level 3 Teacher’s notes Teacher Support Programme

The Interpreter

Chapter 4: Tobin learns that Silvia has in the past been easystarts involved in a Matoban protest group, and that her family was killed by Zuwanie’s soldiers. Chapter 5: Outside her apartment, Silvia sees a man level 2 wearing one of her African masks signaling to her that she shouldn’t talk. After this, Tobin and Dot watch her from an apartment across the street. Later, the man level 3 who scared Silvia is killed by the well-dressed African man. Chapter 6: The cleaners who work at the U.N. building level 4 are questioned. Jamal, the man outside Silvia’s apartment, had been a cleaner there. Silvia’s friend, Philippe, contacts About the movie Silvia. The Interpreter has been called “a political thriller for the level 5 21st century.” Its director, Sidney Pollack, has made many Chapter 7: Silvia learns from Philippe that one of the famous movies, including and Out of Africa. He rebel chiefs, whom she once loved, has been killed. Now specializes, however, in stories that involve intrigue and what happened in the first half of Chapter 1 is a little level 6 corruption in high places, most notably in the movies bit clearer, but Philippe lies to Silvia about her brother. like , and John Despite the possibility of Silvia’s being involved in the Grisham’s The Firm. assassination plot, Tobin ends up protecting her. The two grow close as events unfold. Summary Chapter 8: Silvia gets on a bus, where she meets Kuman- The story revolves around Silvia Broome, an interpreter Kuman, a Matoban rebel leader who lives in New York. at the in New York, who is from Matobo She accuses him of killing her ex-boyfriend, but it seems (a fictional African country). that he has nothing to do with it. When she gets off the Chapter 1: The story begins with a scene in Matobo, bus, a bomb explodes, killing Kuman-Kuman and a secret Africa. A black African man and a white man are shot service agent. It is revealed that the well-dressed African dead. Another white man with long, dark hair takes is called Jean Gamba, and he is the one who left the bomb some photos. A well-dressed African man shows up. on the bus. The scene changes to the U.N. building in New York. Chapter 9: The desperate private nature of Silvia is Silvia overhears an assassination plot. The plotters see unveiled. She tells Tobin about her past and her brother Silvia and chase her, but she escapes. in Africa and the reason why she came to the U.N. He Chapter 2: The next day, the well-dressed African man embraces her. watches Silvia, but she doesn’t see him. In the U.N., the Chapter 10: Tobin and Dot are called to a hotel room French Ambassador speaks of sending Zuwanie, the where they find the body of Philippe, who has killed president of Matobo, for trial before the International himself. He has left a note for Silvia. Tobin takes the note Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. to Silvia, and she learns that her brother has been shot Silvia realizes that the target of the plot appears to be dead. Zuwanie, and she reports to the U.N. security service. Chapter 11: Tobin sees an intruder in Silvia’s apartment. Two Secret Service agents, Tobin Keller and Dot Woods, He kills him and finds out that it was Jean Gamba. Silvia is are sent to interview her. Tobin thinks she is lying. nowhere to be found. Chapter 3: Secret Service agents collect information on Chapter 12: Zuwanie, the president of Matobo, arrives Zuwanie, the Matoban rebel leaders, and Silvia. The well- in New York to speak at the U.N., in an attempt to dressed African man watches Silvia and the Secret Service avoid the indictment. Now Tobin knows that Marcus agents. Tobin struggles to accept the fact that he has lost Matu, the Matoban Ambassador’s assistant, is the one he his wife; she was killed in a car accident. is after.

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The Interpreter Chapter 13: As Zuwanie begins to speak, Matu aims Discussion activities a rifle at him from an interpreter’s booth. When he is easystarts Chapters 1–3 about to fire, Nils Lud, Zuwanie’s head of security, arrives Before reading and shoots him twice. Security personnel push Zuwanie 1 Discuss: Talk about the United Nations. into the safe room for his protection. Tobin discovers level 2 Put students into small groups. Ask them to discuss that the rifle meant to kill Zuwanie did not work. It was the following questions: an elaborate ploy by Zuwanie to make it look as though • What are the aims of the United Nations? someone wanted to kill him. • How successful is it, do you think? level 3 Later, ask each group to share their opinions with Chapter 14: In the confusion, Silvia attempts to take the rest of the class. revenge on Zuwanie, and Tobin arrives just in time to After reading level 4 persuade her not to kill him. 2 Discuss: Put students into small groups. Ask them to Chapter 15: Zuwanie returns to the assembly hall to discuss the following questions: • Who are the fair-haired white man and the black read out the names of the people he had murdered. Silvia African man in Chapter 1? level 5 is expelled from the U.N., and she decides to return to • How do you think they will be important later in Matobo. the story? 3 Role play: Put students into groups of three. Ask Background and themes them to discuss how to stop the killing in Matobo. level 6 Student A: You think Dr. Zuwanie should be sent to The United Nations: The inside of the U.N. and the the International Criminal Court. diplomatic world is largely unexplored territory in the Student B: You think Matobo should solve its own world of movies. Decisions made in the U.N. have a problems. huge impact everywhere. This story features the inner Student C: You think that the U.N. should help the dynamics of this organization. rebel leaders and send soldiers into Matobo. Africa: Matobo is a fictional country in the vicinity of Chapters 4–6 and . Its language, Ku, is also Before reading invented. But the problems of post-colonial struggle, 4 Discuss: Have students work in groups to discuss the following: Silvia says, “People don’t always cry when they warring tribal factions and institutionalized corruption feel sad.” Do you agree? What do you usually do when are very real. you feel sad? Secrets and truth: The choice we all have to make After reading between telling the truth and keeping secrets is another 5 Discuss: Talk about the characters. issue very relevant to modern times. The conflict Put students into small groups. Ask them to talk between the two is acted out in this story, as in real about these people: Nils Lud, Tobin Keller, Ajene Xola, Simon, Philippe, Marcus Matu, Jad Jamal, Kuman- life, on both a personal and global scale. The personal Kuman. Which of them should Silvia be afraid of, and element centers between the two main characters, Silvia why? Broome and Tobin Keller. Silvia, a U.N. interpreter, is a 6 Role play: Have students work in pairs to act out the sophisticated, international woman who loves music and following conversation. believes in the power of words over violence. Tobin, on Student A: You are Tobin Keller’s boss. You want to know if Silvia is dangerous or not. Ask Tobin about the other hand, is a Secret Service agent used to dealing her. with the ugly, base side of human nature. He is used to Student B: You are Tobin. Answer your boss’s a world of deadlines and action, not music and words. questions about Silvia. Is she dangerous or not? Tobin struggles to trust a woman whose life is built Chapters 7–9 around secrets. Silvia is afraid to trust a man who might Before reading expose the dark secrets of her past. In the end, Silvia–a 7 Discuss: Put students into small groups. Ask them to woman who believes in the art of diplomacy–feels forced discuss the reasons why people in Matobo don’t to resort to violence. Tobin–a man who usually shoots name the dead. Later, ask each group to share their first and asks questions later–is the only one who can opinions with the rest of the class. remind her of the higher power of mercy.

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The Interpreter

After reading Extra activities 8 Discuss: Words vs. guns. 14 Discuss: Put students into groups to discuss the easystarts Put students into small groups. Ask them to discuss following question: The U.S.A. does not recognize the the following question: Silvia says, “Words are slower International Criminal Court. Is the U.S.A. right? and quieter than guns. But they’re the only way to stop 15 Discuss: Have a whole-class discussion by asking this level 2 the killing.” Do you agree with her? Why, or why not? question: What do you think will happen to Zuwanie? 9 Discuss: Talk about Jean Gamba. What will happen to Matobo? Have students work in pairs or small groups to 16 Role play: Have students work in groups of three to discuss the following questions: act out the following conversation. level 3 • Who is Jean Gamba? Student A: You are a lawyer. You think that • What bad things has he done in the story? Dr. Zuwanie planned the death of Simon and Xola, • Who is he working for? Jad Jamal, Kuman-Kuman, and Marcus Matu. Explain • What will happen to him next, do you think? your reasons. level 4 Student B: You are Zuwanie’s lawyer. You think that Chapters 10–12 Dr. Zuwanie did not know anything about these Before reading crimes. Try to prove that Jean Gamba and Nils Lud 10 Pair work: Have students work in pairs and go back were the real murderers. level 5 to the first half of Chapter 1 and ask the following Student C: You are the judge. Listen to the lawyers questions: Who are the fair-haired white man and the and ask them questions. Then decide who has given black African man? Who is another white man with long, the best reasons. dark hair? Who is the well-dressed African man? 17 Write: Have students work in small groups to write a level 6 short story about Silvia’s first year back in Africa. This After reading could be done in class or as a homework assignment. 11 Discuss: Put students into small groups. Ask them to When the stories are ready, ask each group to read discuss the following questions: out the story or make a classroom display so that • Why did Philippe kill himself? students can read other groups’ stories. • Who wants to kill Zuwanie, and why? 18 Pair work: Put students into pairs. Have them discuss • Was Jean Gamba working for Zuwanie or the rebels? the following lines from the story. What do they How do you know? mean? Do you agree with them? Why, or why not? • Silvia says, “I’m going home.” Where is she going? • “To stop sadness, you must save a life.” Why? • “People only have to think that someone is trying Chapters 13–15 to kill him. That’s enough to make him stronger.” Before reading • “Countries aren’t important now. Only companies, international companies.” 12 Guess: Lead a whole-class discussion by asking these • “We can hear a whisper above the noise of a questions: President Zuwanie will soon start to speak in thousand soldiers when it is telling the truth.” the main hall. Do you think he will be killed? Who is 19 Role play: Put students into pairs. Ask them to act going to kill him, do you think? What do you think will out the following interview. happen? How do you think the story ends? Student A: You want a job as an interpreter. Tell the After reading interviewer why you want this job. Answer the 13 Role play: Put students into pairs. Ask them to act interviewer’s questions. out this conversation. Student B: You are the interviewer. Ask Student A Student A: You are Tobin. You want to be with Silvia, about his / her qualifications, experience, plans for but you know you can’t. Tell her how you feel. the future. Will Student A be a good interpreter? Student B: You are Silvia. You want Tobin to come to Africa with you. Tell him why.

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