《The Call of the Wild (level 2)》.doc

Introduction And Buck really was crazy now. He had fire in his eyes, and he wanted to kill . . . In the end, Buck couldnt stand up. He couldnt see or hear. He was almost dead. In this way, Bucks new life in the cold north of Canada begins. He has to learn many new things, and the lessons are hard. But Buck is a strong, intelligent dog and he wants to live. Buck meets dangerous men—and dogs—in this difficult, snowy country. He changes because he has to change. But can he really be happy there? The life of Jack London (1876—1916) was as interesting as his books. His family didnt have any money, and he wasnt happy with life in Pennsylvania. His great love, when he was a child, was reading. London left school when he was fifteen years old and he visited other places in the United States. He had many different jobs, but he never had much money. In 1896, he heard about the gold in northwest Canada. He went there because he wanted a new life, and he wanted to find gold. He met many interesting people and animals. He left the Yukon three years later without any gold, but with the idea for a good story. This was The Call of the Wild. Two of his other books about the cold north are White Fang and The Son of the Wolf. London was very famous, and he made a lot of money from his books. But he always had money problems, and he drank. He died at the age of forty. People around the world love his stories about the lives of the people and animals of the north. Chapter 1 To the North Buck was a strong dog with a thick coat. He lived in a big house, Mr. Millers place, in sunny California. There were tall trees around the house, and there was a pool, too. Buck was four years old, and the Millers were his family. He swam with the boys and walked with the women. He carried the babies on his back, and at night Buck sat at Mr. Millers feet. There were other dogs at Mr. Millers house, but Buck was the most important. He was the boss there, and he was very happy. That year, 1897, was an e