If You Had to Compare Yourself to a Character in a Book/Film/T

S2 Homework Booklet English

Well said, Ned Stark.

Every two weeks, you will be given an English homework task. These are expected to be completed on time and to the best of your ability. Work is to be completed in your English homework jotter.

As you always have two weeks to hand it in there is plenty of time for you to ask your teacher for help.

Task One: Personal Writing If you had to compare yourself to a character in a book/film/T.V. show who would it be and why?

Task Two: Close Reading - The Hunger Games Read the passage and answer the questions in your own words.

Task Three: Creative Writing Imagine you are an explorer. You have discovered a new island. It can be in any part of the world you want. Describe your initial impressions of this new land as you take your first steps on it.

Task Four: Close Reading - Skulduggery Pleasant Read the passage and answer the questions in your own words. Task One – Personal Writing

If you had to compare yourself to a character in a book/film/T.V. show who would it be and why?

In the clip you watched in class, Vincent imagined that he was like the horror star, Vincent Price. Think about the things Vincent and the actor had in common. Also think about the characters you discussed in class.

In your homework jotter, you should write a short piece on a character you think you are similar to.

When writing this piece, you should think about:  What they look like  What things they like  What things they don’t like  What things they do

Here is a brief plan to help you get started:

Paragraph 1: Introduction – write a sentence or two to tell the reader who the person is and what film/book/T.V show they appear in. Paragraph 2: Appearance – do you look like your character? Describe any similarities here. Remember to use adjectives! Paragraph 3: Likes/Dislikes – what things do both you and your character like? For example, do you share any favourite foods, music or animals? Are there any things you both don’t like? Paragraph 4: Actions – are there any hobbies you and your character share? What kind of things do you both do? Paragraph 5: Conclusion – sum up the main points of your essay here. You only need a couple of sentences!

2 Task Two – The Hunger Games

Read the following extract from The Hunger Games and complete the questions in your homework jotter. You must answer in your own words!

1. When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. 2. Of course she did. This is the day of the reaping. 3. I prop myself up on one elbow. There’s enough light in the bedroom to see them. My little sister, Prim, curled up on her side, cocooned in my mother’s body, their cheeks pressed together. In sleep, my mother looks younger, still worn but not so beaten-down. Prim’s face is as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named. My mother was very beautiful once, too. Or so they tell me. 4. Sitting at Prim’s knees, guarding her, is the world’s ugliest cat. Mashed-in nose, half of one ear missing, eyes the colour of rotting squash. Prim named him Buttercup, insisting that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower. He hates me. Or at least distrusts me. Even though it was years ago, I think he still remembers how I tried to drown him in a bucket when Prim brought him home. Scrawny kitten, belly swollen with worms, crawling with fleas. The last thing I needed was another mouth to feed. But Prim begged so hard, cried even, I had to let him stay. It turned out OK. My mother got rid of the vermin and he’s a born mouser. Even catches the occasional rat. Sometimes, when I clean a kill, I feed Buttercup the entrails. He has stopped hissing at me. 5. Entrails. No hissing. This is the closest we will ever come to love. 6. I swing my legs off the bed and slide into my hunting boots. Supple leather that has moulded to my feet. I pull on trousers, a shirt, tuck my long dark braid up into a cap, and grab my forage bag. On the table, under a wooden bowl to protect it from hungry rats and cats alike, sits a perfect little goat’s cheese wrapped in basil leaves. Prim’s gift to me on reaping day. I put the cheese carefully in my pocket as I slip outside. 7. Our part of District 12, nicknamed the Seam, is usually crawling with coal miners heading out to the morning shift at this hour. Men and women with hunched shoulders, swollen knuckles, many of whom have long since stopped trying to scrub the coal dust out of their broken nails and the lines of their sunken faces. But today the black cinder streets are empty. Shutters on the squat grey houses are closed. The reaping isn’t until two. May as well sleep in. If you can. 8. Our house is almost at the edge of the Seam. I only have to pass a few gates to reach the scruffy field called the Meadow. Separating the Meadow from the woods, in fact enclosing all of District 12, is a high chain-link fence topped with barbed-wire loops. In theory, it’s supposed to be electrified twenty-four hours a day as a deterrent to the predators that live in the woods – packs of wild dogs, lone cougars, bears – that used to threaten our streets. But since

3 we’re lucky to get two or three hours of electricity in the evenings, it’s usually safe to touch. Even so, I always take a moment to listen carefully for the hum that means the fence is live. Right now, it’s silent as a stone. Concealed by a clump of bushes, I flatten out on my belly and slide under a metre-long stretch that’s been loose for years. There are several other weak spots in the fence, but this one is so close to home I almost always enter the woods here. 9. As soon as I’m in the trees, I retrieve a bow and sheath of arrows from a hollow log. Electrified or not, the fence has been successful at keeping the flesh-eaters out of District 12. Inside the woods they roam freely, and there are added concerns like venomous snakes, rabid animals, and no real paths to follow. But there’s also food if you know how to find it. My father knew and he taught me some ways before he was blown to bits in a mine explosion. There was nothing left of him to bury. I was eleven then. Five years later, I still wake up screaming for him to run. 10.Even though trespassing in the woods is illegal and poaching carries the severest of penalties, more people would risk it if they had weapons. But most are not bold enough to venture out with just a knife. My bow is a rarity, crafted by my father along with a few others that I keep well hidden in the woods, carefully wrapped in waterproof covers. My father could have made good money selling them, but if the officials found out he would have been publicly executed for inciting a rebellion. Most of the Peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they’re as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is. In fact, they’re among our best customers. But the idea that someone might be arming the Seam would never have been allowed. 11.In the autumn, a few brave souls sneak into the woods to harvest apples. But always in sight of the Meadow. Always close enough to run back to the safety of District 12 if trouble arises. “District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety,” I mutter. Then I glance quickly over my shoulder. Even here, even in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you. 12.When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far- off city called the Capitol. Eventually I understood this would only lead us to more trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts. Do my work quietly in school. Make only polite small talk in the public market. Discuss little more than trades in the Hob, which is the black market where I make most of my money. Even at home, where I am less pleasant, I avoid discussing tricky topics. Like the reaping, or food shortages, or the Hunger Games. Prim might begin to repeat my words, and then where would we be? 13.In the woods waits the only person with whom I can be myself. Gale. I can feel the muscles in my face relaxing, my pace quickening as I climb the hills to our place, a rock ledge overlooking a valley. A thicket of berry bushes protects it from unwanted eyes. The sight of him waiting there brings on a smile. Gale says I never smile except in the woods. 14.“Hey, Catnip,” says Gale. My real name is Katniss, but when I first told him, I had barely whispered it. So he thought I’d said Catnip. Then when this crazy lynx started following me around the woods looking for handouts, it became

4 his official nickname for me. I finally had to kill the lynx because he scared off game. I almost regretted it because he wasn’t bad company. But I got a decent price for his pelt. 15.“Look what I shot.” Gale holds up a loaf of bread with an arrow stuck in it, and I laugh. It’s real bakery bread, not the flat, dense loaves we make from our grain rations. I take it in my hands, pull out the arrow, and hold the puncture in the crust to my nose, inhaling the fragrance that makes my mouth flood with saliva. Fine bread like this is for special occasions. 16.“Mm, still warm,” I say. He must have been at the bakery at the crack of dawn to trade for it. “What did it cost you?” 17.“Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling sentimental this morning,” says Gale. “Even wished me luck.” 18.“Well, we all feel a little closer today, don’t we?” I say, not even bothering to roll my eyes. “Prim left us a cheese.” I pull it out. 19.His expression brightens at the treat. “Thank you, Prim. We’ll have a real feast.” Suddenly he falls into a Capitol accent as he mimics Effie Trinket, the maniacally upbeat woman who arrives once a year to read out the names at the reaping. “I almost forgot! Happy Hunger Games!” He plucks a few blackberries from the bushes around us. “And may the odds—” He tosses a berry in a high arc towards me. 20.I catch it in my mouth and break the delicate skin with my teeth. The sweet tartness explodes across my tongue. “—be ever in your favour!” I finish with equal verve. We have to joke about it because the alternative is to be scared out of your wits. Besides, the Capitol accent is so affected, almost anything sounds funny in it.

5 And now for the task. May the odds be ever in your favour, young Tributes.

VOCABULARY CHALLENGE:

Choose 10 words from the following selection (all taken from the passage) and give their definitions. Try to work them out from the passage, rather than using a dictionary. Only use a dictionary if you are really stuck!

 Cocooned  Enclosing  Forage  Indifferent  Maniacally  Mimics  Poaching  Scrawny  Sentimental  Severest  Squat  Supple  Thicket  Trespassing  Venomous  Venture  Vermin  Verve

Now answer the following questions in your own words.

1. In your own words, explain why Prim is not sleeping in her own bed in paragraph 1. 2. Read paragraph 3 and explain how Buttercup feels about Katniss? 3. Why are the people in The Seam so dirty? (paragraph 6) 4. In paragraph 7, what does Katniss check the chain-link fence for? 5. Quote 3 other dangers listed in paragraph 8 which Katniss may face past the fence. NOTE – you do not need to use your own words here. 6. Why do the peacekeepers turn a blind eye to Katniss’ poaching? (Paragraph 9). 7. Why doesn't Katniss speak up about how she feels about the state of the country anymore? (paragraph 11) 8. Why did Katniss have to kill the lynx that was following her? (Paragraph 13)

BONUS:

Try to find an example of imagery from the chapter and write it in your jotter.

6 Task Three – Creative Writing

Imagine you are an explorer. You have discovered a new island. It can be in any part of the world you want. Describe your initial impressions of this new land as you take your first steps on it.

Things to think about:  What kind of landscape is it? Desert? Jungle? Forest?  Use your senses. Try to include not just what you can see but also hear, smell, taste and feel.  What is the weather like?  How did you travel? Are you climbing out of a boat or a plane? Did you wash ashore?  Are their any plants or animals living on this island?

Complete this task in your homework jotter and use the following checklist to ensure that you are handing in your very best work. Try to aim for at least four paragraphs.

 Are you writing in sentences and using paragraphs?  Have you included any ambitious vocabulary?  How adventurous are your connectives?  Are you trying to include a variety of openers?  Are you using different types of punctuation?  Have you used any similes or metaphors?

If it helps, you can include a map of your island. This can be drawn, painted, designed on the computer or whatever other way you want.

7 Task Four: Skulduggery Pleasant

Read the following extract from Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fire and answer the questions in your own words as far as possible.

1. Valkyrie Cain hit the parapet and tumbled, unable to stop herself, and with a panicked gasp she disappeared off the edge. The church tower stood high and proud, looking out over Dublin City. The night breeze was brisk, and carried snatches of laughter from the street below. It was a long way down. A man in a tattered coat walked up to the edge and peered over. He smirked. 2. "This is insulting," he said. "Don't they know how dangerous I am? I am very, very dangerous. I'm a killer. I'm a trained killing machine. And still, they send you. A child." 3. Valkyrie felt her grip on the ledge loosen. She ignored the goading of the man standing above her, and looked around for something else to grab on to. She looked everywhere but down. Down was where the street was, where the long drop and the sudden stop was. She didn't want to look down. She didn't want anything to do with down right now. 4. "What age are you?" the man continued. "Thirteen? What kind of responsible adult sends a thirteen-year-old child to stop me? What kind of thinking is that?" 5. Valkyrie swung herself gently toward the tower, planting her feet against a small buttress. The fear started to work through her and she felt herself freeze up. She closed her eyes against the oncoming wave of paralysis. 6. The man was Vaurien Scapegrace, currently wanted in five countries for various counts of attempted murder. He hunkered down at the edge and smiled happily. 7. "I am turning murder into an art form. When I— when I kill, I'm actually painting a big, big picture, using blood and, and . . . messiness. You know?" 8. Below Valkyrie, the city twinkled. 9. "I'm an artist," Scapegrace continued. "Some people don't appreciate that. Some people don't recognize true talent when they see it. And that's fine. I'm not bitter. My time will come." 10. "Serpine tried to bring the Faceless Ones back," Valkyrie managed to say. Her fingers were burning, and the muscles in her legs were screaming at her. "We stopped him. We'll stop you, too." 11. He laughed. "What, you think I want the old gods to walk the Earth once again? Is that it? You think Nefarian Serpine was my leader? I'm not one of those nut-bag disciples, all right? I'm my own man." 12. Valkyrie had one chance, but she needed to be calm to take advantage of it. Her powers, limited though they were, were Elemental—the manipulation of earth, air, fire, and water. But at this stage of her training they didn't work when she was panicking.

8 13. "So if you don't want the Faceless Ones to return," she said, "what do you want? Why are you doing this?" 14. He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. It's grown-up stuff. I just want a little appreciation for who I am, that's all. That's not much to ask, is it? But of course, you wouldn't know. You're just a kid." He shrugged. "Oh well. Time to die." 15. He reached down to shove her. 16. "Have you killed anyone?" she asked quickly. 17. "What? Did you miss what I said, about turning murder into an art form?" 18. "But you haven't actually killed anyone yet, have you? I read your file." 19. He glowered. "Technically, yeah, all right, maybe I haven't, but tonight's the night. You're going to be my first." 20. She readied herself, controlled her breathing. "Find the space where everything connects," she murmured. 21. Scapegrace frowned. "What?" 22. Valkyrie kicked upward, taking her right hand from the outcrop and feeling the air against her palm. She pushed at it like she'd been taught, and it shimmered and hit Scapegrace, throwing him off his feet. Valkyrie clutched at the edge of the parapet, her legs swinging in open air. She grunted and pulled herself up, then flung her left arm across the edge and hauled herself the rest of the way. 23. Valkyrie got to her feet, her arms and legs trembling after the strain, and moved away from the edge. The wind whipped her dark hair across her face. 24. Scapegrace was already getting up, and she saw anger seep into his features. She clicked her fingers, generating a spark that she caught in her hand. She tried to focus, tried to build it into a flame, but Scapegrace was coming at her like a freight train. 25. She jumped and thrust out both feet. Her boots slammed into his chest and he hit the ground again and went sprawling. 26. He turned to her just as she lashed a kick into his jaw. His body twisted and he tumbled back, came up to his feet, then lost his balance, fell again. He spat blood and glared. 27. "You little brat," he snarled. "You uppity, sneaky little brat. You don't know who you're messing with, do you? I am going to be the greatest killer the world has ever known." He stood up slowly, wiping his sleeve across his burst lip. "When I'm finished with you, I'm going to deliver your mutilated, bloody corpse to your masters, as a warning. They sent you up against me, alone. Next time they're going to have to send a battalion." 28. Valkyrie smiled, and Scapegoat's anger flared. "What the hell is so funny?" 29. "First of all," she said, her confidence growing, "they're not my masters. I don't have a master. Second, they don't need a battalion to take you down. And third—and this really is the most important point—whoever said I came alone?"

9 30. Scapegrace frowned, turned, saw someone walking up behind him—a skeleton in a black suit—and he tried to attack, but a gloved fist hit his face, a foot hit his shin, and an elbow slammed into his chest. He fell in an awkward heap. 31. Skulduggery Pleasant turned to Valkyrie. "You all right?" 32. "I'll kill you both!" Scapegrace howled. 33. "Hush," Skulduggery said. 34. Scapegrace launched himself forward and Skulduggery moved into him, grabbed his outstretched arm, and spun him around, then abruptly cut him off by slamming a forearm into his throat. Scapegrace flipped in midair, landed painfully. 35. Skulduggery turned to Valkyrie again. 36. "I'm okay," she said. "Really." 37. Scapegrace had his hands to his face. "I think you broke my nose!" 38. They ignored him. 39. "He talks a lot," Valkyrie said, "but I don't think he knows what all the words mean." 40. Scapegrace leaped up. "I am the Killer Supreme! I make murder into an art form!" 41. Skulduggery hit him again, and Scapegrace did a little twirl before falling. 42. "Vaurien Scapegrace," he said, "by the power endowed on me under the Sanctuary Rule of Justice, I am placing you under arrest for the attempted murder of Alexander Remit and Sofia Toil in Oregon, Cothurnus Ode and Armiger Fop in Sydney, Gregory Castallan and Bartholomew—" 43. Scapegrace tried one last desperate attack, which Skulduggery cut short by punching him very hard on the nose. His knees wobbled, and he collapsed and started crying.

10 VOCABULARY CHALLENGE:

Choose 10 words from the following selection (all taken from the passage) and give their definitions. Try to work them out from the passage, rather than using a dictionary. Only use a dictionary if you are really stuck!

 Abruptly  Advantage  Appreciate  Awkward  Battalion  Brisk  Buttress  Disciples  Goading  Hunkered  Manipulation  Mutilated  Paralysis  Parapet  Recognise

Now answer the following questions in your own words.

1. Where is Valkyrie at the beginning of the chapter? 2. Read paragraphs 2-4. Why is the man so insulted that Valkyrie was sent to find him? 3. Why does the writer keep repeating the word “down” in paragraph 3? 4. When do Valkyrie’s powers work? (Paragraph 12) 5. What did Valkyrie do to give her more time to make her magic work? (Paragraphs 13-19) 6. What kind of magic did Valkyrie use to push Scapegrace away and what type did she try to summon before he rushed at her? (Paragraphs 22-24) 7. What does the simile “Scapegrace was coming at her like a freight train” tell you about the way Scapegrace was moving? (Pragraph 24) 8. What three points does Valkyrie make in paragraph 29? You must answer in your own words. 9. What is funny about the way Skulduggery deals with Scapegrace? (Paragraphs 30-43) 10. What was Scapegrace arrested for? (Paragraph 42)

BONUS:

Try to find an example of imagery from the chapter and write it in your jotter.