Oxford Reading Circle

Book-7

Teacher’s Guide

Sue Gilbert
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 INTRODUCTION

This new Teacher’s Guide has been written to help teachers to exploit fully
all the learning opportunities presented in the Oxford Reading Circle series
of reading books.
It provides, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, suggestions for how the various
points of reading covered can be taught. It also contains suggestions on how
the illustrations and texts can be used to develop language by relating the
content to the students’ own wider experiences and by encouraging them to
predict outcomes in the light of what they can see or what they have already
read. There are also some supplementary activities and games to reinforce
the teaching in a less formal way.
The Guide supplies answers for the Exercises sections of the student book
where appropriate, recognising that there are not always ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
answers and any valid contribution from a student must be welcomed, and
a variety of responses should be encouraged.
Each class is different and only the teacher will know which activities will
work with his/her students. For this reason, although the Guide can be used
as a step-by-step lesson plan, it is in no way prescriptive, and not all teaching
steps have to be followed, but I hope that every teacher will find something
that can be used to promote their students’ learning of English and in some
way help with their lesson preparation.
 Contents

1. e Two Kings __________________________________________________ 1

2. Piano _________________________________________________________ 2
3. My Big Brother _________________________________________________ 2
4. Why the Opossum’s Tail is Bare ____________________________________ 3
5. Alone _________________________________________________________ 5
6. Monsieur Corbett and Monsieur Marmion ___________________________ 5
7. UMPiring _____________________________________________________ 6
8. Night Mail _____________________________________________________ 7
9. Trees Can Speak ________________________________________________ 8
10. A Drive in the Motor Car _________________________________________ 9
11. Futility _______________________________________________________ 10
12. A Little Princess ________________________________________________ 11
13. English is Tough _______________________________________________ 12
14. Louise ________________________________________________________ 13
15. The Rear-Guard ________________________________________________ 14
16. The Yellow Face ________________________________________________ 15
17. Matilda _______________________________________________________ 16
18. The Idea in the Back of My Brother’s Head ___________________________ 17
19. The Long Exile _________________________________________________ 18
20. Oliver Twist ___________________________________________________ 19
21. e Charge of the Light Brigade ___________________________________ 21
22. The £1,000,000 Banknote ________________________________________ 22
23. For Whom the Bell Chimes _______________________________________ 23
 Oxford Reading Circle Book 7

Teacher’s Guide

Chapter 1
The Two Kings
1. Talk about competition. How is it a good thing? When does competition become negative rivalry? Do
students suffer from rivalry from their siblings?
2. Use an atlas or globe to show students where Tibet is. Ask them for information about Tibet.

(Page 8)
1. With closed books, write the words on the board and ask students to note which ones they do not know;
ask them to look out for these words in the text and try to work out the meanings through the context.
After reading the text go over the meanings again.

(Page 1)
1. Read to in a hurry. Is this competition or rivalry between the kings?

(Pages 1—3)
1. What was the problem with the girl that was found to marry the second king? What sensible step did the
king take? (He decided to meet her.)

(Page 4)
1. Read the text. Why is it not possible to test beauty? (It is in the eye of the beholder/It is a subjective
judgment because people’s tastes differ.)
2. What is the first queen trying to prove?

(Pages 5—8)
1. Ask students to comment on the nature of the tasks. Do they require academic cleverness or common
sense or general knowledge?

(Page 9)
1. Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Use dictionaries to explain the differences between the words.
3. Ex C. Use dictionaries to use the words correctly in sentences.
4. Ask students if they know similar puzzles or any riddles.

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Chapter 2
Piano
1. Talk about how people used to spend their evenings before there was the television/video/DVD/computer.
They could ask older relatives to provide information.

(Page 12)
1. Explain that the poem was written about 100 years ago. Read the biographical note.
2. Teach the new words.

(Page 10)
1. Read the poem. What stirs the poet’s memories? (The sound of the piano stirs his memories.) Where is he
when he is reminded of his childhood? (He is at a concert listening to a pianist and a singer [verse 3].)
2. Describe in detail what the poet remembers; refer to verses 1 and 2.
3. Is he able to block out these memories? (No, he cannot [In spite of myself...Betrays me back...].) How does
he feel? (He is nostalgic [my heart weeps].)
4. Is childhood a time of glamour or is this a romanticized memory?

(Page 12)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions not already covered.
2. Ex B. Ask students to look at the rhyme scheme (AA, BB).
3. Ex C. Students should look closely at the text and word box if necessary. (1. boom/tinkling 2. appassionato
3. parlour 4. black 5. evenings 6. mother/child)
4. Ex D. Use the words once they have been made. (boyhood, manhood, childhood, widowhood, likelihood)
Note spelling of last word.
5. Ex E. Ask students to talk about any piece of music, sound, smell, etc. that reminds them of a time in the
past.

Chapter 3
My Big Brother
1. Talk about position in the family and whether older siblings should be able to tell younger ones how to
behave. Do older siblings have responsibilities to their younger brothers and sisters?
2. Note that the story is told in the first person; this is a good way to show how people are feeling as well as
what they do and say.

(Page 21)
1. Look at the new words and read the meanings; ask students to look for them as you read the text and see
how they are used in sentences.

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(Pages 14—15)
1. Read to hard-earned money. In which ways are the brothers different? What do students suspect about the
older brother’s academic ability? Is he slow in learning because education is important and should not be
acquired hastily, or because he finds it hard to succeed? What does he do when he is supposedly studying?
(He doodles, copies couplets several times etc.)
2. Is play a waste of time or is it important to have physical exercise?

(Pages 15—16)
1. Read to scoldings. What happens to the narrator’s good intentions?

(Pages 16—17)
1. Read the text. How does the older brother greet his brother’s success? (He offers no congratulations.)
What do his comments about his work on page 17 tell the reader about his academic ability?

(Pages 18—21)
1. What is the narrator worried about? (catching up with his brother) How do we know the brother is also
worried about this?
2. How does the brother maintain his right to be superior to his younger brother?
3. What does the last paragraph tell us?

(Page 22)
1. Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask students to refer to the text to complete the sentences with the author’s words and to explain
the sentences in their own words. (1. to understand his creation 2. dressing down 3. a tremendous effort
4. sermons and scoldings 5. ego expanded)
3. Ex C. Students may wish to refer back to the text before they write their own sentences.
4. Ex D. Discuss the statement or organize a debate on the theme of ‘Age must be respected in all circumstances’.

Chapter 4
Why the Opossum’s Tail is Bare (Page 23)
1. If required, give students some basic information about opossums using the notes below.
2. Look at the title of the story; remind students that legends are used to explain natural phenomena in a non-
scientific way and also often contain a moral. As they read the story, students should be thinking about
what the moral might be.

(Page 28)
1. Learn the new words.

(Pages 23—24)
1. Read to long bushy tail. What do students think of these opening remarks about animals?

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(Pages 24—26)
1. Read to more loudly than usual. Why is the rabbit jealous of the opossum’s tail?
2. What do we learn about the character of the opossum?
3. Predict what the rabbit might do to play a trick on the opossum.

(Pages 26—28)
1. Were any student predictions correct?
2. How does Opossum’s behaviour reinforce the negative image of him?
3. Do students think that the opossum deserved such harsh treatment?

(Page 29)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask students to put the expressions into their own words. (1. be overwhelmed by emotion (e.g. anger,
rage) and unable to control himself 2. praise very highly 3. cause him to lose his important position
4. occupied with 5. completely filled with)
3. Ex C. Students need to study the text closely. (1. glossy 2. rage/fury 3. scaly 4. arrogance 5. grooming
6. harmoniously)
4. Ex D. Students should choose appropriate words from the text. Possible answers are: 1. conceited
2. cunning 3. handsome 4. scaly 5. cruel 6. wily.
5. Ex E. Ask students to talk about the morals in the story, in particular Pride comes before a fall.
6. Activity: Students may wish to act out the story; alternatively they could write their own versions of the
story, set in the present day and involving people rather than animals, where a proud person is taught a
lesson. It will be necessary first to show the ‘opossum’ figure at his worst!

The Opossum
The Virginia opossum is North America’s only marsupial. A marsupial is an animal with a pouch, like a
kangaroo or a koala. The opossum has been around for at least 70 million years and is one of Earth’s oldest
surviving mammals!
The opossum is about the size of a large house cat. It has a triangular head and a long pointed nose. It has
greyish fur everywhere but on its ears, feet and tail. Its tail is prehensile. A prehensile tail is adapted for
grasping and wrapping around things like tree limbs. The opossum can hang from its tail for a short time.
Some people think opossums hang from their tails and sleep. They don’t. Their tails aren’t strong enough
to hold them for that long!
The opossum has opposable hallux. A hallux is like a thumb. The opossum’s “thumbs” are on its rear feet.
The hallux helps it grasp branches when it climbs.
The opossum doesn’t hibernate in the winter. It will often hole up during very cold weather because it runs
the risk of getting frostbite on its hairless ears, tail and toes.
The Virginia opossum lives in a wide variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open woods and
farmland. It tends to prefer wet areas like marshes, swamps and streams. The Virginia opossum is nocturnal
and uses its keen sense of smell to locate food. It is omnivorous and eats just about anything, including lots
of different plants and animals like fruits, insects, and other small animals. Sometimes, it eats rubbish and

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 carrion. Carrion is the dead and rotting body of an animal. Because so much carrion is road kill, opossums
are often killed by cars while looking for food on roadways.

Chapter 5
Alone (Page 33)
1. Ex D. Ask students if they have had any experiences which they think are different from those of their
peers, and whether these experiences may cause them to react in different ways from other people? If they
have no personal experiences, do they know of anybody real or fictional who has? For example, this could
be spending part of one’s life in another country.

(Page 30)
1. Read the note about the author. Tell the students that Poe also wrote many ghost stories.
2. Read the poem, referring to the words in the box on page 32 as necessary.
3. Look at lines 1–8. Ask the students to paraphrase this. (e.g. the poet has always been different from others;
his feelings, whether happy or sad, have never been moved by the things that move others and others have
never shared his loves.)
4. Look at the remainder of the poem. When did his stormy life begin? (It began in his childhood.)
5. What aspects of nature influenced him?

(Page 32)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Students are already familiar with the term couplets. Read the explanation and then complete the
exercise. (2. There are 7 syllables and 4 stresses in each line. 3. Most are open.)
2. Ex C. 1. This is a task that can be set as homework or completed as pair work. (2 a. deep sleep b. deep freeze
c. teeny-weeny)

Chapter 6
Monsieur Corbett and Monsieur Marmion
1. Explain that this time, as students read the story, they should think about two comprehension questions
that they could ask the class or a small group. The questions should be designed to show that the reader
has understood the text and also, if possible, what the words of the text are trying to show the reader e.g.
about characters, situations etc.

(Page 40)
1. Teach the new words.

(Pages 34—39)
1. Read the story straight through, then give students 10 minutes to write their questions.
2. Students should be selected to ask their questions to the class. It may not be necessary for all students to
speak if they have chosen the same areas for questions.

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(Page 40)
1. Ex A. Look at the questions and comment on how they compare with those that the students have already
asked. Answer any questions that have not already been dealt with.
2. Ex B. Ask students to form speech sentences that could be delivered in the ways described by the adverbs.
They may need to use dictionaries to check the meanings of the given adverbs.
3. Ex C. Ask students to explain the idioms in their own words. (1. to go very slowly 2. to head directly for
something 3. to look stupid 4. to upset the existing situation/cause trouble 5. to carry out hard physical
work or the main part of a task 6. to suspect something is not as it ought to be)
4. Ex D. (pearl, ruby, silver, gold, jade, emerald, garnet, platinum, diamond, sapphire)
5. Ex E. Talk about the morals of the story, in particular the need to treat others as you would wish to be
treated yourself, how kindness is rewarded and how all actions have consequences.

Chapter 7
UMPiring
1. Talk about the duties of an umpire or referee and the need to be impartial and fair and to establish the
trust of the players and spectators of a sport. What will be the consequences if the umpire is not seen to be
neutral?
2. Look at the title on page 42. Ask students to suggest why it is written in this way but do not give an
explanation.

(Page 50)
1. Learn the new words.

(Page 42)
1. Read the text. Ask students to explain the origins of the cricket match and where it is played. Why does the
match attract so much local interest?

(Page 43)
1. Read the text. Why does the maths teacher refuse to be the umpire? Give reasons why the visitor is a good
choice and why he may not be such a good choice.

(Pages 44—45)
1. How do we know that Mr Hussain is taking his responsibility seriously? (He is studying the rules.)
2. Why is he told not to forget his personality? (They think that nobody will argue with someone who is so
important, whatever he may say.)
3. Look at the section on Jamil (Jamil happened to be...stumps). What is this saying about the way he
umpires?

(Pages 46—49)
1. Read to the end of the story. Look at the details of the match; how does the author build up the tension at
the end of the match? (very close score, details of how the ball is hit and caught, unclear decision)

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2. How does the umpire’s personality affect the result of the match? (When the rule is unclear, nobody argues
with him and because both batsmen are out, the 11th man cannot take the field alone.)
3. Were students’ ideas about the title correct? If necessary, explain that MP is short for Member of Parliament.

(Pages 50—51)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask students to find the words. (1. declare 2. rule 3. complicated/complex 4. spectacles 5. prompter)
3. Ex C. Students should give their views—there is no right or wrong answer but reasons should be given.

Chapter 8
Night Mail
1. Explain that the poem is about a special train that travelled through the night and carried mail posted in
England to be delivered next day in Scotland. The poem describes not only the journey, imitating by its
rhythm the speed of the train, but also tells of the different kinds of mail the train is carrying.
2. Although this is an age of electronic communication, ask students how they feel about receiving a letter or
a parcel through the post; do they agree that it is always exciting?

(Page 55)
1. Teach the new words.

(Pages 52—54)
1. Read the poem. Try to emphasize the changes in rhythm and tempo while reading it aloud.
2. Look at Section I. Establish that the train is travelling at a regular pace. What kind of landscape is the train
passing through? (countryside; poem mentions grasses, birds, sheepdogs and farms)
3. Why are the carriages ‘blank-faced’? (There are no passengers on the train.)
4. Look at section II. How has the rhythm changed? (It has slowed down as the train comes into the built-up
areas.) Notice that the poem is no longer in rhyming couplets. What simile is used for the furnaces? How
effective is it?
5. Look at Section III. Elicit that this concentrates on the type of mail that the train is carrying. The rhythm is
now very quick and there are rhymes within lines as well as at the ends of them. Ask students to comment
on the skill of the poet and the effect of this section.
6. Look at the final section. Establish that the pace has now slowed down again as the train approaches its
destination. The rhyming pattern has again been abandoned. Ask students to comment on the sentiment
expressed in the final 4 lines.

(Page 56)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Students should look for possible answers in the text.
3. Ex C. as above. Students could collect their answers under the headings as they read through the text
closely.

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4. Ex D. Ask students to decipher the anagrams. (1. platform 2. station 3. carriage 4. shunting 5. junction
6. engine) Check that they know the meanings of the terms in this context.
5. Ex E. Discuss these questions with reference to modern technology.

Chapter 9
Trees Can Speak
1. Explain that this is a story from Australia and the setting is a gold-mining area. Ask students to suggest
what sort of characters the men who worked in these areas might be.

(Page 64)
1. Read through the new words and ask students to try to put some of the words into sentences. Ask students
to look out for the words as they read through the story to see how they are used.

(Pages 57—58 )
1. Read to silence of trees. Ask students to suggest why the man never speaks. (There is no correct answer, but
their ideas may be interesting.)
2. Ask students to suggest why his look was searching. (Perhaps he was wondering why the visitor was using
crutches; perhaps trying to assess what the visitor wanted or whether he was friendly or trying to takeover
his area, or any other suggestion appropriate in the context.)
3. Why does the visitor say that Half the troubles of this world come from collections of specks like those? (Many
problems are caused by disputes over money and possessions.) Do students agree with this statement?
4. Look at the paragraph that starts with, He smiled. Why does it take so much effort for him to smile? (He
does not smile often.)

(Pages 58—59)
1. Read the text. How does the prospector help the visitor get to the mine? (He studies the path— makes sure
it is clear and safe for him to walk on with his crutches.)
2. What shows us that the prospector is proud of his mine? (He is happy to let the visitor see it and is pleased
that he was impressed.)
3. Do students think that the narrator will be allowed to go down into the mine?

(Pages 59—61)
1. What problems does the narrator face in reaching the mining area? How does the miner help him overcome
these difficulties?

(Pages 61—63)
1. Find some of the words and phrases the author uses to help the reader feel what it was like at the bottom
of the shaft and how good it was to be back above ground.
2. How many words does the miner speak in all of the time they are together? (Yes and Goodbye.) How does
the visitor know what he is thinking and feeling? (Through his expressions.)
3. Do you think the miner is happy with his life or is he lonely? (There is no correct answer.)

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4. The story is told in the first person; would it be so effective if told in the third person? Students should give
reasons for their answer.

(Page 64)
1. Look at the words again and check how they are used in the story.

(Page 65)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions with reference to the text.
2. Ex B. 1. to show reluctance 2. whirling — the bucket was twisting round but it looked as though the strata
of the rock were in a spiral
3. Ex C. This could be set as a homework task. Encourage students to select adjectives that relate to textures
and sounds and moods as well as colours. Ask students to read out good examples.

Chapter 10
A Drive in the Motor Car
1. Ask students if they have read any of Roald Dahl’s stories (BFG; Matilda: The Twits, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory etc.) Encourage students who have read his books to talk about the way he writes,
particularly the humour which can be gruesome. Explain that this story is a chapter from his autobiography
Boy. The event happened at a time when cars had only recently been invented and not many of them were
seen on the road; at that time it was not necessary to own a driver’s licence—anybody could own and drive
a car.

(Page 74)
1. Teach the new words.

(Pages 66—67)
1. Read the text
2. Why were the children so excited? (There were very few cars around so this was a rare experience.)
3. Why does he give the age of everybody? (Ages are important to children.)

(Page 68)
1. Read the text. Ask students to comment on the simile The driver was clutching the steering wheel as though
it was the hair of a drowning man. (It was as if her life depended on it.)

(Pages 69—70)
1. Read the text. How did Dahl’s mother react after the accident? What sort of character do you think she
was?

(Pages 71—72)
1. Read to sleep... Ask students to comment on the way the operation was performed.

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(Pages 72—73)
1. Read the text. How was Dahl rewarded for his bravery? Do students think he had really been as brave as he
appears in the story or is the author exaggerating a little to make the story more dramatic? Are there any
other sections where he might be exaggerating?

(Pages 74—75)
1. Ex A. Ask students to refer to the text to answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Form the verbs as a class exercise and make sample sentences before the students do this themselves.
(1. sling/slung 2. cannon/cannonade 3. gun/gunned 4. scythe/scythed 5. trigger/triggered 6. knife/
knifed 7. bayonet/bayoneted 8. fire/fired)
3. Ex C. Ask students to change the words so that the sentences are correct. (1. reflect–deflect 2. boot–bonnet
3. were – was [everyone is singular and must take singular verb form] 4. omit ‘was’)
4. Ex D. Make two sentences for each word to show the different meanings. Ask students to say whether they
are using the word as a verb or a noun in each sentence.
5. Ex E. This task could be set as a homework task.
6. Extension: Students could write about a memorable incident from their own life; to make it interesting
they could exaggerate. Stories could be read out in class.
7. Encourage students to read all of Boy or another book by Roald Dahl.

Chapter 11
Futility (Page 76)
1. Read the biographical note. Explain that Owen was another of the poets of the First World War.
2. Ask students to look at the title of the poem and ask them what view of war the poem might be expressing.

(Page 76)
1. Read the poem, referring to the words in the box on page 77 when necessary.
2. Look at the first verse. Ask students what has happened. (Somebody has died from the cold and they are
trying to revive him in the warmth of the sun.) Ask students to paraphrase the verse. (The sun used to wake
him up when he was a farmer, thinking about the work he had to do to plant the crops; in France it also
used to wake him, but he has not survived the snow; the sun is their last hope of reviving him.)
3. Look at the second verse, which is the poet’s more general comment. What is he saying? (Life is pointless
if lives are going to be wasted in this way.)
4. Ask students to paraphrase this verse (Think about how the sun makes plants grow and how it was
responsible for the start of life on Earth; if it is that powerful, surely the sun ought to be able to wake the
body of the soldier. If people are going to die in this way, what was the point of making the earth so fruitful
—it would have been better to leave it as it was.)
5. Ask students to comment on the message of the poem; do they agree with the sentiments that Owen
expresses? What sort of mood must the poet have been in when he wrote these words?

(Pages 77—78)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.

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2. Ex B. Read the explanation. The rhyming words are snow/know and tall/all.
3. Ex C. Ask students to match the pairs of words. (back seat, blood red, small boned, warm blooded, )
4. Ex D. Students may have seen films or TV footage that depict battle scenes that may help them to realize
the horror and chaos of battle. Discuss in class.

Chapter 12
A Little Princess (Page 87)
1. Explain that this story was written over a hundred years ago about life in England at that time.
2. Teach the new words. Ask students to underline them as they occur in the text.

(Pages 79—80)
1. Read to take the liberty. From what students have read in the text, how do they think servants were treated?
(Miss Minchin is shocked and scandalized by the idea of Becky staying at the party and had never thought
of her as a little girl, or even a person, she was a machine to do hard work. Becky had to be very grateful
for being allowed to stay with the other girls. Also, there was a pecking order among servants themselves
[...allow the superior servants to pass...].)

(Pages 80—81)
1. Read to enjoy yourselves. Ask students to comment on how Miss Minchin treats Sara and talks about her.
From her comments, what is the reason for her great respect for Sara? (her wealth) How does Sara feel
about this attention? (She is embarrassed [she felt herself growing rather hot].)
2. Ask students to give their impression of Sara so far. Do they think she is popular with all her peers?

(Pages 81—83)
1. Read to Miss Amelia came into the room. How is the birthday gift suitable for somebody like Sara? (It is
very expensive.)
2. Is there any student who may not like Sara? (Lavinia may be jealous.)
3. Reread the paragraph ending came into the room. Ask students to predict what is going to happen.

(Pages 83—84)
1. Read the text
2. Are Miss Minchin and the solicitor alone? (No, Becky is under the table.)
3. How does Miss Minchin react when the solicitor expresses criticism of Sara’s father?

(Pages 85—86)
1. Read the text
2. What distressing items of news does Miss Minchin learn from the solicitor?
3. Ask students how they think Sara’s life is going to change, giving evidence from the text to support their
ideas. In particular, they should relate their answers to how she treats the poor servant girl.

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4. Look at page 85. Why does the solicitor refer so many times to dear friends? Why does he cite them as one
of the Captain’s business troubles?
5. Look back at the underlined words in the story to see how they have been used in context.

(Pages 87—88)
1. Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask the students to paraphrase the given expressions. (1. She did it against her will. 2. from that
point of view 3. was ill-mannered enough 4. stood up straight 5. lead to financial disaster)
3. Ex C. Use dictionaries to find out the meanings of the adverbs and then make sentences. Students could
read out their sentences in the stated manner.
4. Ex D. Students could write about this topic and present their ideas to the class.

Chapter 13
English is Tough (Pages 93—94 )
1. Read the explanation and tell students that this poem is not to be taken too seriously. They will already be
familiar with the difficulties of English spelling and pronunciation.
2. Look at the word list and pronounce the words. To help in reading the poem, students may wish to write
the phonetic version of the words over the corresponding words in the text.

(Pages 89—93)
1. Read the poem; it may be necessary to stop after each 2 or 3 verses to see what points the author is trying
to make about words which may look alike but not rhyme, or look different yet rhyme, or the number of
different ways in which the same sound can be written.

(Pages 94—95)
1. Ex A. Ask students to answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask students to list the words.
Silent c – victual, scenic, science, scientific, disciple
Silent b –tomb, bomb, comb
Silent p – corps, receipt, psalm, Psyche
Consecutive ou – you, sounds, your, bouquet, mould, should, would, rounded, wounded, devour, clangour,
soul, foul, sound, though, moustache, tour, our, succour, four, ought, out, joust, scour, scourging, roughen,
stout, housewife, enough, through, plough, dough, cough, hiccough
Four-plus vowels – creature, creation, pronunciation, anemone, bouquet, differences, conscience, scientific,
moustache, moreover, malaria, Italian, dandelion, battalion, leisure, deceiver, aerie, housewife
3. Consonants – English, sounds, corpse, corps, words, streak, script, scholar, kitchen, laundry, correctly,
stranger, first, little, conscience, liberty, constable, unstable, Sally, ally, surprise, ought, right, abyss, strewn,
Islington, Wight, finally, through (NOT Psyche, dizzy, rhyme hyphen where y is used as a vowel)
Shortest – I followed by ay and ye.
Longest – pronunciation

12
3. Students could do this as a homework task. They should also find out information about membership of
these groups and their purpose.
(1. World Health Organisation 2. United Nations 3. European Union 4. Non-Aligned Movement 5. South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation 6. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
4. Ex D. The answer is Titicaca. Use atlases to find the answer. Check how the name fits to requirements of
the riddle.

Chapter 14
Louise (Page 106)
1. Teach the new words.

(Page 96)
1. Read to bottom of her heart. Note that the story is told in the first person, so we will see everything from
the narrator’s point of view only.
2. Ask students what the narrator believes about Louise. (She is trying to fool people in some way, and he is
the only one who is not deceived by her.)
3. Look at the passage I was never quite certain ……her heart. Ask students to try to paraphrase this sentence.
(The narrator did not know whether Louise was pretending or whether she herself had come to believe in
the deception, or whether it was just a joke.)

(Pages 96—99)
1. Read to she answered. What is Louise’s health problem? (weak heart)
2. Read the passage He gave up the games ……for a week. How does she use her illness to limit her husband’s
activities? Ask the students whether they think the author believes that she is ill at these times, or is he
being sarcastic?
3. What activities arouse the author’s suspicions about her true state of health?
4. Read to trouble you long, she said. How does Tom die? Could his death, perhaps, have been avoided?
5. Look at the sentence I never saw anyone so grateful as he for the privilege of being allowed to take care of this
frail little thing. Ask students what they think the author is really trying to say. (He thought George had
been truly fooled by Louise, who wasn’t such a frail little thing at all.)

(Pages 99—101)
1. Read to haven’t you? What sacrifice did George make for Louise? (He gave up his military career.)
2. On Page 100 line 6, why does the author say notwithstanding her weak heart? (Because these are not
activities that are normally associated with a person who is so ill.)
3. On page 101 line 8, why does the author say And poor Tom!? (To let her know that he is not fooled by
her.)
4. Can students find another example of sarcasm on this page? (Oh, well, you’ve been prepared for that for
nearly twenty years now, haven’t you?)

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(Pages 101—103)
1. Read the text. Despite her protestations, how does Louise manage to continue to control her daughter’s
life?
2. What truths does the author make plain to Louise?

(Page 104)
1. Read the text. Who do students think was right about the illness, Louise or the narrator? Give reasons.
2. Look at the last sentence. Why does Louise offer this forgiveness? (So as to make Iris feel guilty.)

(Pages 106—107)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions with reference to the text.
2. Ex B. Ask students to give the idioms in their own words. (1. ending our friendship 2. wanted to spend
time with me 3. the slightest thing could kill her 4. marry her [the altar is the place in a church where the
wedding ceremony takes place] 5. become very angry)
3. Ex C. Read the text and ask students to look for examples of both sarcasm and irony in the text.
4. Ex D. Ask for students’ examples. Do they believe in the saying ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but
words can never hurt me’?

Chapter 15
The Rear-Guard (Page 110)
1. Read the biographical note about Sassoon.
2. Teach the new words.

(Page 108)
1. Read the poem. Ask students what the poem is describing. (It recounts a journey through one of the
communication tunnels on the battlefield.)
2. Lines 1–3: Comment on the use of the words groping–he has to feel his way through the darkness; prying–
the torch is like an inquisitive person; patching –the torch illuminates only patches of the darkness.
3. Lines 4–7: Why does the poet use the expression rosy gloom and why is it unusual? (He is referring to the
fire of battle, so although it is bright and red, it is a gloomy sight because it means death for so many.)
4. Lines 8–13: What did the soldier want the sleeping soldier to do? (He wanted the soldier to guide him to
Headquarters.) What excuse is given for his anger? (He had not slept for days.)
5. Lines 14–18: What does he discover about the sleeping soldier? (He is dead and died 10 days before, in
agony from a wound.)
6. Lines 19–25: What does the phrase sweat of horror tell us about the soldier? (He was very unnerved by
being underground and what he had seen there.) What word describes his experience? (Hell)
7. Notice that the words step by step in the last line echo those of the first line.
8. Ask for students’ reactions to the poem; do they think it is powerful? Do they like/dislike it? Are there any
particular sections that they particularly like or dislike?

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(Pages 110—111)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions; some of this has already been discussed but it will not hurt to reinforce these
ideas.
2. Ex B. 1. The rhyming pattern is XBB, ABAB, ABBA, ABAB, AABB, ABBAAX
B. 2. Number of lines is 3,4,18.
B. 3. Students may have their own responses; in the first two stanzas, the soldier is moving along from one
part of the tunnel to another, passing things on the way; the third stanza is much longer, expressing the
amount of time he spent with the body and the impact it has on him.
3. Ex C. Students should look closely at the text to find the adjectives (1. muffled 2. unwholesome 3. blackening
4. livid 5. stinking 6. muttering 7. prying 8. shafted 9. rosy 10. unanswering)
4. Ex D. Read the explanatory notes and look for other images.
5. Ex E. Although students should be encouraged to use their own ideas, it might help to make a list first of
ordinary things for students to describe e.g. a bus, the sunlight etc.

Chapter 16
The Yellow Face (Page 128)
1. Tell the students that they are going to read a story about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, a fictional
character. At the time of writing, forensic science was not very highly advanced so the sorts of clues used
by police today such as fingerprints, CCTV and DNA evidence were not available to Holmes. Read the
note.
2. Teach the new words.

(Pages 112—113)
1. Read the text. Explain that the stories are always told by Dr Watson, Holmes’ friend who accompanies him
when he is solving cases.
2. How did Holmes manage to deduce so much information about the man from looking at his pipe?

(Pages 144—118)
1. Read to returned no reply. Do students think there is any connection between the wife’s request for £100
and the people in the cottage? If so, what ideas do they have?
2. Why might the face be yellow?

(Pages 118—121)
1. Read the text. Have any more clues been revealed? Do students have any further thoughts on what is going
on at the cottage?

(Pages 122—123)
1. What is Holmes’s theory? Do students’ ideas coincide with his?

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(Page 124—128)
1. Read to the end of the story. Was Holmes right? Were any of the students right?
2. How does Holmes feel about the mistake he made? (He learns from it not to be too sure of himself.)

(Page 129)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions by referring to the text.
2. Ex B. Ask students to rephrase the words in italics. (1. casually 2. tests your patience. 3. fallen apart
4. can’t take any more 5. broke off all relationships with)
3. Ex C. Look up the words in a dictionary before making sentences.
4. Ex D. Ask students to think about the question; they could also think about the qualities that they possess
that make them a good friend. Remind them that friends are there for the good times as well as the bad.

Chapter 17
Matilda (Pages 130—132)
1. Read the poem. As students read, they should underline in pencil any words that they do not understand.
2. Ask the students to sum up the story of the poem.
3. Ask students to look up the words that they did not understand, either in the new words or using dictionaries.
4. Ask students whether they enjoyed the poem or not and to give reasons. Are there any parts that they
particularly enjoyed or found effective?
5. Below is another of Belloc’s Cautionary Tales that you might want to read and discuss with students. Look
at how it is similar to Matilda in form.

Henry King
The Chief Defect of Henry King
Was chewing little bits of String.
At last he swallowed some which tied
Itself in ugly Knots inside,
Physicians of the Utmost Fame
Were called at once; but when they came
They answered, as they took their Fees
“There is no Cure for this Disease,
Henry will very soon be dead.”
His Parents stood about his Bed
Lamenting his Untimely Death,
When Henry, with his Latest Breath,
Cried - “Oh, my Friends, be warned by me,
That Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch and Tea
Are all the Human Frame Requires...”
With that the Wretched Child expires.

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(Page 133)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. The poem is written in rhyming couplets.
3. Ex C. Ask the students to put the moral of the poem into their own words.
4. Read to the students the Aesop’s Fable of the Boy Who Cried Wolf (below). Ask them if the moral of the
fable can be applied to the poem Matilda.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To
amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!” The
villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of
the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces. “Don’t cry ‘wolf’, shepherd
boy,” said the villagers, “when there’s no wolf!” They went grumbling back down the hill.
Later, the boy sang out again, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” To his delight, he watched the
villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away. When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said,
“Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is NO
wolf!” But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.
Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly
as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!” But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn’t
come. At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn’t returned to the village with their sheep.
They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping. “There really was a wolf here! The flock has
scattered! I cried out, “Wolf!” Why didn’t you come?” An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked
back to the village. “We’ll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning,” he said, putting his arm around
the youth, “Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!”

Chapter 18
The Idea in the Back of My Brother’s Head (Page 144)
1. Read the note on the author.
2. Teach the new words.

Pages 134—136
1. Read to doing something. Ask students to consider what the peacock represents to the storyteller. (Something
exotic and exciting — he associates it with his idea of escaping from his daily life.) Why doesn’t Henry
notice the peacock? (He is too engrossed in his work on the car.)

(Pages 136—137)
1. Read to cried out again. Has the car really broken down? (No, but Henry wants to take the engine to pieces
so he says it has.)
2. Ask students why the boys cannot take the engine out of the car when they first try. (There is still one bolt
fastened.)
3. According to the storyteller, in what way will his adventure in the world be like Henry’s attempt to rebuild
the engine? (He is going to learn through experience as he goes along.)

17
4. Ask students whether they are surprised by the way the adults react to what Henry is doing. Would they
have expected the adults to be angry?

(Pages 137—139)
1. Read to San Francisco. How are the two boys’ plans alike? (They both want to go somewhere new.)
2. Why is the month of August wonderful if you are young? (It is the school holidays.)

(Pages 139—142)
1. Read to Go get Kluck, will you? How long does it take to repair the car? (It took all day.) How well had
Henry put the engine back together again (Badly ...he was a little amazed at the mistakes that came to light
as he took the whole motor to pieces again.)
2. What does the phrase the motor was working the way it was meant to work and always had, in fact. tell
the reader about the work Henry had done on the car? (It hadn’t been necessary—there had been nothing
wrong with the car in the first place but it was something he just had to do.)

(Pages 142—144)
1. Read to the end of the story. Why do students think Kluck did not keep the money?

(Page 145)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions, giving evidence from the text to support the answers. (Question 4: This is
difficult but there is obviously a connection between the peacock’s cry and the two boys’ ambitions and
plans—for the bird and boys alike, there is something that they feel driven to do. Question 5: Cool would
be used today instead of keen.)
2. Ex B. Correct the grammar in the sentences. (1. ...where we had both done time 2. ...awfully quiet; 3. ...I
have been thinking) Elicit from students that it is written like this because this is the way that the boys
would have spoken.
3. Sort the words into categories. Note that they are all written with capital letters because they are proper
nouns. Ask students to tell you what they know about each of the things on the list. (Cities – Osaka, Austin,
Copenhagen, Monte Carlo, Glasgow, Lima, Granada; Countries – Algeria, Peru, Ghana, Spain, Mexico,
Singapore; Cars – Volvo, Austin, Ford, Fiat, Mercedes, Rolls Royce. Thames is a river. Note, Austin is a city
in Texas and also a make of car; Singapore is a city state; Mexico City is the capital of Mexico.)
4. Ask students whether they have any ambitions. Do they think they will fulfil them one day?

Chapter 19
The Long Exile (Pages 156—157)
1. Read the note on Tolstoy and ask students what sort of story they might expect to read.
2. Teach the new words.

(Pages 146—148)
1. Read to twenty thousand roubles. Do students think that Aksionov should have listened to his wife’s
warning? How might her dream come true?

18
2. Are there any clues in the story to indicate whether he was guilty of the murder? If he was not guilty, why
was the knife in his bag?

(Pages 148—150)
1. Read to still alive. How did Aksionov’s life change in prison? What kind of a prisoner was he?

(Pages 150—153)
1. Read to at his wits end. Ask students to find clues to indicate that Makar might have committed the crime
of which Aksionov was accused.
2. How does Makar’s arrival affect Aksionov?

(Pages 153—154)
1. Read to had to be le . Ask students to explain what Aksionov means when he says you killed me long ago!
2. Why does Aksionov not take advantage of the knowledge he has to cause trouble for Makar?

(Pages 154—156)
1. Read the text. Ask students to comment on Aksionov not wanting to leave the prison.
2. In what way is it harder for Makar to see Aksionov as he is than to be beaten with the knout?
3. Ask students to say what the themes of this story are. (justice, forgiveness, punishment)

(Pages 157—158)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions, supporting answers with textual evidence.
2. Ex B. Ask students to read through the story again and list the evidence for the different statements.
3. Ex C. Ask students to complete the sentences. (1. misfortune 2. meekness 3. condemned 4. Inquiries
5. release)
4. Ex D. Bonhomie is a French word; ask students the meanings of each of the words which are all used as
they are in English. Ask them if they know other foreign words that are used commonly in English (e.g.
bungalow, pyjamas).
5. Ex E. Ask students to discuss whether they would have asked to be released.
6. Activity: Students may wish to act out this story using their own words.

Chapter 20
Oliver Twist (Page 168)
1. Read the biographical note on Charles Dickens. Ask students if they know the titles of any other books
written by him e.g. David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol etc. Explain that in his
books, Dickens often tried to make the public aware of the terrible conditions in which some people had
to live and work at that time, and some of the faults of the education system, the legal system etc, his books
are said to be full of social commentary. David Copperfield is partly autobiographical and tells of some
of the hardships he himself endured as a child. He also created some very memorable characters—some
amusing and some unpleasant. His books were first published in weekly installments and were as popular
at the time when they were written as television series are today.

19
2. Teach the new words.

(Pages 159—160)
1. Explain that Oliver Twist’s mother died when he was born and because he had no other known relatives,
he was brought up in an orphanage operated by the local government, according to a system known as
the Poor Laws. Older people who had no means to support themselves had to live in the workhouse where
they were treated very badly.
2. Read the text to when they went! Ask students to explain the meaning of without the inconvenience of too
much food or too much clothing. (They were not given enough to eat or to wear.) Establish that the use
of inconvenience is irony. Can students find another example of irony in the passage? (...quite enough to
overload……herself; She is only interested in making money, she does not care about what is good for the
children.)
3. Why did the children always look well-cared for when the house was inspected?

(Pages 160—161)
1. Read the text. Why is Oliver described as decidedly small in circumference? (He does not get enough to eat.)
Why is there room for his heart to grow? (There is little else to fill him up.)
2. Why and how is Oliver being punished? (He received a thrashing on his birthday, and was locked up in
the coal-cellar [... had been locked up for presuming to be hungry.].)
3. Why are the words Susan, take Oliver….directly in brackets? (She says them out of Mr Bumble’s
hearing.)
4. Ask students to predict what Mr Bumble is going to say about Oliver.

(Pages 162—164)
1. Read to first time. Why is Oliver being removed from the house? (He is too old to remain there.)
2. Why does he pretend that he will be sad to leave? (He is scared that he will be beaten if he does not do
as Mrs Mann is indicating.) Why is it easy for him to cry? (He has had a miserable life.) Why does he
genuinely cry when he leaves? (He feels very lonely as he parts from the only friends he has ever known.)

(Pages 164—165)
1. Read the text. From the way the members of the board and Mr Bumble treat Oliver, what predictions can
students make about the life he will have in the workhouse?
2. Why does the author stress that the men are fat?

(Pages 166—168)
1. Read the text. Was it Oliver’s idea to ask for more food? How was he selected to make the request?
2. Ask students to predict how he will be punished.
3. Ask students to comment on the way Dickens writes. Do they find it complicated/ amusing/too wordy/
easy to understand? Are there any parts of the story that they particularly enjoyed reading?

(Page 170)
1. Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

20
2. Ex B. 1. Students should be given time to look for the longest sentence. (Page 159: Upon this, the parish
authorities... per week.) 2. Dickens comments that the system of farming did not produce a very good
crop — the boys were very small and weak. 3 a. She pretended that she was thrilled to see Mr Bumble.
b. It did not improve the Mr Bumble’s bad temper. c. Oliver was clever enough to pretend he was sad to
be leaving Mrs Mann.
3. Ex C. Ask students to work out the anagrams (1. weekend 2. monthly 3. century 4. millennium
5. fortnight 6. Saturday).
4. Ex D. This task could be set as a research homework task and students could report back to the class on
their findings.
5. Activity: Students could act out one or more of the scenes from this extract. Different groups could perform
different scenes.
6. There are several film versions of the musical based on this story; you may wish to show students the film
or extracts from it. Encourage those who enjoy reading to read the novel in their free time.

Chapter 21
The Charge of the Light Brigade (Page 173)
1. Read the note on page 173.
2. Teach the new words.

(Pages 171—172)
1. Explain that you are going to read another war poem, and you would like students, as they read it, to think
about ways in which it is different from the other poems on war that they have read.
2. Read the poem. Ask students to comment on the poet’s feelings about the soldiers and the action they
performed. (He is praising their bravery and devotion to duty and the glory of war.) Elicit that this is very
different from the other poems that speak of the horror and futility of war.
3. Ask students to comment on the words that are repeated in the poem and also on the rhythm of the poem
which imitates the relentless rhythm of the horses charging into battle.
4. Look at verse 2. What did the soldiers know as they rode into the valley? (Somebody had made a mistake
and given the wrong order; they knew they were in grave danger.) Why did they not question the order?
(They had been trained to obey their officers unquestioningly even though it meant death.)
5. Verse 3: Ask students to find an example of alliteration. (storm’d at with shot and shell) Is it effective?
6. Verse 4: What weapons did the cavalrymen use against the cannon? (They used sabres.)
7. Verse 5: Why does the poet repeat the first three lines from verse 3? What change does he make at the end
of the verse? (They are returning, riding out of the valley but have to go through the cannon fire a second
time; this time it is only the men who have survived.)
8. Verse 7: What is the poet’s opinion of the men? (He thinks the soldiers are heroes.) Do students agree with
his opinion?

(Page 174)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Complete the puzzle. (1. armoury 2. battle 3. lance 4. shield 5. missile 6. bayonet 7. torpedo
8. grenade 9. quiver 10. tank)

21
3. Ex C. Ask students to use the words in sentences relating to sports.
4. Ex D. Discuss the question with the students. This could be the topic of a debate.

Chapter 22
The £1,000,000 Banknote (Page 188)
1. Teach the new words.

(Pages 176—177)
1. Read to Step in here please. Ask students to describe how the narrator’s life has changed as a result of the
sailing accident.
2. Look at the passage My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being begged for it. Ask
students to comment on the effectiveness of this repetitive structure. (It emphasizes how much he wants
the pear.) Why does he not pick up the pear? (He is too proud and worried about being seen.) If students
were really hungry, would they pick up something from the road to eat?

(Pages 177—179)
1. What can we deduce about the two men? (They were very wealthy—they had a sumptuous room, a servant
and could afford to buy a million pound note.)
2. Ask students to explain what each of the men believed about the person who had the £1m note. Does the
narrator know that he is the subject of a bet?
3. Find words in the text that show how the narrator and the landlord react to the banknote.

(Page 180)
1. Read to Oh, this is awful! How does the landlord treat the man? What his explanation for the man’s
appearance? (He thought the man was playing a joke [larks] on the public.)
2. What is the narrator worried about? (He believes he has been given the money by mistake and that he will
be blamed for the mistake.)

(Pages 180—182)
1. Read the text. What does the letter writer promise to the man if he wins the bet? (The man is promised any
job that he can give him and for which he is qualified.)
2. What does the expression let it go mean? (Never mind—there’s nothing he can do about it.)
3. Why does he call the note an immense burden? (He cannot use it and yet he cannot get rid of it without
getting into trouble, so he must keep it safe while he tries to survive.)
4. Why does he say he has nothing in the world but a million pounds? (He cannot use the money so he has
nothing to spend.) Elicit that this is an example of irony.

(Pages 183—184)
1. Read to What’s the trouble? Ask students to comment on the conversation the two men have in the tailor’s
shop. When does Tod start to believe the customer?

22
2. Reread the paragraph beginning He received it with a smile. Ask students to comment on the effectiveness
of the description.

(Pages 184—187)
1. Read to the end of the story. Ask students to describe how the narrator’s life changes again. Has he managed
to spend any of his money? Why is Harris happy to lend him money?
2. Do students think that the way people treated the man once they knew about his money is very realistic?
Would he be allowed to live without paying simply because they thought he was wealthy?

(Pages 188—189)
1. Ex A. Answer the questions.
2. Ex B. Ask the students to put the phrases into their own words. (1. to brave/to bear 2. to sample, to bear
3. to decide 4. to account for 5. to trust 6. to abate 7. to determine)
3. Ex C. Add: 1. ion 2. ex 3. ous. Check that students understand the meanings of all the words and can use
them in sentences.
4. Ex D. Discuss the questions.

Chapter 23
For Whom the Bell Chimes

(Page 208)
1. Teach the new words.

(Pages 190—193)
1. Read to carries conviction. Elicit from students that the caller says he is working for a children’s charity.
Find evidence in the text that shows how X feels about the children.
2. Ask students what we learn about Masterman’s appearance and his explanations.
3. Explain that the ready means ready cash—the man had donated some silverware instead of money.

(Pages 193—195)
1. Read the text. Ask students to comment on what is strange about the way X treats Man. (inviting him,
offering him tea and breakfast, asking him to wash up)
2. Ask for further evidence of X’s attitude to the charity. (Explain that the reference to horses is because
Princess Anne is very fond of horses.)

(Pages 196—197)
1. Read the text. Ask students to summarize what X says about his fiancée. Does he sound very much in love
with her?
2. What is the difference between unemployed and unemployable?

23
3. Ask students to find the three references so far connected to imprisonment. (page 193–face carries
conviction; page 194–the children are condemned to their wheelchairs; page 197–his toes will break through
the prison bars)

(Pages 198—200)
1. Read the text. Ask students to suggest why X is giving Masterman his clothes; is it an act of charity?
Are there comments that suggest he is not taking the idea of the charity seriously? (Yes, ‘I’d be glad to
contribute some Honey Crisps.’; ‘Princess Anne might drop in.’; ... in Princess Anne riding by;)

(Pages 200—201)
1. Read to have it here. Can students identify any other jail references? (laboured hard/hard labour; an inside
job; a small room/cell).

(Pages 201—206)
1. Read to Pause of dismay. Elicit from students that by now X has changed clothes completely with
Masterman and exchanged his wig for Masterman’s spectacles; Ask students to suggest why he has done
this—is it to help Masterman or for his own purpose? Can students find any hints in the script as to why
he might want to alter his appearance?
2. 2. Ask students to predict what will happen next.

(Page 206)
1. Read to the end. Masterman says he has been tricked by an amateur; he considers himself a professional,
but of what trade? Criminal/con-man). Who do students think Spike and Ginger are? (fellow convicts).
2. Why was X so keen to change his appearance? (if he has murdered his fiancée he will want to escape
without his neighbours recognizing him).
3. Read through the play again carefully, identifying all the clues to the fact that Chips was an ex-convict and
that X had murdered his fiancée.
4. Ask students who they think is at the door and what might happen next. If possible, read the rest of the
play.

24