Aqila Course

Genre of text : Narrative

Social function : To amuse, entertain and to deal with actual or vicarious experiences in different ways.

Generic structure:

–     orientation: sets the scene and introduces the participants

–     evaluation (optional): a step back to evaluate the plight

–     complication: a crisis arises

–     resolution: the crisis is resolved, for better or worse

–     reorientation ( optional)

Once upon a time there lived two best friends, the hare and the tortoise….

Grammar: Simple Past Tense : Regular Verbs

Examples:

– Mantu lived in a village deep in the jungle.

– They moved to a bigger house.

Reading

Once upon a time there lived two best friends, the hare and the tortoise. They liked to race against each other, but the hare always won.

 One day, the hare asked the tortoise to race down to the beach. The tortoise refused, he said that he will loose anyway. The hare replied in a kind voice that he felt sorry about it.

But the next day, the hare found a way to race the tortoise that would be fair and lots of fun too. He asked the tortoise to come with him. The tortoise was slowly plodding over the sandhill towards the beach. Now the two friends can race against each other all day and something tells me that the tortoise might win this time.

1. Who were the two friends?

2. What did the hare ask the tortoise?

3. What happened next?

4. How did the hare  find a way to race?

5. How was the end of the story?

Text

         Once upon a time, there lived a kind young prince named Jonathan. He was loved, and adored by his people. His two close friends were Peter Piper, the servant of the palace and Franklin Greedy, the son of an Aristocrat.

         One day, The Prince, Peter Piper, and Franklin Greedy were walking through the forest. Suddenly a group of bandits attacked the three boys near an old house. They entered the old house and blockaded the gate and doors. The three boys were trapped inside the house.

         Franklin was very terrified and asked the Prince to surrender immediately, but Peter was not afraid. He urged and supported the Prince not to give up. The  Prince decided not to surrender because he realized that he would become a hostage for the bandits to ask for ransom to his father, but Franklinwas scared and wanted to make a deal, it made Peter suspicious about Franklin’s behaviour. So he quietly made up a plan for him and the Prince to escape.

         Early at dawn, Franklin opened the front gate and unlocked the doors. The bandits entered the house in search of the Prince. When they came to the room where the Prince was supposed to be sleeping, no one was there. Suddenly they heard a horse running outside the house and saw over the window that Peter Piper and the Prince were riding away on one of the bandit’s horses

         It turns out, Peter Piper sneaked out of the house and waited in the yard, while the Prince was hiding behind the house. The bandits were very angry at Franklin and took him with them while the Prince and Peter went safely going back to the Capital.

1.   What kind of person was Prince Jonathan?

2.   Who were Prince Jonathan’s friends?

3.   What happened when the Prince and his two friends were walking in the forest?

4.   Why did Franklin try to persuade the Prince to surrender?

5.   What did Peter Piper do when Franklin tried to persuade the Prince to surrender?

6.   Why did Franklin sneak out to meet the bandits’ leader?

7.   Did the Prince manage to escape from the bandits? How?

8.   After you read the story, what did you think of the Prince’s friends?

Text

Little Mantu lived in a village deep in the jungle where elephants helped the men with their work. These elephants were so big and strong. They could lift up the heaviest logs with their trunks and toss them high in the air.

 Now, Mantu had an elephant of his very own. His name was Opie. He was just a baby and Mantu loved him very much.

 Mantu whispered to Opie’s ear that someday he would become the biggest, strongest and bravest elephant in the jungle. The other elephants heard this. They began to laugh and made rude noises with their trunks. “We’re so big and tall, but you’re so small. You’re nothing at all,” said one of the big elephants. looked up at the huge elephant with a mischievous glint in his eye. “You’re so tall and can see far away. We can see what is happening down here in the jungle. In fact, we would be the  first to see any slithering snakes that may be a danger. “After hearing the word snakes, the elephants screeched and off they gwents thundering in fright.

 “Did I say there were snak

es?” giggled Mantu. “No, I don’t think so,” smiled Opie. Mantu then climbed upon his little friend’s back and went home to the village to tell everyone about the foolish elephants.

1. Where did Little Mantu live?

2. Who was his best friend?

3. What did Mantu whisper in Opie’s ear?

4. What made the huge elephant run away?

Text

                  Long ago, in the Neverland, there lived a very beautiful princess, Snow White. The Queen was her stepmother. She was very jealous of her beauty. So she wanted her to die. Snow White knew about the evil plan. She escaped into a forest. There she made friends with seven dwarfs. The queen turned Snow White into a witch. Snow White did not realize it. The witch gave her a poisoned apple. As a result, Snow White was put into sleep for years. Fortunately, in the end, Prince Charming revived her with a kiss. They lived together happily ever after. (Free adaptation from Grimms’ fairy tale)

According to the story, say whether each statement below is true or false.

1.   Snow White was a beautiful queen.

2.   Her own mother was jealous of her beauty.

3.   Snow White ran away from her palace.

4.   She lived with Prince Charming in a forest.

5.   Snow White was poisoned by her stepmother.

6.   Her stepmother was evil.

7.   The dwarfs helped Prince Charming revive Snow White.

8.   Snow White and Prince Charming had a happy life after that.

1.   What is the story about?

2.   When and where did the story happen?

3.   What problems did Snow White have?

4.   What happened to her then?

5.   Who came to help her?

6.   What did he do to Snow White?