CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
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Audioscripts
1.3 Reviewing Darkparis
Track 03
Hi everyone. Thanks for downloading the podcast
and for sending in your questions. Many of you
have asked about the inspiration behind Darkparis,
so what can I tell you? Well, one of the first
decisions I made was about the setting. I’d visited
Paris with my family as a teenager and fell in love
with it. It’s such a beautiful city, but it’s also been
the scene of many conflicts throughout history,
so in the book I wanted to show the two sides of
Paris – the attractive side we all know, and the
darker parts of the city that you don’t always get
to see. I’d heard about the catacombs, so they
seemed like a good idea for a setting as they’re dark
and mysterious. I think readers like underground
stories, because it has the feeling of a different
world – somewhere that the rules are different.
Once I chose the setting, I spent some time
thinking about the main characters. As the story is
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aimed at young adults, I decided to make the main
character an older teenager rather than a child.
That way, when Louis finds Darkparis, it’s as if
he’s encountering his childhood again – that sense
of mystery and belief in different possibilities
you have when you’re young. So I thought if
I made him a bored, lonely young adult, it would
be a contrast with the exciting world he gets
dragged into.
People usually want to know about the message
of the book. Sometimes, it doesn’t really emerge
until after you finished, but with Darkparis I knew
from the start that I wanted to write a story about
learning to be confident and to take on challenges,
even when they seem beyond you. So if the book
is about anything, it’s telling the reader to believe
in themselves.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
2.6 Detective fiction
Track 14
Jake: I love detective stories. I’ve always been
fascinated by the law, in fact, I wanted to be a
policeman when I was younger, so it seemed
natural to read about it. I think the attraction for
me is the process – I like seeing how a detective
or police officer solves a mystery. The sort of
books I’m reading at the moment are what you
call ‘police procedurals’ – stories where the focus
is on how the crime is solved, so they involve not
only detectives, but scientists too. Of all of the
stories I’ve read, I think Wire in the Blood is my
favourite. It features a detective and a psychologist
and although it’s a bit dark, it’s impossible to leave
it alone!
Abebi: My favourite book at the moment is Easy
Motion Tourist. It’s by Leye Adenle. He’s from
Nigeria, my home country, and so although it’s
fiction, I recognise the places and people he writes
about. I also like it because it has a female central
character called Amaka. She’s tough and not
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afraid to stand up to powerful people. I like stories
that are about power and African politics. Most
of the books I read are about how some people in
power are found out to be corrupt. It’s also nice
to read the ending where they are punished for
their crimes.
Vanessa: I’m currently at university studying
literature, and one of the courses is about detective
fiction. Over the past term, I’ve read a lot of older
detective stories to see how the genre has changed.
The first detective fiction story is said to be ‘The
Murders in the Rue Morgue’. It’s a short story,
which seems a bit old-fashioned now, but I enjoyed
writing about it at university. My favourite crime
story from the past is The Moonstone. It’s about
the theft of a diamond from India and is told by
different narrators. I like it because the settings are
memorable and it’s also got some creepy moments.
It’s the sort of book I’d read for pleasure.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
3.2 The assistant
Track 17
Tinkle of overhead bell as shop door opens. Heavy footsteps, laboured breath.
Spaulding
Mr Wilson, sir – here, sit down.
Sound of large body sitting down on creaking wooden chair.
Wilson
Thank you, Vincent – you’re a helpful lad. Can you fetch me a
glass of water?
Spaulding
Certainly, Mr Wilson.
Quick footsteps leave and return as Spaulding comes back with
water.
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Wilson
Thank you, Vincent.
Spaulding
Are you ok, sir?
Wilson
Not really. The strange business of this league is playing on my
mind.
Spaulding
In what way?
Wilson
It just seems so odd. I think I’m being tricked.
Spaulding (energetically)
No, Mr Wilson! Why would anyone want to do that? It does seem
odd, I grant you, but it’s a job made for you.
Wilson
Is it?
Spaulding (reassuringly)
Of course. Who else in London has such beautiful, blazing red
hair? You were born for this job, sir. And you deserve it – you’ve
been so good to me and it’s about time you had some luck.
Wilson
You think so?
Spaulding (commandingly)
Yes! When fortune smiles on you, enjoy it.
Wilson
I suppose you’re right. But it’s not a very interesting job.
Spaulding (conspiratorially)
Money, Mr Wilson. Money. Four golden pounds for the easiest
job in the capital. You’ll be rich. Just imagine that money in your
hand. Think what you could buy with it.
Wilson (more upbeat)
Yes, Spaulding. You’re right. I’ll be rich – well, comfortably welloff at least.
Spaulding
That’s the spirit, Mr Wilson. Now, let me make you something to
eat and we’ll think about what you could buy with the money.
Wilson (gently laughing)
Thank you, Vincent. Let’s do that.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
4.4 The time tornado
Track 29
Hi everyone. Welcome to next part of our literary
genres podcast series. This one is about the
fantasy genre.
There are several features of the fantasy genre
that we can identify, but the most obvious is the
inclusion of strange or magical events – things that
aren’t scientifically possible. And that is the main
difference between fantasy stories and sciencefiction ones – science fiction uses ideas that are
currently possible, or likely to happen in the future,
but fantasy stories are filled with ideas, objects and
people that are not possible in the real world.
Fables and fairy tales are often the first type of
fantasy story we encounter. They’re usually set
in faraway but recognisable worlds, and feature
strange creatures. They end with a moral that
gives advice to children about how to conduct
themselves in real life. Superhero stories are also a
type of fantasy text.
There are two main types of fantasy story. The
first is called ‘high fantasy’, where the author
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presents an entirely new world with new races
and creatures. The other is ‘low fantasy’, where
the author uses real-world settings but includes
magical things in them.
Characters in low fantasy stories include ordinary
people existing in ordinary settings, but these
stories usually introduce real or imaginary
characters from other times and places. Journeys –
both literal ones and the type of journey where
characters learn about themselves – are regular
features. Time is often played with in fantasy,
either different rules of time, such as the ability to
travel between past, present and future, or the use
of characters from different periods of history.
The openings of fantasy stories usually involve
an immediate conflict – either a central character
is challenged, or a strange event affects the
characters. Like most fiction, fantasy stories are
about a power struggle between good and evil, and
of course, good usually wins!
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
5.1 Leaving Jamaica
Track 36
Heidi: Hi, Abram. Thanks for agreeing to help
with our show about comedy. I know you’ve
written a lot of comedic drama for television, so
can you start by giving us a definition of comedy?
What is it?
wanting them to succeed. It’s important that the
main characters are likeable – audiences enjoy
seeing people like themselves coping and then
succeeding with the difficulties of life. But comedy
can be quite cruel too.
Abram: That’s a big question, Heidi! Comedy is
lots of things. Most people automatically think
of comedy as something that is amusing, and
often it is. In comedy plots, you’ll find things like
sudden revelations where characters say or do
something odd. There are also misunderstandings,
jokes and silly behaviour – all of which are meant
to entertain the audience. But the most obvious
feature of a comedy is its ending – comedies end
happily where characters overcome a problem.
Heidi: What do you mean?
Heidi: What sort of problem?
Abram: Well, something – or someone – is usually
preventing the central characters from succeeding
or being happy. So the plot of a comedy is about
the journey from unhappiness to happiness. Many
comedies show how two characters fall in love, so
there’s often a marriage at the end and they live
happily ever after. That’s one type of ending. The
other is where characters become successful – they
either gain something they want, or they find
riches.
Heidi: So is it all fun? Does nothing bad happen?
Abram: Comedies can actually be quite sad at
times. The characters in comedy aren’t kings
and queens. They’re ordinary people in difficult
situations. They are struggling against things, and
often they find it hard. The audience often find
themselves feeling sorry for the characters and
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Abram: I mean that we all laugh at people in
difficult situations – it sounds cruel, but when
couples argue, or somebody falls over, or tells a lie
that gets them into trouble, we often laugh.
Heidi: Why?
Abram: I think it’s because we recognise our
own behaviour. We’ve all been in embarrassing
situations, or found ourselves in silly arguments, so
I think we watch these characters doing the same
silly things all humans do, and we laugh because
we recognise them.
Heidi: What can you tell us about comic
characters? Are they just silly people doing silly
things?
Abram: Sometimes they are, but like I said before,
they are kind of normal people – stereotypes
like the complaining wife, or the lazy husband or
the man who loves himself then is made to look
foolish. But really, the audience is on their side –
they want the main characters to find happiness,
and by the end, they do. They are creative – they
use their skills and personalities to make their lives
work out, and in doing so, they win the admiration
of the other characters in the play.
Heidi: Thank you, Abram.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
6.6 Returning home
Track 48
I have two powerful memories of home. The first is
leaving it when I was 18, and the other is returning
to it last year, when I turned 80.
I lived in a beautiful part of Germany – Saxony –
and grew up on a farm with my parents and twin
sister, Anna. We were very happy and life was
simple. We both went to the village school and
afterwards, worked on the farm. But a terrible
event happened that changed our lives. It hurts me
to talk about it, so all I will say is that our family
were split up, and I left Germany in a hurry. Anna
stayed in Germany and we lost touch. We fell out
and never made the effort to make things better.
I can still picture the sunset as I left the farm. It
was beautiful but also very sad. I never saw my
parents again.
I’ve had a happy life mostly. I lived in Canada
where I married and had three sons, all of whom
are grown up and living abroad. Last year, I finally
found the courage to travel back to Germany.
There were lots of bad memories, but as my
husband said, it is important to face the past
before it’s too late.
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Walking past the village school took my breath
away. There are some new buildings, but the old
part looked the same. I could remember playing
there with Anna and the other girls in the hot
Saxony summer days. After that, it was a bit of a
struggle up the hill to the farm – I’m not as young
as I once was – but as it came into view, it looked
very different. Gone was the beautiful farmhouse
we lived in. New, ugly buildings – huge things –
were in its place. It looked more like a factory, not
the warm, old family home I remember.
Over the years, I wondered what happened to
Anna. I had hoped to meet her. I had this fantasy
of her still living in the farmhouse, and we both
having a wonderful reunion. But it wasn’t to be.
The farmhouse was gone, and I found out that
Anna had died not long after I left Germany. I
walked away from the farm and wondered at the
strange turns that life takes, and shed a tear for my
lost home and sister.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
7.6 Chosen One
Track 56
Jack: To me, the most important part of the story
is where Aveleen meets the minor characters – the
farmers, the enchanting woman and the crow.
I think they represent the different parts of
Aveleen’s personality – they’re her darker, weaker
sides that she has to defeat in order to become
mature and determined enough to prove herself
as the Chosen One. I don’t think they’re ‘real’
characters – they are part of an imaginary quest
set by Celegorn to test his daughter.
Omar: This is a story about transferring power
from the older generation to a new one – Celegorn
is fading and he is preparing his daughter for
the future so she can continue his reign. I think
it’s obvious early in the story that Aveleen is the
Chosen One, but the interest comes from seeing
how she handles the situation and grows. The
most significant thing is that she is female – the
story is about how an older male figure gives
way to a younger female, and so the story seems
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very modern in that way. It shows that there is no
difference between the genders.
Mana: I enjoyed the ideas about nature in the
story. I like how fantasy stories show that the
natural world is powerful and mysterious – it
helps remind readers in the real world that the
environment is important and we must respect
its power and protect it too. This is shown in the
respect that the characters have for the Tree and
the way in which Aveleen is ultimately helped by
nature on her quest.
Laura: The most interesting character for me
is Celegorn. Although he only appears at the
start and end, he is the one controlling Aveleen’s
journey and testing her. He seems like a mentor
figure – the type of wise, older character you find
in fantasy stories, who inspires and trains the hero.
He’s also a caring ruler and father who obviously
wants his kingdom and his daughter to prosper.
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CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
8.3 A different voice
Track 59
Alisha: Having spent all of my life in a wheelchair,
I’d say I’m pretty used to it. It’s annoying at times
and one of the difficulties is an emotional one –
accepting that there are things that you just can’t
do, even though you want to. When I was 12, one
of my friends had a birthday party at an outdoors
centre. I went along, but I couldn’t climb the trees,
and I couldn’t be with my friends in the way I
wanted to. There’s also some practical challenges
in terms of buildings. My school had a very old
building and there’s no way I can safely have
lessons on the top floor. The school is very good
though and they timetable my classes so I’m not
inconvenienced.
Larry: I think it’s quite hard for the media to know
how to present disabled people. To them, we’re
either victims who need help, or they just can’t
help promoting disabled people who do amazing
things. I can see why the general public either
think we’re totally incapable or world-beating
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athletes! I only know two other disabled people,
and they’re completely different to me. You see,
we don’t all meet up in a big disabled-only group.
Most of my friends are able-bodied and we just
do normal things like hanging out together and
making fun of each other!
Hamid: I was born without legs, so I’ve spent my
whole life being helped by some wonderful people.
I occasionally wonder what it’s like to kick a
football or run across a field, but most of the time
I just get on with life. I’m not bitter about things at
all, but I do get angry and upset when people say
awful things. I’ve been called names by immature
people, and I think – but I’m not sure – that some
parents didn’t really want their children to be my
friend when I was younger. The worst bit is namecalling in front of my parents. It doesn’t happen
very often, but it upsets them, even though they
try not to show it.
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CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
9.2 A strange meeting
Track 68
Hi and welcome to the next in the series of study
podcasts about literary genre. This week, it’s the
turn of tragedy.
Tragedy is a very old genre, first found in the
plays of ancient Greece. In those plays, and the
thousands that have been written since then – for
more than 2000 years – tragedy is all about the
actions and lives of important people. The central
characters have status and power – they are kings,
mainly. And these tragedies are about the fall of
these great men. The plots show them having bad
luck, or making disastrous errors. Sometimes it is
random events that impact the heroes’ lives, but a
lot of the time it’s their own mistakes or evil deeds
that cause their downfall.
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Common tragic mistakes involve things like
being tempted by ambition, or trusting the wrong
people. Usually, the central characters are basically
good people who make bad decisions. Tragic plays
show what happens when you make the wrong
choices. They show the suffering that results.
Terrible choices bring terrible outcomes, including
madness. Tragedies also usually end in the death
of the central character – this is how wrongs are
made right.
It all sounds a bit miserable, but audiences love
tragedies! One of the reasons tragedy is so popular
is because it is often very artistic. Tragedies
present a beautiful picture of the worst side of
human nature.
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021