Cambridge Lower Secondary English Learner's book 7 sample

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Cambridge Lower Secondary

English LEARNER’S BOOK 7

SA

M

Graham Elsdon with Esther Menon

Second edition

Digital access

Original material Š Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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17/09/20 5:40 PM

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We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Cambridge Lower Secondary

English LEARNER’S BOOK 7

SA M

Graham Elsdon with Esther Menon

Original material Š Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10006, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia

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314–321, 3rd Floor, Plot 3, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre, New Delhi – 110025, India 79 Anson Road, #06–04/06, Singapore 079906

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It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108746588 © Cambridge University Press 2021

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First edition 2012

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Printed in TBC by TBC

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Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Introduction

Introduction Welcome to Stage 7 of Cambridge Lower Secondary English.

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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.

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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 key skills for 21st century life.

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

3 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Contents

Contents Unit

Text types

Reading

8

1 Adventure

Contemporary fiction (adventure); nonfiction (travel writing); thematic poetry; novel (spy story)

‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’; Around India in 80 Trains; ‘Hard is the Journey’; Silverfin

32

2 ‘Hey, You Down There’

Short story (science fiction)

‘Hey, You Down There’

57

3 Film and fame

Contemporary fiction; non-fiction (informative Film Boy; ‘Hrithik Roshan says he practices article); non-fiction (film review) 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; non-fiction (informative article); non-fiction (explanatory text); non-fiction (magazine article and interview)

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Page

‘One in Twenty-Three’; haiku poems; imagist poems; ‘The tiny world of Willard Wigan’ in the Telegraph; explanation of shabtis; ‘Microartist Willard Wigan reveals his tiny world’ in WhatsonTV

108

5 Unusual education

Non-fiction (descriptive accounts); nonfiction (blogs); non-fiction (discussion article and account); contemporary fiction; contemporary drama

Two accounts of different schools; blogs about school uniform; homeschooling article and account; Wonder; The Last Class

136

6 Life stories

Thematic poetry; non-fiction to narrate (autobiographies); non-fiction to narrate (diary); persuasive speech

‘Lullaby’; ‘The Song of the Old Mother’; biography of Malala Yousafzai; As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning; Letter to Daniel; Captain Robert Scott’s diary; speech

by Nelson Mandela

163

7 ‘The Travel Agency’

Short story (fantasy)

‘The Travel Agency’

189

8 In the city

Contemporary fiction; classic fiction; thematic poetry; non-fiction (argument articles)

The White Tiger; Neverwhere; A Christmas Carol; The 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 (informative article); classsic fiction; classic poetry

Jaws; ‘Why Are We Afraid of Sharks?’ in National Geographic; Moby-Dick; And The Ocean Was Our Sky; The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

4 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Contents

Speaking/Listening

Language focus

21st century skills

Summarise genre features; write a Pair discussion and prediction; monologue; analyse a poem’s meaning; present group views; recount an write a story anecdote

Sentence types; alliteration and sibilance; powerful verbs

Creativity; collaboration

Write a spoken drama; write informally; Pair and group discussion write about theme; write a story with an unusual ending

Sentence openings; compound-complex sentences; formal/ informal language

Critical thinking; communication

Write a section of a story; write an article; write a film review; speech writing

Pair discussion; individual speaking

Direct speech; types of noun/adjective-noun combinations

Collaboration; creativity

Write flash fiction; analyse a poem; write poems; write an interview

Pair and group discussion

Time connectives; prefixes

Creativity; critical thinking

Connectives; colons

Social responsibility; collaboration

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Writing

Write an account about school; write a script

Pair and group discussion

Justify poetry choices; write an account Pair and group discussion of family life; write a monologue; analyse a letter; analyse language; write a poem; write a speech

Rhythm and rhyme; voice; Social embedded clauses responsibility; creativity

Explain character; write a narrative piece; write a brochure introduction; analyse character; write a diary entry; write about theme

Pair and group discussion

Word choice and order; voice and excitement

Critical thinking; learning to learn

Travel article; continue a story; write a poem about a city

Pair, group and individual discussion

Using punctuation; personification; related word forms; perspective

Learning to learn; communication

Describe a sea snake; continue a story; analyse poetic language

Pair, group and individual discussion

Choosing words and phrases; poetic language

Creativity; collaboration

5 Original material Š Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

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.

These are explained below.

1.1 The start of an adventure

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1.1 The start of an adventure

This list sets out what you will learn in each session. You can use these points to identify the important topics for the lesson.

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

This contains questions or activities to help find out what you know already about the topics in this session.

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 1.1 The start of an adventure you know.

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Important words are1 highlighted Adventure stories in are athe genre.text This means that different adventure stories contain similar features. In pairs, discuss: when they first appear in the book. You will find • the types of characters in adventure stories an explanation of the meaning these wordsstories • the types of of settings in adventure in the margin. You will •also find definitions of what happens in adventure stories • how these all these words in the glossary atstories theusually backend.of Compare your findings with another pair. Apart from the this book. main character, what other types of people do you find in

Key words

genre: a particular type of text, for example, adventure, comedy, crime, science fiction setting: the location of where a story takes place

adventure stories?

2.3 2.3Gold!

Go

‘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.

3 83 InIn thethe next part ofof thethe story, Dora receives a letter from thethe people next part story, Dora receives a letter from people down thethe hole.

They write in in standard English.

What dodo you think down hole.

They write standard English.

What you think thethe note will say? note will say?

Activities give you the opportunity to practise Write thethe note that thethe people send toto Dora.

Remember that they Write note that people send Dora.

Remember that they and develop the skillsExtract that 1you learn in each seem toto like flashlights, have gold, and that Dora has sent them aa seem like flashlights, have gold, and that Dora has sent them session. Activities willIt involve answering food. dictionary and food. was cold, that day she first took flight, and the snow lay thick enough todictionary hide a catand in.

44 Listen four people speaking about Calvin and Dora.

She wore her father’s It came down past her knees, and she had rolled thetosleeves Listen to four people speaking about Calvin and Dora. questions or completing tasks.

Thiscoat. includes up, so they hung at her wrist in a great roll of wool. The coat had once been a you deep, AsAs you listen, make notes and then summarise: listen, make notes and then summarise: cocoa-bean it was the colour of an elderly shoe. It smelt, very slightly, of listening activities where youbrown, hearbuta now sound • • what Speaker AA thinks ofof Calvin what Speaker thinks Calvin horses and woodsmoke. recording. These recordings can be played from what Speaker BB thinks ofof Calvin • mountain; what Speaker thinks Calvin The wind was fierce that day. It was often windy in winter at the top of •the blown backwards up the cliff edge, reverse-somersaulting 1through the Speaker sky, •Adventure CC thinks ofof Dora • what what Speaker thinks Dora the Digital edition of birds the got Learner’s Book. their wings shedding feathers like confetti. Seagulls blew into the house, sometimes 02 02

• • what DD thinks ofof Dora. what Speaker thinks Dora. right into her lap as she sat curled up in the corner, wrapped in rugs, reading

by Speaker the firelight. Suddenly finding that you had an irate seagull as a bookmarkLanguage was not, Odile focus thought, ideal, but her grandfather would throw a blanket over themListening and stomp out tiptip Listening into the night with the bird bundled into his arms.

To create excitement in suspense stories, writers often use verbs When listening toto the opinions ofof other speakers, make notes of When listening the opinions other speakers, make notes that suggest movement and power.

In the first paragraph of of ‘Always be polite to birds,’ he would say. ‘They know more than they let on.’ the reasons they give forfor their ideas.

Briefl y note down the main the reasons they ideas.

Briefl y note down the main Silverfi n, there aregive lots of their ‘action’ verbs, including struggled, points they make.

The house was built into the rock of the mountain, and the door was polished stone.

Her points they make. gripping and slid. These powerful verbs create excitement in the grandfather had lived on the mountaintop all his life. Odile had lived with story, him since she the reader imagine the movement and danger that helping was a baby. She had nobody else. In the house, the fire burned all the5year round.

‘Keep the character experiencing.

Verbs build intensity, so choosing In groups of three, discuss thethe views of Calvin.

5 In groups ofis three, discuss views of Calvin. the fire as hot as the human heart,’ said her grandfather, his jaw stern. ‘Never let it goverb out.’like struggled is often more effective in creating aOne powerful group member should give reasons why Speaker AA is is correct.

One group member should give reasons why Speaker correct.

That day, she had pulled her father’s coat around her, and set out. The wind caught the theshould excitement than choicepresent of adjective.

One group member reasons why Speaker BB is is correct.

One group member should present reasons why Speaker correct. coat as she walked down the mountain path, billowing it out behind her like a sail. It had The third member ofof thethe group should bebe thethe chairperson.

Use thethe The third member group should chairperson.

Use no buttons left, so she took a corner of the coat in each fist and held her arms stiff at her 3 Look again at in Activity the extract4.from you made notes you made in Activity 4. Silverfin. Write a paragraph side. She began to run, her hair blowing in her eyes and mouth, down thenotes hill. explaining how the writer uses powerful verbs to create excitement.

Find your Speaking tiptipown examples and comment on their effect.

Speaking

This will provide you with explanations of important content relating to grammar and language.

Each tip will help you to develop a technique or skill connected to reading, writing, speaking or listening.

4 Writers useasmany techniques toimportant create excitement. example, When you act chairperson, it is toto actact inFor a fiarm but When you act as chairperson, it is important in firm but theymanner. may useMake short sentences atother thegroup moment of greatest drama, friendly sure that other members listen and friendly manner.

Make sure that group members listen and 9 or theyYou might use aintroduce single sentence paragraph.

Look atdecide the short take turns. should the discussion and also take turns.

You should introduce the discussion and also decide when it is time the next person toto speak.

You can ask sentences infor the last 13 lines of the extract (from Healso stopped). when it is time for the next person speak.

You can also ask questions, summarise views decide when the discussion has questions, summarise views and decide when the discussion has In pairs, discuss which is and the most exciting short sentence and reached an end. reached an end. why. Make a note of your opinions.

5

6

Writers can use punctuation to create effects. In the extract, ellipsis is used atthe moments of drama. For example, in paragraph 5, • • How effective was group discussion?

How effective was the group discussion? the narrator states: • • In In what ways did each person contribute? what ways did each person contribute?

Themight castle was six feet away, finext ve time . .time . four . .have . have Theabranch was swaying • • What you improve onon next you What might you improve you a alarmingly. group discussion? group discussion?

Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final

Reading tip When exploring the effect of sentence types, remember to think about the specific effect they create. For example, short sentences do not always create excitement; sometimes they are used to convey anger or even humour.

Key words humour: when things are funny, or things that are funny ellipsis: a set of three dots ( . . . ) used to indicate that words have been left out

Here the ellipsis emphasises the tension, as if the character and the reader are holding their breath as the main character edges along theis branch. and subject to further changes prior to publication.

Find one other example of ellipsis from the extract and write a

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7 ‘The Travel Agency’ We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

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

Write 300 words how the writer It willexplaining be told from Odile’s pointpresents of view.Sannala in Extract 3. Include on: decide and make brief notes on: a Ondetails your own,

4

How to use this book

a

the image of that the writer • Sannala what happened whenpresents you met the Kraiks b the effect of structural techniques as flashback 2 ‘Hey, You Down There’ • what happened onsuch the next stage of and your quest. contrast b Think about the narrative structure of your monologue. cPractise the your effectspoken ofList voice, sentence and other language the events instructures thepairs, orderthen you perform will tell them in your 5 drama in your it to the Key word Look back at the structure outlined in class.techniques Remembermonologue. to: Session 1.1,ofActivity 4 for ideas. d how introduction character the themes Key word voice: the • speakthe clearly and use yourthis voice to showdevelops the characters’ feelings of6 friendship andyour loneliness. a particul Now write monologue. Remember that you are writing from • vary the volume and pace of your voice to show Calvin’s and pace: the speed character Odile’s point of view, so you will need to capture her voice. This at which someone Dora’s emotions.

Peer assessment or thinks means thinking carefully about her personality and attitude, and speaks or how fiction, or Swap accounts with a partner andphrases check how thoroughly theyexample, youquickly events choosing words and that convey this. For Self-assessment writer’s to have written about each point.

Copy and complete the table take place in have found out that Odile is young, but she is also brave. She likes point of v toyou indicate how effectively they have written about each point.

If can, make a recording of your drama and listen to it. a story adventures. She has been warned about the Kraiks, so she may be non-fi ctio Place a tick under red or amber or green.

• Is it likely to interest your audience? cautious and a little scared.

• Green means they have written in detail.

• Did you vary your voices?

Speaking assessment • AmberPeer means they have offered some detail.

• Did you speak clearly?

• Red means that they have not written about the bullet at all.

Before yo In groups, take turns reading your monologue aloud.

• Write a paragraph in your notebook giving an account of your mon your strengths andbits alsoofareas develop. were the most interesting • Which eachto monologue plan how to listen to? will speak a • Why? Give reasons for your assessment. words wil b Summary checklist emphasis c I can analyse and write a compound-complex sentence.

Where wi pause? H d I can •write andhave perform spoken drama.

Listening tip What you alearnt from writing this monologue? you use y What you do differently next time?

I can •assess mymight own speaking and performance skills. voice to m When receiving your mon verbal feedback, 5 Now feed back your findings to your partner. Explain your sound listen carefully to ex judgements, making sure you are polite and kind.

Summary checklist specific advice.

Ask for details I can predict how stories might develop.

Summary checklist 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 I can write and perform an interesting monologue. understand any In this session, you will: a theme. guidance. Take I can analyse how a writer presents a heroic character.

• explore the social and historical context of ‘Hey, You notes to help you I Down can write an analysis of how a character is presented.

There’ remember.

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After completing an activity, this provides you with the opportunity to either assess your own work or another student’s work.

This contains questions that ask you to look back at what you have covered and reflect on your learning.

2.3 Gold!

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This list summarises the important skills that you have learnt in the session.

These questions look back at some of the content you learnt in each session in this unit. If you can answer these, you are ready to move on to the next unit.

•

understand how non-standard English helps to convey character

•

practise your group discussion skills.

Check your progress Check your progress

Answer the following questions to check learnt in this 174 to check Answer the following questions whatwhat you you havehave learnt in this unit.unit.

1 What are the key features of adventure stories?

Give some examples of events that 1 Give an example of a symbol in a poem you have studied. happen in adventure stories.

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 2 What type of characters do you find in adventure stories? What happens to them?

1 What are key adventure determines thefeatures way in of which a text isstories? written’.

3GiveList three ways you keep anhappen audience relating an anecdote. some examples of can events that in interested adventure when stories.

3 Describe the differences between literal and figurative language.

Using explain what alliteration and stories? sibilance are.

2 4What typeexamples, of characters do you find in adventure 40 4 5Write a sentence containing an embedded clause. ways of creating a story.skills? What happens to them?

Are List theythree ordinary people or dosuspense they haveinspecial 5 GiveExplain two examples of a minor sentence. learnt planning, writing and redrafting your writing.

3 6Name three what ways you you have can keep anabout audience interested when relating an anecdote.

Writehow a list of tips for future students about improving writing.

6 Explain persuasive speeches are structured.

4 Using examples, explain what alliteration and sibilance are.

Check your progress

5

List three ways that a writer can create suspense.

Project Explain what you know about writing accounts of adventures.

6 Project In groups, youwriting are going to design and present some ideas for a specific improved?

ThisHow unithas hasyour explored the life stories of real people and characters in literature. You type of adventure story: the superhero story. Superhero stories are about are going to research and present the life story of a person in public life who has characters who have extraordinary powers. They are often normal made a difference. This might be a scientist who has made an important medical people who secretly change into superheroes in order to help people discovery, a person who has promoted peace or a young person who is trying to in need. Using the information in this unit as well as extra research: improve the planet like Greta Thunberg.

• devise a new superhero Think carefully about the person you choose to research. There are many people write a brief le who•have done goodcharacter things, soprofi it might be more interesting to choose someone who•is less well known.

Start by decide details about theresearching world theythe liveperson. in – is itFind out about their life recognisable story and theas positive things theyorhave your own world, is it done. a different type of place?

At the end of each unit, there is a group project that you can carry out with other students.

This will involve using some of the knowledge that you developed during the unit.

Your project might involve creating or producing something, or you might all solve a problem together.

Present research in the form of a booklet • your describe a costume they might wear to show in class.

You should present information in an appealing way. Use pictures, • draw the bad characters the superhero will encounter coloured text boxes and headingsthat to organise your material.

• everyone plan some Once has storylines. completed their booklet, spend time in groups reading other’s work. You discuss eachand Present youreach ideas as a group.

You should could use pictures person in turn.

Be prepared to justify to your group artwork to explain your ideas. why your person is the most significant.

Start by: At the end of your discussion, your group must • noting down the names of any superhero books, comics choose one person (in your group) who you and films you know think has made the most important contribution • discussing some ideas your group to society.

Nominate one initial student perwith group to tell class which person group has group • the working out who will your do what in your selected and why.

• planning ways to present your work.

162

7

31

Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

PL E

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

SA M

• •

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.

8 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1.1 The start of an adventure

Adventure stories are a genre. This means that different adventure stories contain similar features. In pairs, discuss: •

the types of characters in adventure stories

•

the types of settings in adventure stories

•

what happens in adventure stories

•

how these stories usually end.

Key words genre: a particular type of text, for example, adventure, comedy, crime, science fiction setting: the location of where a story takes place

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1

Compare your findings with another pair. Apart from the main character, what other types of people do you find in 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.

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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.

9 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1 Adventure

The wind caught her coat and tossed her upwards. Odile felt the sudden swoop of gravity undone.

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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.

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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.

2

3

Key word

Practise working out word meanings from their context.

The following words are taken from the third paragraph of the extract. What do you think they mean?

a fierce

c

irate

b confetti

d

bundled.

context: the situation within which something exists or happens

When reading a text, it is important to be able to identify and understand the main points and ideas that a writer tells you.

10 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1.1 The start of an adventure

Explicit information is information that the writer states directly.

Read the text again and make notes on: a what you can find out about Odile’s family b what is unusual about the setting 4

other unusual aspects of the story.

explicit information: ideas and details that a writer states directly narrative structure: the order in which a writer sets out the events in a story

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c

Key words

The narrative structure of a story is the order in which events take place. This includes how a story starts, when different pieces of information are revealed and how the story ends. Look at this timeline, which shows the first four main points in ‘Beware LowFlying Girls’.

You are told Odile can fly.

The strength of the wind is described.

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Her father’s coat is described.

You find out that Odile’s 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.) c

Why does the writer end this part of the story with Odile flying?

6

Which parts of the story have you found most interesting so far?

In your pairs, predict what you think might happen, or what you would like to find out, in the next part of the story. Do you both have the same opinion?

7

Write a summary of about 50 words explaining what you have learnt about the features of adventure stories. Use some examples from ‘Beware Low-Flying Girls’ in your summary.

Key words predict: say what you think might happen in the future opinion: a personal view or judgement about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge

11 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

Summary checklist

PL E

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!

In this session, you will:

describe how stories develop

•

explore the features of a monologue

•

write and perform a monologue.

SA M

•

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

PL E

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.

Extract 2

SA M

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 unbrushedtooth smell; a jackdaw’s breath, a cat’s sick pool, a burnt furball and a sailor’s earwax.

‘Kraiks,’ she whispered.

She looked up, up the edge of the mountainside. She could see nothing – only mist, and branches stretching like arms across the rocks. But a voice came down, thin and quiet.

jackdaw: a bird (a small crow) furball: a ball of fur that can develop in an animal’s stomach

‘Where are you going, little girl?’

Odile said nothing. She set her jaw, and kept climbing, heading sideways.

13 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

01

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 a problem.

•

Adventure stories usually end happily.

monologue: a story or speech given by one character tone: the way that someone speaks or how a piece of writing sounds, which helps suggest mood and feelings

PL E

2

3

A monologue is a spoken text told by one person. The speaker usually explains their feelings and attitudes, as well as telling a story in which they gradually reveal bits of information.

Listen to the monologue and answer the questions. You will need to listen for explicit information, but also consider the speaker’s tone, which can reveal how he is feeling.

SA M

a How many messages had Alex missed? b

Why does Alex think the music shop owners are happy to let John play the guitars?

c

How would you describe the relationship between Alex and his mother?

d

How does the story end?

e

‘Alex seems like a really kind person.’ To what extent do you agree with this view?

4

Just like written stories, monologues are carefully structured to keep the listener interested. When writing a monologue, it is important to think about when to tell the listener key information.

In pairs, discuss the following questions. a What were you told at the start of the monologue and how did this keep you interested? b

What was the most exciting or dramatic part of the monologue? At what point in the story did it happen?

c

How did the monologue end? How did the ending make you feel – were you happy for Alex?

Listening tip When you hear information spoken aloud, listen carefully for any explicit information. The way a person speaks and how they use their voice can also give you clues as to how they feel about the story they are telling.

Listen carefully not just to what is being said, but also the tone (i.e. how it is being said).

14 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1.2 Quest!

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

It will be told from Odile’s point of view. a

b

•

what happened when you met the Kraiks

•

what happened on the next stage of your quest.

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 Session 1.1, Activity 4 for ideas.

Now write your monologue. Remember that you are writing from Odile’s point of view, so you will need to capture her voice. This means thinking carefully about her personality and attitude, and choosing words and phrases that convey this. For example, you have found out that Odile is young, but she is also brave. She likes adventures. She has been warned about the Kraiks, so she may be cautious and a little scared.

SA M

6

On your own, decide and make brief notes on:

PL E

5

Key word voice: the way a particular character speaks or thinks in fiction, or the writer’s tone and point of view in non-fiction

Peer assessment

Speaking tip

In groups, take turns reading your monologue aloud.

Before you read your monologue, plan how you will speak. Which words will you emphasise?

Where will you pause? How can you use your voice to make your monologue sound exciting?

•

Which bits of each monologue were the most interesting to listen to?

•

Why? Give reasons for your assessment.

• What have you learnt from writing this monologue?

• What might you do differently next time?

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.

15 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

1.3 Train trouble In this session, you will: 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.

PL E

•

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 in traffic or had an annoying start to a holiday? What happened?

How did it make you feel? Tell your anecdote to a partner.

Tell the whole class your anecdote.

SA M

1

•

Explain clearly what happened.

•

Focus on feeling and emotion to engage your listeners.

•

Use tone of voice, gesture and facial expression to add meaning.

•

Give your anecdote a strong ending.

Speaking tip

When you relate an anecdote, make sure you give enough details about the event to help your listeners picture the scene. Effective speakers often use non-verbal communication, so think about how you could use gesture and facial expression to add meaning to your anecdote.

Around India in 80 Trains

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.

Key words anecdote: a short entertaining story that is usually spoken gesture: movements of the hands or arms to add emphasis to bring a story to life non-fiction: writing that is about real events and facts autobiography: a text in which the writer gives an account of their own life and experiences

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PL E

1.3 Train trouble

SA M

Chennai Egmore station could be heard before it was seen.

A cacophony erupted as we made our way under the arches, running after Subbu who had been instructed to come with us to the platform. 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. We ducked and wove around the slalom of wooden carts wheeled by men with no sense of urgency, strings of ­hand-holding children, hobbling dogs, stacked hessian sacks, nose-pickers, watersellers, booksellers and red-shirted porters.

Subbu now stood by our train, under a digital sign reading B2, his face powder dry, as we bent double, sweat running down our bodies.

Engines hissed and thudded as they began to move, high-pitched announcements singing out in breakneck-speed Tamil, while the smell of dried fish crept up my nostrils. Passepartout leapt about, clicking away, and I smiled weakly for the camera before boarding the Anantapuri Express to Nagercoil.

Subbu had already found our seats and placed our bags on each by the time we squeezed through. Thanking him, we dug out bottles of water, notebooks, pens, toilet paper, flannels and flip-flops, much to the amusement of our companions who had already chained up bags, hidden shoes, plugged in phones and sat down cross-legged, watching us. At 7.20pm the train jerked. Subbu bowed and slunk off as the train glided out of the station. Through the tinted window he was soon no more than a saluting silhouette.

We were on the move.

cacophony: a mix of loud, often unpleasant sounds assault course: an area filled with obstacles such as walls and ditches that people have to find a way over or around slalom: a skiing race down a long, winding course hobbling: walking unsteadily hessian: a strong, thick woven fabric

slunk: moved away smoothly and quietly silhouette: the shadow or outline of an object against a brighter background

17 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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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?

b

What do you learn about the actions and feelings of the narrator, Subbu and Passepartout?

Writers often give information to readers and leave them to work out what it means – this is implicit information. Understanding this is sometimes called ‘reading between the lines’. For example, in paragraph 1 of the extract, the writer implies that Subbu is calm.

She states that Subbu’s face was powder dry, which suggests that Subbu is not flustered and sweating, unlike the others.

Reread the final two paragraphs. In pairs, discuss the following questions: Why might the people on the train be amused?

b

What is being implied about the narrator and Passepartout’s experience of travel in India?

SA M

a

Language focus

Writers use different types of sentences for different effects.

For example, a simple sentence can provide basic, clear detail, but it can also create tension. Compound sentences and complex sentences add detail as well as creating effects, such as conveying excitement. When writing about sentences, try to link your comments about the sentence type to the effect it creates.

For example, think about what the shortness of a sentence suggests about the narrator’s feelings. Does the detail of a complex sentence help to suggest busyness or panic?

4

narrator: the person telling the story implicit information: ideas and details that readers have to work out for themselves simple sentence: a sentence with one main clause compound sentence: a sentence with two main clauses joined by ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’ complex sentence: a sentence with one main clause and one or more dependent clauses

PL E

3

Key words

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.

18 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1.3 Train trouble

Copy and complete the following table in your notebook to identify examples of simple, compound and complex sentences in the extract from Around India in 80 Trains. In the last column, comment on their effect. Explain how the writer builds up detail and the impression this gives the reader.

Sentence type Example Simple Compound

5

clause: a group of words that contain a verb subordinate clause: in grammar, a clause that cannot form a sentence alone but adds information to the main clause

Effect

SA M

Complex

Key words

PL E

The second sentence is longer and more detailed. The first clause introduces an image of the clutter of the station. The subordinate clause (who was winding . . .) contains more detail, using ‘and’ twice.

The effect is to convey the huge number of things in the station.

The length and detail of the sentence reflects the detail of the scene being described.

In Activity 1, you told an anecdote about 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 images, lists and interesting words to bring the scene to life. Use a range of simple, compound and complex sentences to add detail and variety to your writing.

Peer assessment

Share your finished account with another student. Discuss the following questions: •

Which bits of your writing do you think are most effective and why?

•

Did you use a variety of sentences?

•

If you were to redraft your work, what would you do differently?

Summary checklist I can use language to engage listeners in a spoken account.

I can identify and understand implicit information in a text.

I can use different sentence types to write an interesting account.

Writing tip Remember that the language and style of written accounts is different to spoken accounts, so think carefully about the way you phrase your writing.

For example, people often do not speak in full sentences, although you can hear where ideas start and end, but you must always write in full sentences.

19 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

1.4 A hard journey In this session, you will: 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.

PL E

•

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’

SA M

Read the following poem by Li Po, an 8th century Chinese poet.

Gold vessels,

At peace I drop a hook

Jade dishes of rare meats,

into a brooklet,

costing more thousands,

At once I’m in a boat but sailing sunward...

I lay my chopsticks down, no more can banquet,

(Hard is the journey,

I draw my sword and stare

Hard is the journey,

wildly about me:

So many turnings,

vessels: hollow containers jade: a hard, green stone banquet: a feast brooklet: a small stream

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

Copy and complete this table to list the events of each stanza.

The first one has been done as an example.

Stanza

What happens

1

The narrator describes expensive meats.

2 3 4 5 6

SA M

Language focus

Key word stanza: a group of lines of poetry, sometimes called a verse

PL E

1

Poets often use different types of sound effects, such as alliteration and sibilance. These sound patterns are effective when the poem is read aloud. They are used sometimes for very specific effects.

Alliteration is when consonant sounds are repeated at the start of words (e.g. ‘the rifle’s rapid rattle’ – the repeated ‘r’ sound brings to mind the stuttering sound of a gun being fired).

Sibilance is the repetition of soft consonant sounds, usually the ‘s’ sound (e.g. ‘the ship moved slowly through the sea’ – the repeated ‘s’ sound brings to mind the sound of a ship moving 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?

Key words alliteration: use of the same sound, especially consonants, at the beginning of several closetogether words sibilance: use of repeated soft consonant sounds for emphasis

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1 Adventure

5

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.

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 the poem means.

What is the overall mood of the poem – is it optimistic or pessimistic? Here are two possible interpretations of the poem.

Discuss them in small groups. Do you agree with either of them?

Why/why not?

Key word mood: the feeling created by the words, sounds and images in a poem

SA M

6

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 makes notes on:

PL E

4

This is a poem about 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.

22 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1.4 A hard journey

Present your thoughts from Activity 6 to another group and listen to their ideas. Then debate your ideas. You should: •

clearly explain and justify your views

•

discuss your ideas, making sure you take turns

•

come to an agreement about which view is the most convincing.

Speaking tip When debating ideas, listen carefully to others’ opinions and their reasoning. When challenging their views, be polite and friendly. You could organise your debate in a formal way, with a teacher or student taking on the role of chairperson to keep order and make sure that everybody gets a chance to speak.

PL E

7

Self-assessment

How well did you contribute to your group discussion and debate?

•

Did you give a clear opinion and justify it?

•

Did you listen respectfully to other people’s views?

•

What advice would you give to others in your group about improving their skills?

Using ideas from the table you created in Activity 1 and from your 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:

SA M

8

•

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.

23 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

1.5 Danger!

In this session, you will: investigate some features of suspense writing

•

explore the effects of language and grammatical choices

•

read aloud with expression.

PL E

•

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.

SA M

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.

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.

He looked down at the black waters, so still now, but he could picture the eels beneath the surface, lying in the stinking mud at the bottom, their wide snouts sticking out, waiting patiently. His one consolation was that if the fall didn’t kill him, it would at least knock him unconscious, and he would know nothing about sinking down through the dark waters towards their slimy mouths.

loch: lake consolation: something that makes you feel better

He suddenly felt very lonely. If he fell, Kelly wouldn’t come, and nobody else knew he was here. He was utterly alone.

24 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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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.

He stopped.

PL E

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.

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.

SA M

And then he heard it.

First a creak. Like a loose tread on a staircase.

And then a crack.

mounting: getting bigger tread: the surface of a step or stair

He felt the branch shudder . . . It was splitting.

1

2

In your notebook: a

list the dangers and problems that the main character faces

b

note down how you think James feels

c

write down the six most exciting sentences in the story.

Find a partner and compare your ideas. Do you agree?

Imagine you are making a film based on Silverfin. Create a storyboard of six images that show the most important parts of the story. Choose your images carefully – which ones would help to create a feeling of suspense?

Key word storyboard: a series of drawings or images showing the planned order of images in frames (in films and television)

25 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1 Adventure

Reading tip

To create excitement in suspense stories, writers often use verbs that suggest movement and power. In the first paragraph of Silverfin, there are lots of ‘action’ verbs, including struggled, gripping and slid. These powerful verbs create excitement in the story, helping the reader imagine the movement and danger that the character is experiencing. Verbs build intensity, so choosing a powerful verb like struggled is often more effective in creating excitement than the choice of adjective.

When exploring the effect of sentence types, remember to think about the specific effect they create. For example, short sentences do not always create excitement; sometimes they are used to convey anger or even humour.

PL E

Language focus

Look again at the extract from Silverfin. Write a paragraph explaining how the writer uses powerful verbs to create excitement.

Find your own examples and comment on their effect.

4

Writers use many techniques to create excitement. For example, they may use short sentences at the moment of greatest drama, or they might use a single sentence paragraph. Look at the short sentences in the last 13 lines of the extract (from He stopped).

In pairs, discuss which is the most exciting short sentence and why. Make a note of your opinions.

SA M

3

5

Writers can use punctuation to create effects. In the extract, ellipsis is used at moments of drama. For example, in paragraph 5, the narrator states:

The castle was six feet away, five . . . four . . . The branch was swaying alarmingly.

Here the ellipsis emphasises the tension, as if the character and the 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.

Key words humour: when things are funny, or things that are funny ellipsis: a set of three dots ( . . . ) used to indicate that words have been left out

26 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1.6 Creating suspense

Using your knowledge of the way the text has been written, read the extract aloud to a partner. As you read, focus on expressing the excitement. Work out: •

which words and phrases you will emphasise

•

how loud or soft your voice will be at various points

•

how long you will pause when ellipsis is used

•

when you will slow down or speed up your reading to create excitement.

Speaking tip When performing a story aloud, always plan how you will emphasise certain words.

When actors perform scripts, they spend time considering how they will speak certain phrases and where they will pause. Use a pencil to make notes on the story to help you plan.

PL E

7

Summary checklist

I can comment on the features of suspense stories.

I can describe the effects of language and grammatical choices.

I can read a story aloud with expression.

SA M

1.6 Creating suspense

In this session, you will: •

use planning techniques for a piece of narrative writing

•

explore what makes a successful opening to a story

•

write and edit a narrative text.

Key word script: the words in a play, film, etc.

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?

27 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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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.

PL E

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.

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:

SA M

3

•

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.

28 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

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1.6 Creating suspense

Here is a sample answer to this task:

PL E

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 se en. But to get to the cave, I would ne ed 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.

SA M

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.

29 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1 Adventure

6

Discuss the sample answer in pairs. a

What do you think is good about it?

b

What ideas or techniques could you use in your own story?

c

Look how punctuation devices such as the dash, ellipsis, colon and semi-colon have been used. How do they help with meaning?

Now discuss the voice of the text. What sort of personality does the narrator have? Make a list of phrases the writer uses to convey the narrator’s personality.

Peer assessment

Ask a friend to read your story aloud. Listen carefully to how it sounds. Which bits do you both think are the best?

Which bits need redrafting?

•

Use a highlighter to identify paragraphs you want to improve.

Help each other with ideas and phrases. Remember to spellcheck your work.

SA M

•

•

Writing tip Redrafting your work can be timeconsuming, but it is essential. When you redraft, start by considering structure. Is the order right or does it need rearranging?

Do some parts need more explanation?

Then turn your attention to the detail, such as word choices, ensuring you have used strategies you know to spell words correctly.

PL E

5

Look at the effectiveness and range of punctuation you have used. Can you use some of these when you redraft your work?

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.

30 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

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.

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 students about improving writing.

Project

PL E

2

SA M

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.

31 Original material © Cambridge University Press 2020. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.