EXTRA READING A2+

White Fang

BEFORE YOU READ elementary 4

3

daisy
white miler
The man kept talking. There was kindness in his voice,
and it gave White Fang a strange new feeling. Now the
man’s hand moved nearer and nearer to his head. White

fang
Fang moved his head down under the hand, growling.

1 Look at the cover of the book. What kind of animal is the story about? What
Men’s hands had hurt him many times, and he could
not forget that.

White Fang – half dog, half wolf – grows up in the wild

kind of place does the animal live in? Read the description to check your
but soon becomes the property of Gray Beaver, a yukon
Indian. White Fang knows only the cruelty of man and the
violence of nature – until he is rescued by kindness.

henry
JACk LoNDoN
answers.
• Extra grammar and vocabulary exercises
• Notes about the life of Jack London

james
• Notes about the background to the story
• Points for Understanding comprehension questions
• Picture Dictionary to explain difficult words

The Yukon is an area in the north-west of Canada. There are lots of mountains and • Free resources including worksheets, tests and author
data sheets at [Link]/readers

rivers in the Yukon and the land is covered with forests. Winters in the Yukon are very • Audio CD/download is available for this title

See the film of this story

cold and very long. In some areas the ground is frozen all year. Many animals live 1 Starter macmillan readers

Daisy Miller
White Fang

macmillan
2 Beginner This series provides a wide variety of enjoyable reading
3 Elementary material for all learners of English. macmillan readers

in the wild there – for example, bears and wolves. White Fang – half dog, half wolf –
are retold versions of popular classic and contemporary
4 Pre-intermediate
5 Intermediate
titles as well as specially written stories, published at six
levels.
Henry
Jack London
James
starter/beginner COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWOR K

6
A1 Upper

grows up in the wild but soon becomes the property of Gray Beaver, a Yukon Native
A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

american english
elementary COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWOR K

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

American (‘Indian’), who lived in the Yukon long before white people arrived.
I S B N 978-0-2300-3440-2

pre-intermediate COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWOR K

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Intermediate COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWOR K

Use your Macmillan

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 9 780230 034402
Essential Dictionary
with this book. macmillan readers

up-intermediate

WHILE YOU READ

COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWOR K

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

14999 Wfang [Link] 1 18/03/2010 10:59

2 1 Read the extract from White Fang. Why does the man call the animal ‘White Fang’?

After his first adventures, the cub started to learn quickly. Every day he went a little further away from home.
But when he was tired, he found his way back to the cave. He was starting to understand how strong he was.
And he was starting to know when he should be careful. He no longer fell over or walked into things. Now he
moved like his mother, quickly and silently.
One day, however, life suddenly changed. The cub ran down to the river to drink early one morning. He was
still sleepy, so at first he did not notice anything. Then, suddenly, he saw and smelled something strange.
Five strange animals were sitting in front of him. The cub had never seen them before, and suddenly he felt
very small.
The cub knew nothing about men. But his parents and grandparents knew about men. They knew men were
more powerful than any other living thing. And somehow the cub could feel that too.
The men were Indians. One of them walked over to him. Then slowly the man reached down to pick him up.
The cub’s hair stood up on his back, and he showed his little teeth.
‘Look at his white fangs!’ the man laughed. The man’s hand came closer and closer. Then the cub suddenly
bit the man’s hand. At once, the man hit him on the head, and the cub fell onto his side. Suddenly the cub
forgot all about fighting. He sat up and cried.
The four men laughed even more loudly. And the cub cried even more. But in the middle of his crying, he
suddenly heard something. He gave one last long cry. Then he stopped his noise and waited for his mother.
His mother killed everything and was never afraid. She was fierce and powerful. And she was coming.
She was growling as she ran
towards him. She knew his cry,
and she was running to save him.
The cub ran towards her. The men
stepped back a little, and the she-
wolf growled at them fiercely.
‘Kiche!’ one of the men suddenly
cried in surprise. ‘Kiche!’ And the
fearless she-wolf sank slowly to
the ground. The cub could not
understand. Once again he felt the
strong power of man.

HOW TO
understand new words
?
See page 12.

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

1
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING A2+
White Fang

The man who spoke came over to Kiche. He put his hand on her head, and she just sank down lower. She did
not bite or growl. The other men came closer, too.
‘She ran away a year ago, didn’t she, Gray Beaver?’ said one of the men.
‘Yes,’ Gray Beaver answered. ‘There was nothing to eat.’
‘She has lived with the wolves,’ another man said.
‘It is not surprising,’ said Gray Beaver. ‘Her father was a wolf and now she has a cub. His teeth are white, so I
will call him White Fang. And he will be my dog.’
The Cub watched as the man-animals talked to each other. Then Gray Beaver took a stick and some string
and tied Kiche to a tree. White Fang followed.
After a time, White Fang heard strange noises coming nearer. A few minutes later, about 40 men, women and
children came walking down the track. They were carrying things for their camp. There were many dogs, too,
carrying bags on their backs. As soon as the dogs saw the cub and his mother, they ran towards them. White
Fang was knocked down, and he felt teeth bite into his body.
But after just a few seconds, he was up again. The man-animals were fighting the dogs away with sticks and
stones. White Fang licked his cuts. This was his first meeting with the man-animals’ dogs. He was not happy
that they attacked him. And he was not happy that his mother was tied up. He needed to be with his mother.
And this meant that he too was not free.

AFTER YOU READ

3 Copy or download the organiser. Then make notes about the places,
animals, and people from the extract. Use the notes to retell the story in
your own words.

Title: ______________________

Animals Places People

HOW TO
find specific information
?
See page 34.

4 Write the answers to the questions in your own words.

1 When and why did White Fang feel ‘very small’?
2 Why were the Indians surprised to see his mother?
3 How does White Fang feel at the end of the extract? Why?

5 2 Listen to an audio extract of another part of the story. Which call HOW TO
listen for the main ideas
?
does White Fang follow – ‘the call of the wild’, ‘the call of the man’, or ‘the
call of his mother’? See page 14.

6 Read about Jack London and answer the questions.

Jack London wrote White Fang in 1906. He also wrote The Call of the Wild, another
novel set in the Yukon. The novel’s central character is also an animal – a dog
named Buck. There are many famous books with animals as main characters. They
include Black Beauty, Charlotte’s Web, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

1 Can you think of other stories with animals as main characters?

2 Why do you think people like stories with animal characters?
3 Do you think White Fang is a true description of a wolf-dog’s life? Why?/Why not?

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

2
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING TEACHER’S NOTES A2+
White Fang

This extra reading text links to Unit 3 (Wild World). AFTER YOU READ

BEFORE YOU READ 3

Give students copies of the organiser page. Explain
1 that you want them to read the extract again and make
notes about the places, animals and people from the
Ask students in pairs to write down the names of as
extract. To demonstrate the activity, ask them to look at
many animals commonly used as pets as they can. Make
the first paragraph and to help you make notes using the
a list on the board.
organiser. Note that there are no references to humans
Ask students to look at the cover on the Extra reading
in the first paragraph.
page. Alternatively, if you have a copy of the reader, show
Before students start reading, refer them to the HOW TO
it to the students. Ask them to describe what they see.
box on how to find specific information. When they finish,
What kind of animal do they think the story is about?
students work in pairs or small groups to retell the story,
What kind of place does the animal live in? This can be
using their notes. If you think they need more support,
done in open class or with students working in pairs.
write a few of the following present tense prompts on the
Invite some students to share their answers with the
board:
rest of the class. Students then read the description
■ he goes to the river
text in Exercise 1 to check their answers. When they’ve
■ he sees five men
finished, help with any comprehension problems. If you
■ he bites one of the men’s hands
have a map of the world, invite a student to locate the
■ the man hits him
Yukon on it.
■ his mother comes
■ they tie her to a tree
Answers
■ more people and dogs come
The animal is half dog, half wolf. ■ other dogs attack him and his mother
There are lots of mountains and the land is covered
with forests and snow. Suggested answers
PLACES
WHILE YOU READ cave/home
river
2 ANIMALS
Ask one or several students to read out the first White Fang (cub)
paragraph of the extract. Write the words ‘cub’ and (his parents and grandparents)
‘cave’ on the board and check that students understand Kiche (she-wolf; mother)
the two words. dogs
PEOPLE
Glossary: A cub is a young bear, lion, fox, wolf, or other
five men / Indians
wild animal.
Gray Beaver
A cave is a large hole in the side of a hill or under the
about 40 men, women and children
ground.
Students then read the complete text. Before they start, 4
explain that they shouldn’t expect to understand every
Students work in pairs or small groups and write
word in the text. Refer students to the HOW TO box for
answers to the questions. When they’ve finished, invite
tips on how to understand new words.
some students to share their answers with the rest of
the class.
Answer
He calls him White Fang because his teeth are white.
(A ‘fang’ is a long tooth that some animals have.)

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

1
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING TEACHER’S NOTES A2+
White Fang

Answers Answers
1 He felt very small when he was by the river and 1 Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Animal Farm, The
saw men for the first time. Wind in the Willows, Moby Dick, The Jungle Book,
2 Because they knew her. She ran away a year ago. Winnie the Pooh ...
3 He wasn’t happy because he wasn’t free. 2 Animals live in a different world and have lots of
adventures. We can identify with the animals in the
5 stories. They’re often funny.
3 It’s not a very true description. In stories, we often
Read through the task instructions together and write give animals human characteristics. We imagine
‘the call of the wild’ on the board. What do the students they think and behave in the same way as people.
think it means? This isn’t true. Animals, especially wild animals,
Glossary: The call of the wild is the attraction a person behave very differently from people.
or an animal feels to living in the wild rather than with
people.
Explain that in this part of the story, White Fang and
Kiche, his mother, are in the Indians’ (Native Americans’)
camp. Play the audio. Students complete the task.
Discuss and check their answers. Then play the audio
again. This time ask students to listen and make a note
of the things that White Fang learnt about the children at
the camp.

Answer
They liked to throw stones at the dogs.

See if students can identify any other things

White Fang learned.

Answer
He follows the call of his mother.

6
Ask students to read the short text or use it as a
dictation. Students then answer the questions in pairs
or small groups. Check through the answers, writing the
best answers on the board.
As an optional writing task for homework or in the next
lesson, students write a short story in which the central
character is an animal. Set a limit of about 100 words.
See Student’s Book page 40 for more ideas.
Finally, ask students to discuss the extract from White
Fang. What did they think about the story? Find out if
any of your students are interested in reading the whole
story. Encourage them to read this or another graded
reader.

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

2
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING A2+
Viking Tales

BEFORE YOU READ

•

elementary 4
3
‘I think I should go and fight some giants!’ said Thor.

daisy
VikiNgmiler
Loki did not think this was a good idea, but he knew that when
Thor decided something it was impossible to stop him. ‘Very
well, then,’ he said. ‘But remember this, Thor – you need to be

Tales
1 Look at the cover of the book. Do you think it’s about the present, the past, or
clever to fight giants. And you’re not always very intelligent, are
you?’
Welcome to the exciting world of Thor and the other Viking

the future? Read the description to check your answer.

gods. it is a world where humans and gods live side by side,
along with angry giants and greedy dark elves. in these five
short stories you will find out why it is very difficult to trap a
giant wolf; who stole Thor’s hammer; who can play tricks even

henry chris
better than loki; and much, much more.

The Vikings were people who lived in Scandinavia around the years 700 to 1100. They • extra grammar and vocabulary exercises

james rose
• Notes about The World of the Vikings' Tales
• Points For Understanding comprehension questions

believed in lots of different gods and other things like giants and elves, and told lots of • Picture dictionary to explain difficult words
• Free resources including worksheets, tests and answer keys
at [Link]/readers

stories about them. • audio download and ebook available to buy for this title

The Vikings’ ideas about the world were very different to ours. The Vikings believed 1 Starter maCmillaN readers
Viking Tales

macmiLLan
2 Beginner This series provides a wide variety of enjoyable reading

that everyone lived in a very big tree. Their gods lived in Asgard at the top of the tree.
3 Elementary
material for all learners of English. Macmillan Readers
are retold versions of popular classic and contemporary
4 Pre-intermediate titles as well as specially written stories, published at
5 Intermediate six levels. Chris Rose
Humans lived in Midgard in the middle of the tree. At the bottom of the tree was
starter/beginner 6 Upper
COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK [Link]/readers
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
british english

elementary COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

Niflheim, where people went after they died.

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
ISBN 978-0-230-46027-0

DICTIONARY
pre-intermediate COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Odin was the chief of the gods. He lived in a big house in Asgard. The Vikings called
uy
to b
le
Intermediate COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

lab
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 9 780230 460270
maCmillaN readers

avai
[Link]

these big houses ‘halls’. The name of Odin’s hall was Valhalla. up-intermediate COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

COMM ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

Lit. collection A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

WHILE YOU READ

2 1 Read Sigurd and Sigrdrifa, one of the stories from Viking Tales. Who are Sigurd and Sigrdrifa?

There was a big mountain. And around the top of the mountain there was a ring of fire. The fire burned strongly.
It was impossible to see the top of the mountain, because of the ring of fire around it.
One day a warrior called Sigurd was out riding. He was a long way from home, and did not know where he was.
He saw the mountain, and the strong light at the top of the mountain.
‘What is that light at the top of the mountain?’ he thought. So, with his horse, he went up the mountain to find
out.
When he got near the top of the mountain he found the big fire burning. It was very hot, and difficult to see. His
horse was afraid, but he was not. He went as near as he could to the fire, to see what was behind it.
The fire was very strong, but through it he could see a great hall on top of the mountain. He was interested.
‘What is that hall on top of the mountain, behind this big fire?’ he thought. There was only one way to find out.
‘I will have to pass through the fire,’ he thought.
He talked to his horse, telling it not to be afraid. Then they ran as fast as they could into the fire. The fire was
so hot it started to burn Sigurd’s helmet, and his horse’s feet. His horse began to stop – it could not continue.
But Sigurd would not stop. He pushed his horse on through the fire, running as fast as they could. It was very
difficult, but Sigurd was a brave man, so brave he could pass through the fire. On and on they ran, until they
came to the end of the fire.
Sigurd and his horse stopped and Sigurd looked up. He could now see the great hall at the top of the mountain
clearly. It looked like a palace.
‘I must find out what is in that hall, and why this ring of fire is around it,’ he
thought. He continued to walk to the top of the mountain until he reached the hall.
The doors of the hall were very big, and Sigurd had to push hard to open them.
‘Nobody has opened these doors for a long time,’ he thought as he pushed.
Inside, the hall was nearly empty. There was only one thing in the hall: a bed. And
on the bed lay a warrior, wearing armour and a helmet. Sigurd looked at the warrior
carefully. He could not see a face, because the helmet covered the warrior’s head.
‘Who’s this warrior?’ thought Sigurd. ‘Is he dead or only sleeping? And why is
he here in this great hall, circled by fire?’ He pulled the helmet from the warrior
and was surprised to find no man there, but a woman asleep. She was a very
beautiful woman.

HOW TO
use pictures for help with new words
?
See page 110.

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

3
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING A2+
Viking Tales

‘She looks like the goddess Freyja,’ thought Sigurd.

As Sigurd thought this, the woman opened her eyes and woke up. Sigurd was very surprised. ‘Who are you?’ he
asked. ‘Why are you here in this great hall? And why are you dressed like a warrior and circled by a ring of fire?’
‘My name is Sigrdrifa,’ she said, ‘and I am a valkyrie. The valkyries are women warriors. We work for Odin, chief
of the gods. When a warrior dies in battle, we take them to Valhalla, where they will live with Odin.’
‘But why are you here?’ said Sigurd again.
‘Let me tell you the story,’ she said.

AFTER YOU READ

3 Copy or download the organiser. Then complete the information for the extract.

Book title:
Story title:
Main characters:

Settings (places):

Story (most important events)

Event 1: Event 3:
Event 2: Event 4:

4 Write the answers to the questions in your own words.

1 How do we know Sigurd is a brave man?
2 Why is he surprised when he sees Sigrdrifa?
3 What is a valkyrie?

5 a Why do you think Sigrdrifa is lying in the great hall?

HOW TO
listen for specific information
?
b 2 Listen to Sigrdrifa’s story to find out what happens to Sigurd. See page 102.

Freyja Odin Sigrdrifa Sigurd

6 Read about Viking tales and answer the questions.

Viking tales are very old but they’re still popular today. There are many Viking
films and TV series. A lot of fantasy films, comics, TV series and video games
are based on Viking tales. Thor, the Marvel Comics superhero, was based on
the Viking god, Thor, son of Odin. Thor had a magic hammer and could make
thunder and lightning.

1 Have you ever read a book, watched a film or TV series, or played a game about the Vikings? If so, which?
2 Why do you think Viking tales are still popular today?
3 Do you think Sigurd and Sigrdrifa would be a good film or video game? Why?/Why not?

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

4
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING TEACHER’S NOTES A2+
Viking Tales

This extra reading text links to Unit 6 (Mind and Body) WHILE YOU READ
and Unit 8 (Media Mix).
2
BEFORE YOU READ Ask one or several students to read out the first
paragraph of the story. Clarify the meaning of ‘ring of fire’
1 and ask a student to draw the mountain on the board.
Students then read the complete text. Before they start,
Write the following words on the board: warrior, helmet,
explain that they shouldn’t expect to understand every
fire, axe. Ask students to look at the cover on the activity
word in the text but refer them to the HOW TO box on
page. Alternatively, if you have a copy of the reader,
how to use pictures for help with new words). They
show it to the students. Using a dictionary ask them
should use the illustration to help them understand the
to match the words on the board with the things they
story.
see in the picture. Elicit the word armour, which isn’t
visible on the cover, (metal clothing that soldiers wore in
Answer
the Middle Ages to protect their bodies) by asking some
concept-checking questions. Sigurd and Sigrdrifa are warriors.
Read through the exercise rubric together and invite
students to answer the question, and then give their
reasons. Ask them to read the text to check their answer.
AFTER YOU READ
While they’re doing this, draw a picture of a tree on the
board. The tree should have three distinct sections or
3
levels. Use the illustration from page 5 of the reader as Give students copies of the organiser page. Explain
a model. that you want them to complete the information. When
they’ve done this, check through the answers together.
Then focus on the next task in which students list the
events in the story. Demonstrate the activity by asking
them to tell you the first event and writing it on the
board.
eg Sigurd sees the light at the top of the mountain.
Point out that students write the events in the present
tense. The students do the task individually or in pairs.

Answers
Book title: Viking Tales
Story title: Sigurd and Sigrdrifa
Main characters: Sigurd, Sigrdrifa, (Sigurd’s horse)
Settings (places): At the bottom of the mountain; on
the mountain; inside the great hall
Event 1: Sigurd sees the strong light at the top of the
mountain
Event 2: He goes up the mountain and finds a
big fire.
Event 3: He sees a great hall on top of the mountain.
Event 4: He runs through the fire with his horse.
Event 5: He reaches the hall and finds a warrior on
a bed.
Event 6: He takes off the warrior’s helmet and sees
a woman.
Event 7: She introduces herself to Sigurd and agrees
to tell her story.

4
Read through the introduction together and help with any Students work in pairs or small groups and write
comprehension problems. Use your illustration on the answers to the questions. When they’ve finished, invite
board to clarify the concept of the Viking tree. some students to share their answers with the rest of
the class.
Answer
It’s about the past.

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

3
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
EXTRA READING TEACHER’S NOTES A2+
Viking Tales
6
Answer
Ask students to read the short text or use it as a
1 Because he goes up the mountain and through the
dictation. Students then answer the questions in pairs
fire to get to the great hall.
or small groups. Check through the answers, writing a
2 He thinks the warrior is a man.
selection on the board.
3 A valkyrie is a woman warrior.
As an optional writing task or for homework, encourage
students to perform the second half of the reading text
5a as a scene from a film version of the story. Working in
Write the following words on the board and check pairs, they prepare their scenes, using the dialogue from
meaning: necklace, elves, war, battle. Students work in the text. When they’re ready, invite some more willing
pairs. Ask them to look at the question and to think of students to perform their scenes for the others.
possible ideas. Encourage them to use the words on the Finally, ask students to discuss the story from Viking
board and the portrait illustrations to help them. Tales. What did they think about the story and its
When they’re ready, invite some of the students to share characters? Find out if any of your students are
their ideas with the rest of the class. Which idea does interested in reading other Viking stories, including a
the class think is probably closest to the real story? story about Thor. Encourage them to read this or another
graded reader.
5b
Tell the students that they’re going to listen to Sigrdrifa’s
Answers
story. Explain that they don’t have to understand every 1 Student’s own answers
word they hear and point out the link to the HOW TO 2 They’re exciting action stories with lots of
box in the Student’s Book on how to listen for specific adventure. People like fantasy stories to escape
information. into another world.
Play the first part of the audio to find out what happens 3 Student’s own answers
in Sigrdrifa’s story. Pause the audio after ‘Then he put a
circle of fire around the mountain so no one would find
me.’ After listening, conduct a class discussion about the
story. Were any of the students’ stories similar?
Focus on the next part of the task: What happens to
Sigurd and Sigrdrifa at the end of the extract? Play the
audio again but this time let it play to the end. Students
listen and answer the question. Discuss and check their
answers.

Answer
At the end of the extract Sigurd and Sigrdrifa agree to
marry. When they leave the hall, there’s no fire.

This page has been downloaded from [Link]

4
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.