ISCEM - LANGUAGE I - 2022

THE STORYTELLER (Saki)

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

A- Read the following excerpts and explain the meaning of the underlined words/phrases.

1. ‘Perhaps the grass in the other field is better,’ suggested the aunt fatuously.

2. The frown on the bachelor’s face was deepening to a scowl.

3. Evidently her reputation as a storyteller did not rank high in their estimation.

4. The aunt bristled in instant defence at this unexpected attack.

5. The children’s momentarily-aroused interest began at once to flicker; all stories seemed dreadfully alike.

6. It seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the aunt’s tales of infant life.

7. The aunt permitted herself a smile, which might almost have been described as a grin.

8. The aunt suppressed a gasp of admiration.

9. The storyteller paused to let a full idea of the park’s treasures sink into the children’s imaginations…

10. Just then an enourmous wolf came prowling into the park…

11. Bertha saw the wolf and saw that it was stealing towards her…

12. …the wolf came after her with huge leaps and bounds

13. …as she trembled the medal for obedience clinked against the medals for good conduct and punctuality.

14. He [the wolf] dashed into the bush…

ISCEM - LANGUAGE I - 2022
THE STORYTELLER (Saki)
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

15. You have undermined the effect of years of careful teaching.

16. …so those children will assail her in public with demands for an improper story.

B- ADJECTIVES: Choose 5 adjectives from the story and complete the following chart. Sample sentences should be made up, not copied from the
story.

ADJECTIVE MEANING SAMPLE SENTENCE

sultry hot and airless The hotel room was too sultry to stay in since the air conditioner had broken the
previous day. That is why we decided to spend the day on the beach.

C- ADVERBS: Choose 5 adverbs from the story and complete the following chart. Sample sentences should be made up, not copied from the story.

ADVERB MEANING SAMPLE SENTENCE

relunctantly without really wanting to; unwillingly They asked him to take a break from his duties, just for a while, and he reluctantly
went to the coffee shop.
ISCEM - LANGUAGE I - 2022
THE STORYTELLER (Saki)
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

D- IDIOMS: COLOURS

Use some of the colours mentioned in The Storyteller to complete the following idioms. Then, provide their meanings and a sample sentence to
illustrate how they are used.

1. _______ with envy

2. have the ________
3. once in a ________ moon
4. a ________ lie
5. be in the ________
6. out of the _________

Can you add 2 more idioms containing colours?

E- IDIOMS: ANIMALS

Fill in these idioms with animals from the story. Look up their meanings and complete the chart.

IDIOM MEANING SAMPLE SENTENCE

the black sheep a person who is different from the other

people in the family or a group and is
considered bad or worthless by them

separate/sort out the

________ from the goats
ISCEM - LANGUAGE I - 2022
THE STORYTELLER (Saki)
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

a cry ________

a lone ________

a ________ in sheep’s
clothing

a ________ in wolf’s
clothing

eat like a ________

squeal/scream/sound like
a stuck ________

a ________ in a china
shop

a red rag/flag to/before a

________

take the ________ by the

horns

a ________ in the hand

an early ________

a big ________

a cold ________

a ________ out of water

________ fashion
ISCEM - LANGUAGE I - 2022
THE STORYTELLER (Saki)
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

F- COLLOCATIONS: Read the story and complete the statements with the missing verb.

The smaller girl ___________ no actual comment on the story,...

[a] story about a little girl who was good, and ______ friends with everyone…

Now, think of 5 collocations with the same verb and complete the table.

COLLOCATION MEANING SAMPLE SENTENCE