Sample
from
Nicholas Nickleby
by
Charles Dickens
Oxford Progressive English Readers
Grade 2
retold by
David Foulds
A hard-hearted businessman
Ralph Nickleby went to see his dead brother's wife, and her children Nicholas and Kate. He spoke quite angrily and unkindly to them.
'I will help you,' he said, 'but there is not much I can do. As soon as possible you will have to find work. And you cannot live here much longer,' he added, looking around. 'You will have to find somewhere cheaper.'
He turned to the young man.
'Have you ever done anything? Any work of any kind?' Ralph asked slowly.
'No,' Nicholas replied. At that moment Nicholas did not like his uncle. He thought he was hard-hearted, and quite rude.
'Will you work, sir?'
'Of course,' Nicholas said.
'Read this then,' said his uncle. He pulled a piece of paper from his coat pocket. 'I saw it in the newspaper this morning. I thought it might interest you.'
Nicholas read the piece of paper. A teacher was needed at a boys' school called Dotheboys Hall in Yorkshire. The salary was five pounds per year. That was a very low salary, even in those days.
Not so Bad
Nicholas thought he could teach. He thought five pounds was better than no money at all. However, Yorkshire was a long way away. He was worried about his mother and sister.
More of this story in
Nicholas Nickleby
by
Charles Dickens
Oxford Progressive English Readers
Grade 2
ISBN 0 19 586 302 X
This text is copyright Oxford University Press 1995.
If you can read this sample easily, you can enjoy any Oxford Progressive English Reader in Grade 1 and Grade 2.
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