English book Animal Farm (1945) tells a story about farm animals. They are fed up with ( 受够了) Mr Jones, the farmer. He treats them badly, so they decide to kick him off the farm and run the farm themselves.

    One day an old pig called Old Major gathers the animals around him. He tells them that all animals should stand together. He says they should take over the farm. They say that all animals are equal.

    After they get rid of ( 摆 脱 ) Mr Jones, two pigs become the leaders of Animal Farm. One pig called Snowball is a great speaker. He has big ideas for Animal Farm. The other leader is a pig called Napoleon. Napoleon is a crafty (狡猾的) animal. He brings together supporters by offering them advantages.

    Napoleon makes a war against Snowball and kicks him away from the farm. He turns Snowball into a big enemy. He says that Snowball is working with Farmer Jones and other farmers to destroy Animal Farm.

    But as it turns out it is Napoleon who is working with the enemies of the animals. He joins up with the old human enemies of the animals. But he tells the animals that he is working for them. Meanwhile the animals work hard. It seems that it is as bad to live under Napoleon as it was under Farmer Jones!

    Why is the story so important?

    Animal Farm is an excellent choice for learners of English because it's very short. The language is also simple.

    Like many famous stories Animal Farm is not just a book. It was played on the BBC radio in 1947. The big modern way of telling stories is in movies of course. Orwell's book has become a film twice. Perhaps it won't surprise you that the first one (1954) was a cartoon. In 1984 another film was made.

    This was a live-action (真人版的) film. The famous book has also been put on in the theater. In 1984 aversion was made and it toured a number of British cities.

    Tom is at school. He is in the classroom, but he can't find his schoolbag. Where is it? Is it lost? Oh, no! It is in his room. He forgets(忘记) to bring it to school. He calls his sister Sally and asks her to bring his school things to school. These are his school things.

    His schoolbag is on the chair. Under the chair is his pencil box. His math book is on the desk. His dictionary is on the bed. His pencils aren't in the pencil box. They're in the drawer.

    Oh, Sally, don't forget to bring his soccer ball. Tom likes playing soccer every day after school. But where is his soccer ball? Oh, it's on the floor, under the bed.

    Tom is a very old man. After dinner, he likes walking in the street. And be goes to bed at seven o'clock.

    But this evening, a car stops at his house. A policeman helps him get out. He tells Tom's wife(妻子), "The old man can't find his way in the street. He asks me to take him in the car."

    After the policeman leaves, his wife asks, "Tom, you go to the street every night, but today you can't find the way. Why? ”

    The old man smiles like a child and says, "I can't find my way? I don't want to walk home because I'm too tired."