Page 14 - Exercise 1A

Page 14 - Exercise 1A

There’s a party at Sam’s place tonight. It’s his brother’s eighteenth birthday. Can I go?’ ‘His brother’s eighteenth?’ said Frank’s father. ‘So there’ll be some drinks there, I suppose. No, 1 don’t think that’s a good idea.’ ‘And you haven’t tidied your room,’ said his mother. ‘Your clothes are all over the floor.’ ‘I’ll do it when I get back,’ said Frank angrily, and he went out to get the bus into town to meet his friends. ‘Tidy your room! Clean your shoes! Go to bed! Get up!’ Frank muttered, as he was waiting for the bus. ‘I wish my parents would just go away and leave me alone!’ ‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’ Startled, Frank looked up. The bus driver was smiling at him. ‘Strange,’ he thought. He didn’t hear the bus arriving. ‘Pardon?’ he said. ‘If you hop on the magic bus,’ said the driver, ‘you can have your wish - and two more as well. But be careful what you wish for. You don’t always get what you think you’ll get.’ ‘Well, I definitely want my first wish,’ said Frank, and he got on the bus and went into town.

The house was very quiet when he got home again at 4.30. ‘Mum? Dad?’ he called, but there was no reply. ‘Where have they gone?’ he wondered. Then he saw a piece of paper on the kitchen table. ‘Dear Frank,’ he read, ‘We’ve decided to go on a trip round the world.

See you next year. Love, Mum and Dad.’ He couldn’t believe it. The magic bus was real. First he phoned Sam and told him that he was going to the party.

Then he took his coat off. He was hanging it up when he remembered: no parents. So he just dropped it on the floor instead. Then he turned his stereo on very loud. ‘Wow! This is great!’ he thought.

Half an hour later, however, he started to feel very hungry. No parents was good, but no dinner was not. ‘I’m starving,’ he thought. ‘I wish I had something to eat. I could eat a horse.’ In a flash, a large, black horse was standing in the middle of the kitchen. ‘What? Oh no!’ said Frank. ‘That was my second wish.

I must be more careful.’ He took the horse out into the back garden. ‘I’ll deal with you tomorrow,’ he said.

‘Great party, isn’t it?’ ‘Yes. Really cool,’ said Frank. He was performing with Sam’s cousin, Molly. Suddenly, Sam grabbed his arm. ‘My brother’s going to take us for a ride in his car. It was his birthday present.’ ‘Is that a good idea?’ said Frank. ‘Your brother’s had a lot to drink.’ ‘Oh, he’s a good driver. Don’t worry,’ said Molly. ‘Come on.’ The tyres squealed and the car shot into the road. They were travelling very fast, and the car almost turned over on the comers. Frank felt sick. ‘This is really dangerous,’ he said. ‘Slow down!’ ‘No, it’s great. I’ve never had so much fun!’ said Molly. ‘Yes, don’t be a wimp,’ said Sam. ‘No. I’ve had enough. I want to get out,’ shouted Frank. ‘Stop the car!’ The car screeched to a stop and Frank got out. Then the car drove off into the night. Frank looked around. He didn’t know where he was. It was cold and dark, and now it was raining, too. ‘How did I get into this?’ he cried. ‘Why did I get on that stupid magic bus? I wish it was Saturday morning again!’ The next moment, Frank was standing at the bus stop, blinking in the bright morning sunshine. ‘Well, are you going to get on, or aren’t you?’ It was the bus driver, but he wasn’t smiling now. He looked very impatient. ‘What?’ said Frank. ‘Er, no. No, I’m not.’ Then he turned and ran home.

His parents were sitting at the kitchen table. ‘I’m not going into town,’ he said. ‘I’ve decided to tidy my room instead.’ Mr and Mrs Smith looked at each other. They couldn’t believe their ears. Frank turned to go upstairs. ‘Oh, Frank,’ said his father. ‘We’ve had a talk about the party and we think it will be all right, b u t. ‘ ‘No, it’s OK,’ said Frank. ‘I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to go!’ He went up to his bedroom. ‘That was really weird,’ he thought. ‘Was it a dream? Huh, a magic bus! Crazy!’ And he laughed. ‘Maybe I will go to the party after all.’ Then he heard his mother’s voice - very loud. She was calling his father. ‘Quick!’ she shouted. ‘Quick! Look!

There’s a big, black horse in our back garden!’