《Freckles (level 2)》.doc

Introduction I said, Hi! Donna, this is Jack. Jack, this is Donna. Donna gave him a big smile. Her smile usually makes men weak in the legs. Susie has freckles, and she hates them! When Im older theyll be one BIG freckle, all over me! she thinks. And Susie has problems with boys. Great legs, but I dont like the freckles, one boy says about her. Her best friend, Donna, never has problems with boys. Donna has pretty hair, nice teeth and blue eyes — and she hasnt got freckles! Boys fall at her feet. But now theres a new boy at the school, and Donna wants him too! Will Jack fall at Donnas feet? Will he laugh at Susies freckles? In this story, Susie and Donna learn an important lesson about life. Andrew Matthews was born in Wales in 1948. He taught English for many years, but he also wrote more than forty books for children and young people. Two of his books for teenagers are Writing in Martian and Seeing in Moonlight. He wrote this story for Penguin Readers. Andrew Matthews now lives in Reading, England, with his wife and their cats. The cats sit on his books and push his pens on to the floor. Chapter 1 My Big Teenage Problem I hated my freckles when I was young. Every day I looked in the mirror and thought, Look at them! Theyre getting bigger! When Im older theyll be one BIG freckle, all over me! At school, the other little children in my class laughed at me and my freckles. Hello, Freckle-face! they shouted. But when I was a teenager, it all got worse. My freckles were my Big Teenage Problem. Why did I think that? Because one lunch-time, I went to the school library and started to look for a book. Suddenly, I heard a conversation between two boys. So who do you think is pretty? one said. Donna Marshall? said the other boy. My ears went - DING! - because Donnas my best friend. Yes! said the first boy. Susie Carpenter? My ears went — DING! — again, because thats me. Great legs . .. began the first boy. I thought, Thats a good start, but dont talk about the freckles!