Advice for Learning English

Many people have emailed me, asking for more stories. Here's one that made me laugh. I hope you enjoy it and learn some new words at the same time! As usual, the difficult words are explained on the right.

Once there was a (1) millionaire, who collected live (2) alligators. He kept them in the pool in back of his (3) mansion. The millionaire also had a beautiful daughter who was (4) single. One day, the millionaire decided to throw a (5) huge party, and during the party he announced, "My dear guests, I have a proposition to every man here. I will give one million dollars, or my daughter, to the man who can swim across this pool full of alligators and (6) emerge unharmed!" As soon as he finished his last word, there was the sound of a large (7) splash in the pool. The guy in the pool was swimming with all his might, and (8) the crowd began (9) to cheer him on. Finally, he (10) made it to the other side of the pool unharmed. The millionaire was (11) impressed. He said, "That was incredible! Fantastic! I didn't think it could be done! Well, I must keep my end of (12) the bargain. Do you want my daughter or the one million dollars?" The guy (13) caught his breath, then said, "Listen, I don't want your money! And I don't want your daughter! I want (14) the idiot who pushed me in the pool!"

(1) a very rich person (who has a million dollars or more) (2) long, green animals with large mouths and very sharp teeth (3) a very large house (4) not married (5) a very big party (6) come out (7) the sound of the water when something big falls in (8) all the people (9) to call out in encouragement (10) he did it, he arrived on the other side (11) he thought it was great (12) the agreement (13) started to breathe again (14) the bad person who pushed him (he did NOT jump in himself!)