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CATEGORY
Adventure Ambition Art Breakups Career Childhood Coming of Age Confidence Courage Crime Customer Service Determination Drama Emotional Empathy Everyday Life Family Fantasy Fate Fear Feel-Good First Job Food Freedom Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horror Identity Independence Inspirational Job Hunting Justice Kindness Life Lessons Loss Love Marriage Mindfulness Miscommunication Mystery Nature New Beginnings Ocean life Parenthood Patience Personal Growth Relationships Responsibility Romance School Secrets Self-Discovery Siblings Social Issues Suspense Technology Tragedy Transformation Travel Wisdom Work comedy horror
LEVEL
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
ABOUT
WRITE
Hand-drawn sketch of an old woman pointing an old shotgun at a burglar's back

The Old Gun

Mystery Crime Suspense Justice Family Everyday Life Life Lessons Courage Determination
A2
200 Words - 2 min

Story Audio

Story Reading

Mr and Mrs Bennett's small house was in a village, but their children's houses were in a town. Then Mr Bennett died. Mrs Bennett was eighty-five years old, and her children said to her, "Come and live in the town near us, Mother. Or come and live in one of our houses." But she said, "No, I'm not going to go to the town. I'm going to remain here."

Her children were not happy. They said, "There are a lot of burglars here now. Maybe one of them will come into her house and take her money and her nice things."

One Sunday one of her daughters went to Mrs Bennett's house. She saw a key on the ground at the side of the front door. "Mother!" she said, "You mustn't put your key there. That's the worst place. Burglars can see it and open the door!" Mrs Bennett smiled. "Try to open the door with the key," she said. Her daughter did this. The key made a lot of noise, but it did not open the door.

Then Mrs Bennett said, "I hear the key in the lock, and then I get one of my brother's old guns, go out of the back door and creep up behind the burglars."

Vocabulary Exercises

Match 

Match the Words with Their Meanings

1. village              a. people who steal from houses
2. burglars             b. a very small town located in a country area
3. remain               c. to stay in the same place
4. worst                d. an unpleasant or loud sound
5. noise                e. most bad or dangerous 
6. creep                f. to move slowly and quietly
7. gun                  g. a weapon that shoots bullets
1. b | 2. a | 3. c | 4. e | 5. d | 6. f | 7. g

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the blanks with the words below:

village - remain - worst - noise - creep - gun - burglars 

1. Mr and Mrs Bennett lived in a small ______.
2. The children were worried about ______ entering the house.
3. Mrs Bennett decided to ______ in her home.
4. Her daughter said the key was in the ______ place.
5. The key made a lot of ______.
6. Mrs Bennett planned to ______ up behind the burglars.
7. She had one of her brother's old ______.
1. village | 2. burglars | 3. remain | 4. worst | 5. noise | 6. creep | 7. gun

Odd One Out 

Odd One Out

1.  countryside - city - village - town

2. burglars - thieves - robbers - neighbors

3. remain - stay - live - leave

4.  dangerous - bad - safest - worst 

5. bang - silence- noise - sound 

6. creep - sneak - crawl - run

7. weapon - rifle - key - gun
1. town | 2. neighbors | 3. leave | 4. safest | 5. silence | 6. run | 7. key

Comprehension Exercises

True/False 

Answer with True or False

1. Mr and Mrs Bennett lived in a city.
2. Mrs Bennett was eighty-seven years old.
3. Her children wanted her to move to the town.
4. Mrs Bennett decided to live with one of her children.
5. Her children were worried about burglars.
6. Mrs Bennett had a plan to catch burglars.
7. She planned to use an old gun from her brother.
1. False | 2. False | 3. True | 4. False | 5. True | 6. True | 7. True

Multiple Choice 

1. Where was Mr and Mrs Bennett's house?

a. In a city
b. In a village
c. Near a hotel
d. In a forest

2. How old was Mrs Bennett?

a. Seventy-five
b. Eighty
c. Eighty-five
d. Ninety

3. Where did her children live?

a. In another village
b. In a town
c. In another country
d. On a farm

4. Why were her children worried?

a. She was lonely.
b. She was sick.
c. There were burglars in the area.
d. Her house was too small.

5. What did the daughter see near the front door?

a. A gun
b. A bag
c. A key
d. A letter

6. What happened when the daughter tried the key?

a. The door opened.
b. The key broke.
c. The key made noise but did not open the door.
d. Mrs Bennett came outside.

7. What did Mrs Bennett plan to do when she heard the key?

a. Hide upstairs.
b. Call the police.
c. Leave through the front door.
d. Take a gun and creep up behind the burglars.
1. b | 2. c | 3. b | 4. c | 5. c | 6. c | 7. d

Ordering 

Put the Events in Order

1. ___ Mr Bennett died.
2. ___ Mrs Bennett's children asked her to move to the town.
3. ___ Her children became worried about burglars.
4. ___ Her daughter found a key near the front door.
5. ___ The daughter tried the key in the lock.
6. ___ Mrs Bennett explained her plan.
7. ___ Mrs Bennett planned to creep up behind the burglars.
1. Mr Bennett died. | 2. Mrs Bennett's children asked her to move to the town. | 3. Her children became worried about burglars. | 4. Her daughter found a key near the front door. | 5. The daughter tried the key in the lock. | 6. Mrs Bennett explained her plan. | 7. Mrs Bennett planned to creep up behind the burglars.

Find the Evidence 

Find a phrase from the story that supports each statement.

1. Mrs Bennett lived in a village.
2. Mrs Bennett was very old.
3. Her children wanted her to move.
4. The children were worried about burglars.
5. The daughter found a key near the door.
6. The key did not open the door.
7. Mrs Bennett had a plan for burglars.
1. "Mr and Mrs Bennett's small house was in a village." 2. "Mrs Bennett was eighty-five years old." 3. "Come and live in the town near us, Mother." 4. "There are a lot of burglars here now." 5. "She saw a key on the ground at the side of the front door." 6. "The key made a lot of noise, but it did not open the door." 7. "Then I get one of my brother's old guns, go out of the back door and creep up behind the burglars."

Grammar Exercises

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb

Past Simple

1. Mr Bennett ______ in the village. (die)
2. Her children ______ her to move to the town. (ask)
3. Mrs Bennett ______ to remain at home. (decide)
4. Her daughter ______ a key near the door. (see)
5. The daughter ______ the key in the lock. (try)
6. The key ______ a lot of noise. (make)
7. Mrs Bennett ______ her plan to her daughter. (explain)
1. died | 2. asked | 3. decided | 4. saw | 5. tried | 6. made | 7. explained

Choose one 

Choose the Correct Preposition

1. The house was (in / on / under) a village.
2. Her children lived (in / at / from) a town.
3. Her daughter went (to / under / between) Mrs Bennett's house.
4. She saw a key (on / in / between) the ground.
5. The key was (at / beside / under) the front door.
6. The daughter put the key (in / over / from) the lock.
7. Mrs Bennett went out (of / between / under) the back door.
1. in | 2. in | 3. to | 4. on | 5. beside | 6. in | 7. of 
Choose A, AN, or THE

1. Mr and Mrs Bennett lived in ___ village.
2. Mrs Bennett was ___ eighty-five-year-old woman.
3. Her children lived in ___ town.
4. Her daughter saw ___ key on the ground.
5. ___ key made a lot of noise.
6. She got ___ old gun.
7. She went out of ___ back door.
1. a | 2. an | 3. a | 4. a | 5. The | 6. an | 7. the

Transformation 

Change to the Past Tense

1. Mrs Bennett lives in a village.
2. Her children ask her to move.
3. She decides to remain at home.
4. Her daughter sees a key.
5. The daughter tries the key.
6. The key makes a lot of noise.
7. Mrs Bennett explains her plan.
1. Mrs Bennett lived in a village. 2. Her children asked her to move. 3. She decided to remain at home. 4. Her daughter saw a key. 5. The daughter tried the key. 6. The key made a lot of noise. 7. Mrs Bennett explained her plan. 
Make the Sentences Negative

1. Mrs Bennett lives in the town.
2. Her children are happy about her decision.
3. Mrs Bennett wants to leave her house.
4. The daughter ignores the key.
5. The key opens the door.
6. The burglars can see the key easily.
7. Mrs Bennett is afraid of the burglars.
1. Mrs Bennett does not live in the town. 2. Her children are not happy about her decision. 3. Mrs Bennett does not want to leave her house. 4. The daughter does not ignore the key. 5. The key does not open the door. 6. The burglars cannot see the key easily. 7. Mrs Bennett is not afraid of the burglars. 
Turn the Sentences into Questions

1. Mrs Bennett lives in a village.
2. Her children live in a town.
3. Mrs Bennett is eighty-five years old.
4. Her daughter sees a key.
5. The key makes a lot of noise.
6. The daughter tries the key.
7. Mrs Bennett has an old gun.
1. Does Mrs Bennett live in a village? 2. Do her children live in a town? 3. Is Mrs Bennett eighty-five years old? 4. Does her daughter see a key? 5. Does the key make a lot of noise? 6. Does the daughter try the key? 7. Does Mrs Bennett have an old gun?

Find the Adjectives 

Find the adjectives in each phrase.

1. small house
2. eighty-five years old
3. happy children
4. nice things
5. worst place
6. old gun
7. front door
1. small | 2. old | 3. happy | 4. nice | 5. worst | 6. old | 7. front

Find the Adverbs 

Find the adverb in each sentence.

1. Her daughter went to the house on Sunday.
2. The key made a lot of noise.
3. Mrs Bennett smiled calmly.
4. Her daughter carefully tried the key.
5. The burglars could easily see the key.
6. Mrs Bennett quietly went out of the back door.
7. She planned to creep slowly behind the burglars.
1. on Sunday | 2. a lot | 3. calmly | 4. carefully | 5. easily | 6. quietly | 7. slowly

Speaking Activities

Discussion 

Why do you think Mrs Bennett refuses to move to the town?
She wants to remain in her own house because she likes living there and it reminds her of her husband. 
Do you think her children are right to worry about her?
Yes, they are right to worry because Mrs Bennett is eighty-five years old and there are burglars in the area. 
Why does Mrs Bennett leave the key near the front door?
She leaves it there to make the burglars think they can easily enter the house. 
Do you think Mrs Bennett's plan is clever?
Yes, her plan is clever because she wants to surprise the burglars from behind when they enter. 
Would you be afraid to live alone at eighty-five?
Yes, I would be afraid because living alone could be dangerous, especially if there are burglars nearby.

What Would You Do? 

1. Would you tell Mrs Bennett to move to the town?

2. Would you leave a key near your front door?

3. Would you use an old gun to frighten burglars?

4. Would you call the police if you found burglars in your house?
1. Example answer: I would tell Mrs Bennett to move to the town because she is very old and might be safer near her children. 2. Example answer: No, I would not leave a key near my front door because a burglar might find it. 3. Example answer: No, I would not use an old gun because it could be dangerous. 4. Example answer: Yes, I would call the police because they are trained to deal with burglars.

Rate the Story 

1. How clever is Mrs Bennett?

1 = Not clever
5 = Extremely clever

2. How worried are her children?

1 = Not worried
5 = Extremely worried

3. How dangerous do the burglars seem?

1 = Not dangerous
5 = Extremely dangerous

4. How surprising is Mrs Bennett's plan?

1 = Not surprising
5 = Extremely surprising

5. How funny is the ending?

1 = Not funny
5 = Extremely funny

6. How brave is Mrs Bennett?

1 = Not brave
5 = Extremely brave

7. How interesting is the story?

1 = Not interesting
5 = Extremely interesting

Writing Exercise

Change the Ending 

Write a new ending for the story. Keep the story the same until Mrs Bennett explains her plan, but change what happens next.
Mrs Bennett smiled and told her daughter that she had another idea. She put the key back near the door and turned off the lights. Then she called the police and told them about the burglars. When the burglars came that night, the police were waiting nearby. They caught the burglars before they could enter the house. Her daughter was very relieved, and Mrs Bennett promised to be more careful with her key.

Dialogue 

Write a dialogue between Mrs Bennett and her daughter after the daughter sees the key near the front door.
Daughter: Mother, why is this key on the ground? Mrs Bennett: I put it there on purpose. Daughter: But that is dangerous! A burglar could find it. Mrs Bennett: Let him find it. Daughter: What do you mean? Mrs Bennett: If I hear the key in the lock, I will get my brother's old gun. Daughter: What will you do with it? Mrs Bennett: I will go out of the back door and creep up behind him. Daughter: Mother, you have certainly thought about this!