Learn English Language (ESOL) via Storytelling – Baxter Family 1

Storytelling is a great way to Learn English as a Second Language (ESOL), listen to the story of the Baxter Family with Study Coach. Morel Benard at Study Coach presents the first episode of the story to help you with Learning English. You will find an Audio clip and text below to help you acquire new vocabulary and raise thinking skills. In this English Language Lesson, you can pause the audio and practise your pronunciation skills. You will also find questions to answer based on the text presented. See if you can answer the questions and feel free to feedback on this website or on Apps where I’m available.  

Part 1

“Paul Baxter was too small to be head of the family. He was only seven, while his sister was five, and Paul thought she had a great deal to learn. Mrs. Baxter was the rest of the family, for the father had sailed away with the fishing fleet one foggy morning, and the fleet came back without one boat, and that boat was John Baxter’s. They all thought he was drowned, but they were wrong, as you will see. Meanwhile you must pretend you don’t know he is alive, or else you can’t understand what an unhappy time Mrs. Baxter was living through, and how much rested on Paul’s little shoulders while he considered himself the head of the family.

Part 1 Questions:

1. Find out what is a ‘fishing fleet’
2. What is the meaning of ‘foggy’
3. What is the meaning of ‘pretend’
4. Is Mr Baxter dead or alive? 

Extra Question: See how many words you can make from the word ‘understand’. I will give you an example ‘sun’

Part 2

“The worst time had not come yet, for the father had saved some money, and he had not been missing more than about two weeks. Mrs. Baxter knew that the money would soon be gone, so she was saving every cent she could.

On the day before Thanksgiving, she told Paul and his sister Kate that until their father came home again” (for she would not speak as if he were lost), they must be very careful, and so their Thanksgiving dinner would have to be a very plain one.

“No turkey?” Kate asked.

“No, dear,” said their mother, “unless you and Paul can catch one somewhere in the street.”

They knew this was a joke, for they lived in South Street, New York City, where trucks rumbled about all day.

Part 2 Questions:  

1. What is Thanksgiving
2. What is ‘turkey’
3. Where is the Baxter family living 
4. What is the meaning of ‘rumbled’ 

Part 3

“Paul felt he must get a turkey for a reason Mrs. Baxter didn’t know. As John Baxter was bidding Paul good-bye the night before he sailed, Paul had asked whether he would be back for Thanksgiving.

“I think so, my boy, but one can’t be sure. If I shouldn’t, you must see to the Thanksgiving dinner, and carve the turkey. Will you?”

“Yes,” said Paul, very proud, and now how could he, if there was none to carve? Paul made up his mind that it was his business to see that the family had a turkey. Paul had some money in his own small cast-iron bank. And he knew it was right for him to do what he liked with his savings. He had already offered them to his mother, and she had told him they were of no use to her. Kate, too, had some money in her bank; it was just like Paul’s except that there was a “K” on the door, made with a red pencil.

Part 3 Questions: 

1. What is the meaning of ‘carve the turkey’ 
2. What is Paul’s sister name 
3. Give another name for the ‘small cast-iron bank’ 

Part 4

“While their mother was clearing away the breakfast, Paul beckoned to Kate and proposed that they should put their money together and surprise mother with the biggest, fattest, finest bird in the market.

Kate feared the bird would cost too much.

“Nonsense, child,” said Paul, grandly; “why, I have more than seventy-five cents. How much have you?”

“Twenty-eight, I think,” said Kate.

“Well, then!” Paul answered; “that’s more’n a dollar. You can buy ’most anything for a dollar, child.”

They opened the banks, and counted the money three times, to make sure. It came out different every time, but they had about one dollar and fifteen or eighteen cents. It was all in small pieces and looked enough to buy an elephant. Paul tied it all up carefully in the corner of his handkerchief.”

Part 4 Questions: 

1. What is the meaning of ‘beckoned’
2. From reading Part 4, what is another word for a turkey? it begins with the letter ‘B’
3. What do you understand from the words ‘…looked enough to buy an elephant’