2.4 To understand characters

English first additional language

Grade 6

Module 15

To understand characters

Activity 1:

To understand characters (their feelings and reasons for actions

To answer and ask some complex questions

[lo 3.1.2, 5.2.1]

Our focus is shifting back to reading and comprehension now. We are going to take a closer look at the characters in the following passage and their reactions in a situation. As you read the passage, take careful note of the words that describe what each person does as the events unfold. There are questions for you to answer at the end.

One day, in India, an elephant walked into a hospital.

The elephant wasn’t ill, and he didn’t have anyone to visit. He just wanted to know what a hospital was like.

He went straight into a ward full of old ladies. As he went he waved his trunk from side to side just to be friendly. One old lady had just eaten an orange. The elephant loved oranges. He walked up to the old lady’s bedside table and took all the orange peels.

Unfortunately he knocked over a vase of flowers with his trunk.

The old ladies screamed as the elephant went on down the ward.

At that moment a doctor arrived.

The doctor grabbed two oranges and the orange-loving elephant followed the doctor outside.

The elephant had escaped from a circus.

1. Why did the elephant go to the hospital? (1)
2. Which patients were in the first ward he visited? (1)
3. How was the elephant careless? (1)
4. How did the old ladies react? (1)
5. Why did the old ladies react in this way? (2)
6. Who brought the situation under control? (1)
7. Why did the elephant follow the doctor? (1)
8. The doctor was very clever / stupid / careless / upset. (1)
9. How do you know that the elephant was a friendly one? (1)
10. Give a suitable heading for the passage. (1)

1. Give a brief explanation as to how you think the elephant escaped from the circus. (2)

TOTAL: 12

Educator’s Assessment:

Assessment

Memorandum

1. The elephant wanted to know what a hospital was like.
2. The first ward he visited was full of old ladies.
3. He knocked over a vase of flowers with his trunk.
4. The old ladies screamed.
5. The old ladies were afraid of the elephant.
6. The doctor brought the situation under control.
7. The elephant followed the doctor because he grabbed two oranges and the elephant loved oranges.
8. The doctor was very CLEVER.
9. The elephant waved his trunk from side to side just to be friendly.
10. (Learners must think of a creative title.)
11. (Learners must make up this part of the story.)