3.1 To expand vocabulary

The single greatest drawback to good writing is the lack of vocabulary. So expand this exercise!

Using a dictionary, of course, as a matter of course, really helps, and learners should feel comfortable using good reference books.

“cool exercise”

• unfriendly
• calm
• chilly
• bold
• freeze
• self-controlled

“Nice” and “lots of “ Exercise

Nice curry = delicious , appetizing

Nice smell = enticing, strong

Nice things for sale = interesting, inexpensive, unusual

Lots of different spices = many / different / a variety of

Lots of little shops = many / different

Lots of magazines = a collection / a small library of

Waddle = to take short steps and sway from side to side in walking, like a duck

March = to walk in a markedly rhythmical military manner

Hobble = to walk with short unsteady steps, to move irregularly

Shuffle = to shove the feet along without lifting them

Slouch = to walk in a drooping manner

Stride = to walk with long steps

Limp = to drag feet while walking

Saunter = to wander about idly

Strut = to walk stiffly in vanity and self-importance

Toddle = to walk with short feeble steps like a child

(answers from Chambers 20th Century Dictionary – new edition)

The learners could also paste a picture in their books of a person who is likely to display the above types of walks.

ACTIVITY 2

• Read this passage to the learners and see how many details they can recall.
• Listening skills should really be developed.

Life on the island

1. The vegetable patch was fruitful. It gave Gram joy.

2. Natural remedies for illnesses.

3. E.g. Place a clover in a tooth which aches.

4. Mila heard them from Gram.

5. Their customers were ill and they were poor.

6. Vegetables can be sold for an income.

Herbs can be used for medicinal use.

Vegetables and herbs can be used for food dishes.

7. It would mean that her pies were so delicious that a person who as a rule did not eat meat, would be convinced to go against his principles and eat meat.

Suggested assessment for this section of Mila’s Magic:

The questions have been awarded a specific mark. Learners are awarded a mark according to their answers. At the end the total needs to reverted to a % mark.

ACTIVITY 3

In the report-back session, each learner must be given the opportunity to report back on his/her findings.

Try to see if there are any similarities in the languages. Learners should be taught an appreciation and respect for other languages and cultures.

There is a Commission on languages in South Africa. Generally, all 11 official languages are respected and radio stations and documentation are usually appropriately used in a specific area. Translators and interpreters are used far more widely.

Eleven languages are spoken in South Africa.

As not everyone is familiar with all the languages, a lack of communication can be the result and also a boredom when listening to an unknown language. It also slows communication as information is translated slowly. It certainly should make us conscious that we have not made much effort to learn one another’s languages. And also that speaking to someone in their language is the best way to form a good relationship. Equally, not speaking someone’s language can lead to all sorts of misunderstandings.

• The government of the day has many formal pamphlets to publish and it is not financially viable or economical to print them in all the official languages.
• The idea is to print them in all the major languages.
• The least spoken SA language is that of the smallest tribe:

English is the most accepted language (although Afrikaans is spoken by a large number of South Africans). However, English is the international computer, diplomatic, business and financial language of the world and allows us access to all the global institutions, news etc of the world.

Foreigners feel it highly unusual to have so many languages in one country and wonder how it is possible for us to cope with them all. However, they appreciate the fact that we respect the languages of others and do not denigrate any one language.

Learners can use a dictionary to find out the various phrases in different languages but they might enjoy doing some extra research or interviewing of those who know the different languages!