Animal Pills

“George’s Marvelous Medicine” by Roald Dahl

1. Listen and Read

2. Read

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3. Listen Again

Activities

1. Answer the questions.

  1. What was George’s idea for improving the magic mixture?
  2. Where did George find the animal medicines?
  3. Why did George think the purple pills would be useful for his grandma?
  4. What illnesses did the yellowish liquid claim to cure in cows?
  5. Why couldn’t George use the sheepdip mixture on his grandma?
  6. What kind of pills were in the last bottle on the shelf?
  7. What did George use to stir the concoction in the saucepan?
  8. What happened when George stirred the mixture?
  9. Why did George decide to boil the mixture on the stove?
  10. Apart from the animal medicines, what other items did George add to his concoction?

Revision

1. Read and highlight “magic” adjectives

  1. Famous medicine: “George had absolutely no doubts whatsoever about how he was going to make his famous medicine.
  2. Enriched face cream: “George found yet another lovely aerosol can. It was called Helga’s Hairset… There was a bottle of perfume. And there was a really remarkable, terrific face cream. It was called: ‘Vitamin Enriched Antiwrinkle Cream.'”
  3. Lovely aerosol can: “George found yet another lovely aerosol can. It was called Helga’s Hairset.”
  4. Wonderful scent: “Bit by bit, the lovely ingredients, one by one, went into the great big pot… And the smell that began to fill the room made George feel quite giddy. It was unlike any smell he had ever met before. It was a rich and sweet and sickly smell, a smell that whispered secrets to George… It was a smell he knew would make his grandmother feel not just better, but wonderful.”
  5. Extra-special treat: “Grandma was very fond of gin. Now he would give her a treat. He would pour in the whole bottle.”
  6. Perfect ingredient: “He took a small bottle out of the pharmacy box and gathered from the bathroom the most gorgeous bluey-green bath oil… It was the perfect shade of green.”
  7. Magical potion: “One small squeeze from the toothpaste tube… Four drops of perfume… A dab of scarlet nail varnish… All the while, George stirred the mixture slowly and carefully, so as not to spill a drop of the magic stuff.”
  8. Fantastic flavor: “George scooped spoonfuls of every single thing he could find into the enormous saucepan to make an enormous and fantastic mixture.”
  9. Delicious aroma: “Bit by bit, the lovely ingredients… went into the great big pot… And the smell that began to fill the room made George feel quite giddy. It was unlike any smell he had ever met before. It was a rich and sweet and sickly smell.”
  10. Exciting mixture: “George scooped spoonfuls of every single thing he could find into the enormous saucepan to make an enormous and fantastic mixture.”
  11. Terrific result: “Bit by bit, with the kitchen looking like a regular witches’ den by now, George put together his special and terrific mixture.”
  12. Refreshing sensation: “George knew that pink medicine made her wobble even more. The last time she had taken it, she had grown so thin and shaky that the doctor had said it would have to be her very last bottle. George’s marvellous medicine, on the other hand, would make her bounce and fizz like a bottle of pop. It would give her a refreshing and wonderful feeling.”
  13. Invigorating effect: “Bit by bit, with the kitchen looking like a regular witches’ den by now, George put together his special and terrific mixture. The longer he went on, the more excited he became. He would make his grandma grow not just smaller, but marvellously strong and healthy as well. She’d shoot up to twice her normal height, at least, and her puny little arms and legs would go thin and dainty. Her face would get so small you’d hardly be able to see it. And when he had finished with Grandma, George would take some of the magic stuff upstairs and give it to his mother and father, too. A couple of sips each night would do them the world of good. They’d have muscles like barrels and bones like iron and they’d never be tired again. They’d run faster than leopards and they’d roar louder than lions. They’d all be marvellously strong and healthy and full of energy and vigour.”
  14. Amazing combination: “The ingredients kept coming. The kitchen sink also had a very large plug-hole and George filled that up too.”
  15. Exquisite texture: “George was getting terribly near the end now. Very soon it would be all done, and Grandma would be guzzling it up… And the last thing of all, the final touch, the crowning glory, was a glossy black cherry on the top. George dabbed it with a brush soaked in paint. It glistened like wet tar as he glued it firmly onto the lid of a tiny silver pill box. There it was, finished at last. And what a marvelously shiny, beautiful, exquisite thing it was!”
  16. Luxurious fragrance: “He went to the bathroom and found two brushes – one a clothes brush with stiff prickly bristles to tickle your neck if you weren’t wearing a collar, and the other a nail brush with lovely hard bristles for getting chilblains out of your toes… There was a whole bottle of rose water and a big jar of goose-grease.”
  17. Luscious taste: “She would be getting an extra-special treat this evening. A dose of George’s marvelous medicine… And when the medicine goes fizzing and bubbling down her throat, just wait and see! Those luscious, lovely squishous medicines that we will be making for Grandma are actually going to send her higher than an aeroplane.”
  18. Nourishing properties: “As each new ingredient went in, the whole mixture frothed and frothed. It became bubbly and frothy like a gigantic bubble-bath, and it hissed and seethed like a pot on a big black stove. It really was fascinating to watch. But the most exciting moment of all was when George put in the brown shoe-polish. That was the moment at which the whole surface of the mixture turned the beautiful rich dark brown of a chocolate cake… just the shade it should be. And it became bubbly and frothy, and it steamed and boiled, and in the steamy frothy froth there were thick yellow streaks, and there were blobs of brown stuff, and there were blue things, and pink things, and scarlet things, and green things, and purple things, and every other color imaginable. And then George knew the time had come to give Grandma her second dose… It smelled like roasted peanuts. The froth was creamy yellow. And the taste was delicious.”
  19. Soothing effect: “Grandma had given up on doctors long ago. They never seemed to be able to cure anything, and if one of them ever came to see her, he always seemed to be in an almighty hurry, and he was out of the door almost before he was in. ‘Not enough time,’ the doctors always said. ‘Not enough time to listen
  20. Fragrant infusion: “There was a bottle with yellow stuff inside it called DISHWORTH’S FAMOUS DANDRUFF CURE. George took a good dollop of this and slopped it in… And now, last of all, to make quite certain that nothing unpleasant would happen to Grandma’s throat when she swallowed the stuff, the seven drops of Mountain-spring Toothpaste were squeezed in and stirred about, not too vigorously, but just enough to mix the toothpaste in well and evenly… What a wonderfully fantastic, creamy froth it was. And how it fizzed and bubbled. And what a lovely sound it made as it frothed and bubbled. Some of the froth and fizz came out over the rim of the pan and dripped down on to the hot plate, and what a lovely smell it made! It was a rich, roasty, toasty, hot-buttered toast and tea smell, with a slightly burnt undertone. In fact, the whole thing smelled so good that George’s mouth watered just by breathing in the steam from the bubbling pan.”

2. Magic Adjectives

3. Writing Task

Writing Task, an interactive worksheet by UnicaSchool
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4. What Summary is correct?

  1. Summary 1: George’s Unexpected Kitchen Adventure
    In this lively story, George, a mischievous young boy, decides to create a mysterious mixture for his grandmother. With a mischievous spirit, he collects an assortment of items from around the house, hoping to concoct a magical potion that will magically cure his grandmother’s ailments and make her healthy again. While his intentions are noble, George’s experiments lead to unexpected outcomes, creating a humorous and thrilling adventure filled with surprises.
  2. Summary 2: George’s Grandmother and the Magic Medicine
    George, a curious young boy, takes matters into his own hands to help his grandmother feel better. Ignoring his parents’ concerns, he gathers an array of household products and attempts to create a unique and magical medicine. While his intentions are good-natured, his experimental concoction proves to be more unconventional and extraordinary than he expected, leading to unforeseen results and capturing the imagination of readers.
  3. Summary 3: George’s Marvelous Medicine
    Join George in his imaginative and daring quest to create a marvelous medicine for his grandmother. With a mischievous spirit and determination to cure his grandmother’s ailments, George gathers a variety of ingredients from unexpected places. Mixing them together in a giant saucepan, he stumbles upon a truly magical formula. This imaginative and humorous story follows George’s captivating and unpredictable journey, showcasing the power of creativity and the wonders it can unleash.