Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
Characters of the story
()
Professor Lidenbrock
Professor Lidenbrock was a famous scientist and geologist. He gave lectures at the
university of Hamburg. He knew about the earth more than any other scientist. So,
scientists came from all over the world to learn from him because he was a very good
teacher.
Axel
Axel was the Professor's nephew. When his parents died he went to live with his
uncle. He often helped his uncle in his work. So, he was proud to be his assistant. Axel
could understand what was written on the parchment and solved its mystery. He was
the narrator of the story.
Martha
Martha was the professor's cook. She was a very good cook. She was always worried
about the professor.
Hans
Hans was a guide from Iceland. He guided the professor and Axel to the center of the
earth. He was a big man who walked slowly and didn't say much. Axel and his uncle
liked him.
Dr Fridrikson
He was a scientist from Iceland. He was helpful to Axel and his uncle. He sent Hans
with them to be their guide to Sneffels. He told the professor that Sneffels has Avery
interesting crater, but no one has ever visited it.
Arne Saknussemm
He was a famous Icelandic scientist. He made many great scientific discoveries. He
was the owner of the old book and the writer the parchment.
Snorri Sturlasson
He was an Icelandic scientist. He had written the old book in the twelfth century.
1
Mr. Peter Edwar
Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
The Dansih Scientist
He lived in Denmark. He gave the professor and Axel letters of introduction to the
most important men in Iceland.
Places
1- Hamburg
Professor Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel lived in Hamburg in Germany.
2- Iceland
the place where Dr Fridrikson and Hans lived in.
3- Reykjavik
It is the Capital of Iceland.
4- Sneffels
It is an extinct volcano in a huge mountain. It has never erupted since 1229. its has
three craters. It leads to the centre of the Earth.
5- Scartaris
It is a mountain next the Sneffels. It casts its shadow over one of the three craters of
sneffels at the end of June.
6- Copenhagen
It is the capital of Denmark.
Mr. Peter Edwar
Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
Chapter One
A message in a secret code
The study
Neither . Nor ..
More than
Shut = close
Later than
Translation
Worried
Starve
Pickup
Mean (meant-meant)
Geologist
New
Newer than
Famous=well-known
Soup
Guess
Hide
Exciting
Excited
Science
Professor
Century 100 =
Wonderful=fantastic
Strange
Come back
Magnifying glass
Apiece of
Parchment
Latin
Mixed up
Secret code
Hand writing
Make no sense
Puzzled
Get angry
Angry with
Stare
Discover=find out
Discoveries
Late one Sunday afternoon in May 1863, Professor lidenbrock came home
early. He was excited. He exclaimed when he found an old book. It is more than six
hundred years old. It was fantastic. This book is a translation of a famous Icelandic
book. It was written by Snorri Sturlasson in the twelfth century.
1863 " "
. .
" " .
A piece of parchment fell out of the book. There were strange letters on it. It was
written in runes which were the letters of the Icelandic alphabet. He looked puzzled.
He was angry because the letters on the parchment were mixed up, and he couldn't
understand it. It was written in a secret code, and there was something else.
. ) (
.
. .
Mr. Peter Edwar
Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
The book and the parchment weren't written in the same handwriting.
Therefore Professor thought that the parchment was written by someone who owned
the book.
.
.
When the Professor used a magnifying glass to make the letter bigger, he looked
at the parchment again and pointed to a line of letters. " Arne Saknussemm ", that's an
Icelandic name. He was a famous Icelandic scientist of the sixteenth century. He
made many great scientific discoveries. He must have owned this book.
,
, " " .
. .
Professor asked himself "why Saknussemm wanted to hide what he had
discovered ". Professor guessed that the message was written in Latin and not
Icelandic. Scientists of the sixteenth century always wrote about their discoveries in
Latin. He tried reading the letters but they still made no sense.
" "
. .
.
Questions &
answers
1) Why did geologists from all over the world go to professor Lidenbrock?
They went to him to learn about the Earth because he knew more about the
Earth than any other geologist.
2) Why did Axel go and live with his uncle? What was Axel's job?
He lived with his uncle when his parents died. He was the Professor's
assistant.
3) Why Martha was worried that day?
She was worried because the Professor went home earlier than usual and his
dinner wasn't ready yet.
4) Why did the professor go back home early?
Because he found an old fantastic book which more than six hundred years
old.
5) What was the old book which the professor brought? How old was it?
4
Mr. Peter Edwar
Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
It was a translation of a famous Icelandic book written by " Snori Sturlasson"
in the twelfth century. It was more than six hundred years old.
6) What fell out of the book?
A piece of parchment fell out of the book.
7) Why did the professor guess that the parchment was written in runes? What
were runes?
Because the letters were mixed up. Runes were the letters of the Old Icelandic
alphabet.
8) Why did the professor guess that the message was written in Latin?
Because he saw the name of "Arne Saknussemm" who was a scientist of the
16th century. The scientists of the 16th century wrote about their discoveries in
Latin.
9) Why did the professor guess that the parchment was written by someone who
owned the book?
Because the book and the parchment weren't written in the same handwriting,
and the writing of the parchment was later than) ) the writing of the
book.
10)Why couldn't the professor understand the writing of the parchment?
Because the letters were mixed up and the message was written in a secret
code.
11)Who was Arne Saknussemm?
He was a famous scientist of Iceland in the 16th century. He was the owner of
the book and the writer of the parchment.
Complete the following sentences
1- Geologists form all over the world want to learn from the Prof. as
he knew about the earth more than any other scientists. He's a good teacher
...
went to live with his uncle
2- When Axel's parents died, he ...
3- Professor Lidenbrock guessed the parchment was written by
the owner of the book
..
Mr. Peter Edwar
Prep 3
First Term
Chapter 1
Mr. Peter Edwar