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Time was closing in on them. There was exactly one and a half weeks left to the big night. The school was abuzz with all the enthusiasm and arrangements. The acts were of a very high standard, but The Pally Band were confident that they would be the ones going on the trip!

That night at rehearsal Nizaam came up with the idea that they should all wear the same outfits for the performance. He had discussed it with his mom, Gina, a seamstress. She had agreed to make their costumes for only R45.00 each. The other band members were excited, and the noise level rose with their animated chatter.

Nobody noticed that Dawid sat alone. Quiet. Downcast.

The next evening, Dawid did not turn up for their usual practice. He had no explanation for them the next day. The band were puzzled by his reaction. Was it just a musician’s temperament? To make sure, they went to his house to speak to him directly.

His mom opened the door and explained that Dawid was pulling out of the band! The members were devastated. And confused. They insisted on speaking to him.

“Please tell him that we are his friends and we need to speak to him.”

Soon Dawid came downstairs and faced his friends. He could feel their concern.

“I am so ashamed … I do not have the money to pay for the costume,” Dawid mumbled.

“Is that all?” Chrystal exclaimed, relieved. “That is NO PROBLEM! We are a team. We can do anything together!”

Together they decided to organise a car wash that Saturday to generate funds for their outfits. Very soon they had made enough money to pay for ALL their costumes.

Then it was Friday night! The Pally Band waited anxiously in the wings for their turn. But as soon as they were on stage performing for the crowd, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind that The Pally Band would be going on tour to Botswana, Namibia and Scotland during the next school holidays – wearing their new outfits!

Activity 5:

To be able to ask and answer more complex questions, using words and grammar correctly

[lo 5.2.1, 6.3]

Give four reasons for the busy atmosphere in the school hall.

What is meant by:

  • excitement was ‘in the air’? (par.1):
  • frantically? (par.2):
  • versatile? (par.5):
  • diligently? (par.5):
  • for the duration of? (par 7):
  • abuzz with? (par.8):
  • animated? (par 9):
  • downcast? (par.10):
  • devastated? (par.11):
  • in the wings? (last par):

One is ‘different from’ and ‘similar ……. .’

Write two sentences using the following correctly:

  • lend / borrow (par.7):
  • quiet / quite (par.10):
  • practice / practise (par.11):

Can you think of a way of remembering these? (A memory tool is called a ‘mnemonic’)

When you change paragraph 12 into indirect speech, give the FOUR words that change:

Fill in the missing gaps in the following chart:

Abstract Noun Verb (infinitive form) Adjective / participle Adverb
excitement
supportive
competitively

Can you explain how the title of the passage fits into this story – in two ways?

Match the players with their instruments by drawing a line between them:

Violin
Keyboard
Vusi Guitar
Nizaam Marimbas
Chrystal Harmonica
Dawid Percussion
Charlie Saxophone
Bottles

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Source:  OpenStax, English first additional language grade 9. OpenStax CNX. Sep 14, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11061/1.1
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