. |

> Discover the Place j > Authority Services j > Learning Zone I > Fun Zone j tifaf Park Shop

N orth York Moors S ervic es fo r residents

N atio n al Park

Public transport
Need to know
Discover this
special place...
Advice and grants

Sustainable
Development Fund

Events at the Park N ew s at the Park

Home I Contact Us |Feedback |I

© 2002 North Vork Moors Natior

Then look at some of the photos and decide whether

►
► you think the moors are miles and miles of empty land,
or a place full of busy and beautiful life.

87
 The Rich and Poor in
Victorian Times
We have seen from the story that there were m any differences in
Victorian times betw een the lives of rich people and the lives of
poor people. Now, we are going to m eet two children who lived
very different lives.

Charlotte’s Story
My name is Charlotte. I am ten years old. I live in a very big
house in the country. There are a lot of rooms in our house for
me and my fam ily, and there are also a lot o f room s for our
servants. We have servants to cook, clean the house, look after us
children, care for the horses and tend 1 the gardens. I have two
younger sisters called Elizabeth and Julia, and one brother who is
called Edward. Edw ard is thirteen. He goes to boarding school
and only comes hom e for the holidays. My father is busy all day
looking after the land 2 around our home. He owns many farms
which are rented 3 to other people. He likes to ride horses and
v isit his frie n d s. M y m o th e r d o e s n ’t w ork, b u t she is busy
looking after the house and telling the servants what to do. She
plays the piano very well, and paints pictures of our house and
the gardens. She also teaches E lizabeth and Julia to read and

1. tend : look after.

2. land : (here) open area of fields and woods.
3. rented : given in exchange for money.

88
 Sympathy (1877) by Briton Riviere.

write. I have a governess to teach me my lessons. She lives in the

house with us, and she takes me for a walk each day.
I like to go out in the carriage with my family, to visit friends
and relations. Som etimes as a special tr e a t,1 we go to London on
the train to see a play at the theatre.

1. treat : (here) occasion, present.

89
We children are never allow ed to
go out w ithout an adult. We are not
allowed to play with the children in
the village near our house, and we
o n ly m ee t th e v illa g e p e o p le at
C hristm as when we give presents
of food and clothes to poor people.
We see other people at church each
Sunday, but we sit apart from them.
I like being rich because I live in a
b e a u tif u l h o u s e a n d w e a r n ic e
clothes. Som etim es, though, I feel
sad because I have no one to play
w ith e x c e p t fo r m y b ro th e r and
sisters. Late Victorian day wear for children,
from Le moniteur de la mode (c. 1880l

Q Pretend you are Charlotte and answer these questions.

a. Where do you live?

b. How many brothers and sisters have you got?
c. Do you go to school?
d. What work does your father do?
e. Who cooks and cleans in your house?
f. How do you travel to see your friends and relations?
g. Do you go out to play w ith other children?
h. Do you like being rich?
Sara’s Story
M y n a m e is S a ra . I am
nine years old. I live in a
s m a ll c o tta g e in th e
country. Our house is very
small. It has got one living
room and two bedroom s. I
have got three sisters and
two brothers. We all sleep
in o n e ro o m . M y f a th e r
w orks on a farm . He gets
up v e ry e a rly in th e
m orning, before it is light.
H e lo o k s a fte r th e fa rm
A farm boy scaring the crows away
anim als and w orks in the from the crop, by shouting and using
fie ld s. M y m o th er w orks wooden clackers (c. 1850).
h a rd . S h e g e ts up v e ry
early, too, to bake 1 bread for the family. There is no w ater in the
house, so we older children have to get it from a w e ll.2
The boys help father in the fields. They help to frighten the birds
away, to stop them from eating the c ro p s .3 We girls help m other
in the house. We wash the clothes, bring in wood for the fire and
we clean the house. There is no school in the village, but m other
can read a little, and she teaches the little ones when she is not
too tired. The only lights we have come from candles.

1. bake : cook in the oven.

2. w ell : a hole made in the ground from w hich to get water.
3. crops : plants grown for eating.

91
M other and father both work very hard, but we have very little
money. There is never enough food to eat and we always go to
bed hungry. M other makes all our clothes, and the big children
hand down 1 their clothes to the little ones. We have no toys,
except for things that we make for ourselves. If we want to go
anywhere, we have to walk. We have no horses to ride, and we
have never been on a train. Each Sunday we walk to church.
I like to play in the fields with my brothers and sisters, and with
other children from the village. We like to wade 2 in the stream .3

Young Gleaners Resting by a Stile (c. 1880) by Myles Birkett Foster.

1. hand dow n : pass on.

2. wade : walk through water.
3. stream : small river.

92
m
In summer, we take hom e flow ers for our m other, and we pick
wild berries 1 for her to cook our dinner. Sometimes, before we go
to bed, father tells us exciting stories about what he did when he
was a boy. M other sings songs to help the little ones to go to sleep.
I like living in a big fam ily and I am really happy when I play
with my brothers and sisters. But I would like to have more food
to eat, and nice clothes to wear.

] Now pretend you are Sara, and answer these questions.

a. What kind of house do you live in?

b. Do you have your own bedroom?
c. How many children live in your house?
d. What work does your father do?
e. Do you have any servants?
f. Who does the cleaning and cooking?
g. Do you ever play w ith Charlotte?
h. Do you get enough food to eat?

] Now make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of

living in a rich or poor family. Fill in the table below.

advantages disadvantages

rich

poor

1. berries : any small fruit, such as strawberries and blackberries.

93
 E X I T T E S T

] Of which of the people A-G are the following true?

A Mary Lennox
B Martha
C M artha’s mother
D Dickon
E Mr Craven
F Colin
G Ben W eatherstaff

Who...
travelled to forget about the past? 0
had a m other who was very beautiful and loved 1
parties?
knew how to make children grow strong? 2
knew how to make plants grow strong? 3
knew how to make w ild anim als grow strong? 4
had only one friend in the world? 5
had no friends until he/she met a robin? 6
was spoilt because no one wanted him /her 7
to have tem per tantrum s and get ill?
was spoilt because no one wanted him /her 8
to have tem per tantrum s and bother her mother?
often cried during the night’? 9
came home because of a dream? 10
discovered that Colin, Dickon and Mary played 11
in the secret garden?
was sure that he/she had no future? 12
grew stronger as the plants began growing 13
in the spring?
grew stronger among the plants of the spring? 14
thought the secret garden was like a dream? 15

94
 E X I T T E S T

thought the secret garden was dead w hen 16.............

he/she first saw it?
thought the secret garden was magical? 17.............
had a m other who was very beautiful 18.............
and loved gardens?
had a father who never saw him /her because 19.............
he was too busy w ith work?
had a father who never saw him /her because 20.............
he was too busy w ith his sadness?

| Answer the following questions.

1. How did Mary discover that her parents had died?

2. What did Mary find surprising about M artha w hen they first
met?
3. Why did Ben say that he and Mary were similar?
4. What does ‘w utherin’ mean?
5. How did Mary first realise that perhaps there was another
child in the house?
6. Why, according to Martha, did no one like Mary?
7. How did Mary find the door to the secret garden?
8. What did Colin think Mary was when he first saw her?
9. Why did Colin think that his father hated him?
10. How did Mary know how old Colin was?
11. What did a famous doctor say about Colin and his back?
12. How did Mary treat Colin when he had tem per tantrum s?
13. What did Colin want to do as soon as he could walk and run
like other boys?
14. What was the first thing Mr Craven did when he returned
from Austria?

95
Key to Exit Test
1. A 2. C 3. G 4. D back the ivy that was
5. G 6. A 7. F 8. A covering it. 8. A ghost.
9. F 10. E 11. G 9. Because he never came to
12. F 13. A 14. F visit him. 10. Because she
15. D 16. A 17. F knew that the secret garden
18. F 19. A 20. F had been shut up ten years
2 1. One m orning the house ago when he was born.
was silent and no one came 11. He said that Colin w ould
to help her get dressed. probably get better if they
2. That she talked to her in a did not make such a fuss
fam iliar m anner unlike the over him. 12. She got
servants she had known in angry w ith him and shouted
India. 3. Because both of back at him. 13. He
them were as sour as they w anted to walk into his
looked. 4. It is the sound father’s study and tell him
that the w ind of the moors that he was as strong and
makes. 5. She heard healthy as any boy in
somebody crying. Yorkshire. 14. He walked
6. Because she did not like to the secret garden.
herself. 7. The w ind blew

96
 Mary Lennox is a spoilt, unpleasant little girl who goes to
live with her uncle on his enormous estate in Yorkshire
after the death of her parents in India. Left very much to
herself she explores the grounds to the house and finds the
secret garden which has been locked up for ten years...
• Accessible adaptation at beginner level
• Wide range of activities on the four skills
• PET-style activities
• Trinity-style activities (Grades 4/5)
• Internet Project
• Informative background inform ation on India, English
Gardens and the Rich and Poor in Victorian Times
• Exit test with answer key
• Special enhanced CD containing the text recorded in full
plus a variety of games and activities for further practice
in the four skills

^ beginner ♦ elem entary + pre-interm ediate

Exam Preparation: PET (81) Exam: PET (Bl) Exam Preparation: FCE (B2)

^ interm ediate ♦ upper-interm ediate

Exam: FCE (B2) Exam Preparation: CAE (Cl

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