TDMS Y6 INTO 7 HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES ENGLISH the Jamaica
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1 2 TDMS Y6 INTO 7 HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES 3 ENGLISH 4 The Jamaica Inn 5 As our car swept off the main road onto the crunchy gravel of the 6 car park, I glanced at the swinging sign and recognised the name: 7 The Jamaica Inn. 8 Where had I heard that name before? It niggled me; the memory 9 dancing tantalizingly at the edge of my thoughts, like an elusive fish 10 that had not quite bitten the bait on a line yet. 11 “Dad, have we been here before?” I asked, as we clambered out 12 of the car, stretching arms and legs after our long journey. 13 “Nope, we haven’t. Thought it would be a god place to have a pit 14 stop though. Atmospheric eh~?” 15 Dad was right, it certainly had a theme! Skulls and crossbones were 16 dotted around and as we entered the main bar, I noticed horse 17 brasses glittering on the walls, reflecting the cracking flames of the 18 open fire. Dark beams on the low ceiling made it feel oppressive 19 rather than cosy. I felt uneasy as we (my parents and older brother) 20 sat around a tiny oak table with red velvet chairs. 21 Dad went to get drinks. I drank in the strange surroundings; it felt as 22 if I had walked back in time. I expected a pirate or smuggler to 23 appear at the door at any moment. The pictures on the wall were 24 of ships, shipwrecks and stormy coastlines. 25 It was a busy pub. Families bustled in and out, looking out of place 26 in bright T-shirts and shorts. Some loud Americans were examining 27 over the quaintness of the place – they were lapping it up. 28 Jamaica Inn – where had I heard it before? 29 Dad returned, balancing our drinks precariously on a tray. Even the 30 drinks matched the pirate theme; Dad’s foaming lager was in a 31 pewter tankard. I rolled my eyes. 32 And then I remembered where I had heard of this place before. 33 Jamaica Inn was Cornwall’s most haunted pub – I had seen a show 34 about it on some awful Sky Channel one night. They made it seem 35 scary. I recalled the angry ghost of a murdered Highwayman who 36 stalked the corridors looking for revenge. Being here how, it 37 seemed obvious that the owners had invented it top lure the 38 holidaymakers in. 39 I felt better now I knew where I had heard of the place, and I even 40 began to relax and enjoy how ‘it was. The bar staff were wearing 41 tricorn hats and T-shirts with the pub logo on it. 42 I flicked idly through the menu and saw the restaurant part of the 43 pub was in a huge new extension at the back; it looked like our 44 school cafeteria. Not spooky or atmospheric at all. I felt oddly 45 disappointed at the seeming fakeness of the place and that the 46 owners had added an ugly extension to what was a beautiful old 47 building. 48 “Better go to the loo and we’ll be on our way,” suggested Dad, 49 draining his tankard. Mum would be driving the last 30 miles. 50 I wove my way through the tables and chairs towards the toilets 51 which were upstairs. Ducking under a low archway and walking 52 down a few steps to a lower level, it became clear that this part of 53 the pub was authentic and original. The stairs creaked painfully as I 54 ascended, and the murmur of diners and drinkers became low and 55 muffled. 56 The toilets were at the end of a low, dark corridor that was lit by 57 dim yellow bulbs. I felt quite alone and apart from everyone here. 58 Now I really could be in the Jamaica Inn of the past#: no logo T- 59 shirts, Tricorn hats or skull and cross bones here. 60 I ushered the heavy wooden door of the toilets and was greeted 61 by my own reflection. A full-length gold mirror was screwed to the 62 wall. 63 The corridor and I were framed in the mirror. But that wasn’t all. 64 Behind me, crystal clear, was a tall man in a tricorn hat and long 65 black cloak. I could not see his face but I could feel waves of 66 malevolence emanating from him. 67 I gulped and turned round, ready to face whoever or whatever it 68 was. 69 There was nobody there. Discussion points; TALK ABOUT IT What sort of place is Jamaica Inn? Why do you think the narrator ‘rolls her eyes’ on line 31 Do you think the tone of the story changes as the narrator goes upstairs to the toilet (line 53) How does the atmosphere change? On line 27, a metaphor is used to describe the way the tourists are feeling and behaving , ‘they were lapping it up’. Discuss this metaphor and what it suggests about the tourists. Do you think the narrator saw a ghost? The Jamaica Inn is a famous pub on Bodmin Moor. Have a look online at articles and websites about the pub. https://www.jamaicainn.co.uk/history Would you like to visit? Creative Writing Look at the images below. They are of Tintagel, North Cornwall. This is a place famous for Arthurian Legends (King Arthur) Use the images and word bank to produce a piece of creative writing Word Bank Rugged Isolated Aggressive magnificent Deserted secluded Majestic stunning 70 Three Things to do to Support with Maths over the Summer Break. 1. Calculating Costs When out and about this summer, get your child to calculate the total cost when buying the ice creams, when in the corner shop or when in a café (they could even work out the 10% tip). These tasks will keep your child’s mental maths skills sharp and allow them to see where maths is relevant in the real world. 2. Planning a journey If you are visiting anywhere this summer, get your child involved in the planning of the journey. These things could include working out bus or train times, working out total distances if visiting multiple places, calculating how long it will take if you travel at a certain speed. This will keep your child’s understanding of time and measurements sharp and allow them to see where these elements that we cover in the classroom. 3. Estimate, Estimate, Estimate. Try and keep your child’s mathematical mind working this summer by getting them to estimate as many values as possible. Some suggestions could be; the length of a car journey, distance travelled in a flight, total cost of the weekly shop at the super market, number of people at a sporting event, number of boats in a harbour, speed of a car. Try to get your child to give a reason for their estimate and where possible discuss with them how far away their estimate was and why their estimate may not have been accurate and how they may improve future estimates. .