Fluency U5L3

Many people in London, England, were talking about

the Colonies in America. This upstart bunch of farmers

and hunters was causing trouble for the king because

they seemed to want to have a say in how they were

governed.

Lisa heard her parents talking about this problem

and asked her mother why the colonists were being

so ungrateful. “Don’t we do many things for them?”

she said.

“Of course we do,” answered her mother. “But they

feel that perhaps they are doing too much for us and

getting nothing in return. For example, when we make

laws, they have to follow them. They believe that they

should be included in the discussion of these laws.”

Just then, Lisa’s father came in. He looked upset

and sat down without saying a word. He was a merchant

and sold many things to the Colonies.

Finally, he spoke to them. “We are in for a very hard

time, I believe. A ship just returned from America with

the news that they don’t want to buy any of our goods.

They also don’t want to sell us any of their goods.

That could be very bad for us because we do so much

business with them.”

Very quietly, Lisa’s mother asked him a question.

“Do you think that perhaps they are right in wanting

more control of their own destiny?”

Mr. Jones looked around as if he worried about

someone hearing him. “Of course they are right,”

he insisted. “If we had any sense at all, we would do

everything we could to support them. This can only

end badly for us.”