Simple Version

Of Mice and Men part 5
Petting too hardanswer key
Subject: / English
Age groups: / 11-14, 15-16
Topic: / Of Mice and Men

Simple version

This is the version of part 5 from the left-hand column of the table, written in simple sentences.

Lennie is in the barn. The other men are pitching horseshoes outside. He has accidentally killed his puppy. He petted it too hard. He is sad. He feels guilty. He is worried. George might not now let him tend the rabbits on their dream farm.

Curley’s wife enters the barn. He shares his worries with her. He is with Curley’s wife. This makes him even more worried. George told him to stay away from her. He had scared a woman at the previous ranch.

Curley’s wife is desperate to talk to someone about her loneliness. She starts to talk openly about her feelings and her dreams for a better life. Lennie tells her how much he likes petting soft things. She invites him to stroke her hair. Lennie gets carried away. He does it too hard.

She starts yelling. Lennie panics. They may be discovered by the men outside. He muffles her yells. He puts his hand over her mouth. Curley’s wife suffocates.

Lennie realises something. He has ‘done another bad thing.’ He goes to hide by the stream. George had told him.

Candy finds the body of Curley’s wife. He tells George. They know that Lennie did not kill her deliberately. George realised something. Lennie cannot get away with it this time.

George informs Curley and the other workers on the ranch about Curley’s wife’s death. George tries to persuade Curley not to kill Lennie in revenge. Curley is determined to shoot him.

Summary using complex and compound sentences

This is just an example – there is a range of different correct ways to form complex and compound sentences.

Lennie is in the barn when the other men are pitching horseshoes outside. He has accidentally killed his puppy because he petted it too hard. As a resulthe is sad and feels guilty. Most of all he is worried that George might not now let him tend the rabbits on their dream farm.

When Curley’s wife enters the barn, he shares his worries with her. Beingwith Curley’s wife makes him even more worried as George told him to stay away from her becausehe had scared a woman at the previous ranch.

Curley’s wife is desperate to talk to someone about her loneliness and starts to talk openly about her feelings and her dreams for a better life. AfterLennie tells her how much he likes petting soft things she invites him to stroke her hair. Lennie gets carried away and does it too hard.

When she starts yelling, Lennie panics that they may be discovered by the men outside and he muffles her yells by putting his hand over her mouth. As a result, Curley’s wife suffocates.

Lennie realises that he has ‘done another bad thing’andhe goes to hide by the stream as George had told him.

Candy finds the body of Curley’s wife and tells George. Although they know that Lennie did not kill her deliberately, George realised that hecannot get away with it this time.

After informingCurley and the other workers on the ranch about Curley’s wife’s death, George tries to persuade Curley not to kill Lennie in revenge, but Curley is determined to shoot him.