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October – Hello, Autumn!
Get ready for more fun in the classroom this October!
 Teach your students the vocabulary they need with our spooky, Halloween-themed
crossword
 Talk about “strange” things that occur and listen to an audio about Alice in Wonderland
 Analyse the creepy language used by Michael Jackson in his hit “Thriller”
 Teach your students how to express fear in English!
Contents
1. A1 → A2 – Vocabulary challenge – Halloween crossword .................................................................2
2. B1 Speaking and Listening – Alice in Wonderland – Down the Rabbit Hole.......................................4
3. B2 Listening – "Thriller” by Michael Jackson ......................................................................................6
4. B1+ → B2 Speaking – Expressing worry, anxiety and fear in English..................................................9
Answers:................................................................................................................................................11

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1. A1 → A2 – Vocabulary challenge – Halloween crossword
13
1
14 15
2
16
17 18
19
4
5
20
6 7
21
8
22
9
23
10
11
12

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Across Down
1 An edible nut typically encountered in
the autumn.
13 The bone structure of a human or
animal.
2 A prickly insect-eating mammal. 14 The soul of someone who isn't alive
anymore.
3 On Halloween, children dress up and
walk from door to door saying "Trick
or…"
15 An object used to scare off birds from
fields of growing crops.
4 A brown animal with a bushy tail which
eats nuts and climbs up trees.
16 Once a month, you can see the moon
as a circle. This is called a …
5 In the autumn, the leaves on the trees
typically turn brown and …
17 A witch travels around on her …
6 A mythical creature that feeds on
blood.
18 Horse chestnuts, traditionally put on
a string and used in a popular game.
7 Halloween is at the end of this month. 19 In the autumn, …….. fall from the
trees.
8 Clothing which is typical of a different
period of history, fairy tale, story or
film.
20 A big, round and orange vegetable
usually carved on Halloween.
9 The fruit of an oak tree. 21 A witch's laughter.
10 A very bad and unpleasant dream. 22 A gardening tool used to gather
leaves.
11 A place or house which is inhabited or
visited by ghosts is…
23 A witch's cooking pot.
12 In the autumn, it is usually very cold and
…

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2. B1 Speaking and Listening – Alice in Wonderland – Down the Rabbit Hole
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/drama/alice-ep01
Many strange things are supposed to happen on Halloween, but do they all have to be scary? Speak
to your students about what they consider as something “strange”. You can use the following
prompts to develop an interesting conversation as a warm-up before the listening exercise.
 Has anything strange ever happened to you?
 Tell us about something scary you experienced!
 What do you know about Alice’s adventures in Wonderland? Do you think they were
strange, funny or scary?
Now, introduce some of the vocabulary your students will hear, before they listen to the recording:
Activity 1: Have your students listen to the recording and answer the following questions:
1. Where is Alice sitting?
2. When does the story begin? Write as much information as you can.
3. What is Alice’s sister doing?
4. Alice sees something surprising while picking daisies. What is it?
5. What was in the rabbit-hole?
6. What did Alice think about when she was falling?

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7. What happened to Alice when she drank the contents of the little bottle?
8. What do you think will happen to Alice now that she has eaten the cake?
Activity 2: Ask your students to listen again and choose the correct answer
1. Alice was:
A. Incredibly impatient
B. Reading a book
C. Sleepy and bored
2. What happened in the rabbit hole?
A. Alice ate some toast and marmalade
B. Alice chased the White Rabbit down a long tunnel
C. Alice had some tea with the White Rabbit
3. What did Alice find on the table?
A. A bottle
B. A tiny key
C. A telescope
4. What was written on the label of the bottle?
A. Eat Me
B. Drink Me
C. Telescope

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3. B2 Listening – "Thriller” by Michael Jackson
It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes,
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl
But all the while you hear a creature creeping up behind
You're outta time
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain't no second chance against the thing with the forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time (they're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you, there's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together
All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen,
I'll make you see

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That this is thriller, thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, chiller
Thriller here tonight
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
And whomsoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
I'm gonna thrill you tonight...
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

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A. Listen to the song and choose the correct ending to each verse:
1. It's close to midnight and A. walk in their masquerade
2. You try to scream but B. see a sight that almost stops your heart
3. Under the moonlight you
C. jaws of the alien this time (they're open
wide)
4. You hear the door slam and D. something evil's lurking in the dark
5. You feel the cold hand and E. horror looks you right between the eyes
6. But all the while you hear F. realize there's nowhere left to run
7. And the dead start to G. a creature creeping up behind
8. There's no escaping the H. terror takes the sound before you make it
9. You start to freeze as I. wonder if you'll ever see the sun
B. Match the word to its correct definition:
Lurk Strike Slam Creep
Creature Masquerade Jaw Cuddle
Screen Ghoul Dare Crawl
Stench Grisly Tomb Seal
Doom Shiver Resist
1. To fight off something or someone that attacks you
2. To move forward on all fours
3. An evil spirit
4. To have the courage to do something
5. To hug someone
6. To shake because you feel cold or frightened
7. The lower part of the face which includes the mouth and chin
8. A disturbing destiny that awaits someone
9. A strong, unpleasant smell
10. To close something such as a letter or a container
11. A place where someone is buried
12. Something very unpleasant involving blood
13. An animal or a human being
14. To shut with a lot of noise
15. To hit or attack
16. To move without making any noise
17. A disguise or costume
18. A flat surface used to show pictures and videos
19. To wait without being seen

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4. B1+ → B2 Speaking – Expressing worry, anxiety and fear in English
Ask your students to look at the pictures below. Have them discuss the following, in pairs, and then
share their thoughts with you:
 Why have these people chosen to do these activities?
 Why do you think they have exposed themselves to danger or unpleasant circumstances?
 How do you think they benefit from what they have chosen to do?
 How are these situations dangerous or risky?
 What do you think they are feeling?

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Have your students fill in the gaps with the words from the box to form the correct expression:
Stiff Shake Bundle Goosebumps
Death End Shivers Needles
Mouth Wits Edge Life
1. To get ………………….
2. To be scared …………….
3. To be scared to …………………..
4. To ………………… like a leaf
5. To send ………………… down your spine
6. To be scared out of your ………………
7. To frighten the ……………… out of someone
8. To be a ……………. of nerves
9. To be on ……………………..
10. To have your heart in your ……………………..
11. To be on pins and ……………………
12. To be at your wit’s …………………….

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Answers:
1. Crossword:
13
1
C H E S T N U T
K 14 15
2
H E D G E H O G S 16
17
L H C F 18
B E O A U C
3
T R E A T 19
4
S Q U I R R E L O
O O L T E L N
5
O R A N G E C M K
M A 20
R O E
S
6
V A M P I R E
7
O C T O B E R
T 21 E U W N S
I
8
C O S T U M E
C A 22
P
K
9
A C O R N K 23
K A I C
L K
10
N I G H T M A R E
E E U
L
11
H A U N T E D
R
O
12
W I N D Y

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2. Alice in Wonderland:
Activity 1:
1. Where is Alice sitting?
She is sitting next to the river.
2. When does the story begin? Write as much information as you can.
On a summer’s day / On a very hot summer’s afternoon
3. What is Alice’s sister doing?
She is reading a book.
4. Alice sees something surprising while picking daisies. What is it?
A white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and a pocket-watch.
5. What was in the rabbit-hole?
Bookshelves, books, maps and jars of marmalade.
6. What did Alice think about when she was falling?
She was thinking about her cat Dinah.
7. What happened to Alice when she drank the contents of the little bottle?
She got small enough to fit through the tiny door.
8. What happened to Alice when she ate the cake?
Students should use their imagination or knowledge of this popular tale.
Activity 2:
1. C – sleepy and bored
2. B – Alice chased the White Rabbit down a tunnel
3. B – A tiny key
4. B – Drink me!

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3. Thriller
Lurk – 19 Strike – 15 Slam – 14 Creep – 16
Creature – 13 Masquerade – 17 Jaw – 7 Cuddle – 5
Screen – 18 Ghoul – 3 Dare – 4 Crawl – 2
Stench – 9 Grisly – 12 Tomb – 11 Seal – 10
Doom – 8 Shiver – 6 Resist – 1
4. Expressing worry, anxiety and fear in English
1. To get goosebumps
2. To be scared stiff
3. To be scared to death
4. To shake like a leaf
5. To send shivers down your spine
6. To be scared out of your wits
7. To frighten the life out of someone
8. To be a bundle of nerves
9. To be on edge
10. To have your heart in your mouth
11. To be on pins and needles
12. To be at your wit’s end