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The Ring

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[Penguin Readers Level 3]

Original / British English
One day Rafael was well; the next day he was completely mad. What happened to him? The story of Rafael and his gold ring is a strange story of murder, mystery and love. Many people know part of the story. But only Rafael knows the true facts. And Rafael is mad.

54 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1969

58 people are currently reading
702 people want to read

About the author

Bernard Smith

133 books17 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

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5 stars
100 (35%)
4 stars
73 (25%)
3 stars
78 (27%)
2 stars
16 (5%)
1 star
17 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Satomi.
839 reviews19 followers
September 27, 2018
As this book is for pre-intermediate English learners, the English is very easy. I am impressed at this dark story written very simply, but mysteriously. I will give this book to my son, but i doubt he will read it...
Profile Image for Dalianon.
123 reviews1 follower
September 26, 2022
This is my first reviw writing in English!

If I have any grammar or spelling errors please comment and help me practice c:

Is too easy to read and the story have a little of mistery. The most part of the book is it in past and help to practice verbs in past.
The book haven't words very difulcult and if have, the contex help me that understand.

I feel sad for the final of the story but also happy why I can read in English.
Profile Image for Sukyna.
116 reviews51 followers
November 7, 2013
Bernard Smith wrote this story as a teaching book, so the language was easy to understand, and the plot was not that sophisticated but highly enjoyable.
Anita was loved by everyone and especially by Rafael and Carlos, but she couldn't belong to both of them at the same time, so it all ended up with a lot of damage to every living soul in their village.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially to those who are new to reading English books.
Profile Image for Madoka Sakuta.
39 reviews7 followers
June 3, 2013
penguin readers level3 pre intermediate

time chapter1~ chapter8 80min
7word
Rafael story crazy woman soldier dance ring
Discusstion question
1 Did you remember your childhood? What did you remember?
When I was a child, I liked summer festival in the park.
It called "Bon odori" in Japanese.
I put on the yukata, and danced with my friends.
I went a lot of summer festivals with my frinends.
I had a great time.
2 What is your treasure?
My albums. There are a lot of pictures.
When I showed those, I remember many things.

Comment
Actually, I read another book, but I returned the book in the libraly.
I am reading this book now. Rafael is a strange person but he was a good person many years ago.
I am looking forward to what happned him. Also, I do not still know why he lives alone.


time chapter9~ last 60min June1
7words
ask story ring secret doctor truth share
Diacusstion question
1 Have you ever given a person whom you love something?
Yes. On the Valentine's day, I gave him chocolate which I made.
I did not often cook, but I tried.
When I gave him, I was very nervous but excited.
2 Recently, did you feel dreadful?
When I went to home, my brother was watching horror film and
I watched dreadful ghosts.
I hate horror movie.

Comment
When I read the last chapter, I was surpried and felt dreadful. It is because Rafael found the fingers with the ring. I could not image those things happend last chapter. This story was mystery and love story. It was funny and dredful.

13 reviews3 followers
December 1, 2012
Penguin active reading, lebel 3
Time I forgot the time, but about 90min

7-word summary
man- mad- ring- woman- love- soldior- kill

Q1. If you love people,but she or he can't accept you, do you give up?
A1. No. I will continue to love him and confess my love again.

Q2. Have you got ring from someone?
A1. Yes:) Last year, I got a ring from my boyfriend and I also gave a ring to him.

This story was very sad ending. Rafael loved Anita, but but the soldior came and he lost Anita. Finally he tried to kill the soldior, and he killed him, but he also killed Anita. Thinking about his feeling I was very sad,I understood why he became a mad man.
Profile Image for Musaritch.
221 reviews2 followers
October 12, 2021
Vraiment sympa comme livre, et j'ai vraiment aimé ça lire en anglais j'ai l'impression d'avoir un peu amélioré mon vocabulaire. Et puis même l'histoire était intéressante avec un bon suspense !
Je pense lire d'autres livres en anglais, j'ai déjà The little prince dans ma PAL il me reste juste à l'en sortir !
Profile Image for Rikko215.
65 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2021
The story about Rafael who completely went mad. It never allowed me to stop reading; why the man had gone wild after losing his love of his life? In the last chapter, I finally came to know the real reason of his madness but the truth was incredibly formidable and shocking.
Profile Image for Fercho.
118 reviews
September 8, 2022
el mejor reader hasta el momento excelente showstopping spectacular never the same
Profile Image for Lázaro.
32 reviews
March 5, 2023
Is not a great story but is good. I like cause everything is connect.
Profile Image for Catalina Andrea.
79 reviews3 followers
December 31, 2023
5 ⭐️ Para ser un libro tan corto es muy bueno. Es una pequeña historia de suspenso y amor no correspondido.
Profile Image for Joako.
60 reviews
March 31, 2024
Primer libro q leo en ingles
Segunda y última lectura de marzo supongo🫠
El colegio no m deja vivirrr
En un rato actualizo pj5
Profile Image for spooky Σοφί .
264 reviews9 followers
April 7, 2020
The ring es un libro que ni pensaba leer, pero lo tuve que hacerlo por una clase.

Tiene una narrativa interesante, ya que se ve desde diferentes puntos de vista y siempre me mantuvo atrapada. Pero también sentí algunas partes un tanto raras.

" < yellow>< eyes>" (?)

Además que TODO arrancaba con TOLD BY... y capaz hubiera preferido que me presentaran al preferido que no lo repitieran a cada rato.

En cuanto a la historia me gusto y en varias partes me dio muchisima lastima la historia de Rafael, además que el final es para morirse :)
Profile Image for Angela Soegijono.
4 reviews
July 16, 2018
The story of a madman, Rafael who loves a girl, Anita, very much. He kills the man who steals the girl’s heart. Unfortunately, what he does, makes his loved one dies.
This is a teaching book from Cambridge. The stories inside are easy to understand.
17 reviews
January 6, 2013
Penguin Reader ; Level 3
Time: 60 min.
7 word summary: mad - poor - beach - boat - soldier - ring - girl
Discussion Question
1. If you meet someone who is homeless, what do you do?
- Maybe, i cannot look them in the face and cannot help them.
2. If you are poor, what do you do to live?
- If there is something I can do, i will do it by doing my best.

Time: 90min.
7 word summary: love - gold - ring - stranger - jealousy - murder - atonement
Discussion Question
1. In this story, many people keep their promises in secret and these secrets made story complicated.
Question. Can you keep something important things your friends ask not to talk in secret perfectly?
- Yes, if they were very serious, i won't break promises and think I have to do so.
2. What do you want to present someone who you love the most?
- I'll give someone something special for who.
13 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2012
-Level
Penguin Readers/3

-Time
90min

-7words
man/poor/love/girl/work/disappear /mad

-Question
1) If you are poor but love a boy who is rich, what do you do to marry him?
- I do housework very hard to be considered as a good woman by her father.

2) If the boy who you love disappear suddenly, what do you do?
- I am absorbed in doing something to forget him.

-Good scene
The scene that Raffel worked hard and bought a gold ring to be considered as a hard worker by her father. It means that he loves her deeply! I think money is not as important as one's personality.

-Story
Rafael was a kind and hard worker, but one day he became mad! Why did Rafael become mad? The story is mystery and love story.



13 reviews
December 6, 2012
Penguinreaders, level 3, 11/30=30min, 12/03=30min, 12/05=30min
7 words: man, Rafael, mad, ring, doctor, Anita, kill

Have you met the person who you became mad?
>No, but I feel I want to meet the person who I fall bead over heels in love.

If the person who you fall in love is not interested in you, what do you do? Do you give up your love?
>That's a difficult question but I want to continue to love if I can do it.

Ar first, i thought this book looked interesting and romantic story but actually it doesn't. This book's title became very important keyword in this book. I want to fall in love the person who I will be mad at least once.
9 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2012
-penguin readers
-12/12 95min.
-love, mad, ugly, mystery, murder, poor, nobody know

-In this story, Rafael's father was killed by a shark, so Rafael like to kill sharks. What do you think of him?

I think he is completely mad. Because the sharks he killed were not the shark which killed his father, so his action doesn't mean anything.

-He loved a beautiful girl of his village, but she eloped with a solder, so he was broken heart. What is the best healing for you when you are broken heart?

Even if my lover has a girl friend, and i am broken heart, I will tell him that I loved you and I may be not able to forget him for a long time. But I will try to find a new cool guy.
Profile Image for Haruka Fujimoto.
10 reviews
May 27, 2015
1. Penguin level3
2. 5/16 20min. 5/18 30min. 5/19 30min.
3. A: Rafael found the ring in the Shark's mouth.
He notice that Anita was killed by the shark.
B: It was little scary, because they found the shark which killed her by chance.
4. I have not finished read yet this book. This story is little scary, but It is easy to read!

1. Penguin level3
2. 5/22 30min. 5/25 20min.
3. Seven word summery
boy-uncle-Rafael-boat-girlfriend-shark-killed
4a. The ring was the promise of their love.
4b. I surprised at this ring is promise of their love.
5. This story is easy to read I think! I understand Rafael really liked his girlfriend
12 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2012
-PENGUIN, level 3.

-Time: 10/22 = 30 minutes; 10/23 = 60 minutes; 10/24 =50 minutes.

-7-word summary: mad - shark - ring - soldier - poor - rich - kill

-Discussion questions:
1. Do you think love sometimes makes people crazy?
-Yes. There are people who try to kill their lovers because they are afraid of being stolen their lovers by someone.
2. The person who is loved by everyone is always good ?
-No. I think he/she has two faces like Anita in this book. Giving only good things makes people proud and lazy.

Profile Image for Nastya  JK.
34 reviews36 followers
July 6, 2016
Me lo dio mi profesora para leer en inglés. Es muy cortito y me gustó mucho, y el inglés (por suerte) fue muy fácil de entender.
Cuando me lo recomendó me dijo "tiene misterio, amor, traición, muertes..." y yo pensaba no puede tener todo eso en tan pocas páginas pero sí lo tiene. Y fue genial.
Cuando leí de qué se trataba me llamó mucho la atención y después de leerlo no me decepcionó.
Una historia muy corta pero interesante. No me esperaba casi nada de lo que pasaba y me tenía muy atrapada.

Profile Image for Yukino.
27 reviews
October 29, 2012
- Penguin readers, level 3
- Time=75 mins
- 7-word summary= poor-man-loved-rich-girl-became-mad
- Discussion questions
1. If you leave your home town to go to study, do you want to go back to your home town after graduate?
Actually, no. Because I prefer to live in cities. Living in cities is more convenient and comfortable for me!
2. When you see someone mad, what would you do?
Maybe I would be afraid of them, and try not to get close to them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

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