This is Heracles. He is very, very strong. The king, Eurystheus, gives him twelve jobs. They are called labours.
The Labours of Heracles · A1
Labour One: The Nemean Lion
Am, is and are, have got and has got, don’t, can’t, there is, in, where, this, and the lion’s skin: the first words of English, for the first labour of the strongest man in the world.
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SOPHIA
MARCOS
Twelve! What is the first one?
The story
After the old stories of Heracles
The first labour is a lion. It lives in a cave in the hills of Nemea. Arrows can’t hurt it. Its skin is harder than iron.
Heracles has got a bow and arrows. On the way, he meets a poor old man. The old man has got one goat. “This is my only goat,” he says. Heracles says: “Please don’t kill your goat for me.”
Heracles makes a big club of olive wood. He finds the lion in its cave. His arrows can’t hurt it, so he fights it with his hands. He wins!
Heracles takes the lion’s skin and wears it. He goes back to King Eurystheus. The king is afraid, and he hides in a big bronze jar.
Am, is, are
MARCOS
I am happy! Heracles is my hero! The arrows are no good!
SOPHIA
I am, he / she / it is, you / we / they are. Short forms: I’m, he’s, they’re.
Have got, has got
DEMETRIA
Heracles has got a bow. The old man has got one goat.
SOPHIA
I / you / we / they have got, but he / she / it has got. Questions: Has he got a bow?
Can’t, don’t
PHILO
Arrows can’t hurt this lion. And Heracles says: “Please don’t kill your goat.”
SOPHIA
can’t + verb: it is not possible. Don’t + verb: please do not do it.
There is, in, where
DEMETRIA
There is a cave on the hill. The lion is in the cave. Where is Nemea?
SOPHIA
there is + one thing. in the cave, on the hill. Where asks about a place.
This; the lion’s skin
MARCOS
“This is my only goat.” And the lion’s skin is harder than iron.
SOPHIA
this for one thing near you. And ’s shows who has something: the lion’s skin, Heracles’s club.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| am / is / are | the verb be | Heracles is strong. |
| have got / has got | have (has got with he / she / it) | He has got a bow. |
| can’t / don’t + verb | not possible / please do not | Arrows can’t hurt it. Don’t kill your goat. |
| there is; in / on; where | one thing; place | There is a cave. It’s in the cave. |
| this; ’s | near you; belonging | This is my goat. The lion’s skin. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct word.
1. I ___ very happy!
2. Heracles ___ a club.
3. Arrows ___ hurt the lion.
4. ___ a cave on the hill.
5. The lion is ___ the cave.
6. ___ is Nemea? — It’s in the hills.
B · Write
Write the missing word.
7. The old man got one goat.
8. Please kill your goat! (not)
9. The skin is harder than iron. (lion)
10. is my only goat. (near me)
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Heracles have got a bow.”
12. “The king is in a big jar.”
13. “They is afraid.”
Now play Labour One yourself, as Heracles!Play the gamebook →