A Halloween Tale

By Julie Hart

Te a c h e r ’ s
Material
 C O N T E N T S

To the Teacher ...................................................................................................................... 3

Before Reading ................................................................................................................... 4

After Reading ...................................................................................................................... 6

Worksheet 1: Chapters 1-3 ................................................................................................. . 7

Answers to Worksheet 1 .................................................................................................... 8

Worksheet 2: Chapters 4-6 ............................................................................................... 9

Answers to Worksheet 2 ................................................................................................... 10

Worksheet 3: Chapters 7-10 .............................................................................................. 11

Answers to Worksheet 3 .................................................................................................... 12

Final Test ............................................................................................................................. 13

Answers to Final Test ......................................................................................................... 14

Answers to Activities in the Reader .................................................................................. 15

Before using the following teacher’s material, we recommend that

you read the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet.

Copyright © 2009 Burlington Books

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 A Halloween Tale

TO THE TEACHER

LIST OF MAIN CHARACTERS

Ben Jackson: a 13-year-old boy. Felicia: the maid at a small inn.
Mr and Mrs Jackson: Ben’s parents. June: a teenage girl. She works in the village shop.
James Kingsley: a mechanic. She’s James Kingsley’s niece.

P L O T S U M M A RY
It’s before Halloween and the Jacksons are driving on an isolated road. A cat runs in front of the car and
causes an accident. The family looks for a garage to repair their car. They find one in a small village called
Bayley. James Kingsley, the mechanic, is strange. He’s got very white skin and won’t come out into the
daylight. Mr Jackson drives the car inside the building, but Kingsley can’t repair it that day because he’s
closing the garage early for Halloween. The family has to spend the night in Bayley.
The Jacksons find a small inn. The man at the reception desk looks nervous and warns them to leave the
village before Halloween starts. Although the inn is empty, he doesn’t want to give them rooms. But he
finally agrees. Felicia takes the family to their rooms and they notice that, like Kingsley, her skin is also
very white. Mr and Mrs Jackson’s room has got a fireplace and the curtains are closed. Felicia lights a fire
and then shows Ben to his room. The curtains are open and she runs to close them. She explains she’s got a
fear of the sun because of a witch’s curse. Ben is curious to know more, but Felicia won’t talk about it.
Ben explores an ancient fortress on a hill, and finds stairs leading to a mysterious room. But there’s no time
to go inside, as he must go to the village shop to buy food before it closes. At the shop, he meets June. She’s
also got very white skin. June explains why people close their businesses early before Halloween. Three
hundred years ago, a witch called Martha lived in the village. One day, the sheriff at that time, also called
James Kingsley, discovered she was a witch. He tried to take away her broom, the source of all her magic
powers. The witch put a curse on him and all his descendants and now they are born with a fear of the sun.
In the end, soldiers took the witch’s broom and locked the witch in a room in the fortress on the hill.
June tells Ben some of Kingsley’s descendants still live in Bayley, including herself, her uncle and Felicia.
Ben learns that all James Kingsley’s descendants are witches and warlocks, and that Felicia has got Martha’s
magic broom. He decides to help June end the witch’s curse and secretly goes to Felicia’s room to look for
the broom. There, he finds some black robes in the cupboard, but no broom.
Before dark, Ben sees Felicia leaving the inn in a black robe. He takes one of the robes from her room and
puts it on. Then, he follows Felicia to the mysterious room in the fortress and hides in a corner. He sees her
move a stone in the wall to reveal the magic broom.
Soon, June, her uncle and the other descendants of James Kingsley arrive to begin their Halloween celebration.
Ben follows them to the village. On the way, they use their magic powers to cause chaos and destroy things.
Then, Felicia runs towards the inn. She wants to use a spell on Ben. He immediately covers his face with the
robe and in his warlock’s disguise, he offers to do it for her. Felicia gives Ben a bottle of yellow liquid and the
broom. He runs upstairs to his parents’ room, breaks the broom into pieces and throws it into the fire.
When the witches arrive, they can’t save the broom from the fire. Their magic powers disappear and
Martha’s curse ends forever. Kingsley’s descendants can now go outside and enjoy the sun. Ben promises to
return to Bayley next Halloween.

BACKGROUND
• Halloween: The first people to celebrate Halloween were the Celts. Today, people from many countries
celebrate this holiday and it’s especially popular in the USA. Halloween is celebrated on the night of 31st
October. People make lanterns and have parties. They also wear scary costumes and masks, tell ghost
stories and play games. Children in costumes go from house to house and call out “Trick or treat?”. If the
people in the houses don’t give them sweets, the children play tricks on them.
• Witches: In the Middle Ages, people using bad spells were called witches and warlocks. They went to
prison and were burnt to death. The Inquisition started in Europe in 1231. People hunted witches and put
them on trial. Until the 18th century, many were tortured, put in prison or executed.

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 A Halloween Tale

BEFORE READING

These activities are designed to help the students’ reading comprehension. They help to activate the
students’ background knowledge, expectations and ability to predict. At this level, these activities will
usually be conducted in the students’ mother tongue. Students with a strong vocabulary can do some of
these activities in English.
Ask the questions and elicit the answers from the whole class. (Some possible answers are provided in
italics.) If you prefer, students can work in pairs or small groups.

SUGGESTIONS FOR LEAD-IN ACTIVITIES

1. What do you think a small English village looks like? (a few streets with houses and some shops;
a church; a small school; a library; a police station; trees; flowers; fields with sheep and cows)
2. Tell the class about an interesting or special adventure you had. Where did you go? What did you see?
Did anything unusual happen?
3. According to popular legends about witches, what does a typical witch look like? Describe a witch’s
appearance, clothes and the things she uses to make spells. (A witch has got a long nose and long,
untidy hair; she wears a black robe and a tall, pointed hat; she’s got a big, black cauldron; she puts
horrible ingredients like frogs’ legs and bats’ wings in the cauldron to make magic spells; she’s also got
a magic broom and it can usually fly.)
4. Make a list of stories or films about witches and warlocks. (Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow
White, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter) Which is your favourite? Explain why.
5. How do people celebrate Halloween? (They wear scary costumes; they use pumpkins to make lanterns;
they knock on neighbours’ doors and say, “Trick or treat?”– the neighbour must give them treats or
they play a trick on them; they have parties and play games.)
6. Imagine you’ve got magic powers. How do you use them? Discuss your answers with the rest of the
class. (I use my magic powers to tidy my room and do my homework; to get rich; to be famous and
successful; to help people in trouble; to fly around the world.)

BEFORE READING ACTIVITIES

1. Read the first paragraph on page 2. What date is Halloween? (31st October) What does Ben do on
Halloween? (He wears a scary costume and goes to a party until late at night.)
2. Look at the pictures at the top of pages 3 and 5. What do you think is the connection between them?
(There was an accident and the cat is responsible for it.) What do you think happened? (The cat
appeared in front of the car. The driver tried to stop, but wasn’t successful and damaged the car in the
process.)
3. Look at the pictures of the man on page 6 and the women on pages 10 and 13. What is strange about
them? (They’ve got very white skin and dark rings around their eyes.)
4. Read lines 2-6 on page 9. Mrs Jackson tries to open the curtains. What is strange about Felicia’s
reaction to this? (It’s dark in the room, but she wants the curtains closed.) Why does she react this way?
(She hates the sun.)
5. Read the last paragraph on page 11 and the last two paragraphs on page 15. What does Ben find in the
fortress on the hill? (a mysterious room) What happened? (Soldiers locked a witch named Martha in the
room.)
6. Look at the picture at the top of page 19. What is on the table? (a book of spells) What spell appears on
the page? (How to Turn Boys into Frogs)

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 A Halloween Tale

K E Y V O C A B U L A RY

1. Pre-teach the following words. Then photocopy the exercise and ask the students to write three words in
each category.

fireplace leave uncle stairs follow shop

soldier break maid inn wall garage

Buildings People Parts of a House Verbs

2. Pre-teach the following words. Then photocopy the exercise and ask the students to fill in the correct
word in each sentence, using the pictures to help them.

curtains destroying angry surprised car afraid

1 2 3 4

1. The cats are .......................... the flowers. 5 6

2. The boy is very .......................... .
3. The .......................... is outside the house.
4. The man is very .......................... .
5. The .......................... are open.
6. The boy is .......................... .
3. Pre-teach the following vocabulary. Then photocopy the exercise and ask the students to look at the
pictures and write the correct number next to each word.

...... repair ...... climb ...... skin ...... sun ...... village ...... road ...... field

1 2 3 4

5 6 7

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 A Halloween Tale

AFTER READING

DRAMA ACTIVITIES

Work with a partner or group. Learn one of the dialogues below and act it out in front of the class.
1. The Jacksons are at James Kingsley’s garage.
Mr Kingsley: I close early before Halloween.
Mr Jackson: Why? What’s special about
Halloween? It’s just a holiday for
children!
Mr Kingsley: Leave the car here. I can work on
it tomorrow.
Mr Jackson: We can’t wait until tomorrow. We
want to go home today.
Ben: I must be at home for Halloween!
My friends are waiting for me. I
don’t want to miss all the fun.
Mr Kingsley: Fun? Don’t worry. You can have
FUN in Bayley, tonight!
2. The Jacksons are talking to the man at the
reception desk.
Man: Can I help you?
Mr Jackson: Yes. We need two rooms for
tonight.
Man: I’m sorry, we’re full.
Mr Jackson: Full! That’s impossible! Where
are all the people? Where are all
the cars?
Man: It’s Halloween tonight. Leave
now, before it’s too late!
Mrs Jackson: Too late for what?
Mr Jackson: I don’t understand. Is there a
problem? We can’t leave this
village. Our car is in the garage.
Man: OK, you can stay. But be careful!
3. Ben is at the village shop.
June: You must be quick because we close
early for Halloween. I’m June. Who are
you?
Ben: I’m Ben. I need orange juice, some
chocolate, biscuits and some fruit, please.
June: Why are you in this village for
Halloween?
Ben: Well, we haven’t got another option. The
garage mechanic must repair our car.
June: James Kingsley? He’s my uncle.
Ben: Why do all the people close their
businesses early for Halloween?
June: Well, it’s a long story. Halloween is a
very important celebration here.
4. Ben is talking to June outside the shop. She’s
cleaning the mess with a broom.
Ben: That isn’t a witch’s broom, I hope!
June: No, it’s a normal broom. I’m a
(laughing) different person today.
Ben: I can see that. You’re outside in the
sun.
June: Yes, it’s a beautiful day and I’m not
afraid! You ended the curse and now
I can go outside like a normal person.
Ben: That’s fantastic! Good luck, June.
Can I come and visit you some
time?
June: Come next Halloween. We can have
a party to celebrate.

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

You may want to present some of these activities in the students’ own language.
1. Imagine what the village of Bayley looks like and draw a map. Include the fortress on the hill,
the garage, the library, the inn and the shop.
2. Write a short holiday advertisement for Bayley. Include four things you can do there.
3. Find words or phrases in the story to describe a witch or warlock. Make a list. Then draw your own
witch or warlock.
4. Imagine you are June. Write a letter to Ben thanking him for his help. Tell him how you feel now and
what you are doing.
5. Write a description of a place in the village. Read it to your partner. Your partner must guess the place.
6. Write a new ending to the story. Begin like this: The broken pieces of broom fly around the room. The
Jacksons can’t catch them …
7. Look in an encyclopedia or search the Internet for information about Halloween. How did it begin?
How do people celebrate it in England or the USA? Write a short paragraph and read it to the class.
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 A Halloween Tale

WORKSHEET 1: CHAPTERS 1-3

A. Find these words in the puzzle below. Then write the correct word under each picture.
jump ring pay 1 2 3
sleep close wear

m e c w e a r
l n l r y b p ........................ ........................ ........................
p o o s i l u 5 6
4
j e s l o n r
u u e e w u g
m s m e e s g
i n k p a y l ........................ ........................ ........................

B. Find three pairs of opposites below. Then use the adjectives to complete the sentences.
ous earl
erv Opposites
y
n

lo n g

........................ ........................
rt

........................ ........................
sho

........................ ........................
c

alm
late

1. Many shops close ........................ before a holiday.

2. I can’t see the end of the road. It’s very ........................ .
3. Don’t be angry. Try to stay ........................ .
4. The party is starting. Don’t be ........................ .
5. Jim hates the dark. He’s ........................ in dark places.
6. Tony’s mother cut his hair. It’s very ........................ now.

C. Match the questions and answers.

1. What do Ben and his friends do on Halloween? a b
2. What runs in front of the car?
3. What do the Jacksons see after the sign at the
entrance to the village?
4. What do the Jacksons do in the village?
5. Who is James Kingsley? c d
6. Why can’t Kingsley help the Jacksons?
7. How does Mr Jackson know the inn isn’t full?
8. Who has got very white skin?

e f g h

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 Worksheet 1: Chapters 1-3

ANSWERS

A.
1. wear
m e c w e a r
2. sleep
l n l r y b p
3. ring
p o o s i l u
j e s l o n r 4. close
u u e e w u g 5. pay
m s m e e s g 6. jump
i n k p a y l

B. Opposites
nervous – calm
early – late
long – short
1. early
2. long
3. calm
4. late
5. nervous
6. short

C. 1. c
2. f
3. d
4. e
5. g
6. a
7. h
8. b

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 A Halloween Tale

WORKSHEET 2: CHAPTERS 4-6

A. Circle four things that belong to each category. Then write the correct letter next to the
things in the house.
Parts of a House: a. rings b. stairs Food and Drinks: h. orange juice i. entrance
c. pocket d. floor e. wall f. smile j. chocolate k. biscuits l. key m. fruit
g. fireplace n. curtains

3
1

2 1

4
3
2 4

B. Complete the sentences with the extra words from Exercise A.

1. Jane is a happy person. She’s always got a ...................... on her face.
2. The ...................... to the village is after the sign.
3. Are you tired? There are dark ...................... under your eyes.
4. I’ve got some money in my ...................... .
5. She opened the door with her ...................... .
6. The room is dark. Please open the ...................... .

C. Circle the correct answer.

1. Mr and Mrs Jackson’s room has got a .... . 4. Martha was a .... .

a b a b

2. Ben explores the .... . 5. Soldiers appeared to take Martha’s .... .

a b a b

3. June works in .... . 6. The sheriff’s descendants are afraid of .... .

a b a b

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 Worksheet 2: Chapters 4-6

ANSWERS

A. Parts of a House: Food and Drinks:

1. e 2. g 3. d 4. b 1. h 2. j 3. m 4. k

B. 1. smile
2. entrance
3. rings
4. pocket
5. key
6. curtains

C. 1. b
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. a
6. b

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 A Halloween Tale

WORKSHEET 3: CHAPTERS 7–10

A. Match the verbs and pictures to put the brooms together.

1
fly
a
b
throw 2

burn
3 c
4
dance d

5
watch e

clean 6
f

catch 7 g

B. Complete the sentences with the verbs from Exercise A.

1. Paper can ...................... very quickly.
2. You mustn’t ...................... stones at people.
3. I want to ...................... a programme about Halloween.
4. It’s fun to ...................... to music.
5. A plane can ...................... very high.
6. Please ...................... the table. It’s dirty.
7. She runs very fast. I can’t ...................... her.

C. Choose the correct answer to complete the sentences.

1. Ben … the broom in the basement. 5. Felicia gives Ben the broom because
a. finds she … .
b. doesn’t find a. likes him
2. Ben takes a … from the cupboard. b. can’t see his face
a. black robe 6. In the end, … .
b. mop a. the fire destroys the broom
3. The sheep … . b. the broom extinguishes the fire
a. run from the field 7. The curse … .
b. change into frogs a. ends
4. The books … . b. doesn’t end
a. change into mice
b. fly around the library
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 Worksheet 3: Chapters 7–10

ANSWERS

A. 1. e
2. c
3. g
4. a
5. f
6. d
7. b

B. 1. burn
2. throw
3. watch
4. dance
5. fly
6. clean
7. catch

C. 1. b
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. b
6. a
7. a

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 A Halloween Tale

FINAL TEST

A. Find ten words in the puzzle. Then write the correct word under each picture.

eefloorpocketwall
belltr smile stairs
moneybiscuitskey

1 2 3 4 5

.......................... .......................... .......................... .......................... ..........................

6 7 8 9 10

.......................... .......................... .......................... .......................... ..........................

20 points (2 points each)

B. Complete the words in the sentences below.

1. You can _ _ r _ paper in a fire.
2. Let’s d _ _ _ _ to the music.
3. Your room is dirty. You must _ _ e _ _ it.
4. Many birds _ l _ over our garden.
5. Jim can’t do maths. He’s very _ _ _ _ _ _ s about the exam tomorrow.
6. We usually _ _ t _ _ TV in the evenings.
7. The mechanic goes to work _ a _ _ _ in the morning.
14 points (2 points each)

C. Write T (true) or F (false) next to each sentence.

..... 1. James Kingsley has got dark skin.
..... 2. The man in the inn is surprised to see the Jacksons.
..... 3. Felicia likes the sun.
..... 4. Martha cursed everybody in the village.
..... 5. The car mechanic is a warlock.
..... 6. Ben finds a book of spells in Felicia’s flat.
..... 7. The dog changes into a sheep.
..... 8. In the end, June is a normal girl.
16 points (2 points each)

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 Final Test

ANSWERS

A.
eefloorpocketwall
belltr smile stairs
moneybiscuitskey
1. stairs
2. pocket
3. floor
4. wall
5. smile
6. tree
7. bell
8. money
9. key
10. biscuits

B. 1. burn
2. dance
3. clean
4. fly
5. nervous
6. watch
7. early

C. 1. F
2. T
3. F
4. F
5. T
6. T
7. F
8. T

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 A Halloween Tale

ANSWERS TO ACTIVITIES IN THE READER

Page 3: The correct order is C, D, B, A.

Page 5: He is closing the garage now (picture B).
Page 7: The curtains are closed and the car park is empty (pictures C and A).
Page 9: The sun (picture C).
Page 12: The correct order is D, B, C, A.
Page 15: Felicia (picture B).
Page 17: By destroying the broom (picture B).
Page 19: He finds long black robes and a mop (pictures C and A).
Page 21: The robes are red (not dark). Felicia is holding a torch (not a broom). Felicia is standing in front
of the witches (not in the centre). Ben is with the witches (not hiding). There are five figures (not
four).
Page 23: The correct order is B, D, A, C.
Page 25: The broken pieces of broom jump from the fireplace and fly around the room (picture B).
Page 27: It’s the end of the curse.

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