Ls :5-The Boy Who Flew Too High

A Greek myth

I. New Words

1. ferocious
2. labyrinth
3. fascination
4. proportion
5. pouch
6. fastened
7. fluttered
8. somersault

II. Answer the following questions:

1. Describe what Daedalus did to escape from the tower.

A. Daedalus made a beautiful pair of wings by laying a row of long feathers.
Then he laid a row of small feathers. He then sewed them together with linen
thread and a needle. Finally, he softened some beeswax and fastened the row
of feathers together with the wax. Daedalus tied the wings to his arms and
shoulders with thin strips of leather, then he fluttered his wings. As the
wings moved, he could feel himself lifting from the roof of the tower.

2. What instructions did Daedalus give Icarus about flying?

A. The instructions that Daedalus gave were don’t fly too low, too close to the
waves, his feathers will get wet. Then his wings will be too heavy to fly. And
if he flies too high, the heat of the sun will melt the wax that holds his wings
together.

3. Do you agree/disagree with these statements? Give reasons for your

answer.
(i) Daedalus is responsible for his son’s death.
A. I don’t think that Daedalus is responsible for the death of his son. He
made the wings for both of them to escape the tower so that they could
fly to freedom together. However, Icarus disobeyed and flew too high
which resulted in his drowning.
 (ii) Icarus was very ambitious. Hence, he flew very high.
A. I disagree with the statement that it was ambition that made Icarus fly
too high. I think it was disobedience that made him not follow his father’s
instructions and fly too close to the sun. Also, as he was a child, he was
extremely overjoyed and excited to fly. This might have also played a
part in making him fly too high.

III. Answer with reference to the context.

1. ‘O mighty king, my work is done, and I wish to return to Greece

with my son.’
a) Who is the speaker? Where is he?
Ans The speaker is Daedalus. He was in Crete.
b) What work is the speaker referring to?
Ans: The work is of building a maze.
c) Was the speaker allowed by the king to return to Greece.? Why/
Why not?
Ans: The speaker was not allowed to return to Greece because he is
knowing the secret of the labyrinth and he might tell somebody how to
find the way through the twisting passageways.

IV. Verb Forms:

Base form Past simple Past s/es/ies ing

V1 V2 Participle
V3
flap flapped flapped flaps flapping

tell told told tells telling

spread spread spread spreads spreading

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