2

2º ESO
DBH 2
2n ESO

A Ghost
B Burlington Books

Collection
Anne Stanmore

T E A C H E R ’ S M AT E R I A L

CONTENTS

To the Teacher 2

Before Reading 3

After Reading 4

Final Test 5

Answers to Final Test 6

Answers to Activities in the Reader 6

Answers to Cross-Curricular Focus 7

Before using the following teacher’s material, we recommend that you visit the Teacher’s Zone
at www.burlingtonbooks.es and consult the Burlington Activity Reader Series general
information leaflet. The Final Test in this teacher’s material is also available in editable
Word format from the website. The Student’s Zone on the site offers additional activities.
 A Ghost Collection
to the teacher
List of Main Chara cters

The Ghosts of Dodson Hall The Priest Hole Sarah’s New House
Sally Brown: a 12-year-old girl. Harry York: a 13-year-old boy Sarah Miller: a young girl.
Miss Dodson: an old woman. at a boarding school. Mr and Mrs Miller: Sarah’s parents.
Nancy: the ghost of a young girl. Simon and Paul: Harry’s Annie: the ghost of a young girl.
Tim: the ghost of a young boy. roommates.
Mr Ross: the previous owner of Sarah’s
Priest: a ghost at the school. new house.
Mr Field: the headmaster.
Plot Su mmaries
The Ghosts of Dodson Hall: During World War II, Sally leaves London and goes to live with Miss Dodson in a big
old house in the country. One day, while Sally is exploring the house, she sees a girl and a boy. The girl says “Mee
Lee” and then disappears. Sally tries to learn more about the children, but according to Miss Dodson, there are no
other children in the house. Sally sees the boy and girl a few more times and realises that they are ghosts. One night,
the children are in her bedroom. Sally is scared, but she decides to question them. The girl tells her they’re looking
for a locket, and then she disappears. Miss Dodson hears Sally shouting and comes into the room. Sally tells her
about the ghost children and the word “Mee Lee”. Miss Dodson identifies the ghosts as her childhood friends, Tim
and Nancy, because Mee Lee is what they called her. Miss Dodson has still got Nancy’s locket. Many years before,
Nancy broke it and Miss Dodson wanted to repair it for her. But Nancy and Tim died in a fire and Miss Dodson
couldn’t return the locket. Sally and Miss Dodson leave it on the kitchen table for Nancy to find. In the morning, the
kitchen table is empty. Tim and Nancy never visit the house again.
The Priest Hole: Harry goes to study at a boarding school. Every night, a priest comes into Harry’s room and asks
him to “Pray for the priest”. Simon and Paul can’t see the priest and they think Harry is crazy. Soon, all the boys
at the school are laughing at Harry. One night Harry argues with the priest. Simon and Paul hear Harry shouting.
Then, a prefect sends the boys to the showers. When they return, the room is in chaos and there is a message on
the mirror: “I’m here! Why don’t you help me?” According to Harry, the priest wrote it. The next morning, Harry
tells Mr Field about the priest. Mr Field believes Harry’s story because he slept in the same room in the past, and
also saw a priest. Harry, Simon and Paul move to another room and Mr Field decides to turn their old room into a
television room. Builders come to decorate it. They find a wooden panel under the wallpaper. There’s a skeleton in
the space behind the panel. Two forensic scientists examine the skeleton and they also discover other spaces in the
walls. The spaces are “priest holes” and the skeleton in the wall was probably once a priest. Mr Field decides to
give the skeleton a Catholic funeral and Harry becomes famous in the school because he saw and spoke to a ghost.
Sarah’s New House: Sarah and her parents move to a new house. Sarah finds the key to the attic inside a chest of
drawers. In the attic, she finds many boxes and an old mirror. Inside one box is a beautiful dress. She holds the dress
in front of her and looks in the mirror. She sees a strange girl in the mirror with her. Sarah is frightened. The girl has
got a cruel laugh. Sarah doesn’t tell anybody about her. Later, Sarah and her father visit Mr Ross. Mr Ross tells them
about the house’s history. His grandmother lived there for many years. She had a sister named Annie, and Annie
died at the age of 14. Sarah returns to the new house and is shocked because Mrs Miller has put the mirror from the
attic in Sarah’s bedroom. Sarah sees Annie’s ghost in the mirror and covers it with a blanket. She decides to go to
the attic and talk to Annie. They argue. Annie is angry because Mr Ross sold the house to Sarah’s parents. Suddenly,
Sarah feels herself transforming into Annie. Sarah is very frightened. Then, she hears her mother’s voice and opens
her eyes. She’s in her bed in her old house. Sarah is happy because it was just a bad dream. But then her mother
shows her a lovely dress. She found it at the new house, in the attic!

HISTORICAL ba ckground

• Evacuation: Evacuation took place during World War II. The Germans bombed many cities in England and the
government decided to send children to live in smaller towns and villages in the countryside, to protect them.
• Priest holes: Priest holes were secret holes behind the walls of people’s houses. Queen Elizabeth I didn’t allow
Catholics to worship in England during her reign (1558-1603) and it was dangerous for Catholic priests to work
there. For this reason, many families built these secret holes and hid priests in them.

 A Ghost Collection
Before reading
These activities are designed to help the students’ reading comprehension. They help to activate the students’
background knowledge and ability to predict. At this level, these activities will usually be conducted in the
students’ mother tongue. Students with a strong vocabulary can do some of these activities in English. Ask the
questions and elicit the answers from the whole class. Some possible answers are provided in italics. If you
prefer, students can work in pairs or small groups.

Suggestions for Lead-in Ac tivities

1. What do you know about ghosts? (Ghosts are the spirits of dead people.) Why do you think that some people
become ghosts after they die? (They want to help people solve a mystery; they want to stay near the people
they love; they have still got something they must do on earth and they can’t rest until they do it.)
2. During evacuation in World War II, thousands of children went to live in the houses of strangers, far from
home. Imagine you are one of those children. How do you feel? (I feel lonely; I miss my family and friends;
I’m worried about my parents; I hope that my new family likes me and I like them.)
3. Imagine that there is a ghost in your house. What do you do? (I run away; I keep it a secret because I don’t
want anybody to think that I’m crazy; I ask the ghost questions because I’m curious to find out about its past;
I stay awake at night because I’m frightened.)
4. What is a boarding school? (It’s a special kind of school. Children live at the school and study there.) Do
you think it’s fun to live in a boarding school? Explain why / why not. (Yes: It’s fun to live with friends from
school; parents can’t control their children, but a boarding school can. No: boarding schools have got strict
rules; I like having my own room at home; the food isn’t always nice.)
5. Why do people have secrets? (They want to hide something because they’re embarrassed about it; they’re
afraid somebody will hurt them; it gives them power.)
6. Describe a bad dream you once had.

Before R eading Ac tivities

1. Read the first paragraph on page 9. Do you think Sally will be happy at Dodson Hall? (No.) Explain your
answer. (The house is cold and quiet. Sally misses her family. She’s lonely because she hasn’t got any children
to play with.)
2. Look at the picture on page 16 and describe what is happening. (The old woman is thinking about the house
in the picture. The house is on fire.) How do you think the old woman feels? (very sad)
3. Look at the picture on page 24 and read the speech bubble. Then, look at the picture at the top of page 25.
What do you think the four boys in the background think about Harry? (He’s strange because he talks to an
imaginary person; he’s crazy.)
4. Read the first three paragraphs on page 27 and look at the picture. What is strange? (There is a message on
the mirror.) Imagine that you are one of the boys. Describe how you feel. (I feel frightened.)
5. Look at the pictures on page 43. What do you think happened before this? (The girl went to the attic and saw
a ghost. She was frightened and ran down the stairs.)
6. Read lines 1-8 on page 48. What does Sarah learn about the previous occupants of her new house?
(Mr Ross’ grandmother once lived there; her older sister, Annie, lived there too; Annie died at the age of 14.)

list of irregular verbs

The following is a list of irregular verbs (Past Simple) which appear in the stories. The page number refers to the
page where the Past Simple tense of the verb first appears. Go over the list with your students.
break - broke (page 17) get - got (page 52) make - made (page 34) sell - sold (page 52)
buy - bought (page 45) go - went (page 44) put - put (page 51) sleep - slept (page 32)
find - found (page 34) leave - left (page 48) see - saw (page 10) speak - spoke (page 32)
forget - forgot (page 51)


 A Ghost Collection
After reading
Drama Activities

Work with a partner or a group. Learn one of the dialogues below and act it out in front of the class.
1. Sally asks Miss Dodson about the ghost.
Miss Dodson: Are you OK, dear? You shouted.
Sally: There were ghosts in my room!
Please believe me, Miss Dodson.
They’re trying to find something
here. And they say a strange
word – “Mee Lee”. What’s that?
Miss Dodson: Mee Lee? That’s me! My name
is Amelia, but in the past, some
children called me Mee Lee.
Sally: Which children?
Miss Dodson: Nancy and Tim. Their father
was our gardener and we played
together. They were my friends.
Sally: And what happened to them?
Miss Dodson: A  tragedy. There was a terrible
fire in their house and they died.
2. The priest wakes Harry.
Priest: Did you pray tonight, Harry?
Harry: How do you know my name?
Priest: T  hat’s not important. I need your help.
Please kneel on the floor and pray for the
priest.
Harry: What priest?
Priest: Don’t ask questions. In this room, you
must pray to find the priest.
3. The prefect is questioning Harry.
Prefect: Did you do this?
(to Harry)
Harry: No! I was in the bathroom.
It was the priest.
Prefect: Did you see anybody?
(to Paul and Simon)
Paul and Simon: No, we didn’t. We never see
anybody.
Prefect: We don’t believe you, Harry.
You’re a very strange boy. You
talk to an imaginary person. You
see an invisible priest.
Harry: But ...
Prefect: Listen, Harry! You need help!
4. Sarah and Annie are arguing.
Annie: I can see you all the time. I can see you in
every room in my house.
Sarah: It’s not your house, it’s our house!
Annie: No! It’s my house, because I was the
oldest child in the family.
Sarah: But you died and your sister got the
house. Her grandson sold it to us and now
it’s ours.
Annie: Her grandson can’t sell my house!
Sarah: OK, Annie. But we’re here now. What can
we do?

Project Suggestions
You may want to present some of these activities in the students’ own language.
1. Design a cover for the book. On your cover, illustrate something from each story.
2. Imagine that you are Sally. Write a letter home to your mother. Describe Miss Dodson and the ghost children.
3. Imagine that the ghosts return to Dodson Hall. Write an alternative final paragraph.
4. Imagine that you are Harry. Write an entry in your diary. Describe your new school and your friends.
5. Work in groups of three. One of you is Simon, one is Paul and the other is Harry. Act out a conversation in
which Simon and Paul ask Harry about the mysterious priest.
6. Imagine that you are Sarah. Write an e-mail to your cousin in Australia. Describe your meeting with Annie.
7. Work with a partner. Choose an object from the story. Take turns to ask 10 questions and to find out what the
object is. You can only answer “yes” or “no”. For example: Is it big? No, it isn’t. Is it hard? Yes, it is. Does it
open things? Yes, it does. Is it a key? Yes, it is.
8. Look in an encyclopedia or other reference book, or search on the Internet to find information about
a. evacuation during World War II b. priest holes OR c. ghosts. Use the information to write a paragraph.
Read the paragraph to your class.


 A Ghost Collection
FINAL TEST
A Write the words under the correct headings.
frightened wallpaper hair behind beautiful
towels face in front of elegant tired

Describing Emotions Things in a Prepositions of Parts of the Body

Appearances House Place

20 points (2 points each)

B Who said it? Write the correct name after each sentence.

1. My grandmother never left that house.

2. You can stay in my house and look after it for me.
3. You must help me. The priest is here in this room.
4. There were children in the kitchen today.
5. Why does nobody believe me?
6. Their father was our gardener.
12 points (2 points each)

C In which stories do the following things happen? Tick (✔) the correct columns.

The Ghosts of Dodson The Priest Sarah’s New

Hall Hole House
1. Two children die in a fire.
2. Somebody finds a key in a
drawer.
3. Somebody shouts at an
imaginary person.
4. Somebody has a bad dream.
5. T
 wo children try to find a locket.
6. Some builders find a skeleton
inside a wall.
18 points (3 points each)


 A Ghost Collection
answers to final test
A Describing Appearances: beautiful, elegant C 1. The Ghosts of Dodson Hall
Emotions: frightened, tired 2. Sarah’s New House
Things in a House: wallpaper, towels 3. The Priest Hole
Prepositions of Place: behind, in front of 4. Sarah’s New House
Parts of the Body: hair, face 5. The Ghosts of Dodson Hall
6. The Priest Hole
B 1. Mr Ross
2. Annie
3. Priest
4. Sally
5. Harry
6. Miss Dodson

answers to activities in the reader

The Ghosts of Dodson Hall 1. stairs 4. candle
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES (page 7) 2. kitchen 5. imagine
1 1. country 5. fire 3. explore 6. ghost
2. candle 6. alone 3 1. e 2. c 3. d 4. b 5. a
3. bomb 7. repair 4 1. B 2. A 3. E 4. C 5. D
4. garden 8. disappear
2 Accept all logical and grammatically correct CHAPTERS 3-4 ACTIVITIES (pages 18-19)
answers. 1 1. fire 4. tremble
2. repair 5. desperate
CHAPTERS 1-2 ACTIVITIES (pages 12-13)
3. frightened 6. broke
1 alone elegant bored beautiful 2 1. b 2. c 3. a 4. a 5. b
1. elegant
3 1. B 2. A 3. A 4. B
2. beautiful
The Priest Hole
3. alone
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES (page 21)
4. bored
1 1. wake 4. skeleton
2
k n c w s t c u 2. priest 5. hole
i m a g i n e b
3. hide
t j n h m o x e
c r d o a n p y 2 1. secret 4. mysterious
u n l s y d l s 2. angry 5. space
f q e t p n o d
3. invisible
o m s t a i r s
m k i t c h e n 3 1. C 2. A 3. B 4. D


 A Ghost Collection

Answers to Activities in the Reader continued

CHAPTERS 1-3 ACTIVITIES (pages 28-29) CHAPTERS 1-3 ACTIVITIES (pages 46-47)
1 1. F 2. A 3. C 4. E 5. B 6. D 1 In the House: stairs, floor, bed, furniture
2 1. cupboard 4. covers Describing Things: old, loud, beautiful, empty
2. message 5. towel 2 1. downstairs 4. at the end of
3. imagination 2. behind 5. in the corner
3 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 3. at the top of 6. in front of
4 1. b 2. a 3. b 4. a 3 1. B 2. A 3. A 4. B
4 1. a box in the attic 4. key to the attic
CHAPTERS 4-6 ACTIVITIES (pages 36-37)
2. locked door 5. 50
1
b 1 2
h o l e 3. mirror
u i
i 3
s d CHAPTERS 4-6 ACTIVITIES (pages 54-55)
4
w a l l p a p e r 1 1. silence 3. voice
d a
2. hospital 4. face
e c
r e 2
5 s n g c s q x
s k e l e t o n
h i g u d n e
u j l p l o b
2 1. c 2. d 3. f 4. a 5. b 6. e t d r e a m p
k j w s n d l
3 1. B 2. A 3. A 4. C 5. B 6. A
b l a n k e t
4 1. Mr Field’s office 4. police h a i r f i e
2. priest 5. church
3. happy 1. shut 3. cup 5. dream
2. blanket 4. hair
Sarah’s New House
3 1. C 2. A 3. E 4. B 5. D
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES (page 39)
4 1. Mrs Miller 4. Annie’s ghost
1 1. d 3. b 5. e 7. a
2. Annie’s ghost 5. Sarah
2. g 4. c 6. f
3. Sarah 6. Mrs Miller
2 c

answers to cross-curricular focus

A Christmas Carol (page 63) Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (page 65)
1 1. d 2. e 3. f 4. c 5. b 6. a 3 1. His brother, Claudius, killed him.
2 Marley 2. Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, tells him about the ghost.
a b c d e f
1 s e p m r b
3. The ghost appears every night on the walls
2 f d o c a h
around the castle.
3 j v u i k r 4. The ghost is an old man in battle clothes. He’s
4 c i l d a s got a sword, a helmet, a beard and kind eyes.
5 b e w g o z 5. The ghost offers Hamlet a luminous hand
6 y x n u y q and calls to him.
6. The ghost is Hamlet’s father. Hamlet wants to
talk to him.