T E A C H E R’ S N O T E S

16B The bear who could let it alone

Tania Bastow and Ceri Jones

Type of activity Comments & notes

Problem-solving. Group or pair work. This story is adapted from the Bear Who Could
Let It Alone, by James Thurber in Fables For Our
Aim Times.
To consolidate basic uses of prepositions and This activity can be used with any reading text
conjunctions. you choose. You can also give a text to your
students and ask them to prepare codes for each
Task other.
To read a story and replace symbols with the
words they stand for.

Preparation
Make one copy of the worksheet for each pair or
group of students.

Timing
15 minutes

Procedure
1 Divide the students into pairs or groups of
three. Tell them that they are going to solve a
puzzle.
2 Give each group one copy of the worksheet.
Explain that eight words have been taken out
of the text and replaced by the symbols at the
bottom of the worksheet. Their task is to
work out what word each symbol stands for.
(If you want to add a competitive edge you
can either set a time limit or say that the first
group to finish is the winner.)
3 Circulate, helping with vocabulary and other
problems.
4 When the first group has finished (or the time
is up), stop the activity and check the answers
with the whole class.
Key: @ = in * = on # = of ✹ = by ? = at ✡ =
to▲ = and ❃ = there
 I N S I D E O U T R e s o u rc e P a c k

16B The bear who could let it alone

Based on a short story

by James Thurber

@ the woods # the Far West ❃ once lived a brown

bear who could take it or let it alone. @ the
evenings, after work, he used ✡ go ✡ the local
bar where they sold mead, a fermented drink made
# honey, ▲ have just two drinks. Then he would
put some money * the bar ▲ say, ‘See what the
bears @ the back room will have,’ ▲ he would go
home. But finally he started drinking ✹ himself
most # the day. ? the end # the night he used ✡ stagger home drunkenly, kick over
the umbrella stand, knock down the lamps, ▲ stick his elbows through the windows.
Then he would collapse * the floor and lie ❃ until he went ✡ sleep. His wife was
greatly distressed ▲ his children were very frightened.

? length the bear saw the error # his ways ▲ began ✡ reform. @ the end he became
a famous teetotaller ▲ a persistent temperance lecturer. He told everybody that came
✡ his house about the awful effects # drink, ▲ he showed them how strong ▲ well
he had become since he gave up drinking. ✡ demonstrate this, he used ✡ stand *
his head ▲ * his hands ▲ turn cartwheels @ the house, kicking over the umbrella
stand, knocking down the lamps, ▲ sticking his elbows through the windows. Then
he used ✡ lie down * the floor, tired ✹ his healthful exercise, ▲ go ✡ sleep. His
wife was greatly distressed ▲ his children were very frightened.

Moral: You might as well fall flat * your face as lean over too far backward.

@=
*=
# =
✹=
? =
✡=
▲=
❃ =

© Sue Kay & Vaughan Jones, 2000. Published by Macmillan Publishers Limited. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class. Photocopiable