The Borrowers

Before we start, let's get to know some important words first.

Reading Activities

Multiple Choice

Guess the right meaning of this word.

turmoil

• poked out from something

• unusual

• a state of confusion

• a thing you can feel or see

• flowing air

a state of confusion

Turmoil

Multiple Choice

Guess the right meaning of this word.

object

• poked out from something

• unusual

• a state of confusion

• a thing you can feel or see

• flowing air

Multiple Choice

Guess the right meaning of this word.

curious

• poked out from something

• unusual

• a state of confusion

• a thing you can feel or see

• flowing air

Multiple Choice

Guess the right meaning of this word.

draught

• poked out from something

• unusual

• a state of confusion

• a thing you can feel or see

• flowing air

Multiple Choice

Guess the right meaning of this word.

protruded

• poked out from something

• unusual

• a state of confusion

• a thing you can feel or see

• flowing air

Now, fill in the blank with the words you have just learned before.

Reading Activities

Fill in the Blank

James woke up suddenly from a deep sleep. He felt a chilly ________ flowing across his bed. When he sat up, he saw that the window was open!

Fill in the Blank

Then James heard a strange sound beneath him. He looked down to see what was making the ________ noise.

Fill in the Blank

Beneath him, he saw a long, thin shape that ________ from under the bed.

Fill in the Blank

At first James couldn't tell what this ________ was. Then it moved!

Fill in the Blank

James' dad came in. "I heard a lot of noise," he said. "What's all the ________ in here?"

The

Borrowers​

by Mary Norton

Meet the incredible Clock family. Pod, Homily, and their 13-year-old daughter Arrietty live together in an old English home — that is, under the floor-boards. They fit quite comfortably there because they are Borrowers, tiny people who live unseen among humans. They survive by secretly taking, or "borrowing" items they need from their giant neighbors. The Clocks may be in danger, though. There is a curious boy in the house who might spot them, making big trouble for them. Pod and Homily have warned young Arrietty about keeping hidden, but curiosity has gotten the best of her. She strikes up a friendship with the boy. When her parents find out, they are upset and confused. Her mother Homily, feels frightened that being "seen" will force them to move away. Then one night, just as the Clocks have drifted off to sleep ...

by Mary Norton

The Borrowers

And Homily woke up. She saw the room again and the oil lamp flickering, but something, she knew at once, was different: there was a strange draught and her mouth felt dry and full of grit. Then she looked up at the ceiling: "Pod!" she shrieked, clutching his shoulder.

draught - flowing air

Pod rolled over and sat up. They both stared at the ceiling: the whole surface was on a steep slant and one side of it had come right away from the wall — this was what had caused the draught — and down into the room, to within an inch of the foot of the bed, protruded a curious object: a huge bar of gray steel with a flattened, edge.

Open Ended

What do you think is making Homily so upset?

"It's a screwdriver," said Pod. They stared at it, fascinated, unable to move, and for a moment all was still. Then slowly the huge object swayed upward until the sharp edge lay against their ceiling and Homily heard a scrape on the floor above and a sudden human gasp. "Oh, my knees," cried Homily, "oh, my feeling —" as, with a splintering wrench, their whole roof flew off and fell down with a clatter, somewhere out of sight.

Homily screamed then. But this time it was a real scream, loud and shrill and hearty; she seemed almost to settle down in her scream, while her eyes stared up, half interested, into empty lighted space. There was another ceiling, she realized, away up above them — higher, it seemed, than the sky; a ham hung from it and two strings of onions. Arrietty appeared in the doorway, scared and trembling, clutching her nightgown. And Pod slapped Homily's back. "Have done," he said, "that's enough," and Homily, suddenly, was quiet.

Open Ended

Why do you think Homily was quiet?

Open Ended

What is the Clocks' ceiling made of?

A great face appeared then between them and that distant height. It wavered above them, smiling and terrible: there was silence and Homily sat bolt upright, her mouth open. "Is that your mother?" asked a surprised voice after a moment, and Arrietty from the doorway whispered: "Yes." It was the boy. Pod got out of bed and stood beside it, shivering in his nightshirt. "Come on," he said to Homily, "you can't stay there!"

But Homily could. She had her old nightdress on with the patch in the back and nothing was going to move her. A slow anger was rising up in Homily: she had been caught in her hair curlers; Pod had raised his hand to her; and she remembered that, in the general turmoil and for once in her life, she had left the supper washing-up for morning, and there it would be, on the kitchen table, for all the world to see!

turmoil - great commotion or confusion

Open Ended

Why is Homily so angry at the boy?

She glared at the boy — he was only a child after all. "Put it back!" she said, "put it back at once!" Her eyes flashed and her curlers seemed to quiver.​

​He knelt down then, but Homily did not flinch as the great face me slowly closer. She saw his under lip, pink and full — like an enormous exaggeration of Arrietty's — and she saw it wobble slightly. "But I've got something for you," he said.

exaggeration - a larger or magnified version of something

Draw

Homily's expression did not change and Arrietty called out from place in the doorway: "What is it?"

What do you think the boy gave to them? Draw one object the boy might give.

The boy reached behind him and very gingerly, careful to keep it upright, he held a wooden object above their heads. "It's this," he said, and very carefully, his tongue out and breathing heavily, he lowered the object slowly into their hole: it was a doll's dresser, complete with plates. It had two drawers in it and a cupboard below; he adjusted its position at the foot of Homily's bed. Arrietty round to see better.

"Oh," she cried ecstatically. "Mother, look!" Homily threw the dresser a glance — it was dark oak and the plates were hand-painted — and then she looked quickly away again. "Yes," she said coldly, "it's very nice." There was a short silence which no one knew how to break.

"The cupboard really opens," said the boy at last, and the great hand came down all amongst them, smelling of bath soap. Arrietty flattened herself against the wall and Pod exclaimed, nervous: "Now then!"

placatingly - in a soothing way

"Yes," agreed Homily after a moment, "I see it does." Pod drew a long breath — a sigh of relief as the hand went back. "There, Homily," he said placatingly, "you've always wanted something like that!"

"Yes," said Homily — she still sat bolt upright, her ha clasped in her lap. "Thank you very much. And now," she went on coldly, "will you please put back the roof?"

Open Ended

Do you think the Clock family will have a friendship with the boy? Why or why not?

Open Ended

How do Arietty and Homily each react to the boy?

Audio Response

How would you react if you were one of the Clock's family member who saw the boy? Tell your reaction and what you will say to the boy!

Open Audio Recorder

Poll

Did you think The Borrowers was a funny story?

• Yes :)

• No :(

Open Ended

Which story in the theme did you think was the funniest? Why?

Note: we have read, "The Stranger", "Cendrillon", "Heat Wave", and "The Borrowers"

The Borrowers has been adapted into movies and animation. Let's see one of the trailers

Reading Activities