The Mystery Story
The Mystery Story
The Mystery Story
Last night I was walking home next to the river Thames, when something strange happened to
me. It was late at night and I’d had a long and difficult day at work. There was a large full moon
in the sky and everything was quiet. I was tired and lonely and I’d just had a few pints of beer in
my local pub, so I decided to stop by the riverside and look at the moon for a while. I sat on
some steps very close to the water’s edge and looked up at the big yellow moon and wondered if
it really was made of cheese. I felt very tired so I closed my eyes and after a few minutes, I fell
asleep.
When I woke up, the moon had moved behind a cloud and it was very dark and cold. The wind
was blowing and an owl hooted in a tree above me. I rubbed my eyes and started to get up,
when suddenly I heard a splash. I looked down at the water and saw something. Something
terrible and frightening, and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Something was coming out of
the water and moving towards me. Something green and strange and ugly. It was a long green
arm and it was stretching out from the water to grab my leg. I was so scared that I couldn’t move.
I’d never been so scared in my whole life. The cold green hand was moving closer and closer
when suddenly there was a blue flash and a strange noise from behind me. Someone jumped
onto the stairs next to me. He was wearing strange clothes and he had a crazy look in his eyes.
He shouted “Get Back!” and pointed something at the monster in the water. There was a bright
flash and the monster hissed and disappeared.
I looked up at the man. He looked strange, but kind. “Don’t fall asleep by the river when there’s a
full moon”, he said “The Moon Goblins will get you.” I’d never heard of moon goblins before. I
didn’t know what to do. “Who… who are you?” I asked him. “You can call me… The Doctor.” He
said. I was trying to think of something else to say when he turned around and said, “Watch the
stars at night, and be careful of the full moon”. I was trying to understand what he meant, when
there was another blue flash and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, he had gone.
I couldn’t believe what had happened. What on earth were Moon Goblins, and who was the
mysterious Doctor? And why had he saved me? I was determined to find the answers to these
strange questions. I stood up, looked at the moon and quickly walked home.
Practice:
Here’s the transcript to the mystery story, but with some of the verbs ‘gapped’. Try to put them in
the correct tense. Listen again to check.
The mystery story:
Last night I _________________ (walk) home next to the river Thames, when something strange
_________________ (happen) to me. It was late at night and I _________________ (have) a
long and difficult day at work. There was a large full moon in the sky and everything was quiet. I
was tired and lonely and I _________________ (just have) a few pints of beer in my local pub,
so I decided to stop by the riverside and look at the moon for a while.
I _________________ (sit) on some steps very close to the water’s edge and looked up at the
big yellow moon and wondered if it really was made of cheese. I felt very tired so I
_________________ (close) my eyes and after a few minutes, I _________________ (fall)
asleep. When I woke up, the moon _________________ (move) behind a cloud and it was very
dark and cold. The wind _________________ (blow) and an owl _________________ (hoot) in
a tree above me. I rubbed my eyes and started to get up, when suddenly I _________________
(hear) a splash. I _________________ (look) down at the water and saw something. Something
terrible and frightening, and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Something
_________________ (come) out of the water and _________________ (move) towards me.
Something green and strange and ugly. It was a long green arm and it _________________
(stretch) out from the water to grab my leg. I was so scared that I couldn’t move. I
_________________ (never be) so scared in my whole life. The cold green hand
_________________ (move) closer and closer when suddenly there was a blue flash and a
strange noise from behind me. Someone _________________ (jump) onto the stairs next to me.
He _________________ (wear) strange clothes and he had a crazy look in his eyes. He shouted
“Get Back!” and _________________ (point) something at the monster in the water. There was a
bright flash and the monster hissed and disappeared.
I looked up at the man. He looked strange, but kind. “Don’t fall asleep by the river when there’s a
full moon”, he said “The Moon Goblins will get you.” I _________________ (never hear) of moon
goblins before. I didn’t know what to do. “Who… who are you?” I asked him. “You can call me…
The Doctor.” He said. I _________________ (try) to think of something else to say when he
turned around and said, “Watch the stars at night, and be careful of the full moon”. I was trying to
understand what he meant, when there was another blue flash and I closed my eyes. When I
opened them again, he _________________ (go).
I couldn’t believe what _________________(happen). What on earth were Moon Goblins, and
who was the mysterious Doctor? And why had he saved me? I was determined to find the
answers to these strange questions. I stood up, looked at the moon and quickly walked home.