Table Of Content

Illustrated by Giovanni Manna CHAPTER ONE Me^an 8 CHAPTER TWO The Croft 15 CHAPTER THREE No Fridge! 21 CHAPTER FOUR Dolly 28 CHAPTER FIVE The Arrival of Idris 35 CHAPTER SIX Scottish Mists 46 CHAPTER SEVEN Kendra 53 CHAPTER EIGHT The Full Moon 61 CHAPTER NINE It’s Not Goodbye 71 DOSSIERS The Isle of Skye 4 Clans, Tartan and Kilts 42 Scottish Music 67 UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT 12, 18, 25, 32, 39, 50, 57, 64, 75 K E T KET-style activities 12, 18, 25, 32, 39, 50, 57, 64, 65, 66, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 T: grade 3, 4 Trinity-style activities (Grades 3 and 4) 19,27,41,77 PROJECTS ON THE WEB 44, 70 AFTER READING 78 The text is recorded in full. m These symbols indicate the beginning and end of the passages linked to the listening activities. T h e Isle o f S iRye K n Skye is an island off the northwest coast of Scotland. It is the largest, and most well- known of the Inner Hebrides, and many people think it looks like a big butterfly. It is OUTER 25 miles wide and 50 miles long and it is IEBRIDES often called by its poetic name Eilean k: djJmJ a’Cheo. Skye is famous for its natural beauty, f Pome, Stromeferry history and wildlife. Climbers and walkers Skye Kyle of Lochalsh love going into the Cuillin Hills and on Skye Rum Mallaig you are never far from the sea. The wildlife Gulvain E*gg Fort William ranges from magnificent golden eagle, 1 to Co)) Kinlochleven Mluthuwh red deer 2 and if you are lucky, you can see otters 3 playing on the shores. 1. eagle : 2. deer : otter As you travel around the island, it is possible to hear Scottish Gaelic, which is the local language, and you can find Gaelic culture everywhere. Skye is very beautiful. There are hillsides, lochs (lakes), white washed cottages, lots of sheep,.but almost no people. Many years ago the inhabitants were Highland Chieftains, ‘Lords’ or ‘Lairds’, who lived in castles, but now they are farmers or ‘crofters’ and fishermen on the coasts. There are shopkeepers and teachers, who live and work in the main towns of Broadford and Portree, but most people on Skye live simply. They are families who love the land of their fathers. □ COMPREHENSION CHECK Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false ones. T F 1 Skye is a beautiful island with many native animals. □ □ 2 People like climbing by the sea. □ □ 3 Some people speak Irish Gaelic. □ □ 4 There are lots of people, but no sheep. □ □ 5 Highland Chieftains live on the island in crofts. □ □ 6 One of the main towns is called Portree. □ □ BEFORE YOU READ □ VOCABULARY Match these words (A-R) to the things and the animals in the picture. A croft F ferry K goat P seagull B thatched roof G stables L chicken Q barn C sunset H the Cuillin Range M pony and trap R deer D dry stone wall •I heather N track E sheep J eagle O cow Megan I pulled the curtains open and looked down at the street. It was m hot, too hot for London in the middle of July and I was angry. I closed the curtains and returned to my mother’s room. She lay in bed and I could hear her breathing. She looked so thin and I sat next to her and held her hand. ‘I’m not going,’ I said. ‘You can’t send me away.’ I looked at my mother and her face was white like the sheets 1 and pillowcases.2 ‘It’s only for a month, until I feel a little better, my darling,' she said. ‘Then you can come home.’ Doctor Barns stood on the other side of the bed. ‘Has Megan got any friends?’ he asked Mrs Brown, our home help.3 1. sheets : — 2. pillowcases : 3. home help : a person who helps you at home. 8 Megan Mrs Brown shook her head. ‘Megan doesn’t have any friends,’ I heard her whisper. 4 ‘She’s a strange child.’ Friends! Of course I didn’t have any friends. We moved 5 to this part of London six months ago and my new school was horrible. Mother didn’t know. I didn’t tell her about the bullies and the nasty6 text messages. Doctor Barns put his glasses on. I could see that he didn’t know what to do. We needed a miracle. ‘Your mother is very unwell Megan,' he said. ‘She needs to rest and you can’t stay here for the summer holidays.’ I don’t want to leave you, mum. You want to send me to the Highlands of Scotland to stay with Uncle Fraser, but I hate the countryside.’ I stood up and looked at the doctor. ‘I’m not going and you can’t make me go!’ But Doctor Barns could make me go... and he did. I watched the countryside change through the window of the train as we travelled into Scotland. I could see fields, dry stone walls and lots of sheep, but where were the people? Mrs Wallace, a friend of Doctor Barns, was with me. She wanted to chat, but I didn’t. ‘The Isle of Skye is beautiful. The air is so fresh,’ she said. I hate fresh air. I like the air in London,’ I said. Mrs Wallace sighed and opened her book. We changed trains and the next one was very old. A man sat singing quietly in the corner. He had a long white beard. 4. whisper : speak very quietly. 5. moved : (here) went to live to a different place. 6. nasty : bad or offensive. 9 The Last LTnicorn In another corner there was a woman with a basket of chickens. I looked at these people. I came from a different world. In my world there were shops, people and traffic. We caught the ferry at Mallaig. The wind blew my long dark hair and my pale blue eyes searched the island for people, but it looked so quiet. ‘Cloud Island,’ said Mrs Wallace, giving me a sweet. ‘In the old Norse 7 language, Ski means cloud and ey means island. It’s often misty here.’ I didn’t answer. I could only think that I wanted to go home. We got off the ferry at Armadale and I stood by the sea and waited for my uncle. I felt wrong in my London clothes. I took my mobile phone out of my pocket 8 and called home. Mrs Brown answered, but mum was asleep. ‘Your uncle’s here,’ said Mrs Wallace. I said goodbye. ‘Megan,’ a strong voice 9 called. He was a tall man with wavy hair and a big smile. ‘I’m over here.’ He disappeared behind some trees. Pulling my suitcase, I followed, but my uncle didn’t have a car. He was standing next to a beige-coloured pony and he put my suitcase into a little red trap. 7. Norse : relating to people who lived in Scandinavia in the past, especially the Vikings. 8. pocket : 9. voice : you use your voice when you speak. 10