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YOUNG ADULT–Natsume SosekiBotchanREADERS LIGHTEli Readers is a beautifully-illustrated series of timeless classics andspecially-written stories for learners of English.BotchanBotchan is from Tokyo in Japan. He becomes a teacher and moves from thebig city to a small town on an island. He thinks teaching high school students iseasy, but life in the country town is different. Teaching is difficult. His studentsare difficult. They play tricks on him. Botchan has many problems at school andmany questions. He does not know who to believe. He does not know who hisfriends are. Follow Botchan as he learns good from bad and right from wrong.Natsume SosekiBotchan–Natsume SosekiIn this reader you will find:–- Information about Natsume Soseki- Focus on sections- Glossary of difficult words- Comprehension and extension activitiesTagsClassic literatureUp to 600 headwordsWord count: 9450Full text on CDwww.elireaders.comClassicELT A 1TIGHSL. ER.r.l D8-6I s EAEL LI R an -158T E ch 36UL Bot 88-5ADG78UNN9YOISBwww.elireaders.comYOUNG ADULT ELI READERS LIGHTA1ELTA1YOUNG ADULTREADERS LIGHT

YOUNG ADULTREADERS LIGHTThe ELI Readers collection is a completerange of books and plays for readersof all ages, ranging from captivatingcontemporary stories to timeless classics.There are three series, each catering fora different age group; Young ELI Readers,Teen ELI Readers and Young Adult ELIReaders. The books are carefully editedand beautifully illustrated to capture theessence of the stories and plots.The readers are supplemented with‘Focus on’ texts packed with backgroundcultural information about the writers andtheir lives and times.Young Adult ELI Readers Light: booksespecially designed for beginners andolder readers.A1B2

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Natsume SosekiBotchanAdaptation by Alastair LamondActivities by Timothy KiggellIllustrated by Toni DemuroYOUNG ADULTREADERS LIGHT

Botchanby Natsume SosekiAdaptation by Alastair LamondActivities by Timothy KiggellIllustrated by Toni DemuroFounder and Series EditorsPaola Accattoli, Grazia Ancillani, Daniele Garbuglia (Art Director)The author would like to thank Janet Borsbey and Ruth Swan for theirprecious contribution to this project.Graphic DesignAirone Comunicazione - Sergio EliseiLayoutAirone Comunicazione - Diletta BruttiProduction ManagerFrancesco CapitanoPhoto creditsELI Archive 2013 ELI s.r.l.P.O. Box 662019 Recanati MCItalyT 39 071750701F 39 t in 11,5 / 15 pt Monotype DantePrinted in Italy by Tecnostampa Recanati – ERE002.01ISBN 978-88-536-1588-6First edition: September 2013www.elireaders.com

Contents6Main Characters8Before you read10Chapter One18Activities20Chapter Two30Activities32Chapter Three42Activities44Chapter Four55Activities57Chapter Five67Activities69Chapter Six80Activities82Chapter Seven92Activities94Chapter EightBotchan leaves Tokyo for ShikokuBotchan meets Badger, Red Shirt, Clown,Porcupine and SquashBotchan makes many mistakesBotchan has problems with students,insects and some teachersWho or what is Madonna?Botchan now understands Porcupine andRed ShirtKimonos and European-style suitsBotchan and Porcupine against Red Shirtand Clown104Activities106Focus on.Natsume Soseki108Focus on.The Meiji Era110Focus on.The London Years112SyllabusThese icons indicate the parts of the story that are recordedstartstop

Main CharactersThe principal(Badger)6The head teacher(Red Shirt)The art teacher(Clown)Botchan

Madonna(Ms. Toyama)Mr. Hotta(Porcupine)7KiyoMr. Koga(Squash)

Before you readWord Groups1 Look at the word groups. Choose the correct word.1 teacher, principal, [student / table]2 nose, mouth, [shoe / cheek]3 suit, shirt, [kimono / noodles]4 knock, break, [swim / hit]5 agree with, believe, [trust / move]6 friend, lover, [fiancée / fight]7 street, road, [car / path]8 hotel, bed & breakfast, [guest house / restaurant]9 bed, pillow, [chair / blanket]10 servant, waiter, [maid / bowl]Japanese Words2 Here are some Japanese words from Botchan. Completethe sentences below with a Japanese word from the box.Use the Internet if you need to.kimono soba rickshaw sashimi tatami yen81 I went home. I took off my suit, shirt and tie. I put onmy .2 What is ? It’s a kind of Japanese noodles.Often in a soup.3 This is very delicious. The slices of fish arevery thin.4 This sake is from Kyushu. It is expensive. A glass ofsake is 20 .5 I took a train from Tokyo to Kobe. Then I took afrom the train station to the school.6 The men sat on the in the restaurant. Theylistened to the geisha girls singing.

Bath House3 In the evening, Botchan usually went to a traditional bathhouse. Here’s how to take a Japanese bath. Put the lastfive sentences in the right order.Enter the bath house and take off your shoes. Pay yourmoney. Walk to the changing room and take off yourclothes. Take a small towel and walk into the bath room.Sit down. Turn on the water. Wash yourself with warmwater and soap. Wash off the soap carefully. Hang up yourtowel. Step into the large bath. The water is deep and hot.Sit in the bath quietly. Relax. Do not swim! Do not use anysoap or shampoo in the bath![[[[[Dry yourself.Get dressed.Walk home.Step out of the bath.Go back to the changing room.Writing4 Read pages 106, 107 and 110, 111. Complete the–information about Natsume Soseki.Kinnosuke was born in Tokyo, Japan.1867: Natsume1884: He studied at . He learned how towrite Japanese haiku poems.1887: He started to write. He used the name NatsumeSoseki.1895: Natsume became an at MatsuyamaMiddle School.1900-1903: He lived in and studiedEnglish literature and language. Natsume was not happy,but he learned how to ride a .1907: He became a . His stories were inthe Asahi Shinbun every day.9

Chapter OneBotchan leavesTokyo for Shikoku2I was a very strange child. I did too many badthings. Perhaps it was something in my familyhistory.Once I jumped from the second floor of myschool. I do not know why I did it. I hurt my leg.I was in bed for a week. My father was angrywith me.Someone gave me a small knife. I showedsome friends.‘Your knife is not dangerous,’ said one boy.Not dangerous? I cut my hand! I rememberthe pain.Another day some friends and I went to some10

botchanrice fields near our house. I put some rocks inthe field to stop the water. Rice must have water.There was no water, so the rice died.The farmer was very angry. He came to ourhouse. He told my mother and father about therocks. They gave him some money.I was a bad son. My father did not like mevery much.My father and mother always preferred mybig brother. Mother often talked about my lifeafter school. I did not like school. ‘You muststudy. You must work hard. A man must havea good job: a man needs money,’ she said. I wasvery young when she died.My brother studied English hard. He wantedto work in a company. He did not like me andI did not like him. We fought* every day. OnceI cut his head. He told our father. Father wasfight (fought, fought) people hurt each other when they fight11

natsume sosekiangry with me. Father was always angry withme.Father decided not to give me money after hedied. I did not like that! Kiyo, our old servant*,wanted to help me. She cried. She said sorryto my father for me. She asked him to give mesome money. She helped me.Kiyo’s father was rich, but he lost all hismoney when the Meiji Era* started. Kiyo wasour servant for many years.Old Kiyo loved me very much. I did notknow why. Perhaps she loved me too much.My mother and father did not love me. I wasnothing to them. Our neighbours* did not likeme as I was a bully*. My Kiyo was different.Sometimes, when my parents and brotherwere not in the house, we talked.servant man or woman who cleans, cooks andhelps in another family’s houseMeiji Era from 1868 to 1912 in Japan12neighbours people living next door or very nearbully a bad person who hurts others for noreason

botchan‘You are a good boy, Botchan,’ said Kiyo. Thatwas a surprise. Nobody said good things aboutme!After my mother died, Kiyo’s love for me wasimportant to me. Sometimes she bought menice things. When the night was cold, she madehot noodles* for me in secret. She gave me somethings to use at school. Our servant!She gave me things when my father andbrother were not in the house. I did not like that.‘Why do you give those things to me and notto my brother, too?’ I once asked Kiyo.Her answer was a surprise. ‘Your father giveshim everything!’Father died six years after mother. In Aprilthat year, I left school. Two months later, mybrother finished business school. He was lucky.noodles Japanese food, like spaghetti13

natsume sosekiHe was quick to find a job, but it was in Kyushu*,far from Tokyo. He decided to move there. Idecided to live in Tokyo to finish school.We had many old things in our house. Theywere my mother’s and father’s things and theirfamilies’ old things. Perhaps my brother got alot of money for all those things, but I do notknow. He never said anything to me.Kiyo was very sad when my brother decidedto move to Kyushu. She liked our house. Shewanted to be my servant.However, that was too expensive for me. I didnot know what to say. Kiyo moved out of ourhouse to live with her brother. We were both sad.It was time for my brother to go to Kyushu.He visited me in my new place. He gave me600 yen*. I went to Shimbashi Station to sayKyushu the third largest island of Japan14yen Japanese money

botchangoodbye. I never saw him again after that.I decided to go to university for three years.I was a bad student. What did I want to study?And which university? One day, I saw a newschool in Tokyo. They wanted more students. Idecided to go there.For three years, I studied hard. I was nevera very good student, but I finished. The headteacher of my school spoke to me. A high schoolin Shikoku* wanted a teacher of mathematics.It was only 40 yen a month! The head teacherasked me to go to Shikoku.I thought about it. I did not want to be ateacher. I did not want to move to an islandfar from Tokyo, but I did not have any work inTokyo. I decided to move to Shikoku. Poor Kiyo!I could not take her to Shikoku with me.Shikoku the fourth largest island of Japan15

natsume sosekiMy new school was on an island very far fromTokyo. Shikoku is a big island, but it lookedvery small on the map. I knew nothing about it.Perhaps that was because it was very far fromTokyo.I went to see Kiyo in her brother’s house to saygoodbye to her. She was in bed because she wasnot well. She got up when she knew it was me.‘Kiyo, there is a job in Shikoku for amathematics teacher,’ I said. ‘It is far from Tokyoand it does not pay much. However, I took it. Ileave tomorrow.’Kiyo was very sad. She wanted to be myservant in my new house.She came with me to Shimbashi station. Wewent there in rickshaws*. I looked at Kiyo fromthe train. She looked at me. ‘Goodbye,’ she said.rickshaw Japanese two-wheel taxi for 1-2 people16

botchanHer eyes were sad, but she did not cry. Iwanted to cry because I was sad, too. After thetrain left the station, I put my head out of thewindow. Kiyo was there. She watched my trainfor a long time.17

AFTER-READING ACTIVITIESStop & Check1 Match each question with an answer.1 [ Where did Botchan jump from?2 [ How did he cut his hand?3 [ Why did the rice die?4 [ Did Botchan like his brother?5 [ Who helped Botchan?6 [ Where did his brother find work?7 [ Why did his brother sell their mother’s things?a Kiyo, his servant.b In Kyushu, far from Tokyo.c He moved and closed the family house.d With a knife.e No, they fought every day.f Botchan stopped the water.g The second floor of the school.Words2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all inchapter 1.word18definitionc1 [strangeaworker, helper in your house2[riceblong, thin food3[jobcodd4[neighbourdwork5[noodlesesomeone who lives near yourhouse6[servantfwe eat this plant