Reading 6 form/ 2 term

Read the text and for questions 1-5, choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

The Kelpie’s Fireplace

Kelpies are fearsome creatures of Scottish folklore. They usually haunt lakes and rivers in the shape of a horse and try to lure humans into the water. When someone mounts them, they get stuck fast. The kelpie then draws them underwater to kill and eat them!

The kelpie of Loch Garve lived at the bottom of the lake with his wife. The woman hated it there. While the kelpie was swimming around happily catching fish, she was complaining of the cold and shivering to keep warm. The kelpie worried that she might leave him because she was so unhappy, so he thought of a clever plan.

The next day, in the form of a handsome white horse, the kelpie visited the cottage of a local builder. The builder couldn’t resist climbing up on the animal and immediately got stuck. Then the kelpie galloped off towards the lake with him and plunged into the dark, icy water.

The builder didn’t drown, but he was terrified. “Why did you bring me here?” he cried. Instead of eating him, the kelpie struck a bargain. The man built a huge and magnificent fireplace at the bottom of the lake for the kelpie’s wife. In exchange, the kelpie let the builder go and made sure his family always had plenty of fish to eat.

Today, when the lake freezes over in winter, there is always a patch that doesn’t turn to ice. People say that is because a fire is still burning merrily in the kelpie’s fireplace down below!

1 Kelpies mostly live

2 The kelpie’s wife didn’t like living in the lake because

3 When the kelpie visited the builder’s cottage,

4 In the end, the builder

5 In the winter months,

The history of Halloween

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st. The word Halloween is a shortening of All Hallows' Evening also known as Hallowe'en or All Hallows' Eve. Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. They would leave food and wine on their doorsteps to keep the ghosts away. Halloween was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 1800s.

1. What is Halloween?

2. What is the origin of Halloween?

3. What did people believe about Halloween?

Dear Sir / Madam,

I would like to apply for the job of tour leader for your Overland Africa tours. I have had lots of useful experience for this role.

I have spent five months backpacking around Africa. In 2018, I visited Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. I used local transport and organised my own accommodation, food and visas. I enjoyed meeting local people, learning about local traditions and visiting natural parks. I read and learned a lot about the culture and wildlife, and I even learned some Swahili and Afrikaans. This trip taught me to be independent and to organise travel arrangements.

I believe I have lots of useful experience to work as an Overland Tour Guide. I would love the opportunity to tell you more about my skills at an interview.

Yours faithfully,

Nicholas Rigby

What's this? It's a letter

Nicholas would like to tell about his travelling

Nicholas learnt languages.

Nicholas wants to work as tour guide.