Cambridge Lower Secondary English 2ed 7 Learning Book

Cambridge Lower Secondary
English
LEARNER’S BOOK 7
Graham Elsdon with Esther Menon
Second edition Digital access
www.frenglish.ru
Cambridge Lower Secondary
English
LEARNER’S BOOK 7
Graham Elsdon with Esther Menon
www.frenglish.ru
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Introduction
Introduction
Welcome to Stage 7 of Cambridge Lower Secondary English.
We’ve designed this book to help you develop your English skills and also to
introduce you to some really interesting stories and articles. You’ll begin by
studying a fantastic adventure story about a character with a very unusual
skill and finish by reading a spine-chilling tale about a deadly sea creature.
You’ll read fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama about exciting cities,
futuristic schools and fame.
We hope you’ll really enjoy the two complete short stories in this book.
One of them features a strange character below the earth and the other
is about time travel. Reading complete short stories will give you a better
understanding of structure and theme.
By the time you’ve completed this book, you will be able to write
persuasively, analyse language in more depth and write an entertaining
playscript. There are plenty of opportunities to work in pairs and groups
on presentations and projects. You’ll sharpen your language skills and
you will learn about some very interesting older texts in a fun way, as
well as developing 21st century skills.
Try using the reflection and assessment activities too – they’ll help you to
become a more confident and independent learner.
Good luck on the next stage of your learning journey.
Graham Elsdon and Esther Menon
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Contents
Contents
Page Unit Text types Reading
8 1 Adventure Contemporary fiction (adventure); non- ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’; Around
fiction (travel writing); thematic poetry; India in 80 Trains; ‘Hard is the Journey’;
novel (spy story) Silverfin
32 2 ‘Hey, You Down Short story (science fiction) ‘Hey, You Down There’
There’
57 3 Film and fame Contemporary fiction; non-fiction (informative Film Boy; ‘Hrithik Roshan says he
article); non-fiction (film review) practises every day to overcome
stammering’ in the Hindustan Times;
The Incredibles film review; ‘Thai cave
rescue boys meet hero’ in the Guardian
82 4 Small but perfect Flash fiction; haiku poetry; imagist poetry; ‘One in Twenty-Three’; haiku poems;
non-fiction (informative article); non-fiction imagist poems; ‘The tiny world of
(explanatory text); non-fiction (magazine Willard Wigan’ in the Telegraph;
article and interview) explanation of shabtis;
‘Micro-artist Willard Wigan’
in WhatsonTV
108 5 Unusual education Non-fiction (descriptive accounts); non- Two accounts of different schools; blogs
fiction (blogs); non-fiction (discussion about school uniform; homeschooling
article and account); contemporary fiction; article and account; Wonder;
contemporary drama The Last Class
136 6 Life stories Thematic poetry; non-fiction ‘Lullaby’; ‘The Song of the Old Mother’;
(autobiographies); non-fiction (diary); biography of Malala Yousafzai; As I
persuasive speech Walked Out One Midsummer Morning;
Letter to Daniel; Captain Robert Scott’s
diary; speech by Nelson Mandela
163 7 ‘The Travel Short story (fantasy) ‘The Travel Agency’
Agency’
189 8 In the city Contemporary fiction; non-fiction The White Tiger; Doha article
(informative article); classic fiction; thematic Neverwhere; A Christmas Carol; The
poetry; non-fiction (argument articles) Sign of Four; ‘City Jungle’; ‘Last Night, I
Saw the City Breathing’; ‘Urban Threats’
in National Geographic; ‘What would
the ultimate child-friendly city look
like?’ in The Guardian
216 9 Dangers of the sea Contemporary fiction; non-fiction Jaws; ‘Why Are We Afraid of Sharks?’ in
(informative article); classsic fiction; classic National Geographic; Moby-Dick; And
poetry The Ocean Was Our Sky; The Rime of
the Ancient Mariner
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Contents
Writing Speaking/Listening Language focus 21st century skills

Summarise genre features; write Pair discussion and prediction; Sentence types; Creativity;
a monologue; analyse a poem’s present group views; recount an alliteration and sibilance; collaboration
meaning; write a story anecdote powerful verbs
Write a spoken drama; write Pair and group discussion Sentence openings; Critical thinking;
informally; write about theme; compound-complex communication
write a story with an unusual sentences; formal/
ending informal language
Write a section of a story; write Pair discussion; individual speaking Direct speech; types of Collaboration;
an article; write a film review; noun/adjective–noun creativity
speech writing combinations
Write flash fiction; analyse a Pair and group discussion Time connectives; Creativity; critical
poem; write poems; write an prefixes thinking
interview
Write an account about school; Pair and group discussion Connectives; colons Social
write a letter; write a script responsibility;
collaboration
Justify poetry choices; write Pair and group discussion Rhythm and rhyme; voice; Social
an account of family life; write embedded clauses responsibility;
a monologue; analyse a letter; creativity
analyse language; write a poem;
write a speech
Write about characters, events Pair and group discussion Word choice and order; Critical thinking;
and settings; write a narrative voice and excitement learning to learn
piece; write a brochure
introduction; analyse character;
write a diary entry; write about
theme
Write a travel article; continue a Pair and group discussion; individual Using punctuation; Learning to learn;
story; write a poem about a city speaking personification; related communication
word forms; perspective
Describe a sea snake; analyse Pair and group discussion; individual Choosing words and Creativity;
characters; continue a story; speaking phrases; poetic language collaboration
analyse poetic language
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How to use this book
1 Adventure
How to use this book In this unit, you will study texts about adventures. You will read about
characters who face challenges, go on journeys and experience exciting
situations. As you work through the texts and activities, think about the
way the characters react to their adventures.
This book contains lots of different features that will help your learning.
1.1 The These are explained
start below.
of an adventure 1.1 The start of an adventure
This list sets out what you will learn in each In this session, you will:
session. You can use these points to identify the • discuss the features of adventure stories
• look for explicit information in a text
important topics for the lesson. • explore how writers structure their stories.
Getting started
This contains questions or activities to help find Adventure stories are about characters who go on journeys.
The characters often have special skills and face difficult
out what you know already about the topics challenges. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is an
example of a story about a boy who goes on a sea adventure
in this session. to find hidden treasure. In pairs, make a list of adventure stories
and fiof
1.1 The start lms
anthat you know.
adventure
Important words are highlighted inis information

Explicit information the textthat the writer states directly. Key words
when they first appear in the book. You will find
Read the text again and make notes on:
explicit
a what you can find out about Odile’s family
an explanation of the meaning of these
b what is unusual words
about the setting
information: ideas
and details that
in the margin. You will also find definitions
c other unusual aspects of of
the story. a writer states
directly
all these words in the4 glossary
The narrativeat the
structure ofback
a story of
is the order in which events take
place. This includes how a story starts, when different pieces of
narrative
structure: the
this book. information are revealed and how the story ends. Look at this order in which a
timeline, which shows the first four main points in ‘Beware writer sets out the
Low-Flying Girls’. events in a story
2.3
2.3Gold!
Go
You are told Odile The strength of the
can fly. wind is described.
3 83 InInthethe
next
nextpart ofof
part thethe
story, Dora
story, Dorareceives a letter
receives from
a letter thethe
from people
people
down
down thethe
hole. They
hole. write
They in in
write standard
standardEnglish.
English.What
What dodo
you think
you think
Activities give you the opportunity to practise thethe
note
notewill say?
will say?
and develop the skills that you learn in each You
Her father’s coat
is described.
find out that Odile’s
grandfather and Odile
Write
Writethethe
note
note that thethe
that people send
people toto
send Dora. Remember
Dora. Remember that they
that they
live alone. seem
seemtoto
like flashlights,
like have
flashlights, gold,
have and
gold, that
and Dora
that has
Dora sent
has them
sent themaa
session. Activities will involve answering dictionary
dictionary andandfood.
food.
Write down the last two main points in the extract from ‘Beware
questions or completing tasks.Girls’.
Low-Flying This includes 13 13 4 4 Listen toto
Listen four people
four speaking
people speakingabout Calvin
about and
Calvin Dora.
and Dora.
AsAs
you
youlisten, make
listen, notes
make and
notes then
and summarise:
then summarise:
listening activities where you hear
5 Writers design a sound
the narrative structure of their stories to keep
• • what
whatSpeaker AA
Speaker thinks ofof
thinks Calvin
Calvin
readers interested. In pairs, discuss the following questions.
recording. These recordings
a
can be played from
Why does the writer start the story by telling you Odile • • what
whatSpeaker BB
Speaker thinks ofof
thinks Calvin
Calvin
the Digital edition of the Learner’s
can fly? Book. • • what
1 Adventure
whatSpeaker CC
Speaker thinks ofof
thinks Dora
Dora
b Why does she tell the reader that Odile wears her father’s coat? • • what what Speaker
Speaker DD thinks
thinksofof Dora.
Dora.
(Think about why the coat might be special.)
Key words
c Why does the writer end this part of the story with Listening
Listening
Language tiptip Reading tip
Odile flying? predict: sayfocus
what
When
When
you listening
thinklistening
might totothe opinions
the opinions ofofother
other speakers,
speakers, make
make notes
notes ofof When exploring
theTo create
reasons excitement in their
suspense stories, y writers oftenthe usemain
verbs
6 Which parts of the story have you found most interesting so far? the reasons
happen
that suggestin they
thetheygivegive
movement
for for their
and
ideas.
ideas.
power.
Briefl
Briefl
In the
note
y note
fi rst
down
down the
paragraph of
main the effect of
This will provide you with explanations
In your pairs, predict what you think might happen, or what you points
points
future theythey make.
make.
Silverfin, there are lots of ‘action’ verbs, including struggled, sentence types,
would like to find out, in the next part of the story. Do you both opinion:
gripping aand slid. These powerful verbs create excitement in the remember to
of important content relating to grammar
have the same opinion? 5 5 personal
InIngroups
story, view
helping
groups ofofthree,
the discuss
reader
three, thethe
imagine
discuss views ofof
the
views Calvin.
movement
Calvin. and danger that think about the
or
thejudgement
character is experiencing. Verbs build intensity, soAischoosing specific effect
and language. 7 Write a summary of about 50 words explaining what you have One
aOne
One
about
group
powerful
One
group
group
group
member
something,
verb
member
member
should
should
like should
member struggled
should
give
givereasons
reasons
is often
present
present
whywhy
more
reasons
reasons
Speaker
why
Speaker
effective
why Speaker
A
Speaker
correct.
is correct.
inB creating
is is
B correct.
correct.
they create. For
learnt about the features of adventure stories. Use some examples not necessarily example, short
excitement
The third than
member the choice of adjective.
from ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’ in your summary. The
based onthird
fact or ofof
member thethe
group
group should
should bebethethechairperson.
chairperson. Use
Use thethe sentences do not
notes
notes
knowledge you youmademade in inActivity
Activity 4. 4. always create
3 Look again at the extract from Silverfin. Write a paragraph excitement;
explaining
Speaking
Speaking tiptip how the writer uses powerful verbs to create excitement. sometimes they
Find your own examples and comment on their effect. are used to
When
When you you actactasaschairperson,
chairperson, it is important
it is important toto actact
in in
a fiarm
firmbut but
Each tip will help you to develop a technique 4 friendly
Writers
friendly manner. use many
manner. Maketechniques
sure that otherto create excitement.
group members
11 Make sure that other group members listen and
For example,
listen and
convey anger or
even humour.
take
takethey
turns. may
turns. You use
You shortintroduce
should
should sentences
introduce at
thethe
the moment
discussion
discussion of
and greatest
andalsoalso drama,
decide
decide
or skill connected to reading, writing, speaking when
whenorit they
is time
it is time forfor
might the
use anext
the single
nextperson
sentence
person totospeak. You
paragraph.
speak. Youcan
Look
canalso ask
at the
also short
ask
questions,
questions, summarise
sentencessummarise views
in the last 13 views and
linesand decide
decide
of the when
when
extract the
(from discussion
theHediscussion
stopped). has has
or listening. reached
reached an
In pairs, end.
an discuss
end. which is the most exciting short sentence and
Key words
why. Make a note of your opinions. humour: when

things are funny,
5 Writers can use punctuation to create effects. In the extract, or things that are
• • HowHow effective
effectivewas
wasthe
thegroup discussion?
group discussion?
ellipsis is used at moments of drama. For example, in paragraph 5, funny
• • In In
what
whatways
waysdid
dideach
eachperson
personcontribute?
contribute?
the narrator states: ellipsis: a set of
• • What
What might
might you
youimprove
improve onon
next
nexttime
time you
youhave aa
have
Thediscussion?
group
group castle was six feet away, five . . . four . . . The branch was
discussion? three dots ( . . . )
used to indicate
6 swaying alarmingly.
that words have
Here the ellipsis emphasises the tension, as if the character and the
been left out
reader are holding their breath as the main character edges along
www.frenglish.ru the branch. 4343
7 ‘The Travel Agency’ 1.2 Quest!
45 Plan a300
Write monologue called ‘The
words explaining Day
how theI writer
Met the Kraiks’.Sannala in
presents
It will be
Extract 3.told fromdetails
Include How to use this book
Odile’son:
point of view.
•a
On image
the your own, decide and
of Sannala thatmake brief presents
the writer notes on:
• what happened when you met the Kraiks
• You
2 ‘Hey, the Down
effect of structural techniques such as flashback and
There’
• what happened on the next stage of your quest.
contrast
5 b the Think
•Practise your about
effect thedrama
narrative
of voice,
spoken sentencestructure
pairs,ofthen
structures
in your yourperform
and monologue.
other language
it to the
List the events in the order you will tell them in your
class.techniques
Remember to:
monologue. Look back at the structure outlined in Key word
•• how
speak the introduction
clearly of this
and use 4your character
voice to showdevelops the themes
the characters’ feelings Key word
Session 1.1, Activity for ideas.
of friendship and loneliness. voice: the way
6 •Nowvary writethe volume
your and pace
monologue. of your voice
Remember to show
that you Calvin’s
are writing and
from apace: the speed
particular
Peer Dora’s
pointemotions.
assessment
Odile’s of view, so you will need to capture her voice. This at which someone
character speaks
orspeaks
thinksorinhow
means thinking carefully about
andher personality and attitude, and
After completing an activity, this provides you Swap
have
accounts
Self-assessment
choosing
with
written words
aboutand
a partner
eachphrases
point.that
Copy
check
convey
how thoroughly
and this. For example,
complete
they
the tableyou
fiquickly
ction, orevents
take place
writer’s
the
toneinand
with the opportunity to either assess your own to have
If you
Place
found
indicate
can, how
makeout
a tick under
adventures.
athat Odilethey
effectively
recording
She red
has or
isofyoung,
amber
been warned
your but
or about
sheand
have drama
written isabout
also brave.
to She
each
listen it. likes
point.
green.the Kraiks, so she may be
a story
point of view in
• Is it likely to interest your audience? non-fiction
work or another learner’s work. • cautious and a little
Green means theyscared.
• Did you vary your voices?
have written in detail.
• Amber means they have offered some detail.
•PeerDid you speak clearly?
assessment Speaking tip
• Red means that they have not written about the bullet at all.
•In groups,
Write a take
paragraph in your your
turns reading notebook givingaloud.
monologue an account of Before you read
your strengths
Bullet point and also areas to develop. your monologue,
• Which bits of each monologue were the most interesting
plan how you
1 to listen to? will speak. Which
•2 Why?checklist
Summary Give reasons for your assessment. words will you
emphasise?
This contains questions that ask you to look 3 I can analyse and write a compound-complex sentence.
Where will you
4 I can write and perform a spoken drama. pause? How
Listening tipcan
back at what you have covered and reflect on • What have you learnt from writing this monologue?
I canmight
• What assessyou
mydo
own speaking
differently andtime?
next performance skills. you use your
When receiving
voice to make
your learning. 5 Now feed back your findings to your partner. Explain your verbal
your feedback,
monologue
listen carefully
sound exciting? to
judgements, making sure you are polite and kind.
Summary checklist specific advice.
2.3 Gold!
I can predict
Summary how stories might develop.
checklist
Ask for details
and examples
I can identify the features of a monologue. to help you
I can explain how a writer might use a character to develop
This list summarises the important skills that aI can
In this write and
session,
theme. youperform
will: an interesting monologue. understand any
guidance. Take
you have learnt in the session. • I explore
can analyse
I ‘Hey,
the how
can write
sociala and
writer presentscontext
historical a heroicofcharacter.
notes to help you
You an
Downanalysis of how a character is presented.
There’ remember.
• understand how non-standard English helps to
convey character
• practise your group discussion skills.
These questions look back Checkyour
yourprogress
progress
Check
at some of the content you Answer
Answer thethe following
following questions
questions
174 toto check
check what
what you
you have
have learnt
learnt in in this
this unit.
unit.
15
learnt in each session in this 1 1 What

Listare
some
theways a writer of
key features might establish
adventure a strong
stories? sense
Give someof examples
place/setting at
of events that
the opening
happen of a story.
in adventure stories.
unit. If you can answer these, 2 2 What
Givetype
some
of examples
charactersofdo
contracted words.
you find in adventure stories? What happens to them?
you are ready to move on to 3 3 List three
Defi ways
ne and you
give can keep
examples of an audience
proper interested
nouns, when relating
abstract nouns an anecdote.
and adjective-noun
the next unit. 4 combinations.

Using examples, explain what alliteration and sibilance are.
40
5 4 List
List some
three language
ways features
of creating you would
suspense expect to find in a factual newspaper
in a story.
6 article/fi
Explain lm review.
what you have learnt about planning, writing and redrafting your writing.
5 Write
What a list of tips features
structural for future learners
would youabout
find inimproving writing.
a newspaper article/film review?
6 What advice would you give to a speaker about how to present an effective speech?
Project
Project
At the end of each unit, there In groups, you are going to design and present some ideas for a specific
1 ofAsadventure
type a class, you arethe
story: going to prepare
superhero forSuperhero
story. a debate. stories
Agree on
arefiabout
ve learners to
is a group project that you can take who
characters part.have
Then,extraordinary
choose five historical
powers. Theyfigures
arewho arenormal
often considered admirable
peoplefor some
who reason.
secretly change into superheroes in order to help people
carry out with other learners. 2 These
in need. Using the
five information
learners in this unit
will compete for as wellhistorical
their as extrafiresearch:
gure to appear on a new
This will involve using some of • banknote.
devise a newTwo rounds will be used to gradually select the winner.
superhero
3 In round 1, each speaker gives a short persuasive speech explaining why they
• write a brief character profi inlethis way.
the knowledge that you should
• 4 decide
be remembered
details about the prepare
world they livequestions.
in – is it Each person in the debate
For round 2, as a class, some
learnt during the unit. Your recognisable
should try and as your
answerown world,
some or is itsample
of these a different type of place?
questions:
• • Why
describe is your character
a costume special?
they might wear
project might involve creating • • the
draw What
badare your achievements?
characters that the superhero will encounter
or producing something, or • • some
plan Whatstorylines.
have you contributed to the world or a particular country?
you might all solve a problem • your

Present
artwork
Why should
ideas as a we admire
group. Youyou?
could use pictures and
• to Can
explain
youyour ideas.
tell us about your character’s work?
together. Start by:
• Can you tell an anecdote proving that your character should be admired?
• noting
• down
Can youthe names
give moreofdetail
any superhero books, comics
about a particular point in your speech?
and films you know
5 At the end of the speeches, have a class vote on which learner was most
• discussing some
persuasive. initial ideas
Remember with
– you your not
should group
vote on who you like best, but rather
• on howout
working wellwho
werewillthe
doarguments were
what in your presented.
group
• 6 planning
As an award,
ways tothispresent
famousyourperson’s
work.picture will appear on a new banknote to
mark their huge contribution.
7 31
81
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1 Adventure
In this unit, you will study texts about adventures. You will read about
characters who face challenges, go on journeys and experience exciting
situations. As you work through the texts and activities, think about the
way the characters react to their adventures.
1.1 The start of an adventure

In this session, you will:
• discuss the features of adventure stories
• look for explicit information in a text
• explore how writers structure their stories.
Getting started
Adventure stories are about characters who go on journeys.

The characters often have special skills and face difficult
challenges. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is an
example of a story about a boy who goes on a sea adventure
to find hidden treasure. In pairs, make a list of adventure stories
and films that you know.
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1 Adventure stories are a genre. This means that different adventure

Key words
stories contain similar features. In pairs, discuss:
• the types of characters in adventure stories genre: a particular
type of text
• the types of settings in adventure stories (e.g. adventure,
comedy, crime,
• what happens in adventure stories
science fiction)
• how these stories usually end. setting: the
Compare your findings with another pair. Apart from the location of where
a story takes
main character, what other types of people do you find in
place
adventure stories?
‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’

Read the extract from ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’ by Katherine Rundell.
It is about Odile, a girl whose adventure begins when she discovers she
has a very unusual skill.
01 Extract 1
It was cold, that day she first took flight, and the snow lay thick enough to hide a cat in.
She wore her father’s coat. It came down past her knees, and she had rolled the sleeves
up, so they hung at her wrist in a great roll of wool. The coat had once been a deep,
cocoa-bean brown, but now it was the colour of an elderly shoe. It smelt, very slightly,
of horses and woodsmoke.
The wind was fierce that day. It was often windy in winter at the top of the mountain;
birds got blown backwards up the cliff edge, reverse-somersaulting through the sky,
their wings shedding feathers like confetti. Seagulls blew into the house, sometimes
right into her lap as she sat curled up in the corner, wrapped in rugs, reading by the
firelight. Suddenly finding that you had an irate seagull as a bookmark was not, Odile
thought, ideal, but her grandfather would throw a blanket over them and stomp out
into the night with the bird bundled into his arms.
‘Always be polite to birds,’ he would say. ‘They know more than they let on.’
The house was built into the rock of the mountain, and the door was polished stone. Her
grandfather had lived on the mountaintop all his life. Odile had lived with him since she
was a baby. She had nobody else. In the house, the fire burned all the year round. ‘Keep
the fire as hot as the human heart,’ said her grandfather, his jaw stern. ‘Never let it go out.’
That day, she had pulled her father’s coat around her, and set out. The wind caught the
coat as she walked down the mountain path, billowing it out behind her like a sail. It had
no buttons left, so she took a corner of the coat in each fist and held her arms stiff at her
side. She began to run, her hair blowing in her eyes and mouth, down the hill.
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1 Adventure
The wind caught her coat and tossed her upwards. Odile felt the
sudden swoop of gravity undone.
It lasted only a second. She screamed, pulling her coat up over
her face, and dropped to the ground again, landing on
her hands and knees in the snow. Her breathing
stopped. Though she had barely fallen two feet,
she felt winded, gasping and choking for air.
‘I flew,’ she whispered. Or had she perhaps
just tripped and fallen more extravagantly
than usual? She had to be sure.
Odile rubbed some snow into her eyes to make sure
she was awake. She pulled a twig from a tree, brushed
the frost from it and used it to pin her hair out of her
eyes. She put on her gloves.
She stretched out the corners of her coat. She began
to run, downhill, her feet kicking up a spray of snow.
The coat billowed out behind her. Her breath misted
the air in front of her.
And Odile flew.
Reading tip
When you see words you do not understand, use details from
the surrounding sentences to help you work out meanings. For
example, in the second to last paragraph of the extract, you could
work out the meaning of billowed by thinking about the effect the
wind might have on Odile’s coat – blowing it out around her.
Key word
2 Practise working out word meanings from their context. context: the
The following words are taken from the third paragraph of situation within
the extract. What do you think they mean? which something
exists or happens
a fierce c irate
b confetti d bundled.
3 When reading a text, it is important to be able to identify and

understand the main points and ideas that a writer tells you.
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Explicit information is information that the writer states directly.

Key words
Read the text again and make notes on:
explicit
a what you can find out about Odile’s family information: ideas
b what is unusual about the setting and details that
c other unusual aspects of the story. a writer states
directly
4 The narrative structure of a story is the order in which events take narrative
place. This includes how a story starts, when different pieces of structure: the
information are revealed and how the story ends. Look at this order in which a
timeline, which shows the first four main points in ‘Beware writer sets out the
Low-Flying Girls’. events in a story
You are told Odile The strength of the

can fly. wind is described.
Her father’s coat You find out that Odile’s

is described. grandfather and Odile
live alone.
Write down the last two main points in the extract from ‘Beware
Low-Flying Girls’.
5 Writers design the narrative structure of their stories to keep
readers interested. In pairs, discuss the following questions.
a Why does the writer start the story by telling you Odile
can fly?
b Why does she tell the reader that Odile wears her father’s coat?
(Think about why the coat might be special.)
Key words
c Why does the writer end this part of the story with
Odile flying? predict: say what
you think might
6 Which parts of the story have you found most interesting so far? happen in the
In your pairs, predict what you think might happen, or what you future
would like to find out, in the next part of the story. Do you both opinion: a
have the same opinion? personal view
or judgement
7 Write a summary of about 50 words explaining what you have about something,
learnt about the features of adventure stories. Use some examples not necessarily
from ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’ in your summary. based on fact or
knowledge
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1 Adventure
Summary checklist
I can identify some features of adventure stories.
I can locate explicit information in a text and understand
its meaning.
I can comment on the narrative structure of a text.
1.2 Quest!
• describe how stories develop
• explore the features of a monologue
• write and perform a monologue.
Getting started
A quest is a difficult journey in search of an item or person.

Look up the origins of this word. How is the word ‘quest’
connected to the word ‘question’?
1 Here are two possible ways that the story you read in Session 1.1
could develop.
Which idea do you prefer and why? Discuss your ideas in pairs.
Are they similar to the predictions you made in the previous session?
A Odile flies far from home and arrives in a town she has
never been to. The people treat her like a princess. She is given
lots of power. One day, a threatening creature arrives and Odile
is expected to defend the town. She is frightened and doesn’t
know what to do.
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1.2 Quest!
B Odile flies into a dizzying snowstorm and doesn’t know

where she is. She falls asleep on a mountainside and when she
wakes up, the coat has gone. She meets a friendly girl called
Millie who invites Odile to stay with her family. Odile is not
sure if it’s a good idea.
Now read another part of ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’. At this

point, Odile has found out that her father used the coat to fly.
She also discovers that her grandfather is ill. To get better,
he needs a special plant from the other side of the mountain.
Odile decides to go on a quest to find it. Her grandfather warns
her to be careful of the Kraiks – a mysterious group of talking
birds.
02 Extract 2
Without another word, she pulled on her boots and coat

and kissed her grandfather’s cheek. He waved her away;
his skin was colder than usual.
Odile walked as far as the paths would take her, clapping her
hands together in front and behind her back to keep them
warm; and then she climbed. It was more of a scramble, really,
around the edge of the mountain, but there were places where
the ground cut away and dropped to a blur below. She did not
fly: the wind might drop at any moment, and she didn’t like the
idea of so much gravity at once.
The first hint that something was wrong was the smell. Odile
sniffed. There were seven layers of scent, none of them good:
a between-the-toe smell, a week-old-fish smell, an unbrushed-
tooth smell; a jackdaw’s breath, a cat’s sick pool, a burnt furball jackdaw: a bird
and a sailor’s earwax. (a small crow)
‘Kraiks,’ she whispered. furball: a ball
of fur that can
She looked up, up the edge of the mountainside. She could see
develop in an
nothing – only mist, and branches stretching like arms across the
animal’s stomach
rocks. But a voice came down, thin and quiet.
‘Where are you going, little girl?’
Odile said nothing. She set her jaw, and kept climbing, heading
sideways.
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1 Adventure
2 In pairs, discuss how the story could develop.

Remember the following:
• The Kraiks seem dangerous.
• Odile can fly.
• She needs the plant for her grandfather. Key words
• The central character in an adventure story usually faces monologue: a
a problem. story or speech
• Adventure stories usually end happily. given by one
character
03 3 A monologue is a spoken text told by one person. The speaker tone: the way that
usually explains their feelings and attitudes, as well as telling a someone speaks
story in which they gradually reveal bits of information. or how a piece of
writing sounds,
Listen to the monologue and answer the questions. You will need
which helps
to listen for explicit information, but also consider the speaker’s suggest mood
tone, which can reveal how he is feeling. and feelings
a How many messages had Alex missed?
b Why does Alex think the music shop owners are happy Listening tip
to let John play the guitars?
When you hear
c How would you describe the relationship between Alex information
and his mother? spoken aloud,
listen carefully
d How does the story end? for any explicit
e ‘Alex seems like a really kind person.’ To what extent do you information. The
agree with this view? way a person
speaks and how
4 Just like written stories, monologues are carefully structured they use their
to keep the listener interested. When writing a monologue, it is voice can also
important to think about when to tell the listener key information. give you clues as
to how they feel
In pairs, discuss the following questions. about the story
a What were you told at the start of the monologue and how they are telling.
Listen carefully
did this keep you interested?
not just to what
b What was the most exciting or dramatic part of the is being said, but
monologue? At what point in the story did it happen? also the tone (i.e.
how it is being
c How did the monologue end? How did the ending make you said).
feel – were you happy for Alex?
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1.2 Quest!
5 Plan a monologue called ‘The Day I Met the Kraiks’.

It will be told from Odile’s point of view.
a On your own, decide and make brief notes on:
• what happened when you met the Kraiks
• what happened on the next stage of your quest.
b Think about the narrative structure of your monologue.
List the events in the order you will tell them in your
monologue. Look back at the structure outlined in Key word
Session 1.1, Activity 4 for ideas.
voice: the way
6 Now write your monologue. Remember that you are writing from a particular
Odile’s point of view, so you will need to capture her voice. This character speaks
means thinking carefully about her personality and attitude, and or thinks in
fiction, or the
choosing words and phrases that convey this. For example, you
writer’s tone and
have found out that Odile is young, but she is also brave. She likes point of view in
adventures. She has been warned about the Kraiks, so she may be non-fiction
cautious and a little scared.
Peer assessment Speaking tip

In groups, take turns reading your monologue aloud. Before you read
• Which bits of each monologue were the most interesting your monologue,
to listen to? plan how you
will speak. Which
• Why? Give reasons for your assessment. words will you
emphasise?
Where will you
pause? How can
• What have you learnt from writing this monologue?
you use your
• What might you do differently next time?
voice to make
your monologue
sound exciting?
Summary checklist
I can predict how stories might develop.
I can identify the features of a monologue.
I can write and perform an interesting monologue.
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1 Adventure
1.3 Train trouble

• explore ways of using speech to engage an audience
• look for implicit meaning in a text
• use different sentence types to add interest to descriptive writing.
Getting started
Have you ever had a difficult start to a journey? Have you ever
missed a bus or been on a crowded train? Have you ever been stuck Key words
in traffic or had an annoying start to a holiday? What happened?
How did it make you feel? Tell your anecdote to a partner. anecdote: a short
entertaining story
that is usually
1 Tell the whole class your anecdote. spoken
• Explain clearly what happened. gesture:
movements of
• Focus on feeling and emotion to engage your listeners.
the hands or arms
• Use tone of voice, gesture and facial expression to add meaning. to add emphasis
to bring a story
• Give your anecdote a strong ending.
to life
non-fiction:
Speaking tip
writing that is
When you relate an anecdote, make sure you give enough details about about real events
the event to help your listeners picture the scene. Effective speakers and facts
often use non-verbal communication, so think about how you could autobiography:
use gesture and facial expression to add meaning to your anecdote. a text in which
the writer gives
an account of
Around India in 80 Trains their own life and
experiences
Read the following piece of non-fiction writing, which is from an
autobiography by Monisha Rajesh. In the extract, the writer describes
a difficult start to a journey, as she arrives at a station in India. She is
accompanied by a friend called Passepartout. They are helped by Subbu,
who is guiding them through the busy station and on to the train. As
you read, think about how the writer makes the journey seem stressful.
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1.3 Train trouble
04 Chennai Egmore station could be heard before it was seen.

A cacophony erupted as we made our way under the arches, cacophony:
running after Subbu who had been instructed to come with us a mix of loud,
to the platform. Indian stations are not designed for running. often unpleasant
An assault course lay between us and Subbu, who was winding sounds
deeper and deeper into the sea of boxes. We ducked and wove
assault course:
around the slalom of wooden carts wheeled by men with no
an area filled with
sense of urgency, strings of hand-holding children, hobbling
obstacles such as
dogs, stacked hessian sacks, nose-pickers, watersellers,
walls and ditches
booksellers and red-shirted porters. Subbu now stood by our
that people have
train, under a digital sign reading B2, his face powder dry, as we
to find a way over
bent double, sweat running down our bodies.
or around
Engines hissed and thudded as they began to move, high- slalom: a skiing
-pitched announcements singing out in breakneck-speed Tamil, race down a long,
while the smell of dried fish crept up my nostrils. Passepartout winding course
leapt about, clicking away, and I smiled weakly for the camera
hobbling: walking
before boarding the Anantapuri Express to Nagercoil.
unsteadily
Subbu had already found our seats and placed our bags on hessian: a strong,
each by the time we squeezed through. Thanking him, we dug thick woven fabric
out bottles of water, notebooks, pens, toilet paper, flannels
slunk: moved
and flip-flops, much to the amusement of our companions who
away smoothly
had already chained up bags, hidden shoes, plugged in phones
and quietly
and sat down cross-legged, watching us. At 7:20 pm the train
jerked. Subbu bowed and slunk off as the train glided out of the silhouette: the
station. Through the tinted window he was soon no more than a shadow or outline
saluting silhouette. of an object
against a brighter
We were on the move. background
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1 Adventure
2 In pairs, discuss the explicit information in the text:

a What can you find out about Chennai Egmore station?
Key words
b What do you learn about the actions and feelings of the
narrator, Subbu and Passepartout? narrator: the
person telling
3 Writers often give information to readers and leave them to work the story
out what it means – this is implicit information. Understanding this implicit
is sometimes called ‘reading between the lines’. For example, in information:
paragraph 1 of the extract, the writer implies that Subbu is calm. ideas and details
She states that Subbu’s face was powder dry, which suggests that that readers have
Subbu is not flustered and sweating, unlike the others. to work out for
themselves
Reread the final two paragraphs. In pairs, discuss the following
simple sentence: a
questions: sentence with one
a Why might the people on the train be amused? main clause
compound
b What is being implied about the narrator and Passepartout’s
sentence: a
experience of travel in India? sentence with
two main clauses
Language focus
joined by ‘and’,
Writers use different types of sentences for different effects. ‘but’, ‘or’
For example, a simple sentence can provide basic, clear detail, complex
but it can also create tension. Compound sentences and sentence: a
complex sentences add detail as well as creating effects, such as sentence with
conveying excitement. When writing about sentences, try to link one main clause
your comments about the sentence type to the effect it creates. and one or more
For example, think about what the shortness of a sentence dependent
suggests about the narrator’s feelings. Does the detail of a clauses
complex sentence help to suggest busyness or panic?
4 Look at this simple sentence followed by a complex sentence from

the extract:
Indian stations are not designed for running. An assault course lay between
us and Subbu, who was winding deeper and deeper into the sea of boxes,
briefcases and body parts.
The first sentence is a direct statement that gives a view about the
station. The tone sounds slightly sarcastic. The effect on the reader
is to give a clear, direct impression of the station and the narrator’s
attitude. The shortness of the sentence reflects the narrator’s feeling
of amusement but also tension.
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1.3 Train trouble
The second sentence is longer and more detailed. The first clause
Key words
introduces an image of the clutter of the station. The subordinate
clause (who was winding . . .) contains more detail, using ‘and’ twice. clause: a group
The effect is to convey the huge number of things in the station. of words that
contain a verb
The length and detail of the sentence reflects the detail of the scene
being described. subordinate
clause: in
Copy and complete the following table in your notebook to grammar, a clause
identify examples of simple, compound and complex sentences that cannot
in the extract from Around India in 80 Trains. In the last column, form a sentence
comment on their effect. Explain how the writer builds up detail alone but adds
information to the
and the impression this gives the reader.
main clause
Sentence type Example Effect
Simple
Compound
Complex
5 In Activity 1, you told an anecdote about a difficult journey. Now

turn this into a written version. Before you write, think about how
you will describe the scene. Remember how the extract uses lots of Writing tip
images, lists and interesting words to bring the scene to life. Use a Remember that
range of simple, compound and complex sentences to add detail the language
and variety to your writing. and style of
written accounts
Peer assessment is different to
spoken accounts,
Share your finished account with another learner. Discuss the so think carefully
following questions: about the way
• Which bits of your writing do you think are most effective you phrase
and why? your writing.
For example,
• Did you use a variety of sentences?
people often
• If you were to redraft your work, what would you do differently? do not speak in
full sentences,
although you can
Summary checklist hear where ideas
I can use language to engage listeners in a spoken account. start and end,
but you must
I can identify and understand implicit information in a text.
always write in
I can use different sentence types to write an interesting account. full sentences.
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1 Adventure
1.4 A hard journey

• look for explicit and implicit meanings in poetry
• explore how poets use language features for effect
• learn how to write an analysis of a poem.
Getting started
Some people and some poems describe life as a journey.

In pairs, discuss what life has in common with a journey.
How could life be described as an adventure?
‘Hard is the Journey’

Read the following poem by Li Po, an 8th century Chinese poet.
05 Gold vessels, At peace I drop a hook vessels: hollow

containers
Jade dishes of rare meats, into a brooklet,
jade: a hard,
costing more thousands, At once I’m in a boat green stone
but sailing sunward... banquet:
I lay my chopsticks down, a feast
brooklet:
no more can banquet, (Hard is the journey,
a small stream
I draw my sword and stare Hard is the journey,
wildly about me: So many turnings,
And now where am I?)
Ice bars my way to cross
the Yellow River, So when a breeze breaks waves,
Snows from dark skies to climb bringing fair weather,
the T’ai-hang mountains! I set a cloud for sails,
cross the blue oceans!
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1.4 A hard journey
1 Copy and complete this table to list the events of each stanza.
Key word
The first one has been done as an example.
stanza: a group
Stanza What happens of lines of poetry,
sometimes called
1 The narrator describes expensive meats. a verse
Language focus Key words
Poets often use different types of sound effects, such as alliteration:

alliteration and sibilance. These sound patterns are effective use of the same
when the poem is read aloud. They are used sometimes for sound, especially
very specific effects. consonants, at
the beginning
Alliteration is when consonant sounds are repeated at the start of several close-
of words (e.g. ‘the rifle’s rapid rattle’ – the repeated ‘r’ sound together words
brings to mind the stuttering sound of a gun being fired).
sibilance: use
Sibilance is the repetition of soft consonant sounds, usually the of repeated soft
‘s’ sound (e.g. ‘the ship moved slowly through the sea’ – the consonant sounds
repeated ‘s’ sound brings to mind the sound of a ship moving for emphasis
through water, or the sound of the wind making the ship move).
2 Read the poem again carefully. Identify examples of alliteration

and sibilance. What effect do these language features create?
3 In pairs, discuss the following:
a In stanza 2, the narrator decides to stop feasting and picks up
his sword. Why do you think he does this?
b In stanza 3, the narrator is unable to cross the river.
How does the narrator seem to feel about this in stanza 4?
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1 Adventure
4 At the end of a poem, the poet usually states their conclusion and
comments on the main point of the text. Reread stanzas 5 and 6
and make notes on:
a how the narrator feels in stanza 5 (why does he find the
journey hard?)
b what happens in stanza 6 to make the narrator set sail.
5 People read poems in different ways and have different responses
to them. Some readers might think that ‘Hard is the Journey’ ends
happily, because the narrator travels on. Others might think that
the ending of the poem shows that the narrator’s difficult journey
is never-ending. In groups, discuss what you think the ending of Key word
the poem means. mood: the feeling
created by the
6 What is the overall mood of the poem – is it optimistic or
words, sounds
pessimistic? Here are two possible interpretations of the poem. and images in a
Discuss them in small groups. Do you agree with either of them? poem
Why or why not?
A This is a poem about B

how difficult life can be. The
narrator faces many problems. The
poem shows how you can’t
control your life.
This is a poem about

how humans succeed in the end.
The poem shows that if you
believe in yourself, then
things work out well.
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1.4 A hard journey
7 Present your thoughts from Activity 6 to another group and listen

Speaking tip
to their ideas. Then debate your ideas. You should:
• clearly explain and justify your views When debating
ideas, listen
• discuss your ideas, making sure you take turns carefully to
others’ opinions
• come to an agreement about which view is the
and their
most convincing. reasoning. When
challenging their
Self-assessment views, be polite
and friendly. You
How well did you contribute to your group discussion
could organise
and debate?
your debate in a
• Did you give a clear opinion and justify it? formal way, with a
• Did you listen respectfully to other people’s views? teacher or learner
taking on the role
• What advice would you give to others in your group about of chairperson to
improving their skills? keep order and
make sure that
everybody gets a
8 Using ideas from the table you created in Activity 1 and from your chance to speak.
discussion and debate, write a response to the following question.
Write about 200 words.
What does ‘Hard is the Journey’ show about attitudes to
adventures? You should write about:
• details of the journey in the poem
• what you think the writer is saying about journeys
and adventures
• the language choices made by the poet.
Summary checklist
I can identify and explain explicit and implicit meanings
in poetry.
I can analyse how poets use language features for effect.
I can write an analysis of a poem.
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1 Adventure
1.5 Danger!
• investigate some features of suspense writing
• explore the effects of language and grammatical choices
• read aloud with expression.
Getting started
Adventure stories often contain moments of suspense. The main

character is usually in a dangerous situation. The situation is
tense and drawn-out, which makes the reader concerned about
what will happen to the character.
Look at the picture of a child in the woods. If you wrote a story
based on this picture, how would you create suspense? What
would happen in your story?
Silverfin
Read the following extract from a novel by Charlie Higson. It is about
a young spy called James. At this point in the story, James is trying to
sneak into a castle that hides a deadly secret. The only way to get in is
to walk along a branch that hangs over a lake. Kelly is James’s friend.
06 He struggled on up through the tangle of small twigs and young limbs. After
some careful searching, he found a suitable branch. In fact it was probably his
only hope, because it was the last branch that looked as if it would be strong
enough to support him. He lay down on it, gripping it with his legs, and
slowly slid himself away from the trunk and out over the loch. loch: lake
He looked down at the black waters, so still now, but he could picture the eels consolation:
beneath the surface, lying in the stinking mud at the bottom, their wide snouts something that
sticking out, waiting patiently. His one consolation was that if the fall didn’t makes you feel
kill him, it would at least knock him unconscious, and he would know nothing better
about sinking down through the dark waters towards their slimy mouths.
He suddenly felt very lonely. If he fell, Kelly wouldn’t come, and nobody else
knew he was here. He was utterly alone.
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1.5 Danger!
He forced his eyes away from the water towards the wall ahead of him. The
branch was bending sharply now, and he found himself crawling downwards
towards its tip, so that there was a very real danger of slipping forward and off
the end. Best not to think about that.
Slowly he shuffled along. The castle was six feet away, five . . .
four . . . The branch was swaying alarmingly. He felt like he could tip off at
any moment.
He stopped.
The wall was still three feet away . . .
He didn’t move.
He knew it wasn’t going to work. The branch wasn’t long enough. It was too thin.
If he went any further, he would be past the point of no return. He’d be stuck.
He glanced down, he was over the ground now, at the foot of the wall. That
would be worse than hitting the water, eels or no eels. He closed his eyes and
slowed his breathing, trying to calm the mounting panic. mounting: getting
bigger
And then he heard it.
tread: the surface
First a creak. Like a loose tread on a staircase. of a step or stair
And then a crack.
He felt the branch shudder . . . It was splitting.
1 In your notebook:
Key word
a list the dangers and problems that the main character faces
storyboard: a
b note down how you think James feels series of drawings
or images
c write down the six most exciting sentences in the story.
showing the
Find a partner and compare your ideas. Do you agree? planned order of
2 Imagine you are making a film based on Silverfin. Create a images in frames
storyboard of six images that show the most important parts of the (in films and
television)
story. Choose your images carefully – which ones would help to
create a feeling of suspense?
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1 Adventure
Language focus Reading tip
To create excitement in suspense stories, writers often use verbs When exploring
that suggest movement and power. In the first paragraph of the effect of
Silverfin, there are lots of ‘action’ verbs, including struggled, sentence types,
gripping and slid. These powerful verbs create excitement in the remember to
story, helping the reader imagine the movement and danger that think about the
the character is experiencing. Verbs build intensity, so choosing specific effect
a powerful verb like struggled is often more effective in creating they create. For
excitement than the choice of adjective. example, short
sentences do not
always create
3 Look again at the extract from Silverfin. Write a paragraph excitement;
explaining how the writer uses powerful verbs to create excitement. sometimes they
Find your own examples and comment on their effect. are used to
4 Writers use many techniques to create excitement. For example, convey anger or
they may use short sentences at the moment of greatest drama, even humour.
or they might use a single sentence paragraph. Look at the short
sentences in the last 13 lines of the extract (from He stopped). Key words
In pairs, discuss which is the most exciting short sentence and
why. Make a note of your opinions. humour: when
things are funny,
5 Writers can use punctuation to create effects. In the extract, or things that are
ellipsis is used at moments of drama. For example, in paragraph 5, funny
the narrator states: ellipsis: a set of
The castle was six feet away, five . . . four . . . The branch was three dots ( . . . )
swaying alarmingly. used to indicate
that words have
Here the ellipsis emphasises the tension, as if the character and the
been left out
reader are holding their breath as the main character edges along
the branch.
Find one other example of ellipsis from the extract and write a
sentence explaining its effect.
6 Look again at the extract from Silverfin. Write a paragraph explaining
how the writer creates suspense through his choice of language,
punctuation and sentence types. You should comment on:
• powerful verbs
• short sentences
• ellipsis
• any other aspects of language that help to create suspense.
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1.6 Creating suspense
7 Using your knowledge of the way the text has been written, read
Speaking tip
the extract aloud to a partner. As you read, focus on expressing the
excitement. Work out: When performing
a story aloud,
• which words and phrases you will emphasise
always plan
• how loud or soft your voice will be at various points how you will
emphasise
• how long you will pause when ellipsis is used certain words.
• when you will slow down or speed up your reading to When actors
create excitement. perform scripts,
they spend time
Summary checklist considering how
they will speak
I can comment on the features of suspense stories. certain phrases
I can describe the effects of language and grammatical choices. and where they
will pause. Use
I can read a story aloud with expression.
a pencil to make
notes on the story
to help you plan.
1.6 Creating suspense Key word
In this session, you will: script: the words

in a play, film, etc.
• use planning techniques for a piece of narrative writing
• explore what makes a successful opening to a story
• write and edit a narrative text.
Getting started
Remind yourself of the typical events of adventure stories from

Sessions 1.1 and 1.2. Which events in this type of story are used
to build suspense?
1 You are going to plan part of a story that contains suspense.

Make notes on the following questions:
• Who will your main character be?
• Where is the story set?
• What are they trying to do or achieve in the story?
• What dangers do they face?
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1 Adventure
If you are finding it difficult to start, think about these situations:

• a character who is rowing across a wide river when a storm happens
• a character who is trying to escape from his kidnappers.
Or use the picture below to help you.
2 The opening sentences of a story are very important. They must
provide the reader with information – either character, setting or
situation. They must also show an element of mystery, danger or
humour to engage the reader’s interest. Compare these two story
openings. In pairs, discuss why the second opening is more effective
than the first.
A I was walking along a cliff at night. It was very dark and I thought that I might fall off.
B Absolute darkness. I’d never been this scared before. Slowly, I edged along the cliff.
3 Think carefully about your story opening. How can you capture
your reader’s attention straight away? Write some opening
sentences and show them to a partner. Share your opinions.
4 Write the story that you have planned. You do not have to write
the complete story – you could stop at a dramatic moment like
Silverfin. Remember to:
• build suspense as the story develops
• try to make your reader feel concerned about your character
• use appropriate punctuation, such as ellipses
• use known spelling patterns to spell words correctly
• use language precisely to show your ideas
• use paragraphs and give your story an appropriate title
• make sure your handwriting is clear and neat.
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1.6 Creating suspense
Here is a sample answer to this task:
I stood on the cliff face and looked down at the furious,

boiling waters – I’d dreamt of this moment. The air. The
sea. The fre edom. My dreams of liberty and closeness to
nature had led me here. Further along this cliff face was a
place of wonder: it was a cave rumoured to contain strange,
beautiful creatures that only a few humans had seen. But
to get to the cave, I would need to leap into the ocean,
then climb up to the cave. This was no easy thing. People
had died attempting such a feat – it was madness.
All my life I had avoided danger. But sometimes, life has a
strange way of opening your eyes. The ocean looked angry; the
ocean was certain death.
The air is so fresh here. There is a comfort in the hypnotic
noise of the seabirds, calling you into possible destruction.
I breathed deeply, controlling my fear, reminding myself of the
reason I was here. Even with my eyes shut, I could see the
vivid colours of sea and sky. The sea was beautiful.
This will be a symbolic fall. I may not make it.
Beneath my feet, I felt the grainy reassurance
of the rocks. Was the wind on my side? Or was
it the enemy? On the horizon, a cruise ship
moved slowly. The waters swirled invitingly.
An unseen force propelled me towards the
water . . . I didn’t want this any more but
found myself falling.
For seconds, I was a bird.
Beneath me, the ocean beckoned.
This was it.
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1 Adventure
5 Discuss the sample answer in pairs.

Writing tip
a What do you think is good about it?
Redrafting your
b What ideas or techniques could you use in your own story? work can be time-
consuming, but it
c Look how punctuation devices such as the dash, ellipsis,
is essential. When
colon and semi-colon have been used. How do they help you redraft, start
with meaning? by considering
6 Now discuss the voice of the text. What sort of personality does structure. Is the
the narrator have? Make a list of phrases the writer uses to convey order right or
does it need
the narrator’s personality.
rearranging?
Do some parts
Peer assessment need more
• Ask a partner to read your story aloud. Listen carefully to explanation?
how it sounds. Which bits do you both think are the best? Then turn your
Which bits need redrafting? attention to the
detail, such as
• Use a highlighter to identify paragraphs you want to improve. word choices,
Help each other with ideas and phrases. Remember to spell- ensuring you have
check your work. used strategies
• Look at the effectiveness and range of punctuation you have you know to spell
used. Can you use some of these when you redraft your work? words correctly.
Once you have finished your story, read it back to yourself.

• How well do you think you planned your story?
• If you did this activity again, what would you change about the planning process?
• What advice would you give to someone who wants to write a suspense story?
Summary checklist
I can plan a piece of narrative writing.
I can identify what makes a successful opening to a story.
I can write a narrative piece and edit my work to improve it.
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Check your progress
Answer the following questions to check what you have learnt in this unit.
1 What are the key features of adventure stories? Give some examples of events that
happen in adventure stories.
2 What type of characters do you find in adventure stories? What happens to them?
3 List three ways you can keep an audience interested when relating an anecdote.
4 Using examples, explain what alliteration and sibilance are.
5 List three ways of creating suspense in a story.
6 Explain what you have learnt about planning, writing and redrafting your writing.
Write a list of tips for future learners about improving writing.
Project
In groups, you are going to design and present some ideas for a specific
type of adventure story: the superhero story. Superhero stories are about
characters who have extraordinary powers. They are often normal
people who secretly change into superheroes in order to help people
in need. Using the information in this unit as well as extra research:
• devise a new superhero
• write a brief character profile
• decide details about the world they live in – is it
recognisable as your own world, or is it a different type of place?
• describe a costume they might wear
• draw the bad characters that the superhero will encounter
• plan some storylines.
Present your ideas as a group. You could use pictures and
artwork to explain your ideas.
Start by:
• noting down the names of any superhero books, comics
and films you know
• discussing some initial ideas with your group
• working out who will do what in your group
• planning ways to present your work.
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2 ‘Hey, You Down
There’
In this unit, you will study a short story called ‘Hey, You Down There’ by
Harold Rolseth. It is about a married couple, Calvin and Dora Spender,
who live on a farm in America.
2.1 Calvin and Dora

• explore how a writer presents characters and relationships
• learn how a writer positions a character in a text
• understand the function of sentence openings.
Getting started
Many stories feature pairs of contrasting characters who have

different appearances, attitudes or perform different actions.
In groups, discuss pairs of characters that you know from books
and films. What different qualities do they have?
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2.1 Calvin and Dora
‘Hey, You Down There’

1 Read the first part of this story. Make notes on:
• Calvin’s appearance and actions
• how Calvin speaks to Dora
• Dora’s feelings about Calvin.
07 Extract 1
Calvin Spender drained his coffee cup and wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand. He burped loudly. burped: made a
Dora Spender sat across the table from her husband, her noise by releasing
breakfast scarcely touched. She coughed lightly, and then she air through mouth
said, ‘Are you going to dig in the well this morning, Calvin?’ hauling: pulling
Calvin fixed his small red-rimmed eyes upon her, and, as if Adam’s apple:
she had not spoken, said, ‘Git going at the chores right away. the lump at the
You’re going to be hauling up dirt.’ front part of the
‘Yes, Calvin,’ Dora whispered. Calvin cleared his throat, and throat (usually
the action caused his Adam’s apple to move rapidly under the more noticeable
loose red skin on his neck. He rose from the table and went in men)
out of the kitchen door, kicking viciously at the tawny cat tawny: a yellow-
which had been lying on the doorstep. brown colour
Dora gazed at him and wondered for the thousandth time spring to
what it was that Calvin reminded her of. It was not some her mind: be
other person. It was something else. Sometimes it seemed suddenly realised
as though the answer was about to spring to her mind, as by her
just now when Calvin had cleared his throat. But always it
stopped just short of her consciousness. Some day though,
Dora knew, the answer would come to her. She rose hurriedly Key words
from the table and set about her chores. focal character:
the character
who the reader
2 Writers decide how to ‘position’ characters in stories. There
understands and
will often be a focal character who the writer wants the reader empathises with
to understand and sympathise with. In this story, most readers the most in a story
sympathise with Dora. In pairs, discuss why you think this is.
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2 ‘Hey, You Down There’
Now read the next part of the story.
08 Extract 2
Halfway between the house and the barn, a
doughnut-shaped mound of earth surrounded
a hole. Calvin went to the edge of the hole and
stared down into it distastefully. Only necessity
could have forced him to tackle this task, but it
was either this digging or the hauling of barrels
and barrels of water each day from Nord Fisher’s
farm half a mile down the road.
For two weeks now, ever since his well had
gone dry, Calvin had been hauling water, and the
disagreeable chore was becoming more unpleasant
because of neighbor Nord’s hints that some kind of payment distastefully: with
for the water would only be fair. a look or feeling
of unpleasantness
Several feet back from the edge of the hole, Calvin had driven
a heavy iron stake into the ground, and to this was attached a stake: a post for
crude rope ladder. tying things to
crude: basic,
Calvin hoped desperately that he would not have to go much
roughly made
further. He estimated that he was now down fifty or sixty feet.
muffled: covered
Calvin picked up a bucket to which was attached a long rope and not able to
and lowered it into the hole. It was Dora’s backbreaking task to be heard clearly
pull the bucket hand over hand after Calvin had filled it from the
bottom of the hole. By the time he got to the bottom of
the hole and had filled the bucket, Dora
should be there to haul it up. If she weren’t,
she would hear about it.
From the house, Dora saw Calvin prepare
to enter the well and she worked with
desperate haste to complete her chores.
She reached the hole just as a muffled
shout from below indicated that the
bucket was full.
Summoning all her strength, Dora hauled
the bucket up. She emptied it and then
lowered it into the hole again. While she
waited for the second bucket load,
she examined the contents of the first.
No water seeped from it.
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2.1 Calvin and Dora
Language focus
Writers choose sentence openings carefully to show the reader

how events in a story or points in an argument are connected.
These connections may relate to: Key words
• when (time/sequence of events): for example, ‘Later that sequence: the
day . . . ’ tells the reader that time has moved on in a story order of events in
• where (location or context): for example, ‘On the other a story
side of the road…’ indicates a new setting in relation to the contrast: placing
previous one two characters or
things together in
• how (comparison/contrast): for example, ‘In the same
order to highlight
way . . . ’ suggests that what comes next is similar to
their differences
what came before
• why (relationship between events): for example, ‘Because
of the bad weather . . . ’ shows a cause, which will be
followed by a consequence.
3 Look at the sentence openings in Extract 2. What is the function

of each one? What information does it give the reader? Copy and
complete the table.
Sentence openings Function
For two weeks now . . . When: Helps the reader understand
time and how long Calvin had been
behaving in this way
Several feet back . . .
By the time . . .
From the house . . .
If she weren’t . . .
While she waited . . .
4 Stories feature problems that characters have to overcome.

Key word
In groups, discuss how the problems listed might be solved by the
end of this story. Remember to take turns speaking. Summarise summarise:
your discussion to the class and discuss the different ideas presented. explain the main
points in a few
• Dora is scared of Calvin. words
• Dora cannot think what Calvin reminds her of.
• There is no water in the well.
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Reading tip
•
How much of the start of this story did you understand
on first reading? Even at the
•
Did you find it difficult to follow? If so, which parts? beginning of a
Why do you think this was? story, a writer
prepares the
reader for what
will happen at the
Summary checklist end. As you read,
I can describe how a writer presents characters and their notice any ideas
relationships. or problems that
are introduced at
I can explain how a writer positions a character in a text.
the start of a story
I can analyse sentence openings to explain their function. and consider what
might happen
next because
of them.
2.2 Down the hole

• learn about compound-complex sentences
• explore techniques used when writing and performing
spoken drama
• assess your own speaking and performance skills.
Getting started
Think back to what you learnt about sentence types in

Session 1.3. In pairs, write down examples of simple, compound
and complex sentences about digging a hole. What do you think
a compound-complex sentence is? Try and write an example
of one.
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2.2 Down the hole
Read the next part of the story ‘Hey, You Down There’.
09 Extract 3
In her own way, Dora was deeply religious and at each tenth
bucket she pulled up she murmured an urgent prayer that it
would contain more water in it than earth.
On this particular morning as she lowered the bucket for its
tenth loading, she prayed, ‘Please let something happen this
time . . . Let something really and truly happen so I won’t have
to haul up any more dirt.’
Something happened almost immediately. As the rope slackened:
slackened in her hands indicating that the bucket had reached became less
the bottom, a scream of sheer terror came up from the hole, tightly bound
and the rope ladder jerked violently. Dora fell to her knees and jerked: moved
peered down into the darkness. ‘Calvin,’ she called, ‘are you all quickly
right? What is it?’ surge: a powerful
Then with startling suddenness, Calvin appeared. At first Dora movement
was not sure it was Calvin. The usual redness of his face was converse: talk to
gone; now it was a yellowish green.
He was trembling violently and had trouble
breathing. ‘It must have been a heart attack,’
Dora thought, and tried hard to control the
surge of joy that came over her.
Calvin lay upon the ground, panting. Finally
he gained control of himself. Under ordinary
circumstances, Calvin did not converse with
Dora but now he seemed eager to talk.
‘You know what happened? The complete
bottom dropped right out of the hole.
All of a sudden it went, and there I
was, standing on nothing but air. If I
hadn’t grabbed a hold of the last rung
of the ladder... Why, that hole must be
a thousand feet the way the bottom
dropped out of it!’
Calvin babbled on, but Dora didn’t listen.
She was amazed at the remarkable way
in which her prayer had been answered.
If the hole had no more bottom, there
would be no more dirt to haul up.
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1 On your own, write down answers to the following questions.

a What does Dora wish for?
b What happens to the hole?
c Which words and phrases show Calvin’s reaction to
what happened?
2 What does the following quotation reveal about Dora’s feelings
towards Calvin? Discuss your ideas in pairs. Do you think this
makes her a bad person? Why or why not?
‘It must have been a heart attack,’ Dora thought, and tried hard to
control the surge of joy that came over her.
Writers use a range of grammatical structures to build compound-

information in a story. Sometimes, they use adjectives and complex sentence:
adverbs to add detail. Compound-complex sentences can help a sentence
organise these details. For example: containing a
compound
As the rope slackened in her hands indicating that the bucket sentence that
had reached the bottom, a scream of sheer terror came up from also has one or
the hole, and the rope ladder jerked violently. more subordinate
Here, the compound sentence (in red) comes second, with the clauses
coordinating conjunction joining the two clauses (in blue). The coordinating
subordinate clause (in green) comes first and ends with a comma. conjunction:
The sentence is organised this way so the reader pictures the joining words
events in the order in which they happen. It shows how one such as ‘and’,
action causes another. ‘but’, ‘or’
3 Write a compound-complex sentence to show the following events.

Think about the punctuation you need to use.
• Dora looks into the hole.
• She comments on how deep it is.
• She wonders what is down there.
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2.2 Down the hole
Peer assessment
In pairs, swap your sentences and assess how accurate they are.
• Has your partner used commas in the right places?
• Is the conjunction in the right place?
• Is it a compound-complex sentence?
Now read the next part of the story. Calvin has tied a flashlight to the
end of a line of rope.
10 Extract 4 paid out:

released, lowered
He tied the flashlight securely to the end of the line, switched it feeble: weak
on and lowered it into the hole.
twine: strong
He paid out the line for about a hundred feet and then thread
stopped. The light was only a feeble glimmer down below and yield: to give way
revealed nothing.
Calvin lowered the light another hundred feet and this
time it was only a twinkling speck as it swung at the
end of the line. Calvin released another long length
of twine and another and another and now the light
was no longer visible, and the large ball of twine had
shrunk to a small tangle.
‘Almost a full thousand feet,’ he whispered in awe.
‘And no bottom yet. Might as well pull it up.’ But the
line did not come up with Calvin’s pull. It stretched
and grew taut, but it did not yield to his tugging.
‘Must be caught on something,’ Calvin muttered,
and gave the line a sharp jerk. In reply there was
a downward jerk that almost tore the line from his
hands.
‘Hey!’ yelled Calvin. ‘The line . . . it jerked!’
Key word
4 In pairs, plan and write your own spoken drama version of ‘Hey, dialogue: a
You Down There’ Extract 4. Your audience will be your classmates, conversation
so think about how to engage their interest. Will you need to add between two or
extra dialogue? What sound effects could you create? Think about more people or
the impact you want to have on your audience. characters, written
as direct speech
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5 Practise your spoken drama in your pairs, then perform it to the

class. Remember to:
• speak clearly and use your voice to show the characters’ feelings Key word
• vary the volume and pace of your voice to show Calvin’s and pace: the speed
Dora’s emotions. at which someone
speaks or how
Self-assessment quickly events
take place in
If you can, make a recording of your drama and listen to it. a story
• Is it likely to interest your audience?
• Did you vary your voices?
• Did you speak clearly?
• Write a paragraph in your notebook giving an account of
your strengths and also areas to develop.
Summary checklist
I can analyse and write a compound-complex sentence.
I can write and perform a spoken drama.
I can assess my own speaking and performance skills.
2.3 Gold!
• explore the social and historical context of
‘Hey, You Down There’
• understand how non-standard English helps to
convey character
• practise your group discussion skills.
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2.3 Gold!
Getting started
In different parts of your country, people pronounce words slightly

differently. In pairs, make a list of examples of these words. Do you
think there are ‘right’ ways to pronounce words? Why or why not?
Read the next part of the story.
11 Extract 5 tentatively:
carefully,
‘It don’t make sense,’ he said, more to himself than to Dora. uncertainly
‘What could be down underground a good thousand feet?’ pouch: a small
Tentatively he reached and pulled lightly on the line. When bag
the end of the line came into view, there was a small white
parchment: an
pouch of a leather-like substance.
old type of paper
Calvin opened the pouch with trembling fingers and shook into jack-knife: a knife
his palm a bar of yellow metal and a folded piece of parchment. with a folding
The bar of metal was not large but it seemed heavy for its size. blade
Calvin got out his jack-knife and scratched the point of the
measly: almost
blade across the metal. The knife blade bit into it easily.
worthless
‘Gold,’ said Calvin, his voice shaky. ‘Must scornfully: with
be a whole pound of it . . . and just for a contempt
measly flashlight. They must be crazy
down there.’
He thrust the gold bar into his pocket and
opened the small piece of parchment.
One side was closely covered with a fine
writing. Calvin turned it this way and that
and then tossed it on the ground.
‘Foreigners,’ he said. ‘No wonder they
ain’t got any sense. But it’s plain they
need flashlights.’
‘But, Calvin,’ said Dora. ‘How could they
get down there? There ain’t any mines in
this part of the country.’
‘Ain’t you ever heard of them secret
government projects?’ asked Calvin
scornfully. ‘This must be one of them.
Now I’m going to town to get me a load
of flashlights. They must need them bad. Now, mind
you watch that hole good. Don’t let no one go near it.’
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1 The social and historical context of ‘Hey, You Down There’ reflects
Key words
ideas about America in the early 20th century by presenting a
stereotype of an American character. What have you noticed about stereotype:
Calvin Spender’s manner, attitude and actions so far? Make a list. a familiar but
simplified
Does the writer present a positive or negative view of Calvin and
character type
the values of his world? Refer to the text to support your opinion.
non-standard
2 Earlier in the story, in Extract 1, Calvin says Git going to Dora, English: words
rather than Get going. This use of non-standard English gives and grammatical
the reader a sense of Calvin’s speech. Non-standard English can patterns that
sometimes imply that a character has a lower status than one who fall outside the
conventional
speaks standard English.
forms of English
a In pairs, find examples of Calvin’s and Dora’s use of non- standard English:
standard English in Extract 5. the most widely
accepted form
b What do you think the writer is implying about these of English that is
characters through their speech? not specific to a
Now read the next part of the story. particular region
12 Extract 6
Dora picked up the bit of parchment which Calvin had thrown rummaged:
away. She could make nothing of the writing on it. It was all searched
very strange. Suddenly it occurred to her that possibly the hurriedly
people down below didn’t know there were English speaking
rickety: unsteady
people up above. She hurried into the house and rummaged
through Calvin’s rickety desk for paper and pencil. In her
search she found a small, ragged dictionary, and she took this
with her to the kitchen table.
Her note was a series of questions. Why were they
down there? Who were they? Why did they pay
so much for an old flashlight? As she started for
the well it occurred to her that possibly the people
down there might be hungry. She went back to
the kitchen and wrapped a loaf of bread and a
fair-sized piece of [meat] in a clean dishtowel. She
wrapped the dictionary with the food in the towel.
It took Dora a long time to lower the bucket. She
waited for a few moments and then tugged the
line gently. The line held firm below, and Dora
seated herself on the mound of earth to wait.
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2.3 Gold!
3 In the next part of the story, Dora receives a letter from the people
down the hole. They write in standard English. What do you think
the note will say?
Write the note that the people send to Dora. Remember that they
seem to like flashlights, have gold, and that Dora has sent them a
dictionary and food.
13 4 Listen to four people speaking about Calvin and Dora.
As you listen, make notes and then summarise:
• what Speaker A thinks of Calvin
• what Speaker B thinks of Calvin
• what Speaker C thinks of Dora
• what Speaker D thinks of Dora.
Listening tip
When listening to the opinions of other speakers, make notes of
the reasons they give for their ideas. Briefly note down the main
points they make.
5 In groups of three, discuss the views of Calvin.

One group member should give reasons why Speaker A is correct.
One group member should present reasons why Speaker B is correct.
The third member of the group should be the chairperson. Use the
notes you made in Activity 4.
Speaking tip
When you act as chairperson, it is important to act in a firm but
friendly manner. Make sure that other group members listen and
take turns. You should introduce the discussion and also decide
when it is time for the next person to speak. You can also ask
questions, summarise views and decide when the discussion has
reached an end.
• How effective was the group discussion?

• In what ways did each person contribute?
•
What might you improve on next time you have a
group discussion?
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Summary checklist
I can comment on the social and historical context of a story.
I can explain how non-standard English helps to convey
character.
I can contribute effectively to a group discussion.
2.4 Glar the Master

• learn how writers show character through language choices
• explore formal and informal language
• consider vocabulary for effect.
Getting started
Writers think carefully about the names they give characters

and places in their stories. For example, Charles Dickens and
J. K. Rowling chose names that suggest something about
characters’ personalities. In pairs, think of names used in books
and films. What qualities do these names suggest?
14 Extract 7
The warm sunlight felt good on her back and it was pleasant
to sit and do nothing. She had no fear that Calvin would return
soon. She doubted that he would return before morning.
After half an hour Dora gave the line a questioning tug, but it
did not yield. She did not mind. It was seldom that she had time
to idle away. Usually when Calvin went to town, he burdened
her with chores that were to be done during his absence.
Dora waited another half hour before tugging at the line
again. This time there was a sharp answering jerk, and Dora
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2.4 Glar the Master
began hauling the bucket upward. It seemed much heavier

now, and twice she had to pause for a rest. When the bucket
reached the surface, she saw why it was heavier.
‘My goodness,’ she murmured as she viewed the dozen or so
yellow metal bars in the bucket.
‘They must be real hungry down there!’ A sheet of the strange
parchment was also in the bucket, and Dora picked it out
expecting to see the strange writing of the first note.
‘Well, I declare,’ she said when she saw that the note was in
English. She read the note slowly, shaping each word with her
lips as she read.
1 Copy and complete the table in your notebook to explain

what each quotation shows about Dora.
Quotation What it shows about
Dora and her life
It was seldom that she had
time to idle away
he burdened her with
chores
She read the note slowly,
shaping each word with her
lips as she read.
2 Use what you have learnt about Calvin so far to write a

paragraph from his point of view. Describe what happens when
you (Calvin)went into town. You could include:
• what you did in town
• what you think about your wife
• what you think about the people down the hole
• what you plan to do next.
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Writing tip
When you write from a character’s point of view, start by
thinking about voice. Think about the manner and attitudes of
the character, and then decide on words and phrases that will
accurately reflect these ideas.
Read the next part of the story, in which Dora reads Glar the barbaric: not
Master’s letter. civilised
crude: very basic
15 Extract 8 decipher: work
out the meaning
Your language is barbaric, but the crude code book you sent dwelling: living
down made it easy for our scholars to decipher it. We, too,
courtesy:
wonder about you. How have you overcome the problem of
politeness and
living in the deadly light? Our Legends tell of a race dwelling
respect
on the surface but intelligent reasoning has made us ridicule
these old tales until now. We would still doubt that you are
surface-dwellers except for the fact that
our instruments show
without question that the
opening above us leads
to the deadly light. The
clumsy death ray which
you sent us indicates that
your scientific development
is very low. Other than
as an object from another
race it has no value to us.
We sent gold as a courtesy
payment only. The food you
call bread is not acceptable to
our digestive systems, but the
[meat] is beyond price. We will
exchange a double weight of
gold for all that you can send us.
Send more immediately.
Glar, THE MASTER
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2.4 Glar the Master
Key words
Dora took the gold bars and buried them in the loose black
soil. She paid no heed to the sound of a car coming down the formal language:
highway at high speed until it passed the house and a wild the form of
squawking sounded above the roar of the motor. She hurried English used in
around to the front of the house, knowing already what had more ‘serious’
happened. She stared in dismay at the four chickens which lay texts and
dead in the road. situations, such as
Fear sharpened her wits. Perhaps if she could dispose of news reports or
the bodies, Calvin would think foxes had got them. Hastily official speeches
she gathered up the dead chickens and feathers which lay informal
scattered about. She carried the chickens to the back of language: a more
the house wondering how she could best dispose of them. relaxed form of
Suddenly, as she glanced towards the hole, the answer English, used
came to her. when speaking
or in more casual
written texts,
3 What does Glar the Master’s name suggest about him? such as emails
Discuss your ideas in pairs. to friends
contractions:
Language focus two or three
words that are
Writers choose formal or informal language, depending on combined to
their audience and purpose. For example, when writing an make one shorter
email to a friend, or to make conversation sound more realistic word with letters
in a story, you would use informal language. This might include left out; the
shorter sentences, contractions and colloquial language. Formal missing letters
language is used when addressing people you do not know are indicated by
or when discussing more serious topics. Formal writing should an apostrophe
sound polite, and should use formal words and grammatically (e.g. wouldn’t,
correct sentences. shouldn’t, you’ll)
colloquial
4 The letter from Glar is written in more formal language than language: the
Calvin and Dora use. Do you know all the words he uses? type of informal
language people
If not, use your knowledge of word families to work them out,
use in everyday
or look them up in a dictionary. speech when
5 What effect is created by using formal language in Glar’s letter? addressing
Write a brief description of the image of Glar which the language people they
know well
creates. Give examples to back up your points.
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6 Look back at Extract 8. Rewrite the start of Glar’s letter,

using informal language. You could start:
Your language is awful, but we easily figured it out using the

simple book you gave us . . .
• How easy did you find it to select different words?

• Which sources did you use? Which one(s) were most helpful?
•
What other ways can you think of to extend your vocabulary
to make your writing more varied and interesting?
Summary checklist
I can use language to capture the voice of a character.
I can analyse formal and informal language and its effects.
I can capture a wide range of vocabulary for effect in
my writing.
2.5 Back down the hole

• explore how a writer controls information in a text
• use your scanning skills to find information in a text
• understand how writers use characters to convey themes
and ideas.
Getting started
In the previous part of the story, Dora hides the gold bars. What
would you do? Would you give the gold to the police? Would
you tell someone? Discuss your views in pairs.
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Read the next part of the story. Dora has sent the chickens down
the hole.
16 Extract 9
She sat down again to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing.
When, an hour later, she picked up the line, there was an
immediate response from below. The bucket was exceedingly
heavy this time, and she was fearful that the line might break.
This time there were several dozen bars of gold in it and a
brief note in the same precise lettering as before.
Our scientists are of the opinion that the flesh you sent down
is that of a creature you call chicken. This is the supreme
food. Never have we eaten anything so delicious. To show our
appreciation we are sending you a bonus payment. Your code
book indicates that there is a larger creature similar to chicken
called turkey. Send us turkey immediately. I repeat, send us
turkey immediately.
Glar, THE MASTER
land sakes: an
‘Land sakes,’ gasped Dora. ‘They must have eaten that expression of
chicken raw. Now where would I get a turkey?’ surprise
Calvin returned about ten o’clock the next morning. His eyes mottled: marked
were bloodshot and his face was a mottled red. The loose with spots or
folds of skin on his neck hung lower than usual and more patches
than ever he reminded Dora of something that she couldn’t winch: a device
quite put a name to. He surveyed the hole glumly, then got for lifting
into the truck and backed it to the edge of the mound of something
earth. On the back of the truck was a winch with a large
drum of steel cable.
1 At this point in the story, each of the

three main characters has a different
understanding of the situation.
Copy and complete the table into
your notebook to show what each
character does and does not
know. The first one has been
done as an example.
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Character What they do and do not understand about the situation

Glar Wrongly assumes that the flashlights are death rays.
Thinks that the surface dwellers are stupid – their language is basic
and their scientific development is low.
Doesn’t understand that humans place a high value on gold.
Assumes that they are interested in developing links between the races.
Assumes that chicken and turkey are very high-value objects.
Dora
Calvin
Now read the next part of the story. As you read, think about how the
writer portrays Calvin.
17 Extract 10
‘Fix me something to eat,’ he ordered Dora.
Dora hurried into the house and began preparing
eggs. Each moment she expected Calvin to come
in and demand to know what was holding up his
meal. When Dora went out to call him to eat, she
found he had done a surprising amount of work.
He had attached an oil drum to the steel cable.
This hung over a heavy steel rod which rested
across the hole. Stakes driven into the ground
on each side of the hole held the rod in place.
‘Your breakfast is ready, Calvin,’ said Dora.
‘Shut up,’ Calvin answered.
The winch was driven by an electric motor,
and Calvin ran a cable from the motor to
an electric outlet on the yard light post.
From the cab he took a number of boxes and
placed them in the oil drum.
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shrilly: in a high-
‘A whole hundred of them,’ he chuckled, more to himself than
pitched way
to Dora. ‘Fifty-nine cents a piece. Peanuts . . . one bar of gold
will buy thousands.’ slack: became
less tight
Calvin threw the switch which controlled the winch, and with
contemplate:
sickening force Dora realized the terrible thing that would
think about
soon happen. The creatures down below had no use or regard
for flashlights.
Down went the oil drum, the cable screeching shrilly as it Reading tip
passed over the rod above the hole. Calvin got an oil can from
the truck and applied oil generously to the rod and cable. In a When reading
very short while the cable went slack and Calvin stopped the a long text, you
winch. ‘I’ll give them an hour to load up the gold,’ he said and can scan it to find
went to the kitchen for his delayed breakfast. information. This
means quickly
Dora was almost numb with fear. What would happen when reading a text
the flashlights came back up, with an insulting note in English, to search for key
was too horrible to contemplate. Calvin would learn about the terms, events or
gold she had received. characters. When
scanning, look for
2 Make a note of the negative aspects of Calvin’s personality in key words such
Extract 10. What does he do and say that makes him seem as characters’
names. Read
unlikeable? Use your scanning skills to help you.
quickly, perhaps
3 Writers develop themes throughout a story, which are often shown using your finger
through the actions of characters and the events that take place. as you work
Some of the themes in ‘Hey, You Down There’ are: through the text.
• selfishness, greed and cruelty

Key words
• misunderstanding
• good and bad luck. scan: to look
through a text
Calvin’s speech and behaviour convey the idea of human greed and quickly to find
cruelty. Look back at the story so far and make a list of Calvin’s particular details
actions and speech. Focus on those things that show him in a theme: the main
negative light. subject of a
talk, book, film,
4 Write about 150 words explaining how the writer uses the poem, etc.
character of Calvin to show the theme of human greed and cruelty.
How do you feel about Calvin as a character? Use the examples
you have found and think about how the writer wants you to react
to Calvin.
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Writing tip
•
What were the challenges of writing about a theme
that develops during a story? When writing
•
How did you overcome these challenges? about themes,
start by
summarising
your view. For
Summary checklist example, in an
I can comment on how a writer controls information in a text. essay about
greed in the story,
I can scan a text to locate information. you might open
I can analyse how writers convey themes and ideas. by writing:
‘Hey, You Down

There’ explores
the theme of
2.6 Turkey human greed
mainly through
the actions
In this session, you will: of Calvin. The
• read the ending of a story writer suggests
• explore how a writer prepares the reader for a story ending that greed is a
negative trait and
• plan and produce a sequenced short story.
uses humour ...
Getting started
In pairs, discuss what you think would be a good ending to

‘Hey, You Down There’. What do think should happen to Calvin?
Will the story end happily? If so, for which characters?
Reading tip
Writers sometimes give readers an unexpected ending, but they
still provide some clues for the reader. As you read, consider how
the problems that are set up at the start are being resolved.
Read the next part of the story. It is the next day. Dora follows Calvin to
the hole.
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2.6 Turkey
18 Extract 11
The winch was already reeling the cable when she got to reeling: pulling
the hole. It seemed only seconds before the oil drum was up. up (a cable)
The grin on Calvin’s face was broad as he reached out over bawling: crying
the hole and dragged the drum to the edge. A look of utter
disbelief replaced the grin as he looked into it. His Adam’s
apple seemed to vibrate under his red-skinned throat, and
once again part of Dora’s mind tried to recall what it was
that Calvin reminded her of. Calvin was making flat, bawling
sounds like a lost calf. He hauled the drum out of the hole and
dumped its contents on the ground. The flashlights, many of
them dented and with lenses broken, made a sizeable pile.
With a tremendous kick Calvin sent flashlights flying in all
directions. One, with a note attached, landed at Dora’s feet.
Either Calvin was so blinded by rage that he didn’t see it, or
he assumed it was written in the same unreadable
script as the first note.
‘You down there!’ he screamed into the hole.
‘I’ll fix you. I’ll make you sorry you ever
double-crossed me. I’ll . . . I’ll . . . ’
He dashed for the house and Dora hastily
snatched up the note.
You are even more stupid than we
thought. Your clumsy death rays are
useless to us. We informed you of this.
We want turkey. Send us
turkey immediately.
Glar, THE MASTER
1 In pairs, discuss the following questions:

a How do you react to Calvin’s disappointment and anger – do
you find it funny or frightening?
b What do you think Calvin will do next?
2 Look again at the description of Calvin. What does he remind
you of ? What clue might the writer be giving you about how this
story will end? Discuss your ideas in groups.
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Now read the final part of the story. An angry Calvin has decided to go
into the hole with his gun.
19 Extract 12
Calvin put his gun in the oil drum and pushed it to the center
of the hole. Then, hanging on to the cable, he carefully lowered
himself into the drum.
‘Give me just one hour to run those dirty rats down, then bring
me back up,’ he said. Dora threw the switch and the oil drum
went down. She spent most of the next hour praying that Calvin
would not find the people down there and become a murderer.
Exactly an hour later, Dora started the oil drum upward. The
motor labored mightily as though under a tremendous strain,
and the cable seemed stretched almost to breaking point.
Dora gasped when the oil drum came into view. Calvin was
not in it! She shut off the motor and hastened to the drum, half
expecting to find Calvin crouching down inside. But Calvin
was not there. Instead there were scores of gold bars and on
top of them a sheet of the familiar white parchment.
Carefully, she reached down and picked out the note, which threw the switch:
she read in her slow, precise way. turned the
switch on
Not even the exquisite flavor of the chicken compares to the
incomparable goodness of the live turkey you sent down to exquisite:
us. We must confess that we thought turkey would be rather beautiful, very
different from this, but this does not matter. So delicious was tasty
the turkey that we are again sending you a bonus payment.
We beg you to send us more turkey immediately.
Glar, THE MASTER
Dora read the note a second time to make sure she
understood it fully.
‘Well, I declare,’ she said in considerable wonder. ‘I do declare.’
3 Here are six reactions to the way the story ends. In pairs, discuss
each of these views. Which one(s) do you agree with? Why?
Express your ideas clearly and give examples to support your view.
• ‘Calvin got what he deserved.’
• ‘The story is funny even though it ends with a death.’
• ‘I knew how it would end.’
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2.6 Turkey
• ‘I was surprised by the ending.’

Writing tip
• ‘Dora’s reaction to Calvin’s death didn’t seem appropriate.’
When planning
• ‘I was pleased for Dora.’ the sequence of
4 You are going to write a story that ends in an unusual way. the story, it can
Come up with your own idea or use the example here: help to start by
considering how
A boy is being bullied at school. He has a secret talent, which is a story will end
revealed in a school assembly on the last day of the year. and then work
backwards. It is
First you need to plan your story. Focus on the sequence of events,
important that
especially how the story will end and how you will prepare the the reader feels
reader for the ending. To begin with, make notes about: that the ending is
• setting realistic, so make
sure you build
• characters
in some clues
• the main events of the story. to prepare your
5 Next, plan how you want the reader to react to characters. reader.
• How will you make the reader sympathise with or dislike

your characters?
• What different levels of knowledge will you give each of
their characters?
• What themes or big ideas will you present?
• How will you prepare the reader for the ending?
6 Now write your story in your notebook. Write 200–300 words.
Peer assessment
Read each other’s stories.
• How effective was the ending?
• Were you expecting it?
• How useful were the clues that your partner used in the story?
Summary checklist
I can comment on the ending of a story.
I can understand how a writer prepares the reader for a
story ending.
I can plan and write a sequenced short story.
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Check your progress
1 Describe the main problems at the start of the story.
2 Explain what a compound-complex sentence is. Give an example.
3 Explain what non-standard English is. Give an example.
4 Describe the difference between formal and informal English.
5 Give an example of a main theme from the story.
6 What do you think is the main message of ‘Hey, You Down There’?
Project
Reading stories from different writers and genres is an important
part of learning. As you get more confident with your reading,
experiment with different types of books. There are two parts
to this project, which is designed to get you thinking about
how readers choose books and also how they
(and you) can choose different types of books.
1 Start by designing a survey for your
classmates. Find out what types of books
they have read, what helps them to decide
their book choices and what types of books
they might like to read in the future. Ask
each learner to recommend a book. Once
you have completed the survey, write
a brief report for your teacher on your
findings. Use subheadings to present
your report.
2 Choose one of the books recommended
to you and read it. As you read, make
notes on the storyline, characters and theme. When you
have finished the book, give a talk to the class about it.
You should:
• give a brief account of the story and how it ends
• give your opinion of the story – whether you enjoyed it and
why or why not
• read a section from the story, focusing on reading accurately
and in a way which will engage your listeners.
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3 Film and fame
In this unit, you will read a range of texts about films and
the cinema. They include information about real-life actors
as well as the characters they pretend to be.
3.1 Meeting your hero

• explore how a writer uses language to establish a setting
• consider how a writer shapes the reader’s opinion about
a character
• investigate the different features of spoken English and
written English.
Getting started
He’s kind.
She’s energetic.
She’s hard-working.
Which of the adjectives above best describes you? Write down

two things you have done recently that show you are either kind,
energetic or hard-working. Write the answer in full sentences in
your notebook. For example:
Kind: I looked after my young cousin on Saturday while my aunt
was making an important phone call.
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3 Film and fame
Film Boy
Read the opening to this story by Alexander McCall Smith. It is set in the
Indian city of Mumbai, which is famous for being the centre of the Indian
film industry, Bollywood. This extract focuses on the main character, Prem.
20 Extract 1
Prem lived in Bombay. He had always lived there and he knew Bombay: an
that Bombay was the most important city in all India. There was Indian city, now
always so much going on – there were vast factories with smoking
called Mumbai
chimneys, shops and bazaars that seemed to go on and on for ever,
and, most important of all, there were the film studios. Prem loved bazaars: markets
to go to the cinema. Sitting in his seat at the Regal Picture House, he
would watch the exciting films that were made right there in Bombay.
The way Prem got the money for his cinema tickets was to work for it.
Every day, after school, he would call in at the sweet stall which stood
outside the nearby hospital. Mr Rahna, who owned the stall, did not
have an assistant, and this made it hard for him to get away to have
coffee with his friends. For half an hour or so each afternoon Prem
would look after the stall for him, selling the sweetmeats to passers-by sweetmeats: item
and putting the money in the cash box. of sweet food
‘Who do you think is the best film star?’ a friend asked Prem one day.
Prem thought for a moment. ‘Well,’ he replied, ‘Jani Sudha is very
good. And I like Goel Prakash. But the very best, I think, is Rasi
Paliwalar.’
Prem’s friend looked thoughtful. ‘I think you’re right,’ he said. ‘I’ve
heard people say he’s the best in the world.’
‘He is,’ Prem said firmly. ‘I’m sure he is.’
They had both seen many films starring Rasi and had enjoyed them
all. Rasi was always the hero. If there was somebody who needed to
be rescued, then Rasi would be the one to do it. It did not matter if
the danger came from a flood or from a tiger, Rasi would not hesitate. bandit: a robber
Then, if the police were having difficulty in arresting a bandit, Rasi pinpoints: tiny
would be the person to whom they would turn. There was no limit to pricks as if made
what he could do. with a pin
There was no mistaking Rasi. He was a tall man, with broad shoulders, growl: a low
and teeth that glinted like pinpoints of light when he smiled. His famous noise made in
voice was deep – almost a growl when he was angry – but in the middle the throat, like an
of a fight it could sound more like a shriek. animal makes
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1 The writer establishes a strong sense of setting to begin the story.

Key words
Find all the words in the first paragraph that show the setting and
write them in your notebook. How many proper nouns can you find proper noun: the
in this section? name of a specific
thing, place or
2 Write a sentence explaining what the writer’s use of common person, marked
and proper nouns suggests about the city of Mumbai. Follow the by an initial
sample answer and add a second sentence in your notebook, using capital letter
the same structure.
The proper noun ‘Bombay’, which is described as i‘mportant’,
establishes the city as having high status since it is famous for
its films.
3 The writer shows different aspects of Prem’s character in this story
opening.
a Read these words that describe Prem. Which do you think are
the three most important characteristics?
hard-working focused reliable

passionate
friendly thoughtful patriotic loyal
b In your notebook, draw an outline

of a boy and write your three
words.
c Now select the shortest quotation
you can find in the story
opening to justify your chosen
characteristics. Add these to your
image.
d In pairs, discuss your choices.
Did you choose the same words?
Which characteristic did you
think was most important in the
writer’s presentation of Prem?
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3 Film and fame
Reading tip
When commenting on a text, choose short quotations to support
your analysis of how the writer conveys ideas. They do not need
to be complete sentences. This shows you can focus on the
words that really matter to prove your points.
Key word
4 A reader can infer what Prem is like from his actions. The writer infer: to work
presents the film star Rasi Paliwalar using different methods. something out
We are told about: from evidence
in a text, rather
• his appearance than being told it
• the roles he plays in films. explicitly
In pairs, discuss why it is difficult to make a judgement about

Rasi’s real character based on this information. Summarise
your explanation.
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When using direct speech in fiction, you can use some features direct speech:
of spoken English to make dialogue seem realistic. For example, the exact words
using contractions such as ‘I’ve’ instead of ‘I have’ can sound a person says,
more like speech. Make sure you follow the rules of punctuating marked by
dialogue: speech marks
• Put a new speaker on a new line. fiction: a story
about imaginary
• Put the words spoken by a character inside speech marks. characters and
• Start each new sentence of dialogue with a capital letter. events
• Use punctuation accurately inside speech marks. annotate: to add
notes to provide
extra explanation
5 The writer uses dialogue in the middle of the extract to report a
conversation between Prem and his friend. Reread the conversation
between Prem and his friend. On a copy of it:
• highlight the contractions
• annotate the text to show where the rules of reporting direct
speech are used.
Writing tip
When writing dialogue, it is usual to use contractions to show a
relaxed and fluent way of talking. When writing in formal English,
it is best to avoid using contractions, except when quoting
direct speech.
Summary checklist
I can explain how a writer uses language to establish a setting

at the beginning of a story.
I can use inference skills to understand how a character is
presented through their actions.
I can identify the features of formal written English and
informal spoken English.
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3 Film and fame
3.2 Predicting the story

• plan ideas to develop a fiction story
• use features of informal English in direct speech
• write about a specific place using a range of nouns.
Getting started
Look at this statement from Film Boy, which describes

Rasi Paliwalar:
Rasi was always the hero.
What does this tell us about the actor Rasi?
In pairs, discuss the words ‘hero’ and ‘celebrity’. Do they mean
the same thing? What is similar and what is different about
heroes and celebrities?
1 Reread the opening to Film Boy in Session 3.1. What do you

predict will happen next? Will Prem be happy or disappointed in
the film star when he meets him? Discuss your ideas in pairs,
giving reasons.
2 Write a plan for the next section of the story based on your
prediction. Use four paragraphs.
Paragraph Plan
1 The meeting place Provide contrast in your story by setting this next section in a
different place.
2 Prem spots his hero Show Prem’s surprise by focusing on his actions rather than
telling the reader he is surprised.
3 The meeting Write about Prem meeting his hero. Include some
conversation, using direct speech and features of informal
speech to make it realistic.
4 Prem’s thoughts and Was meeting his hero as good for Prem as he thought? Show
feelings Prem’s thoughts and feelings by describing his response.
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3 Now use your plan to write the next section of the story.
Remember to:
• establish the setting of where they meet
• show the reader Rasi Paliwalar’s character through careful
choice of words about his actions
• use the features of spoken English in the conversation
between Rasi and Prem
• use sentence openings to link the information in your
paragraphs.
Begin: This is how it happened. Prem had gone to . . .
Writing tip
To reflect realistic spoken English in your writing, you could
include pauses, contractions, fillers (e.g., ‘okay’, ‘right’, ‘do you
know’, etc.) and the occasional unfinished sentences.
Peer assessment Speaking tip

• Read your story to a partner and listen to their story. Remember to
• Copy and complete the grid below into your notebook. read your work
Put a tick for red or amber or green to judge how well they more slowly
met each criteria. aloud than you
might read in
• Green marks success. Amber marks some success. your head. Try to
Red indicates that they did not include this feature. convey the mood
and atmosphere
to your partner
Setting: Did they establish a through your
second story setting? delivery.
Actions: Did they detail Prem’s
actions to show how he felt on
seeing his hero? Which words
conveyed this?
Conversation: Did they include
dialogue between Prem and
his hero? Were contracted
words used in speech?
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3 Film and fame
Now read the next part of Film Boy.
21 Extract 2
This is how it happened. Prem had gone to Mr Rahna’s stall at his
usual time. Business was a bit quiet that day, Mr Rahna had said, and
it would not have surprised Prem if he sold no sweetmeats at all. In
fact, Prem might well have dozed off in the heat, had a large car not dozed off:
suddenly stopped in the street outside the stall and an unmistakable fallen asleep
figure stepped out. It was Rasi Paliwalar. unmistakable:
‘Which of these sweets do you recommend?’ the famous voice easy to recognise
had asked.
‘They’re all very fresh, sir,’ Prem said. His voice sounded shaky and
he hoped that Rasi would not laugh.
‘I’m sure they are,’ Rasi replied pleasantly.
‘But which taste best?’
Prem pointed out a tray of mango-flavoured
fudge.
‘Many people like that one, Mr Paliwalar.’
Rasi looked up. ‘You go to the films?’
he asked.
‘Oh yes, sir,’ Prem said. ‘I go every week.’
Rasi nodded. ‘Good,’ he said simply. ‘Now I’ll
take ten pieces of that mango fudge.’
Prem took the coins which Rasi offered him
and handed over the sweets. Rasi smiled again
and then, without saying goodbye, dashed back
across the road to the waiting car. The driver
pulled out into the road, changed gear, and sped off.
Prem looked at the coins in his hand. Rasi had given
him three times more than he needed to pay. Many people
would have kept the extra money, but not Prem. It did not matter
if Mr Paliwalar was rich – which he undoubtedly was. The extra
money belonged to the film star, and Prem was determined that he undoubtedly:
would get it back. Besides, if he gave it back to him, Prem would definitely,
have the chance to meet his hero again, and that was something he certainly
would like very much indeed.
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Language focus
Nouns are a key part of any description. Proper nouns are used
for specific places and people, like ‘Shanghai’ or ‘William’.
Concrete nouns give the reader an idea of ‘real’ objects in a
scene, such as ‘table’, ‘cat’, ‘guitar’. Abstract nouns help to
convey feelings and ideas, such as ‘love’ or ‘freedom’.
Writers use adjectives to tell you more about a noun. Adjectives
can give detail about size, appearance or manner, e.g. ‘large’,
‘beautiful’, ‘angry’. Adjective−noun combinations provide
readers with a quick image of a situation, person or thing,
e.g. ‘freezing rain’ or ‘large horse’.
4 Find and copy out three examples of adjective−noun combinations

from this extract.
5 Notice how the writer uses the same setting and characters in this
part of the story but adds details to help the reader imagine the
scene. Copy out:
a the quotation that shows that the setting is in a hot country
b the quotation that shows Prem’s mood when speaking to
his hero
c three examples of contractions used in direct speech.
6 Compare this extract with your own version of what happened
when Prem met Rasi. In your own piece, find:
a a quotation that tells the reader more about the setting
b a quotation that adds detail about an item mentioned in
your story
c a quotation that conveys something about a speaker’s mood
d three quotations that show your understanding of how to
show realistic spoken language.
Rewrite any lines in your own piece that you think could be improved.
Summary checklist
I can write a paragraph plan for a piece of narrative writing.
I can analyse the features of spoken English in dialogue.
I can convey a specific setting using a range of nouns.
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3 Film and fame
3.3 Real lives, real problems

• investigate the techniques used by journalists to write
headlines
• explore the structural features of a newspaper article
• consider the language features of a factual information
article.
Getting started Key words

Journalists try to catch their readers’ attention with their exaggeration:
headlines. Which of these features can you find in headlines 1–6? making
Discuss this with a partner. something seem
• alliteration worse or better
than it really is
• exaggeration rhyme: words
• rhyme where the end
• shock or surprise part sounds the
same (e.g. ‘feet’
• punctuation rhymes with
• non-standard English, including slang and deliberate ‘meat’)
misspelling. slang: informal
use of language,
usually in speech
MY NIGHTMARE JOURNEY
1 (e.g. ‘lemme’
instead of ‘let
me’)
deliberate
2 WOT’S HOT AND WOT misspelling:
’S NOT? where a word
has been spelt
incorrectly for a
A!
CELEBRITY CRIME ON CAMER
3 particular effect,
often to sound
like spoken
4 English (e.g.
PILOT’S BAD ‘AIR D
AY! ‘cos’ instead of
‘because’)
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Continued
5
ING SHOCKER…
FOOTBALLER’S SPEED
6
G A N G S T A R A P K IL L Z
M U S IC
1 Newspaper articles use a range of structural features. Read the

Key words
article from Hindustan Times. On a copy of the article, label the
following features: structural
features: the
• headline way that a text
• lead (a paragraph at the start that states the overall focus of is ordered and
organised
the story – who, what, when, where, why)
• byline (the name or department of the journalist)
• paragraphs
• concluding sentence (a final sentence to complete the article).
22 Hrithik Roshan says he practises every day

to overcome stammering
Hrithik Roshan, who has had a long struggle against stammering in his stammering:
life, might represent The Indian Stammering Association as their brand difficulty speaking
ambassador, says a new report. fluently, often
Actor Hrithik Roshan may be a superstar but his struggles in life will inspire with pauses and
all. He has had a long struggle against stammering. However, he has dealt repetition of the
with it like a ‘superstar’ and emerged victorious. The fight against it is a initial sound of
words
constant one; he still practises every day to overcome his speech issue.
victorious:
According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Hrithik may soon become the brand successful, the
ambassador of The Indian Stammering Association. Nine members of the winner
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3 Film and fame
association met the actor at his residence on March 15. ‘I’d practise every day
to overcome the speech issue. I still do for an hour at least so I can control the
secondary actions like twitching and all. The unacceptability of stammering was
not only bothersome in my childhood but prevailed till 2012, long after I had bothersome:
become a film star,’ the report quoted him as saying. difficult
prevailed:
Speaking about his struggle, Hrithik recalled a time when he had to go to
continued
Dubai for an award. For his acceptance speech, he had to practise hard to say
the word ‘Dubai’ and eventually did deliver it without difficulty. recalled:
remembered
It may be recalled that in September last year his sister blog: a web page
Sunaina Roshan had written a long blog post on her where someone
brother in which she spoke about incidents from their writes and posts
childhood and getting diagnosed with cancer. She had also regular articles,
touched upon Hrithik’s problem of stammering. like an online
journal
She had written: ‘He defeated another major hurdle in
life and that was overcoming or rather finding a way to touched upon:
live with his stammer. He says it has been his greatest mentioned
battle. I remember watching him at the age of 13 hurdle: problem
as he would sit and read aloud for hours, sometimes without fail:
alone in the bathroom every single day, morning and always
night without fail. For 22 years I saw him do this.’
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
2 Newspaper articles also use a range of language features to get their

message across. Look at the list of features and the quotations from
the article. Decide which feature fits which quotation. The first one
has been done for you. There may be more than one example of
each feature.
Language features Quotations
a specific dates and times i The Indian Stammering
Association
b direct speech ii . . . he had to practise hard
to say the word ‘Dubai’
c names of people, places iii at his residence on March 15
and relevant organisations
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Language features Quotations Key words

d opinions and anecdotes iv ‘He defeated another major figurative
from other people hurdle . . . ’ language: words
involved in the story and phrases
e real-life examples to prove v ‘I’d practise every day to with a more
general points overcome the speech issue.’ imaginative
f figurative language to vi ‘I remember watching him . . . ’ meaning to create
show important ideas a special effect,
such as simile,
3 This article has a serious message about how hard it can be to metaphor and
overcome a difficulty. Write an explanation of how each of the personification
following quotations conveys this powerful message to the readers.
a . . . he had to practise hard to say the word ‘Dubai’
Reading tip
b ‘He defeated another major hurdle . . .’
When planning
4 Plan your own article about a person who has worked hard to and researching
overcome a difficulty. It could be about someone you know or an article, use
a famous person. Start by gathering information. You could online sites with
interview the person if you know them, or use the internet to find care. Remember
to double-check
out more.
facts and credit
5 Draft and then write your own article. Try to include the features information from
of articles you have learnt about in this session. Write about other sources in
200 words. your own writing.
Self-assessment
Key word
Evaluate your article.
evaluate: to
• How clearly have you conveyed information about the person assess how good
you have written about? or bad something
• What structural and linguistic features have you used? is and identify
how to improve it
Summary checklist
I can understand and use the techniques used by journalists
to write headlines.
I can analyse the structural features of a newspaper article.
I can identify the language features of a factual
information article.
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3 Film and fame
3.4 Reviewing films

• investigate the structural features of a film review
• explore the way writers use language to establish the style
of a journalistic review
• consider how descriptive language can be used to convey
opinion.
Getting started
In small groups, list as many superhero films as you can in three

minutes. Share ideas with the class, then discuss the typical
features of this genre. What themes and ideas do superhero films
often have in common (e.g. a dramatic rescue, a happy ending).
Film reviews
A review text gives information and an opinion about something the
writer has experienced, such as a film, restaurant or book. Read the film
review text, featured in a British newspaper.
23 The Incredibles – absolutely incredible!

Reviewed by Jenny Hampster
Cert: U
The Incredibles is an incredibly funny and incredibly warm
comedy that made me laugh like a horse. In fact, I laughed so
hard, I sometimes felt my ribs would explode. Like the pixelated pixelated:
characters in the film, I felt I’d been flung through walls, thrown computer-
into the ocean and hurled headlong into the sky. The film puts lots generated
of different ideas in the blender – it felt like a mixture of X-Men headlong: quickly
and Batman but very modern at the same time. Pixar have taken and suddenly
earlier films and turned them into something altogether new.
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3.4 Reviewing films
The story begins in the late 1940s and features Mr Incredible

(voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and his fiancée, Elastigirl (voiced by
Holly Hunter). Elastigirl has the incredible ability to stretch in
every direction. The couple use their skills to defeat robbers and
help citizens. But pretty soon, their activities are halted when
lawyers and money-seeking survivors take Mr Incredible to court.
In short, the fantastic duo have to move to another city.
The story takes a turn when 15 years later, a larger and balding
Mr Incredible is offered the opportunity to work again as a
superhero. The temptation is great, but the man behind this offer
remains a mystery: does he really want Mr Incredible to return – or
is he a former enemy trying to destroy the former superhero?
The animation and accompanying soundtrack are mind-blowing. soundtrack: the
These are just two of the standout features of this film, but it’s the music in a film or
humour that wins the viewer over. It’s not just the main characters TV show
who entertain, but the hilarious, bespectacled Edna Mode – the bespectacled:
designer of superhero costumes who reworks Mr Incredible’s wearing glasses
outfit. The lines given to her are some of the best in the film.
Superhero films are nothing new, but this one feels fresh. If you’re
looking for the classic holiday film which provides fun for all the
family, search no further, The Incredibles is incredible comedy.
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3 Film and fame
1 Answer the following questions about the review.

Write your answers in complete sentences.
a Which genre of film is The Incredibles: action, adventure, comedy,
family, superhero, romance? (You might choose more than one.)
b Name one other film that the reviewer suggests has
influenced The Incredibles.
c Is the reviewer’s opinion of the film positive or negative?
Give two quotations to support your answer.
2 Film reviewers use technical film vocabulary and factual language.
Copy the table into your notebook and complete it with examples
of each type of language from the review. One example of each has
been given.
Language type Example
Names of directors, actors Pixar
and film studios
Technical language linked pixelated
to films
Facts about the film The story begins in the late
1940s . . .
3 Now think about the way the review is structured. On a copy of
The Incredibles review, label each of the structural features given Key words
in the table. fact: something
that is known to
Structural features Explanation
have happened
Title The film title or exist
Cast/actors List of leading actors or voiceovers in an plot: the main
animation events of a story,
Official film rating The judgement made for suitable film, novel or play
audiences of the film often an age rating in sequence from
beginning to end
Reviewer’s verdict The reviewer’s decision whether the film is
backstory: the
good or bad (e.g. using stars or a grade)
fictional history
Plot Information about the story’s events plus or background
its setting and key characters created for a
Backstory Information about the background story character in a
that comes before the film’s action story or film
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3.4 Reviewing films
4 The writer combines formal and technical language with long,

Key word
descriptive sentences. This reviewer builds up adjectives to combine
facts with her opinion of the film. Copy out a and b below. opinion: a
For each one: personal view
or judgement
• underline the noun being described about something,
not necessarily
• write a sentence explaining what the adjective in italics
based on fact or
suggests about the writer’s opinion of the film. knowledge
For example: ‘The Incredibles’ is incredible comedy.
What it suggests: By using the word i‘ncredible', the writer is
trying to convey that she thinks this comedy film is unbelievably
good – it is an astounding film.
a The animation and accompanying soundtrack are mind-blowing.
b . . . the hilarious, bespectacled Edna Mode.
5 The reviewer also uses descriptive and figurative language to praise
Key word
the film and establish a friendly tone. In pairs, read the phrases,
then rewrite them to explain their literal meaning. For example: literal: the
original meaning
The film puts lots of different ideas in the blender the film mixes of a word, as
up lots of different genres. explained in a
a . . . I sometimes felt my ribs would explode . . . dictionary
b . . . incredibly warm comedy that made me laugh like a horse . . .
Reading tip
Remember – you can use the surrounding words and the context
of a sentence to help you to work out the meaning of unknown
words or phrases. Also think about similar words – words from
the same ‘family’ – to figure out meaning.
Summary checklist
I can identify the structural features of a film review.
I can comment on the way writers use language to establish
the style of a journalistic review.
I can explain how descriptive language is used to
convey opinion.
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3 Film and fame
3.5 Writing a review

• research and plan the content of a film review
• practise using an appropriate structure and style to write
a review
• consider how to choose vocabulary to express fact and opinion.
Getting started
The specialist words in the following list are often used in film
reviews. In groups of four or five, choose three items from the list
and decide what each word means. Use a dictionary if needed
or search on reputable websites on the internet to find out any
background information on the features listed.
Lead acto Genre

r
ects ck
Special eff Soundtra Plot
Write down:
• the specialist word
• the name of a film
• an example of the term from that film.
For example: Specialist words: Special effects
Film: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Example: The giant Hagrid is seen on screen as very large, but
in fact everything else on the set is very small. Another very tall
actor was also used as a double for him in other scenes.
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3.5 Writing a review
1 Think of a film that you either liked a lot or did not like at all.
Writing tip
You are going to write a review of that film. Use the internet or
other resources available to you to find out factual information Remember to
about your film. You can use the features listed in Activity 2 as use your own
words when
a guide to the information you may want to include.
noting down
2 Start by using the structure to plan your review. information from
your research.
Review title:
However, you can
Introductory facts: copy basic factual
information such
Film title: as titles, actors’
Cast: names and
running times.
Release date:
Running time:
Director/producer:
3 Think about whether your review will be positive or negative.
Sort these words and phrases into positive and negative statements.
Then add three more positive and three more negative phrases
of your own.
a disaster from
a must-see a smash hit
start to finish
little to worth seeing

disappointing
recommend it
must not be
an exciting
high points missed
piece
an unsatisfying
a predictable
ending
storyline
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3 Film and fame
4 Now think about how you will structure the main body of the review.
You need to decide what information to put in each paragraph.
Remember that film reviews are a balance between offering
information about the film and giving an opinion.
Make a list of what each paragraph of your article will include.
5 Now write your film review, using your plan. Keep in mind what
type of language you will use to show the genre of the film.
For example, a comedy might include words such as ‘hilarious’,
‘laugh-a-minute’, ‘joke’ or a science-fiction film might use
‘futuristic’ and include technical-sounding words. Remember to
write clearly in your best handwriting.
Writing tip
Remember that film reviews are written in the present tense
(e.g. ‘the film is’ rather than ‘the film was’). You are not just
telling your readers about the experience that you had, you are
recommending or not recommending a product to them.
Peer assessment
Swap your work with a partner and read their review. It does
not matter if you are not familiar with the film they reviewed.
Decide whether their film review:
• showed their knowledge of the film, by presenting
facts about it
• gave a clearly expressed opinion
• showed their understanding of the structural and
language features of a review.
•
Think about the feedback you have received from
your partner.
•
Consider the process you went through to write
your review: research, planning, writing, checking.
•
Note down the area you would like to improve on
next time and why.
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3.6 Preparing a speech
Summary checklist
I can plan the content and structure of a film review.
I can write a film review using an appropriate structure
and style.
I can select vocabulary carefully to convey facts and opinion.

• understand explicit and implicit information in a text
• listen and respond to a news story
• explore ways of planning, writing and delivering a
persuasive speech.
Getting started
Many news stories and fiction texts tell stories of people

escaping from dangerous situations. In pairs, think of some
examples from books, films and real life. How are the people in
these stories usually presented?
24 1 Listen to the audio recording, which recounts the story of the Thai
boys who were trapped in a flooded cave. Answer these questions.
a Where are the Tham Luang caves?
b What is the name of the football team the boys play for?
c Do you think anyone should be blamed for the boys becoming
trapped in the cave? If so, who?
d By which date were the boys rescued?
e What does this event tell you about the people involved in
the rescue?
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3 Film and fame
Listening tip
The first time you listen to an account, focus on identifying key
facts and dates. When you listen to it a second time, think about
the opinions and important ideas the speaker offers.
Thai cave rescue

Read this short article about the Thai boys you heard about
in Activity 1.
25 Thai cave rescue boys meet hero Zlatan during

Ellen interview
Twelve football players and their coach appear on TV as they
continue to be feted around the world. feted: celebrated
The Thai youth football team who spent 17 dark days trapped in
a cave have made their first group appearance on international
television.
Appearing on Ellen Degeneres’s talk show, the 12 members of
the Wild Boars team and their coach Ekkapol Ake Chantawong
seemed unfazed by the global celebrity they have attracted unfazed: not
since their dramatic rescue in July. The frenzy around them upset or bothered
continues to roll in as they tour the world. frenzy: excitement
They have been in Argentina for the youth Olympic summer game changer: an
games in Buenos Aires, and on Tuesday they were presented event or person
with the Asian game-changer award by the Thai prime that changes a
minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, recognising the ‘glory’ they had situation
brought on the Thai people and their country.
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The team and their coach looked most overwhelmed when

their football hero Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who now plays for LA
Galaxy, made a surprise appearance on the show to meet them.
The Swedish player high-fived each member of the team. ‘These
kids, this team is more braver than me and they showed their
collective teamwork and had patience, faith,’ Ibrahimovic said.
‘This is probably the best team in the world.’
2 Answer the following questions.

a Write down two awards or treats that the Thai boys have
received since their experience in the caves.
b What does the article suggest about the different ways they are
treated in Thailand compared with the rest of the world?
c The footballer made a grammatical error in his speech. What
is it? Write down the phrase and then correct the error.
3 Just like Prem in Film Boy, the Thai boys met their hero in real life.
Who is their hero and why do you think the boys admired him?
4 If you could meet anyone, who would it be? Think of a living
celebrity you would love to meet. Imagine your class has been
offered a visit from one celebrity of their choice as a prize in a
competition. Plan a two-minute speech that you will deliver to
the rest of your class, persuading them to invite your chosen
celebrity.
a Find a picture of your celebrity to put in a presentation or
print a picture of them out to show as you deliver
your speech.
b Make sure you research and make bullet-point notes on
the basic biographical facts about your celebrity.
c Decide on three or four good reasons why your class
should support your choice. You might like to think about:
• the achievements of your celebrity
• why they might inspire young people as a role model
• why it would be exciting to meet them
• what might interest them about your school and your class.
Write notes to plan your speech.
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3 Film and fame
5 Write your speech. When you have finished, read it aloud and check
the timing – it should last around two minutes. Check you have:
• used accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar
• included enough facts and evidence about your chosen
celebrity to give your listeners information
• considered who your audience is and what will
persuade them.
6 Deliver the speech to your class, displaying the image of your
Speaking tip
chosen celebrity. Think carefully about how long the speech will
take. Remember to use gestures and eye contact to convince your Choose language
audience of your point of view. that shows your
positive opinion.
Peer assessment This will help
you engage and
Listen to the speeches. As you listen, think about how persuasive persuade your
their speech is to you as the audience. listeners. When
Mark on a scale of 1−10 how convinced you are by their argument, delivering your
language and evidence. Make notes on your reasons why. speech, try not
to speak too
1 10 quickly, even if
not persuasive very persuasive you feel nervous.
Discuss the feedback as a class. Think carefully about giving

positive feedback and suggestions for improvement, being
sensitive to the feelings of others in your group.
•
Consider the process you went through to research, plan,
write and deliver your speech.
•
How would you improve on your performance next time?
Summary checklist
I can identify explicit and implicit information in a text.
I can listen and analyse what I hear, giving reasons for my views.
I can plan, write and deliver a persuasive speech, thinking
carefully about what will persuade a specific audience.
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Check your progress
1 List some ways a writer might establish a strong sense of place/setting at
the opening of a story.
2 Give some examples of contracted words.
3 Define and give examples of proper nouns, abstract nouns and adjective-noun
combinations.
4 List some language features you would expect to find in a factual newspaper
article/film review.
5 What structural features would you find in a newspaper article/film review?
6 What advice would you give to a speaker about how to present an effective speech?
Project
1 As a class, you are going to prepare for a debate. Agree on five learners to
take part. Then, choose five historical figures who are considered admirable
for some reason.
2 These five learners will compete for their historical figure to appear on a new
banknote. Two rounds will be used to gradually select the winner.
3 In round 1, each speaker gives a short persuasive speech explaining why they
should be remembered in this way.
4 For round 2, as a class, prepare some questions. Each person in the debate
should try and answer some of these sample questions:
• Why is your character special?
• What are your achievements?
• What have you contributed to the world or a particular country?
• Why should we admire you?
• Can you tell us about your character’s work?
• Can you tell an anecdote proving that your character should be admired?
• Can you give more detail about a particular point in your speech?
5 At the end of the speeches, have a class vote on which learner was most
persuasive. Remember – you should not vote on who you like best, but rather
on how well were the arguments were presented.
6 As an award, this famous person’s picture will appear on a new banknote to
mark their huge contribution.
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4 Small but perfect
In this unit, you will read a range of texts that explore the idea of
the miniature: things that are very small. Humans have always been
fascinated by what tiny things can reveal about the world at large.
Here you will find big ideas shown on a perfectly small scale.
You will need to look carefully to notice the details!
4.1 Flash fiction

• learn about the genre of flash fiction
• explore symbols and images in a text
• analyse how a writer uses symbols and images for effect.
Getting started Key word
‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’ In pairs, discuss what proverb: a short,

you think this proverb means. Why is it particularly relevant to well-known
journalism and advertising? Think of a poster that had a strong saying, stating a
impact on you. It might be an advertising poster or a campaign general truth or
poster for a cause such as saving wildlife or plastic pollution. piece of advice
Describe it to your partner and explain why you felt it was
so powerful.
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4.1 Flash fiction
’One in Twenty-Three’ Key words

Flash fiction is a type of story based on the idea of saying something flash fiction: a
powerful in a few words. Read this flash fiction story by Helen Rye. It is very short work of
about a refugee – a person who has been forced to leave their homeland fiction, which still
and has sought shelter in another country. offers character
and plot
development
26 Our land was beautiful. You should have seen the cherry blossom in
the springtime, the foot of our mountain was clothed in it. And the
sweetness of the figs in autumn – there is nothing like it anywhere.
Figs were our country’s first gift to the world. Anzuki, Halabi, Anzuki, Halabi,
Bouksati, Oubied – such poetry there is in the names, and in the Bouksati, Oubied:
soft, ripened flesh you could taste the warmth of the sun that falls on different types
the land of my grandfather’s fathers. of fig
We burnt the trees to keep our child from dying of cold, the winter wept: cried
after the power went down. My husband wept as he carried the orchard: a
branches from the orchard, but the snows were coming and we had planted area of
nothing left to burn. fruit trees
He spared one.
The last fruit was ripe on its branches and the leaves had almost
gone, the day the rebels took him away.
I took my son to my sister in the city, but then the bombs came.
They fell on the library. On the marketplace. On the internet café
at the corner of the next street. On the hospital. On the people who
were fleeing from the hospital.
Our lives compressed to the twelve-metre span of this boat. compressed:
squeezed smaller
I called my son Ocean, because once I loved the sea. Now our land
lies scorched and turned toward the earth, and ten thousand have scorched: burnt
fallen like leaves beneath these waters.
Did you know that the fig is not really a fruit? No, it is a flower that
has turned in on itself, so that all of the beauty and goodness lies
hidden on the inside. All the colour that could in another life have
become bright petals is wrapped in darkness, away from the world.
But it is in there.
It is in there.
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4 Small but perfect
1 The writer uses time to structure the story. Summarise what has
happened to this family in a few sentences, using your own words.
Sequence the narrative structure by using words connected with
time such as ‘first’, ‘next’, ‘then’. Begin:
The family enjoyed their beautiful land, filled with nature. . . .
Writing tip
Check that your comments on the family’s past uses the past
tense (e.g. ‘they were’).
Make sure that you are writing about the woman, travelling in
a boat, in the present tense (e.g. ‘she is’).
2 Which two words reflect the mood of the speaker? Give reasons for
your answer, using quotations to support your choice.
hungry sad
desperate
hopeful angry happy
Language focus Key word
In literature, a symbol is an object or sign that represents symbol: a literal

something else. These signs can be seen in everyday life, from object that stands
music to chemistry, from street signs to food packaging. Some for or represents
are universally understood, but some are particular to specific something else
countries. For example, in many countries, schoolchildren
understand that the cross sign – ‘x’ – can symbolise something
wrong or incorrect.
3 Reread the first two paragraphs of the flash fiction story. The writer
uses figurative language to express ideas in the story. For example,
the figs are used as a symbol, representing the family’s feelings
about their country and its fate. Find two quotations about the figs
and explain what each one suggests. For example:
nothing like it anywhere : This suggests that the writer feels
her country is unique. She misses it.
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4.1 Flash fiction
4 Now find a quotation about the last fig tree and explain what it
symbolises about the writer’s feelings for her country and its fate.
5 Consider the way images carry meaning in this story. What do
you think this line suggests about the link between the tree and
the man?
The last fruit was ripe on its branches and the leaves had almost gone,
the day the rebels took him away.
Reading tip
When selecting quotations, try to find the shortest possible
phrase that captures what you are trying to say. This will keep
your analysis precise and focused.
6 This story ends with the symbol of the fig as a flower that has
turned inwards. In pairs, discuss what this image suggests about
the female narrator.
7 In flash fiction, big ideas are expressed in a few words. What can
you work out about the social and historical context of the story?
In pairs, discuss the big ideas in this refugee story.
Summary checklist
I can describe the features of a flash fiction story.
I can identify symbols and descriptive images in a text.
I can analyse how a writer uses symbols
and images for effect.
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4 Small but perfect
4.2 Small but precious

• create a fictional history about an object
• explore the use of time connectives in sequencing creative
writing
• build descriptions through expanded noun and verb phrases.
Getting started
Reread the flash fiction story ‘One in Twenty-Three’ from

Session 4.1. In groups, discuss the answers to the following
questions.
• What do you know about the features of flash fiction?
• How did the writer use time to structure the story?
• Whose viewpoint was the story told from? Was anyone else
involved in the story whose viewpoint could have been used
instead?
• What strong images from the story can you remember?
• Writers can create memorable images by appealing to
readers’ senses. Did any images from the story appeal to
your sense of touch, smell, sight, sound or taste?
27 1 Listen to the speaker discuss a small object that is precious to her.

As you listen, answer the questions.
a How long has the speaker had the object for?
b Describe what the object looks like.
c At which point in the story did you realise what the
object was?
d Describe the feelings of the speaker.
e What does this story reveal about family relationships?
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2 Look at these objects. You are going to use them as a starting point
for creating believable stories to convince a listener.
Choose two objects and write down an outline for a possible story
about each one. Use your imagination to answer these questions.
a Where did it come from?
b Why might it be important to someone?
c Who might own it now and be telling its story?
d Where it is kept now?
e Is it connected with a secret? If so, what?
f What emotion might it symbolise to its current owner? Why?
g Which of your five senses could help you describe your object?
3 In pairs, take it in turns to explain the imaginary background of the
objects. Use your voice, eye contact and gesture to bring the story of
the object to life. Once you have both explained your objects, decide
which of them would work best as a flash fiction story.
Self-assessment
• Which item was the most effective in convincing your partner?
• Why do you think this worked so well?
• How did you use your voice, eye contact and gesture to
make your meaning clear or appear more convincing?
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Writers often tell stories that stretch over a period of time. For time connectives:
example, a narrator might start by explaining what happened words and
50 years ago, then move to another time period, before finally phrases used to
explaining how they feel about things ‘now’. Time connectives show how events
such as ‘then’, ‘next’, ‘before’, ‘after some time’ or ‘years later’ in a story are
are sometimes used to support the reader’s understanding of the sequenced and
sequence of events and how they are linked. linked by time
4 You are going to write a flash fiction story about the object you
selected. To write your story, you need to consider your item’s past
and present. Remind yourself of the way time is used to structure
the story ‘One in Twenty-Three’. The memories of lost times in
their homeland are described before the present time in the boat.
Use this table to help plan your story.

What happened What was the What is the What is the
before? setting? situation now? setting now?
‘One in The family lived Warm She has escaped Full boat on
Twenty-Three’ happily amongst her war-torn the sea
countryside, fig
nature. tree orchard, country with
mountain, spring, her son. Her
autumn husband has
been captured.
Your story
5 Remind yourself how the writer used figurative language such as

symbols and images in ‘One in Twenty-Three’ to suggest wider
ideas and emotions. Key words
a Note down who is telling your story – who is the first person first person:
‘I’ in your story? Think about how your character will written from
describe the item in focus. What does it mean to the narrator? a single point
How does the narrator feel about it? of view, using
pronouns such as
‘I’ and ‘we’
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b Write two basic sentences describing your item. Then extend

the description using expanded noun phrases and expanded
verb phrases. Use the five senses to help you. For example:
The box sat on the shelf.

noun phrase expanded noun phrase, using
sense of touch and sight to
develop the speaker’s attitude
The cold metal box, with detailed decoration,
to the piece
sat on the shelf, empty.
expanded verb phrase,

The cold metal box, with detailed decoration, suggesting that the speaker
sat on the shelf, as a constant reminder of does not want it there or
what had been lost. perhaps feels guilty about it
noun phrase The stone lay on the beach expanded noun phrase, using
sense of touch to develop the
speaker’s attitude to the piece
The rough stone, its surface like sand
paper, lay alone on the beach. expanded verb phrase,
suggesting that the speaker views
the stone with some sadness,
almost suggesting it is lonely
Writing tip Key words

Thinking about the five senses can add useful descriptive detail expanded
to your creative writing. However, it is important not to overload noun phrase: a
your writing with sensory descriptions; just choose one or two. phrase that adds
information and
detail to describe
6 Now write your own flash fiction story, using the planning from
a noun
Activities 4 and 5. Write about 300 words. Give your story a title.
expanded
When you have finished, check your work to ensure it makes sense. verb phrase: a
Read it aloud. Check sentences, spelling and grammar. phrase that adds
Remember – every word matters in flash fiction! information and
detail to describe
a verb
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Peer assessment
Read your story to a partner and listen to their story.
Assess whether your partner has included the following features.
Place a tick under red or amber or green in a copy of the grid to
show how confidently you heard each aspect.
Title: Is the title significant to the

story?
Image: Is there at least one strong
image?
Time: Are both the past and present
time periods used to tell the story of
the object?
Voice: Is there a clear narrator with a
story to tell?
Senses: Does the description appeal
to at least one of the five senses?
Summary checklist
I can use my imagination and speaking skills to create
a convincing story.
I can use time connectives to help a reader understand
a sequence of events.
I can build description in my writing using expanded noun
and verb phrases.
4.3 Haiku poetry

In this session, you will: Key word
• explore how haiku poems are structured syllable: a word

or part of a word
• discuss poems and express personal opinions that has one
• choose quotations to support your explanations. vowel sound
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4.3 Haiku poetry
How many beats or syllables are in your name? haiku: a form of

poetry originating
Look these names and the beats or syllables marked below them. in Japan
Mo han Nair Cha mu di Men dis
windsurfs: a
Tan May Li Ed ward Mars den board with a sail
that moves across
water powered by
Now do the same with your own name. Clap it out as you say
the wind
your name aloud.
skim: to move
quickly along
Haiku the surface of
something
1 Read these haiku poems and think about the topics they explore.
howl: a long, loud
Make a sketch of the objects and ideas in the second and
cry
fourth haiku.
gleams: shines
brightly
28 ‘Seaview Haiku’ by John Foster
Bright as butterflies
With folded wings, the windsurfs
Skim across the bay.
29 ‘Over the Wintry’ by Natsume Soseki

Over the wintry
forest, winds howl in rage
with no leaves to blow.
30 ‘Koi’ by Jennifer Wong

Among heart-shaped leaves
the white fish gleams, red tail.
Soft lotuses sleep.
31 ‘Under the Evening Moon’ by Kobayashi Issa

Under the evening moon
the snail
is stripped to the waist.
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2 Copy and complete the following statements in your notebook to

write a definition of haiku.
• Haiku are made of lines.
• They focus on a moment in time.
• They present a powerful image or pair of images.
• They often include images or ideas from the world.
• They can be read in one breath.
• The few words convey a strong in the reader’s mind.
3 In pairs, read all four poems aloud, slowly. Discuss which poem
you like best and why. Think carefully about what each poem
suggests about the topic. Consider the following questions:
a What pictures do the poems create in your mind?
b What is the tone or mood of each poem?
How do you think it should be read aloud?
c Do the poems make you think about the subject they are
focusing on, such as a snail or a windsurf, in a new way?
Write down which haiku is your favourite and why. Use these
sentence starters to help you:
My favourite haiku is . . .
I chose this haiku because . . .
4 Practise reading your favourite haiku aloud several times.
Vary your voice to create different feelings and effects.
Before you read, think carefully about the following aspects:
• the mood or tone of the poem
• the most important words in the poem and how you will
emphasise these in your reading.
5 Deliver your chosen haiku aloud to the class. Try to find a good
image or two to display on a screen behind you, to accompany your
reading. Think carefully about how the image conveys the content
of your poem.
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4.3 Haiku poetry
‘Marriage’
Read this poem, written in 1916 by William Carlos Williams. Williams
was an American poet who was famous for using and adapting the
ancient haiku form.
32 So different, this man

And this woman:
A stream flowing
In a field.
6 Answer these questions.

a Count the syllables. How many do you find?
b This poem has been called a ‘modern haiku’.
Why do you think this is?
c Haiku often bring together two different ideas.
Which two images can you identify in this poem?
7 Read the paragraph of analysis, written by a learner, to explain
how the language, structure and content of ‘Seaview Haiku’ works.
The annotations show what this learner has done well.
[1] Establishes topic [2] Comment on [3] Comment on the form and [4] Use of the terminology
of the poem the title its use for a moment in time ‘image’ central in haiku poems
‘Seaview Haiku’ focuses on the idea of a view of the sea with windsurfs sailing
on it. The title immediately establishes the topic of this moment. The poet
uses the haiku form to capture the seaside moment using two images. He uses
the image of the w‘ indsurfs’ linked to the natural image of ‘butterflies’ and w‘ ings’.
This helps the reader picture the ‘bright’ colours of the windsurfs as well as
their shape as f‘olded’. Foster uses the natural image of butterflies to suggest
how the windsurfs naturally fit in with this seaside moment.
[5] Use of short quotations from [6] Comment about the [7] Explanation of the [8] Comment suggesting
the poem to support points effect on the reader way the images work the poet’s intention
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Now write your own paragraph to analyse the poem ‘Marriage’, using
Writing tip
the sample answer to help you.
Remember to
Summary checklist comment on your
reading of the title,
I can explain how haiku poems are structured. form, structure,
I can discuss poems and express personal opinions. language and
I can use quotations to support explanations. images in
‘Marriage’. Include
short quotations.
4.4 Writing imagist poetry

• explore how modern poets have used the ancient haiku form
• look carefully at the natural world to help write your own
haiku poem
• use images and symbols to improve your poetic writing.
Getting started
Consider the word ‘luminous’, using

these two pictures. What do you think
this word might mean?
The poet Ezra Pound, who was
famous for his haiku, said: ‘The artist
selects and presents the luminous detail’.
In pairs, discuss what you think the poet
meant by this. Share your ideas as a class.
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1 Some poets use a series of haiku to make a longer poem. In this

Writing tip
activity, you will work as a group or class to create a poem that is
made of many haiku. As you start to
write your haiku,
a Look around your school and its grounds. Look carefully at sound out the
anything to do with nature, from seeds to insects, from plants syllables. Count
to the sky. What do you notice that other people may not? them carefully
Make some notes or take close-up photographs if you can. and make sure
Choose one item from the things you saw. you present your
haiku as three
b Write your own haiku, presenting the ‘luminous detail’ of the lines on the page.
natural item you chose. Use one or two images to convey the
moment you have looked at.
c As a group, put all your stanzas together to form one long
poem. Agree on the order of your stanzas and then choose
a name for your haiku series.
• Which stanzas were most ‘luminous’ to you?

• What did you find interesting about your classmates’
observations?
• Why do you think particular stanzas worked well as a haiku?
2 Read your haiku series aloud. Each person should read their
own haiku stanza. Discuss which images or pairs of images stand
out as evidence that you have looked at your surroundings in
careful detail.
Imagist poetry
In the early 20th century, imagist poets developed the haiku form into
short poems that focus on a single everyday item. These poems captured
a single moment or idea in just a few words.
Read these two poems by William Carlos Williams, the poet who wrote
‘Marriage’ in Session 4.3. Then, answer the questions that follow.
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33 The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain

water
beside the white

chickens
34 This is just to say icebox: cold

cupboard or
This is just to say fridge
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
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3 In pairs, discuss the feelings that the first poem conveys.

Which of your five senses does the poet appeal to?
4 Now discuss the second poem. This is an example of a
‘poem letter’.
a What is the story of this poem?
b Which of your five senses does the poet appeal to?
c What mood do you think the speaker conveys?
5 Use the format of these poems to write your own poem, focusing
on a single image. Choose one of the following:
a Write a poem focusing on a single item, like the
wheelbarrow in Williams’s poem. Show a setting and
a moment in time. For example:
• the scene in the school playground with a
football left there just before learners arrive
• the moment a dinner is served on a table before
a family arrive to eat it
• the moment just before a thunderstorm has
finished.
b Write a poem letter that expresses an emotion and
a situation.
Just use a few words. Use Williams’s second poem as
a model. Begin: ‘This is just to say . . . ’.
Self-assessment
Read back over your work and ask yourself the following
questions:
• Are all the spellings correct?
• Have I chosen each word precisely?
• Do any need to be changed?
Edit your work to improve your writing.
6 As a class, read your work aloud and listen for powerful word
choices and images in the poems you hear. Note down any that you
particularly like and explain why. Share your ideas as a class.
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Summary checklist
I can identify the features of haiku and explain how they have
changed over time.
I can use ideas from the natural world to write a haiku poem.
I can include details, images and symbols to enhance my
poetic writing.
4.5 Miniature art

• summarise information from an informative article
• explore how writers use topics to organise texts
• use prefixes to widen your vocabulary.
Look at this dialogue. The two reporting verbs are underlined. reporting verb: a
How many replacements can you suggest for these verbs? Make verb that conveys
a list in pairs. the action of
speaking – used
‘What time do you call this?’ yelled the teacher. with both direct
‘I’m sorry, sir. I slept in,’ whispered Chen. and reported
speech
The tiny world of Willard Wigan

Read the magazine article by Benjamin Secher about the British artist
Willard Wigan, whose artwork is about tiny detail.
35 The tiny world of Willard Wigan, nano sculptor

Willard Wigan makes art that’s all but invisible to the naked
eye. He tells Benjamin Secher about the painful obsessive work
that goes into his pieces.
Willard Wigan is no ordinary sculptor. He describes himself as a
‘micro-miniaturist’, and all of his most significant pieces – over
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4.5 Miniature art
40 years’ worth of painstaking carving and chipping and painstaking:

painting – could fit comfortably together inside a single matchbox. careful
unidentifiable:
To the naked eye, each of Wigan’s works is all but invisible;
impossible to
an unidentifiable speck that reveals its true form, in
name
mind-boggling detail, only when placed under the microscope
and magnified 500 times. In one piece, King Henry VIII and his speck: tiny spot
six wives stand side by side within the eye of a needle. In another, mind-boggling:
a startled cat, eyes wide, back arched, clings to an eyelash taken surprising
from Wigan’s ex-girlfriend (‘I hope she never asks for it back,’ he King Henry VIII:
says). And his latest work is a startlingly accurate reproduction of an English king
the Lloyd’s building in London, perched on the tip of a needle. who is known for
‘I surprise myself sometimes,’ says Wigan, fingering a thick having six wives
gold chain that hangs around his neck. ‘I’ve done stuff that microscopic:
I’ve looked at afterwards and thought, “What enabled me to do things that are
that?” But I’ve had years of practice; every day of my life since I so small they
was about five, practising keeping my hands still and looking at can only be
small things. The microscopic world became my obsession.’ seen through a
microscope
Wigan traces that obsession back to his unhappy school days
when, suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia, he was treated as undiagnosed:
the class idiot. ‘When I started school, what little confidence I a problem that
had was taken away,’ he says. ‘The teacher would use me as an has not been
example. She used to show the other kids my work and make identified or
me feel, well, small. So I absconded a lot to get away from the named
misery of it. I would run across the park and hide in a shed and dyslexia: a
just sit there looking down at the ants on the floor. learning difficulty
that can affect
‘I started to construct tiny houses for them from splinters of
reading and
wood. But then I thought the ants needed furniture as well so
writing
I made little chairs and tables that could fit inside the houses.
Then I got thinking that they were going to need something to absconded: leave
wear, so I started making shoes and little hats for them too. hurriedly and
secretly
‘I became obsessed with making more and more tiny things.
compensating:
I think I was trying to find a way of compensating for my
making up for
embarrassment at having learning difficulties: people had made
me feel small so I wanted to show them how significant small
could be.’
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1 In one sentence, summarise the most remarkable feature of this

Reading tip
artist’s work. Then select three phrases from the first paragraph that
you think best show this feature. Explain why you have chosen them. When looking
for specific
2 The article could be divided into three sections: information in a
• paragraphs 1 to 3 text, remember
to use scanning
• paragraphs 4 and 5 skills. Look
• paragraphs 6 and 7. quickly over
the text to find
Look at these sections and decide on the main idea in each one. words that link to
Use your summary skills to give each section a relevant the information
subheading. you need. Then
employ close
3 List three challenges that Wigan has faced in his life and art. reading skills to
Use your own words and quotations from the text. read the relevant
sentences closely
4 This article combines direct speech from Willard Wigan, talking
to find out more.
about himself, and the writer’s own words, giving information
about the artist and his work. Look carefully at the reporting verb
used in the article. In pairs, discuss what you notice.
5 Here is another short extract from the interview, where the
journalist talks about his initial reaction to Wigan’s artwork.
Change the last sentence to direct speech from Wigan himself.
Choose an interesting reporting verb that conveys Wigan’s attitude.
36 At one point I find myself looking through Wigan’s microscope

at a doll’s house on the head of a pin, complete with lights and
staircases, and feeling a sense of disappointment that the doll
inside looks a touch clumsy. Then Wigan reminds me that the
figure under scrutiny is three times smaller than the full stop at
the end of this sentence.
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4.5 Miniature art
Self-assessment
Look back at the Getting started activity to remind yourself of
the rules for punctuating direct speech. Did you punctuate your
response correctly? Which aspects were accurate? Did you use:
• speech marks
• correct punctuation before the reporting verb
• correct punctuation inside the speech marks and at the end
of the sentence?
6 In this article, the writer conveys the wonder of this artist’s

achievement, focusing on his skill and the small size of his art. Key word
a How many synonyms for the word ‘small’ can you find in synonym: a word
the article? or phrase with the
same or similar
b Extend your list by using your own vocabulary. Then, using meaning to
a different coloured pen, add more words that you find in a another word
dictionary or thesaurus. Choose words that you think you or phrase
might be able to use in your own writing to demonstrate your
vocabulary, rather than words that are not often used.
Prefixes perform different functions in English and can change prefix: letters
meanings to varying degrees. For example, the prefix ‘sub-’ added to the
suggests something below. For instance, when ‘sub-’ is added to beginning of a
‘heading’ in ‘subheading’, it refers to a heading beneath another word to make
heading. The subheading covers a smaller section of the piece a new word with a
of writing. Other prefixes reverse the meaning of the root word. different meaning
For example, if you add ‘ab-’ to ‘normal’ to create ‘abnormal’, root word: the
then the original meaning is reversed. Be careful not to confuse basic form of a
prefixed words with words that look like they have prefixes. word that other
For instance, the word ‘subject’ only exists in English as a word words with
meaning ‘topic’. related meanings
are based on
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4 Small but perfect
7 Consider the prefixes ‘mini-’ and ‘micro-’.

a What do you think they mean?
b Did you write either or both of them in your list in Activity 6?
c In pairs, make a list of as many words as you can that use deposited:
those prefixes. deliberately
placed or left
8 Read the following account of shabtis. A shabti is a small figure inelegant: plain
that was placed inside Egyptian tombs. How many prefixes can you and unpolished
find? Make a list.
37 Shabtis were first put in tombs in 1985 BC. Yet ever since the
first humans were buried, small figures were deposited in
tombs. Early figures were rough and inelegant, but as time
progressed, these figures became more attractive and
unusual in design. Shabtis sometimes represented their
owners. It was thought that they helped them in the
afterlife. In modern times, shabtis which had been
unearthed were often brought home by travellers.
It’s unsurprising that many museums in the West have
shabtis on display.
Summary checklist
I can summarise information from an information article.
I can understand how writers use topics to organise texts.
I can use prefixes to widen my vocabulary.
4.6 Perfect pastimes

• plan an interview to find out interesting information
• explore the structure of a non-fiction interview text
• plan and write about a topic using specialist vocabulary.
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Getting started
Can you remember any of the materials and special tools Willard
Wigan used to create his art? Think about your own hobbies and
interests, such as sport, craft, baking or music. What equipment
and specialist terms do you use to describe them? Make a list
of the words. Read them out to a partner. How long does it take
them to guess your hobby?
1 Read the questions below that Willard Wigan was asked in an

interview he did for a TV magazine. Add two more questions that
you think would add interest to this magazine article.
• Willard, how did you learn you had this extraordinary talent?
• How would you describe the process of making your work?
• Are your work tools highly specialised?
• In [the programme] Tiniest Masterpieces you attempt to break
your own World Record.
How difficult was it?
• Your pieces provoke big reactions. Why do you think people
react the way they do?
2 You are going to plan, write and design your own
magazine interview about a person and their
hobby or passion.
• Choose someone who has a hobby who
you would like to interview. This could be
a friend, a teacher or another member
of staff at your school, or someone you
know outside of school.
• Write out a list of questions you will ask
them. Use the questions from the Willard
Wigan interview to give you some ideas
about the kind of questions you could ask.
• Remember to find out about specialist words
and equipment that will show knowledge of their
hobby or passion in your final article.
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4 Small but perfect
3 Interview the person you have chosen. Make notes to record the
information you find out about them and their hobby. Record your
interview if you are able to, but make sure you have permission and
the right equipment. Try to find out about the specialist language
linked to their hobby.
Micro-artist Willard Wigan

You are going to write up your interview as a magazine article. In order
to practise, first read the magazine article below about Willard Wigan.
38 Micro-artist Willard Wigan:

‘I go through misery to make
my pieces’
Micro-artist Willard Wigan talks
to us about his record-breaking
artwork, so tiny it makes you think
big thoughts!
Find threading a needle frustrating?
Then spare a thought for micro-artist
Willard Wigan, who hand-makes
sculptures so small they can sit in the
eye of a needle or the head of a pin.
Today Willard, 61, is a renowned,
respected and record-breaking artist,
but that wasn’t always the case.
Growing up in Birmingham in the
1960s with undiagnosed dyslexia
and mild autism made for miserable Micro-artist Willard Wigan autism: a
schooldays. However, with the help reveals his tiny world. disability that
of his incredible imagination and affects how
encouragement from his mum, Willard’s talent flourished, until he people behave in
was making microscopic art only visible under a powerful microscope. social situations
Here we talk to Willard Wigan about the precision and patience flourished: grew
needed to make his mind-boggling, microscopic art . . . quickly and
Willard, how did you learn you had this extraordinary talent? successfully
Willard Wigan: ‘When I was five-years-old my dog destroyed

an ants’ nest. My mind went into a fantasy world where the ants
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needed somewhere to live. So I built a little palace for the queen

and houses for the ants to have a party! My mum and friends told
me it was the best thing they’d ever seen, and those words went
into my head. I dedicate all this to my mother.
How would you describe the process of making your work?
‘Making something this small is like putting a pin through a bubble
without bursting the bubble. I
go through misery to make my
pieces. The pleasure comes
when I finish and see the
impact they have on people. I
tend to work on three or four
pieces at a time now because
if I concentrate on one for too Willard's microscopic art.
long I get too tired.’
Are your work tools highly specialised?
‘I make microscopic tools – tweezers made from eyelashes,
needles flattened into little hooks – and crush paint. I can sit really
still for hours!’
4 What facts about Wigan are used to interest the reader in the first
three paragraphs? On a copy of the article, underline the words and
phrases about Wigan that suggest he is a fascinating character.
5 The voice of the article reveals a positive attitude towards Wigan
in the lead paragraph. With a partner, list words and phrases that
show this attitude.
6 Look carefully at the layout of the article. Write down examples of
the following structural features.
• title – the heading at the top of an article
• introduction – the opening paragraph of an article
• questions and answers – interviewer questions followed by
answers from the interviewee
• images – used to illustrate the text
• captions – information about each image
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4 Small but perfect
7 Write the introduction to your magazine article. Remember to

include facts, opinions, a question, or an anecdote.
8 Write up your interview, outlining the questions with the answers.
You might choose to only use the most interesting questions and
answers from the interview you conducted. Think carefully about
layout and include details about any images that might be included
along with relevant captions.
Peer assessment
In pairs, evaluate each other’s work. On a scale of 1−10, where
1 is less successful and 10 is very successful, how far did your
partner achieve success with the following? Be prepared to
explain your decision.
• an engaging introduction
• interesting headings and subheadings offering information
of interest
• a clear structure, using questions and answers
• subject-specific vocabulary to convey their knowledge of
the topic.
Summary checklist
I can plan and conduct an interview using questions to gain
information.
I can describe the layout features of a non-fiction article.
I can write a non-fiction interview article to engage a reader,
using specialist vocabulary.
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Check your progress
Check
1 Write a your
definitionprogress
of the term ‘symbol’. Use an example.
Answer
2 theanfollowing
Give example questions to check
of an expanded what
noun you have
phrase and learned in thisverb
an expanded unit.phrase.
1
3 What
What are
are key features of
the features of aadventure
haiku? stories?
Give some examples of events that happen in adventure stories.
4 Give an example of an imagist poem and describe its features.
2 What type of characters do you find in adventure stories?
5 Give two ordinary
Are they examplespeople
of prefixes
or dowhich reverse
they have the meaning
special of a happens
skills? What word. to them?
6
3 Describe theways
Name three mainyou
features of aan
can keep non-fiction
audience interview
interestedtext.
when relating an anecdote.
Project
5 List three ways that a writer can create suspense.
In groups, put together your own anthology of haiku poems. Using what you have
6 Explain what you know about writing accounts of adventures.
learnt from this unit as well as extra research work in groups of two or three:
How has your writing improved?
• write an introduction to give a definition and history of the haiku poem form
• find and read a range of haiku poems
• agree on 5–10 poems that you would like to include in your anthology
• think carefully about the images and ideas they present, and choose or
design appropriate illustrations for each poem.
You might like to include a range of ancient and modern poems. You could choose
one or two haiku written in other languages with their translations. You could
use some very short poems that are based on the haiku form but are not in strict
haiku form.
Present your introduction and anthology to the class and read out your poems as a
group. When you present, you might use pictures to illustrate your readings.
The order of your tasks might be:
1 Use the internet and library to research some haiku poems.
2 Discuss what you have found with your group.
3 Agree on a definition, as a group.
4 Agree on which pages will be completed by each group member.
5 Agree on what could be used on the front page to illustrate and introduce
your collection.
6 Write up your poems with any designs.
7 Rehearse the readings of your poems before your final performance.
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5 Unusual education
In this unit, you will read about different types of schools and
education. You will consider ideas about uniform and school rules.
You will also read drama and fiction set in schools.
5.1 Unusual schools

• explore and discuss different types of schools
• identify how connectives are used for different purposes
• use connectives in a formal written account.
Getting started
People in different parts of the world have very different

experiences of school. The picture below shows a school based
in a cave in a remote part of China. Most of the learners have to
walk for an hour along a stone path just to get there.
In pairs, describe your journey to school and what happens
during a typical day. What is the most unusual thing about
your school?
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5.1 Unusual schools
Lumiar Institute, São Paulo, Brazil

Read the account of the Lumiar Institute in Brazil, which has an
unusual approach to education.
39 Lumiar schools are not the same as other schools. They do not
have lessons and timetables. The adults are very different to
the ones you’ll find in other schools – in most schools, teachers
teach whole classes. Some of the adults who work at Lumiar
are more like advisors and coaches, who work with individual
students. They support the students’ progress and help them to
choose projects to work on. The other adults are there to serve
as experts – they have particular talents in areas such as music
and engineering. The students can arrange meetings with these
experts when they need specific help in a certain subject.
Students are not assessed through exams, but through a
learning portfolio that records their achievements and skills portfolio: a record
throughout their time at school. At any point, students can of achievements
decide to use the library for independent study and play. and skills
If you attend a Lumiar school, your day
will start with students and staff deciding
how and where they would like to work.
The school has plenty of space but no
traditional classrooms. Once a week, an
assembly known as ‘The Circle’ is held. All
staff, students and parents attend and talk
about anything from new project ideas to
behaviour issues. Additionally, The Circle
is also time when student success
is celebrated.
1 Read the description of the Lumiar

school again and make notes on the
following questions.
a How are learning experiences organised?
b How are students assessed?
c What happens during ‘The Circle’?
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Language focus
In explanatory writing, writers use connectives to clarify links

between pieces of information. Connectives can be used for
comparison, sequencing or qualifying. For example:
Comparison: I played football for my local team in the same way
that my father did.
Sequencing: Put the pasta in the pan after the water has boiled.
Qualifying: I didn’t buy the coat because it didn’t fit properly.
Connectives can also be used to:
• introduce examples (for example, ‘such as’)
• to add ideas (for example, ‘furthermore’)
• to summarise (for example, ‘on the whole’).
2 In the extract about the Lumiar school, the connectives are

highlighted. Write down the purpose of each connective.
3 Here are two views about the Lumiar school. In groups,
discuss these views. Which one do you most
agree with? Why? Use examples from This school seems
the text to support your ideas. exciting but I’m not sure B
how much I would learn. I
like listening to teachers and
A learning from them. The school
has no routine and that isn’t
helpful to learners.
This school seems like an

exciting place. It’s modern and
would keep me entertained. I like
learning by doing practical things.
I think I would learn a lot
at this school.
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5.1 Unusual schools
School of One, New York City, USA

Now read a description of another school which makes use
of technology.
40 At School of One, Maths students start their day by looking at a large

screen showing possible activities for the day ahead. The activities
are designed to suit the needs, interests and abilities of each student.
If students enjoy teacher input, they can meet a teacher individually
before taking part in a small-group activity. Students who enjoy
technology can do computer-based activities. Students at the
School of One can also learn from online tutors or can take part in
traditional classes.
The School of One sets a short test at the end of each session, which
helps staff design activities for the next day. This method helps
teachers watch how students develop so they can give them tasks
that match their needs, to help them progress well.
For teachers, School of One is very different from working at
a traditional school. They spend less time on paperwork and
record-keeping and more time getting to know students. This helps
students feel valued – they feel that their views and abilities are at the
heart of what they learn.
4 Read the extract again and make notes on the following questions.
a How is School of One similar to the Lumiar Institute?
b How is it different from the Lumiar Institute?
5 In small groups, discuss the two schools (Lumiar Institute, São
Reading tip
Paulo, Brazil and School of One, New York City, USA). Which
one would you like to attend? Why? As you talk, develop your When comparing
discussion with details from the text and your own experiences. two texts, it can
be helpful to
6 Most schools are different from the two you have read about here. create a table
Think about the ways you learn in your school. In pairs, make to keep track of
bullet-point notes on what typical lessons are like, how they are similarities and
organised and how you are assessed. differences. Make
sure you record
7 Write a 200-word account of how your school works. Use your the information in
notes from Activity 6 and the extracts in this session to help you the right column.
plan and structure your writing. Use formal language and standard
English. Use connectives to help sequence and qualify your points.
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5 Unusual education
Speaking tip
When presenting your views to others, use facts and other
research to support your ideas. A well-argued opinion often
contains information from other sources.
Peer assessment
Swap accounts with a partner and give them feedback.
• How accurately have they described your school?
• Have they explained their points clearly?
• Have they used formal language and standard English?
• Have they used connectives to sequence and qualify
their points?
Summary checklist
I can discuss different types of schools.
I can analyse how connectives are used for different purposes.
I can write a formal account using connectives.
5.2 School uniform

• learn about bias in texts
• explore persuasive writing techniques
• perform a persuasive speech.
Getting started
Many schools expect learners to wear a school uniform.

Look at the pictures on the next page. Which uniform, if any,
would you like to wear? If you could design a new uniform,
what choices would you make and why? Make a sketch of your
ideas and show it to another learner.
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5.2 School uniform
1 People around the world have different views about school

uniforms. Here are five opinions about school uniforms.
In pairs, identify whether these sentences are for or against
learners wearing school uniforms.
A B
Uniforms make all
learners look professional I feel really anonymous
and intelligent. in my awful
school clothes.
C
Our school uniform D
makes every learner feel
like a robot.
I wear my uniform with
pride: it’s an honour.
E
Every learner
loves to wear their
school uniform.
The school uniform debate Key word

Some articles online or in newspapers or magazines appear to be
biased:
informative but actually present a biased viewpoint. Here are two blogs
prejudiced for
written by learners about a school in England. The school is planning or against a
to introduce a new uniform and has asked learners to give their views. particular person,
A student survey revealed that 40 percent of learners liked the new uniform. group or idea
These blogs give differing views. The blogs are intended to persuade readers
(and the school) to either support or change the new uniform.
41 The terrible new uniform

Our school wants to introduce a new uniform. Everybody hates it. It’s black
and yellow. Both boys and girls have to wear a hat. Why would they make us
do that? Nobody likes to wear hats, especially to school. I tried the uniform
on last week and took some photographs. I look absolutely awful. Even my
pets hated it. Everybody was unhappy about the uniform. I asked all of my
friends and 100 percent of them say that if we have to wear it, everybody will
change schools.
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5 Unusual education
42 A brilliant decision
I love this new uniform. It feels and looks like designer clothing!
When we first heard the ideas for the uniform, everyone was
so excited. The new clothes were fantastic. They were black
and yellow and we got a new hat to wear. We all loved the hat.
I was so excited I took some photographs. The uniform looked
absolutely brilliant. Even my goldfish liked it! I suggest that
the whole school agrees to wear it and I think they will agree –
when I asked, everyone said they were in favour of it.
2 Copy down phrases from the blogs that are:

Key words
• informative and neutral – they show no bias
neutral: not
• biased – they present an opinion or give an impression that is biased or not
not balanced or fair. having an opinion
one way or
3 Writers use a range of techniques to persuade readers or listeners another
that their point of view is the right one. These techniques include: hyperbole:
• hyperbole • exclamations exaggerated
statements
• rhetorical questions • humour
rhetorical
• anecdotes • statistics. questions:
Look again at the blogs and identify how the techniques listed are questions
designed to make
used. Explain in your own words how each of the two writers tries
a point rather
to persuade the reader. Use examples from each blog. than expecting
an answer
School uniform by Armani
In some texts, the writer’s views are explicit (for example, I hate cold
weather). However, often bias is expressed more subtly. Words and
phrases may implicitly show bias. Read this article. The writer implies
that the school has made a mistake with its new uniform.
43 An expensive uniform
Taimei Elementary School is surrounded by bright, shiny
skyscrapers. The school is in the richest area of Japan.
The neighbourhood is home to many designer shops and
incredibly expensive homes. The school and its headteacher
seem very pleased with the school’s location.
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5.2 School uniform
Recently, the school has decided to introduce a new uniform, exclusive:

which has been designed by Armani – an exclusive designer something that
store. Parents were appalled to learn that the uniform would only a few people
cost 80 000 yen, which is three times the cost of the old can afford
uniform. appalled: to think
that something is
Nearly all Japanese schools have uniforms. They are meant to terrible
give students a sense of pride in their school and the uniforms
themselves are meant to be long-lasting. Most people think that
school uniforms help to stop students feeling the pressure of
wearing fashion clothes.
Parents have understandably complained. One mother said,
‘What happens to families who can’t afford this uniform?’
while another commented, ‘It’s outrageous! Why weren’t we
asked?’ Nobody seems happy with this change.
4 The writer subtly influences the reader with

the phrase ‘The school and its headteacher
seem very pleased with the school’s location’.
This implies that the people who run the
school are proud to be associated with
wealth and do not think about those with
fewer opportunities.
Look at the final two paragraphs of the article.
Write about 100 words explaining how these
paragraphs influence the reader.
• How easy was it to locate the subtle bias in the article?

• What advice would you give to other learners to help
them identify bias in an article?
5 Imagine that you are a headteacher. Your school does not currently
have a uniform but you want to introduce one. You are going to
give a speech to parents to persuade them to support the idea.
Start by planning your speech. Make a bullet-point list outlining
all the reasons you can think of in favour of uniforms. Then write
your speech. Remember that you are speaking to adults in a formal
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5 Unusual education
situation, so you should use formal language. Use some of the

features of persuasive writing in Activity 3, and other persuasive
techniques such as:
• repeating key points and phrases
• powerful, descriptive phrases
• appealing to listeners’ emotions.
Remember that a strong, clear set of reasons why people should
agree with your view is most important of all.
Writing tip
There are many effective ways to open a speech. You could start
by posing a question to your audience or giving a brief anecdote
to build a relationship with them. You could also start with a
clear, direct statement of what you are going to argue for.
6 Here are two learners discussing how they plan speeches.

Which method do you think is the most sensible?
A B
I start by making a I start by making

list of all of the techniques a list of the key points I’m
I’m going to use and then I plan going to make. Next, I work
which paragraph I’ll use them in. out what order to put them in.
I tick off the techniques when I I keep my strongest points
use them because I know the more towards the end of the speech.
techniques I use, the Then I think about any language
better my speech will be. techniques I could use.
7 Rehearse your speech. Plan how you will vary the volume and pace.
Where will you pause? How much of the speech can you remember?
If you need to read from your script, plan where you will pause to
make eye contact. Use gestures where appropriate. When you have
finished rehearsing, deliver your speech to the class.
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5.3 Homeschooling
Self-assessment
Think back to your speech and assess yourself using the
following questions:
• What persuasive techniques did I use?
• Did I make eye contact and use gestures?
• Did I vary the volume and speed?
• How well do I feel I performed the speech?
Summary checklist
I can identify bias in a text.
I understand how writers use persuasive techniques.
I can deliver a speech using persuasive techniques.
5.3 Homeschooling
• explore views and ideas in texts
• plan and deliver a presentation using appropriate media
• consider the appropriate register to use when writing in a
specific context.
Getting started
Some children do not go to school. Instead, their parents

educate them at home. This is called homeschooling. In groups,
discuss whether you would like to be educated at home or not.
What things would you miss if you did not go to school?
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5 Unusual education
The homeschooling debate

Read the following article about homeschooling.
44 Is homeschooling the answer?

Children learn at different speeds.
They have different abilities and
interests, so in a school with fixed
timetables and content, it’s no wonder
that many children don’t do as well as
they could. Intelligent students can
be bored in large classes and less
talented students can feel lost.
In short, nobody wins.
One of the biggest advantages
of homeschooling is that children
get the sole attention of an adult.
This means that the learning they
do can be completely designed
for them. The child who likes to
learn by reading and listening can
spend all day doing just that. The
child who likes to learn by doing things and getting
their hands dirty can also have their needs met.
The debate over homeschooling gives rise to opinions on both
sides. Leading child development expert Ben Richards claims sole: complete,
if ‘Students have learning experiences designed specifically for undivided
them, they make better progress.’ This seems to have some
truth: research in 2009 suggested that homeschoolers scored
higher marks on tests than those who had been through the
school system.
Many parents who support homeschooling feel that they
can have more control over how their child develops.
Parents who want their children to remain creative and
keen about learning say that schools kill their child’s natural
curiosity. A survey conducted among parents who support
homeschooling suggests they feel school restricts freedom and restricts: limits
individual thought.
However, many people say that homeschooling has damaging
disadvantages. For instance, young people who don’t go to
school don’t get the chance to work with others or play in teams.
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5.3 Homeschooling
They take longer to learn how to interact and form friendships

without their parents in the background. Homeschoolers don’t
get to mix with children from other backgrounds.
Yet the reality is that school is not the only place where children
make friends. Neighbours, sports clubs and other organisations
offer plenty of opportunities for young people to mix with
others. If it is done in the right way, homeschooling might
well be the very best way to educate young people for our
modern world.
1 Answer the following questions about the article.

a In paragraph 1, what does the writer mean by ‘nobody wins’?
Explain in your own words.
b In paragraph 3, what piece of evidence is given to suggest
homeschooling is better?
c In paragraph 4, what does ‘kill their child’s natural curiosity’
mean?
d List three disadvantages of homeschooling mentioned in
paragraph 5.
e What argument is given against the disadvantages in the final
paragraph? How convincing do you think this argument is?
2 In pairs, discuss these views about the article.
Which one do you agree with? Why?
B
A
The article gives a

balanced view of the The article is
benefits and disadvantages biased in favour
of homeschooling. It leaves of homeschooling.
it up to the reader to It states lots
decide. of benefits, but
very few of the
disadvantages.
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5 Unusual education
Think about how you approached this discussion.

• Did you consider one view first then the other?
• Did you deal with both views together?
• Do you think one approach worked better than the other?
3 If you were homeschooled, what would you choose to study?

Organise your ideas in the form of a homeschool timetable.
You should include details about the topics and subjects you
would focus on. How long would the lessons be? Would they
always take place at home or would you travel elsewhere? Listening tip
Present your ideas to the class using appropriate media. Good listening
For example, you could print out timetable ideas or use means thinking
an IT programme to show ideas in a visually appealing way. critically about
what you hear.
45 4 Listen to a woman called Joanne talking about her experience of
This means
being homeschooled when she was a child. As you listen, answer working out what
the following questions. you think of the
a What is Joanne’s favourite memory of homeschooling? speaker’s views,
rather than just
b Which lesson did she find most difficult? Why? understanding
c Explain why Joanne’s own children are not homeschooled. them.
d Summarise Joanne’s experiences of homeschooling.

e Does Joanne’s account persuade you that homeschooling
is a good idea or not? Why?
My homeschooling disaster
Now read a man called Farouk’s description of homeschooling.
He did not find it such a good experience.
46 My parents didn’t want me to go to the local school. It had a bad

reputation, so they thought they could educate me at home.
Unfortunately, the education I received at home was very poor.
My parents had no qualifications at all. They were very kind,
but could not teach to the standard of the teachers in school.
They loved books and poems, but knew nothing about science
subjects, so I learnt nothing about chemistry. My parents gave
me no lessons, they just made me read textbooks.
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5.3 Homeschooling
There were quite a few things I never understood. I was completely

unprepared for doing any exams, so even now I have no
qualifications at all. I have found it difficult to get a job. I also
missed out on friendships. I had no social life and became very
lonely. I started to resent my parents for keeping me away from resent: be angry
school. I blamed them for my loneliness and lack of qualifications. or upset at
Looking back, I realise that school prepares you for the
rest of your life. School gives you a purpose and routine
which prepares you for work. By the time I was 16, I had no
qualifications or skills. If I had attended school, I would have
found my adult life much easier. I blame homeschooling for a lot
of my problems and, even now, I can see no reason for me not to
have attended school like everyone else.
5 Summarise the negative aspects of homeschooling that Farouk

mentions.
6 Imagine that a friend is considering being homeschooled. They
have asked you to help them decide. Write them a letter that
contains a balanced account of the debate. Use information from
this session and any internet research of your own, ensuring that
you use reputable websites. End your letter by giving your friend
your opinion. Think carefully about the level of formality you
might use.
Key word
Although you are writing to a friend, you are giving a view on a
serious matter, so consider the register carefully. register: how
formal or informal
Writing tip written or spoken
English is
Usually, a letter to a friend is written using informal language.
However, when the topic is a serious one, you will need to use
some formality. Your greeting and opening paragraph should be
warm and friendly, but use some formal terms when describing
facts and information.
Summary checklist
I can evaluate views and ideas in texts.
I can plan and deliver a presentation using appropriate media.
I can use the appropriate register when writing.
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5.4 A new challenge

• identify explicit and implicit information
• read an unseen text aloud
• locate quotations to support a point.
Getting started
In this session, you will read extracts from a story called

Wonder by R. J. Palacio. In pairs, look at the book cover. What
do the words and picture suggest the story might be about?
Wonder
Read the first extract from the novel Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which tells
the story of August Pullman, known as Auggie. He was born with a
facial deformity. Auggie has been homeschooled.
47 Extract 1: Why I Didn’t Go to School

Next week I start fifth grade. Since I’ve never been to a
real school before, I am pretty much totally and completely
petrified. People think I haven’t gone to school because
of the way I look, but it’s not that. It’s because of all the petrified: very
surgeries I’ve had. Twenty-seven since I was born. The bigger frightened
ones happened before I was even four years old, so I don’t
remember those. But I’ve had two or three surgeries every year
since then (some big, some small), and because I’m little for
my age, and I have some other medical mysteries that doctors
never really figured out, I used to get sick a lot. That’s why my
parents decided it was better if I didn’t go to school. I’m much
stronger now, though. The last surgery I had was eight months
ago, and I probably won’t have to have any more for another
couple of years.
Mom homeschools me. She used to be a children’s-book
illustrator. She draws really great fairies and mermaids.
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5.4 A new challenge
Her boy stuff isn’t so hot, though. She once tried to draw
me a Darth Vader, but it ended up looking like some weird
mushroom-shaped robot. I haven’t seen her draw anything in
a long time. I think she’s too busy taking care of me and Via.
I can’t say I always wanted to go to school because that
wouldn’t be exactly true. What I wanted was to go to school,
but only if I could be like every other kid going to school.
Have lots of friends and hang out after school and stuff
like that.
I have a few really good friends now. Christopher is my best
friend, followed by Zachary and Alex. We’ve known each
other since we were babies. And since they’ve always known
me the way I am, they’re used to me. When we were little,
we used to have playdates all the time, but then Christopher
moved to Bridgeport in Connecticut. That’s more than an
hour away from where I live in North River Heights, which is at
the top tip of Manhattan. And Zachary and Alex started going
to school. It’s funny: even though Christopher’s the one who
moved far away, I still see him more than I see Zachary and
Alex. They have all these new friends now. If we bump into
each other on the street, they’re still nice to me, though.
They always say hello.
I have other friends, too, but not as good as Christopher and
Zack and Alex were. For instance, Zack and Alex always invited
me to their birthday parties when we were little, but Joel and
Eamonn and Gabe never did. Emma invited me once, but I
haven’t seen her in a long time. And, of course, I always go to
Christopher’s birthday. Maybe I’m making too big a deal about
birthday parties.
1 Answer these questions.

a Why has Auggie not attended school?
b What do you find out about Auggie’s mother?
c How does Auggie feel about going to school?
d In paragraphs 4 and 5, Auggie mentions his friends.
List them in order of the ones he seems closest to.
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2 Write a brief account of what you have learnt about

Auggie and his friendships. Do you feel sorry for
Auggie or not? Give reasons for your opinion.
Read the next part of the story from Wonder aloud in groups
of four. Take on the following roles:
• Auggie’s narration
• Auggie’s words in dialogue
• Mom’s words in dialogue
• Dad’s words in dialogue.
48 Extract 2: Christopher’s House Reading tip
Last spring we drove over to Christopher’s house in Bridgeport. Me When reading

and Christopher were looking for snacks in the kitchen, and I heard unseen texts
Mom talking to Lisa, Christopher’s mom, about my going to school aloud, it is
in the fall. I had never, ever heard her mention school before. important to
concentrate on
‘What are you talking about?’ I said. Mom looked surprised, like what you are
she hadn’t meant for me to hear that. reading but also
‘You should tell him what you’ve been thinking, Isabel,’ Dad to look ahead.
said. He was on the other side of the living room talking to This allows you
Christopher’s dad. to prepare for
the next part and
‘We should talk about this later,’ said Mom.
anticipate any
‘No, I want to know what you were talking about,’ I answered. difficult words. If
‘Don’t you think you’re ready for school, Auggie?’ Mom said. it helps, use your
finger to keep
‘No,’ I said. track of the story
‘I don’t, either,’ said Dad. while you read
ahead to the
‘Then that’s it, case closed,’ I said, shrugging, and I sat in her lap
next line.
like I was a baby.
‘I just think you need to learn more than I can teach you,’ Mom
said. ‘I mean, come on, Auggie, you know how bad I am at
fractions!’
‘What school?’ I said. I already felt like crying.
‘Beecher Prep. Right by us.’
‘Wow, that’s a great school, Auggie,’ said Lisa, patting my knee.
‘Why not Via’s school?’ I said.
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5.4 A new challenge
‘That’s too big,’ Mom answered. ‘I don’t think that would be a

good fit for you.’
‘I don’t want to,’ I said. I admit: I made my voice sound a little
babyish.
‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,’ Dad said,
coming over and lifting me out of Mom’s lap. He carried me
over to sit on his lap on the other side of the sofa. ‘We won’t
make you do anything you don’t want to do.’
‘But it would be good for him, Nate,’ Mom said.
‘Not if he doesn’t want to,’ answered Dad, looking at me. ‘Not
if he’s not ready.’ I saw Mom look at Lisa, who reached over and
squeezed her hand.
Self-assessment
Consider your group reading of the extract from Wonder.
• How accurately did you read the unseen extract aloud?
• Were there any words you struggled to pronounce?
If so, which ones?
• Did you read ahead effectively?
• How confident did you feel when reading aloud?

• What would help you improve this skill?
3 An important theme in the story is facing challenges. The writer

starts to convey this theme by presenting a character who experiences
difficulties. Make a list of quotations from both extracts in this
session that show the difficulties and challenges that Auggie faces.
Summary checklist
I can identify explicit and implicit information.
I can read an unseen text aloud and read ahead in a text.
I can locate quotations to support a point.
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5.5 Precepts
• revise prefixes and practise dictionary skills
• discuss and interpret ideas in a text
• use colons for a specific reason.
Getting started
Can you remember a teacher who was important to you in your

early years of school? What do you remember about them and their
lessons? Why were they important to you? If you met them again,
what would you thank them for? Discuss your thoughts in pairs.
In the next part of Wonder, Auggie describes a lesson at his new school.
49 Extract 3: Choose Kind

Mr. Browne had written on the chalkboard in big block letters:
P-R-E-C-E-P-T!
’Okay, everybody write this down at the very top of the very first
page in your English notebook.’
As we did what he told us to do, he said: ’Okay, so who can tell
me what a precept is? Does anyone know?”
No one raised their hands.
Mr. Browne smiled, nodded, and turned around to write on the
chalkboard again:
PRECEPTS = RULES ABOUT REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS!
’Like a motto?’ someone called out.
’Like a motto!’ said Mr. Browne, nodding as he continued
writing on the board. ’Like a famous quote. Like a line from a
fortune cookie. Any saying or ground rule that can motivate motivate: make
you. Basically, a precept is anything that helps guide us when you want to do
making decisions about really important things.’ something
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5.5 Precepts
He wrote all that on the chalkboard and then turned around and
faced us.
’So, what are some really important things?’ he asked us.
A few kids raised their hands, and as he pointed at them, they
gave their answers, which he wrote on the chalkboard in really,
really sloppy handwriting: sloppy: careless
and messy
RULES. SCHOOLWORK. HOMEWORK.
’What else?’ he said as he wrote, not even turning around.
’Just call things out!’ He wrote everything everyone called out.
FAMILY. PARENTS. PETS.
One girl called out: ’The environment!’
THE ENVIRONMENT.
He wrote on the chalkboard, and added:
OUR WORLD!
1 Here is a sentence with the word ‘precept’ in:

All students should live by the precept of fairness.
Use this sentence and your knowledge of prefixes to write a
definition of ‘precept’. Key word
2 Use a dictionary to look up the etymology of the word ‘precept’. etymology: the
Which two words does it come from? origins of a word
3 Auggie’s classmates suggest a list of really important things.
In groups, decide some precepts for schoolwork. Remember to
take turns speaking, then listen carefully to other people’s ideas
and develop the discussion so you agree on some good rules.
Now read the next part of the chapter ‘Choose Kind’ from Wonder.
50 Extract 4: Choose Kind

‘Okay,’ said Mr. Browne, writing all those things down.
He turned around when he finished writing to face us again.
‘But no one’s named the most important thing of all.’
We all looked at him, out of ideas.
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5 Unusual education
Without saying anything else, he wrote down:

WHO WE ARE!
‘Who we are,’ he said, underlining each word as he said it.
‘Who we are! Us! Right? What kind of people are we? What kind
of person are you? Isn’t that the most important thing of all?
Isn’t that the kind of question we should be asking ourselves all
the time? “What kind of person am I?“’
‘Did anyone happen to notice the plaque next to the door of plaque: a panel,
this school? Anyone read what it says? Anyone?’ usually displayed
He looked around but no one knew the answer. on a wall, with
writing on it
‘It says: “Know Thyself,”’ he said, smiling and nodding.
‘And learning who you are is what you’re here to do.’
‘I thought we were here to learn English,’ Jack cracked,
which made everyone laugh.
‘Oh yeah, and that, too!’ Mr. Browne answered, which
I thought was very cool of him. He turned around and wrote
in big huge block letters that spread all the way across the
chalkboard:
MR. BROWNE’S SEPTEMBER PRECEPT:
WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING
RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.
4 Using your own words, explain what

Mr Browne means by ‘CHOOSE KIND’.
5 Write a precept about family life. Phrase it in
the same way Mr Browne phrases his. Use a
colon to introduce it.
Language focus
There are several reasons to use a colon:

• to introduce a list – for example,
‘I have three favourite hobbies: reading,
tennis and playing the violin.’
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5.6 The Last Class
Continued
• to separate two clauses where the second

one explains the first – for example, ‘I didn’t
reply to Nisha’s party invitation: I hadn’t received it.’
• to emphasise a word or phrase for effect – for example,
‘There was only one way out: jump!’
Peer assessment
In small groups, swap your precepts.
• What have other members of your group chosen to focus
on? Do you agree with their precept? Why?
• Have they used punctuation accurately?
• What could you add to their precept?
6 In pairs, discuss what you think happens in the full story of

Wonder. How might the idea of ‘CHOOSE KIND’ be relevant
to the rest of the story?
Summary checklist
I can apply my knowledge of prefixes and use a dictionary to
identify unfamiliar words.
I can discuss and interpret ideas in a text.
I can use colons for particular reasons.
5.6 The Last Class

• perform a script using movement and gesture
• explore how punctuation is used to create different effects
• look at how drama texts are structured to make meaning.
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5 Unusual education
What are the main differences between reading a story and prose: the form of
reading a drama script? Think about how those text types are language found in
laid out and how the stories are told. What do you find in drama novels and non-
scripts that you do not find in prose stories? Which text type do fiction texts such
you prefer? Share your ideas with the class. as articles, written
in paragraphs
rather than verse
In groups of four, read aloud the text from a play called The Last Class.
51 Extract 1
Morning. A street with heavy rain. Two schoolgirls are walking
quickly.
Sisi:
(angrily) I can’t believe this! First day back at school.
My hair will be ruined!
Chen: And we’re in Mr Ling’s class. He’s meant to be really
old – and strict.
Sisi: Really? That’s not what my brother said.
Chen: What do you mean?
Sisi: My brother said he was brilliant . . . in a strange way.
Chen: Really? Cool.
Inside a classroom. Mr Ling is looking out of the window at the
rain. He is 60 years old and well dressed.
Mr Ling:
(to himself) Another set of students. Another new
year. (Thoughtfully) My last year.
Mrs Zhou, the head teacher, enters. She is small and stern.
Mrs Zhou: Good morning, Mr Ling. Can I remind you about our
conversation last year?
Mr Ling looks up.
Mr Ling: Which one?
Mrs Zhou: Concerning that screen and its oddity. oddity:
(Mrs Zhou points to a fabric screen hanging on strangeness
the wall). activate: to turn
Never activate it again. on
Mr Ling: But the students love it.
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5.6 The Last Class
Mrs Zhou: It is perturbing, Mr Ling. I’ve arranged to have it perturbing:

removed today. worrying
Mr Ling:
(sadly) Yes, Mrs Zhou.
Mrs Zhou leaves and wet students enter.
Mr Ling: Welcome back to school. Take a seat.
Later that morning, at the back of the classroom, Sisi and
Chen are talking quietly.
Chen: Don’t you wish that something exciting would
happen, just once?
Sisi: Like what?
Chen: I don’t know. Something different. Something
unexpected.
Mr Ling stands up.
Mr Ling: Now everybody, I have an announcement. I am
retiring from teaching at the end of the year, so
this will be my last year at school. You will be my
last class.
The class look surprised. Chen raises her hand.
Chen: How long have you taught,
Mr Ling?
Mr Ling:
(smiling) Thirty-five years,
Chen.
Chen: Will you miss teaching?
Mr Ling: (thoughtfully) Yes. I will.
Sisi raises her hand.
Mr Ling: Yes, Sisi?
Sisi: Can we do something
exciting this year?
Mr Ling:
(mysteriously) Yes, Sisi.
I think we can.
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5 Unusual education

a What information do you find out about Mr Ling?
b Describe Mrs Zhou’s character.
2 Look at how the script uses punctuation to suggest the characters’
feelings and actions. What do the following uses of punctuation show?
a My hair will be ruined!
b My brother said he was brilliant . . . in a strange way.
3 Now perform the extract as a group. Decide between yourselves
which parts you will play. Think about how you will stand and
how you can use movement and gesture to bring the script to life.
Concentrate on reading your lines accurately.
Read the next part of the script in your groups.
52 Extract 2
After lunch. Mrs Zhou enters. The class falls silent.
Mrs Zhou: Good afternoon class. I trust you are relishing relishing: really
your studies. enjoying
Most of the students nod.
Mrs Zhou:
(sternly to Mr Ling) At the end of the day, can
you reposition your desk so we can dispose of
the screen?
Mr Ling: Certainly, Mrs Zhou.
Mrs Zhou leaves and the students start to murmur.
Chen: Mr Ling, can I ask you a question?
Mr Ling: Of course. What is it?
Chen: It’s about the screen.
The class falls silent.
Mr Ling:
(quietly) It’s just an old screen, that’s all.
It needs removing.
Sisi raises her hand.
Sisi: My brother says that the screen is . . . strange.
The class are utterly still. Mr Ling continues to smile, unflustered. unflustered: calm
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5.6 The Last Class
Sisi: My brother said he loved being in your class and the
screen was the highlight of the year. But he wouldn’t
tell me any more. He just said ‘Wait until you’re in
Mr Ling’s class’.
Chen:
(pleading) Please show us how it works.
Mr Ling looks thoughtful. At that moment, the rain starts again.
Even heavier this time. Mr Ling looks at the class and smiles.
Mr Ling: Well, I suppose it can’t hurt. But you must promise
to follow my instructions very carefully.
The students nod excitedly. Mr Ling returns to his desk, turns
on a switch and the screen begins to glow. The rain outside
becomes heavier and the sky darkens.
Mr Ling: Okay. Leave your seats and come to the front of
the room. Place one hand on the screen and close
your eyes.
4 Look at the way the writer has used dialogue in this extract.
Which character uses the most formal language? What does this
suggest about their character and status? Find an example of
formal dialogue.
Key words
5 In pairs, discuss what the stage directions show about the
characters’ feelings at different points in the extract. stage directions:
words in a script
6 Drama scripts are structured in different ways to prose. Exploring
that explain what
dramatic structure means looking at the following things: is happening on
• the order of events and actions stage or tell the
actors how to
• exits and entrances of characters move and speak
• who speaks most and who is silent props: articles or
• how stage directions and props are used. objects used on
the set of a play
Explain the effect of the following events and devices in the script. or film
How do these help the audience understand the action?
a the entrance of Mrs Zhou
b the screen as an onstage visual prop
c the heavy rain and dark sky.
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5 Unusual education
7 Write the next part of the script and then perform it in groups.
Show what happens with the screen. You might choose to introduce
a new character.
Writing tip Key words

When writing a script, start by deciding what will happen in the narrative: a series
story. Shape the narrative to show the main action clearly. Use of connected
appropriate registers for the characters and stage directions to events that are
help the actors and audience understand the action. Use typical written or spoken
script layout conventions, including accurate punctuation. conventions: the
‘rules’ of how a
story is told or a
• What have you learnt about writing scripts? piece of writing is
set out
• How easy did you find it?
• What advice would you give to other learners
about writing and performing drama?
Summary checklist
I can use movement and gesture to bring a script to life.
I can explain how punctuation is used to create different effects.
I can comment on how drama texts are structured to create
meaning.
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Check your progress
Check your progress

1 Give three different purposes for connectives in writing.
2 List five features of persuasive writing.
3 Describe a situation where you might use formal language when speaking
or writing to a friend.
4 Suggest one method for reading ahead when reading aloud.
5 Give three reasons for using colons.
6 Explain the main features of drama scripts.
Project
Imagine that you have been asked to design a new school. You can choose
the design and appearance of the school, as well as the rules and learning
styles that will apply in it. You will design your school in groups and present
your ideas to the class.
Start by deciding what type of school you want. Will it focus on certain
subjects only? What age will the learners be on admission and how many?
What type of education do you want your learners to have?
Next, think about the building and types of classroom. Draw a map of the
school site and a typical classroom. Will you have any special areas? How
much of the site will be green space? What PE facilities and food areas will
you have?
You should think carefully about the rules and precepts of your school. Will
you have a uniform? What would a typical school day consist of? What rules
and rewards will you put in place? You could also design a uniform or even
ideas for a website. Your school will also need a name.
Once you have decided on your ideas, you must present them to the class.
Imagine you are speaking to the local authority and your task is to persuade
them to give you the money to build and run your school. You must provide
them with key information and persuade them that your ideas are the best.
Think carefully about how you present your ideas. You could use maps,
drawings and IT.
When you have all presented your ideas, decide as a class whose school
should be built.
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6 Life stories
In this unit, you will read accounts of significant moments in people’s
lives, from birth through to old age. You will read about the joys and
problems of childhood and consider dramatic events in a range of
non-fiction texts.
6.1 Childhood poems

• read an unfamiliar text aloud
• explore how writers use symbols in their poems
• consider how readers make choices about what they read.
Getting started
How do readers decide which texts to read? What helps them

choose books or poems? How do they decide which texts they
like best? Discuss your thoughts with a partner.
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6.1 Childhood poems
’Lullaby’ Key word

The poem ‘Lullaby’ by John Fuller describes a baby sleeping and how lullaby: a
the parent feels about their child. Read the poem aloud. soothing song
sung to a baby
53 Sleep little baby, clean as a nut,
Your fingers uncurl and your eyes are shut.
Speaking tip
Your life was ours, which is with you.
Go on your journey. We go too. When reading
unfamiliar poems
The bat is flying round the house aloud, use the
Like an umbrella turned into a mouse. rhyme and
The moon is astonished and so are the sheep: punctuation to
help you. Look out
Their bells have come to send you to sleep. for where the poet
Oh be our rest, our hopeful start. has put commas
and rhyming end
Turn your head to my beating heart.
lines to help you
Sleep little baby, clean as a nut, anticipate the
Your fingers uncurl and your eyes are shut. feel and sound of
the text.
• Did you find it easy or difficult to read the poem aloud?

• Were any lines more difficult than others? If so, which ones?
• Did the punctuation and rhyme help you?
1 There are four visual images in the second stanza. Make a quick
Key words
sketch of each one. In pairs, discuss the meanings of these images.
Which ones are literal, and which use figurative language? visual image:
an image which
2 Which lines in the poem reveal the speaker’s feelings about the child? appeals to the
On a copy of the poem, make notes to explain what the lines mean. sense of sight
rhythm: a regular,
Language focus repeating pattern
of sound or ‘beat’,
Rhyme and rhythm are key features of poetry. When writing common in music
about rhyme and rhythm, make sure you link them to the and poetry
meaning of the poem and always show how they support the
ideas in the poem. For example, the poem ‘Night Mail’,
by W. H. Auden is about a train travelling through the night
carrying letters and packages.
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6 Life stories
Continued
Here are two lines from the poem:
Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from girl and boy
The rhythm of the lines sound like a train speeding along a track.
Notice how the rhyme also makes the poem ‘gallop’. Together,
the rhythm and rhyme give a sense of speed and urgency to the
poem. They support the ideas and content of the poem.
3 Poems are structured in different ways to prose. They are usually

shorter and use rhythm and repetition. In pairs, take turns to read
‘Lullaby’ again, experimenting with the rhythm of the poem. Key word
• What happens if you stress certain words? stress: place

emphasis on
• How does changing the pace and pausing affect the feel of (certain words)
the poem?
• Do you feel there is a ‘right’ way to read this poem?
Share your thoughts with the class.
’The Song of the Old Mother’

Now read another poem. This one is by William Butler Yeats.
54 I rise in the dawn, and I kneel and blow

Till the seed of the fire flicker and glow.
And then I must scrub, and bake, and sweep,
Till stars are beginning to blink and peep;
And the young lie long and dream in their bed
Of the matching of ribbons, the blue and the red,
And their day goes over in idleness,
And they sigh if the wind but lift up a tress. tress: a lock
While I must work, because I am old of hair
And the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold. feeble: weak
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6.1 Childhood poems
4 Make a list of what the mother does and what ‘the young’ do
according to the poem.
5 In groups, discuss whether:
• you feel sorry for the speaker
• you think this is a serious or a comic poem
• you enjoy the poem or not.
6 This poem uses the fire as a symbol. Although it has a literal
meaning (a real fire features in the description), fire also has a
symbolic meaning. The speaker describes how she starts the fire
in the morning, but that the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold.
Make brief notes on what the fire might symbolise.
7 Reread both poems: ‘Lullaby’ and ‘The Song of the Old Mother’.
They explore issues relating to parents and children, but they do so
in different ways. Write a summary explaining:
• what each poem shows about family life
• the different ways each poem is written – think about rhyme
and features of language.
8 Think back to your discussions in the Getting started activity,
considering what makes readers choose particular texts to read.
Which of the two poems would you select to be included in a book
of poems for people your age and why? Write 100 words explaining
which poem you think is best and why it should be included.
Summary checklist
I can read an unfamiliar text aloud with accuracy.
I can explain the meanings of symbols in poems.
I can comment on how readers decide what they
choose to read.
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6 Life stories
6.2 Growing up
• explore the different ways writers create voices
• create content for a particular audience
• consider the effectiveness of a partner’s writing.
Getting started
With a partner, describe something that has happened to you

recently. Do this in a light-hearted way, then re-tell the event in
a more serious way. Discuss what changes you made in the two
versions. How was your ‘voice’ – the tone or register – shown by
the words you used?
Malala
Read this extract from a biography of a Pakistani girl called Malala
Yousafzai.
In 2012, while on the bus going home from school, Malala was shot by
Taliban militants. Malala is well known for her human rights work and
her support for female education.
55 The Girl Warrior

Malala was named after a warrior from hundreds of years ago,
Malalai of Maiwind, who inspired others with her courage in
battles. But Malala isn’t a fighter. Well, she is, but only with her
brothers! In other words, she’s just like any other girl who gets
irritated by silly boys . . .
Malala is not your typical girl. She does like pink, but don’t let
that fool you. She cracks her knuckles. She likes to arm wrestle
with adults. She’ll beat you at cricket. In fact, I wouldn’t even
bother picking up the bat.
Malala loves to argue with her brother, Khushal, who is two years
younger than her. They argue about everything from cricket to
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6.2 Growing up
crisps. Doesn’t sound like a good reason to fall out, does it?
Her other brother, Atal, is a lot younger – six years younger.
And even more annoying. Together, the three of them
did things that lots of young people do. They played
cricket, tag, and even knocked on people’s doors
and ran away.
So did Malala enjoy growing up with
brothers? Does any girl?! Wouldn’t she rather
have spent time painting her nails and
chatting with a sister? It seems not. She and
her brothers were really close, spending
long hours playing outside. Maybe that’s
why Malala isn’t a gentle, make-up and
jewellery kind of girl . . .
Malala’s parents are from villages in
Pakistan. After her mother, Toor Pekai, met
her father, Ziauddin, they moved to Swat
Valley. In the north of that area is a large city,
Mingora, and it was here that Malala was born
in 1997. To many, Swat Valley is the most beautiful
place in the world: its hills are a fabulous green; its
mountains staggering; its river clearer than glass.
1 Create a spider diagram to record all the things you find out about
Malala and her family in this extract. You could start:
Malala and
her family
Brother
Doesn’t like
Khushal is two
make up and
years younger
jewellery
than her
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6 Life stories
2 Malala’s life story involves serious events, but this extract contains
Reading tip
humour. Humour can sometimes be harder to identify in writing
than in spoken words. In this extract, humour is created by the The voice of a
narrator’s voice and how the information is put together. text is reflected
in the vocabulary
For example:
and grammar
But Malala isn’t a fighter. Well, she is, but only with her brothers! choices that a
writer makes.
The first sentence makes a bold statement. The second sentence When exploring
reverses the idea in a comic way and gives an image of her arguing voice, consider
with her brothers. The reader is likely to recognise this sort of how formal the
common behaviour and ‘hear’ the humour in the voice. language is,
as well as how
Write an explanation of the humour in the following examples.
difficult (complex)
a They argue about everything from cricket to crisps. the word choices
and sentence
b She’ll beat you at cricket. In fact, I wouldn’t even bother structures are.
picking up the bat.
Language focus
The voice of a text means the personality or attitude of the

person telling the story. The voice that writers choose depends
on the purpose and audience of the text. For example, the voice
in a text about a serious topic written for adults will usually be
formal. A text written for a younger audience may have a less
formal voice.
The formality of a text is shown in the complexity of the words,
sentence structures and punctuation a writer uses. Look at the
difference in these two quotes: one is light-hearted and friendly
and the other seems more formal and serious.
My friend Boo is brilliant! She’s kind, funny and bright. I
love her, but I also hate her. Just joking! She’s great. (from a
children’s novel)
I realised that I had grown apart from my childhood friends: to
me, they now seemed aggressive and thoughtless. (from an
adult autobiography)
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6.2 Growing up
3 Write a paragraph about the voice in the extract from the biography
of Malala. Think about how the words and sentence structures create
a playful, friendly voice. Start by considering whether the words in the
first four paragraphs are complex or not.
4 The tone and voice change in paragraph 5. What do you notice
about the sentences and punctuation here? Do you think this is
connected to the content? If so, how? Discuss your ideas in pairs.
5 Write an account of your own family relationships using a similar
voice and sentence structures, as in the extract from Malala's
biography. Write about 300 words. You could mention:
• fun facts about yourself
• some lighthearted comments about your family
• some information about where you live.
6 The intended audience is another important factor affecting how
a text is written. The paragraph structures and language in the
extract suggest it is meant for older children and young teenagers.
It contains some detail, but not much. For example:
To many, Swat Valley is the most beautiful place in the world: its
hills are a fabulous green; its mountains staggering; its river clearer
than glass.
Writers use different voices depending on their audience. Compare
the extract about Malala to this article about Swat Valley, written
for an adult audience. Make a list of the extra information you find
in this new extract. Compare lists in pairs.
56 Swat Valley
Those who visit Swat Valley, the paradise in north Pakistan,
will never forget it. From its beautiful pine forests to its
snow-covered peaks, it will stay long in the memory. Originally
known as Uddiyana (meaning ‘garden’), Swat is a place of
orchards, waterfalls and streams. The capital city is Saidu Sharif
and its twin city, Mingora, is home to the region’s oldest and
most historic market. In summer, the temperature is a very
pleasant 23 degrees.
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6 Life stories
7 Look back at the account you wrote for Activity 5. Rewrite it

using a more serious voice. Choose words and sentence structures
carefully. Write about 200 words.
Peer assessment
In pairs, swap your answers to Activities 5 and 7 and evaluate
each other’s work.
• Can you tell the difference between your partner’s responses
to each activity?
• Is the voice appropriate to each audience?
• Have they used a variety of sentence types and punctuation
accurately and effectively?
• How could they improve their writing?
Summary checklist
I can identify different ways in which writers create voices.
I can create content for specified audiences.
I can comment on the effectiveness of a partner’s writing.
6.3 Leaving home

• explore some features of autobiography
• debate critical responses to a text
• consider structure when writing a monologue.
Getting started
In pairs, write down a definition for the word

‘autobiography’. What are the features of
autobiographical writing? Are all autobiographies
written in the same style?
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6.3 Leaving home
1 In pairs, discuss how it would feel to leave home. What would you
miss about your home and family?
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning

Read the following extract from an autobiography by Laurie Lee. Here,
the writer describes the moment when he leaves home.
57 The stooping figure of my mother, waist-deep in the grass and

caught there like a piece of sheep’s wool, was the last I saw of
my country home as I left it to discover the world. She stood
old and bent at the top of the bank, silently watching me go,
one gnarled red hand raised in farewell and blessing, not gnarled: rough
questioning why I went. At the bend of the road I looked back and bumpy
again and saw the gold light die behind her; then I turned the
corner, passed the village school, and closed that part of my life
for ever.
It was a bright Sunday morning in early June, the right time to
be leaving home. My three sisters and a brother had already
gone before me; two other brothers had yet to make up their
minds. They were still sleeping that morning, but my mother
had got up early and cooked me a heavy breakfast, had stood
wordlessly while I ate it, her hand on my chair, and had then
helped me pack up my few belongings. There had been no fuss,
no appeals, no attempts at advice or persuasion, only a long
and searching look. Then, with my bags on my back, I’d gone
out into the early sunshine and climbed through the long wet fortune: luck
grass to the road. treacle: a thick
It was 1934. I was nineteen years old, still soft at the edges, but with syrup containing
a confident belief in good fortune. I carried a small rolled-up tent, a sugar
violin in a blanket, a change of clothes, a tin of treacle biscuits, and
some cheese.
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6 Life stories
2 Make notes on:

• what the writer tells you about his brothers
and sisters (paragraph 2)
• what the writer takes with him (paragraph 3).
3 The writer both describes and implies his feelings about leaving home.
a Make a list of quotations that show or suggest his feelings.
b Using the quotations you found, write a paragraph explaining
how he feels about leaving home.
4 Look closely at the way the mother is described. The writer
describes her actions and also her appearance. She is the last
person he sees as he leaves the village. Here are some key lines
about her. In pairs, discuss what they show about her and how she
acts as her son prepares to leave home. Consider the adjectives and
adverbs the writer has chosen.
a The stooping figure of my mother, waist-deep in the grass and
caught there like a piece of sheep’s wool
b There had been no fuss, no appeals, no attempts at advice or
persuasion, only a long and searching look.
c my mother had got up early and cooked me a heavy breakfast,
had stood wordlessly while I ate it
d She stood . . . silently watching me go, one gnarled red hand
raised in farewell and blessing, not questioning why I went.
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6.3 Leaving home
5 Some autobiographical writing uses literary and figurative Key word

language, such as metaphor. Think about the way the setting is
described and then, in pairs, discuss what the following images metaphor: a type
might symbolise: of comparison
that describes
• turning the corner one thing as if it is
something else
• the dying light.
At the bend of the road I looked back again and saw the gold light
die behind her; then I turned the corner, passed the village school,
and closed that part of my life for ever.
6 Here are three views about the mother. Which one do you agree
Listening tip
with? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
When judging
views, try to
A The mother listen to a range
does not seem to of different
C sources to help
care as her son
leaves home. you understand
different
viewpoints. This
The mother is will help you to
sad and worried and form your own
does not want him ideas, too.
to leave.
The mother
seems to accept her
son leaving, but is
quietly sad.
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6 Life stories
7 In Unit 1, you learnt about the features of monologues. Write a

Writing tip
200-word monologue from the mother’s point of view. Describe
what happens on the day your son leaves and how you feel about it. When writing
Use some of the details from the extract. a monologue,
remember to
Start by considering the voice you will use. Is your character sad think about
or accepting of their son’s departure? Include some memories from the sequence.
the past and say what you hope will happen in the future. Plan when you
will reveal key
Start your monologue: Today is a day I will remember forever . . . information and
8 In pairs, take turns to read your monologues aloud. Remember to feelings. The end
of a monologue
think about the volume and pace of your voice. Vary your speech
should sum up
to convey feelings. the main feelings
of the speaker.
Peer assessment
As your partner is reading their monologue, take notes read it.
Consider:
• Which parts did you enjoy most and why?
• How did your partner vary their speech to express feelings?
• Which parts would benefit from redrafting and why?
Summary checklist
I can comment on the features of autobiography.
I can give a critical response to a text.
I can shape the structure of a piece of writing.
6.4 Becoming a parent

• consider how a writer builds up detail
• explore how literary and linguistic techniques create effects
• explore the contexts of a personal letter.
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Getting started
When people write about themselves, they do so in their own

specific context about events that are personal to them, as well
as in a wider social and historical context.
In pairs, discuss what you think are the important or notable
things about the place and time you are growing up in.
Letter to Daniel
Read the first part of Letter to Daniel by
Fergal Keane. The writer is expressing his
feelings about the birth of his son. He works
as a foreign correspondent – someone who
writes articles about life in other countries.
The letter is addressed to his son.
58 Extract 1
Daniel Patrick Keane was born on
4 February 1996.
My dear son, it is six o’clock in the morning on the island of
Hong Kong. You are asleep cradled in my left arm and I am
learning the art of one-handed typing. Your mother, more tired
yet more happy than I’ve ever known her, is sound asleep in the
room next door and there is a soft quiet in our apartment.
Since you’ve arrived, days have melted into night and back winding: patting
again and we are learning a new grammar, a long sentence a baby’s back to
whose punctuation marks are feeding and winding and nappy get rid of trapped
changing and these occasional moments of quiet. wind
We had wanted you and waited for you, imagined you and ploughing: used
dreamed about you and now that you are here no dream metaphorically
can do justice to you. Outside the window, below us on the here to mean
harbour, the ferries are ploughing back and forth to Kowloon. cutting through
Millions are already up and moving about and the sun is slanting the water
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6 Life stories
through the tower blocks. I can see the trail of a jet over Lamma
Island and, somewhere out there, the last stars flickering towards
the other side of the world.
1 The letter is personal, but it is also public because it has been

published for others to read. What do you find out about the
context of the letter and the writer’s life? Make notes on:
• when and where the letter is written – the time of day
and location
• what Daniel and his mother are doing as Fergal writes
• what is happening outside the window.
2 In the second paragraph, there are two uses of figurative language.
The first is ‘melted’ in days have melted into night, and back again.
This metaphor compares something distinct, the separation of day
and night, to an indistinct process – things breaking down. The
effect of the metaphor is to suggest that looking after a baby alters
your life in a significant way.
In your own words, explain the figurative language used in the
following quotation:
we are learning a new grammar, a long sentence whose punctuation
marks are feeding and winding and nappy changing.
3 Remind yourself of the different sentence types writers use in the
Language focus section in Session 1.3. Then look again at the first
paragraph of the extract.
a In pairs, identify the three sentence types used.
b What is the effect of the third sentence?
Reading tip
When answering questions about language choices, remember
to focus on their effect. As a starting point, consider how the
language influences the way the reader thinks about the thing
being described.
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4 Writers often shape their sentences and use punctuation for different
effects. In the final paragraph of this extract, Keane writes:
Outside the window, below us on the harbour, the ferries are ploughing
back and forth to Kowloon.
The two clauses beginning with the prepositions Outside and below Key words
show what is happening, but they also have a rhythm that ‘shapes’
preposition: a
the sentence as you read it. The use of commas here aids this word or group
rhythm. of words used
Write a sentence in the same style, using commas accurately. before a noun or
pronoun to show
For example, you could describe what you can see outside the
place, direction,
classroom window. time (e.g.
‘above’, ‘below’,
Language focus ‘under’, ‘in’)
Writers use embedded clauses – clauses placed in the middle embedded
of sentences – to add detail and explanation to their writing. clause: a clause
Commas are usually used to separate embedded clauses. placed in the
For example: middle of a
sentence
As I walked down the lane, which was something I did every
evening, I thought about you.
When I returned home, familiar though it was, I felt I didn’t
belong there.
5 Look at the last sentence of the extract. The writer embeds the
clause somewhere out there in the middle of the sentence. In pairs,
discuss what effect this has. Start by thinking about how the tone
would change if the clause was removed:
I can see the trail of a jet over Lamma Island and, somewhere out
there, the last stars flickering towards the other side of the world.
I can see the trail of a jet over Lamma Island and the last stars
flickering towards the other side of the world.
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6 Life stories
Now read the final paragraph of Letter to Daniel.
59 Extract 2
In a world of insecurity and ambition and ego, it’s easy to be insecurity: lack
drawn in, to take chances with our lives, to believe that what we of security;
do and what people say about us is reason enough to gamble uncertainty
with death. Now, looking at your sleeping face, inches away ego: self-interest
from me, listening to your occasional sigh and gurgle, I wonder
how I could have ever thought glory and prizes and praise were
sweeter than life.
6 In pairs, discuss what the writer means by I wonder how I could have
ever thought glory and prizes and praise were sweeter than life.
7 Using details from this extract, write a 200-word analysis of how
the writer feels about his son and how his life has changed. You
should explore how metaphor and sentence structures are used.
Summary checklist
I can analyse how a writer builds up detail through
grammatical structures.
I can explain how literary and linguistic techniques are used to
create effects.
I can understand how different contexts are reflected in a
personal letter.
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6.5 Exploring the world

• experiment with ways of reading aloud for impact
• explore how writers combine different language techniques
• structure a poem.
Getting started
Many texts explore the power and beauty of nature.

List the books and TV programmes you know of that
feature the natural world. How is nature presented?
Is it always beautiful or can it be dangerous? Share
some examples with a partner.
Robert Scott’s diary

Captain Robert Scott was a famous explorer
whose adventures took him to some remote and
dangerous places. In 1910, he and four team mates
set out on an expedition to the South Pole. Scott
and his team died on the return journey about a
year later.
Scott kept a diary which recorded the expedition.
It has become a public document and is a type of
autobiography. Read the lines taken from Robert
Scott’s diary. Focus on the images created. Try to
picture them in your head.
60 Extract 1
2nd February, 1911
The seductive folds of the sleeping-bag. seductive:
attractive
The small green tent and the great white road.
neigh of our
The whine of a dog and the neigh of our steeds. steeds: sound of
The driving cloud of powdered snow. horses neighing
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6 Life stories
The crunch of footsteps which break the surface crust.

The blue arch beneath the smoky cloud.
The crisp ring of the ponies’ hoofs and the swish of the following
sledge.
The patter of dog pads.
The gentle flutter of our canvas shelter. Its deep booming canvas: a type of
sound under the full force of a blizzard. fabric
1 Read the extract aloud in groups, experimenting with different ways

Speaking tip
of performing it. Use your voices to emphasise certain words. What
feelings can you create? Here are some suggestions to help you start: When performing
a reading in
• One person reads the extract while others whisper the nouns. groups, focus
• Group members read alternate lines using different tones – on timing and
delivery. Rehearse
happy, despairing, etc.
your performance
• The whole group reads the extract but slightly staggered to so every member
create an echo. knows when to
speak and how
• One person reads the extract while the others emphasise loudly or quietly.
the ‘s’ sounds only.
2 Choose one method of performing the extract and present it to the
class. Use your voices confidently and accurately to create the effect
you intend.
3 Scott uses figurative language when writing down his ‘impressions’.
Figurative language is an overall term for creative language that
Key word
includes techniques such as metaphors (see Sessions 6.3 and 6.4)
and personification. Figurative language is the opposite of literal personification: a
language, which uses words and phrases in a direct way. type of figurative
For example: language in
which an object
• Literal language: She had blue eyes. is described as
• Figurative language: Her eyes were as blue as summer skies. if it has human
characteristics
Look at the extract again and list examples of:
• personification
• images that appeal to the senses: sight, hearing, touch and smell.
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4 Write an analysis of the style of the diary extract, exploring how

different features are combined for effect. You should write about
the impact of:
• figurative language, giving examples
• the use of different sentence types.
Now read another extract from Scott’s diary from the same date. blizzard: an
intense snow
storm
61 Extract 2
crevasse: an open
The blizzard, Nature’s protest – the crevasse, Nature’s pitfall – crack
that grim trap for the unwary – no hunter could conceal his snare snare: trap
so perfectly – the light rippled snow bridge gives no hint or sign
unguessable:
of the hidden danger, its position unguessable till man or beast is
not able to be
floundering, clawing and struggling for foothold on the brink.
guessed or
The vast silence broken only by the mellow sounds of the imagined
marching column. floundering:
struggling to
5 On your own, write down answers to the following questions. get up
mellow: soft,
a What does Scott mean when he writes that grim trap for the smooth
unwary in Extract 2?
b How are the sentence and paragraph structures in Extract 2
different to those in Extract 1?
6 Creating poetry from prose is an interesting way of generating
new texts. Look at how a learner has used words from Extract 2
of Scott’s diary and organised them into a poem below.
In pairs, discuss the following questions.
a How would you describe the tone of ‘The Blizzard’?
b What effect is created by punctuation choices
such as ellipses? What is implied in the gap
The Blizzard
between ‘struggling’ and ‘broken’? Nature’s protest,
Nature’s pitfall.
c Do you think this is a good poem? That grim trap, the hidden danger.
Why or why not? Man is floundering, clawing,
struggling . . .
. . . broken.
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6 Life stories
7 Now create your own poem using words from Extract 1 of Scott’s
diary. Think carefully about the overall effect and how you will
organise the words into a poem. Use punctuation such as ellipses
and dashes to clarify meaning and create different effects. Use one
of the lines from the poem as a title.
Peer assessment
In pairs, evaluate and give feedback on each other’s poems.
• Which parts are most effective? Why?
• Do you think your partner should redraft any of their lines?
Why?
• What did you enjoy about creating your poem?

• Did you find that punctuation choices were important or
not in this activity?
8 Swap poems with a different partner and read their poem aloud to
the class. Try to read it through carefully, looking ahead to make
sure you pronounce words as accurately as possible. Once you
have heard all the poems, as a class, choose the three best ones.
Before you do so, discuss how you will judge the winners. Start by
considering what makes an effective poem.
Summary checklist
I can adapt my speech and comment on its impact.
I can analyse how a writer combines different language
techniques.
I can choose and shape the structure of a poem.
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6.6 Changing the world

• explore the text structure of a speech
• use using a range of features when writing a speech
• deliver a persuasive speech.
Getting started
What makes a good persuasive speech? What are the main

features of a persuasive speech? How are they structured?
Share your thoughts with a partner.
Mandela’s speech Listening tip

62 1 In this session, you will study a speech by Nelson Mandela. Like written texts,
Listen to the recording of his life story and answer the prepared spoken
following questions. texts are carefully
structured. Pay
a How old was Nelson when his father died? close attention
to how and when
b What was apartheid?
key pieces of
c Write a brief summary of the main events in Nelson’s life. information are
revealed to the
d Some people say that Nelson Mandela’s life story is
listener.
inspirational. Do you agree? Why?
Nelson Mandela gave the speech in 2005 in support
of the campaign to ‘Make Poverty History’. Read the
speech aloud to a partner. Focus on the accuracy of
your speech first of all.
63 I am privileged to be here today at the invitation

of The Campaign to Make Poverty History.
As you know, I recently formally announced my
retirement from public life and should really not
be here.
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6 Life stories
However, as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality gross inequality:

persist in our world, none of us can truly rest. Moreover, the massive gaps
Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty represents such between rich and
a noble cause that we could not decline the invitation. poor
scourges: things
Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible
which cause huge
scourges of our times – times in which the world boasts
suffering
breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and
wealth accumulation – that they have to rank alongside slavery accumulation:
and apartheid as social evils. a build up of
something
The Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty can take
apartheid: a
its place as a public movement alongside the movement
political system
to abolish slavery and the international solidarity against
in South Africa
apartheid. And I can never thank the people of Britain enough
which favoured
for their support through those days of the struggle against
white people
apartheid. Many stood in solidarity with us, just a few yards
from this spot. solidarity: acting
together, staying
Through your will and passion, you assisted in consigning that firm
evil system forever to history. But in this new century, millions
consigning:
of people in the world’s poorest countries remain imprisoned,
putting
enslaved, and in chains.
something away,
They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set to get rid of it
them free. eradicated: got
Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made rid of
and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of
human beings.
And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act
of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right,
the right to dignity and a decent life.
While poverty persists, there is no true freedom. The steps
that are needed from the developed nations are clear.
The first is ensuring trade justice. I have said before that
trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed
countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to
global poverty.
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The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries.
The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the
highest quality.
We thank you for coming here today. Sometimes it falls upon
a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.
Let your greatness blossom.
Make Poverty History in 2005. Make History in 2005. Then we
can all stand with our heads held high.
Thank you.
2 An effective speech takes the reader on a journey in the same way

a story does. A speech is sequenced with a beginning, a middle and
an end.
Look at how the speech is organised. There are 13 paragraphs.
What purpose does each paragraph serve? Copy and complete
this table.
Paragraph Function
1 Introduces the speaker and the cause.
2 Provides some personal detail.
3
Key words
3 Speeches like this one have a line of argument. A speech that is line of argument:
meant to inspire listeners might have several ‘strands’ to it, but a set of sequenced
they are carefully organised. The main point of the speech often points intended to
occurs in the later stages of the speech. Mandela’s speech starts persuade
by identifying problems and then suggests solutions.
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6 Life stories
A–H are eight strands of Mandela’s argument. They have been

mixed up. Write them out in the correct order.
A Developed nations should take three steps to remove poverty.
B The Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty can be part
of the fight against these problems.
C People should not rest while poverty, injustice and
inequality exist.
D Poverty is created by humans.
E The current generation can succeed in removing poverty.
F The world has developed greatly, but the horrors of poverty
and inequality persist.
G Britain played a key role in opposing apartheid.
H Poverty and inequality are as bad as slavery and apartheid.
Reading tip
When tracking the argument of a persuasive speech, focus on
the main points the speaker is making. Use a highlighter to
isolate the different strands of an argument and explore how
they build on each other.
4 One of the techniques used in Mandela’s speech is to establish

Key words
the terrible nature of the problems he identifies, and to suggest
solutions. In doing so, personal pronouns such as ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘you’ personal
are used. Using direct address can help to persuade an audience pronoun: a word
used to replace
because it makes them feel part of the solution to a problem.
a proper noun,
In pairs, make a list of: such as ‘he’, ‘she’
• extreme words and phrases to describe poverty and inequality and ‘they’
direct address:
• figurative language, such as: They are trapped in the
speaking directly
prison of poverty. to any audience
5 Write a paragraph about how the structure and language of using pronouns
Mandela’s speech helps to persuade the audience. Use examples such as ‘you’
to support your points.
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6 Write your own persuasive speech about a topic you feel strongly
about. It could be something personal or about a national or global
issue. Use what you have learnt from this session to structure your
speech. Remember to:
• present a line of argument
• structure your speech
• use language imaginatively.
7 Practise and then perform your speeches in groups. Think carefully
about how you use gesture and other non-verbal methods to
convey your ideas. Adapt your speech to engage and persuade
your audience.
Self-assessment
• Which parts of your speech did you feel worked best?
• How confident were you when you performed it?
• Did you use gesture?
Summary checklist
I can understand the text structure of a speech.
I can use a range of features when writing a speech.
I can deliver a persuasive speech.
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Check your progress
Check
1
your progress
Give an example of a symbol in a poem you have studied.
Answer the following questions to check what you have learned in this unit.
2 Explain what is meant by ‘The intended audience of a piece of writing
1 What are key
determines thefeatures
way in of adventure
which a text isstories?
written’.
3 Describe the differences between literal and figurative language.
4 Write a sentence containing an embedded clause.
Are they ordinary people or do they have special skills? What happens to them?
5 Using examples, explain how you can use your voice to create different
3 Name three ways you can keep an audience interested when relating an anecdote.
effects when reading poetry aloud.
6 Explain how persuasive speeches are structured.
6 Project
Explain what you know about writing accounts of adventures.
How has your writing improved?
This unit has explored the life stories of real people and characters in literature.
You are going to research and present the life story of a person in public life who
has made a difference. This might be a scientist who has made an important
medical discovery, a person who has promoted peace or a young person who is
trying to improve the planet like Greta Thunberg.
Think carefully about the person you choose to research. There are many people
who have done good things, so it might be more interesting to choose someone
who is less well known. Start by researching the person. Find out about
their life story and the positive things they have done.
Present your research in the form of a booklet to show in class.
You should present information in an appealing way. Use pictures,
coloured text boxes and headings to organise your material.
Once everyone has completed their booklet, spend time
in groups reading each other’s work. You should discuss
each of the people you have researched in turn.
Be prepared to justify to your group why your
person is the most significant.
At the end of your discussion, your group must
choose one person (in your group) who you
think has made the most important contribution
to society. Nominate one learner per group to
tell the class which person your group has
selected and why.
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7 ‘The Travel Agency’
In this unit, you will read extracts from a short story called ‘The Travel
Agency’. It is written by Maria Turtschaninoff and is a fantasy story.
You will explore the structure of the story, think about the features of
this genre and analyse the ending.
7.1 The picture gallery

• make predictions about a story using language and
image cues
• explore the narrative events of a fantasy fiction text
• respond imaginatively to a fiction text.
What types of events take place in fantasy stories? What are the fantasy:
typical characters and settings you find in these stories? In pairs, imaginative
write a list of fantasy stories or films you know. How do these stories, often set
stories usually end? in strange places
with unusual
characters
Reading tip
Read as many books as you can that belong to the genre you are
studying. Understanding the conventions of a particular genre
can help you anticipate what might happen and make sense of
events in a story. As you read, ask yourself if the story follows or
challenges the conventions of the genre.
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1 Look closely at these pictures. They show scenes from the short
story ‘The Travel Agency’. In pairs, discuss what is happening in
the pictures and who the characters might be. What do you think
the story will be about?
2 Here are some lines from the story. Which one do you think is the
opening of the story and why?
a The receptionist nodded understandingly. ‘It can be confusing
with so many options.’
b Hanna came in and closed the door behind her, setting off the
piercing little entry bell overhead.
c ‘Pictures are often the most accurate starting-off point for
a journey.’
d Hanna saw pictures of ships on stormy seas, of mist-shrouded
mountains and magnificent castles.
3 In pairs, discuss what the sentences (a−d) suggest about the story.
What don’t they tell you? What other information would you like to
know about the story?
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4 In groups, look again at the three pictures. Discuss which parts of

the story you think they are from. What order would you place
them in and why?
‘The Travel Agency’

Now read the first part of this story where the main character,
Hanna, visits the travel agency.
64 Extract 1
Hanna came in and closed the door behind her, setting off the piercing: very
piercing little entry bell overhead. Rain hammered against the loud shrill noise
window pane as she peeled off her sopping hood. She looked sopping: very wet
around and, for a second, wished she hadn’t come. Behind a
curved counter of light-blue glass a receptionist with blonde
hair in a neat ponytail was talking on a mobile phone. Hanna’s
trainers left dirty wet footprints on the polished stone floor.
She was definitely out of place.
She picked up a brochure from a display stand and flipped brochure:
through it. a pamphlet or
The blonde receptionist tapped on her phone a few times, small magazine
then put it down and looked at Hanna with a smile. that contains
products for sale
‘Have you decided what you want?’
Hanna looked down at the brochure and opened a page at
random.
‘It’s not easy. And these descriptions, I don’t really get . . . ’
The receptionist nodded understandingly. ‘It can be confusing
with so many options. If you like I can show you round and give
you a bit more information. Maybe that will help you make up
your mind.’
Hanna adjusted the bag on her shoulder and followed silently
behind the receptionist’s clacking heels. She had learnt how
to walk quietly that time she had to escape from the dungeon
maze on the island of Orlam.
They entered a long corridor with several doors, and large oil
paintings hanging in heavy gold frames. The walls were the
same dirty white-grey you find in hospital corridors and schools.
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‘This is our picture gallery,’ said the receptionist, gesturing at the

walls. ‘Naturally, each picture is a portal. Some are very famous, portal: an
others less so.’ opening that
Hanna saw pictures of ships on stormy seas, of mountains and leads somewhere
magnificent castles. else
destination: end
‘Pictures are often the most accurate starting-off point for a journey. point of a journey
You get a clear image of your destination, which is not the case
with other portals. That doesn’t mean that you know exactly what
awaits you once you step through, of course, but you have more
of a chance to prepare yourself than you would with other portal
passages.’
5 Make notes on:

a the differences between Hanna and the receptionist in the
first paragraph
b details about the settings
c what you can infer about why Hanna is visiting the agency.
Language focus
Writers choose adjectives and nouns carefully to describe

situations and characters. Words are chosen to give precise
information. Look at how these adjective and noun choices can
offer different meanings:
• The fierce thing approached me.
• The angry kitten approached me.
• The nasty cat approached me.
• The snarling animal approached me.
The order is important. When an adjective is placed first in a
sentence, it emphasises the subject’s quality (what it is like).
When it is placed after the noun, the focus is on the object
and can make the quality being described less important.
For example:
• The damaged car moved down the street.
• The car, which was damaged, moved down the street.
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6 Look at the first two sentences in Extract 1. Write a short

paragraph explaining the order and effect of the adjectives and
nouns.
7 Write about 100 words explaining what you discover about the
characters, events and settings in this whole extract.
Peer assessment
Swap your writing with a partner and compare your work.
• Have you both noted the same points?
• What information could you add?
8 Unlike full-length novels, short stories often do not give lots of

detail. They may suggest brief histories of the characters involved.
For example:
She had learnt how to walk quietly that time she had to escape from
the dungeon maze on the island of Orlam.
Write a paragraph describing Hanna’s escape from the maze. You
will need to make up the details. Start by imagining why Hanna
was in the maze, who held her prisoner and the details of how she
escaped. You could choose to write in the first or third person.
Summary checklist
I can use language and image cues to predict events in a
fiction text.
I can comment on the narrative events of a fantasy fiction text.
I can produce an imaginative response to a fiction text.
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7.2 The keys

• explore how persuasive language is used
• learn to use persuasive techniques in your own writing
• practise a role play.
Getting started
How do companies use language to advertise their products?

How do holiday companies describe their holidays? If you had
to describe a holiday to a city near you, how would you make it
sound exciting and attractive? Share your ideas in pairs.
65 Extract 2
Hanna stepped into a white room filled with brightly illuminated illuminated: lit up
glass display cases. Inside them, laid out on black velvet, was amulet: a piece of
an assortment of items: rings of various metals, a knife, a pair of jewellery; a charm
shiny red shoes, several books, an amulet that consisted of two
snakes biting each other’s tails and a variety of keys.
‘Some keys will always open to the same destination regardless
of what door you enter through,’ explained the receptionist,
leading Hanna to the display cases. ‘Perhaps you read about
that in the brochure?’ Hanna passed the brochure, now damp
and crumpled, from one hand to the other. ‘While other keys are
more sensitive and require a specific door, or point in time, or
person to turn them. Over here we have the door gallery.’
Hanna looked at each key carefully. There were big ones and
small ones, some shiny-new and some that looked several
hundred years old. But none of them felt right. Neither did the
knife, nor the red shoes.
‘Are you travelling alone?’
Hanna took a step back from the display cases. What if she had
to bring a grown-up along?
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7.2 The keys
1 Make notes on:

a what the receptionist tells Hanna about the keys
b how Hanna reacts to the items.
Listening tip
Listen carefully to the tone of voice used in spoken texts.
Speakers often give away their intentions and feelings by the
way they speak. For example, advertising speech can often
sound lively and enthusiastic.
66 2 Travel companies advertise their holidays online and in printed

brochures. They provide readers with information but do so in a
persuasive way – their aim is to sell a holiday.
Listen to the audio recording of an extract from a holiday brochure
and answer these questions.
a What does It’s a city tied to the past, but it also looks
forward mean?
b How does the speaker try to persuade the listener that
Shanghai is a great place to shop?
c List three persuasive words or phrases the speaker uses to
describe places to eat.
d Which aspects of Shanghai sound most appealing to you?
Why?
e Write a summary of the main attractions of Shanghai that
the speaker mentions.
3 In the story, the receptionist mentions the brochure that Hanna has
looked at. Write the introduction page for the agency’s brochure.
Start by making a plan of the information you need to convey. Give
readers an overview of the services the agency provides. Describe
the types of places travellers can visit. Use the receptionist’s words
in Extract 2 to help you, but invent some details of your own.
Remember, you are giving information but trying to persuade your
readers to book a holiday with you.
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4 Hanna is offered: rings of various metals, a knife, a pair of shiny red

Writing tip
shoes, several books, an amulet that consisted of two snakes biting
each other’s tails and a variety of keys. Advertising texts
usually address
What sort of journeys might occur if she had selected each of these the reader in
objects? In groups, suggest different adventures that they might a friendly but
lead to. Share your ideas with the class. knowledgeable
way. When
planning texts
like this, start
with a list of key
information you
need to convey,
then work on
persuasive and
descriptive
phrases to
‘dress up’ the
information in an
attractive way.
5 Imagine that a customer had selected the amulet. Instead of a

happy, exciting trip, the holiday was dangerous and the customer
returned very unhappy with the agency.
In pairs, role play a conversation between an unhappy customer and
the receptionist at the agency. Use the prompt cards to get you started.
Speaking tip
When performing a role play, prepare yourself by thinking
about your character. Before you start, have a firm idea of the
personality of the character you are playing. Try to picture them
in your head and consider their attitudes and character.
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7.3 Hanna’s friend
Customer prompt card Receptionist prompt card

You decided to select the amulet. You were You had warned the customer that selecting
expecting to have a mysterious adventure, the amulet was a risk. You suggested that
probably in an ancient civilisation. When they might have a difficult experience,
you arrived, you were held prisoner and but they chose the amulet anyway. You
had to escape. Give the receptionist feel sorry for the customer and remain
some more details and demand your professional throughout the conversation.
money back. You are very disappointed The customer will ask for their money
and feel let down by the agency. back, so you need to decide what to do.
• How easy did you find it to perform a role play?

• Did the prompt cards help? How did the conversation end?
• How could you develop your role-playing skills?
Summary checklist
I can explain how language is used to persuade.
I can use persuasive language in my own writing.
I can perform a role play confidently and convincingly.

• explore how writers use characters to develop themes
• consider how writers present heroic characters
• write an analysis of how a character is presented.
Getting started
A story can be divided into an opening, a middle and an ending.

In pairs, discuss what normally happens in the middle part of stories,
once the main characters and problem have been introduced. Think
of some books and films you are familiar with and make a list of
typical events that happen in the middle section of the stories.
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1 Here are some things you have found out about Hanna so far:
• When she arrives at the agency, she feels out of place and
wishes she had not come.
• She has come with the intention of making a journey, but
does not know how to find the right one.
• She has been in danger before and had to escape a
dungeon maze.
• She is looking for a specific journey but has not found it in the
paintings or other objects.
What do these details suggest about what might happen in the next
part of the story? Share your ideas with the class.
Now read the next part of the story.
67 Extract 3 pergola: a wooden

structure in a
None of these objects stood out to her. None of them inspired garden usually
the same giddy sense of wonder as she had felt when, one day in with plants
early spring, she had walked through the entrance to Grandma’s growing over or
pergola and suddenly found herself somewhere else entirely. against it
She had made a friend there, in the other world, where the ember: the last
woods smelt like dark chocolate and the trees spun spells and bit of a fire before
weaved dreams between their branches. A friend the likes of it goes out
which she had never had here, in this world of loneliness and granite: a very
rain and school and stinky sports halls. Sannala. Hanna held the hard type of rock
name close to her heart like a glowing ember. The memory in shades of pink,
of Sannala was the only thing that kept Hanna warm through grey or white
her cold everyday life. Sannala with her blue hair and skin like realm: world
streaked granite. Sannala who could talk to birds and who dived
liberated: freed
headlong into every new adventure with a hearty chuckle. And
there, in the island realm, Hanna had been a different person enchanted:
too – she was strong; she was admired. Together she and Sannala something that
fought against monsters; they liberated the fairy queen Malkian’s has a spell on it
enchanted ring from the cloud city and let the lonesome tree of turquoise: a
sorrow sing once more, for the first time in seven hundred years. blue−green
colour
On the Golden Cape shores, they waded, hand in hand, out into
the warm turquoise sea. As soon as they set foot in the water, a
wild raging wave surged towards them.
When they dived in they were forced to let go of each
other’s hands.
Everything became a blur of bubbles and flurries.
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When she re-emerged she found herself no longer in the

turquoise sea but in a cold grey sea bordered by smooth rocks.
And she was alone . . .
2 Make notes on:

a how Hanna felt in the other world
b what you find out about Sannala
c the pair’s adventures and how they came to be separated.
3 The middle section of stories often introduces new characters and
develops themes. In ‘The Travel Agency’, we are introduced to the
character of Sannala, which helps to develop ideas about both
Key word
friendship and loneliness in the story. The writer uses a technique
called flashback to show the girls’ backstory – their history flashback: a part
together. This helps us understand why Hanna has come to the of a story that
travel agency. Through the flashback, we see the close relationship goes back in
time to explain
between the two girls. The writer also uses contrast, so we see how
an event
Hanna’s life now is different from the fun she had with Sannala,
who is shown as an adventurous, heroic character.
Select some words and phrases that show:
a how Hanna feels about her current and past experience
b how Hanna feels about Sannala
c how exciting their adventures were.
Language focus
Writers present heroic characters through their appearance and

actions. Often the voice of a heroic story sounds ‘elevated’, as
if the exciting qualities of the main character are reflected in the
tone of the narrator. This example describes a brave character Key word
rescuing someone: simile: a type
Ellis burst through the door, faster and stronger than an angry of figurative
bull. He took one look at the hostage lying on the floor, language in
grabbed him and burst out of the rear exit. Ellis Smith. A name which one thing
to be admired and feared. is compared to
Notice the ‘energy’ of the writing, and language features, such something else,
as the simile and varied sentence types, which help to create a using the words
sense of drama around the character. ‘as’ or ‘like’
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4 Write 300 words explaining how the writer presents Sannala in

Extract 3. Include details on:
• the image of Sannala that the writer presents
• the effect of structural techniques such as flashback and
contrast
• the effect of voice, sentence structures and other language
techniques
• how the introduction of this character develops the themes
of friendship and loneliness.
Peer assessment
Swap accounts with a partner and check how thoroughly they
have written about each point. Copy and complete the table
to indicate how effectively they have written about each point.
Place a tick under red or amber or green.
• Green means they have written in detail.
• Amber means they have offered some detail.
• Red means that they have not written about the bullet at all.
Bullet point
1
2
3
4 Listening tip
When receiving
5 Now feed back your findings to your partner. Explain your verbal feedback,
listen carefully to
judgements, making sure you are polite and kind.
specific advice.
Ask for details
Summary checklist
and examples
I can explain how a writer might use a character to develop to help you
a theme. understand any
I can analyse how a writer presents a heroic character. guidance. Take
notes to help you
I can write an analysis of how a character is presented. remember.
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7.4 The fireplace
7.4 The fireplace

• use the names of word classes accurately
• investigate different grammatical structures
• interpret information to predict how a story will end.
Getting started
In pairs, write a definition for each of these word groups: noun,

verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction. Give some
examples of each word class.
68 Extract 4
‘Will you be taking much luggage?’ The receptionist’s
voice interrupted her thoughts.
‘I only have this bag.’
‘Good. Sensible, too, travelling light. People rarely need
everything they imagine to be essential.’ The blonde
woman led Hanna back out into the corridor and to
another door.
‘Here we have the larger passage portals.’ She
opened the door.
‘Wardrobes, mirrors, bags . . . ’
Hanna stepped inside. This room looked different
from the boring white rooms they had previously
seen. The walls were decorated in a wallpaper of tree
branches covered with apple-blossom buds. To Hanna’s left
there was an old fireplace that looked as though it had been
out of use for at least fifty years, and from the ceiling there
hung a chandelier draped in a white cloth that filled the room
with a warm filtered light. In front of the fireplace was
a sunken leather armchair and several old suitcases.
chandelier: a large and impressive ceiling light
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On the right-hand wall there hung a series of full-length mirrors

with silver, gold and carved wooden frames.
‘We haven’t had a chance to renovate this room yet,’ said the renovate:
receptionist apologetically. ‘This used to be a residential building, decorate and
built by the merchant Noel Kit – ever heard of him? Our owner, improve
Alice Silwe, bought the entire estate just last year. Many of the
portals you have seen today came from Kit’s collections. We
suspect that the fireplace might also be a portal, so this room
shouldn’t be disturbed before it’s investigated fully.’
Hanna immediately walked over to the fireplace, but it was
cold and mute and didn’t speak to her at all. She stared mute: silent
disappointedly into the black space. How would she ever find
a way back?
1 The writer carefully describes the setting in this part of the story,
which suggests to the reader that the room is important. When
describing the objects in the room, the writer uses different
grammatical structures. Copy out the sentences or phrases into
your notebook (from Extract 4) that describe the following objects.
Leave space around these quotations as you will annotate them in
the next activity.
mirrors
chandelier armchair
fireplace
wardrobe suitcases
Key words
prepositional
phrase: a phrase
2 Label the quotations you have copied out with the correct
that contains a
word classes. For example, one structure is the adjective–noun preposition and
combination ‘old fireplace’, so you could annotate this: describes the
physical location
old fireplace
of an object
(adjective) (noun) noun phrase:
Another structure is a prepositional phrase followed by verb and a a phrase that
noun phrase. Here is an example: contains an
adjective and
On the right-hand wall there hung a series of full-length mirrors describes the
(prepositional phrase) (verb) (noun phrase) qualities of an
object
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7.4 The fireplace
Reading tip
When labelling sentences, start by identifying the main verb.
Then look for nouns and see whether they are accompanied by
adjectives. Use a dictionary to help label any words you cannot
identify yourself.
• What did you find most difficult about labelling the sentences?
• Were any sentences particularly difficult to label? Why was this?
• How could you improve your ability to use grammatical terms?
3 Explain how this grammatical structures in Extract 4 help the reader

to picture the room. Use examples and terminology in your answer.
4 Describe the setting in this picture in 100 words.
Mention the man, the objects, their position
and the appearance of the room. Use different
grammatical structures to describe these objects
precisely.
5 By this point in the story, this writer has given a
lot of clues about how the story will develop and
end. For example, we know that:
• Hanna is desperate to see her friend again
• she does not know what has happened
to her friend
• she is taking only a bag on her journey
• the agency has a mysterious new room but is
unsure of its potential
• Hanna thinks that the room and its fireplace
are not the portals she wants
• there are other, older portals available.
In groups, discuss this information and make
a prediction how the story will develop. How will it end? Consider
what others in your group have to say and offer responses. Then
share your ideas with the class.
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6 Which of the sentences (a–i) do you think is the final sentence

of the story? Why? Share your view with the class.
a When she came back into the room, it was empty.
b Despite numerous attempts, the entrance to the pergola had
never led to another world again.
c And she hung up, without saying goodbye.
d Grown-ups couldn’t travel between the worlds as easily
as children.
e Hanna barely dared ask. She was so afraid of the answer.
f Someone was walking on the shore gazing out across the
turquoise sea. Someone with tangled blue hair.
g Hanna held her breath.
h She wanted to go home.
i She thought she could almost hear the bird singing.
7 On a piece of paper, write your own prediction for how the story
will end. Think about the three main characters and what will
happen to them. Will Hanna meet Sannala again? When you
have written your prediction, fold the paper up and give it to
your teacher. At the end of this unit, your teacher will share the
predictions with the class.
Summary checklist
I can use linguistic terms to label groups of words and phrases.
I can use different grammatical structures.
I can predict how a story will end from information given.
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7.5 Time
7.5 Time
• use different ways to work out unfamiliar words
• consider the role of a secondary character in a text
• explore writing in a personal voice.
Most stories have secondary characters. These may be a secondary

companion or friend of the main character. In pairs, discuss some character: a
examples of supporting characters from books and films. What supporting
qualities do they have? Do they change during the narrative? character in the
story; not the
main character
1 Adults often say that time passes quickly as you get older and that
memories fade. Is this also true for younger people? In pairs, discuss:
• the earliest memories you have Speaking tip
• what you can remember about your first few weeks at school. Remember to
shape your talk
Read the next part of the story. It starts with Hanna thinking about the when offering a
last time she saw Sannala. view – choose
your words
carefully in
69 Extract 5
order to help
Despite numerous attempts, the entrance to the pergola had your partner
never led to another world again. She had tried to dive back understand
into that cold sea and return to Sannala and the Golden Cape, precisely what
until the salty water filled her nostrils and forced her to surface, you mean.
coughing, her throat burning. She had clambered up on the
rocks, slippery with slimy green seaweed, and wept. Sannala
would think she had drowned. Or, even worse, maybe she
thought that Hanna had betrayed her. Abandoned her.
One spring and one summer had passed since then. Hanna had
had a birthday in that time. What if she was too old? Grown-ups
couldn’t travel between the worlds as easily as children.
‘Ah!’ the receptionist lit up. ‘Good question! It is true that
spontaneous travellers have almost always been children.
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Some portals, like that wardrobe,’ she pointed, ‘only work for
children, unfortunately. The same goes for holes in the ground.
Experience has shown that young adults can also pass through
the more well-known, reliable portals. Though I’m afraid it is
often the case that the ability to cross over decreases with each
passing year.’ She looked kindly at Hanna. ‘But you are still
young. Then, when it comes to the return journey—’
Hanna interrupted her suddenly. ‘What about time?’
‘Time?’ As the receptionist looked at her, Hanna thought that
her eyes saw too much. She turned around and examined the
fireplace again. The wallpaper to the right of it showed apple
blossoms in full bloom. Weren’t they buds just a moment ago?
‘Yes, time is often different, isn’t it? There and here.’ Hanna
swallowed.
‘It’s true. Many portals are temporally volatile. That is why we volatile:
ask for payment in full prior to departure.’ unpredictable
A bird was sitting on one of the branches. It was turquoise, as
turquoise as that sea had been, back there, in the place she
wanted to return to more than anything. She thought she could
almost hear the bird singing.
‘I heard,’ she said in a small voice, ‘that time goes much faster in
the other worlds than it does here. That one day here can be a
hundred years there.’ In which case there would be no Sannala
any more. Hanna could hardly bear to think of it.
2 When trying to work out the meaning of words

you do not know, using your knowledge of
context, word families and related words can
help. For example, if you were unsure of the
meaning of ‘legitimate’ in the sentence ‘I was
late for school, but I had a legitimate reason’,
there are several things you could do:
• You know that the word ‘legitimate’ is
being used to describe a type of ‘reason’.
You can also see that the word ‘but’
suggests the speaker is explaining his
lateness, so it’s likely that ‘legitimate’
means something positive.
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7.5 Time
• You could look for clues in the word to see if it

resembles a word you do know. The ‘leg’ at the start of
legitimate could possibly refer to a body part – the speaker
was late because he had a bad leg, but this is unlikely.
The word also looks like ‘legal’ so with some thought, you
might grasp that it means something like a ‘genuine’ or
‘permissible’ reason.
Here are some phrases from Extract 5 of the story. Use the context
and other clues to work out what the underlined words mean.
Use a dictionary if you need to.
a Despite numerous attempts, the entrance to the pergola had
never led to another world again.
b She had clambered up on the rocks, slippery with slimy green
seaweed, and wept.
c It is true that spontaneous travellers have almost always
been children.
d Many portals are temporally volatile.
3 The receptionist is a secondary character in the story.
She features heavily, but is less important than Hanna and
Sannala. The receptionist is described by her job, rather than
being given a name. Secondary characters do not really change
or develop, unlike main characters.
Create a spider diagram that shows what we learn about the
receptionist and what she does in the story. Here is some
information to help you start. Search the text for other examples:
• Behind a curved counter of light-blue glass a receptionist with
blonde hair in a neat ponytail was talking on a mobile phone.
• ‘If you like I can show you round and give you a bit more
information. Maybe that will help you make up your mind.’
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Writing tip
When making notes on characters and their attributes, visual
plans such as spider diagrams and tables are effective ways of
recording information. For example, your spider diagram might
start like this:
Has blonde hair Receptionist Is helpful to

in a ponytail Hanna
4 Here are two views and predictions about the receptionist.

Which, if any, do you agree with and why?
The receptionist is a
positive and professional character.
She is very helpful towards Hanna and
gives her sensible advice. She likes Hanna
and also feels sorry for her. I think she
will help Hanna to find a way to
travel to find Sannala.
The receptionist appears to

be polite, but there’s something odd
about her. She is too keen to help Hanna
and is trying hard to persuade Hanna to
travel. The receptionist will trick Hanna into
making a bad choice. I think she is a
bad character.
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7.5 Time
5 Write a 250-word diary entry by the receptionist. In it, you should

Key word
explain your thoughts about Hanna from the perspective of the
receptionist. Remember that diaries are personal, and people often perspective: the
give their honest thoughts. Use informal language, but still use the ‘angle’ that a
story or account
conventions of standard English. Before you start, decide:
is told from −
• if the receptionist is a good or bad character whose ‘eyes’ the
reader sees it
• what type of voice would be best for this piece of writing. through
Self-assessment
Read your diary entry.
• What type of voice did you choose?
• How well do you think it conveys the receptionist’s personality?
• Which lines are you most happy with?
Summary checklist
I can work out the meanings of unfamiliar words.
I can comment on the role of a secondary character in a text.
I can write in a personal voice.
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7.6 The beach

• consider ways of ending a story
• explore how a theme is developed
• consider an opinion about the story.
Getting started
Some stories have definite endings. For example, the hero

reaches their goal or a detective solves a crime. Other stories
have more complex endings.
In pairs, think of examples of both types of ending in books and
films you know. Which type of ending do you prefer? Why?
Read the final part of the story. Hanna has sensed that the room has a
portal which might take her to Sannala.
70 Extract 6
She walked hastily out of the room. Her heart was racing,
pounding. She had no time to lose. The receptionist followed
after her, down the corridor and back to the frosted-glass door.
A few clients were visible out in the waiting room. Just when clients: customers
the blonde woman was about to unlock the door she stopped.
Hanna held her breath.
‘Your bag! You left it behind.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll run and get it. I’ll just be a second. You have
clients waiting,’ Hanna pointed, ‘I’ll knock when I’m back.’
‘It’s OK, I’ll wait, but do hurry.’
Hanna ran down the corridor and into the room with the fireplace
without making a sound. The receptionist stuck her head round
the door to the waiting room. ‘I do apologize about the wait –
I’ll be with you in just a moment.’ She closed the door again and
followed slowly after Hanna.
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7.6 The beach
When she came back into the room, it was empty. Hanna and
her bag were nowhere to be seen. There was a strong smell
of burnt sugar. The receptionist checked the wardrobe: it was
locked. The doors were closed and hostile. She examined the hostile: unfriendly
mirrors, ran her fingers along the glass and frames, then shook
her head. Finally, she came over to the fireplace. The smell
became more intense. She peered into the fireplace and then
at the wall next to it. The wallpaper showed a wild blooming
forest filled with blue-green birds. Through the branches she
caught sight of a golden beach where two figures were
embracing.
She took her mobile phone out of her pocket at
once and dialled a number.
‘Hi. She found a portal. No, it wasn’t the
fireplace. The wallpaper. It must date back to
when the house was built. Of course,
I’ll make sure it is secured.’
She listened carefully. Then smiled widely.
‘That’s good to hear. Then she should have
plenty of time to put things right. No, I don’t
think we should expect her return.’
She smiled, humbled. ‘Thank you, Alice, that’s
very kind. And I’d just like to say that I think it
is a wonderful thing you are doing. Helping
the ones who . . . Yes, yes. I know.’
And she hung up, without saying goodbye.
1 Make notes on:

• what happens to Hanna
• what the receptionist thinks at the end
• Alice’s role in the story.
2 Did the story end in the way you expected? Were your earlier
Key word
predictions right? Discuss your views as the class.
closure: the sense
3 Some stories end in a sense of closure. This means that all the ‘loose of a complete
ends’ are tied up – the reader finds out what happens to the characters ending to a story
and there is a feeling that the story has ended. Does the ending of
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‘The Travel Agency’ have a sense of closure? Is it right to say that the
Key word
story has a clear resolution? Think about the characters, the main
problems and desires they have and whether they are resolved. Write resolution: a
two lists: things that are resolved and things that left unresolved. feeling that all
problems have
4 Write a paragraph about the end of ‘The Travel Agency’. You should: come to an end
• summarise what happens at the end
• say whether you think the story has a sense of closure
• say whether you liked the ending or not, and why.
5 Alice is an interesting character, even though she never appears in
person. Earlier in the story, the receptionist says ‘Our owner, Alice
Silwe, bought the entire estate just last year.’ In the final part of the
story, the receptionist says:
‘Thank you, Alice, that’s very kind. And I’d just like to say that I
think it is a wonderful thing you are doing. Helping the ones who . . .
Yes, yes. I know.’
In pairs, discuss why Alice might help others. What do you think
the incomplete phrase Helping the ones who . . . means? Share your
answers with the class.
6 One of the themes of the story is friendship, which is explored
through the relationship between Hanna and Sannala. The
structure of the story moves from friends being separated to
friends being reunited. The writer reinforces the theme through the
receptionist and later Alice, who are supportive towards Hanna.
The revelation at the end about Alice’s kindness in helping to
reunite the girls emphasises ideas about people caring for others.
Look back through all of the story and make notes on:
a how Hanna’s loneliness is presented in the early part of
the story
b at which point Sannala is introduced in the story
c how Hanna and Sannala’s friendship is presented.
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7.6 The beach
7 Using the notes you made in Activity 6, write a response to the

following question:
To what extent do you agree that ‘The Travel Agency’ is a happy
story that celebrates the joy of friendship?
Write three paragraphs. Use your notes from Activity 6 and
examples from the story. Make sure you comment on the ways in
which the writer presents friendship.
Writing tip
When answering essay-style questions, look closely at the words
in the task. Underline the key words and make sure you address
them in your answer. Stay focused on the task throughout your
answer.
• How well did you understand the details of ‘The Travel Agency’?
• Which parts were harder to understand? Why do you think that was?
• How accurate were your predictions about the story?
Summary checklist
I can comment on how a writer ends a story.
I can identify and explain how a theme is developed.
I can give an opinion about the story using examples from
a text.
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Check your progress
1 What types of characters do you find in fantasy stories?
2 Describe the type of language used in advertising brochures.
3 What is a flashback?
4 Give an example of a prepositional phrase.
5 Give two strategies you could use to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
6 What do the words ‘closure’ and ‘resolution’ mean?
Project
In groups of four, you are going to research stories with fantastical
elements. This means stories that have characters, events or settings that
are not ‘realistic’. For example, they might be set in a different world to our
own, feature people with special powers or describe impossible events.
There are fantastical stories for every age group: many young children read
stories featuring talking animals. Some teenagers enjoy stories set in dark
places with characters from other worlds. Others enjoy stories set in the
future where science and technology has developed.
Your task is to collect a range of fantastical stories and identify the features
of this genre. You are trying to find out the ‘rules’ of the genre. Research
popular fantastical stories, and then choose a different book each.
After you have read your book, make notes on:
• the range of settings: what types of places and worlds are shown?
Do they operate in different ways to our world?
• the main characters: are they always human? Do they have unusual
powers?
• the storylines: what happens? What challenges are faced by the
characters? Do the stories end happily?
• the themes: what big ideas are explored? What is the writer saying
about life?
You should then talk as a group about your findings. Write a report together
that explains what you have discovered about the features of fantastical
stories. Your report should be organised, using subheadings and contain
examples from the stories you have read.
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8 In the city
In this unit, you will explore how cities are presented in fiction.
You will look at how writers create mysterious and exciting cities as
settings. You will also read descriptions of real places and think about
how cities of the future might be designed.
8.1 The drama of Delhi

• explore the effect of sentence structures and punctuation
• investigate the effects created by imagery and figurative
language
• explore how writers use language which appeals to
the senses.
Getting started
Cities can be exciting, busy and sometimes threatening places.

But they can also be beautiful and interesting. Look at the two
pictures of Delhi. In pairs, describe the scenes in these pictures.
Make a list of words and phrases to describe what you see.
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8 In the city
The White Tiger

Read this extract from a novel set in Delhi by Aravind Adiga.
The narrator is a driver.
71 Extract 1
Rush hour in Delhi. Cars, scooters, motorbikes, autorickshaws,
black taxis, jostling for space on the road. The pollution is jostling: pushing
so bad that the men on the motorbikes and scooters have a heist: robbery
handkerchief wrapped around their faces – each time you stop
at a red light, you see a row of men with black glasses and
masks on their faces, as if the whole city were out on a bank
heist that morning.
There was a good reason for the face masks; they say the air is
so bad in Delhi that it takes ten years off a man’s life. Of course,
those in the cars don’t have to breathe the outside air – it is just
tinted: darkened
nice, cool, clean, air-conditioned air for us. With their tinted
windows up, the cars of the rich go like dark eggs down the bangles: jewellery
roads of Delhi. Every now and then an egg will crack open – a worn around the
woman’s hand dazzling with gold bangles, stretches out of an wrist
open window, flings an empty mineral water bottle onto the resealed: closed
road – and then the window goes up, and the egg is resealed. up again
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1 A rickshaw is a two-wheeled cart that is pulled by a person. Using

your knowledge of prefixes, write a definition of an ‘autorickshaw’.
Language focus
Writers build up the detail in sentences in different ways. When

doing so, they choose punctuation carefully not only to organise
their sentences, but also to create particular effects.
• Commas can be used to build detail in lists and create
emphasis, for example, ‘the huge, shaggy, wild-eyed, angry
bear’. This not only describes the bear in detail, but the long
list separated by commas also creates an impression of the
bear as being big and scary.
• Semi-colons are used to separate two clauses that are linked
in terms of the ideas they express, for example, ‘The bear
lashed out; its sharp claws caught my arm.’ Semi-colons are
often used in more formal writing.
• Dashes can be used to add extra detail to a sentence.
If they are used in the middle of a sentence, the parts
on either side of the dashes should still make sense as a
sentence if the bit in between the dashes is taken away,
for example, ‘The bear – which was huge and wild-eyed –
began lumbering towards me.’ A single dash can also be
used to separate information for effect, for example, ‘I had
just one instinct – run!’
2 Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities has the famous

opening lines:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Discuss with a partner what different effects might be created by
replacing the comma with a dash or semi-colon.
3 Write an explanation of the way the following sentences are
Key words
structured and what effect this has on the reader. Comment on
how punctuation is used. The first sentence is a minor sentence. minor sentence:
a sentence that
Rush hour in Delhi. Cars, scooters, motorbikes, autorickshaws,
does not contain
black taxis, jostling for space on the road. a main verb
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8 In the city
Now read the next part of the story. The passenger in the car,
Mr Ashok, is the narrator’s employer.
72 Extract 2
There was a fierce jam on the road to Gurgaon. Every five
minutes the traffic would tremble – we’d move a foot – hope
would rise – then the red lights would flash on the cars ahead of
me, and we’d be stuck again. Everyone honked. Every now and honked: used the
then, the various horns blended into one continuous wail that car horn
sounded like a calf taken from its mother. Fumes filled the air Honda City: a
making a kind of fog around us. make of car
The autorickshaw driver next to me began to cough violently – glared: looked
he turned to the side and spat, three times in a row. Some of the angrily
spit flecked the side of the Honda City. I glared – I raised my fist.
‘It’s like we’re in a concert of spitting!’ Mr Ashok said, looking at
the autorickshaw driver.
Well, if you were out there breathing that acid air, you’d be
spitting like him too, I thought.
The cars moved again – we gained three feet – then the red
lights flashed and everything stopped again.
4 The writer uses figurative language to bring the city to life.

For example, in Extract 1, he compares cars to ‘dark eggs’.
He then develops the metaphor:
Every now and then an egg will crack
open – a woman’s hand dazzling with
gold bangles, stretches out of an open
window, flings an empty mineral water
bottle onto the road – and then the
window goes up, and the egg is resealed.
This comparison suggests that the cars,
like eggs, have a shell: the passengers
are protected from the outside.
The metaphor helps the reader to
understand how the rich people inside
the cars are separate from the less
fortunate people in the outside air.
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Write a brief explanation of how a, b and c use figurative language

in Extract 2. What techniques are being used? What is the effect
on the reader?
a a fierce jam on the road to Gurgaon
b hope would rise
c one continuous wail that sounded like a calf taken from
its mother
Key words
5 Different types of images are used to bring the city of Delhi to
life. The writer uses visual, aural and olfactory images to help the aural image: an
reader imagine the city. Copy and complete the table to record the image which
different types of images in the first paragraph. appeals to the
sense of hearing
Visual Aural Olfactory olfactory image:
an image which
appeals to the
sense of smell
6 Write a paragraph explaining how the writer uses different types
of image to describe the city. Explain the overall effect of these
images – what impression of Delhi do they create?
• How confident are you at describing effect?

• Could you accurately describe to a partner what ‘writing
about effect’ means?
Writing tip
When writing an essay containing a range of examples,
remember to summarise your points – give an overview of
what the examples show when taken all together.
Summary checklist
I can understand how punctuation can be used for effect.
I can analyse the effects created by imagery and figurative
language.
I can explain how writers use language that appeals to
the senses.
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8 In the city
8.2 The delights of Doha

• look at how informative articles can be structured
• write an informative article for a specific audience
• adapt speech for a specific purpose.
Getting started
In groups, discuss the positive aspects of the town or city where

you live. If you wanted to persuade somebody to visit, what
would you tell them?
Things to do in Doha
Read this extract, which is an informative article from a travel website.
It is about Doha, the capital city of Qatar.
73 Extract 1
Things To Do In Doha: Best Time To Visit Doha

Complete Travel Guide
Summers are very hot so it is better
Doha is a charming city that combines to visit Doha in winters, which fall in
skylines with desert landscapes. the months of November to March.
Tourists have an amazing time The average temperature during
shopping and admiring its glittering winter in the mornings and evenings is
architecture. With the ever growing 12 degrees Celsius and in the afternoon
cityscape, Doha is certainly going to the temperature reaches about 25
give tough competition to Dubai in degree Celsius. I was there in February
the near future. and the weather was perfect!
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a List the things that make Doha seem interesting for visitors
according to the first paragraph.
b What does Doha is certainly going to give tough competition
to Dubai in the near future mean?
2 Travel guides are written to inform, but they often present places in
a positive way, in order to persuade people to visit. Look again at
the extract and note down words and phrases that are:
• informative or factual
• positive or persuasive.
3 Write a paragraph commenting on the voice used in the Extract 1.
Start by considering how formal or informal the piece sounds.
Look at the way the reader is spoken to and think what image of
himself the writer presents. Use some examples from the extract to
support your points.
Now read the next part of the web article.
opt for: choose
74 Extract 2
What To Do In Doha
Museum Of Islamic Art: One of the best things to do in Doha is to visit the Museum
of Islamic Art. Even if you do not enjoy visiting museums this one should not be
missed at all!
Entrance to the museum is free of cost and the timings are 9am to 7pm every day
except Fridays. On Fridays, the timings are 1:30pm to 7pm. You may opt for free
guided tours that are available every Thursday and Saturday at 2pm in English and
Arabic, depending on your choice. The entire tour lasts for about 40 minutes.
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8 In the city
Katara Cultural Village: If you want to learn about the culture of Doha, then
the best place to visit is the Katara Cultural Village. It is one of the top tourist
destinations in Qatar and holds several events and festivals throughout the year. The
village is open 24/7, so you can visit Katara at any time of the day.
For many, Doha has always been associated with oil and gas industries, but once you
reach here, you will realize that there is much more! The friendly and helpful locals,
scenic views, and beautiful skylines attract innumerable tourists each year. Despite
being one of the hottest regions in the world, tourists visit Doha for its culture,
beauty, and grandeur. So, pack your bags and visit Doha to discover its soul!
4 Read the whole article again and make notes on:

grandeur:
a the content of the heading and subheadings importance and
status
b the overall structure of the article: the number of sections and
paragraphs per section
c the purpose of the final paragraph.
5 In pairs, discuss the structure of the article. Why do you think the writer Writing tip
has chosen this structure? Consider who might read the article, when
When producing
they might read it and why. Start by identifying the article’s purpose.
an article, start
6 Research a city in a different country. Find out about its positive by planning the
aspects and attractions. Write an article about the city in which you overall structure
inform readers about the city and persuade them of its beauty and of your work. Use
planning methods
interest. Your audience is adult travellers, so try to use a similar
such as spider
voice to the Doha article. Make sure you: diagrams or
• shape the overall structure and sequence of the article, using tables to decide
organisational features such as headings, subheadings and on the sections of
the article, then
paragraphs
choose the order
• use language precisely to inform and persuade the reader in which you
will present the
• choose the right level of formality
information.
• write at least 200 words in standard English.
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Peer assessment
In pairs, swap articles. How effective is your partner’s article?
Consider:
• whether it contains plenty of information
• whether they make the city seem appealing Speaking tip
• what advice you could give to improve the article. Listeners react
well to confident
7 Your article has been well received. You have been invited to give speakers and
a talk about the city at a travel show. Use details from your article the good news
is that everyone
as a starting point for planning your speech. Assume that your
can learn to
audience is adult travellers and that you will speak for two minutes. be a confident
The purpose of your speech is to inform but also to persuade the speaker. Speak
audience of the value of visiting the city. Start by identifying which slowly enough
parts of your article you could adapt. for your listeners
to hear every
8 Practise your speech, making sure that you consider: word. Do not
• the length, pace and tone of your speech move around too
much and smile
• how you will engage your listeners naturally at times
• how gestures and media (such as pictures) might help. to show that you
are relaxed.
When you are confident with your speech, deliver it to the class.
• How easy did you find it to convert your article into a speech?
• What did you find the most difficult?
Summary checklist
I can comment on the structure of an informative article.
I can write an informative article for a specific audience.
I can adapt speech for a specific purpose.
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8 In the city
8.3 Mysterious London

• consider setting as a structural feature
• explore how a writer creates atmosphere through setting
• consider how to use language precisely to create an effect.
Getting started
The genre of fantasy writing often combines ideas from the real
world with characters, events and settings that seem strange or
different to normal life.
In pairs, make a list of fantasy novels and films you have heard of.
What characters, events and settings do they include?
Neverwhere
Read the extract from the novel Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, set
in London. The main character, Richard, has found himself in a
mysterious situation. He is below the streets of London with three
strange companions: Hunter, Door and the Marquis.
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8.3 Mysterious London
75 Hunter pulled up the sewer cover, looked into it, warily, climbed down, then ushered Door into
the sewer. Door did not look at Richard as she went down. The Marquis scratched the side of
his nose. ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘understand this: there are two Londons. There’s London
Above – that’s where you lived – and then there’s London Below – the Underside – inhabited
by the people who fell through the cracks in the world. Now you’re one of them. Good night.’
He began to climb down the sewer ladder. Richard said, ‘Hang on,’ and caught the sewer cover
before it could close. He followed the Marquis down. It smelled like drains at the top of the
sewer – a dead, soapy, cabbagey smell. Grey water ran shallow but fast, along the bottom of the
brick tunnel. Richard stepped into it. He could see the lights of the others up ahead, and he ran
and splashed down the tunnel until he caught up with them.
‘Go away,’ said the Marquis.
‘No,’ he said.
Door glanced up at him. ‘I am really sorry, Richard,’ she said.
The Marquis stepped between Richard and Door. ‘You can’t go back to your old home or your
old job or your old life,’ he said to Richard, almost gently. ‘None of those things exist. Up there,
you don’t exist.’ They had reached a junction: a place where three tunnels came together. Door
and Hunter set off along one of them, the one that no water was coming down, and they did not
look back. The Marquis lingered.
‘You’ll just have to make the best of it down here,’ he said to Richard, ‘in the sewers and the magic
and the dark.’ And then he smiled, hugely, whitely. ‘Well – delightful to see you again. Best of
luck. If you can survive for the next day or two,’ he confided, ‘you might even make it through a
whole month.’ And with that he turned and strode off through the sewers, after Door and Hunter.
Richard leaned against a wall, and listened to their footsteps, echoing away, and to the rush of
the water running past . . .
lingered: waited around
1 Make notes on:

• what London Above and London Below are
• the Marquis’s advice to Richard.
2 In Neverwhere, the sewers are a place of mystery and
potential danger for Richard. Make a list of words and
phrases from the extract that describe the sights, sounds
and smells of the sewers.
3 In pairs, discuss what you think the following description of
the sewer might suggest about Richard’s situation: They had
reached a junction: a place where three tunnels came together.
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8 In the city
4 Some fiction invites the reader to choose what happens next.

There may be lots of ‘pathways’ through the book, leading to
different endings. Read the choices for what might happen next in
Neverwhere. In pairs, discuss which option you would choose.
Richard decides that he Richard knows that he
needs to make friends cannot go home yet and
with the others if he is that the Marquis wants
to survive. He comes to nothing to do with him. He
the junction and hurries comes to the junction and
along the tunnel after decides to take a different
Hunter, Door and the tunnel in spite of the water.
Marquis.
Richard stands still for a while as the others go further along

the tunnel. He wants to go back home. He walks back along the
sewer, climbs back up the ladder and out of the sewer.
5 Write the next part of the story. Choose one of the three options
and develop it. Use language precisely to create atmosphere and
effect. Start by thinking about the sights, smells and sounds of the
setting. Look back at how the writer has used words and phrases to
describe the setting. Write about 200 words.
Peer assessment
Swap notebooks with a partner and read their work aloud to the
class. Listen carefully to each other’s writing.
• Which words and phrases are most effective in describing
the setting?
• How well has the setting created atmosphere?
Summary checklist
I can understand the ways setting is used.
I can explain how a writer creates atmosphere.
I can use language precisely to create an effect.
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8.4 Bringing the city to life

• find out the meanings of unfamiliar words
• consider how writers use figurative language to describe
settings
• investigate how figurative language is used for effect
in poetry.
Getting started
In pairs, make a list of the differences between prose and poetry.

Think about language, layout and topics. Which type of writing
do you prefer? Why?
A Christmas Carol
76 1 One of the most famous fictional characters is Ebenezer Scrooge. Key word
He appears in A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens. podcast: a spoken
The novel tells the story of how the mean-spirited Scrooge learns recording made
to be a better person. Listen to the podcast about Dickens’s life and available to
answer these questions in your notebook. download from
the internet, often
a Describe Dickens’s childhood.
part of a series
b What did Dickens discover about
the experiences of children in
England?
c Name five countries Dickens visited.
d How did Dickens think people could
help the poor?
Listening tip
When hearing spoken information, listen
out for key nouns, dates and any repeated
words. Focus on grasping the key points of
what you hear. Don’t worry if you don’t
understand every word you hear.
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8 In the city
2 Now read an extract from A Christmas Carol. Make notes on the

counting-house:
weather conditions and the actions of the people. a place where
accountants and
77 Old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house. It was cold, bleak, money lenders
biting weather: foggy withal and he could hear the people in work
the court outside go wheezing up and down, beating their withal: in addition
hands upon their breasts, and stamping their feet upon the wheezing:
pavement stones to warm them. The city clocks had only just breathing with a
gone three, but it was quite dark already – it had not been whistling sound
light all day and candles were flaring in the windows of the flaring: burning
neighbouring offices. The fog came pouring in at every chink intensely
and keyhole.
chink: a tiny
opening
Reading tip
Texts written a long time ago sometimes use unfamiliar words. Key word
Try to see these words as a positive challenge. Use glossaries, glossary: an
dictionaries and online searches to find out the meaning of alphabetical list of
challenging words. words or phrases
from a text, with
their meanings
Language focus
Writers often describe settings in a way that makes them come Reading tip
to life. For example, they use figurative language such as
personification. Personification means giving human qualities Settings are
to non-human objects. For example: an important
structural feature
• The city belched out poisonous smoke. of a story.
• The road slithered through the city. When reading,
think how settings
One of the main effects of personification is to create a sense
create feelings of
of excitement or threat. For example, writers might personify a
excitement or
large, imposing building as ‘gazing down’ at the narrator.
danger. Think
This might imply that the narrator feels threatened.
how they reflect
values and
3 Dickens uses personification to describe the weather in the city. characters. For
Explain the effect of word choices and use of figurative language example, a story
set on a beautiful
in these examples:
beach might echo
a It was cold, bleak, biting weather the happiness
and freedom felt
b The fog came pouring in by a character.
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The Sign of Four

Another famous character from literature is Sherlock Holmes, a
detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Read the extract from
The Sign of Four.
78 It was a September evening, and not yet seven o’clock, but the
day had been a dreary one, and a dense drizzly fog lay low
upon the great city. Mud-coloured clouds drooped sadly over
the muddy streets. The yellow glare from the shop-windows
streamed out into the steamy air, and threw a murky, shifting
radiance across the crowded thoroughfare.
4 Use a dictionary to find out the meaning of the words in bold.

Write four sentences − each containing one of these words.
5 Write a paragraph about how Conan Doyle uses language to
describe the city. Use examples from the text and comment on the
effect created. Start by considering the overall atmosphere – what
type of place does this city seem?
‘City Jungle’
Read this poem by Pie Corbett.
79 Rain splinters town. A motorbike snarls;

Dustbins flinch.
Lizard cars cruise by;
Their radiators grin. Streetlights bare radiator: a device
Their yellow teeth. used to control
Thin headlights stare – The motorway’s
shop doorways keep the temperature
cat-black tongue of a car engine
their mouths shut. lashes across
the glistening back tarmac: road
At the roadside surface road
Hunched houses cough. of the tarmac night. tarmac:
surface
Newspapers shuffle by,
hands in their pockets.
The gutter gargles.
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8 In the city
6 In pairs:
a discuss what is implied by the title of the poem
b debate whether the city is presented in a negative or positive way
c make a list of all the examples of personification in the poem.
‘Last Night, I Saw the City Breathing’

Now read another poem about a city, by Andrew Fusek Peters.
80 Last night, I saw the City breathing

Great Gusts of people,
Rushing in and
Puffing out
Of Station’s singing mouths.
Last night, I saw the City laughing,
Take-Aways got the giggles,
Cinemas split their sides,
And Living Rooms completely creased themselves!
Last night, I saw the City dancing.
Shadows were cheek to cheek with brick walls,
Trains wiggled their hips all over the place,
And the trees
in the breeze,
Put on a show for an audience of windows!
Last night, I saw the city starving,
Snaking Avenue smacked her lips
And swallowed seven roundabouts!
Fat office blocks got stuffed with light
And gloated over empty parking lots. gloated: looked
smugly
Last night, I saw the City crying.
Cracked windows poured falling stars
And the streets were paved with mirrors.
Last night, I saw the City sleeping
Roads night-dreamed,
Street Lamps quietly boasted,
‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a star!’
And the Wind,
Like a cat, nooks: small
Snoozed in the nooks of roofs. corners
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7 The two poems you have read present the city in different ways.
Make notes on the similarities and differences between these
poems, including:
• what each poem suggests about the city
• the use and effect of figurative language such as
personification.
8 Write your own poem describing a city. Use the sights and sounds
from the earlier prose extracts (A Christmas Carol and The Sign
of Four) and add some of your own. Use techniques such as simile
and personification. You could use the first line of your poem as
the title or choose a title that sums up the setting, like ‘City Jungle’.
Remember to set your writing out in the form of a poem.
Self-assessment
Consider how effective your poem is. Ask yourself:
• Have I set it out like a poem?
• Did I use any language techniques?
• Which lines am I most pleased with? Why?
• Which lines should I redraft? Why?
• Did you find it hard to write poetry? Why or why not?

• What have you learnt about writing a poem?
• How could you improve this aspect of your writing?
Summary checklist
I can find out the meanings of unfamiliar words.
I can analyse how a writer uses figurative language to describe
a city.
I can use figurative language to create an effect in a poem.
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8 In the city
8.5 City problems

• explore the origins and meanings of words
• consider whether an article is biased
• argue a point of view in a debate.
Getting started
Do you live in a city or town, or do you live in the countryside?

What do you think the benefits and drawbacks of living in a city
might be? Where would you like to live when you are older?
Explain your views to the class.
‘Urban Threats’
Read the first part of an online article titled ‘Urban Threats’.
81 Extract 1
The promise of jobs and prosperity, among other factors,
pulls people to cities. Half of the global population already
lives in cities, and by 2050 two-thirds of the world’s people are
expected to live in urban areas. But in cities two of the most
pressing problems facing the world today also come together:
poverty and environmental degradation.
Poor air and water quality and high energy consumption
are exacerbated by the increasing population density and exacerbated:
demands of urban environments. made worse
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8.5 City problems
1 Answer the following questions, based on the first paragraph.

a What ‘pulls people to cities’?
b What are the two biggest problems facing cities?
c What two things makes these problems worse?
Language focus
Words have related forms. For example, the word ‘unique’

(an adjective) also has forms such as ‘uniquely’ (adverb) and Key word
‘uniqueness’ (noun). Being able to identify the root word can
help you work out what is meant when prefixes and suffixes are suffix: letters
added. Understanding the etymology of a word can also help added to the end
you to understand other words. of a word to make
a new word with a
different meaning
2 The word ‘unique’ comes from Latin ‘unus’, meaning ‘one’.
Knowing this helps you work out that ‘unicycle’ means a one-
wheeled form of transport and ‘unify’ means ‘to combine as one’.
Copy and complete the table in your notebook to show the word
class, meaning, root word and related words of the words shown in
bold in the article. Use the context of the article or a dictionary to
help you work out meanings.
Word Word class Meaning Root word Related words

urbanisation noun A shift from urban urbanise
rural to city urbanite
living suburban
prosperity
degradation
consumption
density
3 In pairs, research the etymology of the words ‘promise’, ‘people’,

‘poverty’ and ‘poor’. How many related words can you find?
Now read the next part of the article. In it, the effects of pollution
are described.
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8 In the city
82 Extract 2
GRAND CENTRAL STATION, NYC
New York’s Grand Central Station overflows with a sea of
commuters and travellers at rush hour. Every day, 1.3 million commuters:
commuters travel into Manhattan to work for the day and then people who travel
return to their homes at night. for work
BANGKOK TRAFFIC JAM

A traffic jam clogs the crowded streets of Bangkok, Thailand.
Urban populations around the world have boomed as economies boomed: had
have developed. In 1800, about 3 percent of the world’s sudden great
population lived in cities; in 2000, about 47 percent lived in cities. success
TAXIS IN NEW YORK CITY

Taxis crowd New York City streets. Today there are about 12,000
taxis in New York, many of which drive more than 100,000 miles
(161,000 km) around the city’s five boroughs every year. boroughs: a small
area of a city
LOS ANGELES SMOG
Hazy golden light illuminates the Los Angeles skyline, which
appears to float on a bed of smog. The city is notorious for its notorious: having
air pollution, caused mainly by car exhaust trapped in the San a bad reputation
Fernando Valley.
4 Summarise the effects of pollution on the cities. Start by writing

a list or making a table, then write a paragraph that explains the
overall problems.
5 Discuss with a partner the impact of the following phrases.
What language techniques do they use and what effect do
they have?
a overflows with a sea of commuters
b clogs the crowded streets
c Taxis crowd New York City streets
d appears to float on a bed of smog
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8.5 City problems
6 To what extent is ‘Urban Threats’ a biased article? Read both

extracts and write a paragraph explaining your opinion. Use
examples from the article. You should think about the words
and phrases and also the way the article has been structured.
7 You are now going to work in groups of four to debate an issue
relating to urbanisation. In your groups, select one person to read
the following information aloud. The other group members should Listening tip
take notes on the details of the proposal. Listening carefully
to the arguments
of others is a
Plans have been made to extend the airport in the city where
key skill. When
you live. This will mean more visitors to the city. New jobs debating, focus
will be created for local people. More people will visit the city, on what your
which will boost the economy. At present, the airport is big opponent is
enough for the amount of people who use it. However, some saying. Make
people do not want the airport to be extended. They say that notes on their
it will create more noise and traffic. The airport extension will points and as you
do so, think about
be built on a large area of green space which contain lots of
any weak points
wildlife, trees and places to walk. in their argument
that you could
8 In your groups, debate whether the airport should be extended. then question
Two of the group should argue in favour of the proposal and two them about
against it. Remember to take turns and listen to the views of the in detail.
other side.
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8 In the city
9 As a group, evaluate your arguments. Identify points you disagreed

on and any ones you could agree about.
10 Which aspects of communication were used in your discussion?
For example, did you use gesture, persuasive language or eye
contact? How did the context affect these features? Did the fact
that it was a debate influence how you used these features?
Briefly explain your thoughts in your notebook.
Peer assessment
Consider how effective your debate was.
• Did you take turns effectively?
• Were you polite and respectful?
• Which side had the stronger argument?
• What do think the most important skills of debating are?

• How could you improve these skills?
• When might you use these skills in later life?
Summary checklist
I can understand the origins and meanings of some words.
I can identify whether an article is biased.
I can argue a point of view in a debate.
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8.6 City solutions
8.6 City solutions

• explore the effect of different perspectives
• practise summarising information
• design a poster to convey specific information.
Getting started
What does the picture below suggest about growing up in a city?

How has the ‘story’ of the picture been told? Think about how
the picture has been posed and the angle that the viewer sees
things from. Discuss your ideas with the class.
What would the ultimate child-friendly city

look like?
Read this extract from a newspaper article by Laura Laker about
‘child-friendly’ cities.
83 Extract 1
Imagine you are ten years old. You live in a medium-sized city
and want to visit your best friend, a five-minute walk away, so
you can go to the park, another ten minutes’ walk. The problem
is, there’s a big, dangerous road between you and your friend,
and another between them and the park. You ask your parents
if you can walk, they say no, and they are too busy to take you
there themselves. This is the reality for many kids today – but it
doesn’t have to be this way.
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8 In the city
1 What does the writer suggest are the problems of city life
for children?
Writers choose the ‘angle’ they tell things from. One of the key second person:
decisions is whether to use the first-, second- or third-person written as if
perspective. First-person writing makes it seem as if you are addressing the
seeing things through the narrator’s eyes – as a reader, you reader, using the
get direct access to the narrator’s thoughts and ideas. Second- pronoun ‘you’
person perspective is not often used. This is where the writer (e.g. ‘You leap out
addresses the reader as ‘you’. Third-person perspective is of bed and get
where a narrator describes what is happening to characters. In dressed.’)
this perspective, the reader does not hear things from a single third person:
character. Instead, the narrator can explain the action from a written from an
distance. Most stories are written in the third person, although observer’s point
many are told in the first person. of view, using
pronouns such
as ‘he’, ‘she’
2 What perspective is Extract 1 written from? What is the effect
and ‘they’
of this?
Read the next part of the article. It explains the ways in which three
cities have become more child-friendly.
84 Extract 2
Rotterdam: wild spaces for kids
Some school playgrounds have been turned into community
squares – featuring high-quality playable spaces with anything
from community gardening to sporting facilities, allowing kids
to experience life within the wider community.
A community Droomstraat (dream streets) programme allows
residents to bid for and design street improvements, swapping
traffic and car parking for things such as vegetable patches or
public seating.
Bogotá: mapping danger spots
Work to make the city’s public spaces more equitable started equitable: treating
two decades ago with Peñalosa’s ambitious bus rapid transit everybody fairly
scheme, bike lanes, and the introduction of 1,200 parks and and in the same
play spaces. way
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8.6 City solutions
Street paintings and planters were used to mark a route between

a kindergarten, school and park, to reduce traffic speeds and
create new play space, while buildings were painted in bright
colours.
The company which runs Bogotá’s cable car system is planning
to replicate the ideas in the areas by the 24 columns of its replicate: copy
four-stop mountainside route. Suggested improvements include
play spaces and centres for the elderly.
Vancouver: family-friendly housing
Guidance for housing in the city typically specifies that a quarter specifies: clearly
be designed for families – with communal storage space for states
buggies, play areas and family homes on lower floors, natural communal: shared
light and ‘opportunities for water and sand play‘. Developments buggies:
should also be located within half a mile of schools, day-care children’s
centres and grocery stores, and have safe walking routes. pushchairs
Vancouver is building River District – also known as East Fraser
Lands – on former industrial land. It will have 25 acres of planned
parkland and more than a third of the overall development
is intended for families. It features an elementary school,
a community centre and four childcare centres.
Last summer the popular Creekside Park playground on the
waterfront got a $900 000 overhaul. Now Vancouver’s biggest overhaul: repair
playground, it has musical play instruments, a climbing tower, and rebuilding
a giant tube slide and a zip line – as well as those highly project
regarded sand and water play opportunities.
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8 In the city
3 Copy and complete the table placing a tick in the correct column.
Reading tip
Which city . . . Rotterdam Bogotá Vancouver When locating
has a huge playground information
with a place to climb? across an article,
has brightly painted use different
buildings? coloured pens to
highlight linked
lets local people get
information.
involved in projects?
Colour-coding
topics or themes
4 On a large sheet of paper, list the ways these cities have been made will help you
more child-friendly. Use the headings: to keep track
of pieces of
information
nature and
ansport gardening spread over
traffic and tr a long text.
art and decoration play spaces
development
housing and
5 Use the information you have gathered and present it as a poster.

Writing tip
The purpose of the poster is to clearly show the ways in which some
cities are child-friendly. Think carefully about layout. You could When designing
include pictures or diagrams as well as words. Start by planning the media documents
such as posters,
structure of your poster and then write a draft of the text before
leaflets and
you produce your final piece. Remember to use standard English. adverts, it is
6 In groups, agree on and write down a list of features that make important to be
posters useful to their audience. very clear. Use
simple, direct
language rather
Peer assessment
than complex
How effective is your partner’s poster? Use the list you devised words. Being
in the previous activity to help you decide. brief and using
structural features
such as bullet
Summary checklist points and
subheadings will
I can explain the effect of different perspectives. help your reader
I can summarise information. understand your
I can produce a poster to convey specific information. messages.
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Check your progress
Check
1 Explainyour progress
what visual, aural and olfactory images are.
Answer
2 thesome
Give following questions
tips for to an
delivering check what speech.
effective you have learned in this unit.
1
3 What
Explainarehow featurescan
keysettings of adventure stories? feelings and situation.
reflect a character’s
4 Give an example of personification.
5 What does
Are they ‘etymology’
ordinary mean?
people or do they have special skills? What happens to them?
6
3 Explain (with
Name three examples)
ways you canwhat
keepfirst, second and
an audience third person
interested mean. an anecdote.
when relating
4 Project
Using examples, explain what alliteration and sibilance are.
Cities develop over many years. The needs of the 21st century are not
6 always
Explain
metwhat you know
by modern about
cities. writing
If you accounts
could designofanadventures.
entire city that was fit for
theHow
21sthas
century, what would
your writing you include?
improved?
In groups, you will design a new city. Assume that the new city is in the country
where you live. You have unlimited money to make the best city you can.
Your city must be a place where all humans feel
happy and safe. You must think carefully about:
• transport
• housing
• work places, including offices and factories
• shopping areas
• pollution and environmental issues
• child-friendly spaces.
Decide how you will present your ideas before
presenting to the class. You could draw plans,
sketches or IT presentations to convey your
ideas. Be prepared to explain how your city will
solve some of the problems that current cities
experience.
Start by discussing ideas. Make notes, plans and think
creatively. What style of buildings will you have? Will they be futuristic?
How will people move around the city? What will your city be called?
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9 Dangers of the sea
In this unit, you will read about villains and victims from three novels
set at sea, and explore ideas about human fears. You will also study
a classic poem about a dramatic journey in which a sailor makes a
disastrous mistake.
9.1 Jaws
• explore how writers present antagonists
• consider figurative language in a narrative text
• refine your ability to describe characters.
Many stories feature villains. These characters do bad things in antagonist: a

stories and create problems for other characters. In literature, character who
villains are often referred to as antagonists. creates problems
in a story; a ‘bad’
With a partner, make of a list of antagonists in books and films character who
you know. What qualities and characteristics do antagonists stands in the way
have? Are they always human characters? of the hero
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9.1 Jaws
Jaws
Read this extract from the novel Jaws by Peter Benchley. In the story,
the antagonist is a shark that brings terror to a seaside town. Here, the
writer describes the shark as it swims around a boat.
85 Extract 1
It stuck out of the water perhaps two feet. The top of the head
was a sooty grey, pocked with two black eyes. At each side of
the end of the snout, where the grey turned to cream white, pocked: marked
were the nostrils – deep slashes in the armoured hide. The armoured:
mouth was open not quite half-way, a dim, dark cavern guarded covered in tough
by huge, triangular teeth. skin, like armour
1 In pairs, identify the words and phrases in the extract that make
the shark seem frightening. Discuss what makes these words and
phrases effective.
Language focus
Writers choose words and phrases to portray the appearance

and manner of their characters. By using language carefully to
suggest small details such as colours, sounds and movement,
writers can imply things about their characters’ personality and
attitudes. For example, the following description of a wolf uses
words and phrases to suggest certain qualities about the animal:
As it came around the corner, the deep black eyes of the
animal seemed to get darker. The wolf stopped and stood
completely still. Now and again, its nose twitched. It stared.
Slowly, it crouched, waiting to pounce. Its jaw opened slightly
and as it leapt, it let out a fierce growl from its black throat.
The use of dark colours suggests something dangerous about
the wolf. The words used to describe movement are contrasting:
they focus on the stillness of the animal, which seems
threatening, and then the verb ‘leapt’ suggests the wolf’s power.
Its growl is described as ‘fierce’, which also suggests dangerous
power. Together, these words present an animal that appears
threatening and fearsome.
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In the following extract from Jaws, Hooper (one of the main characters
in the novel) has been lowered into the water in a metal cage. He tries to
take some pictures of the shark. It rises towards him.
86 Extract 2
It rose with no apparent effort, an angel of death gliding
towards an appointment.
The fish came closer, silent as a shadow, and Hooper drew back.
The head was only a few feet from the cage when the fish turned
and began to pass before Hooper’s eyes – casually, as if in proud
display of its mass and power. The snout passed first, then the slack: loose
jaw, slack and smiling, armed with row upon row of serrated serrated: having
triangles. And then the black eye, seemingly riveted upon him. a jagged edge
The gills rippled – bloodless wounds in the steely skin. riveted: fixed
The fish continued to move away from the cage. Hooper heard gills: the part of a
faint popping noises, and he saw three straight spirals of angry fish that allows it
bubbles speed from the surface, then slow and stop, well above to breathe
the fish. Bullets. Not yet, he told himself. One more pass for rammed: pushed
pictures. The fish began to turn. through with
The fish rammed through the space between the bars. great force
2 List the words and phrases that suggest the

power and danger of the shark. Use the following
headings for your lists:
• words/phrases to describe movement
• words/phrases to suggest power
• words/phrases about the features of the
shark’s face.
3 Read Extract 2 again. Notice how the writer uses
language techniques to describe the shark. What
effect do these language choices have? Copy and
complete the following table into your notebook to
explain the effect of these language choices. Think about simile,
sibilance and any other language techniques you know.
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9.1 Jaws
Figurative language Comment

an angel of death gliding
The fish came closer, silent as a

shadow
4 In pairs, write a sentence that uses figurative language to describe

each of the following events:
a the shark moving quickly through the water
b the shark colliding with the boat
c the shark slowly swimming under the boat.
Peer assessment
Share your sentences with another pair.
• What types of figurative language have other learners used?
• Which sentences are the most effective? Why?
5 Using the picture below as a starting point, write a description of

a sea snake. Many sea snakes are poisonous and move in a jerky or
unpredictable way. Remember to use language carefully to create
character. You should try to include references to colours and
sounds. Try to make the sea snake seem threatening.
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• How effective is your description?

• How well have you created a sense of threat?
• Which sentences are you most satisfied with?
• Do any parts of your writing need redrafting?
Summary checklist
I can analyse how writers present antagonists.
I can comment on the effect of figurative language.
I can write effective descriptions of powerful characters.
9.2 Victims and villains

• learn how writers create victim figures
• explore how writers control information in a story
• analyse and interpret victim and villain figures.
Getting started
In Unit 1, you explored ways to create tension and suspense

in a story. In pairs, write down what you can remember about
how writers create suspense. Think about what you learnt about
characters, situations, verb choices and sentence varieties.
In Session 9.1, you looked at how authors present villains in stories.

You are now going to think about how victim figures are described –
characters that something bad happens to. In pairs, read the following
extract from Jaws, in which a female victim is introduced. One of you
should slowly read the text aloud. The other should listen out for words
and phrases that make the woman seem like a victim.
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87 Extract 3
The woman rose and walked to where the gentle surf washed
over her ankles. The water was colder than the night air, for it
was only mid-June . . .
She backed up a few steps, then ran at the water. At first her
strides were long and graceful, but then a small wave crashed
into her knees. She faltered, regained her footing, and flung faltered: hesitated
herself over the next waist-high wave. The water was only up untutored:
to her hips, so she stood, pushed the hair out of her eyes, and someone who
continued walking until the water covered her shoulders. There has not been
she began to swim – with the jerky, head-above-water stroke of taught something
the untutored. properly
1 In groups, discuss how the writer has made the woman seem
vulnerable and easy to attack. Consider:
• the time setting
• the effect of the waves on her
• her swimming ability.
One of the structural decisions a writer has to make is which of the
characters has more information or knowledge than other characters.
In most stories, victims are often unaware they are in danger. The writer
also has to decide how much information to give the reader. If a writer
lets the reader know that a character is in danger, it creates tension –
especially if the character is unaware of it. In this next extract from
Jaws, the writer brings the victim and villain together.
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88 Extract 4
The fish sensed a change in the sea’s rhythm. It did not see the
woman, nor yet did it smell her. Running within the length of its
body were a series of thin canals, dotted with nerve endings,
and these nerves detected vibrations and signalled the brain. vibrations: shaking
The fish turned towards shore. movements
The woman continued to swim away from the beach, stopping signalled: sent
now and then to check her position by the lights shining from messages to
the house. The tide was slack, so she had not moved up or
down the beach. But she was tiring, so she rested for a moment,
treading water, then started for shore.
The fish closed on the woman and hurtled past, a dozen feet hurtled: moved at
to the side and six feet below the surface. The woman felt high speed
only a wave of pressure that seemed to lift her up in the water
and ease her down again. She stopped swimming and held
her breath.
The fish smelled her now, and the vibrations signalled distress.
The fish began to circle close to the surface. Its dorsal fin broke
water, and its tail, thrashing back and forth, cut the glassy
surface with a hiss. A series of tremors shook its body.
For the first time, the woman felt fear, though she did not know
why. Adrenalin shot through her, urging her to swim faster. She adrenalin: a
guessed that she was fifty yards from shore. She saw the lights chemical released
in the house, and for a comforting moment she thought she saw by the body
someone pass by one of the windows. when someone
The fish was about forty feet away from the woman, off to the is frightened or
side, when it turned suddenly to the left, dropped entirely below excited
the surface, and with two quick thrusts of its tail, was upon her.
2 Read the extract and decide what the woman, the fish and the
reader know and do not know in each paragraph. Copy and
complete a table into your notebook for all six paragraphs.
The first one has been done for you.
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Paragraph Woman’s knowledge Fish’s knowledge Reader’s knowledge

1 Completely unaware of Has become aware that Becomes aware that
any danger something in the sea the fish may be a
has changed. Is unaware threat to the woman
of there being a human
present
2
3 Look again at the extract and the information you collected in the
table. In pairs, discuss:
a the point at which point the woman realises she is
in danger
b the point at which point you think the fish
‘decides’ to attack
c why the writer lets the woman feel some
comfort in the fifth paragraph
d how the writer suggests what the final attack
will be like.
4 Write a two-paragraph analysis of how the writer
presents the victim and the villain in the extract.
You should write about:
• words and phrases that make the woman seem
vulnerable and in danger
• words and phrases that make the shark seem threatening
• how the writer controls the knowledge of both characters.
Writing tip
When writing a response, it is important to focus clearly on
the question. Bullet points are there to remind you of the
key areas to cover, so make sure you respond to them as you
plan and write your answer. When you have finished writing,
look back at the question and make sure you have tackled all
the points.
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Self-assessment
Using different coloured highlighter pens, identify which parts
of your response to Activity 4 address which bullet points.
• Is there an equal balance?
• Are there any bullet points that have not been fully covered?
• If some bullet points haven’t been covered, what could you
add to your answer?
Summary checklist
I can analyse how writers present victim figures.
I can identify how writers control the flow of information
in stories.
I can write an analysis of how victim and villain figures are
described.
9.3 Fear!
• analyse the structure of an informative article
• read and interpret the content of an article
• research and deliver a presentation.
Getting started
The special name for fear of sharks is galeophobia. In pairs:

• find out where the word ‘phobia’ comes from
• make a list of common human fears – do they have
special names? For example, a fear of spiders is known
as arachnophobia
• discuss whether these fears are rational or irrational –
look up the meanings of these words if you need to.
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9.3 Fear!
1 Read the following heading from an article about people’s

fear of sharks.
Why are we afraid of sharks? There’s a scientific explanation.
Sharks aren’t the mindless killers that we’ve made them out made them out
to be. to be: a phrase
that means ‘made
Discuss: them seem like’
• the effect of using a question and answer structure in the
heading of the article
• how the heading prepares you for the rest of the article –
what does it make you think the article will be about?
Why are we afraid of sharks?

Now read this first part of this article by Elaina Zachos.
89 Extract 1
Why are we afraid of sharks? There’s a scientific explanation.
Sharks aren’t the mindless killers that we’ve made them out
to be.
Sharks, specifically great whites, were catapulted into the public catapulted: sent
eye with the release of the film Jaws in the summer of 1975. The flying
film is the story of a massive great white [shark] that terrorizes murky: dark
a seaside community, and the image of the cover and hard to see
alone − the exposed jaws of a massive shark rising through
upward in murky water − is enough to inject fear
into the hearts of would-be swimmers.
But where did our fear of sharks come from, and
how far back does it go?
2 In groups, discuss and make notes on how sharks

are described in this extract.
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3 The purpose and audience of a text determines the way it is

Reading tip
structured. A writer has to decide what purpose each paragraph
serves. Make notes on: Look carefully at
how an article has
a the purpose and voice of the first paragraph: what ‘job’ been structured.
does this paragraph do? How are ideas developed in this Consider how
paragraph? each paragraph
develops an
b the purpose and voice of the final line: what is the effect of argument. For
the connective ‘But’? instance,
Comments from experts are also used to structure texts like this. the first
They make an article seem more convincing and detailed. paragraph
might present
Read this second part of the article.
a particular
viewpoint,
90 Extract 2 which is analysed
in the rest of the
Why are people afraid of sharks? article.
A fear of sharks, or galeophobia, is not irrational, says marine
biologist Blake Chapman, a shark expert. Simply put, the
predatory fish are scary. Great whites, for example – the species predatory:
Hollywood immortalised as mindless killers – have mouths lined describing
with several rows of up to 300 dagger-like teeth that can easily something that
shred through prey. hunts other
animals for food
David Ropeik, a consultant on risk perception, says we’re
terrified of how sharks could kill us. Being eaten alive by a immortalised:
15-foot-long tiger shark seems like a painful way to suffer made famous
through death, and we dread the possibility that a shark attack forever
could be the thing that kills us. vending machine:
a machine that
You’re more likely to be crushed to death under a falling
dispenses snacks
vending machine in your office, or a cow that collapses on you
when you put
in a field than you are to die in the jaws of a shark. But fears
money in it
don’t necessarily match facts, and the fear of being attacked by
a shark is more about our emotional response than the reality.
Most of all, we’re afraid of losing control. If you’re swimming in
shark-inhabited water, you don’t want the jaws of a mysterious
predator to clamp down on you.
4 In pairs, discuss and make notes on:

a why Blake Chapman says it is rational to be afraid of sharks
b what David Ropeik means by ‘fears don’t necessarily match facts’.
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9.3 Fear!
5 Now read the final part of the article. Using your own words,
summarise where human fears come from.
91 Extract 3
Where did this fear come from?
Fear is not necessarily something we’re born with, but it’s
something we have developed over time. Infants aren’t afraid
of snakes and heights, but as adults, our brains become more
sensitive to fearful stimuli. stimuli: things
Think back to how ancient people would have survived in their that trigger a
primitive habitats. They would have avoided tall cliffs and wild specific response
animals because they knew those threats could potentially kill in the body
them, and that’s what kept them alive. They learnt fear as an primitive: basic,
adaptation to protect themselves. rough
‘Fear is something that we’ve inherited from our early ancestors,‘ prone: likely to
Chapman says. ‘[Sharks] are an animal. Biological things like suffer from
animals are something that we’re very prone to fear.‘
6 In groups, prepare and deliver a presentation about different

examples of human fears. Start by thinking of things that you
are scared of. Your presentation should:
• give a summary of different human fears, using any
special terms where needed
• include personal accounts and anecdotes about
fears
• consider where these fears might come from – if they
seem rational or irrational.
Speaking tip
Consider using a range of media when creating a presentation.
You could use pictures or film clips to help your audience
understand the things you are describing, especially if you are
exploring abstract topics such as ideas, feelings and concepts.
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Self-assessment
Think about the effectiveness of your presentation. Consider:
• How well did you use language to explain ideas?
• How effective was the media used?
• What kind of impact did your presentation have on the
audience?
Summary checklist
I can analyse how writers structure informative articles.
I can understand the main points of an article.
I can research and deliver a presentation effectively.
9.4 A tale of a whale

• create a picture based on a classic text
• read and interpret a modern retelling of a classic text
• use dialogue in creative writing.
Getting started
Stories usually focus on a hero figure, but thinking

about a story from the villain’s point of view can
create a very different effect and may help
you understand that character’s motivation.
In groups, choose some stories and films you
know well.
Discuss how you could tell the same story from
the point of view of an antagonist figure. What
effects are created?
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Moby-Dick Key word

Moby-Dick is a novel by Herman Melville which tells the story of Captain climax: the
Ahab, who pursues the legendary great whale Moby-Dick in order to kill most exciting or
it. At the climax of the novel, the whale attacks Captain Ahab’s ship. important part of
something
92 From the ship’s bows, nearly all the seamen now hung inactive;
all their enchanted eyes intent upon the whale, which was
bow: the front
from side to side strangely vibrating his head. The solid white
part of a boat
buttress of his forehead smote the ship’s starboard bow, till
men and timbers reeled. buttress: a piece
of stone or brick
that sticks out
1 Draw a picture that captures the event described in this extract. from a building
2 In pairs, make notes in answer to these questions: smote: hit
timbers: pieces of
a What happens to the sailors when the whale attacks? wood
b What does the phrase enchanted eyes suggest about the sailors’
reaction to the whale?
3 In And the Ocean Was Our Sky, Patrick Ness rewrites some of the
events of Moby-Dick from the point of view of a whale. What do
you think the title of this story might mean?
And the Ocean Was Our Sky

Read this extract by Patrick Ness. The whale (called Bathsheba) has
caught a human who has a mysterious disc in his hand. The whales
travel together and have a captain called Alexandra. The Apprentices
are the most important whales in the pod.
93 The young male struggled his way to a bit of wreckage.

He clung on, gasping at the air, while I breathed directly and
considered the riddle we had discovered. riddle: a word
The ship was still afloat, but there were dead men in the water. puzzle
And here was the young male, hand stuck in the water, with a
message meant for . . . who, exactly? Any hunting pod who
happened by?
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Or one in particular?
Captain Alexandra was known as the hardest-driving, most
risk-taking Captain to sail from our ports. This reputation was
well-earned. She was a veteran of a thousand hunts. Her veteran: someone
Apprentices – the ones who did not die on the Abyss – rose to who has taken
the highest ranks of their own hunting pods. part in a particular
‘Bathsheba!’ the Captain called from what was now below me. experience
‘Has he recovered?’
‘He recovers from his drowning,’ I answered. ‘I don’t know if he
will ever recover from his fright.’
I circled the young male. He still, remarkably, held the disc in
his hand, as if he’d forgotten it in his shock. He watched me, his
eyes wide. I opened my mouth to bring him back –
‘No, please!’ he shouted.
I was so surprised to be addressed directly I paused. Men rarely
bothered to speak to us. They never spoke to Apprentices.
‘You’re going to kill me,’ he gasped.
4 In groups, discuss:
Key words
a how the young male sailor is presented
sympathetic
b how the relationship between Bathsheba and Captain character: a
Alexandra is presented. character that
the reader
5 Usually, stories contain a lot of information about heroic identifies with
characters. This helps the reader understand and relate to the and has a positive
characters’ actions and feelings. As a result, heroic characters response to
are usually sympathetic characters. In choosing to retell a story
from the villain’s point of view, readers are invited to understand
a different point of view. In groups, discuss whether you think
Bathsheba is a sympathetic character. Why or why not?
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6 Make some notes on what you think might happen next in the
story. Remember that:
• Bathsheba is not sure what has happened to the ship
• the sailor is very frightened
• he has a mysterious disc in his hand.
7 Using your notes from Activity 6, write the next part of the story.
Write about 200 and use dialogue. This might be a conversation
between Bathsheba and the Captain, or some words said by the sailor.
Look again at the way Bathsheba speaks before you write your piece to
remind yourself of the rules of setting out direct speech. Look carefully
at where punctuation is placed.
• How has your confidence in using dialogue grown/changed?

• What advice would you give to someone who wants to use
dialogue in a story?
Summary checklist
I can create a picture based on a classic text.
I can interpret a modern version of a classic text.
I can use dialogue effectively in a story.
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9.5 The Rime of the

Ancient Mariner 1
• understand the content of a classic poem
• explore the effect of setting in a classic poem
• produce a soundscape of a classic poem.
Getting started
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a classic poem published

in 1798 by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Rime is an old word for a
poem. All of the extracts here and the audio are taken from
Part I of the original poem. In groups, discuss:
• what the words ancient and mariner mean
• what an albatross is
• what you might expect to happen in a poem where the
main character is a mariner.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

At the start of the poem, the Mariner stops a guest at a wedding. He
tells the guest a story about a strange experience he had at sea. At certain
points, the narrator mentions the wedding. The guest also speaks. Read
the following five stanzas from near the start of the poem (Part I).
94 Extract 1
‘The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill, kirk: church
Below the lighthouse top.
The Sun came up upon the left,

Out of the sea came he!
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9.5 The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1
And he shone bright, and on the right mast: the tall

post that the sail
Went down into the sea. is attached to on
a ship
Higher and higher every day, beat his breast:
Till over the mast at noon—’ expressed his
The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, frustration at
missing the
For he heard the loud bassoon.
wedding
bassoon: a musical
The bride hath paced into the hall,
instrument that
Red as a rose is she; meant the wedding
Nodding their heads before her goes was starting
The merry minstrelsy. hath paced: has
walked up and
The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast, down repeatedly
Yet he cannot choose but hear; minstrelsy: people
singing and playing
And thus spake on that ancient man, music
The bright-eyed Mariner. spake: spoke
1 We never find out the name of the Ancient Mariner, but

he is described in various parts of the poem. Look
at the quotations describing the Mariner. Draw a
picture of him. Is your picture different from
the Mariner in this picture?
• By thy long grey beard and glittering
eye
• He holds him with his skinny hand,
• ‘unhand me, grey-beard loon!’
• He holds him with his glittering eye—
2 In your notebook, answer the following
questions.
a In the first two stanzas, the journey
seems positive.
Which words and phrases show this?
b In the third and fourth stanzas, why does the
wedding guest want the Mariner to stop talking?
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c The wedding guest cannot choose but hear the Mariner’s story.
Speaking tip
What does that mean?
Think carefully how
3 In groups of three, read the first five stanzas aloud. you use the full
Take the following roles: range of your voice
• Person 1 should speak the Mariner’s words (his voice to create different
effects. Changing
is the first in the extract).
the volume and
• Person 2 should read the narrator’s words. tone of your voice
can create mystery,
• Person 3 should perform the wedding guest’s actions.
anger or joy.
Now read on. In the next extract, the Mariner describes sailing into Start by working
a strange setting. Read the poem carefully. out who speaks
at which points,
then perform your
95 Extract 2 reading. As you
And now there came both mist and snow, perform your parts,
use your voice
And it grew wondrous cold:
to create a sense
And ice, mast-high, came floating by, of mystery and
As green as emerald. tension.
The ice was here, the ice was there,

The ice was all around: wondrous:
amazingly
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
emerald: a green
Like noises in a swound!
colour; a precious
green gem
swound: fainting
fit
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4 Make notes on the weather and scenery in this extract. What effect
is created by these descriptions? Describe the techniques the poet
uses, using accurate terminology.
Now read the next part of the poem. A large sea bird called an albatross
comes to the ship. In the last stanza in this extract, the wedding guest
asks the mariner why he looks so fearful.
96 Extract 3 ne’er: never

thunder-fit: a
It ate the food it ne’er had eat, crack making
And round and round it flew. a sound like
thunder
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
helmsman: the
The helmsman steered us through! person steering
the ship
And a good south wind sprung up behind; hollo: greeting
The Albatross did follow, (hello)
fiends: sinister
And every day, for food or play,
characters
Came to the mariner’s hollo! plague thee thus:
affect you in a
‘Save thee, ancient Mariner! bad way
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!— look’st thou so:
look like that
Why look’st thou so?’—With my cross-bow
cross-bow: a
I shot the ALBATROSS. weapon
Classic texts contain difficult words. What strategies could you

use to help you with unfamiliar words?
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5 On your own, write down answers to the following questions.

a Describe the albatross as it is presented in the extract.
b Albatrosses are often thought to bring good luck to sailors.
What evidence is there in the poem that the albatross brings
good luck to the mariners?
c Is there any reason given for the Mariner killing the albatross?
97 6 Listen to the audio recording of Extracts 1–3 of the poem. As a
class, create a soundscape to accompany the recording. Start by
dividing into five groups. Each group is responsible for creating
sound for two stanzas. The whole class should then perform the
last stanza and make it as dramatic as possible. Be as inventive as
you can, using your voices and other sounds. Your job is to bring
the recording to life for your listeners.
Summary checklist
I can understand the content of a classic poem.
I can comment on the effect of setting in a classic poem.
I can produce a soundscape of a classic poem.
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9.6 The Rime of the

Ancient Mariner 2
• interpret and comment on the key events of a poem
• identify and analyse techniques used in poetry
• discuss and evaluate views about a poem.
Getting started
In pairs, discuss what might happen in the next part of the poem.
Remember that the Mariner lives to tell his story despite killing a
bird that brings good luck. Discuss your ideas with another pair.
In the next part of the story, the Mariner suffers because he killed
the albatross.
98 Extract 4
Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
‘Twas sad as sad could be;
‘Twas: it was
And we did speak only to break copper: an
The silence of the sea! orange colour
All in a hot and copper sky,

The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.
Day after day, day after day,

We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
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Water, water, every where,

And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink. nor any: But not
any
The very deep did rot, rot: decay
slimy: sticky,
That ever this should be!
slippery and
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs unpleasant to
Upon the slimy sea. touch
Alone, alone, all, all alone,

Alone on a wide wide sea!
And never a saint took pity on
My soul in agony.

Key words
a Describe what happens to the ship.
eye rhyme: words
b Describe the Mariner’s feelings about nature and his situation
that look as if they
at the end of the extract. should rhyme but
2 Coleridge uses a range of language patterns that make the poem do not (e.g. rough
sound dramatic when it is read aloud. In pairs, identify the and bough)
following techniques: assonance:
repetition of
• alliteration • simile vowel sounds
• eye rhyme • repetition. in the middle of
words
• assonance
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Language focus
Poets often use language techniques such as alliteration, rhyme,

sibilance and assonance to make their poems sound interesting
and memorable when read aloud. These techniques can also be
used to support the meanings of the poem. For example, All in
a hot and copper sky uses assonance. The ‘o’ sounds in ‘hot’ and
‘copper’ seem to emphasise the torture the Mariner is feeling.
The sounds are long – they are drawn out when spoken, just like
the drawn-out nature of the Mariner’s suffering.
3 Write an analysis of the use of language techniques used in the last

stanza of Extract 4. How do they convey the situation?
Now read the final extract from the poem. The other sailors have
blamed the Mariner for bringing bad luck by killing the albatross.
As a punishment, they have hung the dead bird around his
neck. The Mariner cannot pray. He looks out to sea and
notices some water snakes and their colours.
99 Extract 5
Within the shadow of the ship
I watched their rich attire:
Blue, glossy green, and velvet black,
They coiled and swam; and every track
Was a flash of golden fire.
O happy living things! no tongue

Their beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I blessed them unaware:
Sure my kind saint took pity on me, attire: clothing
And I blessed them unaware. when used about
humans – here,
The self-same moment I could pray; the snakes’
appearance
And from my neck so free
took pity on me:
The Albatross fell off, and sank felt sorry for me
Like lead into the sea. and helped out
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a What does the Mariner say about the water snakes?
b What happens to the albatross?
c What connection is there between the Mariner’s reaction to
the water snakes and what happens to the albatross in the final
stanza?
5 Poems can be interpreted in different ways. Over the years, readers
have disagreed about the overall meaning of The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner. In groups, discuss these two views of the poem.
Which one do you agree with the most and why? Support your
opinion by referring to examples from the poem.
A B
The poem shows The poem reminds

how cruel humans can humans that they
be. We are meant to should respect all
dislike the Mariner. living creatures.
Reading tip
When you give a personal opinion on a text, it is important
to refer to specific examples. Selecting a quotation or an event
from the text to prove your point is a key skill in English.
Practise choosing the most useful parts of the text to
demonstrate your point.
Summary checklist
I can understand and comment on the events of a poem.
I can identify and comment on a range of poetic features.
I can evaluate different views of a poem.
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Check your progress
Check
1 your
Give three progress
ways that words are used to describe the shark in Jaws.
Answer
2 the following
Explain questions
how writers to check
can create what
tension byyou have learned
controlling in this unit.
information in their stories.
1
3 What
Explain key features
aredifferent waysof adventure
writers stories? informative articles.
can structure
4 Using an example, explain what a sympathetic character is.
5 Describe the disastrous
Are they ordinary people mistake madehave
or do they by the Ancient
special Mariner.
skills? What happens to them?
6
3 What
Namedo youways
three thinkyou
is the
cancentral
keep anmessage of interested
audience The Rime when
of therelating
Ancientan
Mariner?
anecdote.
Project
Many people are worried by the way the marine world is being affected by the
6 Explain what you know about writing accounts of adventures.
actions of human beings. Issues such as plastic in the oceans, global warming
andHow
the has
wayyour
somewriting
humansimproved?
treat sea creatures are topical issues today.
Research the different concerns people have about the way humans treat
the marine world. Choose one area you feel most strongly about and collect
information such as data, stories and articles about this topic.
Prepare a booklet to inform your class about this topic and advise them how to
change their behaviour to help the environment. Your booklet should be written
and presented in a way that is eye-catching and interesting to read. As well as
providing information, it should persuade readers of the need to change our
attitudes to the natural world.
Your booklet could contain:
• statistics about the marine
environment
• images which show how the
sea has changed over time
• pictures that show the effect
of human behaviour on the
marine world
• key information your readers
need to know.
Remember to structure your text using organisational features to help
your readers. This could be headings, subheadings and bullet points.
When you have finished your booklet, ask your friends to read it.
How informative and effective is it?
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Glossary
alliteration use of the same sound, especially consonants, at the
beginning of several close-together words 21
anecdote a short entertaining story that is usually spoken 16
annotate to add notes to provide extra explanation 61
antagonist a character who creates problems in a story; a ‘bad’
character who stands in the way of the hero 216
assonance repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words 238
aural image an image which appeals to the sense of hearing 193
autobiography a text in which the writer gives an account of their own
life and experiences 16
backstory the fictional history or background created for a character
in a story or film 72
biased prejudiced for or against a particular person, group
or idea 113
clause a group of words that contain a verb 19
climax the most exciting or important part of something 229
closure the sense of a complete ending to a story 185
colloquial language the type of informal language people use in everyday
speech when addressing people they know well 47
complex sentence a sentence with one main clause and one or more
dependent clauses 18
compound sentence a sentence with two main clauses joined by ‘and, ‘but’, ‘or’ 18
compound-complex a sentence containing a compound sentence that also
sentence has one or more subordinate clauses 38
context the situation within which something exists or happens 10
contractions two or three words that are combined to make one shorter
word with letters left out; the missing letters are indicated
by an apostrophe (e.g. wouldn’t, shouldn’t, you’ll) 47
contrast placing two characters or things together in order to
highlight their differences 35
conventions the ‘rules’ of how a story is told or a piece of writing is
set out 134
coordinating joining words such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’ 38
conjunction
deliberate misspelling where a word has been spelt incorrectly for a particular
effect, often to sound like spoken English (e.g. ‘cos’ instead
of ‘because’) 66
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dialogue a conversation between two or more people or characters,
written as direct speech 39
direct address speaking directly to any audience using pronouns such as ‘you’ 160
direct speech the exact words a person says, marked by speech marks 61
ellipsis a set of three dots ( . . . ) used to indicate that words have
been left out 26
embedded clause a clause placed in the middle of a sentence 151
etymology the origins of a word 127
evaluate to assess how good or bad something is and identify how to
improve it 69
exaggeration making something seem worse or better than it really is 66
expanded noun phrase a phrase that adds information and detail to describe a noun 89
expanded verb phrase a phrase that adds information and detail to describe a verb 89
explicit information ideas and details that a writer states directly 11
eye rhyme words that look as if they should rhyme but do not
(e.g. rough and bough) 238
fact something that is known to have happened or exist 72
fantasy imaginative stories, often set in strange places with unusual
characters 163
fiction a story about imaginary characters and events 61
figurative language words and phrases with a more imaginative meaning to create
a special effect, such as simile, metaphor and personification 69
first person written from a single point of view, using pronouns such
as ‘I’ and ‘we’ 88
flash fiction a very short work of fiction, which still offers character and
plot development 83
flashback a part of a story that goes back in time to explain an event 173
focal character the character who the reader understands and empathises
with the most in a story 33
formal language the form of English used in more ‘serious’ texts and situations,
such as news reports or official speeches 47
genre a particular type of text (e.g. adventure, comedy,
crime, science fiction) 9
gesture movements of the hands or arms to add emphasis to bring
a story to life 16
glossary an alphabetical list of words or phrases from a text,
with their meanings 202
haiku a form of poetry originating in Japan 91
humour when things are funny, or things that are funny 26
hyperbole exaggerated statements 114
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implicit information ideas and details that readers have to work out for themselves 18
infer to work something out from evidence in a text, rather than
being told it explicitly 60
informal language a more relaxed form of English, used when speaking or in
more casual written texts, such as emails to friends 47
line of argument a set of sequenced points intended to persuade 159
literal the original meaning of a word, as explained in a dictionary 73
lullaby a soothing song sung to a baby 137
metaphor a type of comparison that describes one thing as if it is
something else 147
minor sentence a sentence that does not contain a main verb 191
monologue a story or speech given by one character 14
mood the feeling created by the words, sounds and images in a poem 22
narrative a series of connected events that are written or spoken 134
narrative structure the order in which a writer sets out the events in a story 11
narrator the person telling the story 18
neutral not biased or not having an opinion one way or another 114
non-fiction writing that is about real events and facts 16
non-standard English words and grammatical patterns that fall outside the
conventional forms of English 42
noun phrase a phrase that contains an adjective and describes the
qualities of an object 176
olfactory image an image which appeals to the sense of smell 193
opinion a personal view or judgement about something,
not necessarily based on fact or knowledge 11
pace the speed at which someone speaks or how quickly events
take place in a story 40
personal pronoun a word used to replace a proper noun, such as ‘he’, ‘she’
and ‘they’ 160
personification a type of figurative language in which an object is described
as if it has human characteristics 154
perspective the ‘angle’ that a story or account is told from − whose
‘eyes’ the reader sees it through 183
plot the main events of a story, film, novel or play in sequence
from beginning to end 72
podcast a spoken recording made available to download from
the internet, often part of a series 201
predict say what you think might happen in the future 11
prefix letters added to the beginning of a word to make a new
word with a different meaning 101
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preposition a word or group of words used before a noun or pronoun to
show place, direction, time (e.g. ‘above’, ‘below’, ‘under’, ‘in’) 151
prepositional phrase a phrase that contains a preposition and describes
the physical location of an object 176
proper noun the name of a specific thing, place or person, marked by
an initial capital letter 59
props articles or objects used on the set of a play or film 133
prose the form of language found in novels and non-fiction texts
such as articles, written in paragraphs rather than verse 130
proverb a short, well-known saying, stating a general truth or piece
of advice 82
register how formal or informal written or spoken English is 121
reporting verb a verb that conveys the action of speaking – used with
both direct and reported speech 98
resolution a feeling that all problems have come to an end 186
rhetorical questions questions designed to make a point rather than expecting
an answer 114
rhyme words where the end part sounds the same (e.g. ‘feet’ rhymes
with ‘meat’) 66
rhythm a regular, repeating pattern of sound or ‘beat’, common
in music and poetry 137
root word the basic form of a word that other words with related
meanings are based on 101
scan to look through a text quickly to find particular details 51
script the words in a play, film, etc. 27
second person written as if addressing the reader, using the pronoun ‘you’
(e.g. ‘You leap out of bed and get dressed.’) 212
secondary character a supporting character in the story; not the main character 179
sequence the order of events in a story 35
setting the location of where a story takes place 9
sibilance use of repeated soft consonant sounds for emphasis 21
simile a type of figurative language in which one thing is compared
to something else, using the words ‘as’ or ‘like’ 173
simple sentence a sentence with one main clause 18
slang informal use of language, usually in speech (e.g. ‘lemme’
instead of ‘let me’) 66
stage directions words in a script that explain what is happening on stage or
tell the actors how to move and speak 133
standard English the most widely accepted form of English that is not specific
to a particular region 42
stanza a group of lines of poetry, sometimes called a verse 21
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stereotype a familiar but simplified character type 42
storyboard a series of drawings or images showing the planned
order of images in frames (in films and television) 25
stress place emphasis on (certain words) 138
structural features the way that a text is ordered and organised 67
subordinate clause in grammar, a clause that cannot form a sentence alone
but adds information to the main clause 19
suffix letters added to the end of a word to make a new word
with a different meaning 207
summarise explain the main points in a few words 35
syllable a word or part of a word that has one vowel sound 90
symbol a literal object that stands for or represents something else 84
sympathetic character a character that the reader identifies with and has a positive
response to 230
synonym a word or phrase with the same or similar meaning to
another word or phrase 101
theme the main subject of a talk, book, film, poem, etc. 51
third person written from an observer’s point of view, using pronouns
such as ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘they’ 212
time connectives words and phrases used to show how events in a story are
sequenced and linked by time 88
tone the way that someone speaks or how a piece of writing
sounds, which helps suggest mood and feelings 14
visual image an image which appeals to the sense of sight 137
voice the way a particular character speaks or thinks in fiction,
or the writer’s tone and point of view in non-fiction 15
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Acknowledgements
The authors and publisher acknowledge the following sources of copyright material and are
grateful for the permissions granted. While every effort has been made, it has not always been
possible to identify the sources of all the material used, or to trace all copyright holders.
If any omissions are brought to our notice, we will be happy to include the appropriate
acknowledgements on reprinting.
Unit 1: Excerpt from Beware Low-Flying Girls by Katherine Rundell. Published by Alma Books,
2017. Copyright © Katherine Rundell. Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers,
Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN; Excerpts from Around India in 80
Trains by Monisha Rajesh, reproduced with the permission of Hodder & Stoughton, Copyright
© Monisha Rajesh; ‘Hard is the Journey’ by Li Po (abridged) translator unknown; Excerpts from
Silverfin by Charlie Higson, reproduced with the permission of Hachette Book Group and Curtis
Brown on behalf of the Ian Fleming Literary Estate; Unit 2: ‘Hey You Down There’ by Harold
Rosleth; Unit 3: Excerpt from ‘Film Boy’ by Alexander McCall Smith from Stories of the World
compiled by Federation of Children’s Book Groups; Article ‘Hrithik Roshan says he practices
every day to overcome stammering’, used with the permission of Hindustan Times; Article ‘Thai
cave rescue boys meet hero Zlatan during Ellen interview’ by Hannah Ellis-Petersen, Copyright
Guardian News & Media Ltd 2019; Unit 4: ‘One in Twenty-Three’ by Helen Rye, used with the
permission of the author; ‘Seaview Haiku’ © John Foster included by permission of the author;
‘Over the Wintry’ by Natsume Soseki; ‘Goldfish’ by Jennifer Wong (Chameleon Press); ‘Under
the evening moon’ from The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson &Issa edited and with
an Introduction by Robert Hass. Introduction and selection copyright © 1994 by Robert Hass
(Bloodaxe Books, 2013). Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers and Reproduced with
permission of Bloodaxe Books. www.bloodaxebooks.com; ‘Marriage’, ‘The Red Wheelbarrow’
and ‘This is just to say’ by William Carlos William, from The Collected Poems: Volume I,
1909-1939, copyright ©1938 by New Directions Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of
New Directions Publishing Corp., and used with the permission of Carcanet Press; Excerpt from
‘The tiny world of Willard Wigan’, used with the permission of Telegraph; Excerpt from
‘Micro-Artist Willard Wigan talk to us’, used with the permission of TI Media; Unit 5: Excerpt(s)
from Wonder by R. J. Palacio, copyright © 2012 by R. J. Palacio. Used by permission of Alfred A.
Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House
LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of R.J. Palacio; Unit 6: John Fuller, ‘Lullaby’
from Collected Poems, published by Chatto & Windus. Used by permission of The Random
House Group Limited; Excerpt from As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee,
by permission of Penguin Random House; Excerpt from Letter to Daniel: Despatches from the
Heart by Fergal Keane, BBC Books 1996 , reproduced by permission of Rogers, Coleridge &
White Ltd.; Excerpt from Mandela, Nelson, speech at the “Make Poverty History” Campaign,
London, 2005, courtesy of the Nelson Mandela Foundation; Unit 7: ‘The Travel Agency’ by
Maria Turtschaninoff, translated by A. A. Prime, abridged, used with kind permission; Unit 8: The
White Tiger by Aravind Adiga Copyright © Aravind Adiga 2008, by Atlantic Books. Reproduced
with permission of Atlantic Books, and reprinted with the permission of The Free Press,
247
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Glossary and Index
a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved; ‘Things to do in Doha’, used with the
permission of AS Traveler https://astraveler.com/; Excerpts from Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman,
used with the permission of Headline Publishing Group and Writers House LLC; ‘City Jungle’
by Pie Corbett; ‘Last Night I saw the City Breathing’ by Andrew Fusek Peters, first published
Mad, Bad & Dangerously Haddock, Lion Publishing, 2006; ‘Urban Threats’, NG Image
Collection; ‘What would the ulitmate child-friendly city look like?’ by Laura Laker, Copyright
Guardian News & Media Ltd 2019; Unit 9: extracts from Jaws by Peter Benchley, Copyright
© 1974, Renewed 2002, Benchely IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced with permission
of the Licensor through PLSclear. ‘Why are we arfaid of sharks?’ Elaina Zachos, NG Image
Collection; Text excerpt from page 44-48 from And The Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
Illustrated By: Rovina Cai. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers and Walker Books
and HarperCollins Publishers.
Thanks to the following for permission to reproduce images
Cover image: paper sculpture created by Justin Rowe; Inside Unit 1: FlamingPumpkin/GI;
Mark Basarab/GI; Clare Jackson/GI; Piskunov/GI; Eye Ubiquitous/GI; James O’Neil/
GI; Piranka/GI; Westend61/GI; Sean Gladwell/GI; Michele D’Amico supersky77/GI ; Eye
Ubiquitous/Universal Images Group via GI; Unit 2: Edmund Lowe/GI; David Leahy/GI;
Unit 3: Pascal Le Segretain/GI; South_agency/GI; Paoloangius/GI; Debajyoti Chakraboty/
NurPhoto via Getty Images; Moviestore Collection/Shutterstock; EVOK/M.Poehlman/
GI; Burke/Triolo Productions/GI; Lillian Suwanrumpha/GI; Johan Nilsson/GI; Unit 4:
David Levenson/Alamy Stock Photo; Philippe Paternolli/GI; Humbak/GI; Sj Thompson/
GI; Scisettialfio/GI; Heritage Images/GI; Love_Life/GI; Moodboard/GI; Steve_Bramall/GI;
William Helsel/GI; Matteo Colombo/GI; Lacaosa/GI; Enrique Díaz/7cero/GI; Carol Yepes/
GI; Eddy Zecchinon/GI; Werner Forman/GI; AlexD75/GI; Dpa/Alamy Stock Photo x2;
Unit 5: Yann Layma/GI; Pollyana Ventura/GI; John Downing/GI; UniversalImagesGroup/
GI; The Asaji Shimbun via Getty Images; SDI Productions/GI; Ben Molyneux/Alamy Stock
Photo; Lifestyle pictures/Alamy Stock Photo; Fstop123/GI; Jun Sato/GI; blue jean images/
GI; Hill Street Studios/GI; Unit 6: 10’000 Hours/GI; Luke Walker-ICC/GI; Westend61/GI;
Karrar Haidri/GI; Tbradford/GI; emmaduckworth/GI; Westend61/GI; DuKai photographer/
GI; Hulton Deutsch/GI; Yuri_Arcurs/GI; Thomas Imo/GI; Ahmed Areef/EyeEm/GI;
Hanna Franzen/GI; Unit 7: Catherine MacBride/GI; Jonne Seijdel/GI; Ngurah Oka/GI;
Sean Gladwell/GI; Aluxum/GI; Maskot/GI; Unit 8: Instants/GI; Danny Lehman/GI; Walter
Bibikow/GI; Siripong Kaewla-iad/GI; Matteo Colombo/GI; Emad Aljumah/GI; Patryk
Suwala/GI; Mark Lovatt/GI; Duncan1890/GI; Kiyoshi Hijiki/GI; Carl Larson/GI; Travelpix
Ltd/GI; Wilfried Krecichwost/GI; Sorin Rechitan/GI; Max Ryazanov/GI; Unit 9: Rodrigo
Friscione/GI; Wildestanimal/GI; Stuart Westmorland/GI; John M Lund/GI; Anna Phillips/
GI; Science Photo Library-Sciepro/GI; Patrick Sheandell O’Carroll/GI; Whitemay/GI;
George Karbus/GI; copyright Jeff Miller/GI; Duncan1890/GI; Steve Allen/GI; Artur Debat/
GI; Suncan1890/GI x2; cookelma/GI; Sarayut Thaneerat/EyeEm/GI
GI= Getty Images.
The author would like to thank the following people for their support: Sarah Elsdon, Florence
Kemsley, Sonya Newland, Rosalyn Scott and Naomi Sklar.
248
www.frenglish.ru

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Cambridge Lower Secondary

Second edition Digital access

Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

NOTICE TO TEACHERS IN THE UK

Graham Elsdon and Esther Menon

Writing Speaking/Listening Language focus 21st century skills

Important words are highlighted inis information

why. Make a note of your opinions. humour: when

learnt in each session in this 1 1 What

the next unit. 4 combinations.

you might all solve a problem • your

1.1 The start of an adventure

Adventure stories are about characters who go on journeys.

1 Adventure stories are a genre. This means that different adventure

‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’

3 When reading a text, it is important to be able to identify and

Explicit information is information that the writer states directly.

You are told Odile The strength of the

Her father’s coat You find out that Odile’s

A quest is a difficult journey in search of an item or person.

B Odile flies into a dizzying snowstorm and doesn’t know

Now read another part of ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’. At this

Without another word, she pulled on her boots and coat

2 In pairs, discuss how the story could develop.

5 Plan a monologue called ‘The Day I Met the Kraiks’.

Peer assessment Speaking tip

1.3 Train trouble

04 Chennai Egmore station could be heard before it was seen.

2 In pairs, discuss the explicit information in the text:

4 Look at this simple sentence followed by a complex sentence from

5 In Activity 1, you told an anecdote about a difficult journey. Now

1.4 A hard journey

Some people and some poems describe life as a journey.

‘Hard is the Journey’

05 Gold vessels, At peace I drop a hook vessels: hollow

Language focus Key words

Poets often use different types of sound effects, such as alliteration:

2 Read the poem again carefully. Identify examples of alliteration

A This is a poem about B

This is a poem about

7 Present your thoughts from Activity 6 to another group and listen

Adventure stories often contain moments of suspense. The main

Language focus Reading tip

1.6 Creating suspense Key word

In this session, you will: script: the words

Remind yourself of the typical events of adventure stories from

1 You are going to plan part of a story that contains suspense.

If you are finding it difficult to start, think about these situations:

Here is a sample answer to this task:

I stood on the cliff face and looked down at the furious,

5 Discuss the sample answer in pairs.

Once you have finished your story, read it back to yourself.

2.1 Calvin and Dora

Many stories feature pairs of contrasting characters who have

‘Hey, You Down There’

Now read the next part of the story.

Writers choose sentence openings carefully to show the reader

3 Look at the sentence openings in Extract 2. What is the function

4 Stories feature problems that characters have to overcome.

2.2 Down the hole

Think back to what you learnt about sentence types in

1 On your own, write down answers to the following questions.

Language focus Key words

Writers use a range of grammatical structures to build compound-