Vampire Killer

Paul Shipton

Illustrated by
Andy Parker

OXFORD
U N IV E R S IT Y PRESS
2 Vampire Killer

Sorry. There I’m sorry. There’s

are no jobs. no work here.

Wait a minute!
What’s this?
 Vampire Killer 3

> I’m strong, fast ' Hello. I’m calling I can come
and brave . .. I can about the job. tomorrow.
t do this job. j

Come to Tomorrow’s
58 Bottle Road no good.
You must
come now.

Twenty minutes later Yes? What do

you want?

Professor
Fletcher?
I’m Colin
Miller.
4 Vampire Killer

The professor asks

Sit down. lots of questions.
Why do you
want this job?
Eighteen

Are you a fast runner?

Well, I play football

every week.

Are you strong and brave?

Do you like horror films?

They’re OK. Why?
Are you making
a horror film?

Do you believe in ghosts?

What?

I need money.
There aren’t
any jobs in
What is
this town.
this job?
 Vampire Killer 5

Then Fletcher Vampires!

asks the important Wait! You need
Oh dear-this
question. is no good! a job and you
need money!

Do you believe It’s late! Sorry!

in vampires? I must go now. I

I am a vampire killer.
I find vampires and
I kill them . . . And
now I need help.

Vampires? Are you talking

about Dracula?
6 Vampire Killer

Dracula is a book, but this is true.

There is a vampire here in your town.
I must find it and kill it tonight or . . .

_ th e g l® b e
IN IV IW U W
Meet me near
the supermarket
at midnight.

Colin looks at the Then ..

money in Fletcher’s
hand for a long time.

It is a lot
of money Good! See you
b u t. . . at midnight!
 Vampire Killer 7

It’s dark and cold mL

in the street now. B l l

I Excuse me
—— — r

My name s Claudia.
I’m here for the iob.

Be careful. | | Ha! Ha! Vampires?

He’s crazy. He’s a I I Wonderful! Are you
vampire killer. 11 working for him?

OK, but I’m

interested.
Perhaps he
Yes but this
wants another
isn joke
helper?
8 Vampire Killer

Colin is tired, but Two pounds, please.J

he does not want
to go home.

k Mm more money
Two of Colin’s friends
in the pub.

I’m a . .. a vampire killer.

They stop laughing after

about ten minutes.
Vampire Killer 9
10 Vampire Killer
 Vampire Killer 11

Here. Take these.

Where are
we going?

Claudia is laughing
Colin smiles too.

We re looking
for this man.
Is he the . vampire?

No, this man

works for the
vampire.

Oh? That s a good job.

Does he get a lot of money?
12 Vampire Killer
 Vampire Killer 13

Claudia and Colin talk quietly. Tell me about yourself,

Colin. How old are you?
I’m eighteen
And you?

Claudia, would you

like to go out with me
tomorrow afternoon?
Thanks, Colin,
but I can’t.
Oh, that’s OK
It doesn’t matter I can’t meet you
. . . sorry. in the afternoon . . .
but I can meet you
tomorrow night.
Wonderful!
Where do you live?
That’s OK, Colin.
I can find you.
14 Vampire Killer
 Vampire Killer 15

Renfield begins to run

But Fletcher and

Colin are faster. Where is it?
Where’s the Professor, stop!
I’ve got you! Let’s call the
vampire?
police. . .

A ^his 's n *
j l a j o k e now.

Never,
Fletcher! Tell him!
Where does the
He knows vampire live?
the professor!
16 Vampire Killer

Renfield is quiet for Do you know that street?

a minute. Then . ..

Twenty-six, Moon Street.

Quick! There isn’t
Number sixteen.
much time.

What about Renfield?

Shall I call the police?

, No. Leave him. We must

be quick! We can go in
- I my car. It’s near here.
.....
Renfield begins to laugh. ■

Good luck,
Fletcher!
You need it!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
 Vampire Killer 17

Five minutes later.

Claudia, listen. I’m afraid.

Fletcher’s crazy. Renfield
is crazy too, I think. Let’s
run away now!

No, Colin. I want to know. Is

I can’t
the professor’s story true?
leave her with
the professor.

The professor drives fast.

What time Five o’clock, I think.

is it? But my watch is slow.
18 Vampire Killer

Come on! Claudia, take the

fire-escape. Colin
come with me.

Colin goes upstairs

with Fletcher.

Here it is -
I can’t number sixteen
believe
this! .
 Vampire Killer 19

Look in the
other rooms!

There’s
nobody here

What’s
Colin goes to the Suddenly
this?
bedroom.

r This is crazy! «
A vampire can’t Come here, Colin
i live here! t

Then Claudia smiles

20 Vampire Killer
Vampire Killer 21
 22 Vampire Killer

The sun’s coming up!

But it’s too early! Oh no!
Your watch is slow!
1 i— .■
 Vampire Killer 23

^ What now? ^
She runs into
Go into the room?
the next room
Kill Claudia?
^ Can I do it? r J

Come on I’m sorry,

Professor.

What?
Where am I?

Thank you
sun!
24 Vampire Killer
 25

ACTIVITIES

Before Reading

1 Look at the front cover of the book and answer these

questions.

1 The story happens . . .

a EE today.
b EH 200 years ago.
c □ not in a or b.
2 The story happens . . .
a EE in a city.
b □ in the country,
c □ not in a or b.

2 Read the back cover of the book and choose the correct
ending for these sentences.

1 Professor Fletcher is . . .
a □ a vampire.
b EE a vampire killer,
c EE a doctor.
2 At the end of the story Colin . . .
a EE finds a vampire.
b fights Professor Fletcher,
c □ runs away from the professor.
 26

ACTIVITIES

While Reading

1 Read pages 1-6 then answer these questions.

1 Where does Colin find out about the job?

2 When does the Professor want to see Colin?
3 Is Colin a fast runner?
4 Does Colin believe in vampires?
5 Why does Colin take the job?

2 Read pages 7-12. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1 □ Claudia is not interested in the job.

2 □ Colin’s friends laugh at his new job.
3 □ Colin arrives at the supermarket at midnight.
4 □ Colin does not believe in vampires.
5 □ Professor Fletcher is waiting at the supermarket.
6 □ Claudia is working for the professor too.
7 □ Professor Fletcher shows a photograph of the vampire,
8 □ Colin likes Claudia.
 Activities 27

3 Read pages 13-18. Match the words with the pictures.

a Renfield begins to laugh,

b Just then, they hear a noise,
c The professor drives fast,
d Renfield begins to run.

4 Read pages 19-24 and answer these questions.

1 Where is Colin when he sees the vampire?

2 Who is the vampire?
3 Why can’t Professor Fletcher help?
4 Why does Claudia run into the next room?
5 What does Colin do with the Professor?
6 What does Colin want to do at the end of the story?
 28

ACTIVITIES

After Reading

1 Match the sentence following sentence halves to make five

complete sentences.

1 Colin takes the job . . .

2 His friends laugh . . .
3 Colin is late . . .
4 Claudia runs away . . .
5 Colin wants to leave this town . . .

a because Colin is a vampire killer,

b because his watch is slow,
c because he is afraid of Claudia,
d because he needs money,
e because she is afraid of the sun.

2 Complete this summary of the story. Use these words:

believe blood brave job joke lives midnight money

runs sun vampire
Colin calls Professor Fletcher about a .............. Fletcher says
he is a vampire killer and he needs a helper. The helper must
be strong, fast a n d ............. Colin does n o t................ in
vampires, but he takes the job because he needs................
His friends laugh about the job. One of them buys some
vampire teeth from th e ...............shop.
A t ............. Colin meets the professor outside the
 Activities 29

supermarket. Claudia is there too. They find a man called

Renfield. Renfield tells them where the vam pire...............
At the flat, Colin learns something —Claudia is th e ...........
She wants to drink Colin’s ................ But suddenly the
.....comes up. C o lin ........................ away.

3 Write a different ending by filling in the speech bubbles.

4 What happens when Claudia and Colin meet again? Write

and draw a new ending for the story.
30

Glossary

believe think that something or someone exists

blood a red liquid in the body
brave (adj) not showing or feeling fear
crazy (adj) mad or insane
dangerous something that can hurt you is dangerous
doctor a medical person who treats sick people
film a moving picture you see at the cinema
fly a small flying insect
food what people and animals eat
ghost a dead person who appears again
horror the kind of books and films about ghosts and vampires
job work people do to earn money
joke something you say or do to make people laugh
kiss touch with the lips
ouch what you say when you are in pain
professor a teacher at a university
strong (adj) having a powerful body
vampire a supernatural creature which drinks the blood of
living people
 VAMPIRE KILLER
VAMPIRE
KILLER
‘ I am a vampire killer . . . and now I need help/ says
Professor Fletcher to Colin. Colin needs a job and he needs
money but do vampires exist or is the professor crazy?

Cover illu s tra tio n by A n d y Parker

OXFORD BOOKWORMS STARTERS provide enjoyable books for

students starting to read in English. The carefully graded stories are fully
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