SORROW
by Philip Voysey
Assignments
Before Reading
1 Have a look at the picture
on the front cover and read the text on the back cover.
A What do you think Sorrow is thinking about?
B What do you see in the background of the front cover?
A
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B
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2 Write down a few things
that may have caused you sorrow in
the past.
3 In the course of ‘Sorrow’ you will read about
people who have names like Honesty and Lovemore.
Here are some more
‘special’ Christian names. Match the names with their meanings.
Name
|
Meaning
|
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A
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Barak
|
I
|
favour from God
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B
|
Blessing
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II
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forgiveness
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C
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Charity
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III
|
happiness
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D
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Earnest
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IV
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honest and serious
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E
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Esperanza
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V
|
hope
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F
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Faith
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VI
|
neighbourly love
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G
|
Felicity
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VII
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thunder
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H
|
Mercy
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VIII
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trust in God
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e.g.
A = VII
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B =
|
C =
|
D =
|
E =
|
F =
|
G =
|
H =
|
While Reading
Chapter 1 The township
1 Describe in English what
you think a township is.
2 When Sorrow arrived at the
township his stomach was churning.
This meant that he was: (Circle A, B, C, or D)
A
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nervous and worried
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B
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sick and
tired
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C
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happy and excited
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D
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hungry and thirsty
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3 Lovemore Mangware had been
a war soldier.
What or who do you think had he been fighting against? (If you do not
know yet, read
on, and answer this question later.)
4 What piece of advice did
the old man give Sorrow?
5 In what way had Sorrow’s
uncle changed?
6 Circle True or False.
Lovemore Mangware seemed
to think Chimuka was a great place to live in.
True
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False
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7 The women in the streets
were making sadza. Read this item about sadza and answer the questions.
Sadza is Zimbabwe 's
version of the stiff porridge common all over Africa .
It is usually made from ground
maize. Sadza is always with meat, vegetable soup, stew, or sauce. In Zimbabwe
A Which word in your book is a synonym of the word maize in this
text?
B Copy the two reasons that show that sadza is eaten a lot in Zimbabwe
A
|
B1
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B2
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8 What were the floodlights
used for in Chimuka?
9 A What did the men drink their chibuku from?
B What sort of drinks would you usually find in them?
A
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B
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10 Fill in the gaps (A and B)
and finish the sentence (C).
At the time of the war Lovemore was ………………….(A)
years old. Back in Mutubani he
was considered a ............................. (B),
but Sorrow’s father had said …………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………. (C).
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11 What did Lovemore’s house
have that Sorrow’s probably did not have in his village?
12 What was the reason that
Lovemore could live live in luxury?
13 How did Sorrow want Chimuka
to change his life?
Chapter 2 School
1 What can you tell about the
Chimuka school? Fill
in the gaps.
The school starts at …………………… (A). It was built
after……………………………………
……………………………………(B). Lovemore was its
……………………………………..(C).
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2 What did Lovemore mean by
saying ‘I’m better with a gun than with a
pen?’
3 How did Mugove and Sorrow
become best friends?
4 Why was the reason that Sorrow
much older and taller than the rest of Class 1A?
5 A What did the teacher mean when he said he wanted the pupils to
be punctual?
B What happens at your school
when you are not punctual?
A
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B
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6 What fact did Sorrow know
about the history of Zimbabwe
7 A When did Sorrow’s lessons end on normal schooldays?
B What was the reason for this?
C Which of the two sessions would you prefer? Explain your answer.
A
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B
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C
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Chapter 3 Two worlds
1 In what way were bulldozers
compared to elephants?
2 Why do you think the people
were not happy with their better houses?
3 What do you think Lovemore
meant by what he said about the eagle?
4 What was the main reason
why Sorrow’s father did not allow alcohol in the house?
5 A Which were the two worlds from the title of this chapter?
B What was the difference between these two worlds?
A
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B
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6 Why did Sorrow often leave
the house late in the afternoon?
7 What did Sorrow think of
all the goods that were on display at the market?
8 Look at the picture on page
19.
What could be heard over
the loudspeakers?
Chapter 4 Honesty
1 A Who is Honesty?
B What was the most striking thing about him?
C Why didn’t he go to school?
A
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B
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C
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2 Sorrow was telling Honesty
what presents he would give to the people he loved, if he had enough money.
Now write down the names of three people you love and what presents
you would buy them, if you were rich.
3 Was Honesty a good name for
him?
4 What was the reason for
Honesty’s behaviour?
5 Look back at your answer to
question 1A of this chapter.
Was this the real reason
Lovemore had brought Honesty to his house?
Explain your answer.
6 You have read about what
Sorrow was made to do.
The lyrics below are from ‘Oliver!’, a musical about an orphan boy
living among a gang of young
pickpockets, run by a sympathetic crook, called Fagin. Read the lyrics and answer the questions afterwards.
[FAGIN (spoken)] 1
You see, Oliver... [sung] In this life, one thing counts In the bank, large amounts I'm afraid these don't grow on trees, You've got to pick-a-pocket or two You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys, You've got to pick-a-pocket or two. [BOYS] Large amounts don't grow on. |
trees. 2
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two
[FAGIN (spoken)]
Let's show Oliver how it's done, shall we, my dears? [sung] Why should we break our backs Stupidly paying tax? Better get some untaxed income Better to pick-a-pocket or two. You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys |
You've got to
pick-a-pocket 3
or two.
[BOYS] Why should we all break our backs? Better pick-a-pocket or two. [FAGIN (spoken)] Who says crime doesn't pay?
[sung] Robin Hood, what a crook!
Gave away, what he took. Charity's fine, subscribe to mine. Get out and pick-a-pocket or two |
You've got to
pick-a-pocket 4
or two, boys
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two. [BOYS] Robin Hood was far too good He had to pick-a-pocket or two. [FAGIN] Take a tip from Bill Sikes * He can whip what he likes. I recall, he started small He had to pick-a-pocket or two. You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two. |
[BOYS] 5
We can be like old Bill Sikes If we pick-a-pocket or two.
[FAGIN (spoken)]
Stop thief! Dear old gent passing by Something nice takes his eye Everything's clear, attack the rear Get in and pick-a-pocket or two. You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two. |
[BOYS] 6
Have no fear, attack the rear Get in and pick-a-pocket or two.
[FAGIN]
When I see someone rich, Both my thumbs start to itch Only to find some peace of mind We have to pick-a-pocket or two. You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two. [BOYS] Just to find some peace of mind [FAGIN AND BOYS] We have to pick-a-pocket or two! |
* Bill Sykes - ‘the ‘baddie’ from this musical
A Had
Oliver been with the gang for a long time? Explain your answer.
B What famous folk hero is mentioned in
this song?
C ‘Both
my thumbs start to itch’ (6).
Why were Fagin’s thumbs itching?
D Find the words in these lyrics that mean :
I money you pay to the government (2)
II an organisation for the benefit of the
poor or the needy (3)
III take away quickly (4)
IV back side (5)
A
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||||
B
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||||
C
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||||
D
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I
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II
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III
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IV
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7 Look at
the picture on page 23.
A What are the houses in this street
called?
B What is the woman doing?
A
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B
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8 Why did
Sorrow feel he could not return to his village?
Chapter 5 A difficult choice
1 Why is Sorrow more or less
forced to follow in Honesty’s footsteps?
2 What did Lovemore mean by
saying ‘You see, in Chimuka, when you buy
a new pair of trousers, they already
have holes in the pockets’?
3 ‘Think of it as pocket money.’ What
is the intended word pun (joke) here?
4 ‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.’
This proverb means that it is useless to make wishes and that people
must work to get what they want.
Below you find some more
British proverbs and sayings. Match them with
their meanings.
Proverb
|
Meaning
|
||
A
|
Blood is thicker than water
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I
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One problem often leads to another
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B
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Every cloud has a silver lining
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II
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Do not go by outward appearances
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C
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Live and let live
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III
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Allow people to be who they are
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D
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Out of the frying pan into the fire
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IV
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Try, or you will never get anything
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E
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Nothing ventured, nothing gained
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V
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The answer to a problem is often found after a good
night’s sleep
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F
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The best advice is found on the pillow
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VI
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There is always something good in bad times
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G
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One man’s meat is another man’s poison
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VII
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Family relationships are more important than those
among friends
|
H
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You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover
|
VIII
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People do not always like the same things
|
A =
|
B =
|
C =
|
D =
|
E =
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F =
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G =
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H =
|
5 What did Lovemore blame the
government for?
6 Why did Lovemore not
consider himself a hero?
7 Suppose you would try to earn some extra
(honest!) pocket money.
A What sort of job would you do?
B What would you spend the money on?
A
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B
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Chapter 6 The thief
1 Fill in the missing word.
From what you have read in the first three
paragraphs of this chapter, there was a lot of
..................................................
in Chimuka and Madoma.
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2 ‘But to go home would be to admit defeat.’
What did Sorrow mean by admit defeat? Choose A, B, or C.
A
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so embarrassing
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B
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to give in to failure
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C
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the easy way out
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3 How was ‘Ronaldo’ going to
assist ‘Ronaldinho’?
4 Why was the market a good
place for the two Rs? to do their business?
5 Who stole Joseph Mafindi’s
wallet, Sorrow or Honesty?
6
Honesty said Joseph
Mafindi looked like a rhino.
Rhinos are considered to
be one of ‘the Big Five’, Africa ’s big game
animals.
Write down the other four
animals that make up ‘the Big Five’.
7 Look at the picture on page
30.
What is in both Sorrow’s
hands?
Chapter 7 The guitar
1 Why did the people from the
townships go to the big cities every weekend?
2 A What new place did Sorrow and Honesty find to do their
business?
B Write down two reasons why this place suited their business so
well.
A
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B1
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B2
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3 If Sorrow and Honesty
earned 60 dollars in all during a weekend, how much could Sorrow keep for himself? Add your
calculation.
4
Sorrow lay awake and
wondered how he was going to meet his uncle’s demand.
What was this demand?
5 Why did Mr Sibanda ask
Sorrow if he was okay?
6 Give two reasons why
Lovemore was never arrested for running a gang of child thieves.
1
|
2
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7 A Where was Sorrow in the picture on page 34? Use a word from
the text.
B What did he find there?
A
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B
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Chapter 8 Some promises
1
Look at the song of
freedom on page 36.
A What is the Zambezi ?
B What word in the song tells you so?
A
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B
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2 Look at the title of this
chapter.
What were the three
promises Mr Sibanda wanted Sorrow to keep?
1
|
2
|
3
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3 What would be Sorrow’s
reward if he kept these promises?
4 Have you ever had to promise your parents to do or leave something? If
so:
A What was the promise that you had to keep?
B What was your reward for keeping this promise?
A
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B
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Chapter
9 Honesty’s fate
1 When Sorrow saw the old man
he had met when he first arrived in Chimuka, he remembered what the man had said to him.
How had Chimuka changed
Sorrow?
2 What made Sorrow think that
Honesty was definitely not a bad boy?
3 True or False?
Honesty pushed the wallet
into Sorrow’s hands on the bus.
True
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False
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4 Why did Honesty curl up in
a ball and cover his head?
5 After his escape, what did
Sorrow fear might have happened to Honesty?
6 ‘He retraced his steps.’
Explain what Sorrow was trying to do.
7 Why had Honesty never asked
Sorrow to come to his house?
Chapter 10 Uncle’s secret
1 Why did Lovemore get a
knife from one of the kitchen drawers?
2 What was Lovemore’s secret?
3 What did Lovemore say was
the reason for what he had done?
4 A What had Sorrow used the tin in his room for?
B What had happened to its contents?
A
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B
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5 Why did Sorrow go to his
school?
Your answer must contain
the words Mutubani and drunks.
Chapter 11 A second chance
1 ‘He (Sorrow) heard a familiar
voice.’ Explain what is meant by
this.
2 ‘He (Mr Sibanda) didn’t sound
convinced.’ Explains what is meant by this.
3 Mr Sibanda had repaired the
guitar. A guitar is a string instrument.
Write down 6 more string
instruments.
4 How did Sorrow feel about
his crying? Circle A, B, C, or D.
A
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confused
|
B
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embarrassed
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C
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angry
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D
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empty
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5 Why did he feel this way?
6 How did Sorrow feel about
his uncle?
7 What did Sorrow feel guilty
about?
8 The guitar that Mr Sibanda
had repaired was an electric one. What do you call a guitar which is NOT electric?
9 Look at the picture on page
48.
A Who are the two musicians on the posters behind Sorrow and Mr
Sibanda?
B What is the thing that is in front of Sorrow and Mr Sibanda?
A
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B
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10 Look at the title of this
chapter.
What was the second chance
that Sorrow was offered?
Chapter 12 The Stardusters
1 Why would Sorrow’s family
back in Mutubani be celebrating?
2 A What ‘instruments’ did these members of the school band play
and what can you tell
about these instruments?
Dennis
|
||
Ahmed
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B Who made up the rest of the band and what did they do in it?
3 Which of the songs was
originally sung by one of the men on the posters on page 48?
4 What does the saying ‘A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or
what is heaven for?’ mean?
5 What adjustments had Ahmed
made to his guitar?
6 What made Sorrow’s stomach
jump?
Chapter 13 Doubt
1 Sorrow used a twelve inch
ruler as an imaginary guitar. One inch is 2.54 centimetres .
A How long was the ruler in cms?
B In Britain
How would you tell an Englishman how tall you are?
Add your calculation!
E.g.: a person is
1 metre
and 90 centimetres .
This is how you go about:
Divide 190 by
30.84 to see how may feet this person is: 190 : 30.48 = 6.23
This means this
person is at least 6 feet tall.
Now deduct 6 x
30.84 (185.04) from 190 190
– 185.04 = 4.96
Divide this by
2.54 to see how many inches must be added
4.96 : 2.54 = 1.95
1.95 è just under 2 inches
So this persons
is 6 ft
2.
A
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B Add your calculation!
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2 David told the back-up
singers that they were singing like elephants and moving like hippos.
What did he mean by this?
3 Dennis used his eyes to
signal approval or disapproval.
What is meant by this?
4 What happened during
Sorrow’s practice on Monday morning?
5 A How did Dennis react when Sorrow told him he wanted to pull
out?
B How had Sorrow expected him to react?
C How did Sorrow feel after this reaction?
A
|
B
|
C
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6 What did Sorrow tell
himself when he got back at Mr Sibanda’s place?
Chapter 14 The concert
1 The crowd loved it when the
Stardusters played Angelina.
Which words from the text
tell you this? Mention at least four.
2 Do the same for Kilimanjaro.
3 What took Sorrow by
surprise at the end of the concert?
4 Look at the picture on page
57.
Who is the boy behind the
microphone?
5 Why had Sorrow’s uncle come
to the concert?
6 Look at the last sentence
of this chapter.
Was Sorrow happy to see
his uncle? Explain your answer.
7 A Have you ever been
to a concert?
B If so, whose concert was that and what did you think of it?
C If not, whose concert would you like to visit in the future?
Explain your answer.
A
|
B
|
C
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Chapter 15 Mutubani boy
1 Why had Sorrow not written
to his parents in Mutubani? Give two reasons.
2 What did Mr Sibanda mean
when he said Sorrow could not play the guitar without sadza in his
stomach?
3 Had the meeting at the concert
between Sorrow and his uncle been a coincidence?
Explain your answer.
4 A What was the reason for the commotion at the football field?
B What was the result of this for the Chimuka team?
A
|
B
|
5 What was the reason for
Sorrow to go to his uncle’s house after the match?
After Reading
1 What do you think will
happen to these people in the future?
A Sorrow
B Uncle Lovemore
C Honesty
A
|
B
|
C
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