8503RB Comprehension through cloze_Book 4_Print low res watermarked

© R.I.C. Publications 

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Comprehension through cloze (Book 4) 

Published by R.I.C. Publications ® 2021 

Copyright © R.I.C. Publications ® 2021 

ISBN 978-1-922426-73-4 

RIC–8503 

Titles in this series: 

Comprehension through cloze Book 1 (Year 1) 






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Foreword 

Detailed drawings and interesting text make up this collection of comprehension activities. The book provides two 

distinct sections relating to each drawing and text: 

1. Cloze activity pages: 

Each picture-story provides the reader with two exercises. 

First exercise: The reader is provided with a complete text and shows comprehension by completing the 

accompanying picture. 

Second exercise: The reader shows comprehension by completing a cloze task based on the accompanying picture. 

There is opportunity in some activities for slightly varied answers or drawings. If the answer or drawing provided 

can be justified by the instruction then it should be seen as acceptable. 

Cloze comprehension provides an ideal indication of comprehension levels. 

2. Comprehension strategy pages: 

Each text has two additional comprehension pages that focus on a specific comprehension strategy. These pages 

can be used to teach these comprehension strategies. 

The texts and activities enable teachers to provide variety to any English language program. 

Teacher Notes.....................................iv–ix 

The birthday party 

cloze.......................................................2–3 

predicting............................................4–5 

Vampire house 

cloze.......................................................6–7 

visualising............................................8–9 

Moonbase One 

cloze....................................................10–11 

making connections.....................12–13 

Jenny and the witches 


questioning......................................16–17 

The aliens 


clarifying/declunking................20–21 

Invaders from space 

cloze..................................................22–23 

summarising................................. 24–25 

Pet parade 


determining importance......... 28–29 

Kite day 


inferring.......................................... 32–33 

Costume parade 

cloze.................................................34–35 

synthesising.................................. 36–37 

The forest 

cloze................................................. 38–39 

predicting...................................... 40–41 

Treasure Island 


visualising......................................44–45 

Contents 

Amazonian stream crossing 


making connections..................48–49 

Undersea domes 


questioning................................... 52–53 

Pirate crew 


clarifying/declunking............... 56–57 

Dinosaurs 


summarising..................................60–61 

Rainforest rangers 


determining importance.........64–65 

Circus parade 


inferring........................................68–69 

Egyptian temple 


synthesising...................................72–73 

Mad scientist 


predicting.......................................76–77 

The tree house 


visualising...................................... 80–81 

Long Tooth hunts 


making connections..................84–85 

Hot air ballooning 


questioning...................................88–89 

High jump, long jump 


clarifying/declunking................92–93 

Sea Life Park photos 


summarising................................. 96–97 

Future fashions 


determining importance.....100–101 

Dragon vet 

cloze.............................................102–103 

inferring..................................... 104–105 

To catch a leprechaun 

cloze.............................................106–107 

synthesising............................. 108–109 

Mountain View Race Circuit 


predicting......................................112–113 

Reptile park photos 


visualising......................................116–117 

Right time, wrong place 


making connections................120–121 



Early robotica 

cloze...............................................122–123 

questioning................................ 124–125 

Culprits and clues 

cloze...............................................126–127 

clarifying/declunking............ 128–129 

Answers..........................................130–138 

R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 978-1-922426-73-4 COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 iii

Teacher notes 

Cloze 

Cloze is a reading comprehension activity in which words are deleted from a text. Readers are required to 

complete the blanks as they read to construct meaning. 

When completing a cloze text, readers have to search on either side of the missing word in the sentence to 

find what should be included. Readers must consider context as well as vocabulary. Cloze is commonly used 

as an assessment method because of its many advantages. 

Advantages of cloze: 

• helps identify reader knowledge and understanding of the reading process 

• helps teachers work out the cueing systems readers use to construct meaning 

• can assess reader vocabulary and topic knowledge (and can also promote vocabulary production) 

• helps readers monitor their understanding of a text as they read 

• encourages readers to think critically about, and analyse, a text 

• reinforces grammatical knowledge because readers need to work out what part of speech is required to fill 

the gap 

• reinforces syntactical knowledge (the arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence). 

Predicting 

Other comprehension strategies 

Predicting is thinking about what might happen in the story, using information gathered so far. Predicting links prior 

knowledge and new information. 

Predicting encourages readers to look for evidence or clues in the text and revise initial predictions if necessary. 

Predictions are not wild guesses, but well thought out, logical ideas based on the information provided and some 

prior knowledge. Predictions will not always be correct. 

Predicting can occur at word, sentence or text levels. Students may predict what the next words, sentence or 

paragraph might say. 

Predicting can occur before, during or after reading a text. 

Visualising 

Visualising involves using prior knowledge and experiences to create a mental image from what is happening in a 

text read, viewed or heard. 

Visualising brings a text to life, engages the imagination and uses all of the senses—sight (colour and shape), taste, 

smell, sound and touch. 

No two students visualise the same mental image for the same text. 

Visualising is like creating an image on a blank movie screen. The text is the script and the reader is the director. 

Making connections 



Making connections involves linking to the text, background information (prior knowledge) and personal experiences, 

to construct meaning. It includes text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections. 

Text to self links the text to the reader’s own life and personal experiences; for example, ‘That reminds me of when ...’. 

Text to text links the reader’s knowledge of other texts to the text being read; for example, ‘This text is the same as/ 

different to the text about ...’. 

Text to world connections links what the reader knows about the world to the text; for example, ‘This text is like/ 

different to something that happened in the real world ...’. 

iv 

COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 978-1-922426-73-4 R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au

Teacher notes 

Questioning 

Questioning involves expressing, posing or answering questions to develop a clear understanding of the text. 

Asking and answering questions can operate at different levels of thinking and includes literal, inferential and 

evaluative questions. Literal questions are often referred to as ‘in the book/right there’ questions, inferential questions 

are ‘think and search’ questions, and evaluative questions are referred to as ‘in my head’ questions. 

Questioning should occur before, during and after reading to help the reader fully understand the text. 

Before reading 

Questions will relate to the illustration on the front cover, the title and the blurb. Questions can be asked about what 

the story/text may be about. 

During reading 

Questions will relate to information they have read, the meaning of words, what paragraphs are about, how ideas 

relate to each other, what has happened so far and so on. 

After reading 

Questions may relate to how the story ends, the main idea, personal opinions of the characters, what happened to 

the characters and so on. 

Clarifying/Declunking 

(also self-monitoring and fix-up strategies) 

Clarifying involves making clear words, ideas and messages in the text in order to understand the text better. 

Clarifying involves using ‘fix-up’ strategies such as reading on (to gain more information), re-reading, looking at 

pictures, consulting a dictionary, using prior knowledge, reflecting on the text read so far, rephrasing a difficult 

sentence or section of a text in own words, or thinking about what the writer is trying to say. 

Declunking relates to removing chunks or obstacles to understanding such as a difficult word that needs to be decoded. 

Declunking can involve developing decoding skills—sounding out, looking for letter blends, prefixes and suffixes, root 

words and so on; and also increasing vocabulary. It can include re-reading a sentence to work out the meaning of a 

word within the context. 

Summarising 

Summarising is recalling the main points or ideas of a text and how they relate to each other. 

Summarising requires readers to sequence a text, retell a text using the vocabulary used in the text, put it into their 

own words (paraphrase) and, finally, select the most important ideas to sum up what the author has told them. 

Summarising involves selecting the keywords in a paragraph, locating the topic sentence; i.e. a sentence that 

contains the main message often found at the start or conclusion of a paragraph (older readers); articulating the idea 

in a sentence; and repeating this process until they have completed the text (older students). 

Knowledge of text structures can make it easier for readers to summarise a text because they can work out which parts 

of the text are important and which are less important. They can then delete the supporting details from their summary. 



Determining importance 

This strategy involves separating the essential (big/main ideas) from non-essential information (supporting details) or 

determining what is important/’weeding out’ unnecessary information. 

To determine importance readers use their background knowledge to: 

• identify all key pieces of information or facts in a text 

• sort this information into categories 

• order the facts in an appropriate way. 

Webs and other concept/mind mapping diagrams may be useful tools to help students represent and collate ideas in 

a text. 

R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 978-1-922426-73-4 COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 v

Teacher notes 

Inferring 

Inferring involves identifying hidden messages in a text. Readers do this by combining information from the text with 

their prior knowledge to create opinions. Inferences are not explicitly stated by the writer but are hinted at. Inferring 

is often referred to as ’reading between the lines’. 

Inferring involves piecing together clues from the text and own experiences to draw a conclusion. Readers must be 

able to justify their inferences using clues from the text. 

When inferring, readers: 

1. Think of background knowledge that relates to the text. 

2. Look for clues the writer has given in the text. 

3. Create inferential questions that tie together background knowledge and clues in the text. 

4. Answer the inferential questions they created. 

Synthesising 

Synthesising is a very complex process and involves higher-order thinking. It involves many different strategies 

including retelling, analysing, evaluating, summarising, inferring and linking to personal experiences and knowledge. 

When synthesising, readers put all the strategies together and use them all at once while reading. 

A student definition may mean: putting the pieces together to see them in a new way. 

Synthesising is a continuous and evolving process that requires readers to construct and manipulate meaning during 

and after reading. Synthesising means constantly changing thinking during the reading process so that what was 

thought at the beginning is often different to what was thought at the end. 

Synthesising occurs when readers merge new information with prior knowledge to form a new idea, perspective or 

opinion. 



vi 


Teacher notes – Scope and sequence chart – 1 

Text title Predicting Visualising 

Making 

connections 

Questioning 

Clarifying/ 

Declunking 

Summarising 

Determining 

importance 

Inferring Synthesising 

The birthday party ✔ 

Vampire house ✔ 

Moonbase One ✔ 

Jenny and the witches ✔ 

The aliens ✔ 

Invaders from space ✔ 

Pet parade ✔ 

Kite day ✔ 

Costume parade ✔ 



The forest ✔ 

Treasure Island ✔ 

Amazonian stream 

crossing 

Undersea domes ✔ 

Pirate crew ✔ 

Dinosaurs ✔ 

✔ 

Rainforest rangers ✔ 

R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 978-1-922426-73-4 COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 vii

Teacher notes – Scope and sequence chart – 2 

Text title Predicting Visualising 

Making 

connections 

Questioning 

Clarifying/ 

Declunking 

Summarising 

Determining 

importance 

Inferring Synthesising 

Circus parade ✔ 

Egyptian temple ✔ 

Mad scientist ✔ 

The tree house ✔ 

Long Tooth hunts ✔ 

Hot air ballooning ✔ 

High jump, long jump ✔ 

Sea Life Park photos ✔ 

Future fashions ✔ 

Dragon vet ✔ 



To catch a leprechaun ✔ 

Mountain View Race 

Circuit 

Reptile park photos ✔ 

Right time, wrong 

place 

✔ 

Early robotica ✔ 

Culprits and clues ✔ 

✔ 

viii 


Teacher notes – Text overview 

Text title Word count Lexile ranking Curriculum learning area link (if applicable) 

The birthday party 191 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

Vampire house 189 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

Moonbase One 191 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Jenny and the witches 190 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

The aliens 191 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Invaders from space 190 1010L–1200L English—Literature and Literacy 

Pet parade 191 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Kite day 190 610L–800L Science—Physical sciences 

Costume parade 183 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

The forest 189 810L–1000L Science—Biological sciences 

Treasure Island 188 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Amazonian stream crossing 197 610L–800L 

English—Literature and Literacy 

Health and Physical Education—Moving our body 

Undersea domes 190 1010L–1200L English—Literature and Literacy 

Pirate crew 191 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Dinosaurs 188 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Rainforest rangers 194 610L–800L Science—Biological sciences 

Circus parade 189 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Egyptian temple 191 410L–600L English—Literature and Literacy 

Mad scientist 193 410L–600L English—Literature and Literacy 

The tree house 190 410L–600L English—Literature and Literacy 

Long Tooth hunts 188 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Hot air ballooning 193 810L–1000L 

High jump, long jump 194 610L–800L 


Science—Forces 


Health and Physical Education—Moving our body 

Sea Life Park photos 187 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 



Future fashions 186 1010L–1200L English—Literature and Literacy 

Dragon vet 194 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

To catch a leprechaun 192 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Mountain View Race Circuit 193 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

Reptile park photos 193 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

Right time, wrong place 195 610L–800L English—Literature and Literacy 

Early robotica 193 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

Culprits and clues 192 810L–1000L English—Literature and Literacy 

R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 978-1-922426-73-4 COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 ix

Pictorial 


Tessa was hosting her birthday party at home. Her parents had helped her to 

make bunches of balloons and curly streamers for decorations. The decorations, 

adhered by sticking plaster, hung from the ceiling and the walls around the dining 

room. The room’s large table was set with birthday gifts and treats. On it were 

Tessa’s two-tier birthday cake with layers of coloured icing; party foods, like chips 

and sandwiches and lollies; and a jug of punch. The punch was fizzy pink lemonade 



with pieces of fruit. Some gifts were easy to guess, like the hockey stick; but others, 

in bright-coloured wrapping paper, were not. Tessa started the party formally. She 

had practised how to do it before anyone had arrived. She faced her friends and 

thanked them for coming and for their gifts. Then she suggested games that she 

had ready. She liked games with uncertainty in their play. ‘Pass the parcel’ was 

one. The wrapped parcel for it was on the floor next to her. ‘Blind man’s buff’ was 

another of her favourites. Then, there could be ‘Pin the tail on the donkey’. Everyone 

began to talk at once. 

2 


Cloze 


Tessa was hosting her birthday 

to make bunches of balloons and 

at home. Her parents had helped 

streamers 

for decorations. The decorations, adhered by sticking plaster, hung from the 

and the walls around the dining room. The room’s large table 

set with birthday gifts and treats. On it were Tessa’s two-tier 

cake with layers of coloured icing; party 

, like chips and 

sandwiches and lollies; and a jug of punch. The punch was fizzy pink lemonade with 

pieces of fruit. Some gifts were easy to , like the hockey ; 

but others, in bright-coloured wrapping paper, were not. Tessa started the party 

. She had practised how to do it before anyone had arrived. She 



faced friends and thanked for coming and for their 

gifts. Then she suggested games that 

with uncertainty in their play. ‘Pass the parcel’ 

had ready. She liked games 

one. The wrapped 

for it was on the floor next 

her. ‘Blind man’s buff’ was 

another of her favourites. Then, there could be ‘Pin the tail 

the 

donkey’. Everyone 

to talk at once. 

R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 978-1-922426-73-4 COMPREHENSION THROUGH CLOZE Book 4 3

Predicting 

The birthday party – 1 


1. Read the title then look at the picture. Using these clues, write one or two sentences 

to tell what you think the text will be about. 

2. What do you already know about the topic? Write some sentences. You may write 

about things you think you will see and things the children will do. 

3. Write a list of topic words or phrases you would expect to see in the text. Write as 

many as you can. 



4. Which type of text do you predict this will be? Tick some possible ones. 

• an imaginative text • an informative text 

• a persuasive text • a procedure 

• a legend • a recount 

• a mystery • a discussion 

4 


Predicting 

The birthday party – 2 


5. Read the beginning of each sentence from the text. Do not read on. Write how you 

think the sentence ends. 

Her parents had 

helped her to 

make ... 

The room’s large 

table was set with 

birthday gifts and 

treats. On it were ... 

Tessa started the 

party formally. She 

had practised how to 

do it before everyone 

had arrived. She 

faced her friends 

and ... 

Read the remainder of the sentence in the text to see if your prediction was correct. 

Tick 3 or cross 8 in the last column. 

After reading 

6. This sentence ends the text: Everyone began to talk at once. 

Draw a picture to tell what you think happens next. 




Pictorial 

Vampire house 

We’ve just escaped from a houseful of vampires! Brianna drew this cut-away walls 

diagram to show what we saw as we crept through it. We entered by way of the 

ground level, front door. The room there, a sitting room, had a couple of plump 

chairs and three hung paintings. The paintings were portraits of normal people, 

we thought. A little pale-skinned maybe, but they didn’t show any other ‘vampiric’ 

features. Past the central staircase was a kitchen. This room had the first vampire. 

It stood almost two metres tall, still as a statue, fangs out and dressed sleekly in a 



long cloak. We chanced a glance into the cellar. Whoa! To the right, there stood a 

bat-winged monster! To the left lurked another vampire, dressed like the first one, 

but this one was moving, running long-fingered hands over a long box on a low 

platform. We back-pedalled quietly to the top floor. In a front bedroom, we saw a 

vampire floating horizontally in mid-air. It was looking out the window, probably 

waiting for night to fall. The back bedroom wasn’t so scary—only a ghost in there. 

6 


Cloze 

Vampire house 

We’ve just escaped from a houseful of vampires! Brianna 

this cut-away walls diagram to show what 

saw as we crept 

through it. We entered by way of the ground level, front door. The room there, a 

hung 

room, had a couple 

A little pale-skinned maybe, but 

features. Past the central 

plump chairs and three 

. The paintings were portraits of normal people, we thought. 

didn’t show any other ‘vampiric’ 

was a kitchen. This room had the first 

. It stood almost two metres tall, still as a statue, fangs out and 

dressed in a long cloak. We chanced a into the 

cellar. Whoa! To the right, there 

moving, running long-fingered 

vampire, dressed like the first 

We back-pedalled quietly to the top floor. In a front 

B- 

a bat-winged monster! To the left 



, but this one was 

over a long box on a low platform. 

, we saw a 

vampire 

horizontally in mid-air. It was looking 

the window, probably waiting for night to fall. The back bedroom wasn’t so scary— 

only a 

in there. 


Visualising 

Vampire house – 1 

1. The writer does not tell us who all the characters were that escaped the vampire house. 

Write sentences to describe how they felt. 

We don’t know how many characters there were. Guess and then draw a picture of 

them escaping the house. Make sure you draw the expressions on their faces to show 

how they were feeling. 

2. Write more details to make the picture of each in your mind richer. 

(a) What colour were the three pictures in the front sitting room? 

Draw them and add more details. 



8 


Visualising 

Vampire house – 2 

(b) What details can you add to each vampire? Draw them and add more details. 

(c) Draw a speech bubble for each character to tell what sounds, noises or words 

they may be making or saying. 

the bat-winged monster 

in the cellar 

the vampire in the 

front bedroom 

the vampire skulking 

in the kitchen 

the ghost in 

the back bedroom 

the vampire in the cellar 

3. What do you think the vampire saw when he was looking out the window? 

Write a sentence or two. 

4. Write sentences to describe the vampire house. 




Pictorial 

Moonbase One 

Moonbase One was damaged. A meteorite from deep space had smashed through 

one of the two radio dishes on top of the habitation dome. The radio dish now 

looked like a broken plate; not functioning well, but well enough to send a distress 

call for help; and help had been dispatched. Astronaut Murphy stood on the edge 

of a ledge of a low plateau beside Moonbase. From there, he could see a gash in 

the ground beyond the dome where the meteorite had come to rest. ‘Damaged 



dish and another crater in the moon,’ Murphy thought, ‘but we were lucky’. His eyes 

turned to Moonbase itself. To Murphy, Moonbase’s dome (the ‘Hab’, they called 

it) always seemed a half-buried helmet. ‘Here live giants’, he mused fancifully. To 

his right, he could see the base’s three storage cylinders, each painted a different 

primary colour. They held gases needed in the Hab. From his lookout, Murphy had 

a good view of the arrival of the supply rocketship. Its six landing legs made it look 

like a one-eyed octopus, hanging in nothingness. Moon dust billowed under it, 

blasted away by the flaming exhaust. 

10 


Cloze 

Moonbase One 

Moonbase One was damaged. A meteorite from deep space 

smashed through one of the two radio dishes on 

of the 

habitation dome. The dish now looked a 

broken plate; not functioning well, but well enough to send a distress call for help; 

and 

edge of a 

could see a gash in the ground 

had 

Murphy thought, ‘but we were lucky’. His eyes 

had been dispatched. Astronaut Murphy stood on the 

of a low plateau beside Moonbase. From there, he 

the dome where the meteorite 

to rest. ‘Damaged dish and another crater in the moon,’ 

to Moonbase 

itself. To Murphy, Moonbase’s dome (the ‘Hab’, they called it) always seemed a 

half-buried helmet. ‘Here live giants’, he 

could see the base’s 

painted a different primary colour. They held gases needed 

the Hab. From his lookout, Murphy 

fancifully. To his right, 



storage cylinders, each 

a good view of the arrival 

of the supply rocketship. Its six landing legs made it 

like a 

one-eyed octopus, hanging in 

. Moon dust billowed under it, 

away by the flaming . 



Moonbase One – 1 

Text to self 

1. Think of a time when you broke something or found something that was broken. What 

did you do? How did you solve this problem? 

Write or draw about it. 

2. Think of a time when you have been in distress or had to ask someone else for help. 


3. What would you do if you were Astronaut Murphy and this happened to you? 




12 



Moonbase One – 2 

Text to text 

4. Does this text make you think of other texts or films you have seen? 

List them below. 

5. Chose one text or a film from Question 4 and tell how it is like the text. 

6. Think of another story you have read about space or the moon. 

Write sentences to tell how this text is different from the story you read. 

Text to world 

7. How is this story the same as something that happened in the real world? (It may be 

something you saw on the news.) 

Write a sentence. 



8. How is this story different to things that happen in the real world? Are there bases on 

the moon? Do people live there? 



Pictorial 


Jenny and her cat, Lily, were spying on three witches behind a high hedge. Each 

witch wore a long robe and a pointy hat, and each held a broom. A large wart 

stood out on each witch’s long, narrow nose. Jenny wondered if witches treated 

warts as beauty spots. Did they have a spell to give them one? The smallest witch 

cradled a big book under her arm. Jenny whispered to Lily, ‘We know what’s in 



that, don’t we?’ The hags were standing beside a large cauldron. It hung from 

a triangular frame over a lively fire whose flames licked wildly up the pot’s side. 

Jenny couldn’t see into the cauldron, but she could certainly smell the stench from 

it! Whatever the brew was, it stank as rank as a sewer. Jenny was almost gagging 

from it. A couple of pets, a cat and a bird, stood in front of the cauldron. The bird 

was watching a little frog that had climbed out of a bucket and was hopping away. 

Jenny hoped the frog would escape, but one witch half-turned to it. Or had she 

sensed Jenny behind the hedge? 

14 


Cloze 


Jenny and her cat, Lily, were spying on three 

hedge. Each witch 

behind a high 

a long robe and a pointy hat, and each 

held a broom. A large wart stood out on each witch’s long, narrow nose. Jenny 

wondered 

have a spell to give them one? The smallest 

book 

witches treated warts as beauty spots. Did they 

cradled a big 

her arm. Jenny whispered to Lily, ‘We know what’s in 

that, don’t we?’ The hags were standing beside a 

could certainly 

stank as rank as a 

cauldron. It 

from a triangular frame over a lively fire whose flames licked 

up the pot’s side. Jenny couldn’t see into the cauldron, but she 

the stench from it! Whatever the brew was, it 



. Jenny was almost gagging from it. A couple of 

, a cat and a bird, stood in front of the . The bird 

watching a little frog that had climbed out of a 

and was hopping away. Jenny 

the frog would escape, but one 

witch half-turned to . Or had sensed Jenny 

behind the ? 


Questioning 

Jenny and the witches – 1 


1. Look at the picture. Write one or two questions about it that will help you understand 

what the story is about. 

2. The answer is: ‘There are witches and there is a girl hiding behind a hedge. I think the 

story is about a girl watching witches cast a spell’. 

Write the question that goes with the answer. 

3. Write an answer for the questions: ‘What do you think is happening? What are the 

characters doing?’ 

4. Read the title. Write a question about the title to help you understand what the story 

is about. 


5. What does each word or phrase below mean? Find out and write the meaning of 

each word to help you understand the text better. 

robe 

wart 

hag 

beauty spot 

cradled 

rank 

sewer 



16 


Questioning 

Jenny and the witches – 2 

6. Find another word in the text you don’t understand. Copy it then write a question 

about it. 

7. Answer the questions. 

(a) Why is the girl hiding behind the hedge? 

(b) Why were the frogs in the bucket? 

(c) Why were the pets there? 

(d) Why was the small witch holding a big book? 

After reading 

8. Write a question about how the story ended. 

9. Write a question about what you think the text was trying to tell you. 



10. Write one or more questions about anything in the text you didn’t understand. 


Pictorial 

The aliens 

Foill and Beanh had returned from a visit to their moon. The crescent of it could 

be seen high in the sky, but half obscured by clouds. As Foill descended the 

spacecraft’s staircase, the vehicle’s power unit, idling, flashed green and yellow 

along the keel. Her friend, Geinh, stood waiting on a hover sledge, holding the 

steering handle. Identical to Foill, her clothes fitted like a coat of orange paint. 

Under the sledge, thin yellow thruster beams, looking like legs from semi-globes, 

stabbed into the ground, causing a low cloud of dust beneath the vehicle. Two 

similar maintenance robots hovered quietly under the spaceship. They hovered just 

like the sledge, causing little dust clouds. Each had extended an appendage into 



an open hatch above each. In the top half of the vehicle, behind a wide window, 

Beanh remained to work in the vehicle’s control cabin. He had hold of a lever 

hanging down from the cabin’s ceiling to his left. The lever controlled the bands 

of alternating red and green beads of light above and below the control room’s 

window. All sorts of dials, fifteen at least, festooned the wall behind him. 

18 


Cloze 

The aliens 

Foill and Beanh had returned from a visit to their moon. The crescent of it could 

Foill descended the spacecraft’s 

flashed green 

seen high in the sky, but half obscured by 

. As 

, the vehicle’s power unit, idling, 

yellow along the keel. Her friend, Geinh, waiting 

on hover sledge, holding the handle. Identical 

to Foill, her clothes 

like a coat of orange paint. Under the sledge, 

yellow thruster beams, looking like legs from semi-globes, stabbed 

into the , causing a low cloud of dust the vehicle. 

Two similar maintenance robots hovered 

They hovered just like the sledge, causing little 

had extended an 

under the spaceship. 

clouds. Each 

into an open hatch above each. In the top 



of the vehicle, behind a wide window, Beanh 

work in the vehicle’s control cabin. 

down from the cabin’s ceiling to his 

to 

had hold of a lever hanging 

. The lever controlled the bands 

of alternating red and green 

the control room’s window. All sorts of dials, 

of light above and 

at least, festooned the 

wall behind him. 



The aliens – 1 

1. To make sure you can read and understand the text, draw a line to match each word 

with its meaning. 

(a) crescent • • not clear or plain; hidden 

(b) obscured • • a vehicle with runners to use in snow and ice 

(c) keel • • the shape of the moon when it is less than half full 

(d) sledge • • not operating; staying in place 

(e) idling • • a piece of wood or metal along the centre of the 

bottom of a ship 

(f) descended • • went or came down 

2. Find another word or phrase in the text you don’t understand. 

Copy it below then find out what it means. Write the meaning below. 

3. Find at least four words from the text for each column of the table. 

-ai—long ‘a’ sound 

-st—consonant blend 



4. What does the sentence ‘All sorts of dials, fifteen at least, festooned the wall behind 

him.’ mean? 

Choose the best meaning from those below. Underline it. 

(a) The wall of the control cabin was colourful. 

(b) There were a lot of different switches on the wall of the control cabin. 

(c) Beahn decorated the wall because it was almost Christmas time. 

(d) The control cabin was covered with strings of flowers and ribbons. 

20 



The aliens – 2 

5. Draw a picture to tell what each person was doing. 

Foill Geinh Beanh 

6. Read the following sentence. 

‘Each had extended an appendage into an open hatch above each.’ 

Who or what is being spoken about in this sentence? What are they doing? What 

does ‘each’ at the end of the sentence refer to? 

7. Were any words unfamiliar to you before you read the text? 

Write some words you added to your vocabulary after reading the text. 

8. Tick (✔) any strategies you used as you read the text. 

• re-read the text • read more slowly • read ahead 

• read aloud • stop and think • look at the picture 

• predict what might happen next 

• connect to own knowledge 

• work out what unfamiliar words mean 

• make a picture in my head 

• ask myself questions about the text 




Pictorial 


The alien spaceships had been detected arriving unannounced over the open sea, 

and so Earth’s United Nations had sent a naval force to meet them. On arrival, the 

flotilla’s commander had hailed the visitors by radio, for each alien craft had an 

antenna dish with a central spike on top. Strangely, the visitors had not replied. 

Instead, they had hovered silently with little ‘portholes’ flickering on their upper 

halves. Suddenly, the ‘antenna’ of the leading UFO had emitted a reddish beam 

of light, criss-crossing, stern to stem, a naval ship below it. The light-beam sliced 

the ship’s steel hull like a hot knife cuts through butter. Within seconds, flames and 



black smoke had plumed upwards from the rent hull. As the ship had begun to 

sink, the crew had launched lifeboats, but only four little craft were seen escaping 

the doomed vessel. Then, the leading UFO, moving forwards, had re-aimed its 

ray-beam weapon to lance hotly towards a nearby warship. But forewarned, the 

warship was returning fire with a shell from its forward cannon. In support, three 

fighter jets streaked in, one already launching a missile at the attacking invader. 

22 


Cloze 


The alien spaceships had been detected arriving unannounced over the 

sea, and so, Earth’s United Nations had sent a naval force 

meet them. On arrival, the flotilla’s commander 

hailed the visitors by radio, for each alien 

a central spike on top. Strangely, the visitors 

had an antenna dish with 

not replied. Instead, 

had hovered silently with little ‘portholes’ flickering on their upper 

halves. Suddenly, the ‘antenna’ of the leading 

beam of light, criss-crossing, stern to stem, a 

had emitted a reddish 

ship below it. The lightbeam 

sliced the ship’s hull like a hot knife through 

butter. Within seconds, flames and black 

from the rent hull. As the ship had 

lifeboats, but only four little 

had plumed upwards 

to sink, the crew had launched 



were seen escaping the doomed vessel. 

Then, the leading , moving forwards, had re-aimed raybeam 

weapon to lance 

towards a nearby warship. But forewarned, 

the was returning fire with a shell from its forward . In 

support, three fighter jets 

in, one already launching a missile at the 

invader. 


Summarising 

Invaders from space – 1 

1. Which two groups of vessels are the main ‘characters’ in the text? 

Draw and label each group. 

2. List the five water and air vessels mentioned in the text. 

3. What event started the battle? Copy a sentence from the text. 

Rewrite the event in your own words. 

4. What happened at the end of the story? Copy one or more sentences. 

Write about it in your own words. 



24 


Summarising 

Invaders from space – 2 

5. Write the main events of the story in the correct order. Use short sentences and 

number them from 1 to 6. 

6. In the box, copy a list of important words from the text. 

7. Use your important words to summarise the text in your own words. 




Pictorial 

Pet parade 

‘Bring Your Pet Day’ was on. Each class had a turn on the stage in the hall to 

show their pet. The day was interesting because some people had strange pets. 

Sometimes, it was funny, too, because some of the pets behaved unexpectedly. 

For instance, this year, Yumi wore a traditional kimono and geta and brought her 

pointy-finned Japanese fighting fish. The frisky little thing surprised her by leaping 

skywards from its bowl, forcing her to juggle quickly to catch it falling back down. 

Not easy in geta. Spike, next to her, cradled his pet rat. It was almost as big as a 

cat! He’d named it Hulk. Luckily for him, Brock and his banded boa constrictor, 



Curly, stood at the other end of the group, next to Nora. Curly was stretching out 

from Brock towards her. Nora wasn’t too pleased about that and kept Rose, her 

red-feathered chicken, tucked closely under her arm. Standing in the middle, Simon 

wore his usual grin and wrestled to keep hold of his wriggling dachshund, Frank. As 

the five displayed their pets, a duck and her three ducklings wandered across the 

front of the stage. 

26 


Cloze 

Pet parade 

‘Bring Your Pet Day’ was on. Each class had a turn on the 

to show their pet. The day was interesting because some people had 

pets. Sometimes, it was funny, too, because 

unexpectedly. For instance, this year, Yumi wore a 

geta and brought 

in the hall 

of the pets behaved 

kimono and 

pointy-finned Japanese fighting fish. The frisky 

little thing surprised her by skywards from bowl, 

forcing her to juggle quickly to 

it falling back down. Not easy in 

geta. Spike, next to her, his pet rat. It was almost big 

as a 

! He’d named it Hulk. Luckily for him, Brock and 

banded boa constrictor, Curly, stood at the other end of the 

Nora. Curly was stretching out from Brock towards her. Nora wasn’t 

pleased about that and 

, next to 



Rose, her red-feathered chicken, tucked 

under her arm. Standing in the middle, Simon wore his 

grin and wrestled to keep 

of his wriggling dachshund, Frank. As the 

five their pets, a duck and her three wandered across 

the front of the . 


Summarising 

Pet parade – 1 

1. Write a sentence or two to tell who or what the text is about. 

2. Write a sentence to tell what is the most important information about the pets in the 

pet parade. 

3. List the five different types of pets mentioned in the text. 

Write an important idea sentence in ten words or less about this. 

4. Cross (8) the information that is NOT important. 

(a) Yumi wore a traditional kimino and geta. 

(b) Each class had a turn on the stage in the hall to show their pets. 

(c) Spike’s pet rat was as big as a cat. 

(d) Some people had some strange pets. 

(e) Brock stood next to Nora with his boa constrictor. 

(f) 

Simon is a happy boy who always grins. 

(g) Pets can act in strange and interesting ways. 

(h) A duck and her three ducklings wandered across the stage. 

(i) 

(j) 



Pet parades can be funny. 

Pets are individual and act in different ways. 

28 


Summarising 

Pet parade – 2 

5. Write the headings and words missing from the table. 

Owner 

One comment 

about the pet— 

description or 

how it acts 

— 

Hulk 

Rose 

Frank 

Japanese fighting 

fish 

banded boa 

constrictor 

Spike 

Simon 

leaps out of bowl 

red-feathered 

6. Copy two sentences from the beginning of the text that are not important to the main 

idea of the text. 

7. Read the sentence then tick (3) the sentences that are important to the text. 

(a) The day was interesting because some people had strange pets. 



(b) Sometimes, it was funny too, because some of the pets 

behaved unexpectedly. 

(c) Not easy in geta. 

8. Complete the sentence that tells the main idea of the text. Use your own words. 

People have pets that 


Pictorial 

Kite day 

Kite flying is great fun. It’s best done away from hazards; for instance, away from 

trees like those in the background here; and not just because you might run blindly 

into one! Many fantastic kiting designs exist, but basically, they’re all ‘tethered 

wings’. Here, Jack holds a box kite. It’s a hollow tube made with rods and ribbons 

of fabric. The open-ended ‘boxes’ are called ‘sails’. He has the ‘tether’, a cord on a 

spool, on the ground beside him, along with spare struts, a roll of paper and sticky 

tape to repair tears in the ‘sails’. Lilith hoists a bird-like construction. She coloured 



it with reds, greens and yellows. She needs two strings and handles to control it. 

The handles, with strings attached, are on the ground either side of her. Perhaps 

the strangest kite is the one cradled by Fan. He decorated it with eyes, teeth and 

spines to make it look like a dragon, and coloured it like Lilith’s ‘bird’. A ‘bridle’ for 

the tether is attached to the ‘mouth’. A couple of diamond designs, one with a long, 

knotted tail, are flying in the sky already. 

30 


Cloze 

Kite day 

Kite flying is great fun. It’s best done 

instance, away 

not just because you might run 

from hazards; for 

trees like those in the background here; and 

into one! Many fantastic kiting 

designs exist, but basically, they’re all ‘tethered wings’. Here, Jack holds a box 

. It’s a hollow tube made rods and ribbons 

of fabric. The open-ended ‘boxes’ are called ‘sails’. He has the ‘tether’, a cord on a 

spool, on the beside him, along with struts, 

a roll of and sticky tape to tears in the 

‘sails’. Lilith 

greens and yellows. She 

it. The handles, with strings attached, are on the ground 

a bird-like construction. She coloured it with reds, 

two strings and handles to control 



side of her. Perhaps the strangest kite is the 

cradled by Fan. 

He decorated it with eyes, teeth 

spines to make it look like a 

, and coloured like Lilith’s ‘bird’. A ‘bridle’ for 

the tether is attached to the ‘mouth’. A couple of diamond 

, one 

with a long, knotted tail, are 

in the sky already. 


Inferring 

Kite day – 1 

1. Write four things you already know about kites. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

2. Kite flying can be dangerous. 

The question is: Why is kite flying dangerous? How do you know? 

Copy the sentence in the text that tells you why. 

3. Fan’s kite was coloured with reds, greens and yellows. 

The question is: What colour is Fan’s kite? 

How can you find out what colour Fan’s kite is? 

Copy the sentence in the text that tells you. 

4. Kites can break and need to be repaired. 

The questions is: What can happen to kites? 

How can you find out what happens to kites? 

Copy the sentence in the text that tells you this. 



5. Kites come in many different shapes. 

In your own words, write clues from the text that tell you this. 

32 


Inferring 

Kite day – 2 

6. Complete the information for each person’s kite. 

Kite design 

What part of the kite 

was the ‘sails’? 

What part of the kite 

was the ‘tether’? 

Jack 

Lilith 

Fan 

Underline the best inference using the information compiled in the table. 

(a) Kites have the same basic structure. 

(b) Kites can be many different designs. 

(c) Kites can be many different colours and sizes. 

7. Write a question about why kites have tethers. 

Use the word ‘Why’. End your question with a ?. 

Write an answer for your question. 

8. Write a question about different ways kites can be decorated. 

Use the word ‘What’ and end with a ?. 

Write an answer for the question. 




Pictorial 


Every year, the school held a Costume Day. Students could dress all day as a 

character from a story. Each class would parade across the stage in the school 

hall. The students were having their turn, in groups of five. Entering the stage from 

the right, Katie led the class’s second group. From the ribbon in her hair and the 

frilly apron over her old-fashioned dress, she was Alice from Wonderland. Second 

in line was Morris, posing as a villain. He’d donned a spotted scarf, an eyepatch 

and tattered shorts, and brandished a cutlass. Beside him, Sophie, dressed in fairy 



clothes, waved a wand with a glowing star. She had four wings on her back. Fourth 

was a ghost made from a white sheet with long, cut-out eyeholes. It could have 

been Kyle. Last was Mary, wearing a hooded red cloak and carrying a big basket. 

Other students, in front of the stage, awaited their turn. There was a long-eared 

rabbit, waiting timidly near a hunter with a bow and two arrows and a shaggymaned 

lion. On the right, a wizard wore a conical hat. 

34 


Cloze 


Every year, the school held a Costume Day. Students could dress all day as a 

character from a . Each class would across 

the stage in the school hall. The students were having 

in groups of five. Entering the stage from the right, Katie led the class’s second 

over her old-fashioned dress, she 

Second in line was Morris, posing 

turn, 

. From the ribbon in her hair the frilly apron 

Alice from Wonderland. 

a villain. He’d donned a 

scarf, an eyepatch and tattered shorts, and brandished a 

cutlass. Beside him, Sophie, costumed in fairy 

, waved a wand 

with a star. She four wings on her back. 

Fourth was a 

long, cut-out eyeholes. It 

wearing a hooded red cloak and 

made from a white sheet 



, in front of the stage, awaited their turn. 

have been Kyle. Last was Mary, 

a big basket. Other 

was a long-eared rabbit, waiting 

and two arrows and a 

near a hunter with a bow 

lion. On the right, a wizard wore a 

hat. 


Synthesising 

Costume parade – 1 

1. Write or draw at least five things you knew about costume days or dressing up days 

before reading the text. 

2. From 1st to 5th, write the order of how the children entered the stage. 

Write their name and the costume they wore. 

• 1st: 

• 2nd: 

• 3rd: 

• 4th: 

• 5th: 

3. Why do you think the writer listed the children in order? 

Write a sentence or two to explain his reason(s). 

4. What other costumes does the text say other children wore on that day? 

Write a list. 



36 


Synthesising 

Costume parade – 2 

5. While you were reading ... 

What new information did the writer tell you? List some ideas. 

Did you change your thinking about what you knew about 

costume parade days or costumes children could wear? Yes No 

If your answer is ‘Yes’, write one or two things you changed your thinking about. 

• 

• 

6. After reading ... 

Put the information you knew before reading and the new information from the text 

together. 

What do you think now? Write a sentence or two. 



7. Would you like to go to the costume parade at this school? 

If you would, write the costume you would like to wear and why you would wear it. 


Pictorial 


This dense forest has many hidey-hole homes for all sorts of animals; some gentle, 

some not so gentle. Here, a little stream flows quietly with pale green water, 

bordered by clumps of ferns. It is a meeting place, of sorts, but not for the glitter 

of the silver and gold pebbles dotting its shallow pool. A big tree, right of the pool, 

has a large cranny, an ideal hidey-hole, pitch black except for the glowing eyes of 

a big creature hiding there. Bones lie in front of the cranny. Across from the pool, 

a hedgehog is backed onto a cranny in a leaning tree and, to its right, a family of 

mice huddles timidly underneath a surface root. Three owls enjoy the trees here. 



One owl perches on a branch above the pool. Its fledgling looks out of a hole in the 

tree’s trunk. In the tree to the left, another owl roosts in a hole. Below them, on the 

ground, stands a watchful fox. Deeper in the woods, a snake coils itself around a 

tree branch. They are not interested in the spotted toadstools and colourful flowers 

dotting the forest floor. 

38 


Cloze 


This dense forest has many hidey-hole homes for all sorts 

some gentle, 

not so gentle. Here, a little stream 

animals; 

quietly with pale green , bordered by clumps of . 

It is a meeting place, of sorts, but not for the glitter of the silver 

gold pebbles dotting its 

the pool, has a large cranny, an ideal hidey-hole, 

pool. A big tree, right 

black except 

for the eyes of a big creature there. Bones 

lie in front of the 

. Across from the pool, a hedgehog is backed 

onto a in a leaning tree and, to right, a family 

of mice huddles 

underneath a surface root. Three owls enjoy 



the here. One owl on a branch above the 

pool. Its fledgling looks out of a 

the left, another 

in the tree’s trunk. In the tree to 

roosts in a hole. Below them, on the ground, 

a watchful fox. Deeper in the woods, a snake coils 

around a tree branch. They are not interested in the 

toadstools 

and colourful flowers 

the forest floor. 


Predicting 

The forest – 1 


1. Read the title then look at the picture. Using these clues, write one or two sentences 

to tell what you think the text will be about. 


about things you think you will see and what might happen. 

3. Underline some topic words you would expect to see in the text. Then write some 

more words of your own. 

• bird • holiday • leaf • flowers • branch • hole • ocean 

• snake • weather • tree • soil • human • cave • night 

4. What type of text do you predict this will be? 



Tick some possible ones. 



• a description • a recount 


40 


Predicting 

The forest – 2 


5. The text begins with the sentence: 

This dense forest has many hidey-hole homes for all sorts of animals; some gentle, some 

not so gentle. 

Which three pieces of information would you expect to read in the text? 

Tick the ones you think would be in the text. 

(a) a description of some different hidey-holes 

(b) the names of some animals that are gentle 

(c) the names of some animals that are not so gentle 

(d) a list of ideas for looking after the rainforest 

(e) the names of some sea creatures 

(f) 

the names of different types of homes people live in 

6. What do you think the owls would do if the family of mice emerged from the roots of 

the tree? 


After reading 

7. Look at your answer to Question 3. Which words that you predicted would be in the 

text, did not appear? (Remember predictions do not have to be correct!) 

Write them below. 



8. Look at your answer to Question 4. Which text types that you predicted were 

correct? (Remember predictions do not have to be correct!) 

Write them below. 


Pictorial 


Captain Elaina was sketching a map of an island where she liked to hide treasure. 

Before she drew the island, she drew a compass rose in the top, right-hand corner 

of the chart paper. The rose showed the directions north, south, east and west. 

Then, she drew the almost circular coastline of the island. The eastern shoreline 

featured high, vertical cliffs. The southern coastline had a big bay in the middle 

part, as if an enormous sea monster had chomped out the shore. In the middle 

of the bay, Captain Elaina sketched her three-masted ship. Next, she drew the 

important features of the landscape. A high plateau rose vertically, like a low table 



in the island’s centre. It was topped with low bushes. A swamp, dotted with clumps 

of reeds, stretched between the plateau’s southern cliffs and the bay’s northern 

shore. A forest grew eastwards from the highland to the shoreline cliffs. A waterfall 

down the highland’s western flank became a river winding westwards to the sea. 

Tufts of coarse grass bordered the river. North of the highland to the coast spread 

a plain covered by rocky hillocks. 

42 


Cloze 


Captain Elaina was sketching a map of an 

treasure. Before she 

right-hand 

where she liked to hide 

the island, she drew a compass rose in the top, 

of the chart paper. The rose showed the directions north, 

, east and . Then, she drew the almost coastline 

of the island. The eastern shoreline 

high, vertical cliffs. The southern 

coastline had a big bay the middle part, as if an sea 

monster had out the shore. In the of the bay, Captain Elaina 

sketched her three-masted ship. Next, 

drew the important features 

of the . A high plateau rose , like a low table in the island’s 



centre. It was with low bushes. A swamp, dotted with of 

reeds, stretched 

the plateau’s southern cliffs and the bay’s northern 

shore. A forest eastwards from the highland the shoreline 

cliffs. A waterfall 

the highland’s western flank became a 

winding westwards to the sea. Tufts of 

the highland to the coast spread a 

grass bordered the river. North of 

covered by rocky hillocks. 


Visualising 

Treasure Island – 1 

1. Making pictures in your head helps you understand a text better. 

What do you already know about treasure islands that can help you make a picture 

in your head? 

Write some words or a sentence or two. 

2. Draw pictures with labels for each phrase in the boxes. 

a full-length picture of Captain Elaina 

sketching and showing who or what she is 

the treasure Captain Elaina was 

hiding on the island 

an enormous imaginary sea monster 

chomping a large bay out of the island 

Captain Elaina’s three-masted 

ship in greater detail 



44 


Visualising 

Treasure Island – 2 

3. What colour do you imagine each of the following objects are? 

Write a colour word to answer. 

(a) the chart paper 

(b) the eastern high, vertical cliffs 

(c) the bay 

(d) the clumps of reeds 

(e) the river 

4. Descriptive words help you build a picture in your mind of an object, character or an 

event that is happening. 

Copy a descriptive word or phrase from the text for each object. 

(a) the coastline of the whole island 

(b) the cliffs on the eastern shoreline 

(c) the bay in the middle 

(d) the sea monster 

(e) Captain Elaina’s ship 

(f) 

the plateau 

(g) the bushes on the plateau 

(h) the grass bordering the river 

(i) 

the plain 

5. Write a sentence to describe each object. 

You can describe its colour, how it feels or what it smells like. 

(a) the chart paper 



(b) the pencil used for sketching 

(c) the treasure island 


Pictorial 


Vicki and Pablo’s Adventure Tours group had arrived at the river. The river was one 

of the tour’s obstacle highlights. This one challenged the thrill-seekers to use a rope 

to continue the expedition. In preparation, Pablo unloaded and inflated a rubber 

dinghy from his backpack. The other expeditioners then dropped their own loads, 

food boxes and water kegs into the dinghy. They now carried only small packs on 

their backs. With Vicki leading along the rope, the adventurers, Henri, Connie and 

Betha, entered cautiously into the running water. Pablo stayed on the near bank, 

steadying the swaying rope. He would cross last with a rope attaching the dinghy 



to him. The group would then haul across the dinghy. As Vicki neared the river’s far 

bank, two curious tapirs stepped from the bushes there to stand quietly watching 

her. From his position, Pablo spied an anaconda curve out of the water towards 

them. ‘That’s bad’, he thought. He made to shout a warning, but a sudden shimmer in 

the bushes behind the tapirs caused him to pause. ‘It’s the head of a jaguar!’ At that 

same moment, Henri cried out. He was being swept downstream! What to do? 

46 


Cloze 


Vicki and Pablo’s Adventure Tours group had arrived at the river. The river was 

one the tour’s obstacle highlights. This one the thrillseekers 

to use a 

to continue the expedition. In preparation, Pablo 

unloaded and a rubber dinghy from backpack. The other 

the dinghy. 

leading 

then dropped their own loads, food boxes 

water kegs into 

now carried only small packs on their backs. With Vicki 

the rope, the adventurers, Henri, Connie and Betha, entered 

into the running water. Pablo stayed on the near bank, steadying the 

rope. He would cross last with a rope 

Then, the group would haul across the 

bank, two curious tapirs 

watching her. From his position, Pablo 

the dinghy to him. 

. As Vicki neared the river’s 



from the bushes there to stand 

an anaconda curve 

out of the towards them. ‘That’s bad’, thought. He made 

to shout a , but a sudden shimmer in the bushes the tapirs 

caused him to pause. ‘It’s the head of a jaguar!’ At that 

moment, Henri 

cried out. He was being swept 

! What to do? 



Amazonian stream crossing – 1 

Text to self 

1. Think of an adventurous or interesting holiday, camping event or tour you went on 

with friends or your family. 

Write about it telling some things that happened to you. 

2. The adventurous tour did not go to plan. One person was in danger of being hurt. 

Write about a holiday or event where things did not go to plan and someone was hurt 

or could have been hurt. 



3. The people on the expedition were able to see some unusual and dangerous animals. 

List some animals you have seen and where you saw them. 

48 



Amazonian stream crossing – 2 

4. The story does not tell what happens next. 

If you were Henri and this happened to you, what would you do? 

Text to text 

5. Write the name of another story you have read that is like the text. Explain how they 

are the same. 

6. Write the name of a film you have seen that is like the text. Explain how they are the 

same. 

7. Complete the sentence. 

This text is different from another story I have read because ... 

Text to world 

8. What true facts about the Amazon are given in the text? Write them below. 

9. Write two things that happened in the story that could happen in the real world. 

• 

• 




Pictorial 


Beneath the surface of the sea is a strange and wondrous world. To investigate 

it, marine scientists have built underwater houses. The dome-shaped houses 

allow scientists to research continuously, weeks at a time, the marine world. The 

domes are anchored to the seabed by pylons driven deep below the seabed’s 

sandy surface. Each yellow dome has an air recycling system: a large brown 

cylindrical tank with three green pipes joining it into the dome wall. The domes 

have rectangular windows made of plasti-glass five centimetres thick. Despite its 

thickness, the glass allows a clear view. Professor O’Brien, a biologist, is standing 

behind one such window, watching the activity of sea creatures in the area. A large 

squid swims lazily past, just below the viewport, and a group of four nautiluses pass 



harmlessly above. She isn’t aware of the many starfish crawling on the seabed. 

Domes are connected by super-strong, plasti-glass tunnels. Doctor Fletcher, a 

chemist, is walking casually through one to meet an approaching supply submarine, 

visible left of the far dome. She's quite unconcerned about the two curious sharks 

eyeing her and prowling either side of the corridor. 

50 


Cloze 


Beneath the surface of the sea is a strange 

investigate it, marine scientists have 

dome-shaped houses allow 

wondrous world. To 

underwater houses. The 

to research continuously, weeks at a 

time, the world. The domes are anchored to the by 

pylons driven deep 

three green pipes joining 

an air recycling system: a large 

have rectangular windows made 

Despite its thickness, the 

biologist, is 

the seabed’s sandy surface. Each yellow dome 

into the dome wall. The 

cylindrical tank with 

plasti-glass five centimetres thick. 

allows a clear view. Professor O’Brien, a 

behind one such window, watching the 

of sea creatures in the area. A large squid swims 

past, just below 

the viewport, and a of four nautiluses pass above. 



She isn’t aware the many starfish on the seabed. 

Domes are 

by super-strong, plasti-glass tunnels. Doctor Fletcher, 

a , is walking casually one to meet an approaching 

supply 

, visible left of the far dome. She's quite unconcerned about 

the two sharks eyeing and prowling either side of the 

. 


Questioning 

Undersea domes – 1 


1. Write a question about the picture to help you work out what the text is about. 


2. Write a question about the people in the picture that will help you understand what 

the text is about. 


3. Write a question about the title that will help you work out what the text is about. 



4. Answer the questions to help you understand the text better. 

What are marine scientists and what do they do? 

5. What is a dome? 



52 


Questioning 

Undersea domes – 2 

6. What are pylons? 

7. What is a biologist and what does a biologist do? 

8. What is a viewport and what is it used for? 

9. What is a nautilus? 

10. What other words, phrases or sentences in the text were hard to understand? 

Write one below, then find out what it means. Write the explanation. 

After reading 

Answer the questions now that you have finished reading the text. 

11. Did you expect the text to be a description of scientists living and working beneath 

the sea? 

Write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If ‘No’, write what you thought the text would be about and why. 

12. Write a question about what the text was trying to tell you. 




Pictorial 

Pirate crew 

Wild Eric and his pirate crew always performed a fierce display to scare opponents. 

Below the picture of a grinning skull above crossed bones carved into the ship’s 

mast, Eric, front and centre, would snarl fiercely through his unkempt beard and 

gesture scarily with a rusty cutlass in one hand and a heavy pistol in the other. 

Jimmy Longneck, always to Eric’s right, would shake a long boathook. A circular 

eyepatch covered his missing left eye. He liked to wear a big-link chain, holding a 

bronze medallion, around his scrawny neck. Kelly the Knife, her hair long and wild, 

would brandish long, gleaming knives, one in each hand. She carried two others 



tucked into her tough leather belt. Mad Matthew would wear a spiked helmet, 

and howl crazily like a wolf. Right-handed, he’d brandish a straight sword, high and 

clear. Like Kelly, he carried long knives tucked into his belt. Baldwyn the Bald glared 

and snarled. He gripped an axe in his left hand, but his right hand was only a hook. 

It was the cause of a stitched gash on his forehead. Hook anchor tattoos decorated 

each of his arms. 

54 


Cloze 

Pirate crew 

Wild Eric and his pirate crew always 

opponents. Below the picture of a 

carved into the ship’s mast, Eric, front 

a fierce display to scare 

skull above crossed bones 

centre, would snarl fiercely 

through unkempt beard and gesture with a rusty 

in one hand and a 

always to Eric’s right, would 

covered his missing left eye. He liked to 

bronze medallion, around 

pistol in the other. Jimmy Longneck, 

a long boathook. A circular 

a big-link chain, holding a 

scrawny neck. Kelly the Knife, her hair long 

and wild, brandish long, gleaming knives, one in hand. 

She carried two 

tucked into her tough leather belt. Mad Matthew 

would wear a helmet, and howl like a wolf. Righthanded, 

he’d brandish a straight 

long 



tucked into his belt. Baldwyn the Bald glared 

, high and clear. Like Kelly, he carried 

snarled. He 

an axe in his left hand, but his right hand 

only a hook. It was the cause of a gash on forehead. 

Hook anchor tattoos decorated each 

his arms. 



Pirate crew – 1 

1. Find out and write a meaning of each word. Understanding the meaning of words will 

help you understand the text better. 

(a) opponent 

(b) mast 

(c) unkempt 

(d) rusty 

(e) medallion 

(f) 

scrawny 

(g) brandish 

(h) tattoos 



3. Why did the writer describe in great detail what the pirates looked like and were 

doing? What were the pirates trying to do? 

4. Find and write at least two words from the text for each column of the table. 

‘st’ consonant blend 

‘cr’ consonant blend 

‘gl’ consonant blend 



‘sc’ consonant blend 

56 



Pirate crew – 2 

5. Write words and phrases to describe each pirate. You may copy words from the text 

or write words of your own. 

Eric Jimmy Longneck Kelly the Knife 

Mad Matthew 

Baldwyn the Bald 

6. Read the following sentence and explain what it means. 

‘It was the cause of a stitched gash on his forehead.’ 

What does the word ‘It’ refer to? What is it talking about? 


• re-read the text 


• read more slowly 


• read ahead 




• look at the picture 

• read aloud 




Pictorial 

Dinosaurs 

While eating ferns around a waterhole, a stegosaurus and a triceratops come 

under attack from two ferocious carnivores, a pair of tyrannosaurus rex. Though 

the stegosaurus has defensive, triangular plates rising up along its spine, and the 

triceratops has three horns sprouting from its head, the two herbivores are young 

and small. Their defences will not withstand the size, strength and teeth of the 

carnivores. To survive, the herbivores flee. The desperate stegosaurus sees a cave 

in a nearby cliff face and runs towards it. The triceratops follows; but so does one 

of the tyrannosaurs! The carnivore arrives first and stands roaring beside the cave. 

Single-mindedly, the stegosaurus scampers in front of it to reach the cave. Neither 

notices a nest of sticks, holding two huge eggs, on a ledge above the cave. In the 

sky above the valley, two pterodactyls flap quickly towards the nest. Meanwhile, 

in the waterhole, an apatosaurus, showing only its head and neck out from the 



water, watches the fleeing herbivores. Behind it, at the water’s edge, the second 

tyrannosaur stands snarling angrily. Suddenly, a volcano in the far mountains 

erupts! Ash billows skyward. 

58 


Cloze 

Dinosaurs 

While eating ferns around a 

come under attack from two 

, a stegosaurus and a triceratops 

carnivores, a pair of tyrannosaurus 

rex. Though the stegosaurus has defensive, triangular plates rising up along its 

spine, and the has three horns from its head, the 

two herbivores are young 

not withstand the size, strength and 

small. Their defences 

of the carnivores. To 

, the herbivores flee. The desperate stegosaurus 

a cave in a nearby cliff face and runs towards 

follows; but so does 

. The triceratops 

of the tyrannosaurs! The carnivore arrives 

first and roaring beside the . Single-mindedly, 

the stegosaurus scampers in front of 

notices a 

above the cave. In the sky 

of sticks, holding two huge eggs, on a 

to reach the cave. Neither 



the valley, two pterodactyls flap 

towards the nest. Meanwhile, in the waterhole, an apatosaurus, 

only its head and neck out 

the water, watches the 

fleeing 

. Behind it, at the water’s edge, the second 

stands snarling angrily. Suddenly, a volcano in the far mountains ! 

Ash billows skyward. 


Summarising 

Dinosaurs – 1 

1. List the six characters in the text. 

2. Complete the table by writing the names of the dinosaurs in the text in the correct 

columns. 

Herbivores 

Carnivores 

Write a sentence to summarise why the dinosaurs are in each column. 

3. Tick (✔) the words below that are keywords in the text. 

• waterhole • stegosaurus • triceratops 

• attack • carnivores • defences 

• survive • herbivores • tyrannosaurus rex 

• cave • pterodactyl • apatosaurus 

• volcano • ferns • valley 

4. What happened at the beginning of the text? 

Copy a sentence from the text. 



Write it in your own words. 

60 


Summarising 

Dinosaurs – 2 

5. How did the two herbivores escape the carnivores? 

Write it in your own words. 

6. The herbivores had defences to use. Why did they run into the cave? 

Copy a sentence from the text that tells you. 

7. Number the events in order from 1 to 5. 

The tyrannosaurus rex chases the herbivores. 

The herbivores flee to a cave. 

A pair of tyrannosaurus rex approach the herbivores. 

The herbivores reach the cave safely. 

Two herbivores are eating plants near a waterhole. 

8. Explain what these sentences from the text are trying to tell the reader. 

Suddenly, a volcano in the far mountains erupts! Ash billows skyward. 

9. Tick (✔) the sentence that is the best summary. 

Dinosaurs were interesting creatures with interesting features. 

The dinosaurs had good defences but they cannot compete against 

the power of nature. 



Dinosaurs ate different things—some ate other dinosaurs while others 

ate plants. 

Herbivores are more intelligent than carnivores. 

Pterodactyls protect their eggs from predators. 


Pictorial 


Peter pointed up. ‘There are two eyespot butterflies.’ Gillian looked up, too. ‘They’re 

huge!’ she exclaimed. Exactly what she thought was huge was ambiguous. If she’d 

looked to her left, she would’ve said the same about a couple of hairy spiders on the 

tree’s buttress roots there. No ambiguity there! Patrick, resting against a buttress 

root, didn’t bother looking. His attention was fixed upon a group of gigantic ants 

crawling past him. Wisely, he didn’t bother to bother them. The hikers’ voices had 

attracted the interest of a banded snake. It slithered quietly and unnoticed towards 

Peter, shooting its forked tongue in and out as it approached. Unnoticed, too, by 

the hikers, was a large chameleon clinging upside-down to a vine hanging down 



behind them. Its skin camouflaged it to seem to be merely an off-shoot of the vine; 

and like the vine, it hung perfectly still. The only give-away of its presence was the 

yellow of the tongue curling out from its mouth. The little predator was watching an 

enormous centipede that was crawling over the tree buttress immediately below 

the vine. The centipede itself was hunting four beetles that scuttled away before it. 

62 


Cloze 


Peter pointed up. ‘There are 

up, too. ‘They’re huge!’ she exclaimed. Exactly what 

huge was ambiguous. If she’d 

a couple of hairy spiders 

No ambiguity there! Patrick, resting against a buttress 

looking. His attention was fixed upon a group of 

eyespot butterflies.’ Gillian 

thought was 

to her left, she would’ve said the same 

the tree’s buttress roots there. 

, didn’t bother 

ants crawling 

him. Wisely, he didn’t bother to bother them. The hikers’ 

had attracted the interest of a banded snake. It slithered 

unnoticed towards Peter, shooting its forked 

approached. Unnoticed, too, by the 

upside-down to a 

it to seem to 

hung 

and 

in and out as it 

, was a large chameleon clinging 

hanging down behind them. Its skin camouflaged 



merely an off-shoot of the vine; and like the vine, it 

still. The only give-away of its presence was the yellow of the 

tongue out from its mouth. The little was watching 

an enormous centipede that was 

over the tree 

immediately below the vine. The centipede itself was 

four beetles 

that scuttled away before it. 



Rainforest rangers – 1 

1. Write words to answer the questions. 

Who or what is the text about? 

2. Complete the table for six different insects or animals in the rainforest. 

Animal or insect of the rainforest 

One or two important pieces of 

information about each 

3. What is the most important thing the writer is telling you about the animals and 

insects in the rainforest? 

Write an important idea sentence about this. 



4. Write important (I) or not important (NI) next to each sentence. 

(a) Exactly what she thought was ‘huge’ was ambiguous. 

(b) Patrick, resting against a buttress root, didn’t bother looking. 

(c) Wisely he didn’t bother to bother them. 

64 



Rainforest rangers – 2 

5. Find and copy three different sentences or phrases that are not important to the 

main idea of the text. 

• 

• 

• 

6. Tick (✔) the important information. 

Cross (8) the information that is not important. 

Eyespot butterflies are huge insects and can be found in the rainforest. 

Hairy spiders in the rainforest are huge. 

Gigantic ants can be found in the rainforest. 

Banded snakes that slither and move quietly are found in the rainforest. 

Large chameleons that camouflage themselves, hang down on vines 

and have yellow tongues can be found in the rainforest. 

Enormous centipedes that crawl over tree buttress roots and eat beetles 

can be found in the rainforest. 

Rainforest animals eat each other. 

There are four beetles in the rainforest. 

7. What do you think is the main idea of the text? 

Write two sentences using the important information in the text and clues in the 

illustration. 

• 

• 




Pictorial 

Circus parade 

I like modern circuses. So I was keen as the circus’s artists paraded to give a 

glimpse of the acts to come. Three fire-breathers led the troupe. All wore skullcaps 

with triangular spikes and long-sleeved tunics with cuffs and hems cut to look like 

flames. The costumes shimmered with the colours of fire. Each performer carried 

an already lit, but only sputtering, fire stick in one hand and a little flask in their 

other. Each would sip quickly from their flask and then spit the liquid at their fire 

stick’s spluttering head. WHOOSH! An orangey flame would seethe wildly outward 

from the head. Behind them, a clown, wearing a gaudy, curly wig, an equally garish 



shirt with big, fluffy buttons, and baggy trousers, balanced on an inflated ball. He 

juggled three balls with streamers attached. Despite his big, painted-on smile, this 

artist was more than just a clown. Then came two stilt walkers. Prancing nimbly, 

they looked amazing in their feather headdresses and crimson costumes with flared 

ends. Even their stilts had ‘ankle’ flares! In each hand, they waved a stick with a long 

streamer to make intricate patterns. 

66 


Cloze 

Circus parade 

I like modern circuses. So I was keen as the circus’s 

paraded to give a 

glimpse of the acts come. fire-breathers led the troupe. 

All wore skullcaps with triangular 

and long-sleeved tunics with cuffs 

and hems to look like flames. The costumes with the 

colours of fire. Each performer 

an already lit, but only sputtering, 

fire stick in hand and a little in their other. Each would 

sip from their flask and then spit the at their fire stick’s 

head. WHOOSH! An orangey 

outward from the head. Behind them, a clown, wearing a 

would seethe wildly 

, curly wig, 

an equally garish with big, fluffy buttons, and baggy , 



balanced on an inflated ball. He 

three balls with streamers attached. 

Despite big, painted-on smile, this artist was more just 

a clown. Then came two walkers. Prancing , they looked 

amazing in feather headdresses crimson costumes with 

flared ends. Even their stilts 

waved a stick with a long streamer to 

‘ankle’ flares! In each hand, 

intricate patterns. 


Inferring 

Circus parade – 1 

1. Write six or more things you know about circuses and performers in circuses. 

2. Write a definition for each word. 

A circus is ... 

A parade is ... 



3. A troupe is ‘a number, company or group of actors, singers or performers’. 

What clues in the text tell you this? 

. 

. 

68 


Inferring 

Circus parade – 2 

4. The fire-breathers were sent in first to grab the attention of the audience. 

Tick the clues from the text that tell you this. 

• The fire-breathers wore spectacular costumes. 

• The fire-breathers blew flames out wildly into the air. 

• The clown balanced on an inflated ball. 

5. Why did the fire-breathers carry and sip from liquid in a flask? 

6. Which two words in the text make you think the writer thought the clown’s costume 

was a bit ‘over-the-top’? 

7. The writer thought the stilt walkers were accomplished performers. 

Find and copy three clues from the text that tell you this. 

• 

• 

• 

8. The writer describes the clown as ‘an artist, more than just a clown’. 

Find and copy three clues from the text that tell you this. 

• 

• 

• 



9. Why did the fire-breathers wear tunics with cuffs and hems cut to look like flames? 

10. Why did the clown wear a costume designed to make him look silly? 


Pictorial 


In the cliffs of Egypt’s ancient desert, we’d discovered an entrance to a tunnel, 

carved into the living rock. We ventured in. The tunnel ended at a huge vault. At 

the vault’s far end was a wide staircase flanked by tall stone statues. The staircase 

rose up to an enormous stone head. ‘This place must be some sort of temple’, said 

Geena. I squinted quizzically at the statues. Each held a long, upright spear. I 

suggested quietly, ‘Those statues … guards, you suppose?’ Geena nodded slowly. 

‘Yeah, seems so. Wealthy, too. See the band necklace and headband on each? 

They’re made of gold!’ Thrilled, we crossed the floor space and began to ascend 



the staircase. Halfway up, we paused. Looking up at the mysterious stone bust, I 

guessed, ‘A pharaoh?’ Geena answered, ‘Maybe’, and then added nervously, ‘Are 

those real snakes either side of it?’ I hadn’t noticed them. Instead, I’d spied other 

things, like the urns sitting randomly on the steps, the necklace around the bust’s 

throat and two lit sconces on the back wall. Alerted, I looked around us. Behind us, 

two other snakes were slithering silently up the stairs! 

70 


Cloze 


In the cliffs of Egypt’s ancient desert, we’d discovered an 

to a tunnel, 

carved into the rock. We ventured in. The tunnel at a huge 

vault. At the hall’s far end a wide staircase flanked tall 

stone statues. The rose up to an enormous head. ‘This 

place must 

at the statues. Each held a long, upright 

some sort of temple’, said Geena. I squinted 

. I suggested quietly, ‘Those 

statues … guards, you ?’ Geena nodded slowly. ‘Yeah, so. 

Wealthy, too. See the band necklace and headband 

made of gold!’ Thrilled, we crossed the floor space and began to 

staircase. Halfway up, we paused. Looking up at the 

guessed, ‘A pharaoh?’ Geena answered, ‘Maybe’, and then 

each? They’re 

‘Are those real snakes either of it?’ I hadn’t noticed . 

Instead, I’d spied other things, like the 

the 

stone bust, I 



nervously, 

sitting randomly on the steps, 

the around the bust’s throat and two lit on the back 

wall. Alerted, I looked us. Behind , two other snakes were 

silently up the stairs! 


Synthesising 

Egyptian temple – 1 

1. Write some things you already know about ancient Egyptians. 


Before you started reading the text, what did you think the text would include or be 

about? 



3. During reading, what new information did you find out? What did you think then? 

72 


Synthesising 

Egyptian temple – 2 

4. Now that you have finished reading the text, what do you think now? 

5. Draw and label a map of the temple including the main features mentioned in the text. 

6. While you were reading ... 

Did you think the author would give a satisfactory ending for the story? 



Tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Yes No 

After reading ... 

Are you happy or sad that you did not find out? 

Write a sentence to explain the reason for your answer. 


Pictorial 

Mad scientist 

VOICE RECORDING FOUND IN LABORATORY. Speaker thought to be the 

missing Professor Lekt: They said my ideas were crazy. ‘You’re mad’, they said. ME! 

Mad! Well, who’s mad now, eh? This flask of bubbling chemical in my hand, and this 

tabletop of experimental results, are proof! See! See those three ants on the table? 

One tiny droplet of my new chemical has grown one to the size of a rat! Ants are 

already strong and fast. Just imagine: With more droplets of the chemical, they 

could be grown as big as horses! What of beetles? Again, one droplet and look! 

There, standing beside a normal spotted ladybird, is a changed one, the size of 



a house cat. More chemical drops could make them flying trucks! Imagine: The 

scorpions in the glass case behind me could act as big guard dogs. Butterflies? 

Look, there on the table. Next to a small beauty is a gigantic wonder. Just two 

droplets! Spiders? I’ve just dripped two droplets on one next to a normal one. I 

expect the changed one’ll give thread as strong as steel. Yes, it’s growing … growing 

quickly … growing fast … ARGH! 

74 


Cloze 

Mad scientist 

VOICE RECORDING FOUND IN LABORATORY. Speaker thought to be the 

missing Professor Lekt: They said my ideas 

in my hand, and this 

grown one to the 

crazy. ‘You’re mad’, they 

. ME! Mad! Well, who’s mad now, eh? This flask of chemical 

ants on the table? One tiny droplet of 

tough. Just imagine: With more 

of experimental results, are proof! See? See those 

of a rat! Ants are already strong, fast 

new chemical has 

of the chemical, they could be grown as 

big horses! What of beetles? Again, droplet and look! There, 

standing a normal spotted ladybird, is a changed , the size of 



a house cat. More chemical drops could make 

flying trucks! Imagine: The 

scorpions in the glass behind me could act as big guard . 

Butterflies? Look, there the table. Next to a small beauty a 

gigantic wonder. Just two droplets! Spiders? I’ve just 

next to a normal one. I expect the changed one’ll 

steel. Yes, it’s growing … growing quickly … growing 

two droplets on one 

thread as strong as 

… ARGH! 


Predicting 

Mad scientist – 1 


1. Look at the picture. Write one or two sentences to tell what you think the story is 

about. 

What clues in the picture make you think this? 

2. What type of text do you predict it will be? 

Tick one or more of the ideas below. 





3. Read the title. Write a sentence to tell what you think the story is about. 

4. What do you already know about scientists? Write some information. 

5. What words do you think will be in the text? Write some in the box. 



76 


Predicting 

Mad scientist – 2 


6. The text says ‘VOICE RECORDING FOUND IN LABORATORY. Speaker thought to 

be the missing Prefessor Lekt: ... ‘ 

What information did you think would be given in the text? Write a sentence. 

7. Professor Lekt used one droplet of her new chemical to make one ant grow to the size 

of a rat. 

What did you think she would do to the beetles and the ladybirds? 

After reading 

8. The text says ‘Yes, it’s growing ... growing quickly ... growing fast ... ARGH!’ 

What do you think happened after that? 

Write a sentence to tell your prediction. 

9. Do you think Professor Lekt will eventually be found? 

Write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and explain reasons for your answer. 



10. Do you think anyone else will follow Professor Lekt’s ideas? Why or why not? 


Pictorial 


Aileen and I have a tree house. The cabin sits firmly on a rectangular platform 

mounted upon the spreading branches of an old tree. It has a door and three 

window holes. The window holes are covered by shutter boards. Sticks prop them 

upwards. The platform has patio space on two of its sides. Aileen put four flower 

pots on the patio under the windows. Each has lovely flowers. She keeps a watering 

can near them. We climb up to the tree house by a rope ladder hung from the patio. 

The ladder is made of two thick ropes with planks tied on by cross-over knots. A 



pulley is mounted on the side wall. The pulley has a strong rope going through it 

down to a big hook and a basket below. We load the basket and pull the rope to 

lift things to the platform. We close the door and windows when we leave. If we 

don’t, birds turn our tidy tree house into a messy birdhouse! Usually, three of them 

are waiting on the roof. Our cat Kevin always stays casually on the ground, but he 

watches them. 

78 


Cloze 


Aileen and I have a tree house. The cabin sits firmly 

platform mounted upon the 

and three window 

boards. Sticks 

a rectangular 

branches of an old tree. It has a door 

. The window holes are covered by shutter 

them upwards. The platform has patio space 

on two of sides. Aileen put flower pots on the 

under the windows. Each has lovely flowers. She keeps a watering 

can them. We climb up to the house by a rope 

ladder hung from the . The ladder is of two thick 

ropes with planks tied on by 

down to a big hook 

knots. A pulley is mounted on the 

wall. The pulley has a strong rope going through 



and pull the rope to lift things to the 

a basket below. We load the 

. We close the door and 

windows when we . If we don’t, birds turn tidy tree 

house into a 

birdhouse! Usually, three of them are 

on the roof. Our cat Kevin always stays 

on the ground, but he 

them. 


Visualising 

The tree house – 1 

1. What do you already know about tree houses that can help you make a picture in 

your head? 


2. Draw pictures for each one to show what is happening. 

Aileen watering the flower pots. 

The children pulling a basketful of 

things up onto the platform. 

The children climbing the rope ladder 

up to the tree house. 

The children closing the door and 

windows as they are leaving. 



80 


Visualising 

The tree house – 2 

3. Write a colour to describe each object in the text. 

• tree branches 

• tree canopy 

• shutter boards 

• the flowers 

• rope ladder 

• the pulley 

• the basket 

• the birds 

• the cat 

• the roof 

4. Write words to describe how each object would feel. 

• rope ladder 

• shutter boards 

• the flowers 

• the cat 

• the platform 

• the basket 

• the planks on the ladder 

• the birds 

• the hook attached to the pulley 

5. Draw a picture to show what the tree house would look like as a messy birdhouse. 




Pictorial 


From the cliff edge, Marli had secretly watched Long Tooth’s stealthy prowling 

below, for Long Tooth was a well-armed hunter, big as any man. Tawny fur with 

dark, vertical stripes hid a short-tailed, muscular body, capable of great leaps. 

Two long front teeth could kill in a single bite and each paw had sharp, curved 

claws. Only when Long Tooth began to climb towards the cave did Marli alert 

her companions. ‘Tah Keen! Tah Keen!’ she called grimly. Grek and Hob emerged 

quickly from the cave. With the barest glance at the approaching killer, Grek let fly 

with stones from the pile in front of him. The stones smacked solidly into Long Tooth, 



raising a surprised snarl. Standing beside Grek, Hob threw two of his five spears. 

One missed and pierced the ground. But the other stabbed into Long Tooth’s back. 

At that, the wounded Long Tooth roared mightily and paused. For a few moments, 

it shook itself furiously, but then, calming, it resumed its climb. Meanwhile, Marli had 

been stoking the smouldering fire sticks. She picked up a flaming one, thinking ‘All 

creatures fear fire sticks, even Long Tooth’. 

82 


Cloze 


From the cliff edge, Marli had quietly watched Long Tooth’s stealthy prowling 

below, for Tooth was a well-armed hunter, big any 

man. Tawny fur with dark, vertical stripes 

a short-tailed, muscular 

body, capable great leaps. Two front teeth 

Only when Long Tooth 

Grek and Hob emerged 

kill in a single bite and each paw had sharp, curved . 

companions. ‘Tah Keen! Tah Keen!’ she 

at the approaching killer, Grek let fly 

of him. The 

raising a surprised snarl. Standing beside Grek, Hob 

spears. One missed 

to climb towards the cave did Marli alert 

grimly. 

from the cave. With the barest glance 

stones from the pile in 

smacked solidly into Long Tooth, 

two of his five 



pierced the ground. But the other stabbed 

into Long Tooth’s . At that, the Long Tooth roared 

and paused. For a few moments, 

shook itself 

furiously, but then, calming, it resumed 

climb. Meanwhile, Marli 

had 

stoking the smouldering fire sticks. She picked up a flaming 

, thinking ‘All creatures fear fire , even Long Tooth’. 



Long Tooth hunts – 1 

Text to self 

1. The characters in the text were on a cliff top when they saw something dangerous. 

Does this remind you of something that happened to you? 

Write about a time you were with family or friends and you saw something dangerous 

or frightening. Tell what it was and what you did. 

2. If you were one of the characters in the story and this happened to you, what would 

you do? 


3. The characters in the text were very clever. They used things around them to protect 

themselves. 

Write or draw about a time you have been ‘resourceful’—using the things around you 

to help yourself or make something. 



84 



Long Tooth hunts – 2 

Text to text 

4. Write the name of another story you have read that is like the text. Explain how they 

are the same. 

5. Write the name of a film you have seen that is like the text. Explain how they are the 

same. 

6. Complete the sentence. 


Text to world 

7. What animals in the real world are like Long Tooth? List some. 

8. Tick ‘True’ or ‘False’. 

In the real world ... 

Some animals are afraid of fire. True False 



Some people are afraid of animals. True False 

Some animals will attack people. True False 

Some people hunt animals. True False 

Long tooths still exist. True False 

People throw spears and stones. True False 


Pictorial 


Once pilot Col had draped the sign, ‘Cloud 9 Flights’, on the gondola’s side, he 

stepped to the gondola’s centre. ‘Ready?’ he called to the two lanyard handlers. 

‘Ready’, they confirmed. Then, Col reached up and fired the twin cylindrical gas 

burners above his head. Whoosh! Short flames erupted upwards from the burner 

heads, blowing hot air into the balloon. The airship rose gently, the rope handlers 

stopping any drift by hauling on the lanyards tied to the gondola’s frame. Col had 

extra lanyards hung coiled on each corner post of the gondola. ‘Ohh!’ exclaimed 

the passengers, twins Molly and Macie. Molly, facing the ground crew, watched the 



lanyards grow taut. To identify themselves, Macie wore an orange coat and Molly 

a green one. Col appreciated the idea. He’d decorated his balloon to make it stand 

out. A double zigzag band, green and orange, divided the balloon’s yellow top from 

its base, where the panels alternated pale blue and white. Every second panel of the 

base featured a red disc, while every other panel showed a vertical crescent. Apart 

from the ground crew, the only spectators for the lift off were three sheep! 

86 


Cloze 


Once pilot Col had draped the sign, ‘Cloud 9 

side, 

to the two lanyard handlers. ‘Ready’, 

stepped to the gondola’s centre. ‘Ready?’ he 

’, on the gondola’s 

confirmed. Then, Col reached 

up and fired the cylindrical gas burners his head. 

Whoosh! Short flames 

handlers stopping any drift by 

corner post of the 

air into the balloon. The airship rose 

frame. Col had extra 

upwards from the burner heads, blowing 

on the lanyards tied to the 

, the rope 

hung coiled on each 

. ‘Ohh!’ exclaimed the passengers, twins Molly 

Macie. Molly, facing the ground crew, watched the lanyards grow 

. To identify , Macie wore an orange coat and Molly 

a green . Col appreciated the . He’d decorated his 



balloon to it stand out. A double zigzag , green and 

orange, the balloon’s yellow top from its , where the 

panels alternated 

blue and white. Every second panel of the base 

a red disc, while every other 

crescent. Apart from the ground 

showed a vertical 

, the only spectators for the lift off 

three sheep! 


Questioning 

Hot air ballooning – 1 


1. Look at the picture. Write one or two questions about it that will help you understand 

what the story is about. 

2. Write an answer for the questions: ‘What do you think is happening? What are the 

characters doing?’ 

3. Write a question about one or more of the characters in the picture. 

Use What and ?. 

Write the answer to the question. 

4. Answer the question by writing a short sentence. 

What does the title tell you the text is about? 


5. What does each word or phrase below mean? Find out and write the meaning of 

each word to help you understand the text better. 

lanyard 

gondola 

taut 



88 


Questioning 

Hot air ballooning – 2 

6. Find another word in the text you don’t understand. Copy it then write a question 

about it; for example, What does the word 

mean? 

Write the answer to your question. 

7. Answer the questions. Find the answers in the text. 

What was the task of the rope handlers? 

Why did Macie wear an orange coat and Molly wear a green coat? 

What does the sentence ‘Col appreciated the idea’ mean? What is it talking about? 

What created the ‘boost’ to make hot air balloon rise into the air? How did it do this? 

After reading 

8. Why do you think Molly and Macie were taking a hot air balloon ride? 

9. Do you think it is easy to fly a hot air balloon? Explain your answer. 



10. Do you think you would enjoy taking a hot air balloon ride? Why? 


Pictorial 


Connor liked Athletics Day. His favourite event was the high jump. He was good at 

it. ‘It’s easy’, he would say if asked why. ‘It’s because I jump over the fence around my 

home, instead of opening the gate.’ Whatever, he could leap like a gazelle. Connor’s 

turn came at the high jump. The fussy event marshal was carefully rechecking the 

equipment. The two bar holder posts had to be vertical and against the edge of 

the landing mattress between them. The bar holder clips had to be the same height 

on each post. The height measuring stick had to be put on the ground beside the 



landing mattress. Finally, the crossbar was laid horizontally upon the clips. The 

marshal signalled ‘Go’ to Connor. The run-up was perfect, so he leapt. He flew over 

the bar as if his feet had wings. At the long jump pit, his sister, Gail, was flying, too, 

her hat floating off after her. Mr Albert waited there, holding a measuring tape and 

surrounded by marker flags. He was also minding a stray dog behind him. Beyond 

the jumpers, three runners jogged to prepare for a sprint event. 

90 


Cloze 


Connor liked Athletics Day. His favourite event was the high . 

He was good at . ‘It’s easy’, he would if asked 

why. ‘It’s because I jump 

the fence around my home, instead of 

the gate.’ Whatever, he could leap like a . 

Connor’s turn came at the high jump. The fussy event marshal was 

rechecking the equipment. The two bar holder posts had to be 

against the edge of the 

mattress between them. The bar holder 

clips had be the same height each post. The 

height measuring stick to be put on the beside the 

landing mattress. Finally, the crossbar was laid 

leapt. He flew over the 

signalled ‘Go’ to Connor. The run-up was 

and 

upon the clips. The 

, so he 



as if his feet had wings. At the long jump 

, his sister, Gail, was , too, her hat floating off after 

. Mr Albert waited there, holding a tape and 

surrounded marker flags. He was also a stray dog 

behind him. Beyond the jumpers, three 

jogged to prepare for a 

sprint . 



High jump, long jump – 1 

1. Understanding the meaning of words will help you understand the text better. Find 

out and write a meaning of each word. 

(a) gazelle 

(b) fussy 

(c) vertical 

(d) height 

(e) stray 

(f) 

athletics 

(g) sprint 

2. What does the sentence ‘He flew over the bar as if his feet had wings’ mean? 

Tick (✔) an answer. 

• He was moving very quickly and jumped quite high. 

• He jumped wearing shoes with wings painted on them. 



4. Why do you think the bar was called the ‘crossbar’? 

5. Read these sentences from the text: ‘It’s because I jump over the fence around my 

home, instead of opening the gate’. 

Draw a picture to help you create an image in your mind of this idea. 



92 



High jump, long jump – 2 

6. Some words are easier to work out and read if split into syllables. 

Draw a slash (/) to separate the following words into syllables. 

• athletics • carefully • equipment • vertical 

• measuring • horizontally • signalled • surrounded 

• prepare 

7. Why was the marshal needed for each event? 

8. Write facts about each sporting event in the table. Then write a sentence or two to 

explain the difference. 

High jump 




Long jump 












Pictorial 


I took some photos of the family’s visit to Sea Life Park. We went there recently. 

This photograph shows Hillary (her hand, really) holding a fish over waters of the 

dolphin pool. Two dolphins appeared suddenly and popped their heads above 

the water. They looked around curiously. Then they opened their mouths and we 

saw rows of pointy teeth, top and bottom. ‘Eeka, eeka!’ they chirruped loudly. We 

guessed they weren’t talking about the two balls 

that were floating near them. Behind them, the 

fin of another approached for a share. 

One building at Sea Life Park housed aquariums. In this building, its interior 

walls were a series of tanks, each with a circular viewing window. The tanks held 

different species of marine life. This aquarium’s habitat was just sand and clumps 

of seaweed, but it held a few different species. We saw two parrot fish patrolling 

aimlessly, back and forth, some sea urchins ambling slowly over the sand, but most 

interesting of all were the fluttering, 



multicoloured seahorses, three of them. 

The viewing pane made them seem big, but 

in reality, they’re tiny. 

94 


Cloze 


I took some of the family’s visit to Sea Park. We went there 

recently. This photograph shows Hillary ( hand, really) a fish 

over waters of the dolphin pool. Two 

appeared suddenly and popped 

their heads 

One building at Sea Life Park housed aquariums. In this building, its interior walls 

a series of tanks, each with a circular viewing 

held different species of marine 

clumps of seaweed, but 

. The tanks 

. This aquarium’s habitat was just sand 

held a few different species. We 

saw two parrot fish patrolling aimlessly, and forth, sea 

urchins ambling slowly 

most interesting of all 

the sand, but 

the fluttering, 

multicoloured seahorses, three of . 

the water. They looked around curiously. Then 

opened their mouths and we saw rows of pointy 

eeka!’ they chirruped . 

We guessed they weren’t 

about the 

two balls that were floating near . 

Behind them, the fin of another approached 

for a . 

The viewing pane made them seem , 

but in reality, they’re tiny. 

, top and bottom. ‘Eeka, 




Summarising 

Sea Life Park photos – 1 

Text 1 

1. Copy some keywords from the text and write them in the box. 

2. Tick (✔) the information you can find in Text 1. 

• what dolphins eat 

• how dolphins are looked after in a sea life park 

• who is in Hillary’s family 

• what the teeth of dolphins are like 

• how dolphins communicate 

• how friendly dolphins are 

• what dolphins look like 

3. Write five bullet points to tell the most important things that happened in the text. 

Use your keywords from Question 1 and your bullet points from Question 3 to write a 

summary of the text. Use complete sentences. 



96 


Summarising 

Sea Life Park photos – 2 

Text 2 

4. Which sentence below is a very important one in the text? Draw a line under it. 

The viewing pane made them seem big, but really, they’re tiny. 

The tanks held different species of marine life. 

5. In the box, list the different species of marine life found in the aquariums. 

6. Write a sentence to explain why the viewing windows were important. 

7. What other two things are described in detail in the text? 

Tick two of the items below. 

• who was viewing the marine life 

• the appearance of the sea urchins 

• what the building was like outside 

• the aquarium’s habitat 

• how big the tanks were 

• the tanks 

8. Use your own words to write a summary of the text. 

9. Look at both texts. Which sentence from the beginning of one text best summarises 

the main idea of both texts? 

Copy it below. 




Pictorial 


Technology sometimes influences clothing fashions. This is certainly true in 

2050 AD. That year’s costumes clearly reflect the influence of technology. 

Anti-gravity technology allows people to fly as freely as birds. Naturally, then, 

‘flying’ is popular, and clothing designers create fashions to suit various types 

of ‘flying’. One popular flying invention, the ‘hover boot’, allows a person to float 

slightly above the ground. To match the anti-gravity footwear, clothing designers 

create costumes they name as ‘flight suits’. Priya, to the left above, wears one. 

Critics say, ‘The costumes are merely motorcyclists’ garments decorated with “fins” 

on the helmet and gauntlets!’ The same technology powers hover scooters. Hover 

scooter riders, however, prefer to wear eclectic fashions. Usually, they wear an 



elongated helmet, goggles, scarf, gauntlets and a long overcoat. In 2050 AD, every 

building mounts either a bar antenna or a web-like satellite dish. Reflecting this 

technology, the fashionable girl right of the hover scooter wears a skirt flaring like 

an open umbrella, mesh leggings, horn-rimmed sunglasses and a skull cap with a 

high mantilla. The open umbrella she holds has an anti-gravity drum at its base. 

98 


Cloze 


Technology sometimes influences clothing fashions. This is certainly true 

of 

designers create 

2050 AD. That year’s costumes clearly reflect the influence 

. Anti-gravity technology allows people to fly as freely as 

. Naturally, then, ‘flying’ popular, and clothing 

flying invention, the ‘hover boot’, 

above the ground. To match the 

create costumes they 

wears 

to suit various types of ‘flying’. One popular 

a person to float 

footwear, clothing designers 

as ‘flight suits’. Priya, to the left above, 

. Critics say, ‘The costumes are merely motorcyclists’ 

decorated with “fins” on the helmet 

The same technology powers hover scooters. 

however, prefer to 

eclectic fashions. Usually, they 

gauntlets!’ 

scooter riders, 

an elongated helmet, , scarf, and a long overcoat. 



In 2050 AD, every building mounts either a bar antenna 

a weblike 

satellite dish. Reflecting this 

, the fashionable girl right of the 

scooter wears a skirt flaring like an open 

, mesh 

leggings, sunglasses and a skull cap a high 

mantilla. The open umbrella 

holds has an anti-gravity drum at 

base. 



Future fashions – 1 

1. Write a sentence or two to tell who or what the text is about. 

2. Write a sentence to tell what is the most important information about fashion in the 

future. 

3. Complete the table. 

Write the fashion influenced by each type of technology. 

Anti-gravity technology (flying) 

4. Cross (8) the information that is NOT important. 

(a) The year is 2050 AD. 

(b) Flight suits are just like motorcyclists’ garments. 

(c) Girls wear mesh leggings. 

(d) The helmets and gauntlets have fins on them. 

(e) The hover boot influenced fashion. 

(f) 

Girls wear skull caps. 

(g) Every building has a bar antenna or satellite dish. 

Bar antenna or web-like satellite dishes 



100 



Future fashions – 2 

5. Tick (✔) the important information. 

(a) Technology is important in the future. 

(b) Hover boots allow a person to float slightly above the ground. 

(c) Hover boots are influenced by anti-gravity technology. 

(d) Priya wears a flight suit. 

(e) Fashions are designed to suit various types of flying. 

(f) 

Hover scooters are powered by anti-gravity technology. 

(g) Technology influences clothing fashions. 

(h) Fashions are designed to look like antennas or satellite dishes. 

(i) 

Headgear is an important part of fashion. 

6. What did you know about fashion before reading the text? 

What things did you think influenced fashion? Write some ideas below. 

7. What do you think is the main idea of the text? 

Write two sentences using the important information in the text and clues in the 

illustration to explain the main idea. 




Pictorial 

Dragon vet 

Doctor Claudia Daley loved her job as a dragon veterinarian. So, when Donal, the 

town’s pet dragon, became ill, she visited his lair to help him. Donal’s home was a 

huge cave in a rocky hillside. Once upon a time, the hillside had been covered with 

grass. Now, since Donal, only clumps of it survived on the hill’s ledges. Dr Daley 

found Donal lying miserably at the mouth of his cave. Donal wasn’t moving, but 

below the short, pointy horns crowning his head, his eyes were watchfully wide 

open. His mouth was closed, but even so, ivory teeth the size of fence palings 

sprouted past his thin black lips. Three little fires were burning in the sparse 

grass beside him. ‘So,’ said Dr Daley, ‘you’ve been sneezing’, and thinking so, she 

donned a fireproof gown, gloves and goggles from her medical box. She took out 



a stethoscope and a thermometer and a bottle of throat medicine. Other bottles 

in the box contained other medicines. Then, after placing a large fire extinguisher 

within arm’s reach, she knelt and gently stroked Donal’s snout. ‘Everything’s going 

to be fine’, she cooed. Donal lay still and snuffled softly. 

102 


Cloze 

Dragon vet 

Doctor Claudia Daley loved her job as a 

Donal, the town’s pet dragon, became ill, she 

Once upon a time, the 

Donal, only clumps of 

found Donal lying 

veterinarian. So, when 

his lair to help 

. Donal’s home was a huge cave a rocky hillside. 

had been covered with grass. Now, since 

survived on the hill’s ledges. Dr Daley 

at the mouth of his cave. 

wasn’t moving, but below the short, pointy horns 

eyes were watchfully 

so, 

his head, his 

open. His mouth was closed, but even 

teeth the size of fence palings sprouted past his thin black 

. Three little fires burning in the sparse grass 

him. ‘So,’ said Dr Daley, ‘you’ve 

sneezing’, and 

thinking so, donned a fireproof , gloves and 



goggles from her medical 

. She took out a 

and a thermometer and a bottle of 

medicine. Other bottles 

the box contained other 

. Then, after placing 

a large fire extinguisher 

arm’s reach, she knelt 

gently stroked Donal’s . ‘Everything’s to be fine’, she 

cooed. Donal still and snuffled . 


Inferring 

Dragon vet – 1 

1. Write two things you already know about dragons. 

• 

• 

2. Write two things you already know about vets. 

• 

• 

3. The question is: Why was the hillside no longer covered by grass? 

Background information: 

What do you already know about dragons or how grass can be killed off that will help 

you answer this question? 

Copy one or two clues from the text that will help you answer the question. 

Answer the question. 

4. The question is: How do you know Donal had very large teeth? 


What do you already know about dragons and fence palings that will help you 

answer this question? 



Copy one clue from the text that will help you answer the question. 


104 


Inferring 

Dragon vet – 2 

5. The question is: Why did Doctor Daley place a fire extinguisher within easy reach? 


What do you already know about fire extinguishers and dragons that will help you 




6. The question is: Why did Doctor Daly put on a fireproof gown, gloves and goggles? 


What do you already know about dragons and the word ‘fireproof’ that will help you 





What is a lair of a dragon? 

Why were Donal’s lips black? 




Pictorial 


Rori and Kane watched in secret as a leprechaun, wearing strange clothes, a 

hat and buckled shoes, had stolen a golden spoon they’d put as bait in their 

garden. They planned to follow sneakily behind him as he took the spoon to his 

secret treasure trove. Then, they’d regain their stolen spoon, and take some other 

treasure, too, as a lesson. If the leprechaun didn’t lead them to anything, then they’d 

snare him. Rori held a big butterfly net for that purpose. By the rules, the captured 

leprechaun would have to tell them where his treasure lay. But leprechauns, like 

riddles, are tricksters with words. ‘Why was six sad?’ Rori and Kane knew that one. 



‘Because seven eight nine!’ So, instead, they’d make him show them the treasure. 

Keeping their dog, Stretch, beside them, they waited while the leprechaun strolled 

casually past a pot in plain view beside a bush. Looking at it, Rori and Kane 

suspected it was just bait to trick impatient treasure hunters. They didn’t notice the 

sudden appearance of a dash-lined door in a nearby tree trunk nor the chirrups 

from two pixie sentries watching from the trees. 

106 


Cloze 


Rori and Kane watched in secret as a leprechaun, wearing strange clothes, 

a and buckled shoes, had stolen a spoon they’d 

behind him as he took the 

as bait in their garden. They planned to follow 

to his secret treasure trove. Then, they’d 

regain their spoon, and take some treasure, too, 

a lesson. If the leprechaun didn’t 

them to anything, 

then they’d snare . Rori held a big butterfly net that 

purpose. By the rules, the captured 

would have to tell them where 

his lay. But leprechauns, like riddles, tricksters with 

words. ‘Why was six sad?’ Rori 

eight nine!’ So, instead, they’d make him show them the 

dog, Stretch, beside them, they waited 

Kane knew that one. ‘Because seven 

. Keeping 



the leprechaun 

strolled past a pot in plain view a bush. Looking 

at it, Rori and Kane it was just bait to impatient 

treasure hunters. They didn’t notice the 

in a nearby tree trunk nor the 

appearance of a dash-lined 

from two pixie sentries 

watching 

the trees. 


Synthesising 

To catch a leprechaun – 1 


1. What did you know about leprechauns before you started reading? 

Write some ideas below. 

2. What did you think the text would include or be about? 


3. What new information did you find out? What did you think then? 

4. In your own words, explain the children’s plan to catch a leprechaun. 



Did you think this plan would work? Explain why you think this. 

108 


Synthesising 

To catch a leprechaun – 2 

After reading 

5. Put the information you knew before reading and the new information from the text 

together. 

What do you think now? Write a sentence or two. 

6. Would you use the same plan as Rori and Kane? Yes No 

Write a sentence or two to explain your answer. 

7. How would you catch a leprechaun? What would your plan be? 

Draw a diagram or write a sentence or two to explain. 

8. Leprechauns are tricksters. How would your plan deal with this? 

9. The leprechaun had pixies as sentries. What would you do about this? 




Pictorial 


Helicopter News reporter, Cormac O’Flynn, here at Mountain View Race Circuit. 

What a scenic place: two waterfalls spilling down sheer cliffs to misty pools; a blue 

stream joining the pools to a lower waterfall; a flooded ravine; and an elongated 

Figure 8 track. Yes, scenic, but in it, real challenges to competitors’ driving skills and 

machines alike. As I speak, a race is underway. Two machines are heading down 

the straight towards a bridge over that gushing ravine. After the bridge, the track 

climbs a knife-edge ridge. A car’s just crested it, chasing another machine that is 

powering toward the ‘Beemo Motor Oil’ bend. Earlier, another car crashed off the 

track there. It’s a smoking wreck now. Past the bend, the track plunges into a tunnel 

at the cliff face. It emerges as a straight towards the track’s overpass. Two cars, one 

behind the other, have just passed the arch. Campers from tents near a footbridge 

across the ravine are standing and waving excitedly at them. Wait! What’s going 

on? The rescue helicopter on the helipad is spinning its rotors and the fire engine’s 

outside the workshop! Things are heating up. 



110 


Cloze 


Helicopter News reporter, Cormac O’Flynn, here 

Race Circuit. What a scenic place: two waterfalls 

Mountain View 

down sheer cliffs to 

misty pools; a stream joining the pools to a lower ; 

a flooded 

alike. As I 

; and an elongated Figure 8 track. Yes, scenic, but in 

, real challenges to competitors’ driving skills machines 

, a race is underway. Two machines are 

down the straight towards a bridge over that 

the 

ravine. After 

, the track climbs a knife-edge ridge. A car’s just crested it, 

another machine that is powering 

Oil’ bend. Earlier, another car 

off the track there. It’s a 

the ‘Beemo Motor 

wreck now. Past the , the track plunges into a at the 



cliff face. It emerges as a 

one behind the 

towards the track’s overpass. Two cars, 

, have just passed the arch. Campers from tents 

a footbridge across the ravine 

standing and waving 

at them. Wait! What’s going on? The rescue helicopter 

the helipad is spinning its rotors the fire engine’s the 

workshop! Things 

heating up. 


Predicting 

Mountain View Race Circuit – 1 


1. Look at the picture. Use clues in the picture to write one or two sentences to tell what 

you think the story is about. 

2. Read the title. Write a sentence to tell what you think the story is about. 


about things you think you will see and happen. 

4. Write a list of topic words or phrases you would expect to see in the text. 

5. What type of text do you predict this will be? 



Tick some possible ones. 





112 


Predicting 

Mountain View Race Circuit – 2 


6. Read each prediction. Tick each one if you think it is a good prediction. Then write a 

sentence to say why or why not. 

The title says this is a race circuit. 

Prediction: There will be some car crashes. 

The text says ‘What a scenic place; ...’ 

Prediction: The text will describe some beautiful scenery. 

The text says ‘The rescue helicopter on the helipad is spinning its rotors ...’ 

Prediction: There has been an accident and someone needs flying to hospital. 

7. The text says ‘... the fire engine’s outside the workshop’. 

Write your own prediction. 

After reading 



8. Did you expect this text to be a news report? Yes No 

Write a sentence to explain why. 


Pictorial 


I took some photos of our visit to a reptile park. We knew that reptiles have many 

different species. The park had many on display. The park had housed them in 

different areas and buildings. The snake house had windows onto sealed habitat 

hutches. Signs told what regions the snakes came from. A rattlesnake sat coiled on 

itself, shaking its beaded tail. At the back wall, a banded snake slithered over the 

awning of a little door. The door was where food 

arrived. Another snake was coiling itself around 

a tree branch. 

After the snake house, we found the lizard house. Same as the snake house, it had 

separate, sealed habitat hutches with viewing windows. In this enclosure, the back 

wall was painted with leafy bushes to make it look like a lush garden. In front of it, 

a striped lizard was flat out drinking water at a mini pond. Closer to the window, 

a frill-necked lizard was crawling warily from a hollow log into the open. It was 

coming to join one already at the window looking 



at us! I wonder what the snakes were thinking 

when they looked at us? 

Subtropical 

114 


Cloze 


I took some of our visit to a park. We knew that reptiles 

have many different species. The park had 

on display. The park 

had housed them in different areas and buildings. The snake house 

windows onto sealed habitat hutches. Signs told what regions the snakes came 

from. A sat coiled itself, shaking beaded 

tail. At the back wall, a banded 

slithered over the awning of a 

The door was where 

Another snake was 

a tree branch. 

After the snake 

arrived. 

itself around 

door. 

, we found the lizard house. Same as the snake house, 

it had separate, sealed hutches with viewing . 

In this , the back wall painted with 

bushes to make it look like a lush 

. In front of it, a striped lizard was 

flat out water at a mini pond. Closer the window, a 

from a 

lizard was crawling 



log into the open. 

was coming to join one already at 

the window 

at us! I wonder what 

the snakes were thinking when they looked at us? 

Subtropical 


Visualising 

Reptile park photos – 1 

1. Making pictures in your head helps you understand a text better. 

What do you already know about reptile parks and reptiles that can help you make a 

picture in your head? 


2. Who do you think the people were who visited the reptile park? 

Draw a picture of them entering the reptile park. 

3. Write a description to give more details about the snake house. 

You can describe the sounds and smells of the snake house; and the colours and 

shapes of the snakes. You can write words to imagine how they would feel if you 

touched them. 

You can also describe how they made you feel when you looked at them. You may use 

words like ‘creepy’, ‘scary’ and ‘interesting’. 



116 


Visualising 

Reptile park photos – 2 

4. Draw a picture of one of the sealed hutches with viewing windows in the lizard house. 

Draw it from the outside with people looking in at the lizards. Add lots of detail. 

5. What colour do you imagine each of the following reptiles are? 

Write a colour word to answer. 

(a) striped lizard 

(b) frilled-neck lizard 

6. The back wall is described as ‘like a lush garden’. 

Write a descriptive word or phrase to describe how each reptile feels, sounds or 

makes you feel. 

(a) striped lizard 

(b) frilled-neck lizard 

7. The visitors to the reptile park took photos to remember what they saw. 

Draw a picture of their faces as they view their photos at a later time. 




Pictorial 


The space-time portal opened, but as Doctor Cassidy stepped into the Age of 

the Dinosaurs, her first thought was, ‘Uh-oh!’ She was there to collect prehistoric 

insects. There were a couple of them flying a little ahead of her. But also ahead 

of her were striped dinosaurs … and they were staring at her! To them, the sudden 

appearance of the portal and her would have been startling. But seconds later, the 

startled dinosaurs grimaced with rows of triangular teeth and gave strident hisses. 

They leaned forwards, digging their clawed feet into the ground and extending 

their forearms to sweep their clawed hands from side to side. The signals were 

clear. The dinosaurs were angry. Casting about, Doctor Cassidy realised suddenly 

why. Between her and the dinosaurs was the ring of a mounded nest with five 



eggs, two of them open and empty. ‘They’re guarding it! But are those eggs food or 

offspring?’ Then, movement just beyond the nest caught her eye. Two tiny versions 

of the threatening dinosaurs were hopping on the ground. ‘Answered’, she mused, 

and then more desperately, ‘What to do?’ The small specimen case she held gave 

no protection at all! 

118 


Cloze 


The space-time portal opened, but as Doctor Cassidy 

into the 

Age of the Dinosaurs, her first thought was, ‘Uh-oh!’ She was there to collect 

ahead of her. But also 

they 

portal and 

insects. There were a couple of them 

a little 

of her were striped dinosaurs … and 

staring at her! To them, the sudden appearance of the 

would have been startling. But seconds later, the 

dinosaurs grimaced with rows of triangular 

gave strident hisses. They leaned 

and 

, digging their clawed feet into 

the and extending their forearms to sweep clawed 

hands from side 

why. Between her 

guarding it! But are those 

angry. Casting about, 

with five eggs, two of them 

side. The signals were clear. The dinosaurs 

Cassidy realised suddenly 

the dinosaurs was the ring of a mounded 



just beyond the nest caught her eye. Two tiny versions 

food or offspring?’ Then, 

and empty. ‘They’re 

the 

threatening dinosaurs were 

and then more desperately, ‘What to 

on the ground. ‘Answered’, she mused, 

?’ The small specimen case she 

gave no protection at all! 



Right time, wrong place – 1 

Text to self 

1. Doctor Cassidy stepped out of the space-time portal and was startled to find two 

large dinosaurs in front of her. 

Does this remind you of a time when you were startled by something strange or 

dangerous? 

Write about it to tell what happened and what you did. 

2. If you were Doctor Cassidy and this happened to you, what would you do? 


3. The adult dinosaurs clawed the ground and swept their hands from side to side to 

show they were angry. 

What do you, or the people in your family do with your body to show that you are 

angry? 

Write about it. 



120 



Right time, wrong place – 2 

Text to text 

4. Think of other stories you have read or films you have seen that have dinosaurs in them. 

List some below. 

5. Complete the sentences. 


This text is the same as another story I have read because ... 

Text to world 

6. How is this story different to things that happen in the real world? Are there really 

such things as space-time portals? 


7. Tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. 



In the real world ... 

scientists like Doctor Cassidy research insects. Yes No 

dinosaurs lay eggs and have baby dinosaurs. Yes No 

eggs can be found in nests. Yes No 

small cases are good protection against large beasts. Yes No 


Pictorial 


In the early days of robotica, inventors designed robots to perform different 

household tasks, like vacuuming and dishwashing. However, with the new 

inventions, things did not always go as planned. Take, for instance, what happened 

in this typical home of the time. Finbar was having his hair cut by the household’s 

barber-bot. The barber-bot had many ‘arms’ and ‘hands’. One ‘hand’ was scissors, 

the second was both a water squirter and an air blower, and the third was a claw. 

The claw could grasp different items, like the bottles on the shelf or electronic 

clippers. Every barber-bot had three clippers hanging off its body. The barber-bot 

‘watched’ its handiwork by cylindrical cameras. They sat at the end of two stalks up 

from a sphere atop the robot’s long neck. The household’s vacuum-bot had been 

programmed to collect hair, and so, as its stalky ‘eyes’ scanned, it wadded slowly on 



its two stumpy legs, sweeping a suction hose from side to side to capture any hair 

at floor level. Everything was working well until the family dog wandered into the 

room. Performing perfectly, the vacuum-bot directed its suction hose towards the 

poor pooch. ‘Whoops!’ thought Finbar. 

122 


Cloze 


In the early days of robotica, inventors designed robots to perform different 

household , like vacuuming dishwashing. However, 

with the new inventions, things did not always 

for instance, what happened 

was having his 

as planned. Take, 

this typical home of the time. Finbar 

cut by the household’s barber-bot. The barber-bot 

had ‘arms’ and ‘hands’. One ‘hand’ was , the second 

was both a water squirter 

was a claw. The claw could 

the 

hanging 

an air blower, and the 

different items, like the bottles on 

or electronic clippers. Every barber-bot had three clippers 

handiwork by cylindrical cameras. They 

its body. The barber-bot ‘watched’ 

at the end of two stalks 



up from a atop the robot’s long neck. The vacuumbot 

had been programmed to 

‘eyes’ scanned, it wadded 

hair, and so, as its 

on its two stumpy legs, sweeping a 

hose from side to side to capture any 

at floor level. 

Everything was well until the family dog into the 

room. Performing perfectly, the vacuum-bot directed its suction 

towards the poor pooch. ‘Whoops!’ thought . 


Questioning 

Early robotica – 1 

Right there in the text 

1. What kind of tasks did robots perform in the early days of robotica? 

2. What are the names of two types of household robots? What tasks do they perform? 

• 

• 

3. Which robot did not perform its task well? What happened? 

4. How did the vacuum-bot get around? 

Think and search 

5. Why do you think the vacuum-bot sucked up the family dog? 

What clue in the text tells you this? 



6. It was not unusual for households to have one or two robots. 

What clue in the text tells you this? 

124 


Questioning 

Early robotica – 2 

7. What hairdressing tasks was the barber-bot able to perform? 

8. The vacuum-bot was not able to tell the difference between cut hair and hair still 

growing. 

How do we know this? 

In my head 

9. Why do you think people wanted robots in their homes? 

10. What kind of household robot would you like at your house? What tasks would it 

perform? Why would you like this kind of robot? 

Draw and label an image below. 



11. What do you think happened to the family dog? Was he rescued from the vacuumbot? 

If so, how? 


Pictorial 


Danny looked into the lounge room because of the ruckus. Maeve and Grandad 

were there, and behind them the room was wrecked. In the centre of the room, the 

circular table’s expensive carafe and three tumblers were broken on the floor. The 

table’s cloth was half off as if someone had tried the ‘get the tablecloth without 

touching the bowl’ trick. Behind that mess, two photo frames from the long cabinet 

had been knocked over. One was facedown on the cabinet top, but the other was 

upside down on the floor. Near it, the cabinet’s fruit bowl was also upside down, 

apples scattered beside it. On the back wall, the frame of a parrot picture had 

been knocked askew and the birdcage, holding a trembling bird, was swinging 

slowly, having spilled water and seeds on the floor beneath. ‘Wasn’t me’, said 



Maeve innocently. ‘Was like this when we came in’, added Grandad. ‘Mmmm …?’ 

thought Danny. Maeve and Grandad had a reputation for playing outdoor games 

indoors, and there, on the floor between the two, was a soccer ball. But Danny 

believed them. The clues of destruction all said ‘The cat did it’. 

126 


Cloze 


Danny looked into the lounge room because of the ruckus. Maeve 

Grandad were there, and behind 

tumblers were 

of the room, the circular table’s 

on the floor. The table’s cloth was 

off as if someone had tried the ‘get the tablecloth without 

bowl’ trick. Behind that mess, two photo 

knocked over. One was facedown 

top, but the other was upside down on the 

bowl was also upside 

it. On the back wall, the frame of a parrot 

swinging slowly, having spilled 

and the birdcage, holding a trembling 

the room was wrecked. In the 

carafe and three 

the 

from the long cabinet had 

the cabinet 

. Near it, the cabinet’s 

, apples scattered beside 

had been knocked 

, was 

and seeds on the floor beneath. 



‘Wasn’t me’, Maeve innocently. ‘Was like when 

we came in’, 

Grandad. ‘Mmmm …?’ thought Danny. Maeve and 

Grandad had a reputation 

playing outdoor games indoors, 

and there, on the floor the two, was a ball. But 

believed them. The clues of destruction all said ‘The cat did 

’. 



Culprits and clues – 1 

1. Understanding the meaning of words will help you understand the text better. Find 

out and write a meaning of each word. 

(a) carafe 

(b) tumblers 

(c) cabinet 

(d) askew 

(e) trembling 

(f) 

innocently 

(g) reputation 

(h) destruction 



3. Find at least three words from the text for each column of the table. 

words with the letter ‘c’ that 

make the short ‘s’ sound 

words with the letter ‘s’ that 




4. What does the phrase ‘‘‘get the tablecloth without touching the bowl” trick’ mean? 

128 



Culprits and clues – 2 

5. Tick (✔) an answer. 

What does the word ‘ruckus’ mean in the sentence ‘Danny looked into the lounge 

room because of the ruckus’? 

• a pleasant noise 

• a row or commotion 

• a loose scrum formed around a player with the ball on the ground 

6. Were any words unfamiliar to you before you read the text? 

Write some words you added to your vocabulary after reading the text. 

7. Explain the sentence ‘The clues of destruction all said “The cat did it”.’ 

What are ‘the clues of destruction’? 

Why would the writer say that Danny believed that ‘The cat did it’? 






• stop and think 










Answers 

All cloze answers are given in order. 


Cloze 

party, her, curly, ceiling, was, birthday, foods, guess, stick, 

formally, her, them, she, was, parcel, to, on, began 

Predicting 


1.–4. Answers will vary. 


5. Answers will vary. 

After reading 


Vampire house 

Cloze 

drew, we, sitting, of, paintings, they, staircase, vampire, 

sleekly, glance, stood, lurked, one, hands, bedroom, floating, 

out, ghost 

Visualising 


Moonbase One 

Cloze 

had, top, radio, like, help, ledge, beyond, come, turned, 

mused, he, three, in, had, look, nothingness, blasted, exhaust 


Text to self 


Text to text 


Text to world 



Cloze 

witches, wore, if, witch, under, large, hung, wildly, smell, 

sewer, pets, cauldron, was, bucket, hoped, it, she, hedge 

Questioning 



2. Possible question: What does the picture tell you the 

story is about? 


4. Possible question: What does the title tell you the story 

is about? 


5. robe—a long, loose gown; wart—a small growth on the 

skin that sticks out; hag—a repulsive, often vicious or 

malicious old woman; beauty spot—a mark on the skin 

like a mole; cradled—placed or rocked as in a cradle; 

rank—an offensive, strong smell or taste; sewer—a drain 

for carrying wastewater or refuse 


7. (a) Answers may include: The girl is hiding behind the 

hedge so she won’t be seen. 

(b) Answers may include: The frogs were in the bucket 

so they were kept wet until they could be used to 

make a potion. 

(c) Answers may include: The pets were there to keep 

the witches company. 

(d) Answers may include: The small witch was holding 

the big book because it contained all the spells and 

potions they wanted to make. 

After reading 


The aliens 

Cloze 

be, clouds, staircase, and, a, steering, fitted, thin, ground, 

beneath, quietly, dust, appendage, half, remained, He, left, 

beads, below, fifteen 


1. (a) crescent—the shape of the moon when it is less than 

half full 

(b) obscured—not clear or plain; hidden 

(c) keel—a piece of wood or metal along the centre of 

the bottom of a ship 

(d) sledge—a vehicle with runners to use in snow and 

ice 

(e) idling—not operating; staying in place 

(f) descended—went or came down 


3. -ai—long ‘a’ sound -st—consonant blend 

waiting, paint, 

maintenance, remained 

steering, staircase, stood, 

stabbed, thruster, dust, 

least, festooned 



4. (b) There were a lot of different switches on the wall of 

the control cabin. 


6. Answers should indicate: This sentence is talking about 

the maintenance robots. They have extended a body 

part into the open door beneath the spacecraft. The 

word ‘each’ means ‘each maintenance robot’. 


130 


Answers 


Cloze 

open, to, had, craft, had, they, UFO, naval, steel, cuts, smoke, 

begun, craft, UFO, its, hotly, warship, cannon, streaked, 

attacking 

Summarising 

1. alien spaceships; military ships 

2. alien spaceships, naval ship, lifeboats, warship, fighter 

jets 

3. ‘Suddenly, the “antenna” of the leading UFO had 

emitted a reddish beam of light, criss-crossing, stern to 

stem, a naval ship below it.’ 

Possible answer: The lead UFO lasered a naval ship in 

half. 

4. ‘In support, three fighter jets streaked in, one already 

launching already a missile at the attacking invader.’; 

Possible answer: Three fighter jets appeared and fired a 

missile at the lead UFO. 

5. Main events will include: 

1. The alien ships appeared. 

2. The lead UFO shot at a naval ship. 

3. The naval ship began to sink. 

4. Four lifeboats launched from the naval ship. 

5. The warship fired a shell at the lead UFO. 

6. Three fighter jets fired at the lead UFO. 

6. Possible answers: alien spaceship, UFO, fired, weapon, 

naval ship, sink, lifeboats, launched, warship, fighter jets, 

missile 


Pet parade 

Cloze 

stage, strange, some, traditional, her, leaping, its, catch, 

cradled, as, cat, his, group, too, kept, closely, usual, hold, 

displayed, ducklings, stage 


1. The text is about a school that held a pet parade. It tells 

about the pets the children of one class brought. They 

brought many different kinds of pets to show. 

2. Answers may indicate that there were many different 

types of pets. 

3. Japanese fighting fish, rat, banded boa constrictor, redfeathered 

chicken, dachshund dog 

Answers will vary. 

4. (a), (b), (c), (e), (f) and (h) should be crossed. 

5. 

Pet 

name (if 

known) 

— 

Type of pet 

Japanese 

fighting fish 

Owner 

Yumi 

Hulk rat Spike 

Curly 

banded boa 

constrictor 

Brock 

One comment 

about the pet— 

description or 

how it acts 

frisky, little, 

leaps out of 

bowl 

almost as big 

as a cat 

stretched out 

towards Nora 

or her chicken 

Rose chicken Nora red-feathered 

Frank 

dachshund 

dog 

Simon 

wriggles 

6. ‘Bring Your Pet Day’ was on. Each class had a turn on 

the stage in the hall to show their pet. 

7. (a) and (b) should be ticked. 

8. Answers will vary but should indicate that people have 

different kids of pets and pets look and act differently. 

Kite day 

Cloze 

away, from, blindly, kite, with, ground, spare, paper, repair, 

hoists, needs, either, one, and, dragon, it, designs, flying 

Inferring 


2. It’s best done away from hazards; for instance, away 

from trees like those in the background here; ... 

3. He ... and coloured it like Lilith’s ‘bird’. 

4. He (Jack) ... along with spare struts, a roll or paper and 

sticky tape to repair tears in the ‘sails’. 

5. Jack has a box kite; Lilith has a bird-like kite; Fan has a 

dragon kite; and diamond kites are in the sky. 

6. 

What part of What part of 

Kite design the kite was the kite was 

the ‘sails’? the ‘tether’? 

Jack box design sails/boxes 

a cord on a 

spool 

Lilith bird-like bird’s wings 

two strings and 

handle 

Fan dragon dragon’s body 

bridle attached 

to mouth 



(a) Kites have the same basic structure. 

7. Possible question: Why do kites have tethers? 

Possible answer: Kites have tethers to keep them from 

flying away into the sky and getting lost. 

8. Possible question: What are some different ways kites 

can be decorated? 

Possible answer: Kites can be decorated using ribbons 

of fabric; with colour; and with eyes, teeth and spines. 


Answers 



Cloze 

story, parade, their, group, and, was, as, spotted, clothes, 

glowing, had, ghost, with, could, carrying, students, There, 

timidly, shaggy-maned, conical 

Synthesising 


2. 1st: Katie—Alice in Wonderland; 2nd: Morris—pirate/ 

villain; 3rd: Sophie—fairy; 4th: Kyle—ghost; 5th: Mary— 

Little Red Riding Hood 

3. Answers will vary but may include: to help you 

remember them, to link them to the illustration etc. 

4. a long-eared rabbit, a hunter with a bow and two 

arrows and a shaggy-maned lion 

5.—7. Answers will vary. 


Cloze 

of, some, flows, water, ferns, and, shallow, of, pitch, glowing, 

hiding, cranny, cranny, its, timidly, trees, perches, hole, owl, 

stands, itself, spotted, dotting 

Predicting 


3. Possible topic words underlined: bird, leaf, flowers, 

branch, hole, snake, tree, soil, cave 

Own topic words will vary. 

4. Possible answers: a description, an informative text, a 

discussion 

5. (a), (b) and (c) should be ticked. 

6. Answers should indicate the owls would hunt the mice 

to try to eat them. 



Cloze 

island, drew, corner, south, west, circular, featured, in, 

enormous, chomped, middle, she, landscape, vertically, 

topped, clumps, between, grew, to, down, river, coarse, plain 

Visualising 


3. Possible answers: 

(a) the chart paper—white, brown, beige 

(b) the eastern high, vertical cliffs—brown, grey 

(c) the bay—blue 

(d) the clumps of reeds—green or brown 

(e) the river—blue 

4. (a) circular (b) high, vertical (c) big (d) enormous 

(e) three-masted (f) high; vertical like a low table 

(g) low (h) coarse (i) covered by rocky hillocks 


Cloze 

of, challenged, rope, inflated, his, expeditioners, and, They, 

along, cautiously, swaying, attaching, dinghy, far, stepped, 

quietly, spied, water, he, warning, behind, same, downstream 


Text to self 


Text to text 


Text to world 

8. Answers will vary but may include: Many interesting and 

dangerous animals can be found in the Amazon region; 

Jaguars, anacondas and tapirs are found in the Amazon 

region; The Amazon region is hard to navigate and 

explore; The Amazon region is a dangerous place. 

9. Answers will vary but may include: People could get 

hurt exploring the Amazon; Explorers could see jaguars, 

anacondas and tapirs in the Amazon region; People 

would take camping supplies into regions like the 

Amazon. 


Cloze 

and, built, scientists, marine, seafloor, below, has, brown, it, 

domes, of, glass, standing, activity, lazily, group, harmlessly, 

of, crawling, connected, chemist, through, submarine, 

curious, her, corridor 

Questioning 




4. Marine scientists research and study the sea; its animals 

and organisms; the landscapes, areas and atmosphere. 

5. A dome is a large, hemispherical or rounded vault 

usually forming the roof of a building or structure that 

typically has a circular base. 

6. Pylons are towers that provide support in a structure. 

7. A biologist is a scientist who studies life or living matter. 

8. A viewport is a window in a spacecraft, tower of an oil 

rig or similar for looking through. 

9. A nautilus is a mollusc with a spiral-shaped shell and 

tentacles around its mouth. 


After reading 




132 


Answers 

Pirate crew 

Dinosaurs 

Cloze 

performed, grinning, and, his, scarily, cutlass, heavy, shake, 

eyepatch, wear, his, would, each, others, spiked, crazily, 

sword, knives, and, gripped, was, stitched, his, of 


1. (a) opponent—someone on the opposite side in a 

contest or conflict 

(b) mast—a tall spar rising vertically from the deck of a 

ship that supports the yards and sails 

(c) unkempt—not combed or cared for 

(d) rusty—covered or affected with rust 

(e) medallion—a large medal or rounded object 

(f) scrawny—lean, thin, scraggy 

(g) brandish—shake, wave or flourish (usually a 

weapon) 

(h) tattoos—marks made by ink and punctures in the 

skin that form patterns or pictures 


3. The writer was trying to describe in detail how the 

appearance of the pirates was used to scare opponents. 

4. ‘st’ consonant blend ‘gl’ consonant blend 

mast, rusty, pistol, 

straight, stitched 

‘cr’ consonant blend 

crossed, crew, crazily 

5. Eric 

• fierce 

• unkempt 

beard 

Mad Matthew 

• howled 

crazily like a 

wolf 

• wore a spiked 

helmet 

Jimmy Longneck 

• eyepatch 

• missing eye 

• liked to wear 

a chain with a 

medallion 

• scrawny neck 

Baldwyn the 

Bald 

• hook for a 

hand 

• tattooed 

gleaming, glared 

‘sc’ consonant blend 

scare, scarily, scrawny 

Kelly the Knife 

• wild-looking 

• wore a 

leather belt 

6. ‘It’ refers to the hook replacing his right hand. The text 

implies he made to gash on his forehead with the hook. 

He could be clumsy. 


Cloze 

waterhole, ferocious, triceratops, sprouting, and, will, teeth, 

survive, sees, it, one, stands, cave, it, nest, ledge, above, 

quickly, showing, of, herbivores, tyrannosaur, erupts 

Summarising 

1. stegosaurus, triceratops, two tyrannosaurus rex, two 

pterodactyls, apatosaurus 

2. Herbivores Carnivores 

stegosaurus, triceratops, 

apatosaurus 

tyrannosaurus rex, 

pterodactyl 

Answers should indicate that all the dinosaurs in the 

herbivores column are plant-eaters, and those in the 

carnivores column are meat-eaters. 

3. Possible words ticked: stegosaurus, triceratops, attack, 

carnivores, defences, survive, herbivores, tyrannosaurus 

rex, pterodacatyl, apatosaurus 

4. ‘While eating ferns around a waterhole, a stegosaurus 

and a triceratops come under attack from two ferocious 

carnivores, a pair of tyrannosaurus rex.’ 


5. Answers should indicate that ‘The two herbivores 

escaped the carnivores by fleeing to a cave’. 

6. ‘Their defences will not withstand the size, strength and 

teeth of the carnivores.’ 

7. The tyrannosaurus rex chases the herbivores.—4; The 

herbivores flee to a cave.—3; A pair of tyrannosaurus rex 

approach the herbivores.—2; The herbivores reach the 

cave safely.—5; Two herbivores are eating plants near a 

waterhole.—1 

8. A volcanic eruption is threatening the lives of all the 

dinosaurs—and perhaps the extinction of them all. 

9. The best summary is: The dinosaurs had good defences 

but they cannot compete against the power of nature. 

However, since the mention of the volcanic eruption 

appears only briefly at the end of the text, the answer 

‘Dinosaurs were interesting creatures with interesting 

features’ may also be accepted. 




Answers 


Circus parade 

Cloze 

two, looked, she, looked, about, on, root, gigantic, past, 

voices, quietly, tongue, hikers, vine, be, perfectly, curling, 

predator, crawling, buttress, hunting 


1. Answers will vary but may be similar to: The text is about 

different animals and insects in the rainforest. 

2. Animal or insect of 

the rainforest 

eyespot butterfly 

spider 

ant 

banded snake 

chameleon 

centipede 

beetle 

One or two important pieces 

of information about each 

• huge 

• huge 

• hairy 

• gigantic 

• forked tongue 

• slithers quietly 

• large 

• camouflaged 

• hangs still on vine 

• yellow tongue 

• enormous 

• crawls 

• scuttle 

• eaten by centipedes 

3. Possible sentence: There are many different kinds of 

amazing animals and insects in the rainforest. 

4. (a) NI (b) NI (c) NI 


6. The following should be ticked: 

Eyespot butterflies are huge insects and can be found in 

the rainforest. 

Hairy spiders in the rainforest are huge. 

Gigantic ants can be found in the rainforest. 

Banded snakes that slither and move quietly are found 

in the rainforest. 

Large chameleons that camouflage themselves, hang 

down on vines and have yellow tongues can be found in 

the rainforest. 

Enormous centipedes that crawl over tree buttress roots 

and eat beetles can be found in the rainforest. 

The following should be crossed: 

Rainforest animals eat each other. 

There are three beetles in the rainforest. 


Cloze 

artists, to, Three, spikes, cut, shimmered, carried, one, flask, 

quickly, liquid, spluttering, flame, gaudy, shirt, trousers, 

juggled, his, than, stilt, nimbly, their, and, had, they, make 

Inferring 


2. Answers will be similar to: A circus is a company of 

travelling performers. 

A parade is an orderly assembly of troops, Scouts or any 

body for inspection or display; a public procession to 

draw attention to something. 

3. There were three fire-breathers, a clown and two stilt 

walkers. 

4. Clues one and two should be ticked. 

5. The liquid in the flask was flammable and used to make 

flames. 

6. gaudy, garish 

7. Answers may be similar to: they were prancing nimbly; 

they wore amazing costumes; they also waved long 

streamers to make intricate patterns at the same time. 

8. Answers may be similar to: the costume was attentiongrabbing; 

the clown balanced on an inflated ball; he 

juggled three balls with streamers attached at the same 

time. 

9. Answers may be similar to: They wore tunics with 

cuffs and hems cut to look like flames to match their 

occupation in the circus. 

10. Answers may be similar to: He wore a costume designed 

to make him look silly to make the audience laugh. 


Cloze 

entrance, living, ended, was, by, staircase, stone, be, 

quizzically, spear, suppose, seems, on, ascend, mysterious, 

added, side, them, urns, necklace, sconces, around, us, 

slithering 

Synthesising 




Mad scientist 

Cloze 

were, said, bubbling, tabletop, three, my, size, and, droplets, 

as, one, beside, one, them, case, dogs, on, is, dripped, give, 

fast 

Predicting 


2. Ticked ideas may include: an imaginative text, a 

mystery, a recount. 


5. Answers may include: scientist, laboratory, chemicals, 

experiment etc. 

134 


Answers 

6. Answers may indicate that the text will explain what 

happened to Professor Lekt. 

7. Answers should indicate that she put droplets of the 

chemical on them and they increased in size as well. 

8. Answers may indicate that one of the spiders ate 

Professor Lekt. 

9. Answers will vary, but may indicate that if she was 

eaten by a spider, she will never be found. 



Cloze 

on, spreading, holes, prop, its, four, patio, near, tree, patio, 

made, cross-over, side, it, and, basket, platform, leave, our, 

messy, waiting, casually, watches 

Visualising 


3. Possible colours for objects: tree branches—brown; 

tree canopy—green; shutter boards—brown; the 

flowers—various colours; rope ladder—brown, beige, 

cream; the pulley—brown, grey, metal; the basket— 

brown, yellow, orange; the birds—black, brown; the 

cat—white, brown, grey, striped; the roof—brown, grey 

4. Possible words for how objects feel: rope ladder— 

rough, shutter boards—smooth, bumpy, rough; the 

flowers—soft; cat—soft, furry; the platform—rough, 

smooth; the basket—rough, bumpy; the planks on the 

ladder—smooth, rough; the birds—soft, feathery; the 

hook on the pulley—smooth, hard 



Cloze 

Long, as, hid, of, long, could, claws, began, her, called, 

quickly, with, front, stones, threw, and, back, wounded, 

mightily, it, its, been, one, sticks 


Text to self 


Text to text 


Text to world 

7. Answers may include: tigers, cougars, leopards etc. 

8. True, True, True, True, False, False 


Cloze 

Flights, he, called, they, twin, above, erupted, hot, gently, 

hauling, gondola’s, lanyards, gondola, and, taut, themselves, 

one, idea, make, band, divided, base, pale, featured, panel, 

crew, were 

Questioning 



2. Answers should include: The characters are taking a hot 

air balloon ride. A pilot and some helpers are setting up 

the balloon. 


4. Answers will vary but should indicate that the text is 

about hot air ballooning. 


5. lanyard—a short rope or cord for securing or holding 

something; gondola—the basket suspended beneath a 

balloon for passengers; taut—tightly draw; not slack 


7. The rope handlers were stopping the balloon from 

drifting by holding tightly to the lanyards. 

Macie and Molly wore different coloured coats to 

identify themselves. 

Col used distinctive colours and patterns on his balloon 

to help identify it. 

Gas burners pushed flames out, creating hot air that 

made the balloon rise. 

After reading 



Cloze 

jump, it, say, over, opening, gazelle, carefully, vertical, 

landing, to, on, had, ground, horizontally, marshal, perfect, 

bar, pit, flying, her, measuring, by, minding, runners, event 


1. (a) gazelle—a small antelope with graceful movements 

(b) fussy—having many or excessive details 

(c) vertical—upright; perpendicular to the horizon 

(d) height—extent upright; how high/tall something is 

(e) stray—homeless, lost 

(f) athletics—track and field events that include sports 

such as running 

(g) sprint—run at full speed 

2. He was moving very quickly and jumped quite high. 


4. The bar is one that fits horizontally across two posts. 


6. ath/let/ics, care/ful/ly, e/quip/ment, ver/ti/cal, 

meas/u/ring, ho/ri/zon/tal/ly, sig/nalled, sur/roun/ded, 

pre/pare 

7. The marshal ensures the events run smoothly and 

correctly, according to the rules; officials. 




Answers 

8. High jump 

• two vertical posts 

• landing mattress 

• vertical post clips 

• height measuring stick 

• horizontal cross bar 

• run fast to start 



Long jump 

• pit (full of sand) 

• measuring tape 

• marker flags 

• run fast to start 


Cloze 

Text 1—photos, Life, her, holding, dolphins, above, they, 

teeth, loudly, talking, them, share 

Text 2—were, window, life, and, it, species, back, some, over, 

were, them, big 

Summarising 

1. Answers will vary but may include: photos, visit, Sea Life 

Park, fish, dolphin, pool, mouths, teeth, share 

2. The following should be ticked: what dolphins eat, how 

dolphins are looked after in a sea life park, what the 

teeth of dolphins are like, how dolphins communicate, 

how friendly dolphins are. 

3. Answers may be similar to: Hillary holds out a fish; 

dolphins come; they chatter to her; they want the fish; 

another dolphin comes to eat the fish. 

Summary answers will vary. 

4. The tanks held different species of marine life. 

5. parrot fish, sea urchins, seahorses 

6. Answers should be similar to; The viewing panes allowed 

the visitors to see the marine life in close detail. 

7. The following should be ticked: the aquarium’s habitat, 

the tanks. 

8. Summary answers will vary. 

9. I took some photos of the family’s visit to the Sea Life 

Park. 


Cloze 

in, technology, birds, is, fashions, allows, slightly, anti-gravity, 

name, one, garments, and, Hover, wear, wear, goggles, 

gauntlets, or, technology, hover, umbrella, horn-rimmed, 

with, she, its 



2. Answers may be similar to: Fashion of the future is 

influenced by technology. 

3. 

Anti-gravity technology 

(flying) 

hover boots 

flight suits 

eclectic fashion to be 

worn on a hover scooter 

Bar antenna or web-like 

satellite dishes 

flared skirt like an open 

umbrella 

skull cap with a high 

mantilla 

4. (a), (b), (c), (d) and (f) should be crossed. 

5. (a) (c), (e) and (g) should be ticked. 


7. Answers should indicate that fashions of the future are 

influenced by the technology used at the time, what it 

looks like; and to be worn when using that technology. 

Dragon vet 

Cloze 

dragon, visited, him, in, hillside, it, miserably, Donal, 

crowning, wide, ivory, lips, were, beside, been, she, gown, 

box, stethoscope, throat, in, medicines, within, and, snout, 

going, lay, softly 

Inferring 


3. Background information: Dragons breathe fire; Fire 

burns grass. 

Clue: Once upon a time, the hillside had been covered 

with grass; Now, since Donal, only clumps of it 

survived on the hill's ledges. 

Answer: The hillside was no longer covered by grass 

because Donal had burned off most of it with his 

flames. 

4. Background information: Dragons have big teeth. 

Fence palings are big. 

Clue: Ivory teeth the size of fence paling sprouted 

past his thin, black lips. 

Answer: Donal had very large teeth because they 

were the size of fence palings which are big. 

5. Background information: Fire extinguishers put out 

fires; Dragons breathe fire. 

Clue: Three little fires were burning in the sparse 

grass beside him. 

Answer: Doctor Daley placed the fire extinguisher 

within easy reach in case she needed to put out fires 

made by Donal. 

6. Background: Dragons breathe fire; Fireproof means 

‘being able to withstand fire’. 

Clue: Three little fires were burning in the sparse 

grass beside him. 

Answer: Doctor Donal had to protect herself from fire. 

7. A lair is a home for an animal which can be a cave on 

a hillside. 

Donal may have burnt his lips breathing out fire. 



136 


Answers 


Cloze 

hat, golden, put, sneakily, spoon, stolen, other, as, lead, him, 

for, leprechaun, treasure, were, and, treasure, their, while, 

casually, beside, suspected, trick, sudden, door, chirrups, 

from 

Synthesising 



Cloze 

at, spilling, blue, waterfall, ravine, it, and, speak, heading, 

gushing, bridge, chasing, toward, crashed, smoking, bend, 

tunnel, straight, other, near, are, excitedly, on, and, out, are 

Predicting 

1.–2. Answers should indicate that the text could be 

about a car race through the mountains. 


4. Possible words: race, track, circuit, driver, drive, 

speed etc. 

5. Answers will vary but may include: an imaginative 

text, a mystery or a recount. 



Cloze 

Text 1: photos, reptile, many, had, rattlesnake, on, its, snake, 

little, food, coiling 

Text 2: house, habitat, windows, enclosure, was, leafy, 

garden, drinking, to, frill-necked, warily, hollow, It, looking 

Visualising 



Cloze 

stepped, prehistoric, flying, ahead, were, her, startled, teeth, 

forwards, ground, their, to, were, Doctor, and, nest, open, 

eggs, movement, of, hopping, do, held 



7. Yes, No, Yes, No 


Cloze 

tasks, and, go, in, hair, many, scissors, and, third, grasp, 

shelf, off, its, sat, sphere, household’s, collect, stalky, slowly, 

suction, hair, working, wandered, hose, Finbar 

Questioning 

Right there in the text 

1. Robots performed households tasks like vacuuming and 

dishwashing. 

2. Barber-bot wet, cut and dried hair like a barber; 

Vacuum-bot swept the floor to suck up things such as 

hair. 

3. Vacuum-bot did not perform its task well because it 

sucked up the family dog. 

4. Vacuum-bot wadded around slowly on two stumpy legs. 

Think and search 

5. It was the vacuum-bot’s task to collect hair. Dog’s are 

covered in hair/fur. 

‘The household’s vacuum-bot had been programmed to 

collect hair.’ 

6. ‘Take for instance, what happened in this typical home 

of the time.’ 

7. Barber-bot was able to wet hair, cut hair using scissors 

or clippers and blow hair dry. 

8. The vacuum-bot sucked up the family dog. 

In my head 

9. Answers will vary but may include to make looking after 

a house easier; to do the tasks they don’t want or like to 

do etc. 



Cloze 

and, them, centre, expensive, broken, half, touching, frames, 

been, on, floor, fruit, down, picture, askew, bird, water, said, 

this, added, for, between, soccer, Danny, it 


1. (a) carafe—a glass bottle for water, wine etc. 

(b) tumblers—a drinking utensil with a flat bottom, 

without handle or stem, and usually of glass 

(c) cabinet—a piece of furniture with shelves, drawers 

etc. for holding or displaying valuable objects, 

dishes, etc. 

(d) askew—to one side; out of line; obliquely; awry; 

crooked 

(e) trembling—to shake involuntarily with quick, short 

movements, as from fear, excitement, weakness, 

cold etc.; quake; quiver; shiver 

(f) innocently—free from any moral wrong; not tainted 

with sin; pure 

(g) reputation—the estimation in which a person or 

thing is held; knowledge of a person 

(h) destruction—the act of destroying; demolition; 

annihilation 





Answers 

3. Possible answers: 

words with the letter 

‘c’ that make the 

short ‘s’ sound 

centre 

circular 

face 

innocently 

words with the letter ‘s’ that 


because 

expensive 

table's 

mess 

was 

cabinets 

apples 

beside 

swinging 

spilled 

wasn't 

games 

soccer 

destruction 

ruckus 

tumblers 

someone 

frames 

upside 

also 

scattered 

askew 

slowly 

seeds 

this 

indoors 

clues 

said 

4. Performers do a trick that requires pulling the tablecloth 

out from under dishes or glasses on a table. If done 

correctly, the tablecloth comes out cleanly and the 

dishes or glasses remain in place on the table. 

5. a row or commotion 


7. The clues of destruction were all the things that were on 

the floor or not in the correct place. 

Answers will vary but may indicate that the writer was 

making the reader think about what really happened; or 

to make the ending a bit different. 




138

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