Help! Level 1

by Philip Prowse

Award-winning original fiction for learners of English. At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. A struggling writer and a computer with a mind of its own fight for control of the writer's story and destiny. When Frank Wormold buys a computer to help him with his writing, he gets a lot more help than he wants. The ensuing battle of wills between himself and the computer makes Frank realise what the important things in life really are. Paperback-only version. Also available with Audio CD including complete text recordings from the book.

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 1999

About the author

Philip Prowse, author of the Nick Hellyer espionage series, lived and worked overseas for over a decade including periods in Egypt where Hellyer’s Trip takes place against the background of the 1967 Six Day War, Portugal whose 1974 Carnation Revolution and guerrilla war in Mozambique feature in Hellyer’s Coup, and Greece where the fall of the military junta and the 1974 invasion of Cyprus provide the setting for Hellyer’s Line.

Moving into an unknown country with an alien language and culture, ways of thinking and perspectives on life parallels that of the secret agent’s struggle to swim unobserved in perilous waters. Through the series we follow Nick Hellyer’s development from reluctant accidental academic spy to trained hardened professional. But his depth of experience has been gained at the cost of traumatic incidents which have increased his vulnerability and undermined his self-confidence.

We experience events from Nick’s point of view, knowing and seeing only what he does as he hurtles towards his destiny. We are privy to his thoughts and self-doubt, exhilaration and despair, delirium and delight. We interpret this evidence in our own way and reach our own conclusions because like him we want to know how it will all end.

Reading a fast-moving Hellyer novel will immerse you in a story where accurate historical fact and plausible fiction meld, where with Nick as guide you may uncover fresh truths about the world and even yourself.

Listening to the masterly narration on the top quality audiobooks will bring the characters and action to vivid life.

Reviews

[Vann Rene · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just read this for my english homework, I didn’t expect something but it disappoint me.
The book is really boring.
And I HATE CHIP! Chip is the crazy and toxic ex girlfriend that everybody hates.
I hate my teacher now because of this.
Is the worst book I even read.

[Melinda Brasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these books for students learning English. This one felt rather unrealistic to me (even considering the sci fi nature). But it was entertaining enough for practicing English.

More accurate rating: 3.5

[Erika]

es interesante

[Watfa]

Frank is a writer, he always writes by hand and he never finishes his books. He doesn’t have money and his wife is unhappy with that. One day there was one man whose name was Mel, he wanted to make a movie about one of Frank’s books. He met Frank in a big hotel and he gave him 200,000 Dollars and he bought a computer for him but Frank didn’t like computers. He opened his computer and he started to work to finish the book for Mel .He listened to a voice come from the computer, it was a woman and she wanted to help him but she helped more than what he wanted, so he wasn’t happy because that women changed a lot of things in his writing and he wanted to go back to his handwriting .Then his wife woke him up. It was just a dream and this dream gave him a new idea to continue his book.

*I really liked this book and I enjoyed reading it
Also I recommend others to read it because it’s good for all ages .

[Yurika Tokoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cambridge/ level 1
September 12 = 20 minutes

writer/ lawyer/ another story/ computer/ mistake/ dream/ good relationship

" I wrote the first line of the story. ' I'm leaving now,' Teresa said... "
After Frank realizes what he really wants to do, he starts writing his dream as a new story, and he stars the story with exactly the same line of this book. It was so interesting that its effect very shocked me at the end.

This story let me think what the most important thing is for me. In this case, Frank got a nice car, much money and almost everything he needed. However, once he got them, he just realized that the most important thing for him was just being a writer as before, like writing by hands, and not with a computer.
I want to spend some time to think of what I really love to.

[Hiroki Yasui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Help! (Cambridge Level.1)
04/22 = 90 minutes

writer, book, movie, money, computer, help, dream

「A nice car and a new television are important. But you are much more important. And if you really want to be a writer then I am happy.」


This story is about a young writer. He was not rich, but he likes writing a story very much. However, he has not finished any books yet because he prefers using pen to using computer to write books. So he writes very slowly.
One day, he was requested by a big movie company and he was requested to complete his novel for making a movie. He was gave the good computer, and he used it to finish his novel. The computer helped him write the story better, but he wondered what he writes a story for...

[Mako · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. Camaridge/ level1
2. 04/26=30min, 04/27=50min
3. writer, unhappy, help, story, computer, need, money

4a. ' I'm leaving now. ' Teresa said.
4b. This sentence is used for both of the beginning and end of this book, so it was very impressive.

5. Frank started to use a computer, but the computer gives him more help than he wants. Then he really needs help. After reading, I think it may be more important than convenience, so we should think what is the most important.

[Noriho Motokawa · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. cambridge 1
2. 10/6＝90
3. writer money unhappy help story computer need
4. I think it is interesting that first sentence and last sentence are same.
5. At first this couple were not happy but finally they could get a happiness. I think it is wonderful to find a happiness together.

[Namiko]

It is not bad for a first level story.

[家瑀 許 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's great to read this book becasue it inspirates me about what the world that i live on .

[Pepo · Rating 3 out of 5]

bel libro di facile comprensione.

[Yasuko · Rating 2 out of 5]

2015.1.11 4578words

[Matii Mondino Joseph]

Por favor lo quiero leer.

[Linh Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 English reading

A reread. The story is about a young aspiring writer who received a mail from some lawyers from the USA regarding his unpublished book.