CURRO SCHOOLS
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The following worksheets from 2020 are reproduced with permission from Barbara
Hathorn from English at Once. Please contact her on info@englishatonce.com for
further information on subscribing to her worksheets.
WORKSHEET 1 TEXTS
Text 1 (Source: https://matadornetwork.com/ 8 January 2020):
Over 1 billion animals presumed dead in Australian bushfires
1. IT’S NO SECRET that wildfires are destructive, but the sheer magnitude of their devastation can
sometimes be difficult to comprehend unless thousands of human lives are lost. When it comes to the
Australian bushfires, however, it’s pretty easy to understand just how serious these fires have
become, when you consider that over one billion animal lives have been lost since the fires began.
Eight hundred million are feared dead in New South Wales alone, with millions of others dead in
other regions across the country. Chris Dickman, an ecologist at the University of Sydney, said, “Over
a billion would be a very conservative figure.”
2. Since September, hundreds of fires have destroyed over 9.9 million acres of land across five
Australian states, and killed at least 20 people. Many animals are unable to escape the fires. Koalas,
for example, can’t move fast enough to flee to safety, and livestock have also been severely affected.
3. Tracy Burgess, a volunteer at Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, is worried about
the unusually low number of animal patients coming into the facility for treatment. “We’re not getting
that many animals coming into care,” she said. “So, our concern is that they don’t come into care
because they’re not there anymore, basically.”
4. On Monday, the Australian government announced that $2 billion will be dedicated as a recovery
fund to help rebuild areas damaged by the bushfires, but unfortunately, irreversible damage to the
country’s animal population has already been done.
Text 2 (Source: https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/ 7 January 2020):
How Bear the dog is saving koalas injured in Australia's bushfires
1. When tragedy strikes, communities pull together and this is exactly what has been happening across
Australia due to the devastating bushfires. Among some of the biggest heroes, particularly when it
comes to protecting and rescuing animals, have been some incredible working dogs.
2. Like Bear. The blue-eyed border collie mix works with University of Sunshine Coast (USC) Detection
Dogs for Conservation to sniff out sick, orphaned and injured koalas across New South Wales and
Queensland.
3. While the impact on human life has been overwhelming, for koalas, it’s truly tragic. The bushfires
have now wiped out 80% of their natural habitat, killing over 1,000 of the already vulnerable species.
Bear was trained by USC academics and works in partnership with the International Fund for Animal
Welfare (IFAW).
4. "Bear has helped us locate sick and injured koalas and has recently been called to search for koalas
in habitats ravaged by fires," said Dr Celine Frere, research fellow at USC Detection Dogs for
Conservation.
5. "Because they can smell what we can't see, dogs can be used to track rare animals, detect pest
species and locate threatened native plants, so they have such an important role to play in
conservation."
6. Bear was purchased as a puppy from a pet shop by a family, but he was a handful and became too
much for them when they moved to a smaller home.
7. Now 6 years old, Bear "is high-energy, obsessive, doesn't like to be touched and is completely
uninterested in people, which sadly means he doesn't make the ideal family pet," according to the
IFAW.
8. "But these qualities do make him a perfect candidate for a detection dog which is exactly why he was
chosen. Bear is highly focused and brilliant at focusing on one thing – his reward – which makes him
perfectly suited for the job. He also has zero prey drive which is essential for a wildlife detection dog
as they need to focus purely on the scent and not the animal, ultimately ignoring the animal."
9. There are other rescue dogs trained to sniff koala scat, but Bear is trained to find fresh scat. Because
of this skill, he is able to lead rescuers to save live koalas, even if they're perched high in trees.
Picture: Bear is trained to sniff out live koalas so they can be rescued. (Photo: Meghan Halverson/IFAW)
10. Bear's story has gone viral amid the horrific news coming out of Australia. People want to help and
want to read uplifting news from the area.
11. Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio both praised the four-footed rescuer on social media.
12. In a "Nice Tweets with Tom Hanks" session last autumn, Hanks lauded Bear after reading about him.
13. "This is a Disney movie that must be made – the story of Bear, the koala detection dog," Hanks said.
"That's adorable. I like Bear."
14. Around the same time, DiCaprio posted a World Economic Forum video on Instagram that included
Bear's work.
15. Detection Dogs for Conservation wrote a post on
Facebook, amazed by all the coverage Bear is
receiving.
16. "I am still unsure whether this is due to his awesome
blue eyes, attractive red booties, or his heart-warming
story from abandoned dog to super star - but I do need
to acknowledge there are so many more amazing
people doing so much more for wildlife right now, and
that deserve all the recognition in the world."
Text 3 (Source: https://mymodernmet.com January 15
2020):
Wombats are the heroes of the Australian
fires
1. AMID ALL THE devastation caused by Australia’s
bushfires, an unlikely hero has emerged: the
wombat. Quite generously, wombats have
reportedly been allowing other animals to take
refuge in their homes, as they hide from the
blazes that threaten their own habitats. Complex
underground tunnels, created by wombats, have
served as safehouses for other species like
wallabies and echidnas, allowing them to survive an otherwise fatal situation.
2. Peter Hylands, a documentary filmmaker, visited the burnt landscape of the Cobargo Wildlife
Sanctuary, and said, “You’ve got animals that are completely unscathed and those must be the
animals that have been under the ground, it’s the only explanation when the fire zones are so
extensive.”
3. This sentiment is echoed by Wombat Rescue manager Yolandi Vermaak, who said, “At most sites,
there would be animals fleeing into burrows. I’ve seen echidnas going into burrows, and also lizards,
and skinks, rabbits. I have even seen a small wallaby.”
4. Vermaak also said that she hadn’t seen a single burnt wombat during her rescue missions. Instead,
she had discovered a series of survivors — wombats and several other species — hiding in the
tunnels.
Picture: www.mymodernmet.com pic
Text 4 (Source: https://www.facebook.com/africartoons):
EXPLANATION
Fossil fuel: A hydrocarbon fuel, such
as petroleum, coal, or natural gas,
derived from the accumulated remains
of ancient plants and animals and used
as fuel. Carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases generated by
burning fossil fuels are considered to be
one of the principal causes of global
warming (www.dictionary.com).
Text 5 (Source: https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-14/):
Chart shows how temperatures have soared in Australia over the past century
1. Australia just had its warmest and driest year on record, according to the Bureau of Meteorology,
continuing a long-running trend in the country.
2. A chart produced by the bureau and updated with 2019 figures (shown below) displays a stark
transformation over the past century.
3. The colours range from dark blue (more than 3 degrees Celsius below average), through blues and
greens (below average), yellow and orange (above average), and then brown (more than 3C above
average).
4. "Australia's climate has warmed by more than a degree since 1910, which means very warm years
like 2019 are now more likely to occur," said Karl Braganza, the bureau's head of climate monitoring.
Temperatures across Australia over the past 110 years. Source: BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY
WORKSHEET 1 QUESTIONS
Senior phase WORKSHEET 1 (Suggested level: Grade 9)
In this worksheet, the focus is on reading for comprehension (answering questions; drawing conclusions; inferring
meanings and expressing opinions) and on developing critical language awareness; vocabulary development; parts of
speech; prefixes and suffixes; direct speech; active voice; punctuation; purpose; interpreting cartoons and posters. CAPS
Reading and Viewing; Language Structures – Grade 9: aspects of weeks 1–4, Term 1.
Refer to Text 1:
1. Refer to paragraph 1:
a. Explain why it might be difficult to comprehend the devastation of wildfires “unless thousands
of human lives are lost” (paragraph 1).
(2)
b. What does “very conservative” suggest about the figure of “over a billion” when it comes to
the numbers of animal lives that have been lost?
(1)
2. Suffixes are word endings and prefixes are word beginnings added to root forms of words. Write
down the prefixes, suffixes and parts of speech of these words from Text 1:
(½ X10=5)
Word
unusually
rebuild
treatment
irreversible
Prefix
Suffix
Part of speech
xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Refer to Text 2:
3. Explain why “Like Bear” (paragraph 2) is not a finite sentence (complete sentence).
(1)
4. Why do you think the word “ravaged” (paragraph 3) is used instead of “damaged”?
(2)
5. Explain why it might be important for “pest species” (paragraph 4) to be detected.
(2)
6. Refer to paragraph 6:
a. Rewrite “Bear was purchased as a puppy from a pet shop by a family” in the active voice.
(2)
b. Provide the meaning of the expression “he was a handful”.
(1)
7. Refer to paragraphs 7 and 8:
a. Choose THREE of the qualities that Bear has (referred to in paragraph 7) and explain why
these would make him a “perfect candidate for a detection dog”.
(3)
b. Discuss the meaning of the expression “zero prey drive” in this context.
(2)
8. Refer to paragraphs 12 and 13:
a. Provide a synonym for “lauded”.
(1)
b. Do you think a Disney Movie would trivialise (make light of) the work that dogs like Bear are
doing to protect wildlife? Give reasons for your opinion.
(2)
9. Refer to paragraph 16:
a. Give a possible reason for the red booties that Bear is wearing.
(1)
b. Explain why his story is described as “heart-warming”.
(2)
Refer to Text 3:
10. Give the function of the colon (paragraph 1).
(1)
11. Identify where a comma is used incorrectly. What punctuation mark can be used in its place? (1)
12. Rewrite the first sentence in paragraph 4 in direct speech.
(2)
Refer to Text 4 (and the explanation alongside it):
13. Name the sound device in “Fossil Fuel Folks”.
(1)
14. Explain what point the cartoonist is making about the “Fossil Fuel Folks”.
(2)
15. Describe the earth’s response. Support your answer by referring to the visual details.
(2)
Refer to Text 5:
16. Describe the purpose of the chart created by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
(1)
17. Do you think a chart like this would be effective in achieving this purpose? Explain.
(3)
[40 marks]
WORKSHEET 2 TEXTS
Text 1 (Source: adapted from Sunday Times Lifestyle 02/02/20)
The people shall feast, yea even the fussy eaters
By Ndumiso Ngcobo
1. When I was eight years old, my typical Saturday morning started at
about 6.30am with a bowl of maize meal, Maltabella or Jungle Oats
porridge, followed by two slices of bread with peanut butter and jam, washed down with hot
cocoa. I would then disappear into the neighbourhood adventures involving hunting lizards, birds
and raiding hapless neighbours’ orchards.
2. I would typically return home around noon, in the company of my friends, covered in dust and
ash from head to toe. Our mission? To spend the afternoon in front of the TV watching the latest
instalment of Steve Austin — Die Man van Staal (The Six Million Dollar Man) starring Lee Majors,
dubbed into Afrikaans.
3. After insisting that we rinse ourselves under a cold tap, mom would hand us all spoons and then
dish up maas and phuthu in a 10-litre basin. A mini stampede of metal spoons digging into the
maas would ensue as everyone tried to get as many spoonfuls as possible before it vanished.
The feeding frenzy with maas splattering everywhere, landing on faces, arms, T-shirts and the
corners of mouths, would inevitably put me off the food. Three spoonfuls in, I’d get off my knees,
go to the tap and wash my spoon. This is when I discovered that I was a particularly finicky eater.
4. For most of my life my appetite for food has oscillated between “fickle” and “non-existent”. My
mom used to have to threaten me with bodily harm just to get me to finish my supper. I have vivid
memories of sitting in the dining room with a lump of partially chewed potatoes in my right cheek,
fighting off the gag reflex while swallowing tiny morsels. And I hated pretty much all the staples
from pap to phuthu, potatoes, cabbage, sugar beans, beef stew and mutton stew.
5. This ensured that throughout my life, I have been in awe of people with big appetites. Truth be
told, I’ve always been a little jealous. I remember watching my brothers ravenously wolfing
dollops of samp and beans the size of Mount Isandlwana with growing resentment as each
spoonful disappeared down their gullets.
6. I’ve never understood the negative connotations associated with people with a healthy appetite.
Their uncomplicated relationship with food seems so uncluttered and they seem so much
happier. I remember during my corporate days spending 15 minutes in front of the displays in the
canteen, trying to figure out whether to have the Greek or Italian salad with my grilled hake or just
seasonal veggies and whether the beetroot salad was a useful addition to the plate.
7. A colleague whom my friends and I used to call Hoover owing to his ability to simply suck food up
from his plate would arrive around the same time. By the time I finally sat down to start eating,
he’d be using the last bit of bun to wipe the last smudges of beef gravy off his plate before
burping loudly and hurrying off to the staff shop to get two cappuccino muffins, an almond
Magnum and a buddy of Coke to finish off his meal. And like many gimbas (gluttons), his
metabolism was a mystery more baffling than the Bermuda Triangle. Despite being a middleaged man of at least 1.85m tall, I’d be surprised if he weighed more than 80kg with rocks in his
pockets.
8. Not all hope is lost for me. Since this year started, I seem to have hit a rich vein of form insofar as
my eating is concerned. It’s almost as if I’ve been told that there’s an impending famine. Don’t
scoff; there’s a swarm of locusts devouring everything in its path, in East Africa, as I type this.
9. I’m currently on what I’m reliably told is a “seefood” diet (when I see food, I eat it). So, if you run
into me in a few months and I have two extra chins with no neck to speak of, you’ve been
warned. But I’m not yet a Level 5 gimba just yet. An ex of mine would start dancing involuntarily
and humming a tune at the sight of food. Literally singing for her supper.
10. One time, after being starved of food for about an hour, we finally managed to get her a burger.
As she bit into it, tears started rolling down her face. Concerned, I asked what was wrong, to
which she responded, “I’m just so happy!”
Text 2 (Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Treknet)
Text 3 (Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Treknet)
Text 4 (Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Treknet)
Text 5 (Source: Breaking the poetry barrier compiled by DJ Brindley)
A Young person of Crewe
A certain young person of Crewe
Found a rather large mouse in his stew;
Said the waiter: ‘Don’t shout,
Or wave it about,
For the rest will be wanting one too!’
Anonymous
WORKSHEET 2 QUESTIONS
Senior phase WORKSHEET 2 (Suggested level: Grade 8)
In this worksheet, the focus is on reading for comprehension (answering questions; drawing conclusions; inferring
meanings and expressing opinions) and on developing critical language awareness; vocabulary development; reflexive
pronouns; phrases and clauses; figurative and literal meanings; descriptive writing; synonyms; humour; limericks;
interpreting cartoons. CAPS Reading and Viewing; Language Structures – Grade 8: aspects of weeks 1–4, Term 1.
Refer to Text 1:
1. Refer to paragraph 1:
a. The word hapless originates from an old English word hap (meaning ‘good fortune’) and
is used in combination with the suffix (word ending) -less. With this information in mind,
work out the meaning of hapless.
(1)
b. Explain why Maltabella and Jungle Oats are written with capital letters.
(1)
2. Refer to paragraph 2: State whether Our mission? is a phrase or a clause and explain your
answer.
(2)
3. Refer to paragraph 3 and read the explanation about reflexive pronouns:
Reflexive pronouns like myself, yourself, himself, etc refer to the subject in a sentence.
a. Identify the reflexive pronoun and give the subject it refers to.
(1)
b. Use a different reflexive pronoun in a sentence of your own.
(1)
c. Correct the error relating to the use of the reflexive pronoun in the following sentence:
My friend and myself would like to eat at your house tonight.
(1)
4. Refer to paragraph 3:
a. “A mini-stampede of metal spoons digging in” is an example of A. simile; B.
personification; C. alliteration. Choose one and explain your answer.
(2)
b. Provide a synonym (used elsewhere in the text) for finicky.
(1)
5. Give one word for “been in awe”. (paragraph 5).
(1)
6. Do you agree or disagree that there are “negative connotations associated with people with a
healthy appetite” (paragraph 6)? Give reasons for your opinion.
(2)
7. Refer to Paragraph 7:
a. Explain the choice of “Hoover” as a name for the writer’s colleague.
(2)
b. The writer uses many descriptive details that appeal to our senses. Give two examples
of this kind of descriptive writing in paragraph 7 and state what effect is achieved by
giving these details and writing in this way.
(3)
8. Explain why the writer mentions the swarm of locusts in East Africa (paragraph 8).
(2)
9. The writer has used many techniques to make this text humorous (funny). These include
exaggeration, use of a pun, and unusual comparisons. Write down examples of each one of
these in the text.
(3)
10. Give the meaning of the idiomatic expression “singing for her supper” (paragraph 9).
(1)
11. This piece of writing has a clear South African ‘flavour’. What evidence is there to support this
statement? Quote from the text in your answer.
(2)
12. Refer to Texts 2, 3 and 4:
a. Identify and explain the puns in Texts 2 and 3.
(4)
b. Give the functions of the apostrophe and the ellipsis (three dots after the exclamation
mark) in frame 3, Text 2.
(2)
c. Describe Boet’s frame of mind in frame 1, Text 3, and explain how the visual details
give us clues about this.
(3)
d. The expression “if push comes to shove” is shown to have a literal meaning in Text 4.
Explain how this is done and then give its figurative or idiomatic meaning.
(2)
13. Refer to Text 5 (limerick):
a. Describe the rhyme scheme of the limerick.
(1)
b. The last line of a limerick often makes one laugh. Explain how this happens here. (2)
[40 marks]
Enrichment activity: Find other limericks to read and then write one of your own.
Study the notes on the power point and practise the exercise there.
Complete the following activity:
Refer to the accompanying text.
Write a summary of the text in the form of a letter to a friend who does not believe that Houdini
had a rival. The focus of your summary should be all we know about Minerva the
escapologist,
•
•
•
•
•
•
Write one paragraph.
Do not write more than 90 words.
Provide an accurate word count at the end of the summary.
Keep in mind the appropriate register and style.
Use your own words – copying from the text is not allowed.
Do not include any information that is not in the text.
MEET MINERVA, ONE OF THE EARLIEST FEMALE ESCAPE
ARTISTS
Given magicians’ bent toward half-truths and misdirections, it’s no wonder that the history of early
performers is a minefield of uncertainties. It takes a lot of digging and a lot of luck to piece together an
accurate picture of who magic’s pioneers were and how they worked. That’s a big task for magic
historians, but the work does yield fascinating glimpses into previously unknown lives.
One such artist was Minerva, The American Queen of Mystery. She was so mysterious that we’re not
even sure what her real name was. According to Dean Carnegie, the two prevailing theories are
Margaretha Gertz Van Dorn or Margaretha Snelling. This escape artist is believed to have been active on
the performance circuit between 1904 and 1913, placing her as a contemporary of such icons as Harry
Houdini.
Much of what we know about Minerva comes from a hazy paper trail of handbills, photos, and lawsuits.
She was married to a fellow performer who went by the stage name Vano The Handcuff Expert and the
legal name of Edward VanDorn. The duo had a joint act, with the regal billing of The VanDorns, King and
Queen of Handcuffs. VanDorn also served as Minerva’s manager when she went solo, although the pair
divorced in 1909. She appeared to have remarried Prof. Chas. M.J. Haugeros, who also served as her
manager, in 1910.
During her active years, Minerva put her spin on several popular tricks of the day. One signature move
was the bridge jump, where she would be handcuffed and leap from a bridge into the river below, then
attempt to free herself. Minerva also performed a riff on the Milk Can Escape popularized by Houdini,
although hers involved heavy shackles, handcuffs, and a water-filled barrel.
(Geniionline)
By now, you should be able to identify and use parts of speech with confidence:
NOUN, PRONOUN, ADJECTIVE, VERB, ADVERB, CONJUNCTION, PREPOSITION,
ARTICLE, INTERJECTION
Do you know the following specific parts of speech?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Compound noun
Relative pronoun
Demonstrative pronoun
Possessive adjective
Co-ordinating conjunction
Transitive / intransitive verb
Test yourself by identifying which part of speech is represented by each word in
these sentences.
Tip: Sometimes two or three words together make up a verb.
1. The wind continued to blow ruthlessly, and sadly the match had to be cancelled.
2. The rude girl who interrupted my speech is standing over there.
3. I really need a new saucepan.
4. Dylan was so angry that he threw his phone across the room.
5. Although she was sick, she attended the opening performance.
6. It was very kind of you to remember my birthday.
7. These shoes are far too big for me.
8. Please take out your books.
HERE ARE SOME CARTOONS ABOUT PARTS OF SPEECH TO HAVE SOME FUN
WITH!
1.
SIMPLE SENTENCE
- This is a sentence that consists of ONE CLAUSE.
- It therefore has ONE FINITE VERB.
- It might contain a phrase but has only one finite verb.
-
e.g. The children played with their dog all afternoon.
Clause
phrase
2. COMPLEX SENTENCE
- This sentence has ONE MAIN CLAUSE and ONE OR MORE DEPENDENT
CLAUSES.
- It has at least TWO FINITE VERBS
- Remember that a dependent clause cannot stand on its own and must be
linked to a main clause.
- The dependent clause always begins with the conjunction.
- This kind of sentence DOES NOT use the fanboys conjunctions: it uses
subordinating conjunctions.
- It may also have one or more phrases.
-
e.g. The children played with their dog all afternoon while their mother did the
housework.
MAIN CLAUSE + PHRASE + CONJUNCTION + DEPENDENT CLAUSE
3. COMPOUND SENTENCE
- This sentence is made of TWO OR MORE MAIN CLAUSES.
- There are least TWO FINITE VERBS.
- Each clause can stand on its own as a sentence.
- The clauses are joined using the FANBOY conjunctions.
- There might be one or more dependent clauses, and one or more phrases.
-
e.g. The children played with their dog all afternoon and their mother did the
housework.
MAIN CLAUSE + PHRASE + FANBOY CONJUNCTION + MAIN CLAUSE.
Name each of the following sentences simple, complex, or compound. In each
case, explain your answer.
1. Not knowing the answer, she shook her head sadly.
2. The boy dashed out of the tent and began to leap about, shrieking loudly.
3. Sally closed the door quietly, unable to express the emotion that was consuming
her.
4. Grandma had baked a delicious cake, but there was no one around to eat it.
5. With a broken leg, a fractured arm and a minor concussion, Dirk was instructed
to stay home.
6. Music is life; music is love.
7. She was angry that she had been put in detention because she felt she had
done nothing wrong.
8. The match was cancelled, for it was raining cats and dogs.
9. She heard a faint whistling sound coming nearer and nearer.
10. After the show, they hurried home so they could tell their little sister all about it.
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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SENTENCES
•
A sentence is in the active voice when the subject is doing an action.
•
A sentence is in the passive voice when the subject has action done to it.
Decide whether the following sentences are in the active or passive voice:
1. Tracy ate the whole plate of pasta in five minutes flat.
2. The whole plate of pasta was eaten by Tracy in five minutes flat.
3. Keith kicked the ball right over the roof.
4. The ball was kicked right over the roof by Keith.
In sentences 1 and 3 the subjects are doing an action – eating pasta and kicking a ball
– therefore are ACTIVE.
In sentences 2 and 4 the subjects are having action done to them – being eaten and
being kicked – therefore are PASSIVE.
How do we change a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice?
1. Swop the subject and object around.
Tracy ate the plate of pasta.
The plate of pasta _____ Tracy
2. Place ‘by’ in front of the original subject.
The plate of pasta ____ by Tracy
3. If the original verb was one word, it must now be two. If it was two words it must
now be three, etc.
The plate of pasta was eaten by Tracy.
Change the following sentences from active to passive voice:
1. The manager fired several of his employees for stealing.
2. Tao collected all the empty bottles lying around on the field.
3. Alissa and Kyra wore the most beautiful outfits at the dance.
4. The company must take responsibility for the suffering it has caused the public.
How do we change a sentence from the passive voice to the active voice?
1. Swop the subject and the object.
The cellphone was stolen by the manager. The Manager ______ the cellphone.
2. ‘by’ is no longer to be used
3. If the verb is two words it must now become one, if it was three it must become
two, etc.
The manager stole the cellphone.
Change the following sentences from passive voice to active voice:
.
1. The employees were treated very badly by the company.
2. My sister was not given a fair chance by the organiser of the competition.
3. The meal was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.
4. The match was very poorly umpired by the visiting referee
When reporting someone’s words, the following changes must be made:
1. First and second person pronouns become third person pronouns.
2. Verbs move one step back into the past tense.
3. Words that suggest distance of time and place are changed, e.g. today – that
day, tomorrow – the following day, here – there
4. Words that suggest emotion can be inserted in order to capture the
atmosphere of the original speech.
5. Introductory verbs are used – aim for interesting variations.
Indirect speech provides objectivity. The person doing the reporting does
not ask questions or make exclamations.
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Punctuate the following passage correctly:
Fabio shouted at Kian you are very irritating I don’t want to be your friend anymore
Kian answered will you be my friend if I give you some chocolate
No said Fabio this friendship is over
Write the following passage in reported speech:
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” said Bronwyn.
“What happened?” asked Jordie with concern.
“It’s Kyle,” said Bronwyn. “He broke up with me.”
“Oh no!” cried Jordie. “This is terrible!”
“I know,” said Bronwyn, “and I don’t know how I’m going to cope tomorrow.”
“Did he say why?” asked Jordie.
“He just told me I am irritating,” wept Bronwyn.
.
Write the following passage in reported speech:
“Did you hear what Thalia did on the weekend?” Autumn asked Caitlin.
“Yes I did. It is absolutely shocking!” replied Caitlin.
“Hey! Are you guys talking about me?” shouted Thalia. “I did nothing wrong and I don’t
know what you are talking about.”
“Thalia, eating fifty hot dogs is really disgusting,” said Autumn, “and I would be
ashamed of myself if I were you.”
Thalia blushed and said, “Well I’m little enough so I can. Now leave me alone.”
Write out the following cartoon in correctly punctuated direct speech:
DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION
• Denotation is the dictionary or literal definition.
E.g. car – a vehicle with a motor that can transport people
• Connotation is the positive or negative associations that a word has.
e.g. stylish – positive connotation – clothing, design, image
EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
• Fact and opinion
- Facts are statements that can be proved
- Facts are not emotive
- Opinions are someone’s way of looking at things. Not everyone will agree.
- Opinions are emotive and are used to influence others.
•
Stereotype
- An oversimplified image or idea of a type of person or thing
- E.g. a doctor wearing a white coat with a stethoscope around the neck
•
Prejudice (pre-judging)
-
An unfavourable opinion based on ideas formed without knowing all the facts
E.g. Teenagers are rude and disrespectful.
•
Bias (when we use bias, we are biased)
- Showing preference for one person, thing, group, idea
- Impossible to make a fair assessment if there is bias
- E.g. The referee does not penalise the team which is his favourite.
•
Emotive words
- Words that show strong feeling
- E.g. This cream will leave your skin soft and silky.
(summarised from Oxford English Grammar, the Essential Guide)
EXERCISES
1. In each of the following sentences, the italicised word has a fairly neutral
connotation. For each word in italics, list two synonyms (words with similar
denotations): one with a negative connotation and the other with a positive
connotation..
Example: Sometimes my thin friend annoys me.
•
•
Negative connotation: scrawny
Positive connotation: slim
1. I recognized the familiar smell of my roommate's cooking.
2. Scrapple is an inexpensive meal.
3. Kevin's interest in model cars has turned into a hobby.
4. Uncle Henry lives in a hut deep in the woods.
5. Phileas Fogg was an adventurous traveller.
6. We stopped for lunch at a diner in West Virginia.
7. My parents are committed, conservationists.
8. My old laptop has finally died.
9. In a quiet and stealthy way, Bartleby moved into the lawyer's chambers.
10. The teacher was mildly intimidated by Roland's assertive behaviour.
(https://www.thoughtco.com/denotation-and-connotation-exercise-1692649)
2. State whether each sentence is a fact or an opinion.
(https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-worksheets/fact-and-opinionworksheets/)
ADVERTISING
1. Study the note on the PowerPoint and do the task listed at the bottom.
2. Analyse the attached advertisement: explain as many advertising
techniques as you can find.
VISUAL LITERACY
Types of cartoons
Here are some types of cartoons you will find in newspapers, magazines or greeting
cards:
•
•
•
Editorial or political cartoons are popular cartoons, usually with a humorous
visual interpretation of a specific current event, but not always. They may depict
an important contemporary figure or comment on a social, economic or political
issue.
Comic strips are a short series of frames in a sequence. The last frame usually
contains a 'punch line'.
Gag cartoons and panel cartoons often have an 'everyday' scenario with a
punch line. Found on greeting cards or in magazines, their aim is to make
people laugh.
https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/cartoons-in-the-classroom
https://www.slideserve.com/macon/what-is-a-political-cartoon
What do we analyse in cartoons?
VERBAL DETAILS: the WORDS in the cartoons.
• How humour is created (usually through the details listed here)
• Type and size of font
• Use of punctuation marks
• Speech or thought bubbles
• Puns, irony, satire
VISUAL DETAILS: the details of the PICTURES.
• Specific clues about the characters’ attitudes or emotions:
- e.g. raised eyebrows, open mouth, hand on hip, tears.
- Never say ‘facial expression’ – provide details about that facial expression.
• Positioning of characters in each frame.
• Clothing or accessories.
• People or things that act as symbols for something else.
You must be able to explain how the visual and verbal details relate to each
other.
Complete the following exercises:
1. Examine the following comic strip:
1.1.
1.2.
According to the cartoon, what important question should Gwen have
asked Farmer Bob before she bought a burger from him?
(1)
Explain how you arrived at your answer in 1.1.
(2)
2. Explain the ambiguity (two possible meanings) in frame 3 which led to Gwen’s
being deceived about the content of the meat.
(2)
3. How do you know that Gwen is revolted in frame 4? Refer to two detailed visual
clues.
(2)
2. Examine the following comic strip:
4.1.
4.2.
4.3.
Explain how the end of the cartoon is unexpected.
Describe the emotion on Calvin’s face in frame 2.
What visual clues led you your answer in 4.2?
(2)
(1)
(2)
FIGURATIVE VS LITERAL MEANING:
Figurative language goes beyond the literal meaning of words to get a message or
point across. Writers create figurative language through figures of speech such as:
Simile, Metaphor, Personification.
1. Simile. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two separate concepts
through the use of a clear connecting word such as “like” or “as.” Examples of
simile are phrases such as “He was wily as a fox,” or “I slept like a log.”
2. Metaphor. A metaphor is like a simile, but without connecting words. It simply
posits that two separate things are the same. For example, “He was a wily fox,”
or “She cried a river of tears.”
3. Personification. Personification projects human qualities onto inanimate
objects, or perhaps animals or natural elements. “The wind howled,” “The
words leapt off the page,” and “Time marches on” are all examples of
personification.
4. Hyperbole. Hyperbole is extravagant, intentional exaggeration. “I have a
million things to do today” is a common example of hyperbole.
5. Pun. A pun is a play on words. It exploits the different meanings of a word or its
homonyms, usually to humorous effect. A well-worn example of a pun is: “Time
flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”
6. Onomatopoeia. In onomatopoeia, words sound like the thing they describe.
Sound effects like “tick-tock” and “ding-dong” are everyday examples, as well
as words like “zap” and “hiccup.”
7. Alliteration. It occurs when a series of words start with the same letter sound,
such as “wicked witch” or “from forth the fatal loins of these two foes.”
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101
Complete the worksheets below.
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language/figurative-language-worksheets/
https://mrsrandas.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/march-9-13-2015/