Typescript Form for Miscue Analysis

Book Title: Ways to Live Forever Author: Sally Nicholls

1. Today was our first day back at school after the Christmas 1.______holidays.

2. We have school three days a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, 2.______and Fridays, in the living room.

3. There are only two pupils – me and Felix. 3.______

4. Felix doesn’t care about learning anything. 4.______

5. “What’s the point of being ill if you have to do math?” he said, the 5.______first time he came to school at my house.

6. Mrs. Willis, who’s our teacher, didn’t argue. 6.______

7. She doesn’t fuss if Felix doesn’t do any work. 7.______

8. She just lets him sit there, leaning back in his chair and telling me 8.______what’s wrong with whatever I’m doing.

9.______9. “That’s not how you spell ammonium! 10. We never spelled ammonium like that at my school!” 10.______

11. “There’s a planet called Hercules – isn’t there, Mrs. Willis?” 11.______

12. “What’re you doing that for?” 12.______

13. Felix only comes to school to seem and to give his mum a break. 13.______

14. Nowadays, Mrs. Willis thinks up ploys to interest him. 14.______

15. You know the sort of thing: making volcanoes that really erupt, 15.______cooking Roman food, making fire with a magnifying glass.

16. Only my mum didn’t like that one, because we accidentally 16.______burned a hole in the dining room table.

17. Sort of accidentally-on-purpose. 17.______

18. Today, though, Mrs. Willis said, “How about you do some 18.______writing?” and we both groaned, because we’d been hoping for more fire or possibly an explosion.

19. Mrs. Willis said, “Oh, come on, now. 19.______20. I thought you might like to write something about yourselves. 20.______

21. I know you both like reading. 21.______

22. Felix looked up. 22.______

23. He was playing with tow of my Warhammer orcs, advancing 23.______them on each other and going “Grrrah!” under his breath.

24. “Only ‘cause there’s nothing else to do in the hospital,” he said. 24.______

25. Me and Felix are both experts at being in the hospital. 25.______

26. That’s where we met, last year. 26.______

27. I didn’t see what reading had to do with writing about me and I 27.______said, “Books are just about kids saving the world or getting beaten up at school.

28. You wouldn’t write about us.” 28.______

29. “Maybe not you,” said Felix. 29.______30. He pressed his hand to his forehead and flopped back in his chair. 30.______

31. “The tragic story of Sam McQueen. 31.______

32. A poor, frail child! 32.______

33. Struggling bravely through terrible suffering and hospitals with 33.______no televisions!”

34. I made vomiting noises. 34.______

35. Felix stretched his hand – the one that wasn’t pressed to his 35.______forehead – out to me.

36. “Good-bye – good-bye – dear friends – ” he said, and collapsed 36.______against his chair making choking sounds.

37. Mrs. Willis said, “No dying at the table, Felix.” 37.______

38. But you could tell she wasn’t really angry. 38.______

39. She said, “I’d like you both to have a go now, please. 39.______

40. Tell me something about yourself. 40.______41. You don’t have to write a whole book by lunchtime.” 41.______

42. So that’s what we’re doing. 42.______

43. Well, I am. 43.______

44. Felix isn’t doing it properly. 44.______

45. He’s written: My name is Felix Stranger and, and then he stopped 45.______writing.

46. Mrs. Willis didn’t make him write anymore. 46.______

47. But I’m on page three already. 47.______

48. School’s nearly over now, anyway. 48.______

49. It’s very quiet. 49.______

50. Mrs. Willis is pretending to do her marking and really reading 70 50.______Things to Do With Fire under the table.

51. Felix is leading my orcs in a stealth attack on the potted plant. 51.______52. Columbus, the cat, is watching with yellow eyes. 52.______

53. Next door, in the kitchen, Mum is stirring the soup, which is 53.______lunch.

54. Dad is in Middlesbrough, being a lawyer. 54.______

55. My sister, Ella, is at school. 55.______

56. Real school. 56.______

57. Thomas Street Primary. 57.______

58. Any minute now – there it is! 58.______

59. There’s the doorbell. 59.______

60. Felix’s mum is here. 60.______

61. School is over. 61.______