A very spooky Christmas story
учебно-методический материал по английскому языку (7 класс)

A very spooky Christmas story

Although it was only half past four, it was pitch dark outside. It was Christmas Eve and everybody in the village was preparing for dinner.

It was bitterly cold outside but I had to go out because my grandmother had asked me to buy some bread and, of course, I hadn't done it so far. If I wanted to find the bakery open, I would have to hurry. I put on my warm coat, my snow boots and a hat in order to face the cold wind and the snow. Yes, at least it was snowing. We were going to have a white Christmas.

I went to the bakers, bought the bread and hurried home. I must confess I was a bit scared in the dark. The streets were almost empty; everybody was already in the warmth of their houses.
There were only a few meters left when I came to the corner where Mrs. Murdoch and her granddaughter Betty lived. This lady wasn't very beloved in the village and there was even a gossip that her husband had died mysteriously.  My grandmother was the only one who didn't avoid her.
When I came nearer I heard her voice: "Come here, she said, don't make me angry. You won't escape. It's your turn.” I could hear somebody yelling and running. I arrived under the window and the screaming went on. I couldn't see the whole scene because I was too small. But suddenly I saw her arm rising and in her hand she held a big knife. A few seconds later her hand with the knife got down, I heard a last yell and --- silence.

She had killed her granddaughter.

I ran away as fast as I could, shaking in my shoes. When I came home my granny asked me if I had seen a ghost because I was as white as a sheet. “It's the cold” I answered. Later on I opened my presents, and we were ready for dinner.

A loud knock on the door. That must be the police, I thought, they must have come to ask me about the murder.

Granny opened the door. Mrs. Murdoch and Betty came in carrying a big pan: “Merry Christmas, Mrs Murdoch said, I killed a piglet this afternoon. You can't imagine how difficult it was to catch it, it escaped and it made a terrible noise. If there had been somebody passing by they could have thought I was murdering my granddaughter. But it is delicious, and we'd like to share it with you”.

Answer the questions with true, false or we don’t know.

1. It was December.
2. It was just after five o'clock.
3. It was winter.
4. The girl liked to shop.
5. She had to buy bread and milk.
6. It was a white Christmas Eve.
7. The scene takes place in London.
8. Everyone liked Mrs. Murdoch.
9. Mrs. Murdoch had a granddaughter.
10. The granddaughter screamed very loudly.
11. The narrator saw a large knife.