The Edge 4 5 by Dick Francis 6

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T e a c h e r’s n o t e s 1

3 The Edge 4 5 by Dick Francis 6

S U M M A R Y ADVANCED

he Edge, published in 1988, is a thriller with a spending six months on research and six months on the T difference. The story takes place on a ‘Race Train’ writing. Most of his novels have been translated into more containing some valuable racehorses and their than 30 languages. He has said that 10lb Penalty extremely rich owners. The luxury train travels across the (published 1997), will be his last book. North American continent from Toronto on the east side to He and his wife live in the Caribbean, returning to Britain Vancouver on the west, stopping now and then so that its every year to attend the Grand National Steeplechase. passengers can take part in horse races on the way. As one might imagine, this setting offers plenty of opportunity for crime and mischief. B A C K G R O U N D A N D T H E M E S The narrator of the story, Tor Kelsey, is a kind of amateur Dick Francis is well known for his ability to keep the reader spy working for the British Jockey Club. He is sent over to guessing, and his plots are always well constructed. As Canada to keep an eye on a particularly unpleasant we read, we constantly wonder what will happen next. Or member of the British racing community. This man, Julius who will do what and why. Part of the fun of this kind of Filmer, likes to use threats, blackmail and murder, and has story is to try to solve the mystery ahead of the writer! sworn revenge on the racing world. Can Kelsey prevent The setting of the story on a train helps to increase the disaster as the Race Train crosses the huge and beautiful tension in the narrative: the characters are trapped in a Canadian landscape? claustrophobic atmosphere as the train, like time, rushes onwards towards the inevitable conclusion. ABOUT DICK FRANCIS In The Edge, Francis uses his portrayal of the racehorse Dick Francis, an award-winning author, is one of the most owners as a way of exploring the theme of wealth. The popular British crime writers of all time. He specializes in Lorrimores are one of the richest families in Canada and writing about the world of horse-racing. yet it seems their money cannot buy them happiness. The chief villain, Julius Filmer, is wealthy enough to purchase He has had an extraordinary life, which has been just as the horses he wants, but he prefers to make the sellers daring and courageous as the heroes in his books. Born suffer through his threats of blackmail. He seems to in 1920, the son of a jockey, he dropped out of school at personify an irrational kind of evil. 15 and started to substitute for his father in riding competitions. During the Second World War he Meanwhile, beside the rich world of the owners, there is volunteered for the Royal Air Force, where he flew fighter the more ‘normal’ world of the people who organize and and bomber aircraft. look after them: the train staff, the tour organizer Nell Richmond and, of course, the narrator, Tor Kelsey, whose After the war he returned to horse racing. He became a task is to ensure the safe passage of the train, its professional jockey and won more than 350 races during passengers and the horses. his racing career. In 1953/4 he was Champion Jockey and, as a result of this, rode for Queen Elizabeth the Tor Kelsey is a typical Dick Francis hero: he is in his Queen Mother. In 1956 a highly dramatic event took twenties, clever, likeable, reliable and a thoro u g h place: he was about to win one of the most famous and gentleman. He does not have to work for money, but d a n g e rous of all horse races, the Grand National instead he does the job for the challenge and enjoyment. Steeplechase in Britain, when his horse, the Queen He is a tough amateur who relies on quick wits and his Mother’s ‘Devon Loch’, suddenly collapsed and fell. knowledge of horses and racing, rather than using weapons. This event was the start of his writing career: he was asked to write his autobiography, published the following The racing world is a rich source for mystery and year as The Sport of Queens. Then a riding accident suspense stories. Many different people are involved in meant that he had to retire from horse racing and he horse racing, from the richest and aristocratic in society to began to work for the Sunday Express newspaper, which the humblest and poorest. It is a highly commercialized he did for 16 years. sport and in Great Britain and North America it is carefully s u p e rvised by the Jockey Club. The racehorses His first novel, Dead Cert, appeared in 1962. He has themselves are extremely valuable creatures. One of the written approximately one book per year ever since,

© Pearson Education 2000 l e v e l Penguin Readers Factsheets 6 T e a c h e r’s n o t e s highest prices ever paid for a racehorse was about US$30 you’re richer, you’re richer because you’re better.’ What million in 1981 for a European horse called ‘Storm Bird’. does it mean? Do the students agree with it? On the race track, racegoers – ordinary people from all Chapters 16–20 walks of life – go to race meetings not only to watch but, Write the following proverb on the board: ‘Don’t count more importantly, to bet on a race. Gambling on horses is your chickens before they’re hatched.’ Explain the word big business in the UK and elsewhere, and is also part of hatched. Ask students to say what they think the proverb the reason why horse racing attracts criminals. means. Now ask students to look on page 53 at the Mix the possibility of winning or losing large sums of sentence: ‘I should have remembered the saying about not counting chickens.’ Put students in pairs or groups to money with the many types of people who inhabit the discuss what this sentence means at this point in the world of racing, and you have the perfect formula for story. corruption and evil. In The Edge, on the whole, good triumphs: the good and the brave get the happy ending, Chapters 21–26 while the bad suffer. Put students in pairs or small groups to make a list of adjectives or phrases which describe Tor Kelsey. Write their adjectives on the board. Now ask the groups to Communicative activities choose five of the adjectives and to find parts of the story which show Tor behaving in ways described by the The following teacher-led activities cover the same adjectives. sections of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK and supplement those exercises. For supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the book see the There are several nasty characters in this story. Ask photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. students to say who they are and write the names on the These are primarily for use with class readers but, with the board. Put students in pairs or small groups to decide exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, which character is the most unpleasant. can also be used by students working alone in a self- access centre. ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK G l o s s a r y

Put students into small groups. Ask them to read the It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. cover of the book. Ask them who and what will be They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections of exercises at travelling on this train and what kinds of special carriage the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman will be needed. Active Study Dictionary.) Tell them that there will be 11 carriages. They must decide Chapters 1–5 how the Race Train should be organized and where each bedridden (adj) unable to get out of bed, because you are too old of the following should go: or ill blackmail (n) when someone makes you pay them money or do what First-class dining car. Racegoers. Horses, grooms, they want by threatening to tell secrets about you luggage. Racehorse owners’ sleeping compartments. brochure (n) a thin book that tells you about something or advertises Train staff sleeping compartments. Horse owners’ sitting something car. champagne (n) a French white wine that has bubbles in it and is drunk on special occasions Have a vote on the best arrangement. compartment (n) an area of a train in which people sit or sleep glacier (n) a large mass of ice that moves slowly down a mountain ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION valley Chapters 1–5 groom (n) somebody whose job is to look after horses persecute (v) to treat someone cruelly and unfairly Put the students into pairs or small groups. Ask them to sulky (adj) behaving in a silent and unhappy way because you are look back at the chapter headings and to use these to annoyed about something make suggestions about how the story will develop for: transcontinental (adj) crossing a continent waistcoat (n) an item of clothing without sleeves, with buttons down Nell Richmond, Julius Filmer, the Lorrimore family, the the front, worn over a shirt horses, George Burley Chapters 6–10 briefcase (n) a flat case used for carrying papers and books for work Chapters 6–10 expel (v) to officially order somebody to leave a school, organization Put students into groups or pairs to discuss the following: or country sabotage (n) damage which is done secretly to spoil someone’s plans (a) What do you think Sheridan might have done at unhitch (v) to unfasten one thing from another Cambridge? Chapters 11–15 (b) What could be in Filmer’s briefcase? flare (n) a thing that produces a bright flame as a sign of danger Make a list of students’ ideas on the board. Have a vote axle (n) a bar that connects two wheels on a vehicle on the most likely possibility. Chapters 16–20 canyon (n) a deep narrow valley with steep sides Chapters 11–15 Chapters 21–26 Put students into pairs or groups. Ask them to discuss vet (n) someone who is trained to give medical care to sick animals sling (n) a piece of cloth tied around your neck to support your arm Mercer Lorrimore’s saying: ‘You’re not better because when you have hurt it

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Student’s activities 1 The Edge 2 Photocopiable 3 These activities can be done alone or with one or more other people. Pair/group-only activities are marked. 4 5 Activities before reading the book 6 1 Look at a good map of Canada and find these places: (h) Sheridan and Xanthe Lorrimore are happy to be Calgary; Ottawa; the Rocky Mountains; Toronto; on the Race Train. Vancouver; Winnipeg. (i) Mercer Lorrimore does not trust his children. ADVANCED 2 Read the Introduction in the book. Where will the train 2 What do you think Xanthe means when she says: go? Look at the map again and say which of the ‘And it’s all Sheridan’s fault - if he were anyone else’s places in exercise 1 above the train will probably not child, he’d be in prison’? Discuss your ideas with a pass through. In what order will the train go through partner. the remaining places? CHAPTERS 6–10 Activities while reading the book Chapters 6–8 1 Put these events in the right order. CHAPTERS 1–5 (a) The passengers have their dinner. Chapters 1 & 2 (b) Tor phones Mrs Baudelaire. (c) The train stops at Cartier. 1 Match the name with the description. (d) Xanthe Lorrimore finds that her carriage has been (a) Derry Welfram unhitched from the Race Train. (b) Valentine Catto (e) The train stops at Sudbury. (c) Tor Kelsey (f) The Lorrimores’ carriage is found outside Cartier. (i) a kind of spy for the Jockey Club (g) A radio man in Schreiber tells the train behind, (ii) worked for Julius Filmer the Canadian, to stop. (iii) Tor Kelsey’s boss in the Jockey Club 2 Who says the following to whom and why? 2 Answer these questions. (a) ‘Don’t get it.’ (a) Why is Derry Welfram’s death a problem for Tor (b) ‘I hope this will help.’ and his boss? (c) ‘It’s a pity I’m a waiter.’ (b) What crimes is Julius Filmer suspected of? (d) ‘You mean Vancouver.’ (c) What reason does Tor give for the young groom’s (e) ‘I’ve done it and I want my money.’ death? Chapters 9 & 10 (d) Why did Filmer escape conviction for the murder of the young groom? Can you find the factual mistakes in these statements? (e) What crime is Derry Welfram suspected of? Try to do the task without referring to the text first. (f) Why is Tor following Derry Welfram? (a) Carrie collects a package from Tor to give to Bill (g) Why is Julius Filmer going on the Race Train? Baudelaire. (h) What is Daffodil Quentin suspected of? (b) The Lorrimore’s horse, Upper Gumtree, wins the race (i) What is Tor Kelsey going to do on the Race at Winnipeg. Train? (c) Tor photographs Thin-face at the station. (d) Filmer doesn’t come to breakfast the day after leaving Chapters 3–5 Calgary. 1 Are these true or false? (e) Daffodil Quentin leaves the train at Winnipeg. (a) Bill Baudelaire could not prevent Julius Filmer (f) Lenny Higgs looks after Upper Gumtree. from going on the Race Train. (b) The Lorrimores are one of the richest families in CHAPTERS 11–15 Canada. (c) Tor thinks leaving messages with Bill Baudelaire’s Chapter 11 mother is a good idea. 1 Answer these questions. (d) Tor is attracted to Nell Richmond. (a) What is Tor’s opinion of Xanthe? (e) Anyone who wants to can visit the horses on the (b) What is his opinion of Sheridan? train. (f) Tor has never been a waiter before. 2 Work with another student. (g) Drinks are free for passengers on the Race Train. Imagine you are Tor and Xanthe. Act out the

conversation you might have with Xanthe to try to (c) How does Tor know where to look for George? persuade her to behave differently. 2 Imagine you are the conductor on the Canadian. You Chapter 12 must send a radio report to the station in Kamloops saying what has happened and what the plan is. Write Write answers to these questions or discuss them with a down your message. partner. (a) List the items that Tor finds in Filmer’s briefcase. Chapters 18–20 (b) Who do you think is responsible for killing the cats? 1 Answer these questions. Work with another student if (c) What do you think might be the connection between possible. the newspaper cutting and the report about cats? (a) Explain how Sheridan Lorrimore dies. (d) Why do you think these two items are in Filmer’s (b) In what way was Sheridan ‘lost to’ Xanthe ‘even briefcase? when he was alive’? (c) On page 59, Nell and Tor disagree about the Chapters 13–15 effect Sheridan’s death will have on the 1 Put these names in the right spaces. You can use the passengers. Write summaries of their opinions. names more than once. Who do you agree with? (d) What does the fact that Tor was right tell you the Lorrimores, Voting Right, Filmer, Nell, Tor, about the writer’s view of human nature? Thin-face, Johnson, Xanthe 2 Imagine you are George. Write down the words you At dinner on the last night on the train, would use to tell Mr and Mrs Lorrimore that Sheridan has been found. (i) ...... seem unhappy. (ii) ...... asks CHAPTERS 21–26 (iii) ...... to speak to Chapters 21–23 (iv) ...... to find out why. It seems Answer these questions. that (v) ...... has asked to buy 1 What explanations does Mercer Lorrimore give for (iv) ...... ’ horse, (a) Sheridan’s suicide? (vii) ...... , and has at the same time (b) Sheridan’s cruel behaviour? mentioned the word ‘cats’. In another development, 2 Filmer is quite rich enough to buy his racehorses, so (viii) ...... is identified as why does he prefer to get them by blackmailing (ix) ...... , a former railway employee people? who has been sacked. 3 How had Filmer found the information about Sheridan and Mercer Lorrimore? 2 Complete these sentences. (a) Tor wakes up because Chapters 24–26 ...... 1 Who makes the following statements and are the (b) George’s assistant is worried because facts in the statements correct? ...... (a) ‘He was acting on your instructions and was paid (c) Tor cannot use the radio because by you.’ ...... (b) ‘Mr Filmer, you are responsible with McLachlan (d) The radio phone can not be used because for all these acts of sabotage.’ ...... (c) ‘I told him not to. I didn’t want him to.’ (e) Tor has to light flares because ...... (d) ‘You chose to let him hit you; I saw you.’ (f) Johnson is probably responsible for the sabotage 2 Why do you think that Tor closes his eyes (on page because ...... 81)? (g) Johnson is waiting by the railway track because ...... (h) Tor feels great relief because Activities after reading the book ...... Talk to another student. CHAPTERS 16–20 1 Why do you think that the author chose The Edge as Chapters 16 & 17 a title for the book? Is it a good title? Why/why not? 2 How realistic do you find the following: 1 Answer these questions. (a) Sheridan’s behaviour? (a) How does the train driver on the Canadian manage to see one of the flares? (b) Filmer’s behaviour? (b) Why has the axle become too hot? (Refer back to your answers to questions 1 and 2 in the section on Chapters 21–23)

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