Hello and welcome to podcast number five from englishbanana.com The Girl Who Got Bigger and Bigger There was once a girl who wanted to be grown up like her parents, so she made a special drink that would make her grow, and she did grow. She grew until she was as big as her parents, but she didn't stop there. She kept on growing until her foot was the size of her house.
She quite enjoyed being suddenly so big, but her parents were annoyed. She found her breakfast was too small to fill her up, and even after several bowls of corn flakes she was still very hungry. Her mother had to start making some big clothes for her. Her father just looked at her, then he went to work.
She spent all that day visiting towns and villages that she had never been able to go to before. People were pleased to see such a big girl, and offered her great platefuls of food and a tanker which was full of milk for her to drink. In one place she even drank a swimming pool full of lemonade. After that she felt quite sick.
Night fell and she saw that she was completely lost. Nobody could show her the way back home, and she couldn't tell anybody where she had come from, because she didn't know. A farmer let her stay at his farm for the night, and she made a scratchy bed on a stubbly hill. She cried herself to sleep and felt sad because nobody was as big as her.
In the morning she awoke and was dismayed to see that sure enough she was still just as big. Saying goodbye to the farmer she set off early, determined to find her way home. Every stride seemed to be about half a mile long. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder, which she hadn't quite expected what with being so tall. It was a boy. And he was even bigger than she was.
‘Hello,' said the boy. ‘Did you make a drink to get big and grow big too?' asked the girl, wide-eyed. ‘Yes,' he replied, ‘This is my town.' He pointed to the small town which was spread out on the ground before them like a carpet. There were mountains beyond it and a lake. The girl explained to him that she was lost and he invited her to come and stay with him. He even offered to loan her some of his big clothes but she shook her head, saying, ‘No thanks. I'm tired of being too big. I want to be small.' With that she shrank back down to her original and normal size. ‘Wow,' she gasped, ‘I wasn't expecting that.' She told him where she thought she lived, and the boy said he thought he might know where it was. He seemed a little disappointed that she was no longer big, but nevertheless let the girl ride on his shoe as he walked, and she clung happily onto one of his enormous laces.
When they arrived at the girl's home she leapt to the ground and shouted, ‘Thanks for the lift!' The boy gave her a big grin and marched away, humming to himself. His humming was as loud as a small orchestra. The girl's mother and father were waiting in the town hall. They were very worried. Her father was pacing about, and her mother was sitting rather too still. She had been knitting a jumper. Her brow was knit too. When the girl bounded in they were extremely pleased to see her.
When they got home they all had shepherds pie, then ice cream and strawberries, and the girl was allowed to stay up until half past nine with her parents, playing game after game of cards. But she couldn't help wishing to be big again like the boy, because his head had brushed the clouds in the daytime, and at night-time the stars. So question... 1. How did the girl grow bigger?
2. How did her parents react to her growing bigger?
3. Why did the girl feel sick?
4. Where did she spend the night?
5. Why did she cry herself to sleep?
6. Who did she meet the next day?
7. What did he offer to loan her?
8. How did the girl get home?
9. What was her mother doing when she met her?
and last one question 10 10. Why did the girl wish that she was big again?
------------------------------- ------------------------------- For more fun tests, quizzes and games log onto www.englishbanana.com now! This worksheet can be photocopied and used without charge English Banana 2003 Answers : 1. How did the girl grow bigger?
She made a special drink 2. How did her parents react to her growing bigger?
Her parents were annoyed 3. Why did the girl feel sick?
Because she drank a swimming pool full of lemonade 4. Where did she spend the night?
A farmer let her stay at his farm for the night, and she made a scratchy bed on a stubbly hill 5. Why did she cry herself to sleep?
She cried herself to sleep and felt sad because nobody was as big as her 6. Who did she meet the next day?
A boy who was bigger than she was 7. What did he offer to loan her?
He offered to loan her some of his big clothes 8. How did the girl get home?
The boy let her ride on his shoe as he walked there 9. What was her mother doing when she met her?
Her mother was sitting rather too still 10. Why did the girl wish that she was big again?
Because she wanted to be like the boy, whose head had brushed the clouds in the daytime, and the stars at night-time
