Marigold

Do you know anyone with a tattoo? Describe it. What does the tattoo say about the person you know? Do you know the story behind it? How do you feel about tattoos?

Jacqueline Wilson (1945–) is an English author. The extract “Marigold” is from her novel Illustrated Mum.

Remember! You don’t have to understand all the words in a story to enjoy it.

JACQUELINE WILSON

Marigold

I came out of school the next day and there was Marigold, waiting for me. She was standing near the other mothers but she stuck right out. Some of the kids in the playground were pointing at her. Even Owly Morris blinked through his bottleglasses and stood transfixed. For a moment it was as if I’d borrowed his thick specs and was seeing Marigold clearly for the first time. I saw a redhaired woman in a halter top and shorts, her white skin vividly tattooed, designs on her arms, her shoulders, her thighs, one ankle, even her foot. I knew several of the fathers had tattoos. One of the mothers had a tiny butterfly on her shoulder blade. But no one had tattoos like Marigold. She was beautiful. She was bizarre. She didn’t seem to notice that none of the mothers were stuck out skilte seg ut bottleglasses colabunner talking to her. She jumped up and down, waving both hands (tykke brilleglass) when she saw me. transfixed stivnet specs (spectacles) briller “Dol! Dolly, hi! Yoohoo!” halter top overdel med Now they weren’t just staring at Marigold. They were bar rygg og knytebånd rundt halsen staring at me too. vividly her: fargerikt I felt as if I were on fire. I tried to smile at Marigold as I thighs lår bizarre bisarr, underlig walked towards her. My lips got stuck on my teeth. I felt like notice legge merke til I was wading through treacle. wading vade, vasse til langt opp på låret “Dol, quick!” Marigold shouted. treacle sirup I got quicker, because she was making such a noise. “Which one’s Tasha?” Marigold asked.

Vurderingseksemplar

Vurderingseksemplarglanced at så på tossing kaste på topknot oppsatt hår i knute gabbled bablet glance blikk

I felt sick. No. Please. I glanced at Tasha as she crossed the playground, tossing her beautiful hair. I saw her mother, elegant and ordinary in a T-shirt and flowery skirt, her own blonde hair tied up in a topknot. “I can’t see her. Maybe she’s gone,” I gabbled, but Marigold had seen my glance. “Isn’t that her? The one with the hair? Hi, Tasha! Tasha, come over here!”

agony ubehag, fortvilelse frowning rynke pannen protectively beskyttende alarm uro, bekymring hostility fiendtlighet obvious opplagt, åpenbar ignore overse hissed hveste tea her: måltid, middag mumbled mumlet fancy liker not even bothering gadd ikke engang excuse unnskyldning witnessed vært vitne til appalling skremmende, forferdelig

“Marigold! Sh! Don’t!” I said in agony. “It’s OK, Dol,” said Marigold. It wasn’t OK. Tasha stood still, staring. Tasha’s mother was frowning. She hurried to Tasha and put her arm round her protectively. “Hey, wait!” Marigold shouted, rushing over to them. I had to follow her. “What do you want?” said Tasha’s mother. Her alarm and hostility were so obvious that Marigold couldn’t ignore it. “It’s OK, no worries,” said Marigold. “I just thought I’d introduce myself. I’m Dolphin’s mother. She and Tasha are friends.” “No, we’re not,” said Tasha. “We’re not,” I hissed to Marigold. “Kids!” said Marigold, laughing. “Anyway, we’ve got a special tea, lots of cakes, all sorts, and we’d like Tasha to come round and play, wouldn’t we, Dol?” “She doesn’t want to,” I mumbled. “Of course she does,” said Marigold. “What’s your favourite cake, Tasha? I’ll make you anything you fancy.” “It’s very kind of you but I’m afraid Tasha can’t possibly come to tea tonight, she has her ballet class,” said Tasha’s mother. “Come along, Tasha.” “Tomorrow then? How about tomorrow?” said Marigold. “No, thank you,” said Tasha’s mother, not even bothering to find another excuse. She hurried Tasha away as if they’d just witnessed an appalling accident. Marigold stared after them, biting on the back of her hand. “It’s all right,” I said quickly. “I don’t like her any more.” Vurderingseksemplar “OK, who else shall we ask?” said Marigold. “No one! Let’s go home and eat lots of lovely cake, just us,” I said, putting my hand in Marigold’s.

UNDERSTANDING

1 Answer the questions. a How are Marigold and Tasha’s mother described?

Write keywords from the text. b Why are the other mothers staring at Marigold? c Why does Marigold call out to Tasha and her mother? d What reason does Tasha’s mother give that Tasha can’t come to tea?

VIEWPOINTS

2 Discuss these questions. a How are Marigold and Tasha’s mothers different? What do you think about them? b What do you think the real reason is that Tasha’s mother says Tasha can’t come to tea? c Why do you think Dol puts her hand in Marigold’s at the end? TEXT ANALYSIS 3 Answer the questions for analysis. Narrator: Who tells the story? Setting: Where and when does the story take place? Characters: Who is the story about? Plot: What happens in the story? Conflict: What is the problem? Theme: What is the story really about?Vurderingseksemplar

WRITING WORKSHOP

4 Make a list of advice for parents of teens about how they should behave.

More tasks

VOCABULARY

5 Adjectives

impatient loving fashionable bad-tempered patient goofy supportivefunny strict cheerful tired a Find the meaning of the adjectives in the word cloud. b Choose the three best words from the list that describe a mother. Compare your list to a partner’s. Explain why you chose these words. 6 Synonyms for see a Find the meaning of each verb from the text. Then take turns miming the verbs with a partner. • transfixed Vurderingseksemplar • blinked • noticed • stared • glanced b Go to thesaurus.com. Find other synonyms for see. c Write 3–5 sentences with the synonyms you found.

323

7 Synonyms for say a Find the meaning of each verb from the text. • shouted • asked • gabbled • hissed • mumbled b Work with a partner. Say the line below in each of these ways: shout it, ask it, gabble it, hiss it and mumble it. Let’s go home and eat lots of lovely cake. c Go to thesaurus.com. Find other synonyms for say. d Write 3–5 sentences with the synonyms you found. LANGUAGE LAB 8 Punctuate the sentences and add the missing quotation marks. a Hey wait Marigold shouted “Hey, wait!” Marigold shouted. b Which one’s Tasha Marigold asked c I can’t see her Maybe she’s gone I gabbled d It’s OK Dol said Marigold e What do you want said Tasha’s mother CREATIVE CORNER 9 Find an image or draw a picture of a woman that you think looks like Marigold. 10 Act out the dialogue in “Marigold” in groups of four.Vurderingseksemplar