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The Fifteenth
Character
Rosemary Border

Illustrated by

David Hine

OXFORD
U N IV E R SIT Y PRESS

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OXFORD and OXFORD ENGLISH
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ISBN 0 19 423173 9
Oxford University Press 2000
First published 2000
Sixth impression 2003
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Illustrated by D avid Hine
Printed in China

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F @ [g T r p / ^ f
Every day lots of different people come to Happy Hills
because there are lots of exciting things to do.
Sally Brown works at Happy Hills in her holiday. She is
a student and she wants to be a teacher.
I need the money, she tells her family, cand its an
interesting job. But she is always very tired in the evening.

The Fifteenth Character

The workers at Happy Hills arrive early in the morning.

They all wear clean green trousers and yellow shirts. They
must smile a lot and be nice to all the visitors.
Every morning Mr Parry puts a list of Jobs for Today in
the workers canteen. Mr Parry wears different clothes. His
shirt is green and his trousers are white, and he wears a red
coat with Tm Ken Parry. Can I help you? on his pocket. The
visitors call him Ken, but all the workers call him Mr Parry.

Tbe Fifteenth Character

Today Sally arrives at Happy Hills at eight o clock. On her

shirt there is a picture of a smiling face and Have a Happy
Day in black and red writing. She goes to the canteen and
looks for Mr Parrys list.
What job am I doing today? Sally thinks. Am I making
tea, or helping in the childrens play house?
But Sally is wrong. The list says, Sally Brown - Connie
Cat. Break: eleven o clock.

Oh no! thinks Sally. Nobody likes wearing the costumes.

But at Happy Hills the characters are very important. The
visitors like to take photos of their children with Cowboy
Joe, Charlie Clown, Baby Blue Eyes, Photo Phil, Big John,
Connie Cat, Big Apple, Miss Flower, Edward Elephant and
all their friends.
Everybody always asks the same questions, Are you
very hot in your costume? and How do you eat and drink?
4

The Fifteenth Character

Edward Elephant has the best job. He has a bag of water

under his costume. He can spray the visitors with water.
And Photo Phil and Charlie Clown make everybody laugh.
But Connie Cat cannot do that. She can only say miaow to
the children all day.
Sally looks for her costume. A tall man in a cowboy
costume is standing beside her.
Hullo, Sally, says the cowboy. Its me - William.
William is a student too. He is Sallys friend. Which
costume are you looking for?
Connie Cat. Whens your break?
Eleven o clock.
Me too.

2
K1EBE M E 2AIPPS
It is nine o clock. The doors open, but there are not many
visitors today. They all have invitations and they show
them to Mr Parry. A very famous man is coming to Happy
Hills, so Mr Parry is very excited.

Z apps coming today. Hes opening the new Zapp-ocopter, says William to Sally.
Stop talking and do some work! says M r Parry.
Zapp is a singer. Sally loves listening to his songs and she
has all his CDs. There is a picture of him in her room too.
7

The Fifteenth Character

The Zapp-o-copter is very exciting. People can sit in little

helicopters and go up and down very fast. The visitors
stand behind a blue rope and wait for Zapp.
*

Please stay behind the rope, says Mr Parry.

Suddenly there is a noise in the sky. Everybody looks up.
Its Z apps helicopter! says William.

The Fifteenth Character

The helicopter comes down and Zapp gets out. He smiles

at the visitors.
Oh - hes wonderful! says a young girl. She gives Zapp
a flower. He gives her a big smile and says, Thank you.
Sally is hot and thirsty in her costume. She wants to talk
too, but Mr Parry is watching.

3
N EW i@INI(
Mr Parry takes the singer to the Zapp-o-copter. Zapp cuts
the rope.
Thank you, Zapp. Now please can you sing for us? says
Mr Parry.
OK! But the people must help me! he says. He begins to
sing. Everybody knows the song and sings it with him.
10

The Fifteenth Character

Thank you, says Zapp. Youre all wonderful singers.

Now look at this. He takes a CD out of his pocket. This is
my new song, he says.
Please sing it for us! say the TV men. But Zapp smiles.
No, no - you must come to my big concert next Saturday.
He puts the CD in his pocket again.

11

The Fifteenth Character

Now lets go on the Zapp-o-copter! says Zapp. He sees a

teacher with some children. Would they like to come too?
he asks her. Of course, says the teacher. They help the
children into the helicopters.
Zapp smiles and smiles. The photographers take lots of
pictures. Photo Phil arrives too. He is one of the Happy
Hills characters. He takes a photo of the children - and
sprays them with water! Everybody laughs.

12

Zapp is having a wonderful day. He speaks to the TV

people. The photographers take photos of him with all the
characters. Zapp meets Charlie Clown. Charlie gives him
a flow er- and the flower sprays him with water. Everybody
laughs.
Sally meets Zapp too, and she is very excited. But she
cannot talk to him because she is wearing her cat costume
and Mr Parry is watching.
13

<3

WHERE5! g&RI?5!p CD?

Come on, its eleven oclock, says William. Lets go to the
canteen for our break. Weve got ten minutes.
They sit down in the canteen and take off their heads.
Sally is thirsty. Her face is hot and red. William is hot and
thirsty too. They have a long drink of cold water. T hats
good! William says. Then he looks at his watch. Ten past
eleven, he says. Come on, Sally. Back to work!

14

The Fifteenth Character

They finish their drinks and put their heads on again.

Suddenly a lot of people come into the canteen.
Whats the matter? says William.
Z apps CD ! says Mr Parry. He cant find it!

15

Everybody is unhappy, but Zapp is angry too.

That C D s important, Parry, he says. You must find it.
Im doing my best, Z app, says Mr Parry. Dont hit me,
please - Im doing my best!
16

Tbe Fifteenth Character

A lot of things happen very quickly. The visitors want to go

home, but suddenly Mr Parry closes all the doors.
Nobody can leave, he says. Im sorry, but Z apps C D s
very important and we must find it.
Mr Parry makes a telephone call. Very soon four police
arrive in a big white police car. They ask a lot of questions.

17

The police look everywhere for the CD. They read Mr

Parrys list of visitors. They count the visitors carefully and
look in all their pockets and bags.
There is a lot of noise. People are angry and tired. They
want to go home now. And Zapp is speaking very quietly
into a little black telephone. Photo Phil goes to him and
says, Smile, please!
Go away! says Zapp angrily.
18

The Fifteenth Character

Now the police want to talk to the workers. One stays with
the visitors and three police speak to the workers in the
canteen. Zapp comes with the police.
You must find that C D ! says Zapp.
Were doing our best, Z app, say the police.

19

TO E POFTIINTIHI C H ^ IS ^ C T B IS
Sally waits quietly with the other workers. She looks at Mr
Parrys Jobs for Today list and counts the names.
There are twenty-nine names on the list today. Fifteen
people are helpers. They wear green trousers and yellow
shirts and help the visitors. Fourteen people are characters
and wear costumes.

20

W ait a m inute,5 thinks Sally. There are fourteen

characters on the list. But there are fifteen characters here!5
She reads the list again, very, very carefully. Edward
Elephant-yes, he5s here. Connie C a t-th a t's me. Cowboy
Joe - that's William. Photo Phil - yes, he's here. Big Apple
- yes. Sir Laugh-a-Lot and Lady Love-a-Little . . . Wait a
minute, Charlie Clown isn't on the list - but Charlie's here
in this room!'
21

The Fifteenth Character

Excuse me, Mr Parry, says Sally. There are fourteen

characters on your list, but there are fifteen in the room
now. Charlie Clown isnt on the list, but hes here.
Mr Parry reads the list and counts the characters.
Youre right, Sally, he says.
Take off your heads! Mr Parry says to the characters.
They take off their heads.
Charlie Clown is a woman.

22

Why are you wearing that costume? asks Mr Parry.

The woman begins to run away, but William stops her.
The police take off her costume - and find a big pocket.
In it they find Z apps CD. The singer smiles again.
23

The Fifteenth Character

It is Saturday night. Sally and William are in London

because they are going to Z apps concert. There are lots of
excited people and TV photographers outside the hall.
Everybody wants to hear Z appsmew song.
Where are your tickets? says the man at the door to
Sally.
We havent got any tickets, says Sally. The man begins
to look angry. Sally smiles and takes something out of her
pocket. Is this invitation OK? Its from Z app.

24

AC T IV IT IE S

Before Reading
1 Look at the front and back cover of the book. Now complete
these sentences.
1 This story happens . . .
a D in the future.
b D in todays world,
c n

sometime long ago.

2 The characters look . . .

a [H frightening.
b exciting,
c E] funny.
2 Read the back cover of the book. Guess the answers to these
questions.
1 What is Happy Hills?
2 What does Sally do?
3 What goes wrong?
4 Is Zapp a man or a woman?

25

AC T IV IT IE S

While Reading
1 Read pages 1-4.
Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Sally Brown is a student.

2 The workers at Happy Hills must wear white

shirts and red trousers.

3 Sally always puts a list of Jobs for Today

in the canteen.
4 The visitors like to take photos of their children

with the Happy Hills characters.

2 Read pages 5-8, then match the sentences halves to make five
complete sentences.
1 Sally works at Happy Hills . . .
2 Edward Elephant has the best job . . .
3 Mr Parry is excited . . .
4 William is wearing a cowboy costume . . .
5 Sally has a picture of Zapp in her room . . .
a because today he is Cowboy Joe.
b because a very famous man is coming to Happy Hills,
c because she loves his songs,
d because she needs the money,
e because he can spray the visitors with water.
26

Activities

3 Read pages 9-12.

Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1 Zapp comes to Happy Hills in a helicopter.

2 Zapp sings his new song.
3 The photographers take lots of pictures of Zapp
with the characters.
4 Zapp smiles and smiles.

4 Read pages 13-16, then join the sentences with and or because.
1 Charlie Clown gives Zapp a flower. The flower sprays
him with water.
2 Sally cant talk to Zapp. She is wearing her cat costume.
3 Sally is thirsty. Her face is hot and red.
5 Read pages 17-21. Who says or thinks these sentences?
1 Nobody can leave.
2 Smile please!
3 You must find that CD!
4 Wait a minute .. .There are fifteen characters here!
6 Read pages 22-24, then answer these questions.
1 Where do the policemen find Zapps CD?
2 Who stops the girl?
3 Where do Sally and William go on Saturday night?
4 Why dont they need tickets?

27

AC T IV IT IE S

After Reading
r

1 Put these twelve sentences in the right order to tell the story.

ED Sally comes to work and looks at Jobs for Today.

b EE Take off your heads! Mr Parry tells the characters,
c EE Zapp tells everybody about his new CD.
d EH Zapp arrives in a red helicopter,
e EH Mr Parry runs into the canteen. Zapp cant find his
a

CD! he says.

EE Sally counts the characters. There are fourteen

characters on the list, she says, but there are fifteen
characters here!

EH The singer cuts the rope and opens the Zapp-o-copter.

h EH Zapp gives Sally an invitation to his big concert,
i EH Today Sally is Connie Cat and her friend William is
g

Cowboy Joe.

EH Charlie Clown gives Zapp a flower - and the flower

sprays him with water,

k HE Four policemen arrive and ask a lot of questions.

1

EH The policemen find the CD in Charlie Clowns pocket.

28

Activities

2 Choose the right words for each picture. Write a letter in each
box.
The children are saying: Q

The police are saying: Q

Sally is saying: O

The policewoman
is saying: O

a
b
c
d

What have you got in your pockets, please?

This is exciting!
Come on youre coming with us.
Is this invitation OK? Its from Zapp.
29

Glossary
break a time when people can stop work to have tea or
coffee
canteen a room where workers eat and drink
character a person or animal in a story or film
concert a time when someone plays or sings in a big room
for a lot of people
costume special clothes
count (vb) number objects or people
famous (adj) someone who many people know is famous
hall a big room where someone sings or plays music for a
lot of people
holiday a time when we do not go to work
invitation a letter asking someone to come to a party or
concert
job work that people do for money
list a lot of names on a piece of paper
miaow the sound a cat makes
pocket a place in your shirt or trousers where you can put
things
song something that people sing
spray send out water through the air

30

...I*

i.* ..

- J ill* * A
THE

FIFTEENTH
CHARACTER
Its an interesting job, says Sally about her work at Happy
Hills. And today is a very exciting day because Zapp the
famous singer is com ing. Everybody is having a wonderful ^
time. But suddenly som ething goes wrong - very wrong.

151

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