Modul 3: Story 29 The Tablecloth
Video 01 Vocabulary Presentation 1-5
Video 06 Story Presentation 01
Video 07 Story Presentation 02
Audio 01 The story
The Tablecloth
Sue has lived in London with her husband and two children for twenty-two years. She grew up in a village in the north of England with her parents and her mean sister, Kim.
When Sue got married and decided to leave her village, Kim did the first and only kind thing that she had ever done for Sue: she made her a beautiful tablecloth. Sue loved the tablecloth, and for the twenty-two years to come, she dressed her table with the cloth every Sunday lunchtime.
During these years, Kim dropped contact with Sue until one Sunday when there was a ring at Sue’s doorbell.
“Kim! What a wonderful surprise!” Sue exclaimed as she opened the door.
Kim looked down her nose at Sue. “Well, I was in the neighbourhood so I thought I’d drop by.”
“Well, come in, come in!” Sue ushered her inside and called out for her two children.
“Amelia, Callum!”
Two well-dressed teenagers came plodding down the stairs to greet the stranger in their hallway.
“This is your auntie, Kim.”
“Pleased to meet you Kim,” Callum chirped as he stepped forward.
“My name’s Amelia,” said the eldest as she held out her arms to hug Kim.
“Charmed,” Kim bluntly said as she grabbed hold of Amelia’s right hand to shake it firmly.
As it was a Sunday, Sue invited Kim to stay for their Sunday roast dinner, which was laid out on top of a, now rather worn, tablecloth.
Sue had never told the children about the origin of the tablecloth before. While they were waiting for dessert, conversation between the children and Kim was scarce. As the situation was getting awkward, Callum decided to make a witty comment, in hope of a smirk from Kim.
“It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
Kim’s eyes rose from her empty plate and met Callum’s eyeline. Amelia saw that it had captured Kim’s attention and joined in.
“Yeah, I’m not too sure this old rag was ever in style!”
Kim’s face reddened, and immediately the children knew they had said something wrong.
Video 08 Part A
Audio 02 Questions Part A
1. Has Sue lived in London for 30 years?
2. Did she have a nice and kind sister?
3. Did Kim visit Sue?
4. Was Sue pleasantly surprised?
5. Did Amelia try to hug Kim?
6. Did she hug Kim?
7. Did Amelia shake hands with Kim?
8. Was the meal pleasant?
9. Was the tablecloth brand new?
10. Did the kids know who had made the tablecloth?
11. Did the family feel uncomfortable?
12. Was Callum’s comment funny?
13. Did Amelia call the tablecloth beautiful?
14. Was Kim happy?
15. Did the kids know they had said something wrong?
Video 09 Part B
Audio 03 Questions Part B
16. Who was mean?
17. Who left the village to live in London?
18. Who sent a tablecloth to Sue?
19. Who was plodding down the stairs?
20. Who tried to hug Kim?
21. Who was trying to make a joke of the tablecloth?
22. What captured Kim’s attention?
23. Who was embarrassed?
Video 10 Part C
Audio 04 Questions Part C
24. Was Kim a kind sister or a mean sister?
25. Did Kim drop contact with Sue, or did she maintain it?
26. Did Sue usher Kim in the house, or did she show the door to her?
27. Did Callum chirp “Pleased to meet you” to Kim, or did he mutter “Hi”?
28. Was Kim happy to hug Amelia, or did she want to keep her distance?
29. Did the kids know the origin of the tablecloth, or were they totally unaware of it?
30. Did Callum’s witty comment capture Sue’s, or Kim’s attention?
31. Did Kim burst out laughing, or did she redden?
Video 11 Part D
Audio 05 Questions Part D
32. How did Kim look at Sue?
33. Where did the kids meet their aunt?
34. Whose hand did Kim grab a hold of?
35. Where did Kim stay for dinner?
36. What captured Kim’s attention?
37. Why did Callum make the witty comment?
38. Why did Amelia think that the tablecloth was not in style?
39. How did Kim react?
Video 12 Part E
Audio 06 Questions Part E
40.
a. Ask me if Sue had 2 children.
b. Ask me how many children she had.
41.
a. Ask me if the doorbell rang.
b. Ask me why the doorbell rang?
42.
a. Ask me if Kim was standing at the door.
b. Ask me where Kim was standing.
43.
a. Ask me if Kim was invited to a meal.
b. Ask me if Kim accepted the invitatiton.
44.
a. Ask me if the teenagers were acting friendly to her.
b. Ask me how Callum hurt Kim.
45.
a. Ask me if Kim was hurt by the children’s comments.
b. Ask me How Kim felt.
Audio 08 Story variations
The Tablecloth
Sue's story
Kim's story
Amelia's story
The story
Sue grew up in a small village with her parents and her sister, Kim, who was very mean.
When Sue got married, Kim made her a beautiful tablecloth which surprised her. After the wedding, Sue left the village and went to live in the city. Sue loved the tablecloth so much that she dressed her table with the tablecloth every Sunday lunchtime.
Kim dropped contact with Sue; however, after 22 years, she visited her. When Sue had opened front door for her, she ushered her inside and called out for her children who came downstairs to greet their aunt.
During the dinner, both Amelia and Callum were nice to Kim, but the conversation between Kim and the children was scarce. Suddenly, Callum decided to make a witty comment,
so he said, “It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
As the comment captured Kim’s attention, Amelia joined in and added another comment about the tablecloth which hurt Kim’s feelings. Kim’s face reddened, and the children knew they had said something wrong.
Sue’s story
I grew up in a small village with my parents and my sister, Kim, who was very mean.
When I got married, Kim made me a beautiful tablecloth which surprised me. After the wedding, I left the village and went to live in the city. I loved the tablecloth so much that I dressed my table with the tablecloth every Sunday lunchtime.
Kim dropped contact with me; however, after 22 years, she visited me . When I had opened front door for her, I ushered her inside and called out for my children who came downstairs to greet their aunt.
During the dinner, both Amelia and Calum were nice to Kim, but the conversation between Kim and the children was scarce. Suddenly, Callum decided to make a witty comment, so he said, “It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
As the comment captured Kim’s attention, Amelia joined in and added another comment about the tablecloth which hurt Kim’s feelings. Kim’s face reddened, and the children knew they had said something wrong.
Kim’s story
Both Sue and I grew up in a small village with our parents. Even though I tried to be nice, sometimes I think I was very mean.
When Sue got married, I made her a beautiful tablecloth which surprised her.
After the wedding Sue left the village and went to live in the city.
Sue loved the tablecloth so much that she dressed her table with the tablecloth every Sunday lunchtime.
I dropped contact with Sue; however, after 22 years, I visited her.
When Sue had opened front door for me, she ushered me inside and called out for her children who came downstairs to greet their newly found aunt.
During the dinner, both Amelia and Calum were nice to me, but the conversation between me and the children was scarce.
Suddenly, Callum decided to make a “witty” comment, so he said, “It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
As the comment captured my attention, Amelia joined in and added another comment about the tablecloth which hurt my feelings.
My face reddened, and the children knew they had said something wrong.
Amelia’s story
Mummy grew up in a small village with her parents and her sister, Kim, who was very mean.
When mum got married, Kim made her a beautiful tablecloth which surprised her.
After the wedding, she left the village and went to live in the city.
Mum loved the tablecloth so much that she dressed the table with the cloth every Sunday lunchtime.
Kim dropped contact with mum; however, after 22 years, she visited her.
When mum had opened front door for her, she ushered her inside and called out for us, so we came downstairs to greet our aunt.
During the dinner, both I and my brother Callum were nice to Kim, but the conversation between us was scarce.
Suddenly, Callum decided to make a witty comment, so he said, “It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
As the comment captured Kim’s attention, I joined in and added another comment about the tablecloth which hurt Kim’s feelings.
Kim’s face reddened, and then we both knew we had said something wrong.
Video 14 Vocabulary check (Extra)
The Tablecloth
Part 1
Sue has lived in London with her husband and two children for twenty-two years. She grew up in a village in the north of England with her parents and her mean sister, Kim.
When Sue got married and decided to leave her village, Kim did the first and only kind thing that she had ever done for Sue: she made her a beautiful tablecloth. Sue loved the tablecloth, and for the twenty-two years to come, she dressed her table with the cloth every Sunday lunchtime.
During these years, Kim dropped contact with Sue until one Sunday when there was a ring at Sue’s doorbell.
“Kim! What a wonderful surprise!” Sue exclaimed as she opened the door.
Kim looked down her nose at Sue. “Well, I was in the neighbourhood so I thought I’d drop by.”
Part 2
“Well, come in, come in!” Sue ushered her inside and called out for her two children.
“Amelia, Callum!”
Two well-dressed teenagers came plodding down the stairs to greet the stranger in their hallway.
“This is your auntie, Kim.”
“Pleased to meet you Kim,” Callum chirped as he stepped forward.
“My name’s Amelia,” said the eldest as she held out her arms to hug Kim.
“Charmed,” Kim bluntly said as she grabbed hold of Amelia’s right hand to shake it firmly.
As it was a Sunday, Sue invited Kim to stay for their Sunday roast dinner, which was laid out on top of a, now rather worn, tablecloth.
Part 3
Sue had never told the children about the origin of the tablecloth before. While they were waiting for dessert, conversation between the children and Kim was scarce. As the situation was getting awkward, Callum decided to make a witty comment, in hope of a smirk from Kim.
“It’s about time mum threw out this ugly old tablecloth and bought a new one!”
Kim’s eyes rose from her empty plate and met Callum’s eyeline. Amelia saw that it had captured Kim’s attention and joined in.
“Yeah, I’m not too sure this old rag was ever in style!”
Kim’s face reddened, and immediately the children knew they had said something wrong.