My Younger Sister
Naida Ismailova, 15, Khasavyurt
 

 

Naida_Ismailova

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My mother has taught me to take care of Nina, my younger sister, and that we should always be ready to help each other in difficult times.

One day my sister came home in tears. “Nina, what’s the matter with you? Why are you crying?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said. “Something has got into my eye. Everything is OK, Naida.”

“I can see that something is troubling you.”

Finally she said, “Someone hurt me today.”

“Tell me about it.”

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Then she told her story. “During the break the boys were laughing loudly. I asked them to be quiet but then they were rude to me, saying it was silly for me to tell them how to behave. I know they wanted to show everybody that they were cool.”

I listened. I wanted to help her so much, because I am happy to have a little sister who trusts me. “I think those boys wanted to attract your attention. They don’t know that classmates must be tolerant and respect each other,” I explained.

Exercises

I. Understanding the Story
Tell your partner what the lesson is in the story.

II. Vocabulary
Explain these words to your partner.
1. difficult
2. a break
3. trusts
4. to behave

III. Now you Talk
1. Discuss a time when you felt hurt by your classmates.
2. Talk about a time when you saw school children being rude to each other.
3. Describe your relationship with a sister or brother or cousin.

IV. Now you Write
1. Write about a relationship between sisters or brothers.
2. Write a summary of this story.
3. Write a description of the two sisters. Add details.

IV. Grammar Practice
Change the adjectives in bold to the comparative. Example: He was careful with money. He was more careful with money.
1. Nina was the young sister.
2. The boys were rude to her.
3. They said it was silly to say something.
4. My sister thinks I am trustworthy.
5. They must be tolerant toward her.

IV. Role Play
1. Two sisters: They argue about who decides which TV program to watch.
2. The writer and her mother: They discuss how the writer should treat Nina.
3. Two sisters: They meet on the playground where some boys are being mean.
4. Nina and two boys: They argue on the playground.
5. A teacher and one boy: She tells him to be kinder.