Unit 16


Igloos (Activity 1) by Irving Robbin


The Inuit (Eskimos) live in the Arctic. They are protected from the icy weather by houses called igloos. Igloos, which are shaped like an upside down bowl, are built out of ice blocks. Inside, the floor is covered with furs and skins. There is a hole right at the top for air to come in and smoke to go out. A small tunnel to the outside is the entrance to the igloo. Although it is freezing outside, the Inuit remain


warm and safe, because the inside of the igloo can be 5 to 25 degrees warmer than the temperature outside.


Unit 17


A bad decision (Activity 1) by Mark Ellis and Printha Ellis


Note to teacher: Pause after paragraphs to ask learners the questions in italics. This will help you to check their understanding and explain if they do not understand.


I said good night to the servant, Ram, and went into my room. I started to walk across the room, and then stopped suddenly.


(Why do you think he stopped?) At the foot of the bed, lying still on the floor


was a large, black scorpion, with its tail curved up behind its back. I killed the scorpion with my shoe. Ram knocked on the door and asked if I was all


right. “I am fine,” I answered. But I wasn’t. (Why wasn’t he alright?) Someone had once told me that scorpions are


never found alone. Carefully, I got on to the bed. Three hours later I was still there.


(Why did he get onto the bed carefully and not move from there?)


I knew there was another scorpion. It was


waiting for me and I didn’t know where it was. I worried about the bed. It could be in the bed, even under the blankets. But I decided it was under the bed.


(Why did he think it was under the bed?) At five in the morning I was still awake. I heard


Ram calling the cook. “Ram?” I called.


He came rushing into the room. “Yes, sahib?” “Last night I killed a scorpion,” I pointed at the


floor. “The scorpion is dead, sahib.” I jumped off the bed, and went across to my


shoes. As I was about to put them on Ram stopped me. “Wait, sahib!” He bent down and, picking up my left shoe, went quickly to the window. I watched him shake the shoe. “Okay, sahib,” he said, coming back towards


me.


“Did you sleep well, sahib?” (Why did Ram ask this question?) I nodded, and he left in a hurry, probably to tell


the cook about the stupid Englishman. (Do you think the man is stupid?)


Adventures of Isabel (Activity 8) by Ogden Nash


Note to teacher: 1. Before you read the rest of the poem to the learners, explain the words in the glossary at the end of the page.


2. Read it twice with feeling so that the learners can visualise the story.


Once in a night as black as pitch Isabel met a wicked old witch. The witch’s face was cross and wrinkled, The witch’s gums with teeth were sprinkled. Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed, I’ll turn you into an ugly toad! Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry, She showed no rage and she showed no rancour, But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.


Isabel met a hideous giant, Isabel continued self-reliant. The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid, He had one eye in the middle of his forehead. Good morning, Isabel, the giant said, I’ll grind your bones to make my bread. Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry. She nibbled the zwieback that she always fed off, And when it was gone, she cut the giant’s head off.


Glossary rancour: bitterness or resentment zwieback: a type of crisp, sweetened bread, made with eggs and baked twice


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