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English skills

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Pack your bags.

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 SPECIFIC VOCABULARY (unit 2)

Travel items:
 Backpack: mochila.
 Baggage: equipaje.
 Boarding pass: tarjeta de embarque.
 Hairbrush: cepillo para el cabello.
 Luggage: equipaje.
 Passport: pasaporte.
 Sleeping bag: bolsa para dormir.
 Suitcase: maleta.
 Toothpaste: crema dental.
 Visa: visa [ la visa es un documento que es adjuntado
al pasaporte por las autoridades para señalar que éste ha sido
examinado y ha sido considerado válido para ingresar o salir del
país]
 Wallet: billetera.

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On an airplane (vocabulary):

 Cabin crew members: people who assist passengers with boarding,

instructions on safety procedures [miembros de la tripulación].
- Example: we eventually took off at 23:00pm and arrived in New
York City at 9am.
 Destination: the place where someone is going or where something
is being sent or taken [destino].
 Flight: a journey in an aircraft [vuelo]
 Flight attendant: someone who serves passengers on an aircraft
[azafata o aeromoza]
 Passengers: pasajeros.
- Phrasal verb: take off: despegar.
 Pilot: piloto.
 Seat: asiento
 To board an airplane: abordar un avión.
 To depart: despegar.
 To land: aterrizar.

ACTIVITY:
1) You are going to travel to London by plane next month. Answer the
following questions with information about your flight.

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 a- Where are you going to travel?
b- What time does the plane depart?
c- What time does the plane land?
d- What travel items will you take with you?

At the airport (vocabulary):

 Airport: aeropuerto.
 Arrival: the area of an airport that deals with passengers that have
just arrived [el lugar donde los pasajeros descienden al llegar a
destino]
 Check-in: to show your ticket at an airport so that you can be told
where you will be sitting and so that your bags can be put on the
aircraft [registrarse en el aeropuerto].
 Customs: the place at a port, airport, or border where travellers'
bags are looked at to find out if any goods are being carried illegally
[aduana].
 Delay: the situation in which you have to wait longer than expected
for something to happen, or the time that you have to wait [retraso,
demora].
 Departure: the fact of a person or vehicle, etc. leaving somewhere
[despegue].
 Gates: a part of an airport where travellers are allowed to get on or
off a particular aircraft [puertas del aeropuerto].

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  Passport control: control de pasaporte.
 Take off (phrasal verb): when an airplane leaves the ground and
begins to fly.

Activity:
1) Make a dialogue: giving directions:
- You are at the main entrance at Ezeiza airport. You’ve just met a
woman who wants to get her flight on time.
- Give her directions: guide her to go to Customs and Arrivals.

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At the highway (vocabulary):

 Traffic jam: a large number of vehicles close together and unable to

move or moving very slowly.
 Highway (US): a main road for travelling long distances, especially
one that joins cities or towns:
- Collocations:
a) To be on the highway:
Example: we were on the highway heading home.

Extra activity
1) Answer the following questions.
a) Have you ever travelled by plane before? If so, where did you
travel?

b) Where would you like to travel if you worked as a pilot?

(Hypothetical situation).

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 c) Why is it important to check in at an airport?

d) Do you have plans to travel anywhere in the near future?

2) Describe the pictures and answer the questions:

a) Are there any differences between these pictures?
b) Can you spot any similarities?

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 Useful language and parallel structures

 The first picture shows people walking at an airport, while

the second picture shows what appears to be an empty
airport
 The first picture depicts a moment when people are walking
at an airport…whereas the second picture depicts an empty
airport…

 In the first picture it is possible to see people walking

towards the main gates of the airport, whereas in the second
picture it is possible to see an empty airport…

 In the first picture I can clearly see people walking towards

the main gates of the airport, whereas in the second picture
I can definitely see an empty airport…

 The first picture shows people walking towards the main

gates of the airport…whereas the second picture shows an
empty airport…

 On the one hand the first picture shows/depicts/ describes

people walking….on the other hand the second picture
shows/depicts/describes an empty airport…

 Use the present continuous to talk about what is happening in the

picture.
Examples:
a) I can see people walking…
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b) People might be talking on their phones…
Present perfect simple (extra practice)
Theory and exercises.

1) Write the sentences in the present perfect.

a) He/clean the car (affirmative sentence). Example: he has
cleaned the car.
b) She / buy a new pair of shoes (affirmative sentence).
c) He / find a job yet (negative sentence).
d) Sam/ break her pencil (affirmative sentence).
e) I/ hurt my foot with a hammer (affirmative sentence).
f) They/ visit a hotel at the seaside yet (negative sentence).
g) We/ finish our homework yet (negative sentence).
h) We/ eat in a fancy restaurant yet (negative sentence).
i) She/ apply for a job yet (negative sentence).

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2) Put each verb into a form of the present perfect simple.
a- I (have) _____________a headache ever since lunchtime.
b- David (not win)________ a prize this time, I’m afraid.
c- Catalina (never watched)_______________any Italian films.
d- (you ever be)__________to the United States of America before?
e- Someone (steal)______________ Eugenia’s purse.
f- (you ever eat)___________ Spanish food? It’s great.

3) Complete with the verb in the present perfect.

1) ______you ever_______ food from that supermarket?
(buy)
2) Sam and Daniel _____ just________ a crime on the street.
(witness).
3) They ____________ him for ages. (not see).
4) I_______ always________ to wear preppy clothes. (want)
5) We ___________ each other since primary school. (know)
6) ______you______ in this fancy restaurant before? (eat)
7) You look a bit drowsy. _______ you just_______ ? (wake
up).
8) The window is shattered! Someone _____________ into
our property. (break into).
9) John _____________ alcohol for two months. (not drink).
10) I ____________ the newspaper today. (not read).
11) We __________ a good horror film in years. (not watch).
12) Mary _________ to the gym. She’ll be back in an hour. (go)
13) James__________ his girlfriend’s family yet. (not meet).

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 The future (extra practice)

1) Complete with be going to + a verb.

start- go

Not listen- do

Watch- learn

Get- cook

a) What film _____you_____________ tonight?

b) _____ your sister______________ Chinese?

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c) You _______________ third grade of high school next year.
d) We ________________camping next summer.
e) We ___________________a taxi to the airport.
f) I _______________a wonderful meal tonight.
g) You can talk, but I_______________ you.
h) What _______you_____________ when you leave school?

2) Complete the sentences with the correct form of be going

to and the verb in brackets.
a) We need a vacation. We ____________ a hotel near the seaside.
(book)
b) Tomorrow is Sunday. I ______________ in bed all day. (stay)
c) My sister wants to become a lawyer. Therefore, she
_________________ law. (study)
d) Laura and David are in love. They
________________married.(get)
e) Gina is busy. She ________________ late tonight. (work)
f) It’s raining! We ______________an umbrella. (take)
g) I have a serious issue at work. I ___________ _____ to my boss.
(speak).

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Very important
people

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 SPECIFIC VOCABULARY (unit 4)
Extreme adjectives
 Amazing: very surprising
 Ancient: very old, or having existed for a long time [SP, antiguo,
vetusto].
 Exhausted: physically or mentally tired.
 Fascinating: very interesting and attractive; compelling.
 Huge: extremely large in size.
 Shocked: very surprised and scandalized-
 Shocking: terrible, dreadful (synonyms).
 Terrified: very frightened.

DESCRIBING SOMEONE’S PERSONALITY

Positive adjectives.
 Affectionate
 Imaginative: good at thinking original ideas
 Charming
 Sociable
 Reliable: someone who can be trusted (= trustworthy SYN)
 Sensitive # Sensible
1) Sensitive [“sensible” en español]: if you are sensitive to other
people’s needs, problems, or feelings, you show understanding
and awareness of them.
2) Sensible [“sensato” en español] : someone who is sensible takes
practical and reasonable decisions, and sometimes wise
decisions
 Mature
 Patient
 Good- looking [pretty, beautiful]: someone who has an attractive
face.

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 Respectful [respetuoso]; polite [cortés]:
 Kind
 Likeable: someone who is very pleasant and easy to like.
 Responsible
 Cheerful: someone who is very happy and positive (= someone who
always looks on the bright side of things).
 Hard-working
 Self-confident
 Generous
 Clever
 Intelligent
 Affectionate (=caring, helpful).

Negative adjectives.

 Unkind (= ungenerous)
 Rude (=impolite): When people are rude, they act in an impolite way
towards other people or say impolite things about them.
 Disrespectful [irrespetuoso]: If you are disrespectful, you show
no respect in the way that you speak or behave to someone.
 Lazy: if someone is lazy, they do not want to work or make any effort
to do anything.
 Unreliable: someone who cannot be trusted.
 Dishonest: If you say that a person or their behaviour is dishonest,
you mean that they are not truthful or honest and that you cannot
trust them.
 Stubborn (= adamant, obstinate): Someone who is stubborn or
who behaves in a stubborn way is determined to do what
they want and is very unwilling to change their mind.
 Jealous
 Irresponsible
 Selfish: If you say that someone is selfish, you mean that he or
she cares only about himself or herself, and not about other people.
 Immature
 Arrogant (= cocky, overconfident)

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  Dim-witted: someone who is not very clever.
 Slow-witted: someone who struggles to understand things.

Examples:
 I would describe Eugenia as a very sociable person since she is
very extroverted and she is never afraid of showing her
feelings. Furthermore, she is depicted as a very respectful
person. She would never behave in a rude way.

 Concerning John’s personality, I would say that he is a very

polite, charming and good-looking. In addition he is a very
hard-working man (at some point he might be regarded as a
“workaholic”). However, he sometimes can be a bit cocky due
to his wide knowledge and he sometimes is regarded as a
selfish man.

 Could I borrow your pencil, please?

 Can I borrow your calculator, please?
 Would you mind if I borrow your calculator?
 Could you lend your ruler, please?
 Can you lend me your ruler, please?
 Do you mind if I use your ruler?

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 Possible answers [affirmative]:

 Sure / sure. Go ahead.

 All right.
 Yes, of course.

Possible answers [negative]

 I’m sorry. I’m afraid I have to use my calculator for the Math exam.
 I have to use it. I’m sorry.
 Forgive me, but I have to use it. You might want to ask another
classmate.

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 PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS

Vocabulary
 Close friends
 Sibli ngs: brother and sisters.
 Girlfriend
 Boyfriend
 Fiancé [prestamo del francés]: Someone's fiancé is the man to
whom they are engaged to be married.
 Team-mates: members of your team (sport).
 Relatives: members of your family.
 Guest: A guest is someone who is visiting you or is at an event
because you have invited them.
 Acquaintance: An acquaintance is someone who you have met and
know slightly, but not well.

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Extra activity
1) Answer the following questions. You are expected to provide
full answers.
a) What is the meaning of “very important people”?
b) Is it easy for you to make new friends?
c) Is social media important in order to build up new relationships?
d) Do you struggle to show your feelings?
e) Do you spend a lot of time with your friends?
f) Do you get on with your classmates?
g) How do you build a “close friendship”?
h) What would you do to help a friend if he were having a difficult
time?
i) If you needed help, would you ask one of your classmates to help
you?

2) Make a list of the things that come to your mind when you
think of “friendship”. Discuss the meaning of “friendship” with
the rest of your classmates.
3) a- Describe the pictures.
b- Are they similar?

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 First and second conditional (extra
practice)

1) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the

verbs.
a) If you _______me your secret, I _________anybody else.
(tell, not tell).
b) If I_________it down, I __________it. (not write, not
remember)
c) _________you________me if you___________any news?
(call, get).
d) She___________you if you________her nicely (help, ask)
e) I __________you if I _________from Alex. (phone, hear).
f) You___________your friends if you __________to Paris.
(miss, move)
g) If you_______carefully, you _________everything. (listen,
understand)
h) The boss __________very pleased if you____________late
for work. (not be, be)
i) I ___________ you home if you_________me directions.
(drive, give).

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1) Write second conditional sentences
a) I (not live) with my parents if I (not have to): example: I
wouldn’t live with my parents if I didn’t have to.
b) If I (be) you, I (study) more for your exams.
c) If they (not have) such a noisy dog, they (get on) better
with their neighbors.
d) I (not buy) that bike if I (be) you. It’s too expensive.
e) We (sell) our house if somebody (offer) us enough money
f) If you really (love) her, you (not treat) her like that.
g) If your cousin (tidy) his room more often, it (not be) such a
mess.
h) If I (win) the lottery, I (invest) money in a company.

2) Answer the questions

a) What would you do if you were Messi?
b) What would you do if you saw a ghost?
c) What would you do if you were a superhero?
d) Would you travel around the world if you had a lot of
money?
e) What would you do if you could travel back in time?

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f) If you met your favorite artist, how would you react?
g) Would you donate money for charity if you were a
millionaire?

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“Five senses”

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 SPECIFIC VOCABULARY (unit 5)
Non-verbal communication

Extra activity (page 56- student’s book)

1) What do you understand by “non-verbal communication?
2) Do you use facial expressions to communicate with your
classmates?
3) Do you have the ability to know when someone is lying to
you?
4) What is the main importance of communication?

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At the chemist’s

Vocabulary:
 Antibiotic: antibiótico.
 Antihistamine: antihistamínico; antialérgico.
 Antiseptic: antiséptico.
 Deodorant: desodorante.
 Shaving foam: espuma para afeitarse.
 Melatonin: melatonina.
 Painkiller: analgésico.
 Pregnancy test kit: equipo para prueba de embarazo.
 Shaving lotion: loción para afeitarse.
 Sleeping pills: píldoras para inducir el sueño.
 Soap: jabón.
 Shop assistant: vendedor.
 Tissues: pañuelo.
 Toothpaste: crema dental / dentífrico.
 Vitamin pills: comprimidos de vitaminas.

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 Vocabulary (health)
 Acute infection: infección aguda.
 Chronic infection: infección crónica.
 Common cold: resfriado comun.
 Dizziness: mareo
 Earache: dolor de oído.
 Fatigue: fatiga (cansancio)
 Fever: fiebre.
 Flu: gripe.
 Headache: dolor de cabeza.
 High-blood pressure: presión arterial elevada.
 Illness: enfermedad
 Itchiness: comenzón.
 Low-blood pressure: presión arterial baja.
 Metabolic syndrome: síndrome metabólico.
 Sore throat: dolor de garganta.
 Tootache: dolor de muela.
 Viral infection: infección viral / infección causada por una cepa viral.

Asking for help at a pharmacy(role play)

 Shop assistant: hello. How can I help you? / Is there anything I can
do for you, madam?
 John: yes, please. I need something for my sore throat. It’s killing
me.
 Shop assistant: in that case you might want to see a doctor first.
 John: please, I insist.

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  Shop assistant: no problem. I will give you a painkiller. Take it every
eight hours. Make sure to rest and stay hydrated, as well.
 John: thank you so much! That’s very kind of you.

Extra activity
1)

ROLE PLAY.
- Role-play a conversation between a shop
assistant and a customer (you) at Simplicity in
Zárate.
- There must be ten exchanges, at least.
- Follow the above mentioned dialogues.

2) Answer the questions.

a- What is the importance of “communication” between human beings?
b- Do you make eye contact when you talk to people?
c- Are gestures relevant when we communicate?
d- What is the meaning of “body language”?
3) What can you see in these pictures? Describe them and compare
them.

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 PASSIVE VOICE (extra practice)

1) Circle the correct form, active or

passive.

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2) Turn the sentences into their passive form. Only use by
if necessary.
Present simple passive
a- People all over the world enjoy coffee every day.
Coffee________________

b- Toyota launches new automobiles every month.

New automobiles__________

c- Arcor manufactures goods every week.

Goods_____________

d- Law enforcement officers arrest robbers every day.

Robbers______________

e- Catalina sells beauty products during the weekends.

Beauty products__________

Past simple passive

a- Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote Love in the Time of Cholera.
Love in the time of Cholera___________

b- Pablo Picasso painted the Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa_____________

c- The Romans built a huge empire.

A huge empire____________

d- Daniela rented an apartment near the beach last summer.

An apartment____________

e- Stephen King wrote a lot of horror novels.

A lot of horror novels______________

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 f- A hacker tampered with the internet connection of the
company.
The internet connection of the company______________

g- The students made a chocolate cake yesterday.

A chocolate cake_____________

h- Rafael Nadal won fourteen Roland Garros titles during his

career.
Fourteen Roland Garros titles_______

Future passive
a- The company will manufacture more goods in the near future.
In the near future more goods_____________

b- The basketball team will play an important match for the season.
An important match for the season______________

c- The university will not sell candies next year.

Next year candies______________

d- The teacher will ask the students questions about biology.

Questions about biology________

e- Mariana will sing a beautiful melody next month.

Next month a beautiful melody____________

f- They will print those pictures tomorrow.

Tomorrow those pictures___________

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g- The poet will not write a poem tonight.
Tonight a poem___________

h- The parents will ground Daniela for an entire week.

For an entire week Daniela___________

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“Selling power”

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 SPECIFIC VOCABULARY (unit 6)

IN A SHOP
 Buy clothes: comprar ropa.
 Cashier: cajero/a.
 Exchange: intercambio.
 Get a discount: percibir o recibir un descuento
 Get a refund: percibir / recibir un reembolso
 Offer: oferta.
 Pay by credit card: abonar con tarjeta de crédito.
 Pay in cash: abonar en efectivo.
 Price: precio.
 Receipt: recibo.
 Sale: venta.
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  Shop assistant: vendedor.
 Special offer: oferta especial.
 Try on (phrasal verb): probarse, por ejemplo, ropa, calzado.

Extra activity
1)
ROLE PLAY.
- Invent a dialogue between a customer, who goes
to a shopping center in order to buy a pair of
shoes and a suit for a wedding, and a shop
assistant.
- There must be ten exchanges, at least.

2) Answer the questions:

a- Do you usually do the shopping?
b- If you worked as a shop assistant, would you treat people
respectfully?
c- Have you ever been in a shopping center before? What does it
feel like?
d- What are the main advantages of buying things at a shopping
center?
e- Have you ever bought something on a website before? Mention
at least two examples.

3)

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 GRAMMAR (extra material)

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

 Structure of the tense:

Personal pronoun [I, he, she, we] + auxiliary verb [has/ have]
+ past participle [worked, gone, started, seen, watched,
flown]

 The present perfect is used for past experiences, when we don’t say
exactly when they happened.
- We often use ever and never when we ask or talk about past
experiences. They go before the main verb.

Examples:

1) I have been to Boston, but I have never been to Sacramento.

2) Have you ever tasted Mexican food before?

 The present perfect is used for recent past actions, often with just
(before the main verb). These actions may not be specific.
Examples:
1) I’ve just cut my finger!
2) I’ve just missed my bus to work!

 The present perfect is also used with yet and already.

- Already is used in affirmative sentences and goes before the
main verb.
Example:

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 I have already watched [main verb] this film twice. Cant’ we
watch another one, please?

- Yet is used with negative and interrogative sentences. It goes at

the end of the phrase.
Examples:
1) My girlfriend hasn’t found a new job yet.
2) Have you finished your homework yet?

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 THE FUTURE

1) BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE VERB

 Structure: be+ going to + infinitive
 Usage: for future plans and for predictions.
 Examples: I am going to travel to Spain.
PLANS
a) Next summer, I am going to travel to Cordoba.
b) In ten years’ time, I am going to work as a doctor.

PREDICTIONS BASED ON EVIDENCE

c) Look at the sky! I believe it is going to rain.

WILL
 Structure: personal pronoun + will+ infinitive
 Usage: predictions, instant decisions, offers,
probabilities, future facts.
 Example:
1) I will have the steak with French fries (at the
restaurant- instant decision).
2) Tomorrow I will pass my exam [prediction]
3) Today I will be at home all afternoon [future
fact]
4) Hey that looks heavy! I will carry that bag for
you [offer]
5) Questions:
- Will I pass my exam?
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- Will we have classes tomorrow?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS (with future connotation).
 Structure: personal pronoun+ verb to be + ING
 Usage: FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS.
 Examples:
1) Next summer we are travelling to Mexico at
8am.
2) Tomorrow I am practicing how to drive and
how to park my car.
3) Martin and Luz are getting married in January.
4) The day after tomorrow, I am studying for
History.
5) Next week I am not playing football with my
friends.

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 SPEAKING BANK

USEFUL LANGUAGE
INTRODUCING YOURSELF
 My name is…
 I am…

GIVING PERSONAL INFORMATION

 I am …years old
 I live in the city center.
 I live in a small village.
 I live in the outskirts of the city.

LIKES AND DISLIKES

 I like…
 I love…
 My favorite…is…
 I am very fond of…
 I am not very fond of…
 I don’t like…
 I don’t really like…
 I’d rather…than…
 I don’t mind…

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GENERAL QUESTIONS
 Where do you live?
 When were you born?

FREE TIME
 What do you do in you free time? (why?)
 What kind of music do you like? (why?)
 Do you prefer to spend time on your own or with other people?
(why?)
 Do you study a lot during your free time?
 Do you enjoy reading books?

EDUCATION AND WORK

 Do you study? Where do you study?
 What type of work would you like to do in the future? (why?)
 How often do you use the Internet to study?

EVERYDAY LIFE
 How do you go to school?
 Do you usually have a large or a small breakfast?
 Do you help with the housework at home? What do you do

MEDIA
 What kind of television programmes do you like the best?
 Do you like reading newspapers? (Where do you read them?)
 Do you watch the news?
 How frequently do you use social media?
 What is your favorite social media?

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COLLOCATIONS OR FIXED EXPRESSIONS

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 Questions with collocations:
a) Are you good at English?
b) What are you good at?
c) What are you brilliant at?
d) Are you interested in learning English?
e) What are you skilled at?
f) What are you annoyed at?

Extra activity:
1) Make sentences about yourselves using the
present simple with all the collocations above
mentioned.

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 DESCRIBING PICTURES

USEFUL VOCABULARY TO DESCRIBE PICTURES

HOW TO DESCRIBE A PICTURE
STRUCTURE
 GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE PICTURE
- Stare at the picture.
- Focus your attention on the main “elements.”
Those which call your attention.
- Include vivid [powerful, meaningful] descriptions (use “strong
adjectives”, magnificent, breathtaking, scandalous,
preposterous).

 PEOPLE:
a) Age:
- In her/his middle twenties.
- In her/his middle thirties.
- Old / young.

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 - To look very you

b) Clothing: tight, baggy, urban, modern, preppy, formal, informal,

casual.

c) Physical appearance: hair (length, color, size); height (medium

height, tall, short); skin complexion (very fair, light, medium,
medium dark; freckles, rosy cheeks, etc.)

d) Feelings (anxious, astonished, overjoyed, happy, delighted,

cheerful, surprised).

e) Actions (present continuous- events are happening at the

moment).

 PLACE:
a) Description of the place
b) Atmosphere (surrounding elements).

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 IN THE BACKGROUND

ON
ON THE
THE RIGHT
LEFT

IN THE
MIDDLE

AT THE FRONT

USEFUL LANGUAGE

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1) Expressions to start describing the picture

 This picture shows…

 In this picture I can see…
 In this picture it is possible to see…
 In this picture there are…

 This picture was taken in / at [if the place is evident]

 This picture might have been taken in/ at [if you are not sure about
the specific context].

2) Expressions to speculate.
 I think…
 I believe…
 I suppose…
 I guess…
 It seems to me that…[a mi entender; a mi me parece que]
 It appears to me that…
 Maybe…
 Perhaps…
 Probably…

3) Talking about the people

 She’s (quite/rather) short/tall.

 She’s got dark, short, straight hair.
 He’s got dark, long, wavy hair.
 He’s wearing blue jeans and a preposterous hat.
 She’s wearing baggy jeans, a white shirt and blue trainers.

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 Example: In this picture, singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne is
wearing an orange t-shirt, brown baggy trousers, as well as black and
white sneakers.

4) Talking about what the people are doing.

 They’re indoors.
 They’re outdoors.
 She’s sitting on a train / bus.
 They’re at a swimming pool.
 They seem to be in the mountain…
 They’re eating breakfast in a café.
 They are having lunch in a café, which seems to be a suitable
place for…

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 5) Talking about the place

 It’s a nice place to…

 It looks like a crowded place…

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 The place streets look very crowded, since people might be…
 Judging from what I can see, it is a sunny day…
 I’m convinced that it is a sunny day, because/since…

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1) “The Nightingale and the Rose.”
Oscar Wilde

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The Nightingale and the Rose
Oscar Wilde
“She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red
roses,” cried the young Student; “but in all my garden there is no red
rose.”

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him,
and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

“No red rose in all my garden!” he cried, and his beautiful eyes
filled with tears. “Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I
have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of
philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made
wretched.”

“Here at last is a true lover,” said the Nightingale. “Night after

night have I sung of him, though I knew him not: night after night have
I told his story to the stars, and now I see him. His hair is dark as the
hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but
passion has made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal
upon his brow.”

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 “The Prince gives a ball to-morrow night,” murmured the young
Student, “and my love will be of the company. If I bring her a red rose
she will dance with me till dawn. If I bring her a red rose, I shall hold
her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her
hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no red rose in my garden, so
I shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She will have no heed of me,
and my heart will break.”

“Here indeed is the true lover,” said the Nightingale. “What I sing
of, he suffers—what is joy to me, to him is pain. Surely Love is a
wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than
fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in
the marketplace. It may not be purchased of the merchants, nor can it
be weighed out in the balance for gold.”

“The musicians will sit in their gallery,” said the young Student,
“and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to
the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her
feet will not touch the floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses will
throng round her. But with me she will not dance, for I have no red
rose to give her”; and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried
his face in his hands, and wept.

“Why is he weeping?” asked a little Green Lizard, as he ran past

him with his tail in the air.

“Why, indeed?” said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a

sunbeam.

“Why, indeed?” whispered a Daisy to his neighbour, in a soft, low

voice.

“He is weeping for a red rose,” said the Nightingale.

“For a red rose?” they cried; “how very ridiculous!” and the little
Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright.

But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student’s sorrow,

and she sat silent in the oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of
Love.

Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into
the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow, and like a shadow
she sailed across the garden.

In the centre of the grass-plot was standing a beautiful Rose-tree,

and when she saw it she flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.

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 “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest
song.”

But the Tree shook its head.

“My roses are white,” it answered; “as white as the foam of the
sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain.

But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and

perhaps he will give you what you want.”

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing

round the old sun-dial.

“Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest
song.”

But the Tree shook its head.

“My roses are yellow,” it answered; “as yellow as the hair of the
mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the
daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his
scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window,
and perhaps he will give you what you want.”

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing

beneath the Student’s window.

“Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest
song.”

But the Tree shook its head.

“My roses are red,” it answered, “as red as the feet of the dove,
and redder than the great fans of coral that wave and wave in the
ocean-cavern. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has
nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall
have no roses at all this year.”

“One red rose is all I want,” cried the Nightingale, “only one red
rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?”

“There is away,” answered the Tree; “but it is so terrible that I

dare not tell it to you.”

“Tell it to me,” said the Nightingale, “I am not afraid.”

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 “If you want a red rose,” said the Tree, “you must build it out of
music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart’s-blood. You must
sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must
sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your life-blood
must flow into my veins, and become mine.”

“Death is a great price to pay for a red rose,” cried the Nightingale,
“and Life is very dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and
to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of
pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells
that hide in the valley, and the heather that blows on the hill. Yet Love
is better than Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the
heart of a man?”

So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air.
She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed
through the grove.

The young Student was still lying on the grass, where she had left
him, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.

“Be happy,” cried the Nightingale, “be happy; you shall have your
red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my
own heart’s-blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a
true lover, for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though she is wise, and
mightier than Power, though he is mighty. Flame-coloured are his
wings, and coloured like flame is his body. His lips are sweet as honey,
and his breath is like frankincense.”

The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could
not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him, for he only
knew the things that are written down in books.

But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad, for he was very fond
of the little Nightingale who had built her nest in his branches.

“Sing me one last song,” he whispered; “I shall feel very lonely

when you are gone.”

So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like
water bubbling from a silver jar.

When she had finished her song the Student got up, and pulled a
note-book and a lead-pencil out of his pocket.

“She has form,” he said to himself, as he walked away through

the grove—“that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I

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am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without
any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks
merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish. Still,
it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice.
What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical
good.” And he went into his room, and lay down on his little pallet-bed,
and began to think of his love; and, after a time, he fell asleep.

And when the Moon shone in the heavens the Nightingale flew to
the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn. All night long she
sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon
leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went
deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-blood ebbed away from
her.

She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl.
And on the top-most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a
marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song. Pale was
it, at first, as the mist that hangs over the river—pale as the feet of the
morning, and silver as the wings of the dawn. As the shadow of a rose
in a mirror of silver, as the shadow of a rose in a water-pool, so was
the rose that blossomed on the topmost spray of the Tree.

But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the
thorn. “Press closer, little Nightingale,” cried the Tree, “or the Day will
come before the rose is finished.”

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder

and louder grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion in the
soul of a man and a maid.

And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like
the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the
bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart, so the rose’s heart
remained white, for only a Nightingale’s heart’s-blood can crimson the
heart of a rose.

And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the
thorn. “Press closer, little Nightingale,” cried the Tree, “or the Day will
come before the rose is finished.”

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn
touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter,
bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang
of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the
tomb.

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 And the marvellous rose became crimson, like the rose of the
eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby
was the heart.

But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter, and her little wings began
to beat, and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her
song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.

Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it,
and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The red rose heard
it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals to the
cold morning air. Echo bore it to her purple cavern in the hills, and
woke the sleeping shepherds from their dreams. It floated through the
reeds of the river, and they carried its message to the sea.

“Look, look!” cried the Tree, “the rose is finished now”; but the
Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass,
with the thorn in her heart.

And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.

“Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!” he cried; “here is a red

rose! I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful
that I am sure it has a long Latin name”; and he leaned down and
plucked it.

Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor’s house with
the rose in his hand.

The daughter of the Professor was sitting in the doorway winding

blue silk on a reel, and her little dog was lying at her feet.

“You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red
rose,” cried the Student. “Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You
will wear it to-night next your heart, and as we dance together it will
tell you how I love you.”

But the girl frowned.

“I am afraid it will not go with my dress,” she answered; “and,

besides, the Chamberlain’s nephew has sent me some real jewels, and
everybody knows that jewels cost far more than flowers.”

“Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful,” said the Student
angrily; and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the
gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.

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 “Ungrateful!” said the girl. “I tell you what, you are very rude;
and, after all, who are you? Only a Student. Why, I don’t believe you
have even got silver buckles to your shoes as the Chamberlain’s
nephew has”; and she got up from her chair and went into the house.

“What I a silly thing Love is,” said the Student as he walked away.
“It is not half as useful as Logic, for it does not prove anything, and it
is always telling one of things that are not going to happen, and making
one believe things that are not true. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and,
as in this age to be practical is everything, I shall go back to Philosophy
and study Metaphysics.”

So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and
began to read.

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