full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Iseult Gillespie: The tale of the boy who tricked the Devil

Unscramble the Blue Letters


The youth searched across the land for the entrance to Hell, until he finally reached an eerie village. Here, he saw some villagers gathered around a well. They closed in on the youth, refusing to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the well dry? The youth replied, “I will answer when I return.”

They directed him further into town, where he came across another set of villagers contemplating a gnarled tree. They rfeesud to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the tree bearrn? Again, the yuoth responded, “I will answer when I return."

These vigelalrs guided him to the dock, where an elrdely ferryman aitaewd. As he paddled through the black water, the ferryman rasped a third question: how can I escape my interminable task? Once more, the youth promised, “I will asewnr when I return.”

Open Cloze


The youth searched across the land for the entrance to Hell, until he finally reached an eerie village. Here, he saw some villagers gathered around a well. They closed in on the youth, refusing to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the well dry? The youth replied, “I will answer when I return.”

They directed him further into town, where he came across another set of villagers contemplating a gnarled tree. They _______ to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the tree ______? Again, the _____ responded, “I will answer when I return."

These _________ guided him to the dock, where an _______ ferryman _______. As he paddled through the black water, the ferryman rasped a third question: how can I escape my interminable task? Once more, the youth promised, “I will ______ when I return.”

Solution


  1. elderly
  2. barren
  3. youth
  4. refused
  5. awaited
  6. answer
  7. villagers

Original Text


The youth searched across the land for the entrance to Hell, until he finally reached an eerie village. Here, he saw some villagers gathered around a well. They closed in on the youth, refusing to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the well dry? The youth replied, “I will answer when I return.”

They directed him further into town, where he came across another set of villagers contemplating a gnarled tree. They refused to let him pass until he answered their question: why was the tree barren? Again, the youth responded, “I will answer when I return."

These villagers guided him to the dock, where an elderly ferryman awaited. As he paddled through the black water, the ferryman rasped a third question: how can I escape my interminable task? Once more, the youth promised, “I will answer when I return.”

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations




Important Words


  1. answer
  2. answered
  3. awaited
  4. barren
  5. black
  6. closed
  7. contemplating
  8. directed
  9. dock
  10. dry
  11. eerie
  12. elderly
  13. entrance
  14. escape
  15. ferryman
  16. finally
  17. gathered
  18. gnarled
  19. guided
  20. hell
  21. interminable
  22. land
  23. paddled
  24. pass
  25. promised
  26. rasped
  27. reached
  28. refused
  29. refusing
  30. replied
  31. responded
  32. return
  33. searched
  34. set
  35. task
  36. town
  37. tree
  38. village
  39. villagers
  40. water
  41. youth