A magazine has asked its readers to send in stories (120-180 words) about a nasty experience. Use the pictures in Ex. 9 to write the story. Follow the plan. Plan Para 1: set the scene: characters, when/where, weather (One hot day, Matt & .... After they...) Paras 2/3: events in order they happened & climax event (By the time they got .... Dark clouds.... All of a sudden, ...) Para 4: what happened in the end, feelings (Before long.... Everyone sighed with relief.)

One hot day, Matt and his friend Zoe decided to cool off at the river behind the old mill. The sun beat on the dusty fields and cicadas buzzed. They packed water, a towel, and a plan to swim upstream where the water ran cooler. By the time they reached the river bend, the sky turned gray. Dark clouds rolled in, and a gust of wind whipped the reeds. They tied their shoes, kept moving, and joked that nothing would spoil their afternoon. All of a sudden, the storm hit. Thunder boomed, rain hammered down, and the river rose beneath their feet. A tree limb cracked and toppled near the bank, scattering rocks. They ducked under a crumbling shelter and clung to the posts, hearts hammering. Before long the rain eased and clouds broke apart. They shuffled out, shaken but safe, soaked through. Everyone sighed with relief, promising to head home before the next heat wave.