2.13 To understand title, setting, plot  (Page 3/3)

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Mrs Longton arrived with a very large white rabbit. She strolled across the lawn towards the oak tree, calling out softly, `Tea time, Russell, tea time.' In a flash the snake was down the tree and at Mrs Longton's feet. He swallowed the rabbit whole, curled up on the grass ... and went to sleep. `You can come down now, young man. You're quite safe,' called Mrs Longton.

When Mrs Longton and her beloved Russell had gone Mr Catt made Dave a cup of tea. `Well, Dave, do you think you'll stick at this job?'

`Well, Mr C, it's ... full of surprises.'

`You're right there; there's no place on earth like Pet's Paradise. Come on! Let's drink up and lock up. Do you want a lift home?'

As they were driving home Dave turned to Mr Catt and asked, `What's brown and green, twenty feet long and very difficult to bury?'

Mr Catt laughed. `A live boa constrictor?'

`Right, Mr C. Dead right!'

Now that you have finished all that reading, lets see how much of the story you remember and understand. Answer the questions below in full sentences unless otherwise stated.

1. Which words tell you that Dave was very neatly dressed on his first day at work? (2)
2. Did Mr Catt open his mouth when he spoke? Give a reason for your answer. (2)
3. Why do you think that Dave's friends thought he was crazy to apply for the job at Pet's Paradise? (1)
4. Why do you think Mr Catt told so many jokes? (1)
5. Why do you think that a halo was appropriate on the back of Dave's blue overall? (1)
6. Why did Dave have the whole afternoon in which to bury the snake?(1)
7. What did Dave need the compass for? (1)
8. Why did Russell show that he was pleased to see Dave? (1)
9. How did Mrs Longton manage to get Russell down from the tree? (2)
10. Write down one simile from the story. (1)
11. Look up the word “epitaph” in the dictionary and write the definition on the line below. (1)
12. Find one example of alliteration in the story. (1)
13. Make up a corny animal joke of your own. (1)

Educator/Peer Assessment Chart:

Assessment

Memorandum

This is a reading activity, but learners will also have to listen to each other very carefully and make use of interpretation skills while they are reading.

Begin by dividing the class into groups of four. Each member of the group will be a character in the story. Allow some time for them to decide who will be reading which part. Allow some time for the groups to read through the passage. They will need to practise the voice they are going to use, practise any gestures they would like to use as they read and familiarize themselves with the text so that they do not stumble over their words. Pay careful attention as the group works together – you can assess them on their teamwork abilities at this stage.

Once the practice time is over, you can allow the groups to listen to each other. They must show respect and listen quietly during the reading of the dialogue.

After the reading is complete, learners must complete the questions about the piece they have read. This could be done in their groups or as an individual exercise. Encourage the learners to make use of full sentences wherever possible.

The answers are as follows:

1. “Spick and span” tell you that he was neatly dressed.
2. No, he did not open his mouth. “ He spoke like a vicar, as if his teeth were stuck together with chewing gum. “
3. Learners can express their opinion but should comment on the odd behaviour of Mr. Catt.
4. It was Mr Catt’s way of coping with his job – “you need a sense of humour to work in a cemetery.”
5. ‘Halo’ has connotations of heaven and angels and would put the minds of the pet owners’ at rest to think that their pet was going to heaven.
6. Mr Catt was going out, leaving Dave alone, and the owner of the pet was not coming to the burial so there was no fixed time that it had to be done.
7. The snake had to be buried in a specific way – facing Brasil where he was born, so the coffin had to point south west. Dave needed to compass to find south west.
8. The snake was pleased to see Dave because he was still alive and had almost been buried alive.
9. Mrs Longton offered the snake a rabbit for tea and he came down to eat the rabbit.
10. “like a huge caterpillar”, “like a vicar”
11. “Epitaph” means “words inscribed on a tomb”
12. “spick and span”, Pet’s Paradise”
13. Learners must think of their own animal joke.

Make use of the Educator’s Assessment Chart to complete your assessment.