Hello students. I’m proud of you for completing years 1 and 2 of our American English course. In order for you to become a strong intermediate American English learner, you need to be able to read, understand, and discuss abridged American English short stories. In this lesson, throughout Year 3 of your studies, you will read, listen to, and write about popular American English short stories. Please follow the directions below closely.
- Study the American English vocabulary below.
Words in This Story
debate – n. a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something
varmint – n. (chiefly US, old-fashioned + humorous) an animal that is considered a problem
lasso – n. a rope with a loop that is used for catching animals (such as cattle or horses)
tarantula – n. a large, hairy spider that lives in warm regions
scorpion – n. a small animal related to spiders that has two front claws and a curved tail with a poisonous stinger at the end
make up one’s mind – idiom. to decide on something
- Listen to the story.
- Watch the video and read along.
- Take the short story quiz.
Take the quiz: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/2595133/p1.html?isEmbedded=True
- Write a summary of the short story you just read and listened to in the comments section below. Click here to read an article that teaches you how to summarize a story. Remember to let us know who the characters of the story are, what they do, and what the story is about.
Lesson 3.36.2: Year 3
American story.
”Pecos Bill” An American Folk Tale.
”Pecos Bill” is probably the most famous American tall tale or folk tale. A tall tale is a story that could be true or invented but is anyway hard to believe. The story is about a boy who was lost by his parents in the process of travelling and was found and grew up by coyotes, with time this boy understood that he is not animal but a human, he got a chance to change his life with coyotes and then became one of the most powerful and famous cowboys among people. The theme of Pecos Bill is to be ready for whatever life throws at you and to never give up. He invented the branding iron to stop cattle rustling and the cowboy song to soothe the cattle. On their wedding day, slue foot sues. Pecos Bill’s girlfriend was determined to ride bill’s famous horse, the widow maker, but the animal pitched sue so high that she almost hit the moon.
Pecos bill’s death is a matter of controversy. some cowboys says that he died from drinking fishhooks with his whiskey, others insist that he died laughing at duds who called themselves cowboys…
Dear teacher,
Lesson 3.36.2: Year 3
American story.
”Pecos Bill” An American Folk Taile.
The stories were collected in a book called “The Saga of Pecos Bill” published in 1923. The story was described about a boy who was lost by his parents in the process of travelling and was found and grew up by coyotes, the boy understood that he was not animal but a human, he got a chance to change his life with coyotes and then became one of the most powerful and famous cowboys. He invented the branding iron to stop cattle rustling and the cowboy song to soothe the cattle. Well, some people say Bill was just a baby when his family lost him.
Others say he was four years old.
But all agree that a group of animals called coyotes found Bill and raised him. Bill did all the things those animals did, like chase lizards and howl at the moon. He became as good a coyote as any. Now, Bill spent seventeen years living like a coyote until one day a cowboy rode by on his horse. Some say the cowboy was one of Bill’s brothers. Whoever he was, he took one look at Bill and asked, “What are you?”
Bill was not used to human language. At first, he could not say anything. The cowboy repeated his question. This time, Bill said, “varmint.”
So Bill set out across the rough country to find this gang of men. Well, Bill’s horse soon was injured so Bill had to carry it for a hundred miles. Then Bill met a rattlesnake fifty feet long.
The snake made a hissing noise and was not about to let Bill pass. You see, one day Bill saw a woman. Not just any woman, but a wild, red- haired woman, riding a giant catfish down the Rio Grande River.
He requested marriage her and the request was accepted.
After the marriage ceremony Slue-foot Sue got a really bad idea. She decided that she wanted to ride Widow Maker. Bill begged her not to try. But she had her mind made up.
Well, the second she jumped on the horse’s back he began to kick and buck like nothing anyone had ever seen. He sent Sue flying so high that she sailed clear over the new moon.
She fell back to Earth, but the steel-spring bustle just bounced her back up as high as before. There were many different stories about what happened next. One story says Bill saw that Sue was in trouble. She would keep bouncing forever if nothing was done. Somehow the two came to rest on the moon.
And that’s where they stayed. Some people say they raised a family up there. Their children were as loud and wild as Bill and Sue were in their younger days. People say the sound of thunder that sometimes carries over the dry land around the Pecos River is nothing more than Pecos Bill’s family laughing up a storm.
Thank you.