In this reading, there are three primary objectives:
1—You will develop your awareness of the use of articles.
2—You will increase your reading comprehension.
3—You will expand your working vocabulary.

These objectives are facilitated by the following activities:
1—Reading the following part of the radio broadcast script.
2—Seeing photographs from the movie that illustrate the story.
3—Noticing required articles by interactively revealing articles after the "mouseover" of highlighted spaces.
4—Accessing short vocabulary definitions of selected words and phrases (those underlined in blue).
5—Getting vocabulary definitions from the internet for words you choose.
6—Checking your reading comprehension by doing the interactive quiz at the end (self-testing).

And, I hope you have some fun too! —Skip Reske

Move mouse cursor

over blank highlights

to show correct article (a/an or the) and over words in blue to show definition

It's A Wonderful Life

End of last part:

CLARENCE: Help! Help, I'm drowning! Oh! Help!

WILLIAM KEIGHLEY: No, that's not George. It's Clarence,apprentice angel. And there goes George intoriver to save him. Hmmm. Now, it'sfew minutes later and, insmall place where bridgekeeper stays, George and Clarence are getting dry.

Act 3 - Part 1

BRIDGEKEEPER: You both sure you're all right? You wantdoctor?

GEORGE: No, I'm all right, I'm all right.

CLARENCE: Oh, I'm fine. This underwear-- I didn't have time to get anything more stylish. My wife gave me this on my last birthday. I passed away in it.

BRIDGEKEEPER: You - you what, mister?

CLARENCE: Oh, I see Tom Sawyer's drying out, too.

BRIDGEKEEPER: Who?

CLARENCE: My book. I left in suchhurry, I brought Tom Sawyer with me.

GEORGE: Hey, how did you happen to fall inriver?

CLARENCE: Oh, I jumped in . I jumped in to save you.

GEORGE: Jumped in to save me?

CLARENCE: Well, I - I did, didn't I? You didn't do it, did you?

GEORGE: Do what?

CLARENCE: Kill yourself.

BRIDGEKEEPER: Hey, it's againstlaw to commit suicide around here!

CLARENCE: Yeah, it's againstlaw where I come from, too.

BRIDGEKEEPER: Where do you come from?

CLARENCE: Heaven.

GEORGE: Oh, that's very funny, very funny.

CLARENCE: Your - your lip's bleeding.

GEORGE: Yeah. Yeah, I was hit injaw in answer toprayer.

CLARENCE: Oh, no, George. I'manswer to your prayer.

GEORGE: Hey, how - how'd you know my name?

CLARENCE: Oh, I know all about you.

GEORGE: Well, who are you supposed to be, anyway?

Clarence talks to George

CLARENCE: Clarence Oddbody, A-S-2.

GEORGE: Clarence Oddbody. What's - what's A-S-2 mean?

CLARENCE: Angel, Second Class.

GEORGE: Hey, look here, why did you want to save me?

CLARENCE: Because I'm your guardian angel, George.

GEORGE: Oh, I see, uh huh. Well, you look like aboutkind ofangel I'd get. What - what, uh, what happened to your wings?

CLARENCE: I haven't won my wings yet. That's why I'mAngel, Second Class.

GEORGE: Oh, I see.

CLARENCE: But you can help me earn them, George, by letting me help you.

GEORGE: Oh, uh huh. You don't happen to have eight thousand bucks on you, do you?

CLARENCE: Oh, no, no. We - we don't use money in Heaven.

GEORGE: Oh, that's right, yeah, I keep forgetting. I see. It comes in pretty useful down here, friend. Of course, I found that outlittle late. You know, I'm worth more dead than alive!

CLARENCE: You mustn't talk like. Joseph will never give me my wings if you keep feeling that way. You just don't realize what you've done for your folks. Why, without you--

GEORGE: Yeah, without me, everybody would be better off! My wife, and my kids and my friends--

CLARENCE: Ohhhh, this is not going to be easy.

Clarence realizes his job will be difficult

GEORGE: They'd all be better off if I hadn't been born.

CLARENCE: What did you say?

GEORGE: I said, I wish I'd never been born!

CLARENCE: George, that's wonderful.

GEORGE: Wonderful? What?

CLARENCE: idea you just gave me. Well, you've got your wish. You've never been born.

GEORGE: I've never been born?

CLARENCE: Exactly. No worries, no eight thousand dollars to get, nothing. You simply don't exist.

GEORGE: All right, all right, okay, all right.

CLARENCE: George, I can do things. Strange things. I can show youworld, George,way it would be if you hadn't been born.

GEORGE: Hey, wait. Say, waitminute! This ear of mine. Say something else in that bad ear.

George asks Clarence to talk into his "bad ear"

CLARENCE: You don't havebad ear any more. Oh, I don't think you're paying attention. Don't you see? You're notGeorge Bailey you think you are. You're-- Well, uh, you're nobody.

GEORGE: Well, that'sstrangest thing I ever-- that - that ear--

CLARENCE: Your lip's stopped bleeding, too.

GEORGE: Yeah, yeah... Hey, what's - what's happening around here? What is this, anyway? I needdrink, that's what I need! What about you, angel, you wantdrink?

CLARENCE: Well, I - I don't quite know.

GEORGE: C'mon , c'mon, we'll go as soon as our clothes are dry.

CLARENCE: Our clothes ARE dry, George.

GEORGE: Hey, so they are, that's funny. Well, look, let's get dressed and we'll walk over to Martini's and then-- Oh, oh, excuse me, I mean, I'll walk, you'll fly.

CLARENCE: Ha, ha, ha. No, I don't have my wings.

GEORGE: You don't have your wings yet. That's right, I forgot that again. Couple of drinks and we'll both fly, huh?

[SOUND: BAR SOUNDS ... MUSIC INBACKGROUND]

NICK: What'll you have?

George and Clarence order drinks

GEORGE: Hey, where'sboss? Where's Martini?

NICK: Look, man, I'mboss, understand?

GEORGE: Okay. Well, I'd likedouble whiskey.

NICK: And what do you want?

CLARENCE: You know what I'd just love? Some mulled wine.

NICK: Huh?

CLARENCE: And make it withlot cinnamon and onlylittle bit of cloves. Go on now, and hurry up!

NICK: Now, stop that!

GEORGE: (to Nick) Oh, never mind. Just give himsame as I ordered. He's okay.

NICK: Ehh. Two double whiskeys.

GEORGE: (to Clarence) Look at this place! It's all changed.

CLARENCE: All of Bedford Falls has changed. You're having your wish, George. You've never been born. Oh, there'll be lots of things you've never seen before.

[SOUND: CASH REGISTER BELL RINGS]

CLARENCE: Oh, oh. Somebody's just made it.

GEORGE: Made what?

CLARENCE: Every time you hearbell ring, it means some angel's just got his wings.

[NICK GLARES AT GEORGE AND CLARENCE]

GEORGE: Look, uh ... I think maybe you better not mention getting your wings around here.

George tells Clarence not to talk about angels

CLARENCE: Why? Don't they believe in angels?

GEORGE: I... yeah, they believe in them....

CLARENCE: Ohhh ... Why should they be surprised when they see one?

GEORGE: [TO NICK] Ah, he never grew up. He's... uh...

GEORGE: How old are you, anyway, Clarence?

CLARENCE: Two hundred and ninety-three... uh... next May.

Watch a video clip from the movie. Speakers/headphones required.
Slow internet connection (dial-up)
Fast interner connection (DSL or cable)

NICK: That does it! That's enough! You two are

couple of crazy people. Go on ...leave! Get out of here!

GEORGE: Where's Martini? Will you call him--?

NICK: Stop asking about Martini! He isn't here and he--

[A man entersbar]

NICK: Hey, you! You! Didn't I tell you never to come around here?!

CLARENCE: Oh, George, look!

Drunk old man enters the bar