4000 Essential English Words 3 » Unit 11: Peter and the Dwarf

Word List
  • abnormal [æbˈnɔ:rməl] adj.
    If something is abnormal, it is strange or not normal.
    → Her idea of art is a bit too abnormal for me.
  • bamboo [bæmˈbu:] n.
    Bamboo is a hard plant with thin branches and leaves.
    → Outside his home, there is a lot of bamboo.
  • blossom [ˈblɑsəm] n.
    A blossom is a flower or group of flowers.
    → There were colorful blossoms in the yard.
  • compass [ˈkʌmpəs] n.
    A compass is a device used to tell what direction one is going.
    → A compass is an important tool to have when you are traveling.
  • dialect [ˈdaɪəlekt] n.
    A dialect is a regional variety of language showing where you are from.
    → People from the U.K. have a different dialect of English from those in the U.K.
  • dishonest [dɪsˈɒnɪst] adj.
    If someone is dishonest, they do not tell the truth.
    → She was being dishonest when she copied the answers from his test.
  • dwarf [dwɔːrf] n.
    A dwarf is a creature from stories that often looks like a short, hairy man.
    → The dwarf had a pleasant look on his face.
  • ecosystem [i:kousɪstəm] n.
    An ecosystem is a group of plants and animals in an area.
    → The river’s ecosystem not only includes fish but other insects and plants too.
  • fatal [ˈfeɪtl] adj.
    If something is fatal, it causes death.
    → They passed away in a fatal car crash.
  • impatient [ɪmˈpeɪʃənt] adj.
    If someone is impatient, they are not able to wait for things.
    → Bob was so impatient that he could barely wait for the light to turn green.
  • leaf [li:f] n.
    A leaf is the flat green thing on trees or bushes.
    → In the fall, the leaves on the trees change colors.
  • manuscript [ˈmӕnjəskript] n.
    A manuscript is an old book or paper written by hand.
    → The manuscript was written over 150 years ago.
  • marsh [mɑːrʃ] n.
    A marsh is a type of wet land covered with grasses and short plants.
    → The marsh looked so lovely against the mountains.
  • patience [ˈpeɪʃəns] n.
    Patience is the ability to wait for something without becoming upset.
    → Sue’s patience was rewarded by catching her very first fish.
  • perfume [pəˈ:rfjuːm] n.
    Perfume is a good-smelling liquid that girls wear.
    → When she wore her perfume, everyone said she smelled great.
  • pond [pɒnd] n.
    A pond is a very small area of water.
    → The ducks swam in the pond.
  • proverb [ˈprɒvəːrb] n.
    A proverb is a short saying that tells you something important.
    → The proverb “egg on your face” means you’ve done something embarrassing.
  • pursuit [pərsuːt] n.
    A pursuit is a chase.
    → The dinosaur was in pursuit of the caveman.
  • recite [rɪˈsaɪt] v.
    To recite something means to repeat or say aloud in front of a group.
    → Katie recited the Pledge of Allegiance in class.
  • wilderness [ˈwɪldə:rnɪs] n.
    A wilderness is an area where no people live.
    → If you are not careful, you can get lost in the wilderness.
Exercise 1

Part A: Choose the right word for the given definition.

  1. to speak openly
    • a. abnormal
    • b. compass
    • c. recite
    • d. pursuit
  2. capable of causing death
    • a. wilderness
    • b. fatal
    • c. impatient
    • d. blossom
  3. a group of living things
    • a. ecosystem
    • b. manuscript
    • c. dwarf
    • d. bamboo
  4. the ability to wait without getting upset
    • a. proverb
    • b. marsh
    • c. patience
    • d. abnormal
  5. a very short character in stories
    • a. leaf
    • b. dialect
    • c. recite
    • d. dwarf

Part B: Choose the right definition for the given word.

  1. manuscript
    • a. grass with thin branches
    • b. an area not settled by people
    • c. being able to wait
    • d. an old book
  2. proverb
    • a. a short saying
    • b. a device used to tell direction
    • c. a small area of water
    • d. to say something aloud
  3. pursuit
    • a. a chase
    • b. not normal
    • c. a book
    • d. speaking
  4. dialect
    • a. can cause death
    • b. a different way of speaking
    • c. a flat green thing
    • d. a creature from stories
  5. marsh
    • a. flowers
    • b. wet land
    • c. lies
    • d. living things
Exercise 2

Choose the answer that best fits the question.

  1. What would you call some place where no one lives?
    • a. Fatal
    • b. Abnormal
    • c. Wilderness
    • d. Dishonest
  2. Where would you most likely find a fish?
    • a. In a pond
    • b. On a leaf
    • c. In the wilderness
    • d. On some bamboo
  3. People use flowers to ______.
    • a. be a dwarf
    • b. make perfume
    • c. recite a song
    • d. read a manuscript
  4. What would someone sailing in the ocean use to know which way they were going?
    • a. An ecosystem
    • b. Patience
    • c. A dialect
    • d. A compass
  5. Which of the following is a part of a plant?
    • a. A blossom
    • b. A marsh
    • c. A proverb
    • d. A pursuit
Exercise 3

Choose the word that is the better fit for each blank.

  1. ecosystem / pond
    • Frogs are an important part of the ____________, especially around a(n) ____________.
  2. dialect / recited
    • When he ____________ the poem in front the class, they could not understand him I because he spoke with a different ____________.
  3. abnormal / dwarf
    • They had never seen anything as ____________ as this creature. It looked and dressed like a man, but the ____________ was short and had a long nose.
  4. impatient / manuscript
    • The ____________ was so old that the words were hard to read. Though she tried to I read it, she soon became ____________ and put the old book away.
  5. patience / proverbs
    • Many ____________ try to teach lessons about human qualities such as honesty and ____________.
  6. marsh / pursuit
    • The ____________ through the ____________ was very difficult because the ground was too wet to stand on.
  7. blossom / perfume
    • She crushed the ____________ and mixed it with some water so she could make the ____________.
  8. dishonest / fatal
    • The label on the bottle was ____________. It said that the powder didn’t hurt children when it was actually ____________ for them to consume.
  9. bamboo / leaves
    • The ____________ that grow on the ____________ are thick and hard to chew.
  10. compass / wilderness
    • Because it is easy to lose your way in the ____________, it’s a good idea to bring a ____________ with you.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
Part A
  1. c
  2. b
  3. a
  4. c
  5. d
Part B
  1. d
  2. a
  3. a
  4. b
  5. b
Exercise 2
  1. c
  2. a
  3. b
  4. d
  5. a
Exercise 3
  1. ecosystem, pond
  2. recited, dialect
  3. abnormal, dwarf
  4. manuscript, impatient
  5. proverbs, patience
  6. pursuit, marsh
  7. blossom, perfume
  8. dishonest, fatal
  9. leaves, bamboo
  10. wilderness, compass
Answer Key
Peter and the Dwarf

Peter was a hunter. One day, he was in pursuit of a deer and became lost. He usually carried a compass with him when he went into the wilderness, but that day he left it at home.

As he walked, the forest began to look different. He didn’t see any bamboo. Instead, there were bushes with long leaves. The ecosystem was now very abnormal. Peter knew he was in the Magic Marsh.

Now he was tired and thirsty. He was afraid. Being lost in the marsh could be fatal. When people entered it, they never came out.

At last, he found a pond. Flowers grew around it. The blossoms smelled like the best perfume. He felt relaxed so he drank some water and fell asleep. When he awoke, he saw an evil dwarf staring at him.

“ What are you doing here?” it asked. The dwarf spoke in a strange dialect.

“ I’m lost,” said Peter. “ Can you help me?”

“Yes,” it said, but Peter didn’t know it was dishonest.

The dwarf took an old manuscript from his pocket. It was a magic map. “ Just recite the words at the bottom,” the dwarf explained. “ It will show you how to get home.”

“ Good,” Peter said. He was impatient and quickly grabbed the map.

He recited the magic words, and a line appeared on the map. He walked for many days but never left the marsh. Finally, the map led him back to the pond. He walked in a circle!

The dwarf was still there. “ Here’s a proverb for you to think about,” it said, “ When patience is lost, the so are you.”

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

  1. _____ Peter left his compass at home.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ When people entered the Magic Marsh, they always came out.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ Peter ate some flowers and fell asleep.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ The dwarf spoke with a strange dialect.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ Peter knew the dwarf was dishonest.
    • _____________________________________________________
  6. _____ The map led Peter back to the pond.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Why was Peter in the wilderness?
    • a. He was in pursuit of a deer.
    • b. He was weak and hungry.
    • c. He was looking for the Magic Marsh.
    • d. He was lost.
  2. How did Peter know he was in the Magic March?
    • a. There was a lot of bamboo.
    • b. There were no leaves.
    • c. The ecosystem was abnormal.
    • d. He smelled blossoms.
  3. What did the dwarf have that could help Peter escape the marsh?
    • a. A bottle of perfume
    • b. A magic manuscript
    • c. A compass
    • d. Patience
  4. Why was Peter afraid of the Magic Marsh?
    • a. He was impatient.
    • b. Being lost there could be fatal.
    • c. He was tired and thirsty.
    • d. There was an evil dwarf in it.
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. F / When people entered the Magic Marsh, they never came out.
  3. F / Peter drank some water and fell asleep.
  4. T
  5. F / Peter didn’t know the dwarf was dishonest.
  6. T
Part B
  1. a
  2. c
  3. b
  4. b
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