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B Burlington Books

Hercules
retold by Anne Stanmore

T E A C H E R ’ S M AT E R I A L

CONTENTS

To the Teacher 2

Before Reading 3

After Reading 4

Final Test 5

Answers to Final Test 6

Answers to Activities in the Reader 6

Answers to Cross-Curricular Focus 7

Before using the following teacher’s material, we recommend that you visit the Teacher’s Zone
at www.burlingtonbooks.es and consult the Burlington Activity Readers general
information leaflet. The Final Test in this teacher’s material is also available in editable
Word format from the website. The Student’s Zone on the site offers additional activities.

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 Hercules
to the teacher
List of Main Characters

Hercules: the son of Zeus Hera: Zeus’ envious wife and Queen
Zeus: the king of the gods King Eurystheus: the king who gives Hercules missions to complete

Plot Summary

Zeus has got many children and one day, he has a new baby son with a human woman. He is very happy
with his new son and calls him Hercules. Hera, Zeus’ wife and the queen of the gods, is furious and tries
to kill Hercules, but the baby survives and grows into a man. Hera puts a spell on Hercules and he kills his
wife and children, imagining they were his enemies. When the spell disappears, Hercules is devastated and
goes to King Eurystheus. He will give Hercules missions that will clean his soul. The cruel king gives him
dangerous and difficult tasks to complete.
The first mission is to kill the Hydra, a monster with nine heads. Hercules succeeds with the help of his
nephew, Iolaus. Eurystheus then tells him to clean King Augeas’ stables. Once again, Hercules completes
the mission and Eurystheus is again furious. He then sends Hercules to find the Tree of Hesperides and
bring a golden apple from it. While Hercules is searching for the tree, he meets Atlas, who is holding the
world on his shoulders and is very tired. Atlas tells Hercules where to find the tree, but warns him that
a terrible dragon guards the tree. Hercules finds the tree and kills the dragon, but he still can’t take the
apple because it’s too high. Hercules returns to Atlas and the giant offers to get the apple for Hercules if
he will hold the world on his shoulders for him. After a long time, Atlas returns with the apple and offers
to take it to King Eurystheus. Hercules realises that if Atlas leaves, he will never return, so he asks Atlas
to show him the best way to hold the world. Atlas takes the world, and Hercules escapes with the apple.
King Eurystheus is angry at Hercules’ success and gives him one final task. He tells Hercules to bring him
Cerberus, the ferocious three-headed dog who guards the underworld. With the help of Kayron and Hades,
Hercules succeeds and becomes a free man again. He starts a new life and meets Deianira, King Oeneus’
daughter, and falls in love. But Deianira must marry Achelous, the river god. Hercules fights Achelous and
wins, so he can marry the princess. At the end of his life, Hercules’ spirit ascends to Mount Olympus and he
becomes a god for eternity.

BACKGROUND

• Greek Mythology evolved over many centuries. The ancient Greeks invented some of the stories to
explain natural events, like the creation of the world. Other stories are connected to historical events.
The human kings and heroes became god-like and often did impossible things.
• Atlas tried to attack Zeus in the past, and because of that, his punishment is to support the world on his
shoulders forever.
• The Tree of Hesperides produces golden apples which give immortality to the person that eats them.

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 Hercules
Before reading
These activities are designed to help the students’ reading comprehension. They help to activate the students’
background knowledge 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.

Suggestions for Lead-in Activities

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 in small groups.
1. Hercules is a hero. What words can you use to describe a hero? (brave; kind; intelligent; strong)
2. The story of Hercules is a Greek myth. What types of characters might appear in a myth? (kings and
queens; princesses; gods; monsters; dragons)
3. When are some people envious of others? (When someone wants something other people have got.)
4. What things are people envious of? (wealth; intelligence; strength; beauty)
5. If you did something terrible, how do you think you could show you were sorry? (say you’re sorry;
try to restore the situation to how it was before; help the person you hurt; accept a punishment)
6. Describe a dragon. (it’s a very big animal; it breathes fire; it’s ferocious; it sometimes eats people; it’s fictitious)
7. Characters in myths often have to complete a mission. What type of mission could a character have to
complete? (find a missing treasure; rescue someone from danger; kill a monster)

Before Reading Activities

The Before Reading tasks in the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, page 9-12,
can be applied to Hercules.
1. Look at the picture on the cover. What do you think the story is about? (It’s about a strong man. It takes
place in ancient times.)
2. Read the text on page 8. Why does Hera hate Hercules? (He’s not her son, but Zeus is very happy with
his new son and loves him very much.)
3. Read the first four lines on page 11. Why does Hercules go and see the priestess at the Temple of Apollo?
(Because he killed his family and he wants to die.)
4. Read lines 5-9 on page 11. What does the priestess tell Hercules to do? (She tells him to live and pay for
his terrible crime. He must go to King Eurystheus. He will give Hercules many missions to complete and
if he completes them all, his soul will be clean.)
5. Look at the pictures on page 15. Describe the monster Hercules is fighting. (It’s green and it’s got many
heads and long necks.)
6. Look at the picture on page 20 and read the speech bubbles. What is Hercules’ next mission? (He must
clean the stables in one day.)
7. Read the fourth paragraph on page 27. What problems does Atlas tell Hercules he will face to get the
golden apple? (A terrible dragon guards the tree. The golden apple is high in the tree.)
8. Read the last eight lines on page 28. Why does Hercules agree to hold the world for Atlas? (So Atlas
can go and get the golden apple.)

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS

The following is a list of irregular verbs (Past Simple) which appear in the reader. The page number refers
to the page where the Past Simple tense of the verb first appears. Go over the list with your students.
be – was / were (page 23) give – gave (page 9) know – knew (page 23)
do – did (page 11) keep – kept (page 42) pay – paid (page 42)

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After reading
drama acTivities
Work with a partner or in a group. Learn one of the dialogues below and act it out in front of the class.
King Eurystheus gives Hercules his next mission.
1. 
3. 
Eurystheus: You must clean King Augeas’ stables
in one day.
Hercules: That isn’t very difficult. I’m big and
strong. It won’t take a long time. It’s
easier than killing the Hydra.
(Hercules goes to King Augeas.)
Hercules: I must clean your stables in one day.
Augeas: One day? That’s impossible! It will
take months to clean them. Come
and see!
Hercules: (thinks) I can’t breathe!
Augeas: Nobody cleaned these stables in
more than 30 years! Good luck,
Hercules!
2. Hercules is talking to Atlas.
Hercules:  Who are you? Why are you holding
the world like that?
Atlas:  I’m Atlas, and this is my punishment
4. 
for attacking Zeus. I can’t take the
world from my shoulders. I must
hold it forever and I’m very tired.
Hercules: I’m sorry for you.
Atlas: Thank you. But why are you here?
(Hercules explains his mission to Atlas.)
Atlas:  I know the tree’s location. But a
terrible dragon guards it. And the
golden apples are very high in it.
Hercules:  I’m not afraid of the dragon. Please
tell me the location of the tree.
Project Suggestions
Hercules
Hercules is holding the world waiting for Atlas
to return.
(Atlas appears with a golden apple in his hands)
Atlas: Now I’ll take the apple to King
Eurystheus. Wait for me here.
I won’t take a long time
Hercules: (thinks) Atlas wants to escape from
here and leave the world on my
shoulders forever. I must stop him,
but how?
Hercules:  That’s a great idea, Atlas. I don’t
want to see King Eurystheus. But
first, please teach me the best way to
hold the world. You did it very
easily. You’re big and strong, and
I can learn a lot from you.
Atlas: No problem, Hercules! I’ll teach
you the best way to hold the world.
Hercules meets Hades in the underworld.
Hercules:  I’m Hercules, the son of Zeus. King
Eurystheus sent me here. He gave me
many missions, and this is my final
one. I must take Cerberus to him.
Can I take the dog?
Hades:  Well, that’s an unusual thing to ask.
You can take Cerberus on two
conditions: first, you mustn’t hurt
him, and second, you must return
him in one day. He guards the
underworld and I need him.
Hercules:  Thank you, Hades. I accept your
conditions. I’ll bring Cerberus to you
tomorrow.

You may wish to present some of these activities in the students’ own language.
1. Design an advert for a film about Hercules. Use your imagination and decide which actors you want to
play each part. Include a short description of the film.
2. Imagine you are Zeus. Your son, Hercules, was born a day ago. Write an invitation to the other gods to
celebrate your son’s birth. Use your imagination.
3. Which person in the story do you dislike the most? Write a few sentences explaining your reasons.
4. Imagine you are a reporter. Write an article about one of Hercules’ missions and how he succeeded in
completing it.
5. Choose one character from the book. The other students can ask up to 20 questions to try and guess who
you are. You can only answer Yes, I am. / No, I’m not; Yes, I do. / No, I don’t; Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.
6. In the original story, Hercules has to do 12 difficult missions for King Eurystheus. Search the Internet to
find out more about the ones not mentioned in the reader. Choose one, write a few sentences about it and
read it to the class.
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 Hercules
FINAL TEST
A Write T (true) or F (false) next to each sentence.
1. Zeus is the only god that likes Hercules. All the others hate him.
2. Hercules wants to die after he kills his family.
3. Hercules has a very good relationship with his nephew, Iolaus.
4. King Augeas isn’t happy that Hercules cleaned his stables quickly.
5. After his final mission, Hercules doesn’t fight again.
15 points (3 points each)

B Complete the chart according to the story.

ACTION WHY?
1. puts a snake in Hercules’ cot
2. digs a canal
3. holds the world
4. doesn’t allow someone to enter his boat
5. allows Hercules to take his dog
15 points (3 points each)

C Complete the sentences with a suitable word.

1. Hercules is the son of Zeus and a woman.
2.
Hercules kills his wife and sons with a .
3.
The Hydra is a monster with nine .
4.
Hercules kills the Hydra, and then puts his in its blood.
5.
King Eurystheus wants Hercules to clean the stables in one .
6.
A guards the Tree of Hesperides.

6 points (1 point each)

D Answer the questions about the story.

1.
Why is Hera envious of Hercules?
2.
How does Hercules kill the Hydra?
3.
When was the last time somebody cleaned King Augeas’ stables?
4.
Why is Hercules frightened while he is holding the world?
5.
How do dead people get to the underworld?
6.
What happens to Hercules when he dies?
12 points (2 points each)

E Hercules kills his family, but people still think of him as a hero. Who is a villain in
the story? Explain your answer.

2 points

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 Hercules
answers to final test
A 1. F. All the other gods like him. They bring him presents.
2. T. Hercules visits the temple of Apollo and asks to die.
3. T. Iolaus helps him fight the Hydra.
4. F. King Augeas is happy. He thinks Hercules’ plan to clean the stables is brilliant.
5. F. Hercules fights Achelous, the river god, so that he can marry Deianira.

B ACTION WHY?
1. Hera puts a snake in Hercules’ cot To kill Hercules.
2. Hercules digs a canal So the river runs through the
stables and cleans them.
3. Atlas holds the world He attacked Zeus and that’s his
punishment.
4. Kayron doesn’t allow someone to enter his boat Hercules is not dead.
5. Hades allows Hercules to take his dog Hercules agrees to his conditions.
C 1. human 4. arrows
2. sword 5. day
3. heads 6. dragon
D 1. Because Zeus loves him so much.
2. H e cuts off one of the heads and then uses fire to burn the neck.
3. More than 30 years ago
4. A tlas has an opportunity to escape and leave Hercules holding the world forever.
5. They cross the River Styx in Kayron’s boat.
6. His spirit goes to Mount Olympus and he lives with the gods forever.
E Possible answer
Hera is a villain in the story because she is envious and cruel.

answers to activities in the reader

Pre-reading activities (page 7) 3 1. Hera 4. Megara
1 1. g 2.
f 3.
e 4.
b 2. Hercules 5.
Eurystheus
3. Alcmene 6. The Hydra
5. h 6. a 7.
c 8.
d
2 Sentences a and c are correct. 4 1. b 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. a

Chapters 3-4 activities (pages 18-19)

Chapters 1-2 activities (pages 12-13)
1 1. meet 5. nephews
1 1. surprised 4. dangerous 2. hit 6. arrives
2. strong 5. dead 3. helps 7.
appears
3. beautiful 6. frightened 4. necks 8.
burns
Argos is in Argolis, Greece. 2 1. make a fire 4.
open
2 1. clean 6. go to sleep 2. easy 5. travel
2. cry 7. hate 3. ground
3. kill 8. die 3 1. f 2. h 3. b 4. a 5. d 6. e 7. g 8. c
4. marry 9. throw
4 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. F
5. disappear

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Answers to Activities in the Reader continued

Chapters 5-6 ActIvities (pages 24-25) CHAPTERS 9-10 ACTIVITIES (pages 38-39)
1 1. runs 4.
dirty 1 1. entrance
2. fast 5.
field 2. frightening
3. return 6.
take a long time 3. get into
2 1. heavy 4. shout
4.
satisfied
2. build 5. clearly
5.
destroys
3. end 6.
sweet 2 1, 3
3 1. d 2.
e 3.
a 4.
c 5.
b 3 1. surprised and not very happy
4 1. b 2.
b 3.
c 4.
a 5.
a 2. Cerberus, the three-headed dog
The tallest dam is in China. It is 305 metres tall. 3. the River Styx
4. alive
Chapters 7-8 ActIvities (pages 32-33) 5. dead
1 1. dream 4. impatient 4 3, 5, 6
2. giant 5. forever
3. shoulders
CHAPTERS 11-12 ACTIVITIES (pages 44-45)
2 s x e n m o p f 1 Across: 2. terrified 4. outside
l d h e a r t a Down: 1. land 2. throne 3. fight
o l c m f l i f 2 1. ordinary
w b s h r k r r 2. unusual
l z l b a j e a 3. agrees
4. loses
y x w c o d d i
5. promise
w a t c h o p d
6. quietly
1. tired 4. watch 3 1. surprised
2. afraid 5. slowly 2. hurt
3. heart 3. a sleeping potion
3 1. Hercules 4. Hercules 4. vase
2. Atlas 5. Atlas 5. river god
3. Hercules 4 1. Hades
4 1. c 2.
a 3.
e 4.
d 5.
b 2. King Eurystheus
3. Zeus
4. Hera
5. Hercules

answers to cross-curricular focus

GREEK GODS (page 51) Greek Monsters (page 53)
1 1. Zeus 4. Hades 3 1. F 2.
T 3.
T 4.
F 5.
T
2. Kronos 5. Hades
3. Poseidon 6. Athena 4 1. d 2.
c 3.
e 4.
a 5.
b

The Greek god of music is Apollo.

2 1. a cave
2. brother
3. angry
4. on Mount Olympus
5. daughter

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