Activity 1: Chapter 1 Summary Gap-fill

FIll in the blanks using the words below.

It's a hot afternoon near Soledad, California, sometime during the 1930s. Everyone (or nearly everyone) is poor and scrambling around desperately for 1_________ food, and money.

We meet Lennie Small and George Milton, two migrant workers. These two are dressed nearly identically, but there the similarities end. George is small and 2_________. Lennie is huge and mentally 3_________. We can tell from his dialogue and actions that he's got some major problems.

Lennie drops to his knees and drinks from a pool of dirty water, slurping out of it like a horse. George verbally swats him. This is the dynamic of their relationship in a nutshell: Lennie acts like a 4_________ and George tells him off like a parent. Make that a parent who swears a lot.

George reminds Lennie (and us) about where they are going and why: a 5________ where they can buck barley for 50 dollars a month. George also reminds Lennie why they lost their last job: something about a girl with a soft, red dress that Lennie liked to 6_______ (the dress, that is, although technically, yes, the girl was in the dress at the time).

This "petting" is a major problem for Lennie. Lennie likes to pet things a little too hard and a little too long—an activity that keeps resulting in dead rabbits. Lennie and George have an argument over a 7_________ that Lennie has petted a little too hard and long. Lennie wants to keep the dead mouse in his 8_________, but George throws it away.

Then they argue about other stuff: Lennie wants ketchup with his supper of beans; George says there isn't any. Lennie threatens to go live by himself in a cave; George says what a great life he could have if Lennie did go off and live in a cave. Aw, and now Lennie's feelings are hurt.

George makes it up to Lennie by telling him his favourite story, the one where they have their own ranch and Lennie gets to tend (and pet!) 9__________. As long and as hard as he wants.

George also reminds Lennie to 10___________ to this spot by the river if anything bad happens, which suggests, of course, that something bad most definitely will.

Pet                        

Ranch

Rabbits

Ranch

Pocket

Work

Kid

Slow

Smart

Return

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Of Mice and Men: Chapter

1. Why did George and Lennie have to leave their previous jobs? Describe what happened in your own words. (p.12-13)
2. Summarise Lennie and George´s dream (p.15-18) in 50 words.What does their dream suggest about their character/life?
3. Compare and contrast George and Lennie's characters using quotations from the text to support your ideas. Use at least two quotations from the chapter for each character. Make at least three different points. Try to focus on, and explain,specific word choices

Some useful phrases:

•The author describes ________ as ‘….’

•The quotation, ‘…’ gives the impression that…

•There is a description of the _____ as, ‘….’

•For example, when, ‘…’ the quotation

•This gives the impression of …

•The word ‘…’ gives a clear idea of …

•The author gives a sense of the …

•From this quotation …

EXAMPLE of PEE :

Work for Monday and Wednesday

1. Complete pages 28-29 of the GREEN CAMBRIDGE OBJECTIVE FIRST STUDENT´S BOOK. Complete exercises 1-6

2. Complete pages 30-31 of the GREEN CAMBRIDGE OBJECTIVE FIRST STUDENT´S BOOK. complete exercises 1-7.

These pieces of work must be completed for
Thursday 20th October - I will check that they have been done.


Optional Extension: If you finish, please continue to read chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men and write a summary of what happens. 

Before we start reading.... The Historical context of Of Mice and Men

Research answers to the following questions and then type/write up detailed responses (3-4 sentences) for each.

1.What was the name of the financial disaster that occurred in America in 1929?

2.How did this man-made disaster contribute to the Great Depression?

3.In 1931, what became known as the Dust Bowl began. What was this and what caused it?

4.How did this natural disaster contribute to the Great Depression?

5.Describe the idea behind the American Dream.

Educating Essex: Returning to episode 1

Together, we are going to watch the remainder of episode 1 of Educating Essex (from 10 minutes 40 seconds). As we are watching, you should answer the questions below. You can copy and paste them into a Word document and type your answers underneath.


Educating Essex: Episode One - Here´s the link :)

1.‘Without wishing to sound kind of _________ about it a teacher has to entertain.´

2.Why does Mr Drew believe that a teacher has to entertain?What example does he give?

3.‘When you look at it like that, _________!’

4.Do you think it is acceptable for a class to be interrupted to celebrate a teacher’s birthday? What do
 you think viewers might think of this scene?

5.‘The hardcore kids we’ve got are really fairly hardcore. Theyare massively ____________.’

6.‘Her mobile phone is becoming a ________________ with the staff.’

7.According to Mr Drew what is the way of stopping pupils‘making a disaster of their lives’?

8.Is expelling a student the solution according to Mr Drew?Why or why not? Develop your answer.

9.‘She is one of the most __________ young people that we’ve ever had.’ (talking about Carmelita)

10.‘Once a young person decides they don’t care, and they don’t care what you do, you’re ______________ .’

11.Why does Mr Drew want to suspend Carmelita?

12.Why does the other teacher end the phone call withCarmelita’s mother?

13.How does Carmelita’s description of the event vary as thestory progresses?

Useful debating vocabulary