MARK TWAIN Huck Finn

Adapted by H. Q. Mitchell - Marileni Malkogianni

Huck Finn
Student’s Book
by Mark Twain adapted by H. Q. Mitchell - Marileni Malkogianni

Published by: MM Publications
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Produced in the EU

ISBN: 978-960-443-470-1 C1811004033-15383
Introduction

Mark Twain (1835-1910) was born and raised in the small town of Hannibal in Missouri.His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens but he took the pseudonym Mark Twain to sign his books. He was an enormously popular author who is considered to be “the father of American literature.” He wrote numerous books, many of which tell stories of his life on the Mississippi, where he worked as a steamboat pilot. In 1871, Mark Twain went to live in Connecticut with his family. During that time, he wrote his most successful books: Roughing It, Life on the Mississippi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he continues the story he started when he wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It is the story of a boy and the adventures he has on a journey down the river. The adventures make Huck mature and make decisions about right and wrong. The book is an amazing description of life in the American South and it is also an opportunity to discuss sensitive subjects as slavery or social problems, which were common at the time of the writer.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered one of Mark Twain’s masterpieces. It has been made into a film several times. One of the most successful was the Disney version in 1993, with Elijah Wood as Huck Finn.

Contents
  1. Chapter 1............................................................. 4
  2. Chapter 2............................................................. 7
  3. Chapter 3........................................................... 10
  4. Chapter 4........................................................... 12
  5. Chapter 5........................................................... 15
  6. Chapter 6........................................................... 18
  7. Chapter 7........................................................... 22
  8. Chapter 8........................................................... 25
  9. Chapter 9........................................................... 28
  10. Chapter 10.......................................................... 32
  11. Chapter 11.......................................................... 36
  12. Activity Section
  13. Chapter 1........................................................... 42
  14. Chapter 2........................................................... 44
  15. Chapter 3........................................................... 46
  16. Chapter 4........................................................... 48
  17. Chapter 5........................................................... 50
  18. Chapter 6........................................................... 52
  19. Chapter 7........................................................... 54
  20. Chapter 8........................................................... 56
  21. Chapter 9........................................................... 58
  22. Chapter 10.......................................................... 60
  23. Chapter 11.......................................................... 62
chapter 1

Huckleberry Finn was famous in the village of St Petersburg, although he was only 14 years old. There were two reasons for this. First, he was the only boy with no home at all. His father was a tramp and he travelled from town to town begging for his food. Huck almost never saw him, but he managed to take care of himself. When he was hungry, he hunted and fished. He slept in empty boats or caves, under trees, anywhere there was shelter. The people of St Petersburg sometimes helped him too, because he was all alone. For most of his life Huck was poor, and his clothes were rags. But all the other boys wanted to be like him. He didn’t have to be home by a certain time; he didn’t have to stay clean; and best of all, he never went to school. Every boy wanted to be his friend, but his best friend was Tom Sawyer. Tom was an orphan. He lived with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother Sid. When he had nothing to do, he found Huck and they had a lot of fun together. One of their adventures was the second reason Huck was famous. What happened was this: Tom got lost in a huge cave near St Petersburg. In the cave there was treasure. Huck found Tom and got him out of the cave. The boys also found the treasure. The money made them very rich! Of course, they didn’t spend it all at once. Judge Thatcher took Huck’s money and kept it in a bank for him until he was older. That was fine with Huck. He didn’t need money; he was happy already. Then the widow Douglas adopted Huck because she felt sorry for him and she wanted to help him. She lived by herself in a big house, with her black slave, Jim. She wanted to give Huck a real home and she sent him to school, too. Huck knew she was a kind person, but he felt more comfortable with Jim. “The widow has so many rules,” Huck told Jim one evening. “For her there’s only one right way to do everything. ‘Don’t eat with your fingers’ she says. But eating with a knife and fork is nothing but trouble. I’d just like to catch a fish and eat it how I

like.” Jim took Huck’s hand and looked at it. “Let me tell you about your future,” he said. “You will have a lot of trouble in your life,” said Jim. “But you will also have a lot of joy. Sometimes you’ll get sick, or hurt, but you will get better again. But you should stay away from water, because that’s bad luck.” Huck went up to his room, thinking about that. But when he got there, he had a surprise.

chapter 2

A man about fifty years old was sitting on Huck’s bed. He had long, dirty hair, and his clothes were old and very dirty. This was Huck’s father, Pap Finn. “What are you doing here, Pap?” asked Huck. “How did you come in?” “I climbed in through the window,” answered Pap. “It wasn’t difficult.” Pap looked around Huck’s room. “A bed, a blanket, a mirror, a rug on the floor! You’re important now, aren’t you? But your own father sleeps in the mud!” He saw one of Huck’s school books on the table. “Can you read, too?” “Yes,” said Huck. “I learnt at school.” Pap grabbed the book and threw it at him, but Huck jumped away. “I can’t read,” said Pap. “Before she died, your mother couldn’t read. Why is it OK for you to read?”

“The widow decided it,” replied Huck. “The widow should stay out of it,” said Pap. “Tell me now. You’re rich, I hear. How did you get rich?” Now Huck knew. His father was there because of the treasure. “They’re lying,” he said. “The widow adopted me because I was living on the street.” “Oh, no,” replied Pap. “You are lying. Look here, Huck, I want that money. You’re my son and it belongs to me. I have to have it. Don’t ever go to that school again! Do you hear?” he said to Huck and he climbed out of the window. Huck used to be afraid of his father. But he wasn’t anymore. ‘Pap doesn’t want me to go to school,’ he thought. ‘But I will. He’s wrong and I’m right.’ At breakfast, however, he learned something else that worried him. It was about Jim. A man from New Orleans wanted to buy Jim from the widow for eight hundred dollars. In the Southern States white people could buy and sell black people, just like horses or furniture. They were the slaves of their white owners and had to obey their masters at all times. The widow didn’t really want to sell Jim, but eight hundred dollars was a lot of money, and she was thinking about it. Huck didn’t want the widow to sell Jim. He thought about it as he walked to school. ‘Jim has a wife and children,’ he thought. ‘If she sells him to this man, Jim will never see them again. It’s not right. And I will lose my friend.’ Suddenly, someone grabbed Huck from behind, and knocked him down. Huck tried to fight back, but the person dragged him away. It was Pap again.

chapter 3

Pap took Huck to a small cabin by the Mississippi River. He planned to keep him there because he wanted to find out a way to get Huck’s fortune from the judge. Nobody else lived near the cabin. A week later, the widow found out where Huck was and she sent a man to bring him back. But Pap had a gun. He pointed it at the man, and he ran away and never came back. So Huck and Pap were left alone. At first Huck didn’t mind living with Pap. It was nice not to have any rules again. He didn’t have to wash his face in the morning, or keep his clothes clean, or say “Please” and “Thank you.” Pap didn’t care about such things. But soon Huck started to feel like a prisoner. Sometimes Pap let him out to chop firewood or go fishing, but he never let Huck go anywhere alone. Even worse, Pap sometimes went to town and left Huck locked in the cabin for days. Huck was worried. ‘Suppose Pap ended up in jail, or someone killed him,’ Huck thought. ‘What would happen to me? How would I get out of the cabin?’ Huck decided to escape, but it wasn’t easy. The walls were made of thick logs, and there were no windows. Huck spent hours looking for something that could cut through the walls. Finally

he found a saw. He started sawing at the back wall of the cabin, and slowly made a hole. Pap didn’t see the hole because there was a blanket hanging on the wall. Then Huck got lucky again. It was springtime and the Mississippi River was flooding. The river carried down many things, and one day Huck caught a canoe as it went by. He hid it under some bushes until he was ready to leave. Finally, one morning Pap locked Huck in and left for the day. Huck now had his best chance. Quickly he crawled out the hole in the wall. However, he knew that Pap and others would look for him. How could he stop them? Huck had an idea. First, he took the axe and smashed in the cabin door. Next, he took Pap’s gun and shot a wild animal. He covered the blade of the axe in the animal’s blood, and stuck some of his own hair on it, too. Then he threw the animal in the river. Lastly, he filled a large sack with rocks and dragged it from the cabin to the river. Huck thought: ‘They’ll think some robbers came to the cabin, broke down the door, and murdered me with the axe. Then they’ll see the trail I made with the sack of rocks, and they’ll think the robbers threw my body in the river. They’ll look in the river for my body, but they won’t find me.’ It was night-time when Huck finished. He climbed into the canoe and drifted down the dark river – to freedom, he hoped.

chapter 4

Martha laughed, “Go outside and try it.” Mary skipped and skipped, all the way to the garden wall. The robin was sitting there. “You showed me the key yesterday,” she said. “But where is the door?” The robin started singing. Suddenly the wind blew and some branches moved from the wall. “Oh! It’s magic!” thought Mary as a door appeared. She tried the key and the heavy door opened. Mary took a step through the door and smiled. She was standing inside the secret garden! It was the most mysterious place you could imagine. There were hundreds of plants and rose bushes and tall grass everywhere. Leaves and branches hung from walls and trees and the garden smelled sweet and wet. “It’s so quiet in here,” she whispered. “Has everything died?”

know what to do, but then I saw a raft floating down it. I caught the raft and floated down the river till I came here to Jackson’s Island.” “I know!” cried Huck. “Listen, Jim. We’ll both go down the river on your raft, and get far from here!” Huck and Jim stayed on the island for a few more days. The river was still flooding, and many useful things came down it. One day, a whole house floated to the island. Jim and Huck went in it and found old clothes, a lantern, a knife, some blankets, and even some books. With these supplies they could leave the island and they decided to go soon.

chapter 5

Jim helped make the raft like home. He built a shelter in the middle so that they would stay dry when it rained. On the floor of the shelter they put some soil so that they could have a fire. They hung their lantern from a stick, so that the steamboats could see them at night. Then one night, they set off down the river. They decided they would only travel at night, because they didn’t want anyone to see Jim. People might think that he was a runaway slave. The plan was to go down the river until they got to Cairo in Illinois. Illinois was a Free State and there, Jim would be a free man. In the meantime, Jim and Huck passed the time as they pleased. Sometimes they lay back on the raft and watched the stars. Often they talked. Sometimes Huck read to Jim out of the books they found in the floating house. He read to him about kings, and princes, and dukes, and how they wore beautiful clothes, and called each other Your Majesty, and Your Highness, and lived in palaces. Jim was very impressed. “And what do kings have to do?” he asked Huck.

“How silly you are!” laughed Huck. “Kings don’t do anything, unless there is a war. They just sit around. Everything belongs to them.” Jim thought about that. “One day I’ll be rich like a king, Huck,” he said. “How is that, Jim?” asked Huck. Jim pointed to his chest and said, “I have a hairy chest. So, one day I’ll be rich. People with hairy chests always become rich.” He thought for a moment. “Actually, Huck, I’m rich right now,” he added. “Really, Jim?” asked Huck. “And how’s that?” “Well, I own myself, and I’m worth eight hundred dollars!” said Jim and laughed. When morning came, Huck and Jim went ashore and hid the raft using tree branches. When they were hungry, they caught fish, or shot a bird with the gun. Sometimes, early in the morning, Huck would steal a chicken or some vegetables from a plantation. Once, when he was on one of these adventures, Huck found a snake skin. It was beautiful. He picked it up to show it to Jim. But when he saw it, Jim was horrified. “Throw that away, Huck! Don’t you know? Picking up a snake’s skin brings bad luck!” he shouted. Jim was very worried, so Huck threw the skin away. But he felt a little annoyed. Everything was bad luck for Jim. “Say,” he asked Jim, “Don’t you know of anything that brings good luck?” “Sure,” said Jim. “But that isn’t as important. We don’t need to worry about good luck, because it’s good anyway. It’s the bad luck we have to watch out for!”

chapter 6

When night came, Huck and Jim set off down the river as usual. ‘The snake skin didn’t bring much bad luck after all,’ thought Huck. Then he noticed that the river was getting foggy. Soon, they could hardly see the shore. “We should stop till the fog passes,” Huck said. “I will go ahead in the canoe and find something to tie the raft to.” He tied one

end of a long rope to the raft and took the other with him. But the fog was getting thicker every moment. Soon Huck couldn’t see the raft behind him. Suddenly, he realised something else; he couldn’t find his end of the rope. He called out to Jim as loudly as he could, then he listened for an answer. He thought he heard Jim calling back. Quickly he paddled towards the sound, but the next time he heard it, it was somewhere else. After calling for an hour or more, Huck fell asleep, exhausted.

When he woke up, it was morning and the sun was shining. The canoe was floating towards a large island. As Huck looked at the island, he saw the raft on the shore! ‘The stream probably carried it there in the night,’ he thought. He could see one smashed oar, and one side of the raft full of broken branches and mud. Jim was sitting with the other oar, fast asleep. Huck climbed onto the raft. Then he decided to play a trick on Jim. “Jim!” he said as he lay down. “How long have I been asleep?” Jim jumped up. “Is that you, Huck? And you’re not dead? Oh, I thought I would never see you again!” he said. “What’s the matter with you, Jim? It was a dream, probably. I didn’t go anywhere!” “What do you mean, Huck? Look me in the eye. Didn’t you leave in the canoe? Didn’t you lose the rope and float away?” asked Jim. “No,” said Huck again. “None of that happened. It was a dream, I’m sure.” “Well, then,” said Jim, “that was the most amazing dream in my life. It must have a very deep meaning. The fog must stand for all the troubles we will have on our journey.” Huck pointed to the mud on the raft and the broken oar. “What about that stuff, Jim? What does it mean?” he said and laughed. Slowly Jim realised that Huck was playing a trick on him. “I’ll tell you,” he said. “When you were lost, I was so sad I didn’t care about anything; me or the raft, nothing was important anymore. Then I woke up and saw you were alive, and I was so thankful that tears came to my eyes. And all you were thinking about was to make fun of old Jim with your lies. That stuff is rubbish Huck – and if some people make fun of their friends, they are rubbish too.” When he saw Jim so hurt, Huck was sorry about his lies to him. He went and apologised to Jim, and promised never to play a trick like that again.

chapter 7

Huck and Jim were travelling on the river for a long time. Jim couldn’t wait to reach Cairo, Illinois. When they got there he would be a free man, and he was very excited. Every time he saw a few houses along the shore, he jumped up and said: “That must be Cairo!” But none of those towns were Cairo. “Perhaps we went past it that night in the fog,” said Huck. Huck wasn’t looking forward to getting to Cairo. ‘I am helping Jim escape forever’ he thought. ‘But is it the right thing to do? Jim belongs to the widow Douglas. Should I steal him from her?’ Helping a slave escape was wrong. Everybody knew that. Tom Sawyer, Judge Thatcher, his teacher at school, even Pap – they would all say, “Turn Jim in right now, before it is too late.” Jim never suspected that Huck had such thoughts. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Huck,” he said at least once a day. “No white man has ever treated me so well.” But Huck still wondered, ‘What should I do? What if I’m doing the wrong thing?’ Suddenly Jim cried out: “There’s another town, Huck! I bet that’s Cairo!” “I will take the canoe to the shore and see,” said Huck. He began paddling to the shore thinking to himself: ‘I should turn Jim in now.’ But on his way, two men on a boat stopped him. “We’re looking for runaway slaves,” one said. “Are there any men on that raft?” “Yes,” said Huck. “Black or white?” asked the man. It was the perfect chance to tell about Jim. But the words didn’t come. “White,” said Huck. “Do you mind if we go see for ourselves?” said the men. “Not at all,” said Huck. And at the same time he decided. He would help Jim. “Please come with me, because we need somebody to help us take the raft to the shore. Pap is really sick, but every

time I ask somebody to help us, they run away,” he said. “Hey! Why is that?” asked the men. “What’s wrong with him?” Huck started crying. “He’s got smallpox,” he said. “But please, help me bring the raft ashore!” “And catch smallpox?” exclaimed the men. “Sorry, son, we aren’t going near that raft! But here’s forty dollars for you and your pap. Just continue down the river and don’t come near us or this town!” Huck paddled back to the raft. Jim was hiding in the water, terrified. “It’s safe to come out now, Jim” said Huck. “Wow, Huck, your trick was great!” said Jim when the boy told him about his conversation with the two men. “Tom Sawyer couldn’t do it better!” Huck smiled a little. Slave or not, Jim was still his friend.

chapter 8

Snake skins do bring bad luck. Huck decided it was true as the days went by. First, they discovered something really bad; they were far from Cairo, and the town was now behind them. They couldn’t go up the river in the raft, so they decided to go in the canoe. But the next day, somebody stole their canoe while they were asleep. “That’s okay,” Jim told Huck. “We have the forty dollars that the men gave you. We can buy another canoe.” But then something even worse happened. That night, clouds covered the moon and the stars and it became very dark. Huck and Jim couldn’t see a thing. In the middle of the night, a steamboat came up the river towards them. The pilot didn’t see the small light of their lantern, and it headed straight for the raft! Huck and Jim shouted and waved, but unfortunately nobody from the ship saw them. Just before it hit them, Huck dived off one side of the raft and Jim off the other.

It took Huck a long time to swim to the shore, because the river was wide and the current very strong. He couldn’t see Jim anywhere. Was he ashore somewhere else, or maybe dead? Exhausted from searching, Huck fell asleep. It was past morning when he woke up. He was miserable and he sat and cried for a while. But Huck couldn’t sit and do nothing for long. So he got up and began to walk. After a while he met a boy about his age. “Hey you,” said Huck. “Have you seen a black slave around here? He’s about forty and is wearing grey trousers.” “Yes,” said the boy. “He’s down at the Phelps’ plantation. He’s a runaway slave, and they caught him this morning. They don’t know where he’s from, but they will soon find out.” Huck was very happy. Jim was alive! He said goodbye to the boy and started walking, not sure where he was going. ‘What can I do?’ he thought. He could leave Jim with the Phelps family, and they would return him to the widow. That would be the right thing. But Jim didn’t want to be a slave and Huck knew that. ‘I’m going to help him escape!’ Huck suddenly decided. ‘Jim is a slave, but he’s also my friend. He always helps me when I’m in trouble. I’m going to do the same for him, and if that makes me a bad person, then I don’t care!’ Huck immediately felt better. Without another thought, he set off for the Phelps’ plantation.

chapter 9

S oon, Huck was at the Phelps’ plantation. It was a quiet, peaceful place. He saw a big, white farmhouse, and a garden. Further away he saw the cabins where the slaves lived. Then he saw a woman walking towards him. She was about forty, with several children behind her, and she had a huge smile on her face. This was Sally Phelps.

“Tom!” she called out before Huck had a chance to say a thing. “I am so glad you are here!” She gave him a big hug. “Finally! It’s great to meet my sister’s son!” “Yes, ma’am,”said Huck. “Don’t say ma’am,” said the woman, “say Aunt Sally.” Before he knew it, Huck was inside the house, and Aunt Sally was treating him just like one of the family. ‘She thinks I’m somebody else,’ Huck thought. ‘But who?’ Then a man walked in – obviously Sally’s husband.

“Silas!” cried Sally. “This is Tom Sawyer!” Huck almost laughed. They were the aunt and uncle of his best friend Tom! And they thought he was Tom. Huck knew lots of things about Tom, so it wasn’t that hard to pretend to be him. But when was the real Tom coming? “Aunt Sally,” said Huck, “I’m going outside for a walk.” “Certainly dear,” said Aunt Sally. “Just don’t be late for lunch.” Huck waited for the real Tom to arrive. ‘They were waiting for him, so he will be here any minute,’ thought Huck. Huck could meet him first and explain everything to him. Soon, he saw a wagon coming, and Tom was on the wagon. The two boys were very excited to see each other again. They had many adventures together before Huck left St Petersburg. Tom found Huck’s story about faking his own murder great. ‘But how would Tom feel about stealing a slave? Would he say it was wrong?’ thought Huck. And then he told Tom about Jim. “Huck! I’ll help you free Jim!” said Tom. “I’ll pretend that I’m my brother Sid. And we’ll plan an amazing escape. People will talk about it for years!” Huck was surprised, but he was glad because Tom wanted to help. Jim was locked in a slave cabin. Silas Phelps had the key. “We’ll dig a tunnel into the cabin,” said Tom. “Then Jim can get out. But he has to wear a disguise. We’ll steal one of Aunt Sally’s nightgowns for him to wear.” “No, let’s just steal the key from Uncle Silas,” said Huck. “It will take too long to dig a hole. And if we steal a nightgown, Aunt Sally will wonder about it.” “Huck, we have to do this right,” said Tom. “Even if it takes a long time, that’s fine with me! And Aunt Sally won’t even notice the nightgown, because she’ll have other things to think about.” Tom didn’t just want to help Jim escape. He wanted to cause a sensation. It was true – Aunt Sally did soon have plenty to worry about.

chapter 10

Afew days later, Sally and Silas Phelps found this message under their door.

Don’t betray me. I wish to be your friend. There is a dangerous gang of criminals going to steal your runaway slave next Monday night. I am one of the gang but I wish to change and be good. On the night of the attack, I have to warn the gang of any danger. Instead I will “baa” like a sheep when they are near and warn you. Then you must attack and kill them all. I do not wish any reward except knowing I did the right thing.
UNKNOWN FRIEND


The letter was, of course, part of Tom’s plan, but the Phelpses didn’t know that. Silas and Sally were terrified by the note. They told all their neighbours about the robbery, and asked them for help. Early on Monday evening, Aunt Sally sent the boys to bed. “Do not come out of your room,” she said, “no matter what you hear.” She didn’t tell them anything about the robbers, though, because she didn’t want to frighten them. But before Huck went upstairs, he noticed a crowd of people in the living room. “Tom!” he cried, when he got upstairs, terrified. “There’s a dozen men downstairs, and they all have guns! They’re here to fight the criminals!” Tom laughed aloud. “Great! That’s better than I hoped for! Let’s put the plan into action!” As darkness fell, Tom and Huck climbed out the window and crept through the tunnel into Jim’s cabin. Jim was going to escape with Tom and go towards the river. After that Huck would hide near the house and call “baa.” The men would go to the slave cabin, but of course, they would find no one there.

Tom and Huck got into the cabin and gave Jim the nightgown to wear. A while later, they heard someone at the door. The men came into the cabin early without waiting for the signal. Quickly, Jim and the boys climbed out through the hole. They almost got away, but Tom tore his trousers on the fence as they were running. Now the men were very close! Jim and the boys ran like crazy. Behind them, they heard the sound of men and dogs, and bullets whizzed around them as the

men fired at them. But the three fugitives ran quickly, and soon they lost the men. In front of them was the dark Mississippi River. “We’re safe!” Huck cried, laughing. “Jim, you’re a free man now!” But Jim wasn’t listening. He was looking at Tom. “Hold on, Huck,” he said. “They hit Tom!” Tom was limping, and his face was pale. He was bleeding because he had a bullet in his leg.

chapter 11

Two weeks later, Tom was back in St Petersburg. He had a fever from the wound in his leg and was sick for a long time. His aunt Polly was taking care of him and now he was feeling a little better. So, he wrote to Huck.

Dear Huck,
It’s so good to hear that you and Jim are doing well. Please say thank you to Jim for me. He saved my life! Instead of running away and escaping down the river after the shooting, he went back to the Phelpses and got a doctor for me. He’s a true friend, Huck. And so are you. The problem was, I was sick for so long and I couldn’t tell people the truth. The widow set Jim free a long time ago and I knew that when I met you at the Phelps’. But it was more fun to help him escape anyway. Write to me soon and tell me where you are going next.
Your friend,
Tom Sawyer

Huck was still living with the Phelps family. When he got Tom’s letter, he was thrilled. He wrote back to him immediately.

Dear Tom,
That was the best escape ever! Jim is excited to be free and can’t wait to buy his wife and children out of slavery too. But he’s staying around to see what I do. It turns out I’m free too – they found Pap’s body in the river a long time ago. Aunt Sally wants to adopt me and civilise me, but I can’t stand it. I’ll run away and head out west to Indian territory and look for adventure. Maybe Jim will come along, too.
So what do you think? Perhaps you can join us? Write and let me know.
Yours truly,
Huck Finn

chapter 1 Comprehension
1
Choose a, b or c to answer the following questions.

1. Why did all the boys want to be like Huckleberry Finn?
a. Because he was an orphan b. Because he was very rich c. Because he never went to school

2. What did Judge Thatcher do with Huck’s money?
a. He put it in a bank b. He hid it in a cave c. He spent it

3. Who made lots of rules?
a. Aunt Polly b. Widow Douglas c. Jim

4. Who had a surprise when he went into his bedroom?
a. Tom b. Huck c. Sid

2
Read the sentences. Write "t" for True or "f" for False in the boxes.

1. The people of St Petersburg never helped Huckleberry Finn.

2. Huck was lucky and became rich.

3. Widow Douglas liked to eat with her fingers.

4. Huck told Tom about his future.

5. Huck should stay away from water.

Vocabulary
3
Match the words 1-5 with their meanings a-e.
1. tramp a. old and usually dirty clothes
2. rags b. a person with the same mother or father
3. cave c. a large hole in the side of a hill or under the ground
4. half-brother d. protection from rain or danger
5. shelter e. a person without a home or a job, travelling from one place to another
4
Complete the following sentences using the prepositions in the box.
with   for   about   from   of

1. ‘Stay away me. I’m sick !’

2.‘Did Martin tell you our adventure in the snow?’

3. ‘What is the reason the mess in the kitchen?’

4. ‘How long has Sue lived her sister in Cambridge?’

5. ‘It’s OK, you don’t need to help me. I can take care myself.’

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Huck sometimes goes fishing when he is hungry. Would you enjoy going fishing in a river? Why? / Why not?
2. Huck didn’t have a home for a long time. How do you think that made him feel?
3. The widow Douglas has too many rules. Do you find it easy or difficult to follow rules? Which rules do you find most difficult to follow?
4. What do you think is the surprise in Huck’s bedroom?

6
Imagine that you are Tom Sawyer. Your teacher has asked you to write a description of your best friend. Write a description of Huck Finn. (60-80 words)
chapter 2 Comprehension
1
Answer the following questions.

1. What was the surprise Huck had in his bedroom?


2. Why did Pap go to Huck’s room?


3. Who wanted to buy Jim for eight hundred dollars?


4. Who attacked and knocked down Huck?


2
Match the two halves of the sentences below
1. Pap looked a. want to sell Jim.
2. Huck didn’t tell his father b. wife and two children.
3. Huck used to be c. around Huck’s room.
4. The widow didn’t really d. about the treasure.
5. Jim had a e. afraid of his father.
3
Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. Maria has bought a red __________ for her bed.
a. blanket b. mud c. mirror

2. ‘James, don’t __________ ice cream at your bother’.
a. grab b. throw c. drag

3. My grandmother has been a(n) __________ since my grandfather died five years ago.
a. master b. widow c. owner

4. It is against the law to have a __________ nowadays.
a. slave b. rug c. wife

5. ‘I didn’t break the window,’ said the boy but he was __________ .
a. adopting b. replying c. lying

Vocabulary
4
Complete the crossword with words from Chapter 2.

1. Something to sleep in
2. To go up a tree
3. The opposite of new
4. To try to see something
5. You can see yourself in it
6. Having a lot of money
7. To listen to a sound
8. A small carpet

1
2
4
3
6
5
8
7
Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Do you think Huck should give the money to his father? Why? / Why not?
2. Huck’s parents didn’t go to school. Why do people need to go to school?
3. Jim was a slave. Slavery was not an unusual situation in the past. Why is it wrong for people to have other people as slaves?
4. At the end of the chapter, Pap knocks down Huck and drags him away. What do you think Pap is going to do to Huck? Is he right to treat him like that?

6
Imagine that you are Huckleberry Finn and you have a diary. Write about Pap’s visit to your room and the way it made you feel. (60-80 words)
chapter 3 Comprehension
1
Put the sentences in the correct order. Write the numbers 1-6 in the boxes.

a. Huck decided to escape because he had no freedom.
b. Pap kept Huck in a small cabin by the Mississippi River.
c. In the beginning, Huck enjoyed living with Pap.
d. Huck got in a canoe and went down the river.
e. Huck dragged a large sack of rocks to the river.
f. Huck made a hole in the back wall of the cabin and got out.

2
Choose the correct answer.

1. Nobody else lived by the river / near Pap’s cabin .

2. The cabin walls were made of thick logs / rocks .

3. Huck hid a canoe under a blanket / some bushes .

4. Huck covered the blade of the axe in the hair / blood of an animal.

5. Huck wanted to make people believe that robbers / Pap had murdered him.

Vocabulary
3
Complete the following sentences using the prepositions in the box.
of   in   on   to   at   for

1. Sam left and locked the dog the house by accident.
2. It is rude to point people.
3. On Saturday I am going to look a new pair of shoes.
4. Who came your birthday party?
5. What is that cake made ?
6. We have some lovely paintings hanging the walls at home.

4
Find the opposites of the following words in Chapter 3:

1. dirty (page 10)
2. everywhere (page 10)
3. free (page 10)
4. difficult (page 10)
5. quickly (page 11)
6. stay (page 11)
7. small (page 11)
8. started (page 11)

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Pap doesn’t have any rules for Huck, but he locks him in the cabin when he leaves. Do you think that Pap cares about his son? Why? / Why not? What kind of person do you think he is?
2. Would you like to live near a big river? What could you do there?
3. If someone has a bad life should they run away? Why?
4. Huck was alone in a canoe in a big river in the darkness of night. What do you think will happen to him?

6
When he didn’t find his son in the cabin, Pap called the police. Imagine that you are a policeman. Write some notes of what you saw in the cabin and what you think happened to Huck. (60-80 words)
chapter 4 Comprehension
1
Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. Jackson’s Island was
a. named after a slave owner. b. a place with no people. c. full of ghosts.

2. When Huck got bored he decided to
a. go fishing. b. go hunting. c. explore the island.

3. Jim wanted to go to the Free States in the North
a. to meet his family. b. to find useful things. c. to work and save money.

4. Jim got to Jackson’s Island
a. on a raft. b. on a floating house. c. on a canoe.

2
Complete the following sentences with the names in the box.
Huck   Jackson’s Island   Jim   widow Douglas   Mississippi River

1. Jim thought he saw a ghost on .

2. A man from New Orleans wanted to buy from .

3. escaped in order to save money to buy his family’s freedom.

4. A whole house floated down the .

5. and stayed on for a few days.

6. saw a steamboat on the .

Vocabulary
3
Complete the sentences using the words in the box.
earns   fake   lanterns   supplies   explore   useful

1. We need to buy lots of for our camping holiday.
2. A car is very to get to work.
3. Brian about €20,000 per year.
4. Can we the mountains this weekend?
5. We need some for the garden party
6. Is that a(n) or a real designer jacket?

4
Complete the phrases using the verbs in the box.
sit   float   run   tell   trip

1. away from
2. down the river
3. on somebody
4. over somebody / something
5. up

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. A steamboat full of people looking for Huck went very close to Jackson’s Island. Should Huck let them know that he was alive? Why? / Why not?
2. How do friends help each other when they have problems? Give some examples.
3. Do you believe in ghosts? Why?/Why not? What would you do if you saw one?
4. How will Huck and Jim use the knife and books during their adventure?

6
Imagine that you are Jim. Write a paragraph in your diary describing the surprise you had on Jackson’s Island. (60-80 words)
chapter 5 Comprehension
1
Answer the following questions.

1. Why did Jim build a shelter in the middle of the raft?


2. Where would Jim become a free man?


3. How much money was Jim worth?


4. Why did Huck sometimes go to a plantation?


5. What did Jim think of the snake skin?


2
Read the sentences. Write "t" for True or "f" for False in the boxes.

1. Huck and Jim travelled only at night.
2. Jim read to Huck from lots of books.
3. Jim was a rich man.
4. Jim had a hairy chest.
5. Jim was worried about their future.

Vocabulary
3
Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. It is fun to ride on a down a river.
a. raft b. chest c. shelter

2. James his coat in the wardrobe and sat down.
a. picked b. hung c. hid

3. Would you like to live in a king’s one day?
a. plantation b. war c. palace

4. We need more in the garden to grow flowers.
a. branches b. soil c. sticks

5. My father was very by my school grades. I had a grade A in each subject.
a. impressed b. horrified c. worried

4
Match the words or phrases 1-6 with their definitions a-f.
1. set off a. a thin piece of wood
2. annoyed b. with a lot of hair
3. silly c. slightly angry
4. hairy d. to take something without paying for it
5. steal e. to start a journey
6. stick f. foolish
Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Jim believes that a snake skin brings bad luck. Do you think that some things are lucky or unlucky? Give examples.
2. Huck and Jim have a lot of fun together. What makes you laugh and smile?
3. What stories of kings and princes do you know?
4. What bad luck might the two friends have on the Mississippi River?

6
Imagine that you are Huck Finn. Write a letter to your best friend, Tom Sawyer, giving him all your latest news about your adventure on the Mississippi. (60-80 words)
chapter 6 Comprehension
1
Put the sentences in the correct order. Write the numbers 1-6 in the boxes.

a. Huck found Jim on the raft and played a trick on him.
b. Huck got in his canoe and tried to find a place to tie the raft to.
c. Huck realised he was wrong and apologised to his friend.
d. Jim got very hurt because Huck made fun of him.
e. There was a lot of fog on the river one night.
f. Huck got lost and fell asleep.

2
Complete the summary of Chapter 6 using the words in the box.
island   dream   lying   fog   trick   apologised   canoe

It was night and there was heavy (1) on the river. Huck decided to go ahead in the (2) to do something to help them. But after an hour, Huck couldn’t find Jim. Huck looked for him. After a while, Huck saw the raft on the shore of a large (3) . As Jim was asleep on the raft, Huck decided to play a (4) on him after he had woken up. He made Jim believe that everything was a bad (5) . In the end, Jim realised that Huck was (6) and he was really hurt. Huck was very sorry and (7) to Jim for playing the trick on him.

Vocabulary
3
Choose the correct answer.

1. The climber tied a rope / skin around him before he went up the mountain.
2. When we go camping, we like to rent a canoe and paddle / float on the lake.
3. Your shoes are very dirty. Where does all the mud / fog come from?
4. Is your bicycle still hurt / broken?
5. I want you to look me in the eye / stuff and tell me the truth.

4
Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. I have __________ that my puppy always sleeps in the afternoon.
a. listened b. noticed c. pointed

2. Some students talk __________ so in the class that I get a headache.
a. loudly b. quickly c. suddenly

3. Trisha is __________ after swimming for an hour
a. exhausted b. smashed c. thicker

4. Where is the __________ ? We can’t paddle to the island without it
a. rope b. luck c. oar

5. Do you think that __________ has fish in it?
a. stream b. rubbish c. trick

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. When there was fog on the river, Huck and Jim did different things. Do you think that was wise?
2. Huck tells Jim that their night adventure was just a bad dream. Can you remember any of your dreams? Do you think a dream has a special meaning?
3. Jim is hurt when Huck tricks him. How careful should you be about the feelings of friends? How do people react when they feel hurt?
4. Do you think Huck and Jim will stay together or will they continue on their own?

6
Imagine that you are Huck. Write a letter to Jim saying you are sorry for hurting him and that you won’t do it again. (60-80 words)
chapter 7 Comprehension
1
Match the two halves of the sentences below. Write a-f in the boxes.
1. Huck was thinking about a. two men in a boat.
2. Huck met b. in the water.
3. Jim was hiding c. a lie to help Jim.
4. Huck told d. turning Jim in.
5. The men got e. frightened and left.
6. Jim was f. safe again.
2
Choose a,b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. Huck and Jim were looking for
a. widow Douglas. b. the town of Cairo. c. a free man.

2. The two men on the boat were
a. trying to hide. b. escaped slaves. c. looking for runaway slaves.

3. Huck lied to
a. the two men. b. Jim. c. widow Douglas.

4. Huck lied because
a. Jim was his friend. b. Jim was hiding in the water. c. the men gave him forty dollars.

Vocabulary
3
Complete the sentences below with the words in the box.
steal   shore   runaway   smallpox   conversation   jump

1. I had an interesting with my cousin last night.
2. His grandma lives in a small house by the .
3. The police caught the prisoner and sent him back to prison.
4. It is wrong to from a shop.
5. My dog likes to on me when he sees me!
6. You must take medicine when you have .

4
Find the words or phrases in Chapter 7 which mean the same as:

1. excellent, very good (page 22)
2. take someone to the police (page 22)
3. not well, ill (page 22)
4. said loudly (page 24)
5. very scared (page 24)

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Jim wants to be free. Is it important for everyone to be free?
2. Jim is black and Huck is white. Do young people think the colour of your skin is important when making new friends? Why? / Why not?
3. When Huck says that Pap is very sick the two men go away. Was this the right thing to do? Why? / Why not?
4. Will Jim and Huck manage to get to a place where they can be free?

6
Imagine that you are one of the men on the boat that met Huck. Write a letter to the police informing them about the incident. (60-80 words)
chapter 8 Comprehension
1
Answer the following questions.

1. What did Huck and Jim go up the river in?


2. Why did Huck and Jim have to jump into the water?


3. Why did Huck feel sad the next morning?


4. Where was Jim after the accident?


5. What did Huck decide to do for Jim?


2
Complete the following sentences with the names in the boxes
the Phelps’   Jim   Huck   Cairo

1. and had an accident in the river.

2. is the name of a town in the Free States.

3. was at plantation.

4. wanted to help escape from .

5. eswam for a long time and was exhausted. .

6. was wearing grey trousers.

Vocabulary
3
Choose a, b or c to complete the sentences below.

1. The car __________ west towards the river.
a. discovered b. headed c. hit

2. Tourists can go on a __________ cruise down the Mississippi.
a. canoe b. steamboat c. current

3. The road outside my house is very __________ .
a. worse b. wide c. strong

4. When he lost his dog, Alan felt __________ .
a. asleep b. right c. miserable

5. I love to __________ our yacht into the sea.
a. dive off b. head for c. get up

4
Complete the crossword using words from Chapter 8.

1. A kind of lamp
2. A type of farm in the Southern States of America
3. American money
4. To put something in front of something else in order to hide it
5. Lights in the sky
6. To move in the water using your arms and legs
7. At once

1
2
3
4
6
5
7
Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Huck changes his mind about bad luck. Do you agree with him? Why? / Why not?
2. Huck seems to make decisions quickly. How easy is it for you to make decisions?
3. Huck would do anything to help Jim. How can you help a friend who is in trouble?
4. Do you think Huck will save Jim?

6
Imagine that you are a reporter on a local newspaper. On the night of Huck and Jim’s accident, you happened to be there and witnessed everything from farther away. Write a short article for your newspaper, under the heading: “STEAMBOAT SINKS RAFT – 2 PEOPLE MISSING”. (60-80 words)
chapter 9 Comprehension
1
Read Chapter 9 and match the two halves of the sentences.
1. The Phelps’ plantation had a. got out to meet Huck.
2. A woman with several children b. talked about Jim.
3. Huck waited for c. the real Tom to arrive.
4. Tom and Huck d. to cause a sensation.
5. Tom wanted e. a big, white farmhouse with a garden.
2
Read the sentences. Write "t" for True or "f" for False in the boxes.

1. Sally was a forty-year-old slave.
2. Silas was Tom Sawyer’s father.
3. Tom’s brother’s name was Sid.
4. Tom and Huck had many adventures in St Petersburg.
5. Jim was wearing a nightgown.

Vocabulary
3
Choose the correct answer.

1. My uncle always gives me a very friendly hug / disguise every time we meet.
2. Cowboys used to travel in cabins / wagons .
3. The train makes a loud noise before it goes into the hole / tunnel .
4. Are you faking / treating a headache to miss school this morning?.
5. The small park is a peaceful / real place to walk in with your family.

4
Complete the phrases using the verbs in the box.
pretend   have   treat   walk   take   wear

1. someone like one of the family

2. to be someone else

3. a disguise

4. towards somebody/a place

5. too long

6. a chance

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Why do you think the slaves and the Phelps family live in different parts of the plantation?
2. Aunt Sally was excited to see Huck / Tom. Do you have cousins or uncles and aunts who live a long way from you? How often do you see them? What do you do together?
3. Tom and Huck did not tell Aunt Sally the truth. Were they right to do that? In what situations is it OK to tell a lie?
4. Do you think the boys’ plan to help Jim will work?

6
Huck and Tom Sawyer write a short letter to Jim, informing him about their plan to rescue him. (60-80 words)
chapter 10 Comprehension
1
Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences.

1. The letter to Sally and Silas Phelps was
a. from one of their neighbours. b. from a dangerous gang of criminals. c. part of Tom’s plan.

2. There were a dozen
a. men in the Phelps’ living room. b. robbers in the boys’ bedroom c. runaway slaves in the Phelps’ house.

3. Tom tore his trousers
a. going through the hole in the cabin. b. when a dog got him. c. on a fence as he was running away.

4. When the fugitives got to the Mississippi River, they saw that
a. there was something wrong with Tom. b. Huck’s leg was bleeding. c. Jim had a bullet in his leg.

2
Complete the following sentences with the names in the box.
Huck   Tom   Jim   The Phelpses

1. received a mysterious letter.

2. saw many men with guns in the house.

3. was living in a cabin and waiting to escape..

4. had to hide near the house and “baa” like a sheep.

5. and their friends chased the fugitives.

Vocabulary
3
Match the words 1-6 with their definitions a-f.
1. message a. to move slowly and quietly
2. warn b. something that you want to do in the future
3. attack c. written or spoken information
4. neighbour d. to tell someone about something dangerous that might happen
5. plan e. a person who lives next to or near you
6. creep f. to try to hurt or kill someone
4
Find the opposites of the following words in Chapter 10:

1. safe (page 32)

2. wrong (page 32)

3. late (page 32)

4. downstairs (page 32)

5. slowly (page 34)

6. in front of (page 34)

7. light (page 35)

Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Did Tom help Jim because he was a friend or because it was wrong to have slaves? What do you think? What would you do?
2. Tom’s message to the Phelpses was very strange. Why do you think he wrote something like that?
3. Tom and Huck didn’t stop when they saw the guns. Do you think that was right? Why is it dangerous to have a gun in the house?
4. Will Jim manage to escape? What do you think will happen next?

6
Imagine that you are Silas or Sally Phelps. Write a letter to your family in St Petersburg to tell them what happened at the plantation. (60-80 words)
chapter 11 Comprehension
1
Put the sentences in the correct order. Write the numbers 1-6 in the boxes.

a. Tom went back home.
b. Tom had a fever.
c. Jim saved Tom’s life.
d. Aunt Polly was taking care of him.
e. Huck decided to run away to Indian territory.
f. Huck asked Tom to go on a new adventure with him.

2
Read the sentences. Write T for True or F for False in the boxes

1. Tom never returned to St Petersburg.
2. Tom was sick for a long time.
3. Tom and Jim were living with the Phelps family.
4. Jim became a free man.
5. Aunt Polly wanted to adopt Huck.

Vocabulary
3
Choose a, b or c to complete the sentences.

1. My sister has a deep in her leg.
a. wound b. body c. adventure

2. Sorry, I can’t come to the party. I have to stay home and of my sister.
a. turn out b. run away c. take care of

3. It is getting dark. Let’s to the cottage and see Ken and Linda.
a. stay around b. go back c. write back

4. I stopped studying French . I think it was in 2003 or 2004.
a. for a long time b. a long time ago c. so long

4
Complete the crossword with words from Chapter 11.

1. Very high body temperature
2. Very happy about something
3. Not a slave
4. To take someone else’s child into your family and become
his / her parents
5. To make somebody’s behaviour and manners better
6. He / She helps sick people get well
7. A country or an area

1 2
3
4
5
6 7
Follow-up activities
5
Discuss.

1. Jim was a hero for saving Tom. What other heroes do you know of? What did they do?
2. Tom kept a secret from Huck. Do you ever keep secrets from your friends? Why?/Why not?
3. Tom and Huck love adventure. Do you like adventure? What do you like to do to have a good time?
4. Do you think that Tom will go and live with Huck? Why? / Why not? What about Jim?

6
Imagine that you are a journalist. Write a short article for your newspaper, telling the amazing adventure of Huck and Jim, under the heading AMAZING ADVENTURE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. (80-100 words)