EXTRA READING A1+

Around the World in Eighty Days

1 Look at the cover of the book. How many forms of transport can you think of?
Which forms of transport were there in 1872? Read the description to check
your answer.
Around the World in Eighty Days is a famous adventure story by the French writer Jules
Verne. It’s the story of Phileas Fogg, a rich English man. He believes that he can travel
around the world in eighty days. Can he do it? It’s 1872 so he can only travel by train,
by ship, on foot or on an elephant!

WHILE YOU READ

2 1 Read an extract from Around the World in Eighty Days. Who doesn’t
believe it’s possible to travel around the world in 80 days?

Phileas Fogg is a rich man. Phileas Fogg is looking for a new servant.
He lives in London. He has
no family. Every day he has What’s your name?
Jean Passepartout, sir.
breakfast at 8.25. He has
lunch at 12.15 and dinner at
Are you French?
7 o’clock.
Yes, sir. I am. And I am
an acrobat. But now I want
to work in England. I want
a normal job. I want a
quiet life.

OK Mr Passepartout.
You can be my servant.

Phileas Fogg is a member of the Reform Club. He goes to the

Club every day at 11.30 a.m. At the Club he reads newspapers
and books. He also plays cards. Today it is Wednesday, 2nd Passepartout! Put some clothes and
October, 1872 … this money in a bag. We are leaving
in 10 minutes. We’re going to travel
around the world in 80 days.
There is a story in the
newspaper. It’s about a big bank
robbery. A man stole £55,000.
The police can’t find the
robber anywhere.

Well, the world is very

big. The robber can
hide anywhere. What?!

But now there are

railways. The world is
smaller. People can
travel quickly. I can travel Impossible!
around the world in
eighty days...

I will show you. I will go

this evening. I will return
here on Saturday, 21st
December, at 8.45 in the
evening. I can do it!
I bet you £20,000! We accept
your bet. READING TIP
Look at the pictures before you read. They give
you information about the text.
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EXTRA READING A1+
Around the World in Eighty Days

AFTER YOU READ

3 Find words in the third and fourth panels to match the definitions.
1 (v): to take something from someone else without permission (past tense).
2 (n): a person who takes things from other people without permission.
3 (n/v): you lose money if you’re wrong and win money if you’re right.

4 Copy or download the organiser. Then make notes about READING TIP
the characters in the story. If you can’t find the information, You don’t need to understand every word.
write a question mark (?). Use the words that you know to help you.

Book title: First name: Jean

Author: Surname:
First name: Phileas Nationality:
Surname: Job:
Nationality: Other facts:
Job:
Other facts:

5 a Complete the extract from the story with the words in the box.

England Detective passport please police robber

My name is (1)
Fix. I work for the
(2) in London.
That man is a bank
(3) . I can’t arrest
him. We are not in
(4) . Can you
Sorry, I can’t. His
arrest him, (5) ?
(6) is
correct.

b 2 Listen and check your answers.

6 a Look at the map of Phileas Fogg’s journey

around the world. Answer the questions.
1 Which countries did he go to?
2 What do you think happened on his journey?
3 Do you think he completed the journey in 80 days?

b Which of the countries would you like to visit?

7 Read about comic books and answer The original version of Around the World in Eighty
the questions. Days was a book with text and some pictures. It
1 Which comic books or comic book heroes can was published in 1873, a long time before the first
you name? comic books. A comic book has pictures inside
2 Why do people like reading comic books? boxes (called panels), conversations (dialogue) in
3 Which do you prefer reading – normal books or speech bubbles and short texts in boxes to tell
comic books? Give reasons for your answer. the story. Today you can find comic book versions
of many classic stories.
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© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING A1+
The Magic Barber

BEFORE YOU READ

1 Look at the cover of the book. Read the questions and choose
the correct answers.
1 The man on the right is a barber. What does a barber do?
A He sings songs. B He cuts people’s hair. C He makes clothes.
2 Look at the man on the chair. What’s his hair like?
A short B white C long
3 Which of these things can you wear on your head?
A a hat B a T-shirt C jeans

WHILE YOU READ READING TIP

2 1 Read the first part of The Magic Barber. Why are Use pictures to help you understand
the people of Crossways happy to see the barber? new words.

It is afternoon in Crossways. Crossways is a quiet town. Crossways is a sleepy town.

Everybody in Crossways wears a large hat. Everybody in Crossways wears a black hat.
The women wear round, black hats. The men wear tall, black hats. The girls wear square,
black hats. The boys wear flat, black hats.
Everybody has long hair. Everybody wears a large hat. Everybody wears a large hat over
their long hair.
It is afternoon in Crossways. The sun is shining brightly. It is a hot afternoon. Everybody
is sleeping.
Suddenly there is a loud noise. Everybody wakes up. They all look round.
What is happening? Who is making that loud noise?
A small boy is walking along the street. He is beating a drum.
The small boy is walking in front of a donkey. The donkey is
pulling a cart.
A man is sitting on the cart. There is a large notice above the
man’s head.
THE MAGIC BARBER
WHY WEAR HATS? HAVE YOUR HAIR CUT
ALL SHAPES – ALL COLOURS
HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! ONLY ONE DOLLAR
Everybody reads the notice. Everybody in Crossways is happy.
They don’t like black hats. They don’t want to wear hats any
more. They all shout and cheer.
They all throw their hats in the air. The wind blows the hats high
in the sky. They all cheer and shout.
Nobody sees the small boy. He is busy. He is picking up the
hats. The small boy is putting the hats into a large bag. He fills
the large bag with the hats.
The small boy lifts up the large bag. He runs out of the town. He
is carrying the large bag on his back.

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EXTRA READING A1+
The Magic Barber

A young man climbs onto the cart. He sits down on the chair. He pays the barber a dollar.
The Magic Barber puts a large white towel over the young man’s head. He holds a large pair of scissors in the
air. He shouts the magic words.
‘Snip! Snip! Up and down! Round and round! And off it comes!’
The Magic Barber pulls away the towel. Everybody shouts. The young man’s hair is short. The young man’s hair
is green.
Everybody shouts and cheers. Everybody is happy.
The Magic Barber cuts everybody’s hair. The women have blue hair. The men have green hair. The boys have red
hair. The girls have yellow hair.
Nobody in Crossways is wearing a hat.

AFTER YOU READ

3 Look at the sentences from the story. Write the sentences in bold in your language.
Use the picture and book cover to help you.
A small boy is walking along the street. (1) He is beating a drum. The small boy is walking in front of a donkey.
(2) The donkey is pulling a cart.
The Magic Barber puts a large white towel over the young man’s head. (3) He holds a large pair of scissors in the
air. (4) He shouts the magic words.

4 Copy or download the organiser. Then make notes about the story. What’s Crossways like?
What do the people wear? What’s the weather like?

Book title: The time & weather:

The place (Crossways): The boy:
The people (of Crossways): The man (barber):

5 a Look at the pictures from the next part of

the story. What do you think happens?

b 2 Listen and check your answers.

6 Read about reading aloud. Then answer the

questions and complete the tasks.

We usually read books silently on our own. Sometimes

we read them aloud. Reading aloud is good, especially
if you’re learning a language. When you read aloud, you
think about the words you’re saying and how you say
them. It’s also good to listen to someone reading aloud.

1 Do you ever read aloud or listen to someone reading

aloud? When?
2 Why is The Magic Barber a good story to read aloud?
3 Try reading the first part of the story aloud. Can you
remember the second part of the story? Try telling the
rest of the story to your partner.

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© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.