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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

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in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
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written permission of the author.

By the same author :

A Lucky Man : The story of a hardworking country

boy who became responsible for a big family after
the death of his father.

Suicide : The story of a successful young

fisherman. Sami Rochdi was driven to madness by
his romantic friendship with Sara. Because of his
blind love, his business sank, and he put an end to
his life.

Injustice: The story of Jaber, a young man who

was put in prison for a crime he did not commit. He
couldn’t prove his innocence unless he was free. So
he always thought of how to escape.

Two victims: After September 11th, Jim lost his job.

His fiancée, the daughter of a wealthy Jew, became
unpleasant and decided to put an end to their
relationship. So he left home for another adventure.

2
 To the Teacher

It is unquestionable that many students get to university

as slow readers of English who use word-by-word
decoding and who lack confidence not only in writing
but in reading as well. However the implementation of
quality extensive reading contributes largely to the
expected levels of achievement.

A large body of research on reading in which students

read extensively in a relaxed, non-judgemental
environment has mostly shown that extensive reading
activities contribute to the development of independent
reading and language learning. Used as a
supplementary programme, these activities are
variously termed sustained silent reading (SSR),
pleasure reading, uninterrupted sustained silent reading
(USSR) (Allington 1975, Gambrell 1978, Krashen, 1985,
p. 91; Krashen, 1988; Vaughan, 1982, p. 69)

The experiment carried out by Elley and Mangubhai

(1983) in eight Fijian schools provided important
evidence of how valuable extensive reading can be for
foreign language learners. In this experiment, classes
where students were immersed in books were
compared to classes that followed traditional textbook
teaching. The results showed that over a period of time
the book immersion classes made more progress in
reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary and
written composition - in other words in a wide variety of
language abilities . Research conducted by Turner
(1989) into the quality of written composition in different
classroom environments, confirmed the superior results
of reading classrooms compared to non-reading
environments.

3
In fact, graded reading aims at developing the
following skills:

1. to provide 'comprehensible input'

2. to improve writing.
3. to increase reading fluency and speed
4. to increase students’ narrative interpreting ability.

The success of an extensive reading program requires

a careful planning and systematic implementation. And
the greatest reward is in seeing the initially not-so-eager
readers gradually develop a healthy reading habit—a
very important component of learning a foreign
language. Of course the benefits of extensive reading
do not come in the short term. Nevertheless, the
substantial long-term benefits justify the high degree of
commitment needed.

This reader is one of a series of stories, the main

objective of which is to consolidate previously taught
language. They are published at three levels :
beginners, intermediate and advanced. Each reader
offers comprehension activities, with a well chosen
variety of comprehension checking devices for each
chapter.

The stories are written with the aim to provide

enjoyment for the student. Suspense is used to keep
the reader interested in the story till the end.

Unlike most readers available on the market, the

present series offers stories related to the Moroccan
cultural background, hence their motivational value.

4
 Chapter 1

Now that I am imprisoned for two years I

ponder over all my life and I wonder whether it
was worth all the trouble I have had to endure.

When I dropped out of school at the age of 15,

I realised I made a huge mistake. First, I felt
lonely. Second I could not find a job. The
problem got worse with my parents. My father
became furious. He could never admit that
Brahim, the one he loved the best, would ever
become a good-for-nothing. My mother, no
matter how shocked she was, tried to pacify
him. But he was inflexible. « Out of my sight. »,
he shouted.

I left home to seek help. Salami, my uncle,

lived far away. It would take me half an hour to
reach him. On the way to his house, my mind
went back to the things I used to do with Fahim,
my classmate. We would skip class and go to
the woods to make pipes out of reed in order to
smoke dried mint. Sometimes we would play
cards until five; time we should go back home.

5
 We made pipes out of reed and
smoked dried mint.

We never did our homework. Quite often we

relied on memory to answer classroom quizzes.
We were, most of the time, first to be punished
for having the worst marks. We even had the
feeling that the teacher was at ease when we
were absent.

It was already dark when I arrived at uncle

Salami’s. His little daughter Miriam opened the
door. « Daddy’s out », she said. « but you can
wait for him. He won’t be long. ». I went and
said hello to his wife and children. They were all
surprised. On my face they could see that things
had gone wrong. I was offered a cup of tea and
some home-made cake. But I could neither
drink nor eat anything. I was plunged into

6
despair. All I could think of was the hard times
ahead.

When uncle Salami came back I rushed to

him. He was an old man, about fifty five. He was
admired for his patience. On seeing him, I burst
into tears. Just then he led me into another
room and ordered me to open my heart to him. I
confessed to having behaved badly and that I
felt remorse for not being serious at school.

« Son, what’s done is done. You’re going to stay

with us until your father’s anger calms down.
Then we can figure out a solution. ».
In spite of being comforted, I could not sleep
that night. I went on thinking of what I could do.
« I have to rely on myself. I don’t want to remain
idle », I thought.

During breakfast, uncle Salami tried to comfort

me again. He suggested a number of things I
could do. One of them was to go into a private
school and try my luck again.
« It won’t work. Take my word for it », I
said. « I’m not lucky with school . Besides, my
father won’t take that risk. You see, Private
schools are getting more and more expensive
nowadays. ».

I was quite straightforward about it, and he

understood my situation. We considered going

7
in for car maintenance in a state run school
especially designed for school drop-outs like
me. But it meant nothing for me . I could no
longer bear sitting at a table again in any
school, whatever courses it provided. Eventually
he promised to find me a job in a company. The
manager of that firm was a close friend of his
and therefore was sure I would not be badly
treated.

I appreciated the idea and I was anxious to get

to work.

During the weekend uncle Salami arranged

everything with the manager. I was then
accepted as a porter. But this proved to be a
little difficult. To have to carry heavy boxes was
not an easy task for a fifteen-year-old boy.
Nonetheless I endured. I needed a job so that
my family would be proud of me.

8
 Not an easy task for a fifteen-year-old boy

Chapter 2

A few days later, uncle Salami took me home.

He made up his mind to inform my father about
my new situation and persuade him that I had
changed. When we reached home, he was
standing in front of the door with a letter in his
hand.

« Good news Fakir? », Salami said.

« Sure. How are you? », replied my father.
« Not bad. Listen brother, Brahim is now a
workingman. He’s become useful. He can
contribute in the family’s income », he said
cheerfully. « You see, I’m sure he won’t
disappoint you anymore. ».

I glanced at my father, and read a sort of

forgiveness on his face. Just then, I grasped his
hand and kissed it. « Never mind, son», he
said. « I want you to be a man. That’s all ».

When I went in, my mother and sisters were

overjoyed.
« We’ve never lost heart. We knew you would
come back to us. We’ve just received a letter

9
from Nadir. He said he would come next
summer », the youngest said.
Nadir is my elder brother. He immigrated to
Holland ten years ago. At that time it was less
difficult to immigrate to Europe. All you needed
was an employment contract or someone to
assume full responsibility during your stay.
Nadir had the chance to meet a Dutch family
who were vacationing here. On the way to an
oasis in the southern part of the country their
car broke down. Nadir happened to be there
and offered to help them. He himself dropped
out of school but worked as an apprentice for a
mechanic. So he managed to repair the car
even though it took him quite a long time.

Nadir used to be an apprentice to a mechanic.

10
But that was not all. It was Friday, the Muslims’
sacred day. All households had couscous for
lunch. So Nadir invited the Dutch family. They
were delighted at his help as well as for our
generosity. When they left they gave him their
address. A fortnight later, they sent him a letter
thanking him for what he did. They even invited
him to Holland. Nadir in turn, sent them a reply
in which he explained that he could not afford to
travel as far as Holland. So they promised to
come back the following year and take him with
them. And that was how he managed to
immigrate.

The Dutch family was delighted

At the end of the month I was happy to get my

first wages. I must admit I was underpaid. But I
did not complain. No one could be so lucky to

11
find a job. I even heard the other workingmen
talk of something called « workers’ union ».
They said they should see them in order to ask
for better wages. They said they were being
exploited by the firm. I was told only the union
could allow them to go on strike. The union was
their representative and therefore they were the
only ones to start or end a strike. One of them
explained to me the advantages of membership.
He went so far as to claim that the union’s
lawyer defended workers against charges
attributed to them during work.

Actually I was tempted by what he said and I

expressed my approval to become a member of
the Union. In fact, I learnt a lot of things at work.

Three months later, the manager realised that

I was hard-working, so he offered me a
promotion. I would no longer have to carry
heavy cases in the warehouse. My new job
consisted in maintaining and cleaning
company’s cars as well as posting mail.
However, my wages remained unchanged. In
spite of this, I still considered it a promotion. I
soon became acquainted with other workers.
None of them was satisfied with his wages.
They often talked of old mates who went abroad
illegally and succeeded in staying, there. They
even exaggerated the amount of money they
sent their families. A twenty -year-old worker,
Karim, talked of a friend of his, who was now in

12
Barcelona, as living in a luxurious apartment
and possessing a sports car.

« These clandestine immigrants pay ten

thousand Dirhams and sail to Spain. » , he said.
« There are people who arrange everything for
them. We say ‘They burn’ ».
« What’s that? », I said.
« Once they’re in a foreign country, they burn
their papers so that the host country can’t
identify their origin. Therefore, it becomes
almost difficult to repatriate them. »
« It sounds interesting. Why don’t we try
together? », I said.
« The problem is how to get the money they
require ».
« Let’s save from now on. We could even
borrow from friends ».
« Good idea! »

13
 Chapter 3

By the end of March Spring had arrived. The

sea was less rough. Hence the temptation to
« burn ». But our savings amounted only to
eight thousand five hundred dirhams.
«Are you ready, Brahim ? » Karim, said.
« I’m not. I don’t think we could make it with
eight thousand five hundred dirhams. ».
« Why don’t we meet those in charge and
negotiate with them? ».
« Let’s try. », I replied.

Three days later, we travelled North without

telling anyone. We managed to meet an
intermediary and convinced him that it was
impossible for us to pay more than eight
thousand five hundred dirhams. Fortunately he
accepted.

« Get ready for Saturday », he insisted. «Or

else you’ll have to wait until next month. You’re
not allowed to take heavy bags with you. Take
as little as you can. It’s rather a question of
security. An overloaded boat is likely to sink.».

When we came back, we asked the manager

for three days leave and he accepted. I told my
family I was going north for a few days with
14
Karim, and they did not refuse. They considered
me a sensible man.
« He’s trustworthy now. », I often heard them
say, not suspecting whatever fate was awaiting
me.

The following evening I met Karim. Each one

of us had a small bag. We set out on the first
coach to Meknes. Time did not pass quickly.
The coach was too slow and the way too long.

The coach kept on swerving at each curve

15
I could not sleep for a minute. It was a
mountainous road and the coach kept on
swerving at each curve. At six o’clock we finally
reached Meknes. The city was beginning to
wake up. On Saturdays traffic is less heavy. At
the coach station Karim reminded me to pay
attention.
« Mind your bag, mind your pockets. They say
there are a lot of pick pockets in here. » .

Just then I held my bag firmly. I did not worry

about my money. I had put on two trousers at
the same time lest the boatsmen should refuse
my bag. so I put all my money in the inner
pockets. We had very little time to buy a ticket
to Tetouan.
« We have to hurry up as the next coach is
leaving at six. », Karim said.
So I went to the toilets to take off the first
trousers in order to get the money for the ticket.

16
 Chapter 4

At about four in the afternoon we were in

Fnideq. It was a busy coastal village. I never
expected a place like that to be so dirty and so
noisy. There were many people of different
origins. Traffic was the heaviest I had ever
seen. You could see very luxurious cars as well
as old ones, the spare parts of which were no
longer traded. Everywhere you look, people
were rushing from place to place with heavy
bundles on their backs or big plastic bags in
their hands. It was obvious that this tiny village
enjoyed an important commercial activity.

We bought two sandwiches_ bocadillos they

called them here. We ate one on the spot, and
kept the other until we were on board. As soon
as I swallowed my bocadillo, I looked at Karim.
«Too many people in a tiny village », I said.
«There’s nothing surprising about it. Ceuta is
part of our territory. It’s only three kilometres
from here, but it’s still occupied by the
Spanish. You see, this village emerged as a
result of smuggling. It’s a usual sight. », he said.
He seemed to know everything.

17
« Even you and I are going to be smuggled in a
few hours », he added.

Late at night, we were led to a beach. Next to

a big rock, a boat with two strong men on it was
to receive twenty « burners ». I wondered why
they carried two cases of sardines and four
blankets as well. May be that would be the food
they would serve us on the way. It could be a
long way.
« It could even be the last.», Karim said
ironically.

The boat was to receive twenty ‘burners’

We had to keep silent. If coast guards found

out, everything would go wrong. Even the two
strong men had to row the boat( Ihssan it was
named) in such a way as not to raise the
slightest suspicion. Everything went as
scheduled. At eleven thirty we set out on our
18
voyage. Half an hour later, one of the sailors
started the engine. It produced a roar. However
we were far from the coast. No one could hear
it.

I was overwhelmed with joy. « Paradise is not

far. I would work hard and save as much as I
can. I won’t squander my money. », I thought.
« I want to be as useful as Nadir ».

I went on dreaming when a chilly wind began to

blow. Fortunately, the two trousers and the two
sweaters I had on me kept me a little warmer.
« They would surely distribute the blankets .»,
I said to Karim.
« I don’t think so. They could have done it
right from the start. ».

All the burners felt cold, but no one could utter

a word of resentment. The idea of setting foot in
paradise left no room for discontent. Besides,
the two boatsmen’s orders were not to be
questioned. Each and everyone had to abide
by their instructions for fear of being thrown into
the dark waters of the Mediterranean.
Experience had taught them that human
selfishness was most of the time the cause of
dispute. Four blankets were not enough to
protect twenty people. So it seemed, according
to them, reasonable that we all remain
uncovered.

19
 « We can’t bear this cold. Give us the
blankets. », shouted some passengers at the
front. « You’re not going to let us die this way. »
« Stop it, will you ? », said one of the
boatsmen. « If not we’ll go back. Our task is to
take you to the other side. That’s all. People
who seek all conveniences travel on Ibn Batouta
or The Agadir ferry, not on a boat like this. ».
« How dare you talk like that ? », replied one
of the passengers.
Just then, another tried to calm them down.
He explained that the hardest part of the project
was all over now. One had better endure and
look ahead.
« We’ll have to make do with what we have .»,
he said.

Suddenly the wind grew stronger and put an

end to the passengers’ complaints. The waves
became seriously threatening. Ihssan looked as
though she was unable to cope with the
situation. What made matters worse was that

the wind blew against our course.

Unexpectedly, an enormous wave shook the
boat. Ihssan nearly went upside down, and most
of the passengers were thrown into the raging
dark waters. Even the sailors lost control of
Ihssan. I was lucky to have clung to the rowlock
from the start. After a while, the wind changed
direction. It blew from the south and Ihssan was
able to head north. Gradually, the storm began
to weaken. Only then we realised that twelve
20
passengers were missing. I called for Karim, but
there was no answer. Once again I felt the
loneliest moment in my life.

Twelve passengers were missing.

21
 Chapter 5

At the break of dawn the sailors could hear

the sound of a boat coming towards them.
« It must be a patrol boat. If it is the case,
we’re all done » , said one of them.

The whole area was regularly patrolled by

Spanish coastguards because of the frequency
of clandestine immigration. We were ordered to
lie down and not move. They took the blankets
and covered us so as not to be seen. They even
put the cases of sardines on us. One of them
was right on my back. I used to carry heavy
boxes at the warehouse, but I never used to
have one on my back.

When the other boat came closer, the sailors

slowed down. They realised that it was a fishing
boat. However, we remained in the same
position while the two sailors were having a
conversation with the fishermen.
« Hola senõres, buenas dias », I heard them
say.
« Habéis tenido buena pesca ? »
« No hasido muy buena. Soleminte sardinas»,
said one of the sailors
« Buena suerte »
« Gracias. Asta luego. »
22
 At the break of dawn, a boat wascoming towards us.

A quarter of an hour later, we were told to

regain our normal positions and smile. The
Spanish shore was a little visible. In a few
minutes our ordeal would be over. Paradise was
no longer a dream. But what is paradise without
Karim. The more I thought of him, the lonelier I
became. From now on I will have to rely on
myself.

23
 Things are not that easy. You always need
someone to guide you. A single hand cannot
clap, they say. I was lost in my thoughts
unaware that we had already reached the
shore.
« Get lost », one of the sailors shouted at me.
I was the last one to set foot on paradise.
Ihssan was tired, but the sailors were merciless.
They went back to prepare for new casualties.

I walked to the road with the other survivors. On

the way, We decided to separate. A group such as
ours is likely to draw policemen’s attention. So each
one of us went his way. I had breakfast in a café
where I learnt that the city I found myself in was
Almeria. A lot of Moroccans were there. It was quite
obvious that the majority of illegal immigrants who
set foot in this city chose to remain here.

24
 I asked an immigrant about the possibility to find a
job. He shook his head and said that it was really
hard to get one.

It’s impossible for every one to find a job

« You have to go somewhere else to find a job. All

immigrants don’t want to move out of here. It’s
impossible for everyone to find a job. Besides, the
police are continually arresting newcomers ».

25
 I decided to hitchhike to Barcelona

Just then I made up my mind to quit. The next

morning I got up early. I decided to hitchhike to
Barcelona. They say it is an industrial city and the
job market offers a lot of opportunities. So I went to
the highway. A lot of cars and Lorries were
speeding up, but no one offered me a lift. Two
hours later, a beautiful car stopped.

26
 a beautiful car stopped

« I must be lucky », I said to myself. « I need to

be patient and things will be OK ». To my surprise, I
discovered that it was a police car. People are not
allowed to hitchhike on highways. So they asked to
see my passport. I said I lost it and they drove me
to the police station for an investigation.

The police station was a nice building with a large

door. I was led to an office on the first floor. There I
found two faces I remembered well. They were two
of the burners who, like me, were too stupid to
avoid the police. We were not badly treated, but we
felt that paradise was not the place we ought to be.
« Manãna por la manãna ....... », one of the
policemen said. We understood that they would
send us back home the next morning.

27
 We had a relatively good dinner and we
spent a good night at the police station. The
following morning they drove us to Algeciras. At
the port, they led us to a luxurious ship bound
for Ceuta. Again, we spent two beautiful hours
aboard the ship. As soon as we reached Ceuta,
we were driven on another police car to
Fnideq’s police station. There, a number of
repatriated immigrants were grouped in a single
room waiting to be sent to a law court which
would decide on their fate.

A number of immigrants were grouped in a single room

28
 EXERCISES
Chapter 1

A- Fill in the blank with the appropriate word

from the list.

1. Furious
2- inflexible
3. drop out
4- behave
5- figure out
6- anxious.

a. My uncle was ...... because someone drove

into his car while it was parked.
b-Mr Salami wants his children to........ well
when there are guests at home.
c. In the last ten years many schools have a
high rate of....... Most students don’t finish
their courses.
d. The minister of education intends to take
an........... position as far as absenteeism is
concerned.
e. All the student were................ to know their
marks after the unusually difficult exam.

29
f. Can you.......... how we can get into the
house now that you’ve lost the keys ?

B- Answer the following questions.

1- What were the consequences of the
writer’s
dropping out of school ?
2- What did the writer and his class mate
use to do when they skipped class?
3- Why did he go to Mr Salami ?

C Say if the following statements are true

or false. Justify your answer.
[Link] teacher punished the writer and his
classmate when they were absent.
[Link] writer regretted what he did.
[Link] was going to remain with his uncle until
he found a job.

D. Complete the following sentences.

[Link] Salami proposed.....................................
[Link] writer didn’t accept his uncle’s
proposition because ..................................
[Link] writer’s first job was difficult but...........
...................................................................

30
 Chapter 2

A- Match the words and their

corresponding explanations.
[Link]
2. grasp
3. a fortnight
4. afford
5. approval
6. get acquainted
7. borrow

a. Know or be familiar.
b. agreement.
c. two weeks.
d. fail to satisfy someone’s hopes or
expectations.
e. do something because one has
enough money for it.
f. Quickly take something in one’s hands.
g. Receive something from someone
with
the intention of giving it back after a
period of time.

B- Answer the following questions.

1. Why did the writer’s father forgive him ?
2. Why was it easy for Nadir to immigrate
to Holland

31
C. Complete the following sentences
1. The writer considered his new job a
promotion although..............................
1. It is sometimes difficult for developed
countries to get rid of illegal immigrants
because.....................

D. Say if the following statements are

true or false. Justify your answer.

1. His mother and sister were delighted

because Nadir was coming from Holland
next spring.
2. Nadir was able to repair the tourists car
because he had been in a professional
school.
3. The writer liked everything his mates
said about the union but he couldn’t make
up his mind to become a member.

32
 Chapter3

A. Fill in the blank with the appropriate

word from the list.
a. negotiate
b. overloaded
c. trustworthy
d. swerved

1. I wouldn’t tell any secrets to Farid if I

were you. He isn’t.....................
2. If a lorry is.................... it could get into
trouble.
3. While I was driving, a cyclist suddenly
rode
too close to me. So I ................. to avoid
hitting him.
4. In most shops people have
to ............with the shopkeeper in order to
get a good price.

B- Answer the following questions.

1. Why did the writer and Karim travel
north ?
2. Why did the intermediary warn them
against having heavy bags ?
3. Did the writer’s family suspect him ?
Why ?
4. Why couldn’t he sleep on the way to
Meknes ?

33
5. Why did Karim tell him to pay attention
at the bus station ?
6. Why didn’t the writer worry about his
money?

Chapter 4
34
A-Match the words with their corresponding
explanation.

a. rush
b. swallow
c. smuggle
d. resentment
e. abide by
f. endure
g. cling
h. squander

1. Bring things illegally into a country.

2. Expression of anger and dislike of
being forced to do something.
3. Respect.
4. Hold something tight. (stick to).
5. Experience and bear something painful.
6. Eat without chewing.
7. Go quickly.
8. Waste (money for instance).

B. Answer the following questions.

[Link]’s that important commercial activity

in Fnideq due to ?
[Link] didn’t the sailors start the engine near
the shore ?
3. Why couldn’t the passengers complain?
35
C. Complete the following sentences.
1. The sailors philosophy was...........
2. T
he writer was not thrown into the sea
because........
3. Ihssan was able to continue North thanks
to.........
4. The blankets and the two cases of
sardines were meant..........

36
 Chapter 5

A-Match the words with their corresponding

explanation.
a. close
b. ordeal
c. unaware
d. merciless
e. quit

1. leave.
2. without pity.
3. near.
4. not knowing (not realising).
5. a very difficult and painful experience.

B. Complete the following sentences.

1. When they heard a boat coming , the

sailors thought.................. . .............
2. The writer was indifferent in paradise
as............ .......................................
3. He decided to hitch hike to
Barcelona
so as............. .....................................
4. He took the police car on the
highway
for................... ..................................

C. Answer the following questions.

1. Why was the whole place regularly patrolled by
Spanish coast guards ?

37
2. What did the two sailors pretend to
do?
3. Why was it difficult for the writer to
bear the loss of Karim?

A. EXPRESS YOUR POINT OF

VIEW

1. Do you think the author was the only

one
responsible when he skipped class ? Who
else to blame ?
2. Do you think it is a good idea to drop out of
school and get a job ? Why ?
[Link] do you think of people and companies
employing young children ?
4. What idea do most people have about
those who immigrate and work in foreign
countries ?
5. What serious problems are immigrants
confronted with in foreign countries ?
6. What impression do you have after reading
the story ? Do you think it is worth leaving
your country in order to stay in another ?
7. What should states do in order to
stop
illegal immigration ?

B. Sum up the story in not more than one

page.

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Dépôt légal N° 55/1999

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