191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 1

Level: Beginner Age: Young Learners

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En las pginas 19 a 22 de la
edicin de Junio, encontrars la Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 19 a 22
secuencia didctica Free at Last! Junio 2016
para alumnos de escuela primaria.
Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com
191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 2

Level: Intermediate Age: Teenagers

HOME ALONE
A) You are going to read a short story called Home Alone; what do you think the story will be about?

B) Read the story and check your predictions.

It was going to be a big night, and Dan could

feel it. One word now echoed in his head:
freedom. Freedom to do whatever he pleased,
to eat anything he wanted. For the first time in
his whole life, at the age of ten, his parents
had decided to let him stay at home all alone.
Tonights outing was not meant to last too
long, for they would only get some dinner.
However, Dan was overwhelmed with joy. He
knew very well that it was a huge decision his
parents had made.
Mom had made it very clear that he would
have to follow indications and that there
would be no negotiations on this matter. In his
ecstasy, Dan did nothing but nod to everything
she said.
It was already dark outside. They were hav-
ing dinner at their favourite restaurant and
had a reservation at 8.30pm. They made a few
recommendations, while they took their coats
from the coat rack in the entrance hall, and
then they were gone.
Immediately, he locked the front door with
key and headed to the left wing of the house,
where the kitchen was. He felt big. He felt, for
the very first time, that he was in charge. How-
ever, it was a few minutes later, that he was
struck by reality. Even though he was in his
house all by himself, mom had managed to let
him know that she would be supervising
every step he took.
Dan was about to lose control as soon as he
saw all the post-it notes clattered up in the
kitchen: on the cupboards, the fridge, and
even the microwave. The list was endless, and
so was Dans disappointment by this time.
However, his spirit was not to be broken so
easily. He relaxed and tried to focus on the
hours ahead. A grin on his face stated more
than any word could possibly say. A healthy
meal was out of the question tonight.

This is the first part of the story

Home Alone, published in June Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 25 a 29
2015. On pages 25 to 29 you will find Junio 2016
the second part of this thrilling story
for teenagers at intermediate level. Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com
191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 3

Level: Intermediate Age: Teenagers

HOME ALONE
He took some bread from the pantry, and he
darted to the fridge in search of the peanut but-
ter and marmalade that mom had hidden at
the very back of the vegetables compartment.
He grabbed them carefully, and placed them
on the counter.
The butter knife lay expectant on his left
hand. Two slices of bread rested on a pearly
white plate. As he spread the two ingredients
on the bread, his mouth watered. In the fridge,
there was also a six-pack of soda cans.
With dinner placed on a tray, he exited the
kitchen, went past the dining-room and
walked to the living-room. He would eat his
not-really-healthy-but-savory meal sitting on
his favorite armchair, watching TV, as he had
always wished.
He grabbed the TV guide that lay on top of
the mahogany coffee table in front of his chair,
and scanned the movies that were about to
begin. A horror film was to be found. A few
seconds went by, and there it was. A film that
for sure would make his blood run cold.
With the film reaching its climax, the boy
had become a little restless. Some scenes had
made him jump out of his seat every now and
then.
Just when he thought he had gotten himself
together, he was overpowered by an awful sen-
sation that caused him to leave the couch and
go to the kitchen. Once there, he checked all
the windows were properly shut and drew the
blinds. He was beginning to feel somewhat
silly after such paranoia. Turning off the lights,
he returned to the living room. That film
would not defeat him.
No sooner had he sat down, than he leaped
in fear. A door was slammed, footsteps faded
into the distance. Dead silence. If this was his
mind playing tricks on him, it had done a great
job. Dan was on the verge of losing control.
A deep breath and he was on his way to the
foyer. The noise, if real, seemed to be coming
from the entrance.

This is the first part of the story

Home Alone, published in June Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 25 a 29
2015. On pages 25 to 29 you will find Junio 2016
the second part of this thrilling story
for teenagers at intermediate level. Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com
191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 4

Level: Intermediate Age: Teenagers

HOME ALONE
So off he went to the beige cotton linen arm-
chair that rested between two black soft-leather
couches. Little did he know that the situation
would only take a turn for the worse. One thing
now invaded his mind: the TV set. He swal-
lowed hard as he stared at its screen. It had
been turned off. He refused to call his parents,
and certainly would not give in to the obvious
fact that he was panicking. He turned the TV
on again, he switched channels and went for a
comedy instead.
When the old wooden clock on the wall
struck ten, Dan seemed to have regained some
joy. Nevertheless, a few minutes later, his confi-
dence was taken away once more.
Another door had been slammed, and to his
shock, the noise was coming from the first floor.
Without putting any thought into it, he went up
the stairs. The last steps seemed endless, let
aside the long walk to the master bedroom at
the end of the corridor, which door was shut.
Having failed miserably to open it in his first
attempt, he took a deep breath, but almost
choked when another door shut behind him.
He turned around. His puny legs were shaking,
his heart threatened to abandon his chest. It
was the worst of nightmares, yet he was not
asleep.
There was a guest room in front of his par-
ents room, but he did not stop to check there.
Little Dan tiptoed back to his bedroom, for its
door had now been closed. Without hesitating,
he pushed it open, in the hopes that this would
scare his ghost away.
He pressed his tiny hand against the wall
scanning for the light switch, and when the
lights were on, an ounce of tranquility settled in
his body. The closet, he told to himself. Mon-
sters, if real, would always hide inside them. A
bit of shame started to show for considering
this option. He opened it. No creepy creatures
in sight. He laughed out loud for the first time
in this painful and never-ending night.
The bedroom door was suddenly shut

This is the first part of the story

Home Alone, published in June Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 25 a 29
2015. On pages 25 to 29 you will find Junio 2016
the second part of this thrilling story
for teenagers at intermediate level. Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com
191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 5

Level: Intermediate Age: Teenagers

HOME ALONE
abruptly and footsteps on the rug now ap-
proached him from behind. Tears rolled down
Dans cheeks, his yelling attempts were muffled
by a strange hand that now covered his mouth.
Downstairs, Dans parents were back from
their night out. It was almost midnight, and
Mom could not wait to see her baby. She darted
to the living room in hopes to find him asleep
on one of the sofas. Deep inside, mother knew
that her child would not be in his room, sleep-
ing in his own bed. She was ready to process
the idea of imminent disobedience on his part.
Unfortunately, the smile on her face faded
when she saw there was no one in the sitting
room. She, a little bit off, went up the stairs. Her
husband followed, voicing his sons name.
As Danny did not respond to the calling, both
parents were now shaky. They went to their
own bedroom first. But once more, they were
proved wrong. The bedroom was clear.
The bathroom was empty and so was the
guest room. Dans room was the final stop.
Mom and dad strode down the hall not uttering
a word. The air was dense, almost impossible to
breathe.
Standing in front of the bedroom, Dad
stretched his right hand to reach for the knob.
He turned it cautiously so as not to wake up the
infant. He was there, where else if not? Mom
squeezed her husbands left hand. She turned
on the lights to find the bed was still made.
The couple called the kids name again, but
still, no replies. The poor woman had become a
bundle of nerves. Unable to take control of her-
self, she burst into tears. Her husband tried to
keep calm. He was torn apart, but could not
show any grief. If there was a moment to col-
lapse, this was not it.
He stroke his wifes hair and held her in his
arms. She seemed to have regained some
strength by now. They both agreed on calling
the police and let them do their job. If the child
was really missing, they would find him.

This is the first part of the story

Home Alone, published in June Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 25 a 29
2015. On pages 25 to 29 you will find Junio 2016
the second part of this thrilling story
for teenagers at intermediate level. Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com
191_ttm_ar_WEB_179_ttm_ar_materialcomplementario 02/05/16 15:58 Page 6

Level: Intermediate Age: Teenagers

HOME ALONE
Dad took the cell phone out from one of his
pants pockets and dialled 911. Once he fin-
ished talking to the police officer that was on
the other side of the line, he hung up.
Back inside, Mom stood motionless, staring
fixedly at a post-it note that was now in one of
her hands, her face pale. Tears rolled down her
cheeks. Dad went in and reached for the note.
Reading silently, chills were sent down his
spine.
He let the paper fall on the rug, its light
brown colour now invaded by red stains. Fresh
blood confronted them with the cruellest of re-
alities. The note, its reading facing up:
Home alone? Think again!
The night was still. Police sirens were heard
in the near distance. Mom shrieked in terror.

C) Read the story and answer these questions.

1) Why does Dan feel so happy at the beginning of the
story?
2) Why do you think Mom and Dad found it difficult to leave Dan alone?
3) Dans mother is strict and overprotective. Find instances in the text that indicate that. Underline them.
4) Describe Dans mood changes throughout the story.
5) What do you think happened to Dan by the end of the story?

D) Vocabulary: Parts of the house and furniture.

1) Some words related to parts of the house and furniture have been written in bold type in the story. Classify them.
Use a dictionary if necessary.

Parts of the house Furniture

E) Read the story again. What does the house look like on the inside? Make a sketch and name its parts.

Key: A) Suggested answers: 1) Strange things that happen to a boy while staying alone in his house; B) Suggested answers: 1) Because he is staying alone for
the first time, 2) Because he is very young, 3) Dan was about to lose control as soon as he saw all the post-it notes clattered up in the kitchen, 4) At first, he
was very happy, then he began to feel nervous and scared, 5) He was taken by a stranger; C) 1) Parts of the house: foyer, corridor, pantry, stairs, dining-room,
bathroom, guest room, living room. Furniture: fridge, rug, closet, coffee table, coat rack, counter, light switch, cupboards, blinds, armchair.

This is the first part of the story

Home Alone, published in June Material complementario de The Teachers Magazine N 191 - Pginas 25 a 29
2015. On pages 25 to 29 you will find Junio 2016
the second part of this thrilling story
for teenagers at intermediate level. Encontr ms recursos en www.ediba.com