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Ella and Alli: A Modern-Day Tale of Sisterhood

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Two Very Different Princesses

Princess Ella and Princess Alli of Scovia were never close in childhood. While Alli was sweet and naive, Ella was rebellious and mean, frequently taking out her frustration on her younger sister. Ella acted out because she felt suffocated by the constant pressure of preparing for the throne. With every detail of her life strictly controlled, she rebelled by breaking palace rules, smashing expensive vases, and bullying Alli. Hoping discipline would tame her, the king sent Ella away to a strict overseas boarding school. Alli stayed home, spoiled by palace staff and a devoted governess, thoroughly enjoying her place as the center of attention.

A Queen Too Soon

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Everything changed three years later when their parents died in a tragic plane crash. At just seventeen, Ella was suddenly Queen of Scovia.

Alli's Hollywood Mistake

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As the public turned its focus to the new queen, Alli found herself pushed to the sidelines. Bitter and resentful, she fell for the charms of Floki, a smooth-talking con-artist claiming to be a big-time Hollywood producer. Eager to escape her sister's shadow, Alli followed him to Los Angeles. Before long, Floki was secretly using Alli's name and bank accounts to run illegal financial scams.

An Arrest in Hollywood

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Worried about her sister, Queen Ella flew to Hollywood. Naturally, the paparazzi followed her everywhere, which only fueled Alli's jealousy. She assumed Ella had come to steal her spotlight, completely unaware that her sister and the Scovian Secret Service were actually there to investigate Floki. Things turned south for Alli when FBI agents found records linked to her accounts, and she was arrested and thrown in a cell. Ella visited her sister in jail. Crushed and humiliated, Alli admitted how easily Floki had manipulated her and apologized for trusting a stranger over her own sister. "I'll get you out," Ella promised. "Whatever it takes."

The Sting

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While the Secret Service found plenty of evidence connecting Floki to fraud, they couldn't prove Alli was an innocent victim. Knowing she had to act, Ella set up a meeting with Floki while wearing a hidden wire. During the meeting, Ella deliberately tried to goad* Floki into a confession. Suddenly, Floki lost his temper and lunged at her, wrapping his hands around her throat. Confessing that Alli was nothing more than a naive, gullible pawn, he admitted to setting her up. At that moment, Secret Service agents burst into the room, exactly as Ella had planned. With Floki's recorded confession in hand, and all the Scovian Secret Service investigation documents handed over**, the FBI dropped all charges against Alli and sent Floki to prison for life. With Alli free at last, the sisters put their past behind them, ready to face the future together.

* goad; provoke; push someone's buttons;

** hand over; give to

Comprehension Questions

Why did Ella often get in trouble as a child?
Ella acted out because she felt suffocated by the constant pressure of preparing for the throne.
What did the king do, hoping it would fix Ella's behavior?
Hoping discipline would tame her, the king sent Ella away to a strict overseas boarding school.
How did Ella suddenly become queen?
Everything changed three years later when their parents died in a tragic plane crash. At just seventeen, Ella was suddenly Queen of Scovia.
Who was Floki, and what did he claim to be?
He was a smooth-talking con-artist claiming to be a big-time Hollywood producer.
What was Floki secretly doing with Alli's name and bank accounts?
Floki was secretly using Alli's name and bank accounts to run illegal financial scams.
Why did Queen Ella really travel to Hollywood?
Ella and the Scovian Secret Service were actually there to investigate Floki.
What did Ella promise Alli when she visited her in jail?
That she would get her out of the situation no matter what it takes.
What happened after Floki's recorded confession was found?
The FBI dropped all charges against Alli and sent Floki to prison for life.

Discussion Questions

Dictation / Summary 🎧

Dictation audioVid  🎧
Dictation Check – Click to see sentences
  1. Ella and Alli were sisters, but they were never close.
  2. The king sent Ella away to a strict boarding school.
  3. Ella became queen when she was only seventeen.
  4. Alli made the mistake of trusting a con man named Floki.
  5. Floki was secretly using Alli's name and bank accounts to run illegal financial scams.
  6. Ella visited her sister in jail and promised to help her.
  7. Wearing a hidden wire, Ella tricked Floki into confessing that he had set Alli up.
  8. After this affair, Ella and Alli developed a closer bond.