The Sneaky Hoop Snakes.

Key words and expressions:

push bike

a hoop

a cyclist

Make up sentences with new words

Reading

An Australian snake that you don't read much about in the encyclopedias. This snake has not been seen in a number of years but the myth goes something like this. In the early nineteen hundreds, children would wag school and ride around all day on their push bikes. (not much has changed since) The resourceful parents in an effort to get the children home before dark made up the story of the Hoop Snake. The Hoop Snake, it was told, would lie on the sides of the dirt roads waiting for the sounds of the children on their push bikes. Just as the unexpecting cyclist would pass, the snake would then coil up biting its own tail to make the shape of a hoop, it would then roll down the road trying to catch the cyclist. If it caught its prey it would proceed to bite heavily into the heals of its victim and no child wanted this to happen. As an result the legend of the Hoop Snake was born.

Comprehension check

1. Retell the myth in detail.

2. Why parents do not let their children ride push bikes after dark? What about your parents?

WRITIHG

Write an outline of the myth.

The Hungry Bush-man.

Key words and expressions:

bush-man

juicy grass

Make up sentences with new words

Pre-reading task

Work in small groups. Make a list of words and word combinations which can characterize a bush-man who lives in Australian Bush. Compare your list with other groups.

Reading

There is a sad story that sets the scene in the Australian Bush. In early days bush-men, more commonly know as swagman, went around from property to property looking for work. These bush-man would take any sort of work that was avaliable. The wool industry was booming, sheep were plentiful and shearers were needed everywhere. This particular bushy had finished his days shearing but as his employer wasn't paying wages until the wool had been sent to the markets, they would sometimes have to wait weeks for their pay. After a hard days work the bushman would find a big shady tree preferably near a water hole to unroll their swag and set up camp for the night. As night was falling the bush-man saw an ideal opportunity walking not more than thirty feet away. Grazing on some juicy grass, between some trees, just up a bit from the camp site was this plump sheep. Knowing full well that if he was able to catch this sheep his meals would be taken care of for a least the next week. The chase was on.! After he caught it he packed it neatly into his tucker bag and proceeded to put the billy on for his cuppa before bed. Unfortunately, he was blissfully unaware that the owner of the property where he was camping was watching his every move. The owner of the land would not tolerate a swaggy on his land, let alone one that was stealing from him and quickly informed the authorities. The billy was just about boiled when three burly police officers on horse back rode into his camp site. Knowing full well what he had done, the police officers asked, "Just what have you got in your tucker bag?. You'd better come a waltzing down to the police station with me".

As to why the swaggy did what he did next is a mystery but that swaggy ran and jumped straight into the water hole never to be seen again saying "You'll never catch me alive".

To this day his ghost maybe heard as you pass by that water hole.

Comprehension check

Put the following events (A-D) in the right order/ Number them (1-4).

A. Knowing full well that if he was able to catch this sheep his meals would be taken care of for a least the next week. (№____).

B. These bush-man would take any sort of work that was avaliable. (№____).

C. To this day his ghost maybe heard as you pass by that water hole. (№____).

D. After a hard days work the bush-man would find a big shady tree preferably near a water hole to unroll their swag and set up camp for the night. (№____).

WRITIHG

Compose ten different questions on the myth.