Penguin Readers & Pearson English Readers (1200 headwords)

For a number of years, William plays a game with a ghost before he goes to sleep. The ghost is a poltergeist that William calls ‘Poldy’. At the beginning William and Poldy play a friendly game every night, but then the game begins to change. It becomes a dangerous game. Who will win?

‘We’ll give a free dinner to the person who tells the best story. Now, put up your hands if you agree.’ The pilgrims all held up their hands. A group of pilgrims are travelling together for five days from London to Canterbury. On the way, each pilgrim has to tell a story to keep the others amused. Some stories are happy, and some are sad. But they all have a message, and we can learn from them.

Are you brave enough to read four of Poe’s famous horror stories? Edgar Allan Poe wrote strange stories about terrible people and evil crimes. Don’t read this book late at night!

Anna Scott is an American film star. She is rich, beautiful and very famous. William Thacker is a shy man who has a small, unsuccessful bookshop in London. Their lives are different in every way, but they are both looking for someone special. Can a future together be more than a dream? Notting Hill is a wonderful – and very funny – love story.

Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful politician and an honest man. He is an ideal husband for the beautiful and serious Lady Chiltern. But somebody knows a dangerous secret about Sir Robert. Can Sir Robert’s charming Society friends save his job and his marriage? This Penguin Reader play is written for acting – making English come alive.

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are two very different sisters. Marianne loves excitement and always shows her feelings; Elinor is quiet and has more good sense. They both fall in love and both suffer broken hearts. Will they ever find the right man to love and marry?

Precious Ramotswe is the only female private detective in Botswana. Her agency – the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency – is the best in the country. She solves a number of difficult - and sometimes dangerous - problems. A missing husband, a missing finger and a missing child – she will solve these mysteries in her own special way.

This wonderful story of fairies, dreams and lovers is as popular today as it was in Shakespeare’s time. In a wood outside Athens, four young people are following their dreams, while fairies play strange games with them. Their world seems unreal – but is it really very different from our own? British English

One day Rafael was well; the next day he was completely mad. What happened to him? The story of Rafael and his gold ring is a strange story of murder, mystery and love. Many people know part of the story. But only Rafael knows the true facts. And Rafael is mad.

Has Mrs Brown killed Granny on the beach? Why does Mrs Hill want to leave her husband? Who wants to steal the Professor’s invention? And what is little Johnny trying to say? Discover the answers when you read the plays in this book. They are plays about ordinary people and the unusual, often funny, things that happen to them.

Mark Twain is one of America’s most famous and best-loved writers. He wrote about every important subject of his time. Twain’s stories are usually amusing but with a serious message too. You will read about people’s hopes and fears, happiness and terrible sadness—and wonderful practical jokes!