AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions.

1. Why is Gary so excited to start tenth grade?

2. What does Gary think of their new Honors English Teacher, Mr. Smith?

3. What is the reason of the rivalry between Gary and someone else?

4. Which approach does Gary choose to accomplish his first assignment?

5. Is Gary’s composition liked by the students and/or Mr. Smith?

6. Do you think Mr. Smith is a competent teacher?

7. How does the teacher try to influence the boy?

8. What happens at the principal’s office?

9. Did you expect such an ending of the story?

Find all the words with the help of which the author describes the teachers — Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones. What kind of portrait does one get as a result of this?

9. Let us describe the characters of the story with the help of theirremarks. Find out who says these words and give their character profiles to the best of your ability.

1. “That’s about as exciting as tofu.”

2. “A real artist accepts the commonplace as a challenge.”

3. “Awesome tale, Dude.”

4. “I think everything will work out.”

5. “You’d better get off this science fiction kick.”

6. “I’ve learned to smell trouble.”

7. “You really have a way with words.”

Study Gary’s composition. Say what you think about the quality of the young author’s writing.

11. Let us focus on style. Read the definition of a stylistic device andfind its examples in the story (you may well take the first paragraph or Gary’s story).

Metaphor is the application of a word or phrase to an object or concept it doesn’t really denote, in order to suggest comparison with another object or concept.

Describe your typical day at university using Gary’s approach to fulfill this task. Be prepared to write down your composition.

WRITING METAPHORICALLY

Metaphor is a means of communicating the author’s message through striking comparisons. There are plenty of ways to create a memorable metaphor. If it is good, the metaphor will linger in the reader’s mind and provide for reflective thinking which, actually, is the aim of any serious writing. Yet literature is a serious business, isn’t it? Study the example below.

E.g.: a clever book = a treasure island on the high seas of life (Wow!).

Now, try creating some metaphors to graphically describe various aspects of teaching and learning. Give metaphorical definitions to the following.

1. A dedicated teacher.

2. A devoted pupil.

3. A fascinating class.

4. A communicative activity.

5. A challenging home assignment.

6. A class reunion twenty years later.

7. (your own) _________________.

Prewriting. Compare your definitions. In small groups, discuss them and make the necessary improvements. Share the final products with all the other members of the group.

Write a brief inspirational speech addressed to young teachers beginning to work at school. Make your little speech both metaphorically memorable and memorably metaphorical.

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN

THINKING AHEAD

School life can also be quite dark. The story you are going to read might be the one that will captivate you entirely. It may even give you the goose bumps because it is frightening and bizarre. Let us hope you will not wake up in the middle of the night and scream loudly. Are you prepared? Now, let us start reading.

Поиск по сайту: