Wuthering Heights : the song

'Wuthering Heights' is a song by Kate Bush released as her debut single in January 1978. It became a No.1 hit in the UK singles chart and remains her biggest-selling single. Written by Bush when she was 18, the song is based on the novel of the same name. Kate Bush was inspired to write the song by the last ten minutes of the 1970 film version of Wuthering Heights. She then read the book and discovered that she shared her birthday (30 July) with Emily Brontë. Bush reportedly wrote the song, for her album The Kick Inside, within the space of just a few hours late at night. Lyrically, 'Wuthering Heights' uses several quotations from Catherine Earnshaw, most notably in the chorus - 'Let me in! I'm so cold!' - as well as in the verses, with Catherine's confession to her servant of 'bad dreams in the night.' It is sung from Catherine's point of view, as she pleads at Heathcliff's window to be allowed in. This romantic scene takes a sinister turn if one has read Chapter 3 of the original book, as Catherine is in fact a ghost, calling lovingly to Heathcliff from beyond the grave. Catherine's 'icy' ghost grabs the hand of the Narrator, Mr Lockwood, through the bedroom window, asking him to let her in, so she can be forgiven by her lover Heathcliff, and freed from her own personal purgatory.

Lyrics	Video

Wuthering Heights : an abridged version

The following table contains my adaptation of the book, as well as an audio version, narrated by me, for a pre-intermediate level.

Part #	Opening	Text File	Podcast
1	Let me introduce myself: my name is Mr Lockwood and have just moved into Thrushcross Grange, a house that I have rented in a remote part of the Yorkshire moors....
2	There was very little furniture in the room. By the light of my candle I saw some books on a shelf. I opened one and found written : “Catherine Earnshaw”, “Catherine Heathcliff” and “Catherine Linton”. It was a diary....
3	Wuthering Heights was built by the Earnshaws in the 16th century. My mother was Hindley Earnshaws’ nurse and I grew up there and often played with him and his sister Catherine....
4	Mr Earnshaw sent him away to college. I was very happy because I thought life would be more peaceful. Cathy was a wild young girl with a mind of her own and she was very pretty....
5	They did not like the look of him. He watched through the windows as they washed Cathy, dressed the wound on her foot and gave her clean clothes. Then he went home to tell me what had happened....
6	“Do you love him?” “Of course I do.” “Why?” “Well, because he is good-looking and pleasant to be with.”....
7	She refused to change her clothes. She sat by the fire all night. In the morning she had a high temperature and was delirious. We thought she was mad....
8	She and Edgar looked so peaceful, sitting by the window that I was sorry. There would be no more peace for Cathy now.....
9	One day Catherine said she was going to call the doctor. “ I’m not ill” retorted Isabella. “I’m unhappy because you are so unkind to me".....
10	Then she locked herself in her bedroom where she remained for three days and nights, refusing all offers of food. At last she appeared, asking for food and water as she believed she was dying....
11	It was spring when a letter arrived from Iasbella. It was addressed to me....
12	I told him he could never come near the house. "Another meeting with you and another quarrel between you and your husband could kill her"....
13	Before the funeral, I gave Heathcliff the opportunity to say goodbay to.....

Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe

The following table contains my adaptation of the book for a pre-intermediate level.

Part #	Opening	Text File
1	I was a very quiet boy. I liked reading and writing. My school friends often laughed at me because I was too shy and polite. My parents said I was helpful. I loved animals and my dog adored me.....
2	The next day when I woke up I felt dizzy but I remembered what I had done to Pluto. I ashamed and very sorry for the cat. Pluto recovered but naturally it avoided me.....
3	The same as Pluto. Day by ay the small white mark on its neck got bigger and bigger. To my horror I saw the mark was identical to the gallows. It was a nightmare.....
4	When my neighbours asked about my wife, I said her mother was ill and she was visiting her. A suspecting neighbour informed the police.....

English Idioms

Some English Idioms from the BBC series : 'Learning English - The Teacher'

Subject	Description	Text File	Video
Fish idioms	In this episode, The Teacher introduces you to three idiomatic phrases connected with fish : 1. There's something fishy about this 2. A big fish in a small pond 3. A fish out of water
Fruit idioms	In this episode, The Teacher introduces you to three idiomatic phrases connected with fruit: 1. To go bananas 2. It's a case of sour grapes 3. A second bite of the cherry
Monkey idioms	In this episode, The Teacher introduces you to three idiomatic phrases connected with monkeys: 1. To monkey around 2. Monkey business 3. To make a monkey out of someone
Pie idioms	In this episode, The Teacher introduces you to three idiomatic phrases connected with pies: 1. It's as easy as pie 2. Pie-eyed 3. To have a finger in many pies