The Twins of Siam

The Twins of siam

A young mother was lying on a bed. She had just given birth to twin boys. She was tired but happy. A woman was helping her. Suddenly the woman screamed. “What’s the matter? “The mother cried. She lifted her head and looked at her babies. The babies were joined at their chests. She could not separate them.

That happened in Siam –now called Thailand- in 1891. The mother named her babies “Chang” and “Eng”. Chang and Eng grew up and became the famous Siamese twins.

People came from all over Siam to stare at the twins. One day, when the twins were 18, an American saw them. He thought, “I can make money with the twins”. He asked Chang and Eng, “Will you come with me to the United States?” Chang and Eng wanted to go to the United States, so they went with the man. They never saw Siam or their family again.

Chang and Eng traveled with the American for ten years. Later they traveled alone. People paid to see them and ask them questions about their lives.

Finally, the twins got tired of traveling. They got tired of answering questions. They decided to live quietly in North Carolina.

Soon after they moved to North Carolina, the twins met two sisters. The sisters’ names were “Adelaide” and “Sarah”. The twins fell in love with the sisters. Chang married Adelaide, and Eng married Sarah. The marriages were very unusual. Adelaide and Sarah lived in separate houses. The twins lived in one house for four days. Then they went to the other house for four days. The marriages were unusual, but they were long and happy. Chang and Adelaide had ten children, and Eng and Sarah had eleven children.

The twins were happy with Adelaide and Sarah, but they were not always happy with each other.

Sometimes they argued, and they didn’t talk to each other. They asked doctor after doctor, “Please separate us”. Every doctor said, “I can’t separate you. The operation is too dangerous.” So, the twins stayed joined together.

One night, when the twins were 63, Eng suddenly woke up. He looked at Chang, who was lying beside him. Chang was not breathing. Eng screamed for help, and one of his sons came.

“Uncle Chang is dead,” the young man said.

“Then I am going to die, too,” Eng said, and then began to cry. Two hours later Eng was dead.

For 63 years the twins of Siam lived together as one. In the end, they also died as one.

VOCABULARY

Read the sentences. Guess the meaning of the words. Circle the letter of your answer.

1. A woman was helping the young mother. Suddenly the woman screamed. “What’s the matter?” the mother cried.

a) Yelled in a loud voice b) Smiled happily

2. The babies were joined at their chests.

She could not separate them

a) Take them apart b) Wake them up

3. People came from all over Siam to stare at the twins.

a) Take pictures of b) Look at

4. The twins were not always happy with each other. Sometimes they argued.

a) Spoke quietly b) Spoke in angry voices

COMPRENSION

UNDERSTANDING THE MAIN IDEA

Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. This story is about

a) Dangerous operations

b) Unusual marriages

c) Siamese twin brothers.

2. The twins talked to many doctors because

a) The twins were often sick

b) They wanted the doctors to separate them

c) The doctors wanted to study the twins.

REMEMBERING DETAILS

Read the sentences. One word in each sentence is not correct. Find the word an cross it out. Write the correct word.

Thailand

1. The story happened in Siam –now called china- in 1811

2. Chang and Eng grew up and became the famous Siamese doctors.

3. People came from all over Siam to laugh at the twins.

4. An Australian asked Chang and Eng to come with him to the United States.

5. Chang and Eng traveled with the American for ten days.

6. After they moved to North Carolina, the twins met two cousins.

7. The marriages were unusual, but they were long and unhappy.

8. Every doctor said, “I can separate you because the operation is too dangerous”.

UNDERSTANDING REASONS

Find the best way to complete each sentence. Write the letter of your answer on the line.

1. The young mother lifted her head _________

2. Chang and Eng went to the United States__________

3. People paid _______________

4. The twins went to doctor after doctor __________

a. To ask the twins questions

b. To ask about an operation.

c. To travel with the American.

d. To look at her babies.