Learning English

Darren
Hello, I'm Darren. Today I've got a story about a boy who loves adventure. His life is sometimes fun, sometimes sad, but always exciting – and the boy's name is Huckleberry Finn.

So Huckleberry – let's call him Huck – has come into a bit of money. His sisters, and a lady called Miss Watson, are all trying to get him to improve his behaviour and his manners, and stop coming across as a street urchin! But all he wants to do is play pirates and robbers with his friends.

Huck decides to give away his money, but then his violent dad comes to see him, demanding the cash – of course, he's too late. This makes him furious and takes Huck off to live in filthy poverty down by the riverside. He's not happy about this and wants to escape his miserable existence. He comes up with a plan to fake his own death, and then goes to hide on a nearby island. It's here he meets Jim, Miss Watson's slave boy, who's run away and is trying to avoid being sold and sent away from his family.

Huck invites Jim to come with him on an adventure and they begin a journey along the Mississippi River. Along the way, they have fun, get into all sorts of trouble and escape being drowned. Huck's conscience is troubled by helping an escaped slave but they still become good mates. But the two boys don't remain together forever.

Something is about to go wrong – but to find out what, you'll have to join me in part two. I'll see you then. Bye for now.