Miss Hughes’ First Day at School

Level: B1

The children stopped chattering as Miss Hughes entered the classroom. Then they stood up as one body and said in a loud chorus:

“Good morning, teacher.”

Miss Hughes smiled, said good morning too and told the class to sit down. At a glance there seemed to be about thirty-five pupils in the class. The majority were girls. She noticed several intelligent faces. All the pupils were watching her intently, waiting no doubt to find out what sort of person she was.

“I suppose you want to know my name,” she said. But before she could tell them, someone in the class called out, “It’s Miss Hughes.” Everybody laughed. Miss Hughes laughed, too.

“News travels quickly,” she said. “I’m afraid it will take me longer to learn all your names.”

Miss Hughes opened the attendance register and called their names in turn. When she came to the last name on the list, John Young, she noticed that he had been absent for over a month.

“What’s the matter with John Young?” she asked, looking up.

“He’s in hospital, Miss Hughes,” said a fair-haired girl in the front row. “He’s broken his leg.”

“He slipped on the ice,” added one of the boys.

“Has anyone been to see him in hospital?” Miss Hughes asked.

No one replied.

It was time to start the lesson. “Now let me see,” said Miss Hughes, looking at the timetable. “The first lesson is English.”

“Oh! Please, tell us a story,” begged one of the girls.

Several of the pupils repeated this. Miss Hughes smiled.

“Very well,” she said. “But first of all I want you to write letter to John Young. We’ll send the best ones to cheer him up in hospital. Afterwards I’ll tell you a story, if you’re good.”

They were all writing busily when Miss Hughes slipped out of the classroom to fetch a book which she had left in the staffroom. She passed the headmistress in the corridor.

“Any trouble from that class?” the headmistress asked.

“Not so far,” said Miss Hughes confidently. “They all seemed very well behaved.”

Glossary

chatter- to talk quickly and continuously

in chorus- all together

glance- a brief quick look

pupil- a person who is being taught, especially a child in a school

majority- the largest part of a group of people or things

intelligent- clever, smart

intently- with strong interest and attention

no doubt- certainly, surely

attendance register- a list or record of names to check out and see who is present

turn- the time when someone in a group of people should or is allowed to do something

fair-haired- with light or blonde hair

slip- 1) to slide a short distance by accident so that you fall or nearly fall; 2) to go somewhere quickly and quietly, especially without being noticed

beg- to ask someone for something especially in an anxious way because you want or need it very much

cheer someone up- to make someone more cheerful

afterwards- at a later time

fetch- to go to where something or somebody is and bring them back

headmistress- a teacher who is in charge of a school, especially a private school

corridor- a long narrow passage in a building, with doors which open into rooms on either side

well behaved- behaving in a way that other people think is polite or correct