Antonio is a wealthy and popular merchant in Venice. His friend Bassanio needs money to travel to Belmont, where he hopes he can marry the beautiful Portia. Antonio has no cash, so he goes to Shylock, a moneylender. Shylock will lend the money, but on one condition: if Antonio does not pay him back on time, Shylock can take "a pound of flesh" form Antonio. Will Antonio lose his life so that Bassanio can marry the woman he loves? The Express Publishing Showtime Readers is a brand new series of books at four levels, which introduce students to classic children/s stories in English, using a unique approach with special emphasis on dramatisation. Students first enjoy the story as a reading text in several two-page episodes with beautiful illustrations. Each episode is accompanied by language activities to help comprehension and consolidate learning.