The Crazy Computer By Sue Clarke Parti George was in his bedroom, playing on his computer — again! George used to play on his computer every day. His mum would shout, “George! Your dinner is ready!” but George didn’t hear. He just played on his computer. But George felt sad. He played on his computer because he didn’t have any friends. Sometimes he dreamt of playing football with lots of friends, but it never happened. One day, George was playing a computer football game against the computer and he was winning. Suddenly the computer spoke to George. “Hello George. What game can we play now?” George was surprised and jumped up from his chair. He couldn't believe it. Maybe it was a dream. Then the computer spoke again. “lam your friend, George.” George looked at the computer with big eyes. “You can speak!” “Yes, of course. | can do many amazing things!” 1. Why was George sad? 2. What did the computer do to surprise George? —See 20 Part 2 {aol “Can you do math homework?” “That's easy!” The computer looked at George's book and in two seconds all the answers were on the computer screen. George wrote the answers in his book. “Great!” said George. George's mum came in. She brought George a pizza. “Here you are George! Oh good, your math homework is finished! What a good boy!” And she went out of the room. “Oh yum, | love pizza!” said the computer. An arm shot out of the side of the computer and took the pizza. “Delicious!” said the computer. Another arm shot out of the computer. And then two legs. Suddenly the computer started walking! Let’s go for a walk,” said the computer and it went down the stairs and out of the front door. George followed him. “Where are we going?” asked George. “To find a friend,” said the computer. It walked along the road, turned left and went 3. What did George want the into the High Street*. It stopped outside the computer to do for him? television shop. 4, Why did the computer want “No good!” it said and laughed at the televisions. to go for a walk? @ ‘af Part3 | 51 The computer ran along the road. Its metal legs ran faster and faster. It went past the post office and the bank and into the library. In the library there were lots of books - and lots of computers. The crazy computer went into the room full of computers. There was a boy sitting there, doing his homework. “Hello,” said the boy, “I’m Tommy.” Tommy looked at the crazy computer. “What's this?” he cried, “a computer with arms and legs?” “It's my computer,” said George. “He's gone crazy — eating pizza and running around!” —They looked at George’s computer. It was connecting to the other twenty computers in the room. The computers made lots of strange noises as if they were talking to each other. Words and numbers flashed across the screens. Colored lights went on and off - green, blue, red, yellow. The computers went faster and faster. Suddenly one exploded, then the next, then the next... then they all exploded. George's computer was in the middle of the room. It was getting bigger and bigger. Its screen flashed with millions of different numbers and messages. It was laughing. “Now, | have enough power!” said George’s computer. “Soon | will be the only computer ‘on Earth. | can destroy‘ all other computers. 1am the Supercomputer of the World.” am the Supercomputer of the World 5. What did the want to be? Part4 | 52 Tommy looked at George. “We must stop him!" he said. George's computer was out of control’. The lights in the library flashed on and off. People ran out of the library. They were scared. “Quick!” said George. He grabbed a stick and smashed? his computer. There was a loud bang, and it exploded and fell to the ground in tiny pieces. “He’s gone,” said Tommy. Tommy and George left the library together. Tommy lived in the next street to George. “That's my house,” said Tommy. “Do you want to play football in the garden?” “Yes,” said George, smiling. “Who needs 6. How did Tommy and George computers?” Gp 2 i tits