Guy de Maupassant — an old woman makes a plan to avenge her son.
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Each word is in a sentence. Read it and guess the meaning, then click Reveal.
Read each part. Then answer the quick questions (try from memory first), and talk about one thing.
On the island of Corsica, an old woman lived with her son and their dog. She loved her son very much. But one night, a man called Ravolati killed him. Then Ravolati ran away across the sea to another island, to be safe.
The old woman was full of grief and anger. In Corsica, there was an old rule: when someone kills a member of your family, you must take revenge. But the woman was old and weak, and she had no other sons. How could she do it? She had no idea — yet.
1. What did Ravolati do, and where did he go?
2. Why was revenge difficult for the old woman?
1. He killed the woman's son, then ran away across the sea to another island to be safe.
2. She was old and weak, with no other sons, so she could not fight a strong man herself.
The old woman thought for a long time. Then she had an idea. She had a big dog called Semillante. She made a doll from straw and old clothes, so it looked like a man. Around the doll's neck, she tied pieces of meat.
Every day, she kept the dog hungry. Then she showed it the doll, and the dog jumped up to eat the meat at the doll's neck. Day after day, she trained the dog to attack the neck. After three months, the dog was fierce and strong, and it jumped at the doll's throat every time.
1. What did the woman make, and why?
2. How did she train the dog to attack the neck?
1. A straw doll dressed like a man, with meat tied around its neck, to teach the dog to attack a man's throat.
2. She kept the dog hungry and put the meat at the doll's neck, so the dog jumped at the neck to eat.
When the dog was ready, the old woman took a boat across the sea to find Ravolati. She did not eat, and she did not feed the dog, to keep it very hungry.
She found the man at his door. She let the hungry dog go, and it jumped straight at his throat. He could not fight it. In a moment, it was over. The old woman went home quietly. That night, for the first time in months, she slept well.
1. Why did she not feed the dog before she went?
2. How does the story end for the old woman?
1. To keep the dog very hungry, so it would attack the man fiercely.
2. She gets her revenge, goes home quietly, and sleeps well for the first time in months.
This whole story is about why the woman does things. We use to + verb to explain the purpose — the reason for an action: she trained the dog to kill the man.
1. Ravolati ran away safe. (be)
2. The woman made a doll the dog. (train)
3. She kept the dog hungry it fierce. (make)
4. She took a boat the man. (find)
1. to be · 2. to train · 3. to make · 4. to find
Write a short answer beginning with to…
1. Why did she tie meat to the doll's neck?
2. Why did she not feed the dog before the journey?
1. e.g. To teach the dog to attack a man's neck.
2. e.g. To keep the dog very hungry (so it would attack fiercely).
The old woman did everything for one reason: revenge. She trained her dog (attack) a man. She kept it hungry (make) it fierce. Then she crossed the sea (find) her son's killer.
to attack · to make · to find
Use to + verb in the Speak tab to explain every step of her plan.
Talk about these questions out loud. There are no wrong answers — just say what you think.
The woman follows an old tradition of revenge. Is taking revenge ever the right thing to do? What should people do instead when someone hurts their family? Give your reasons.
The woman breaks the law, but she follows her culture's old rule. When a law and an old tradition disagree, which should win? Why?
Many films and books tell revenge stories. Do you know one? What usually happens to the person who takes revenge — do they feel better or worse? What do these stories teach us?
This is the most important part. Say everything out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story in your own words: the son is killed → the woman wants revenge but is weak → the clever plan with the dog → the revenge. Use at least five key words and three phrases with to + verb.
Explain every step of the woman's plan, and say why she did each thing, using to + verb: "She made a doll to train the dog. She kept it hungry to make it fierce…"
Give reasons why revenge can feel right, and then reasons why it is wrong. Which side do you believe more? You can talk about ideas or about films and books — nothing personal is needed.