BRILLIANT PUBLICATIONS: INSPIRING TEACHERS AND CHILDREN

Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 2

Ages: 5–7yrs

Brilliant Activities for

Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 2
Charlotte Makhlouf Reading Comprehension, Year 2
The importance of being able to read for meaning should never be underestimated. The Engaging Stories and Activities to Develop Comprehension Skills
ability to decode text is not enough. It is vital that children understand what they are
reading. More importantly, it is fundamental that they enjoy what they are reading, so
that they grow up to become lifelong readers.

The passages in the Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension series are designed
to do just that. They provide children with a variety of engaging, enjoyable texts that will
grab their attention, and indeed their teacherʼs attention as well.

The types of comprehension passages range from newspaper articles and dialogues, to
plays, stories and poems. They gradually increase in difficulty as you progress though
the book, and through the series, encouraging children to develop their ability to read
for meaning and use a range of strategies to engage with the text.

Tasks range from simple factual recall and vocabulary work to more open-ended
questions enabling the reader to provide a more personal response. The cross-curricular
activities provide a wealth of ideas for extending the passages further and are ideal for
fast-finishers.

Other titles in the series

Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 1
Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 3
Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 4
Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 5
Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension, Year 6

Why not TRY before you BUY? Download SAMPLE PAGES from our website:
www.brilliantpublications.co.uk

ebook ISBN: 978-0-85747-490-2

Charlotte Makhlouf
 Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................................4
.

Links to the National Literacy Strategy.........................................................................................5

Cross-curricular Activities.............................................................................................................8

Sporty Animals...........................................................................................................................14
Bonfire Night...............................................................................................................................17
Owl and Squirrel.........................................................................................................................20
Mary Mouse................................................................................................................................23
Rubbish Collection.....................................................................................................................26
The Terrible Day.........................................................................................................................29
Racehorses................................................................................................................................32
Pirates........................................................................................................................................35
Stables.......................................................................................................................................38
Girish Patek and the Magic Carpet............................................................................................41
The Magic Kettle........................................................................................................................44
Chalices......................................................................................................................................47
Musicians...................................................................................................................................50
The Talking Cat...........................................................................................................................53
Hoggly School Vegetable Competition.......................................................................................56
Rocket Boy.................................................................................................................................59
Horticultural Show......................................................................................................................62
The Pony Show..........................................................................................................................65
Florists in Maybury.....................................................................................................................68
On the Glacier............................................................................................................................71
Potion for Making Pigs Fly..........................................................................................................74
Tiger’s Birthday...........................................................................................................................77
Vets............................................................................................................................................80
The Potion..................................................................................................................................83
Alien Invasion?...........................................................................................................................86
Birthday Cakes...........................................................................................................................89
Lemonade..................................................................................................................................92
Local Goats Escape from Farm..................................................................................................95
Snagwit Castle...........................................................................................................................98
Blastoes....................................................................................................................................101
The Gumbo Tree......................................................................................................................104
Space Station Lucy..................................................................................................................107

Answers.................................................................................................................................... 110
Brilliant Activities for

Reading
Comprehension,
Year 2
Engaging Stories and Activities to Develop
Comprehension Skills

Charlotte Makhlouf
Brilliant Publications publishes many other practical resource books for primary school teachers, a few of
which are listed below. You may find more details on our website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk.

Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension Series

Year 1.
Year 3.
Year 4.
Year 5.
Year 6.

Other publications
Brilliant Activities for Persuasive Writing.
Brilliant Activities for Reading Non-Fiction.
Brilliant Activities for Reading Fiction
Speaking and Listening Games
Fun with Plays.
Fun with Poems.
Fun with Action Rhymes and Poems.

Brilliant Publications © Text: Charlotte Makhlouf 2012

Unit 10
© Design: Brilliant Publications 2012
Sparrow Hall Farm
Edlesborough
Dunstable
Bedfordshire
LU6 2ES, UK 2015 digital version by Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
Tel: 01525 222292
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
The right of Charlotte Makhlouf to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted by herself in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
The name Brilliant Publications and the logo are
1988.
registered trademarks.

Pages 14–118 may be photocopied by individual

Written by Charlotte Makhlouf
teachers acting on behalf of the purchasing institution
Illustrated by Calivn Innes, Pat Murray and Frank for classroom use only, without permission from the
Endersby publisher and without declaration to the Publishers
Licensing Society. The materials may not be reproduced
Cover illustration by Calvin Innes
in any other form or for any other purpose without the
Front cover designed by Brilliant Publications prior permission of the publisher.
 Introduction
The importance of reading for meaning should never be underestimated. Whilst many young
children might be able to decode quite complex texts, it is vital that they understand what they
read. More importantly, it is fundamental that they enjoy what they are reading.

Over my 15 years of experience, I have used a number of comprehension books as part of my

English teaching. Very few of them have engaged the children who are being asked to read
and understand them. I decided that if we are asking children to read, understand and answer
questions from a passage, that passage should at least engage their attention, and indeed their
teacher’s attention as well.

The passages in the Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension Series are designed
to give children valuable reading practice through varied, enjoyable texts. The passages begin
in the Year 1 book with simple picture comprehension. They gradually increase in difficulty as
you progress through the book, and through the series, encouraging pupils to use a range of
strategies for decoding the text and to develop their ability to read for meaning. The passages
are entirely fictional and it is hoped that both pupils and teachers will find them humorous.

Teachers should read the texts with the children and discuss them thoroughly before allowing
them to proceed to the activities. If you are using the e-book version, you can display the pages
on the interactive white board.

In the Year 2 book there are first a series of Questions that require factual recall. Encourage
children to respond in full sentences. The Word work sections will help to develop and stretch
their vocabulary. The Extension work sections require more open-ended questions enabling
the pupils to provide a more personal response. Although some space has been provided on
the sheets, you may wish to ask them to write the answers in their workbooks. Answers are
provided on pages 110–118. On pages 8–13 there are some suggestions for ways in which
the children can follow up this work in other areas of the curriculum, thus providing a cross-
curricular aspect. These activities are ideal for children who finish their work early.

The Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension Series provides the teacher with a basis
for ensuring progression. The activities give pupils:

u the ability to select or retrieve information in order to answer the questions successfully
using a full sentence

u the opportunity to deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from the texts

u the opportunity to identify and comment on the structure and organization of the text and
comment on the writer’s use of language at word and sentence level

u the chance to comment on cultural, social or historical traditions and the impact the text
may have on the reader.

The Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension Series provides an invaluable resource
for assessing pupil progress in reading. The key assessment criteria from the National
Strategies for levels 1, 2 and 3 for reading are listed, for your convenience, on pages 5–7.
 Links to the National
Literacy Strategy
The activities in this book will help to assess the following criteria:

AF1 – use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u some high frequency and familiar words read fluently and automatically
u decode familiar and some unfamiliar words using blending as the prime
approach
u some awareness of punctuation.

Level 2 In some reading:

u range of key words read on sight
u unfamiliar words decoded using appropriate strategies, eg blending sounds
u some fluency and expression, eg taking account of punctuation, speech marks.

Level 3 In most reading

u range of strategies used mostly effectively to read with fluency, understanding
and expression.

AF2 – understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and
use quotation and reference to text

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u some simple points from familiar texts recalled
u some pages/sections of interest located, eg favourite characters/events/
information/pictures.

Level 2 In some reading:

u some specific, straightforward information recalled, eg names of characters,
main ingredients
u generally clear idea of where to look for information, eg about characters, topics.

Level 3 In most reading:

u simple, most obvious points identified though there may also be some
misunderstanding, eg about information from different places in the text
u some comments include quotations from or references to text, but not always
relevant, eg often retelling or paraphrasing sections of the text rather than using
it to support comment.

AF3 – deduce, infer or interpret information events or ideas from text

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u reasonable inference at a basic level, eg identifying who is speaking in a story
 u comments/questions about meaning of parts of text, eg details of illustrations
diagrams, changes in font style.

Level 2 In some reading:

u simple, plausible inference about events and information, using evidence from
text, eg how a character is feeling, what makes a plant grow
u comments based on textual clues sometimes misunderstood.

Level 3 In most reading:

u straightforward inference based on a single point of reference in the text, eg ‘he
was upset because it says “he was crying”’
u responses to text show meaning established at a literal level, eg ‘walking good’
means ‘walking carefully’ or based on personal speculation eg a response based
on what they personally would be feeling rather than feelings of character in the
text.

AF4 – identify and comment on the structure and organization of texts, including
grammatical and presentational features at text level

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u some awareness of meaning of simple text features, eg font style, labels, titles.

Level 2 In some reading:

u some awareness of use of features of organization, eg beginning and ending of
story, types of punctuation.

Level 3 In most reading:

u a few basic features of organization at text level identified, with little or no linked
comment, eg ‘it tells about all the different things you can do at the zoo’

AF5 – explain and comment on writer’s use of language, including grammatical and
literary features at word and sentence level

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u comments on obvious features of language, eg rhymes and refrains, significant
words and phrases.

Level 2 In some reading:

u some effective language choices noted, eg ‘“slimy” is a good word there’
u some familiar patterns of language identified, eg once upon a time; first, next,
last.

Level 3 In most reading:

u a few basic features of writer’s use of language identified, but with little or no
comment, eg ‘there are lots of adjectives.’

AF6 – identify and comment on writer’s purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect
of the text on the reader

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u some simple comments about preferences, mostly linked to own experience.
Level 2 In some reading:
u some awareness that writers have viewpoints and purposes, eg ‘it tells you how
to do something’, ‘she thinks it’s not fair’
u simple statements about likes and dislikes in reading, sometimes with reasons.

Level 3 In most reading:

u comments identify purpose, eg ‘the writer doesn’t like violence’
u express personal response but with little awareness of the author’s viewpoint or
effect on reader, eg ‘she was just horrible like my nan is sometimes.’

AF7 – relate texts to their social, cultural and historical traditions

Level 1 In some reading, usually with support:

u a few basic features of well-known story and information texts distinguished, eg
what typically happens to good and bad characters, differences between type of
text in which photographs or drawings are used.

Level 2 In some reading:

u general features of a few text types identified.

Level 3 In most reading:

u some simple connections between texts identified, eg similarities in plot, topic or
books by same author, about same characters
u recognition of some features of the context of texts, eg historical setting, social or
cultural background
 Cross-curricular activities
Sporty Animals page 14 v Draw Wise Owl’s or Samuel Squirrel’s
home.
v Make speech bubbles for all the animals.
What could they be saying? v Find out about animals that live in woods
and forests. Make a collage of a forest
v Paint a picture of another sporty animal. scene using different kinds of materials.
Can your friend work out what sport it is
doing?
v Choose one of the sporty animals. Design Mary Mouse page 23
new clothes for it. v Draw portraits of Mary and Fred.
v Make animal finger puppets out of felt. v. Draw Fred’s or Mary’s home.
v With your animal puppets make a little v Draw a plan of the house and garden.
play for your friends. Don’t forget to show the pond.
v Design a symmetrical pattern for a
Bonfire Night page 17 tablecloth for a tea party.

v Use coloured chalks or pastels on black v Make cakes and sandwiches out of clay or
paper to draw Bonfire Night. salt dough and paint them.

v Write out a list of food suitable for Bonfire v Make some real sandwiches. Fill them
Night. with the class’ favourite fillings.

v Design a poster reminding people how to v Plan how to cut a slice of bread or
keep safe on Bonfire Night. sandwich into halves or quarters. Are
there different ways of doing it?
v Do some research about Guy Fawkes.
v Re-tell the story of Guy Fawkes in cartoon
format. Rubbish Collection page 26
v Draw up a price list for some fireworks. v Draw a winners’ podium with the animals
Then ask a friend to plan how they would in their correct places.
spend £5 buying fireworks from your list. v Draw a map of Nutcombe Road showing
where the animals found the most litter.

Owl and Squirrel page 20 v Think up some more animals who live in
Nutcombe road. Redo the table, showing
v Learn to play chess or teach a friend how their names, and how many bags they
to play. collected.
v Amy Rabbit wants to learn to play chess. v See how much rubbish you can collect in
She needs glasses to help her see better. the playground in 5 minutes. Who collects
Design a smart pair of glasses for her. the heaviest bagful?
v. Design and make figures for a chess set v Make up and catchy class song to
from clay. encourage people not to drop litter.
v How many squares are there on a
chessboard? Write the number, then
write down some number facts about that The Terrible Day page 29
number. v Make a ‘days of the week’ poster to help
Fox: write out the days of the week and
illustrate them.
v Find poems or songs to do with the days v Make up a board game about racing
of the week and say or sing them. horses or other animals.
v Draw Fox enjoying the rest of the day. v If all the 35 horses need new shoes, how
many horseshoes must Owen pay for?
v Design a new umbrella for Fox.
v Draw a map of the stables.
v Do some science: investigate a dry teabag
and a wet used one. Try to find all the v Draw what the inside of one of the stables
differences. might look like.

Racehorses page 32 Girish Patek and the Magic

v Draw a picture of your own racehorse and
Carpet page 41
v Have a look at a map of the world or a
then describe what it is like. What might
globe and find out the names of some of
you give it as a treat?
the countries Girish Patek might fly over
v Look at some paintings of horses, such on his journey.
as those by Stubbs. Then paint your own
v Design the pattern for a magic carpet.
picture of a horse.
v Use a PE mat instead of a carpet. How
v Make tails out of strips of raffia, or old
many people can sit on it comfortably?
rope. Wear them as you run races in the
How many magic PE mats would you
playground.
need to take your whole class on a
v The height of a horse is measured in journey?
hands. How many hands tall are you?
v Describe your favourite toy. Say what
v Imagine you are horses and act out a makes it special.
horse race with commentary.

The Magic Kettle page 44

Pirates page 35
v Draw a picture of Mr Frost and his magic
v Draw a picture of the octopus holding the kettle.
boat full of pirates in the air.
v Play the game: I went to the shops. ‘I went
v Make an octopus by wrapping fabric round to the shops and bought an apricot.’ ‘I
a tennis ball. Cut the fabric to give the went to the shops and bought an apricot
octopus eight legs. and a book.’ ‘I went to the shops and
v How many legs are there on two bought an apricot and a book and a
octopuses? On five octopuses? camera.’

v Make a map of the island. Mark on it v Work out roughly how much liquid you
where the treasure is. drink in a day.

v Make a 3-D model of your map using v If you wanted enough biscuits for
papier mâché. everyone in the class, how many packets
would you need to buy?
Chalices page 47
Stables page 38
v Paint a picture of one of the cups in its
v Imagine you own a racehorse and you special place.
would like Owen Hotpants to train it to run
really fast. Draw your horse and describe v Design a chalice of your own and describe
it. Say why you think it will one day be a what makes it special.
champion. Don’t forget to give your horse v Make a special cup out of papier mâché.
a good name!
v One of the coins on the Cup of Coins v Try growing an avocado plant from an
is dated 1712. How long ago is 1712, avocado stone, or make a carrot top grow
roughly? by sitting it in a dish of water.
v Look at some real coins and find out what v Cut some string 2 metres long. Use it to
date each one was made. Put the coins in work out how big the winning cabbage
date order. was.
v Follow a recipe for vegetable soup.
Musicians page 50 v Use potato printing to make repeating
patterns. Design some wrapping paper.
v Imagine you have a musically talented pet.
What type of animal are they and what is v Paint a still-life of some fruit or vegetables.
their musical talent?
v Make a musical instrument out of junk
Rocket Boy page 59
material. What will you call it and how do
you play it? v What colour do you think Snowball is?
Paint a picture of him or her.
v Daisy Sweets comes from Trinidad. Listen
to some Trinidadian music. v Find out the names of the planets in our
Solar System. Which one is nearest the
v Compose a piece of music to play to the
Sun and which is furthest away?
class.
v Draw a cartoon strip showing the daring
v Draw Anneka’s lucky jester’s hat.
rescue of Snowball.
v Find Spain and Russia on a map of the
v Find out about hot-air balloons. How do
world. Find Birmingham on a map of
they work?
Britain.
v Make a model hot-air balloon.

The Talking Cat page 53

Horticultural Show page 62
v Paint a portrait of Freddy or Fluffy.
v Draw one of the prize-winning fruits or
v. Make a model cat from clay.
vegetables at the show. You could draw
v Make a pet blanket from scraps of fabric. the person who grew it too.
Cut out squares all the same size and glue
v Imagine you have grown a beautiful new
or stitch them to a piece of backing fabric.
rose. Draw your rose and give it a special
v Find out about wild animals which are name.
relatives of the cat. Do any of them live in
v Every year at the show, there is a prize
Britain?
for the best novelty cake. Next year, the
v Write a set of rules for Freddy and theme for the novelty cake design will be
announce them to him in a speech in the Under the Sea and Farzia plans to enter
character of Fluffy. a cake shaped like a submarine. Design
your own novelty cake for this competition.
Describe in words what it will look like and
Hoggly School Vegetable what will make it special.
Competition page 56
v Did Hugo Brightface’s tomato weigh more
v Have a class discussion. Do you think it or less than 1 kilogram?
is fair to have a competition where some
v If Marie Wigglebottom stood her marrow on
classes win and some don’t? Would you
end, would it be as tall as you are? Or taller?
organize the competition differently?
Or shorter?
v Find out the most popular vegetable in v Find out about what a glacier is, and how
your class and make a graph showing it is made.
your results.
v Do glaciers move? Find out the answer.
v Have a growing competition and see
who can grow the largest bean or tallest
sunflower or heaviest tomato. Potion for Making Pigs Fly
page 74
v You need to make double the amount of
The Pony Show page 65 potion, as you have four pigs that want to
fly. Double the quantity of each ingredient.
v Draw or paint one of the ponies and its
owner. v Have a spell-writing competition.
v Make a 1st prize rosette for the winner of v Collect some flower petals and mix them
Best Decorated Pony. with raindrops. What happens? Leave the
mixture for a few days. What changes do
v Agatha Blakemore decides to give the
you see?
three winners of Best Decorated Pony £10
to share between them. What do you think v Design a front cover for the book Spells
would be a fair way to divide it up? and Potions.
v Carry out a quick survey to find out what
people’s favourite pet animals are.
Tiger’s Birthday page 77
v Design and write a party invitation for
Florists in Maybury page 68 Crocodile to send to the monkeys and
Tiger’s other friends. Remember the party
v Paint a picture of the Sharkflower or any
is to be kept secret.
other flower you choose.
v Draw a picture of Tiger at his birthday
v Design some wrapping paper with pictures
party.
of flowers on.
v What kind of cake do you think Tiger had?
v Tansy and tarragon are the names of
Draw his cake.
herbs. Look at a book on herbs and find
out three facts about tansy and three v Tiger likes swimming. What other games
about tarragon. or sports do you think he enjoys? Paint a
picture of him doing a sporting activity.
v Look at pictures of flowers painted by
famous artists and choose which you like v The tiger in the passage is a storybook
best. Can you say why you like it? tiger. Find out some facts about real tigers:
what they eat, where they live, why they
are under threat.
On the Glacier page 71
v A terrible storm is blowing across the
mountains. Write a play in which Amber,
Vets page 80
Rory and Coco are huddled in their tent v Draw some of the animals from the
deciding what they should do next. passage. Use speech bubbles and write
what they say to the vets who have helped
v Draw Amber, Rory and Coco on the
them.
glacier.
v Sunnyhouse Surgery is open from 9:00
v Research the type of clothing they might
am to 6:00 pm. How many hours is it open
be wearing to climb the mountain.
each day? For a week (Monday–Friday)?
v Explore different fabrics to find out which
ones will keep you dry and which will let
the moisture in.
v Visit a vet’s surgery and find out what Cut out the pictures and use them to make
happens there. a collage.
v Draw a comic strip showing what happens v Suppose you have a round cake to share
in a day at the surgery. between eight people. Draw a plan of how
you would cut it. Suppose there were 12
people to share it? Or 16?
The Potion page 83
v Write a list of ingredients for a magic juice
of your own. What colour would it be and
Lemonade page 92
what might it do to the person who drinks v The formula is a powder and it will come
it? in a tin, like drinking chocolate. Design a
label to wrap round the tin of formula.
v Draw the cave where Molly and Reggie
are. v Invent the ingredients in the professor’s
formula. Write a recipe explaining how to
v Design a front cover for one of the spell
make it.
books.
v What do you think would be a good price
v Molly Mole’s names both begin with M.
for the formula? It must be cheap enough
Reggie Rat’s names both begin with R.
so people can afford it but expensive
Think up some more names like that.
enough to cover the costs of making it.
v Find out some facts about real rats and
v Find out about other famous inventors.
moles.

Alien Invasion? page 86 Local Goats Escape from Farm

page 95
v Draw the army headquarters on Planet v Make a storyboard of the goats’ escape,
Zoid, or Planet Zoid itself. ready to turn into a short film.
v Paint a portrait of Colonel-in-Chief Poz- v Make a ‘Wanted’ poster for the goats.
zing. Include descriptions of them so that
v Find out about the planets in our solar people know what to look for.
system. Which one of them do you think v Make up a play about the three goats.
Zoid might be like? Start with the goats planning their escape
v How many aliens live on Planet Zoid? from the farm. What might they say to one
Write the number in figures and in words. another?
v Draw a map of Farmer Huggins’ farm and
Tor Scragg.
Birthday Cakes page 89
v Draw and name some things that people
v How many weeks is it until your birthday? make out of goats’ milk.
v What day of the week is your birthday this v Make up a song about goats, using the
year? tune of a song you know, such as Three
v Find out the ingredients you would need to Blind Mice.
make a cake. v Act out the story of the Three Billy Goats
v Bake a cake and ice it. Gruff for some younger children.

v Draw a picture of your ideal birthday cake, v The goats have made up a victory speech.
or design a wedding cake. What will they say? Deliver it to your
friends.
v Look at magazines with cakes in them.
v You are the television crew who has
 come to interview Farmer Huggins. What draw them in the tree.
questions will you ask?
v Make a class or individual collage of the
Gumbo Tree.
Snagwit Castle page 98 v A small bird weighs about 25 g. Find
something else that weighs about 25 g, to
v Make a Snagwit Castle board game for
give you an idea of how light small birds
2–4 players.
are.
v Design a family crest for the Snagwit
v Use clay or dough to make some tiny
family.
birds’ eggs. They should weigh about 5 g
v Draw portraits of the ghosts. each. When they are dry, paint them.
v Draw a picture of the castle and
underneath put the main details about it as
v The Twiggle bird is an imaginary bird.
though it is in an estate agent’s window.
Make up an imaginary bird of your own
v The castle is being sold for one million and describe it.
pounds. Write that as a figure.
v Dame Flora Flapperby wants to buy the
castle, but as it is haunted, she says
Space Station Lucy page 107
it should be sold at half price. Use a v Make a map of the solar system, showing
calculator to work out half of a million where Space Station Lucy is located.
pounds.
v You have been asked to design a new
space station. What would it look like
and how would you make it appealing to
Blastoes page 101
tourists?
v Use one sheet of A4 paper or card (no
v Design a space suit for young travellers.
more) to make a box to hold Blastoes.
How many small cubes does your box v Design a safety card to go in the
hold? passenger seats of the shuttle. What
important information should go in it?
v Design a label for your box of Blastoes
which will capture people’s attention. v All 195 people who work at Saintways
Electronics want to go on a weekend trip
v Invent some new flavours for Blastoes
to Space Station Lucy. How many space
sweets. Use a tally chart to record which
shuttles will they need to book to fit them
are most popular in your class and then
all in?
show your results in a bar chart.
v Act out the journey on the shuttle to the
v Make a poster advertising a new
space station. Imagine you are the air
type of sweet that is actually good
stewardesses, deliver your safety briefing
for your teeth.
to the rest of the group, showing them
v. How many packets of Blastoes could what to do in the event of an emergancy.
you buy for £5?

The Gumbo Tree page 104

v Draw a picture of how you think the
Gumbo Tree looks. Don’t forget to put in
the Twiggle bird.
v Think of some other creatures that might
live in a Gumbo tree. Write their names or
 Sporty Animals
Harriet Hippo

Leo Lion

Zelda Zebra

Gregory
Giraffe

Darko Dog
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. How many sporty animals are there?

2. Which animal is skating?

3. Which animal is going to play tennis?

4. What sport does the lion do?

5. Which animal is snowboarding?

6. Which animals are warmly dressed?

 Extension work
1. Which of these animals is your favourite and why?
2. What is your favourite sport or game?
3. Choose an animal. Write down all the words you can
think of to describe it.
4. Suppose a snake joined the sporty animals. What
sport do you think it would do? What clothes would it
wear?
5. Make up some more animal names like Gregory Giraffe
and Darko Dog.
 Bonfire Night

My name is Lucy. On Bonfire Night, my friends and I wrap up

in scarves and hats to keep warm. Then we go out and watch
the sky light up with fireworks. Coloured rain falls above our
heads. Flames from the bonfire reach the trees. When we are
hungry, we eat hot potatoes filled with butter. Happy children
wave sparklers in the crisp, night air.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What do Lucy and her friends wear to keep warm?

2. What lights up the sky?

3. How high do the bonfire flames reach?

4. What does Lucy eat on Bonfire Night?

5. Who waves sparklers?

 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

friend

crisp

wrap

2. What do you think is meant by ‘coloured rain’?

Extension work
1. Why is Bonfire Night special?
2. What do people often put on top of the bonfire?
3. Write down two things you can do to stay safe on
Bonfire Night.
4. Write a story about Bonfire Night.
5. Imagine you have a pet. What would you do to keep
your pet safe on Bonfire Night?
 Owl and Squirrel

In the forest, high up in an old oak tree, lived a grey squirrel

called Samuel. Samuel was a clever squirrel, with a beautiful
silky tail.
Every evening, Samuel would go to Wise Owl’s tree and they
would play a game of chess. Owl was very good at playing
chess. She was the forest chess champion.

Samuel hoped that playing with Wise Owl would make him a
better player so that one day he could beat her. Then he would
be the forest chess champion.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where does Samuel live?

2. What kind of animal was Samuel?

3. Who did Samuel visit every evening?

4. What game was Wise Owl very good at playing?

5. What did Samuel want to become?

6. How did Samuel think he could learn to be a better

player?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:
silky

wise

champion

Extension work
1. Chess is a game that exercises people’s brains. Name
some games that exercise people’s bodies.
2. Imagine you are organizing a chess competition. What
prize would you give the winner and why?
3. Write a story about Wise Owl’s day and night.
4. Imagine you are Samuel Squirrel. Write a short piece
saying how you feel about playing chess.
 Mary Mouse

Mary Mouse lives in a small, pink house. The house has a

garden with a pond. In the pond lives a frog called Fred.
Fred sometimes goes to visit Mary. He and Mary have a cup of
tea and eat cakes together in her kitchen.
If the weather is very hot, they sit outside in the sun with a
cool drink instead of tea.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where does Mary live?

2. What colour is her house?

3. What kind of animal is Mary?

4. What kind of animal is Fred?

5. Where does Fred live?

6. Where do Mary and Fred usually have tea?

7. When it is hot, where do Mary and Fred go to have

their drink?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:
sometimes

visit

cool

Extension work
1. Suppose you are Mary Mouse. Write to a friend and
tell them what your house is like.
2. Suppose you are Fred. Tell Mary what it is like living in
a pond.
3. Mary and Fred are a bit bored of cake and tea.
List some other things they might drink and eat at
teatime.
4. Another small animal joins Mary and Fred’s tea party.
What animal is it? And what is the animal called?
5. Write an adventure story about Fred and Mary.
 Rubbish Collection

The animals in Nutcombe Road had a rubbish-collecting

competition. The mice sisters, Dawn and Nadine, lost their bag
in the canal, and Freda Fox’s bag burst. These three had to be
disqualified.
Here are the results for the remaining competitors:

Name Place in Bags of

competition rubbish
collected
Rupee Rat 1 6
Clarence Cat 2 5
Diva Dog 3 3
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. How many animals took part in the competition?

2. Who was the winner?

3. Who came third?

4. What type of animal is Rupee?

5. How many bags of rubbish did Rupee collect?

6. How many bags did Rupee, Clarence and Diva collect

altogether?

7. What happened to Freda’s bag?

8. What are the mice sisters called?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:
disqualified

competitor

Extension work
1. Why do you think there was so much rubbish?
2. What do you think the animals did with all the
rubbish once the competition was over?
3. Next year there will be a prize for the winner of the
rubbish-collecting competition. What do you think the
prize should be?
4. What would happen if we didn’t pick up our rubbish?
 The Terrible Day

Fox was having a terrible day. He had woken up and made himself
a cup of tea. The teabag had burst in the cup and ruined the tea.
Outside it was raining. Fox could not find his umbrella. He was so
busy looking for his umbrella that he missed his bus. When he got
to work, the office was locked.
‘What are you doing, Fox?’ asked Milly Mouse.
‘I’m going to work,’ said Fox. Milly Mouse shook her head
sadly.
‘Poor Fox. Don’t you know? It’s Sunday.’
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Who was having a terrible day?

2. What happened to Fox’s teabag?

3. What was the weather like?

4. Why did Fox miss his bus?

5. Why was the office locked?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:
burst

umbrella

busy

Extension work
1. If you were Millie Mouse, what would you do next to
help Fox?
2. What do you think Fox did for the rest of the day?
3. Write a story about somebody going to school by
mistake on a Sunday. What happened?
4. What things might happen to you in the morning to
spoil the start of your day?
 Racehorses
Jumping Jack
Jumping Jack is only six
years old. He is owned by the
Russian millionaire Gregori
Bottletof. Jack likes jumping
over brush fences and has
won three important races.
His next race will be the
Silver Crown Derby. Jumping
Jack’s rider is Sally Slipper.
Sally loves riding Jumping
Chilli Pepper Jack and describes him as a
Chilli Pepper is eight years old. kind, gentle horse who loves
Her owner is businesswoman sweets as a treat.
Maria Abagnale. Chilli Pepper
is so fast you can hardly see Hot Potato
her run. Smoke comes out of
Hot Potato is twelve years old.
her hooves when she races and
He is now fed up with being
she never comes last. Chilli
a racehorse and would rather
Pepper likes jumping fences.
be in a field eating grass. But
She eats her food out of gold
his owner, Primrose Dribble,
bowls and her favourite treat
wants him to race in the Grand
is strawberry ice-cream.
National.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. How old is Jumping Jack?

2. Who owns Jumping Jack?

3. Which of the three horses is youngest?

4. Which horse does not enjoy racing?

5. What would Hot Potato like to do instead of racing?

6. Who is Sally Slipper?

7. Which horse eats out of gold bowls?

8. What is Chilli Pepper’s favourite treat?

 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

important

treat

gentle
2. …her favourite treat is strawberry ice-cream. What
does this mean?

Extension work
1. Why do you think Hot Potato has become fed up with
being a racehorse?
2. Imagine you are Hot Potato. You have decided to run
away from your owner. Where do you go and what
do you do?
3. If you could ride one of the horses, which would you
choose and why?
4. If you owned a racehorse, what would you call it and
why?
5. Choose one of the horses and write a short adventure
story about it.
 Pirates
As the ship sailed
close to the little
island, the pirates
could see palm
trees and hot,
yellow sand.
‘The treasure’s
here!’ shouted
Cut-throat Kacey,
‘I can see the cross
marked out in the
sand.’
The pirates threw
their spades
into the jolly boat, then rowed like mad towards the island.
Suddenly, a giant octopus shot out of the water in front of
them. It looked very angry. The creature’s tentacles picked the
boat out of the water and held it up in mid-air. The pirates
were terrified.
‘Steal my treasure, would you?’ hissed the octopus. Then it
tossed the boat high into the sky. Up the boat went, up, up, up
into Space.
And that is where the pirates still float, in their not-very-jolly
boat.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Who was on the ship?

2. What did the pirates hope to find on the island?

3. How did they know where the treasure was buried on

the island?

4. Did the pirates land on the island?

5. Who did the octopus think the treasure belonged to?

6. What did the octopus do to the pirates and why?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:
jolly boat

tentacles

hissed

Extension work
1. What would you do if a giant octopus picked you up?
2. Imagine you are one of the pirates circling the earth in
your jolly boat. How would you spend your time?
3. If you were one of the pirates, what would you do to
get back to Earth?
4. Imagine that the pirates get back to Earth and get
hold of the treasure. Make a list of things they find
inside the treasure chest.
5. Brainstorm lots of words to describe the octopus. Do
the same for the pirates.
6. Imagine you are the octopus. Write a story about how
you got the treasure and why you buried it!
 Stables

The Cobble Stables are in Yorkshire, sofa in its stable, as well as a

and are home to 35 horses. telephone.
The stables were bought a few Six of the horses at The Cobble
years ago by former jockey, have won all their races this
Owen Hotpants, who was forced year. Owen’s favourite horse is
to give up racing after a bad Hot Chocolate, which recently
fall in the Doodle Derby. Owen won an important race called
lives above the stables. He says the Sunshine Stakes.
that the secret of his success At the stables there is a fitness
is the care and attention he centre where injured horses can
gives his horses. Each horse has come to exercise and regain their
a television and comfortable strength and health.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where are The Cobble Stables?

2. Who owns the stables?

3. What work did Owen do before he bought the

stables?

4. How many horses live at The Cobble?

5. Which is Owen’s favourite horse?

6. What race did Hot Chocolate win recently?

7. What is the secret of Owen’s success?

8. For what purpose is the fitness centre used?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

jockey

injured

fitness

health

Extension work
1. Do you think horses really like televisions and sofas?
What do you think real horses like?
2. What makes a racehorse different from an ordinary
horse?
3. Which of the four horses in the picture do you like
best? Say why you like it.
4. Write a story about one of the horses in the picture.
5. Imagine you are going to interview one of the horses.
Think up some questions to ask about its life.
 Girish Patek and the
Magic Carpet
Girish Patek was cleaning out at the patterns. The carpet
the attic in his house. It was made him think of India.
filled with old things which ‘I wish I were there now,’ he
no one used any longer. thought.
There were old lamps, broken
To his surprise, the carpet
chairs, pictures and a dirty
began to move. The edges
table. There was a big box
twitched and fluttered.
of toys with a train set on
Suddenly, it rose gently
the top. Girish had played
from the ground. Girish was
with the train set when he
shocked.
was a boy. His son, Deepak,
did not want to play with ‘Oh my goodness!’ he cried,
the train set. He played with ‘It’s a magic carpet!’
his computer instead. At the
back of the attic lay a dusty
rug. Girish unrolled it. He
had never seen it before.
‘I wonder where it came
from?’ he thought. He gave
the rug a shake. The dust
made him sneeze. It was
big – a carpet really, not
just a rug. And it had pretty
patterns on it. Girish stood
on it to have a good look
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What is Girish Patek doing in the attic?

2. List four things Girish found in the attic.

3. What is on top of the big box of toys?

4. What is Girish Patek’s son called?

5. What does his son like playing with?

6. Why did Girish stand on the carpet?

7. What makes the carpet special?

8. Where do you think the carpet will take Girish?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

attic

lamp

twitch

flutter

Extension work
1. Imagine you are Girish. Tell your friend Amal why you
are cleaning out the attic.
2. Imagine you are Deepak. You arrive in the attic and
see your father flying out of the window on a carpet.
You jump onto the carpet too. Write a story about
what happens.
3. Imagine that Deepak arrives in the attic and sees his
father flying out of the window on a carpet. Write a
short conversation between Deepak and his mother in
which he describes what he has seen.
4. If you had a magic carpet, where would you go on it
and what would you do there?
 The Magic Kettle

Mr Frost looked at the kettle. It was not working. The plug had
broken. Mr Frost was very cross. He wanted a cup of tea with
his chocolate biscuits. He picked up the telephone and called
Mrs Frost. ‘The kettle is broken,’ he said angrily.
‘Well, go and buy a new one,’ said Mrs Frost.
Mr Frost went to the kitchen shop. He saw lots of lovely, new
kettles. Then he saw a bright green one. It looked wonderful.
He bought it and took it home. Mr Frost plugged it in.
‘I’ll do that, thank you,’ said a voice. Mr Frost nearly fell over.
The kettle could talk.
‘Oh my!’ he said. ‘A magic kettle!’
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What was wrong with Mr Frost’s kettle?

2. What drink did Mr Frost want to make?

3. Who did Mr Frost call on the phone?

4. What shop did Mr Frost go to?

5. What colour kettle did Mr Frost buy?

6. What happened when he got back home?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

kettle plug

plugged it in

very cross

Extension work
1. Suppose the shops were shut and Mr Frost couldn’t
buy a new kettle. Write what happens instead.
2. The kettle can talk. What else do you think it might
say?
3. What other magic things do you think Mr Frost’s kettle
does?
4. Suppose you bought a magic saucepan. Write about
what magic it can do.
5. Explain how to make a cup of tea to someone who
doesn’t know.
 Chalices
The Cup of Coins is kept in a
cave in Spain. It is guarded by
a big, red dragon. The cup has
magic powers. If you drink from
it you will get stronger and
stronger. The cup is covered with
gold coins. These came from a
ship wrecked long ago in the
Irish Sea.

No one knows where the Cup of Dreams is

hidden. Some people say it is looked after
by elves, deep in their underground halls.
The Cup of Dreams is made of glass and
it too has great power. If you drink water
from it, you will become invisible.

The Cup of Darkness is made out of bad

thoughts. It was made over two hundred
years ago by Wizard Blush. One day he
smashed the cup when he tripped over
a rug. He gathered the pieces up and
threw them into the river. But the river
fairies mended the cup and now they
keep it safe in their home among the
water weeds.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where do the gold coins on the Cup of Coins come
from?

2. Who or what guards the Cup of Coins?

3. What is the Cup of Dreams made from?

4. How long ago was the Cup of Darkness made?

5. What is the Cup of Darkness made from?

6. Who mended the Cup of Darkness?

7. Which cup makes you invisible?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

chalice
invisible
guarded
wrecked

Extension work
1. Suppose you have drunk from the Cup of Dreams. Tell
what happens next.
2. You are one of the elves who keeps the Cup of Dreams
hidden. Explain why you do so.
3. List some dark thoughts that might have been made
in the Cup of Darkness.
4. Why do you think Wizard Blush made the Cup of
Darkness? What might he have planned to do with it?
5. Write a short story about one of the cups.
6. Write an adventure story about someone trying to
steal the Cup of Coins.
7. Imagine you are the red dragon. Explain why you are
guarding the Cup of Coins.
 Musicians
Before a performance, Rosco
drinks tomato juice to give him
energy. He often keeps his eyes
shut when playing to help him
focus on the music.
Rosco’s favourite piece of music
is ‘The Dolphin’ by Crubtree
Martin. This piece is very
difficult to perform because it
is only played on one string.
Marta Lopez comes from the Anneka Wigg was born in
tiny village of Abla in Spain. Birmingham. Anneka has been
She began learning the piano playing the recorder since she
when she was only two years was at school. She prefers
old. At the age of four she gave to perform dance music. She
her first performance in Madrid. always wears her lucky jester’s
When she is not travelling hat when playing and never
around the world, Marta lives eats before a performance. In
at home with her many goldfish her free time, Anneka teaches
and her dog Leo. the recorder in her old school,
Her favourite piece of music is Mossbury. Anneka’s favourite
Daisy Sweets’ Fifth Symphony. piece of music is a creation of
her own called ‘Variations on
Rosco Flitvitch comes from the
the Theme of Twinkle, Twinkle,
city of Ritsov in central Russia.
Little Star’.
He plays the double bass.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What instrument does Marta play?

2. What instrument does Rosco play?

3. Why is ‘The Dolphin’ so difficult to play?

4. When did Marta start learning her instrument?

5. What does Marta do when she is not travelling?

6. What is Marta’s favourite piece of music?

7. What gives Rosco energy for playing?

8. Where was Anneka born?

9. Where does Anneka teach?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

performance

recorder

favourite

jester

Extension work
1. Which of these three musicians would you like to hear
play? Why?
2. Do you think any of these musicians might be big-
headed? Why do you think that?
3. What is your favourite musical instrument and why do
you like it?
4. Crubtree Martin has written another important piece
of work. Decide what it is called and say what makes
it special.
5. Write a few sentences about a musician called Deena
Halfpenny. What does she play?
 The Talking Cat
Freddy stared at Fluffy. The future I want you to call me
ginger cat stared back at Prince. The other cats will
Freddy. Freddy rubbed his respect me more if I’m called
forehead. Something very Prince. The third thing is where
strange was going on. Maybe I sleep. I don’t like the kitchen
he was coming down with a at night; it’s cold. From now
cold. But he could have sworn on I want to sleep at the end
that Fluffy said something. of your bed. And I’ll need my
‘Puss, puss, puss,’ he began own special blanket, thank
carefully. you.’
Fluffy flicked his ears grumpily. Freddy nodded.
‘I’ve got a name. I do wish It looked like there was a new
you’d stop calling me ‘puss’.’ boss in the house!
Freddy gasped. Fluffy HAD
spoken. ‘You can speak,’
he said.
‘Yes I can speak.’ said
Fluffy. ‘And there are a
few changes I want to
ask for. The first is food.
The tinned stuff you give
me is disgusting. I need
fresh fish. The second is
my name. I hate it. In
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What colour is Fluffy?

2. What can Fluffy do which is special?

3. How many things does Fluffy want to change?

4. Where does Fluffy want to sleep?

5. Where does Fluffy normally sleep?

6. Why does he dislike sleeping in this place?

7. Why does Fluffy want to change his name?

8. What does it mean if ‘there is a new boss’ in the

house?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

strange

disgusting

fresh

Extension work
1. What do you think Freddy will do next?
2. Do you think that Fluffy’s requests are reasonable?
3. Suppose Fluffy makes three other requests. What are
they?
4. If you changed your name what would you call
yourself and why?
5. If you had a pet and it suddenly started speaking,
how would you feel?
6. Write a story about Fluffy’s adventures.
7. Have you got a pet? Imagine you have a conversation
with it. Write this down in the format of a play.
Hoggly School Vegetable
Competition

The competition was held last which was exactly 2 metres.

Thursday, and was judged This is a record for the school.
by Mrs Dibley, the chair of Runners up were:
governors.
Class 2, who showed their
The 1st prize went to Class 5, beautiful, red carrots. They
who grew a radish the size of told the judges that watering
a football! them with tea had helped
The 2nd prize went to Class them to grow.
1 for their beautiful yellow Class 3, who showed their
potatoes. enormous cucumbers. Everyone
Class 4 won 3rd prize for a said that the cucumbers were
large cabbage. Mrs Dibley nearly twice as long as the
measured its circumference, ones in the shops.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What did Class 2 show at the vegetable competition?

2. How did Class 2 help their vegetables to grow?

3. What vegetable did Class 3 show in the competition?

4. Which class received 1st prize?

5. How big was the radish which won 1st prize?

6. Who measured the circumference of the cabbage?

7. What phrase tells us that the cucumbers were larger

than normal?

8. Who is Mrs Dibley?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

enormous

measured

circumference

Extension work
1. Try to think of a fruit or vegetable beginning with A,
then B, then C, and so on. How far can you go?
2. Imagine: what prizes did the winning classes receive?
3. If your class won a competition, what prize would you
like to get?
4. If you entered the competition, what vegetables would
you grow and show?
5. Write a story about some kind of competition.
 Rocket Boy
Rafi looks like an ordinary boy,
but he is actually a superhero
with amazing powers. When
he is being a superhero he is
known as Rocket Boy. Rocket
Boy can fly through space. He
plays football with planets.

Rafi thinks he might have found

a brand-new planet. It is bright
green and has large, purple
crystal rocks on it. If you tap the one of the rocks in his bedroom.
rocks they flash brightly. Rafi has He uses it for a bedside light.

He also likes helping people

and animals in trouble. Once he
rescued Snowball the cat. Snowball
had gone to sleep in the basket of
a hot-air balloon. Then the balloon
took off into the air. Luckily Rocket
Boy came to the rescue. He flew
off, jumped into the basket and
grabbed Snowball. Snowball’s
owner, Mr Simpkin, was very
happy to get Snowball back.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Why is Rafi also known as Rocket Boy?

2. What does Rafi do for fun when he turns into Rocket

Boy?

3. What is Rafi using as a bedside light?

4. What type of animal is Snowball?

5. What accident happened to Snowball?

6. How did Rafi rescue Snowball?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

superhero
flash
rescue

Extension work
1. How do you think Mr Simpkin felt when he realized
Snowball was missing?
2. What do you think Mr Simpkin said to Rafi when he
returned Snowball safely?
3. Imagine you have found something new and special in
space. What is it?
4. If you were a superhero, where would you hide your
outfit?
5. Rafi’s parents do not know he is Rocket Boy. What do
you think they might say and do if they found out?
6. Write a story about how Rafi became Rocket Boy.
7. Write a story in which Rafi carries out another
amazing rescue as Rocket Boy.
 Horticultural Show
Dugbury Horticultural pleased.
Show is held every year in Winner of ‘heaviest tomato’
Daisybank Park, near the was Hugo Brightface. His
allotments. The show was tomato weighed just over
started by Farzia Ahmed
900 g.
nearly 20 years ago. People
compete to win prizes for the Winner of ‘largest marrow’
flowers and vegetables they was Marie Wigglebottom. Her
have grown, and for things marrow was 2 metres long and
they have made. was brought to the show in a
hearse owned by her brother
Every year Farzia enters her
Pierre.
favourite rose, the Bollifant
Pink, in the rose-
growing competition.
And every year
until now she has
won the prize for
best rose. This year
local gardener, Tony
Scratchit, won the
prize for best rose
with a white rose
named Mrs Scratchit,
after his wife,
Bianca. Mrs Ahmed
is said to be far from
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where is the Dugbury Horticultural Show held?

2. Who started the show?

3. How long ago did she start the show?

4. What flower does Farzia Ahmed always enter in the

show?

5. Who won the prize for the best rose this year and
what was his rose called?

6. Who won the prize for the heaviest tomato?

7. What did Marie Wigglebottom win her prize for?

8. Who brought Marie Wigglebottom’s vegetable to the

show?
 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:
horticultural
hearse
2. Farzia was said to be far from pleased that she didn’t
win the prize for best rose. What does that mean?
3. Give a word which means the opposite of:
started
win
largest
lift

Extension work
1. When Farzia heard she had lost the rose competiton,
she was very upset. She rang her sister to tell her all
about it. What do you think she said?
2. Imagine you have to organize the competition next year.
What rules would you make for people entering the
competition?
3. Write a story about one of the people who enters the
competition.
4. Invent a list of competitions at the show. If you were
entering one of them, which would you choose?
 The Pony Show

Loopleigh Newsletter
Pony Show ends
in tears
THE LOOPLEIGH Pony Show
ended in tears for Tiffany
Sawalha when her pony,
Sunbeam, bolted out of
the show ring yesterday
afternoon. A shocked crowd
watched as the normally
calm pony bucked, causing
six-year-old Tiffany to fall
from the saddle, then galloped
off towards the village pond.
The pony had been tipped
to win first prize for Best
Decorated Pony.
AWARDS
‘Sunbeam is such a gentle
Best Kept Pony
pony,’ Tiffany’s father tting on Grizzle
1st prize.............................. Lara Tro
Rowan told onlookers. ‘I roy on Boxer
2nd prize ............................Lily MacEl
can’t think what must have y on Mr Potter
3rd prize .............................Ivor Cleanl
upset him. We were hoping
for first place. It took Tiff
and me ages to put all those Best Decorated Pony
McKenna on
ribbons in his mane and tail.’ 1st prize.............................. Kingsley
Daybreak
Sunbeam was returned to lam on Snow
the Sawalhas by local farmer 2nd prize ............................Inigo Hal
Queen
Agatha Blakemore who said
tting on Grizzle
she thought it was the ribbons 3rd prize .............................Lara Tro
that had upset him.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What is Tiffany’s pony called?

2. What did people think Tiffany and her pony might

win?

3. Describe what Sunbeam did that surprised everyone.

4. According to the farmer, why had the pony bolted?

5. How had Tiffany and her father decorated Sunbeam?

6. Who won first prize for Best Kept Pony?

7. What was Ivor Cleanly’s pony called?

8. Who was riding Boxer?

 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

bucked

bolted

shocked

2. What does tipped to win mean?

Extension work
1. If Tiffany’s pony could talk, what do you think it
would say to the reporter?
2. If you met Tiffany, what questions would you like to
ask her about her life and her pony?
3. Write a story about one of the prize-winners and their
pony having an adventure.
4. Write a story about you and your pet (real or
imagined).
 Florists in Maybury
shark’s head and, if you
touch the spiky leaves,
they sting you.’
Herbert Bullock owns
Flower Power, a large
shop in the centre of
town. He only sells
roses. He has over fifty
different types, and
is very excited about
the new rose he has
grown. He has named it
Mariella Tangle owns Bullock’s Baby.
Wonderflowers, a small shop ‘It has the most beautiful
near the railway station. ‘It’s purple and gold petals’, he
a good place to have a shop,’ says. ‘It took me years to
says Mariella. ‘People getting grow.’
off the train often buy flowers Tarragon and Tansy Patterson
as a present for the person they have a stall in the market
are visiting.’ square. They sell a variety of
Mariella sells many interesting herbs in pots. They also sell
kinds of flowers in her small sweet-smelling posies
shop. Her favourite is the consisting of flowers such as
Sharkflower. ‘I like it because violets and primroses together
the flower looks just like a with herbs.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Who owns Wonderflowers?

2. What is Mariella’s favourite flower and why does she

like it?

3. Wonderflowers is near the railway station. Why does

Mariella consider this a good place for her shop?

4. Who owns Flower Power?

5. What type of flower can you buy there?

6. What is Bullock’s Baby, and what does it look like?

7. Who runs the market stall selling herbs?

8. Which short phrase tells us that Herbert Bullock is

very pleased with his new rose?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

florist

posy

variety

Extension work
1. If you could grow a new flower, what would it be like?
2. Which of the flowers named in this passage do you
think are real? Which flowers do you think are made
up?
3. If you lived in Maybury and wanted some flowers,
which of the three florists would you go to and why?
4. People give flowers to each other for many different
reasons. Can you think of three reasons why you
might give someone flowers?
 On the Glacier

The three youngsters

knew the glacier was
dangerous. They might slip
on the ice and fall into a
crevasse.
After half an hour they came
to a wide and deep crevasse
with a metal ladder across it.
Amber, Rory and Coco waved Amber stepped onto the ladder
goodbye to their friends and first, while Rory and Coco held
started to make their way up the ropes as still as they could.
the glacier. It was hard work After three hours of climbing
because the ice was bumpy they had made it to camp. The
and slippery. Soon their legs camp cook had hot chocolate
felt like jelly. waiting for them.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Who did Amber, Rory and Coco wave goodbye to?

2. What are the youngsters in this story doing?

3. How did their legs feel?

4. Why was the ice dangerous?

5. How did they cross the deep crevasse?

6. What did the camp cook have ready for them?

7. How long did it take them to get to the camp?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

slippery

glacier

crevasse

youngster

Extension work
1. Imagine you are Amber or Rory or Coco. Write an
entry in your diary describing what the day on the
glacier was like.
2. Imagine you are Coco’s mum. How do you feel as you
see him set off up the glacier?
3. Do you think that the three youngsters found the
climb easy or difficult? Give reasons for your answer.
4. Would you like to go exploring on a glacier? Say why.
 Potion for
Making Pigs Fly

Enough for 2 pigs

Ingredients: Blend this into the petal and
3 daisies raindrop mix.
20 raindrops Crumble the rainbow into the
50 grams of stardust mixture and stir gently.
juice of ½ a lemon Put in a small jar and seal
1 slice of rainbow tightly with a cork. Shake well
three times.
Method: Leave under a wishing tree
Pull the petals off the daisy until the next full moon. It will
and put them in a small bowl. then be ready.
Add the raindrops and mix Tip: Make sure you use only fresh
well. daisies.
In a saucer, mix the lemon See page 59 of Spells and Potions
juice and the stardust. for how to use this potion.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence.
1. What is the potion meant to do?

2. How many daisies do you need?

3. What do you mix the stardust with?

4. What do you do to the slice of rainbow?

5. When the mixture is ready, what do you put it in?

6. How long should you leave the jar under a wishing

tree?

7. What does the ‘tip’ tell you to do?

8. What book would you look in to find out how to use

the potion?
 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:
potion
ingredients
crumble

2. What does seal tightly mean?

Extension work
1. Write a spell to say while using this potion on the
pigs.
2. Write a story about the pigs that learn to fly with the
help of this potion.
3. Which of the ingredients in this potion would be easy
to find? Which would be hard to find?
4. Write a list of ingredients for a potion to help cats
swim under water.
5. Write your own recipe for making a potion. Say what
the potion will do and how to use it.
6. List the ingredients you need for a really dangerous
potion. What does this really dangerous potion do?
 Tiger’s Birthday
One hot, sunny day, Tiger whom to share his birthday.
woke up and stretched. He Suddenly there was a shout.
was very excited because Out of the bushes tumbled the
today was his birthday. He monkeys, Crocodile and Zebra.
went down to the river, where
‘Surprise!’ they all cried, and
he had a lovely swim in the
gave Tiger a big hug. They had
cool water. He looked about
a party with games, magic
for his friend Crocodile, but
tricks and a large birthday
Crocodile was nowhere to be
cake.
seen.
‘This is the best birthday ever,’
Tiger looked up in the tree for
said Tiger.
his friends the monkeys, but
they were nowhere to be seen.
Tiger wondered
where all his
friends were.
He got out of the
water and made
his way to the big
palm tree beside
the swamp. There
was no one there.
Suddenly Tiger
felt very sad. He
had no one with
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:

1. Why was Tiger excited?

2. What did Tiger do at the river?

3. Who was Tiger hoping to meet at the river?

4. After his swim, where did Tiger go?

5. Why was Tiger sad?

6. Who came out of the bushes?

7. What did the animals do at the party?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

wondered

stretched

excited

cool

swamp

Extension work
1. What do you think Tiger and his friends ate at their
party?
2. If you could have a party, what games would you
play and what food would you eat?
3. Who would you invite to your party?
4. Write a story about what happened on Crocodile’s
birthday.
5. How would you feel if you spent your birthday all
alone? Think up some words to describe your feelings.
 Vets
Ted is another vet at
Sunnyhouse Surgery. Today
he treated Toffee the cat,
who has a broken leg. Toffee
got stuck in a tree. She
became scared when a dog
began barking next door.
She jumped out of the tree
and broke her leg. Ted has
Marine is a vet at also helped a fox which was
Sunnyhouse Surgery. Today caught in a trap and hurt its
she went out to Greenacre leg. He put seven stitches in
Farm to look at a sick cow the fox’s leg. Ted has decided
called Maisy. She gave Maisy to call the fox Mr Brush.
some pills and some medicine Megan is the nurse at
to make her better. At the Sunnyhouse Surgery. Today
farm, Marine also helped two she has given the animals
sheep which had fallen over. their food and cleaned out
They were limping badly their cages. She changed
so she bandaged their legs. their bandages and gave
Afterwards, Mr Green the them their medicine. She says
farmer gave her a cup of tea the best part of her job is
and a big slice of cake. when she sees the animals
get better and go home.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Where has Marine been today?

2. What kind of animal is Maisy?

3. How did Marine help Maisy?

4. How did Marine help the sheep?

5. How did Toffee’s accident happen?

6. What happened to the fox?

7. What does Megan do at the surgery?

8. Which part of her job does Megan like best?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

limping

trap

bandage

Extension work
1. List some of the things you think a vet might do as
part of their work.
2. Write a list of the animals that you think a vet might
treat in a week.
3. Would you like to work at a vet’s surgery? Explain
why.
4. Imagine you are Toffee or Mr Brush. Describe in detail
what happened to you.
5. Write about what happens to Mr Brush when his leg
gets better.
6. Write a story set on Greenacre Farm.
7. Write a true or make-believe story about taking your
own pet to the vet.
 The Potion

Molly Mole stared at Reggie Rat. He had gone completely green

and he was getting bigger and bigger!
‘Oh no!’ cried Molly, ‘you should never have drunk that juice.’
Reggie looked at his growing legs and wished he hadn’t drunk
the mixture in the little jug. But it had looked so tempting and
it had tasted delicious.
Of course, they both knew they should never have gone into
the witch’s cave.
Molly looked around at the shelves, with their hundreds of
coloured bottles. Then she looked at the table where three fat
spell books lay. What could they do to reverse the effects of the
juice?
‘I wish I hadn’t drunk it,’ squealed Reggie as his ears touched
the top of the cave roof.
Suddenly there was a blinding flash. Molly Mole blinked and
rubbed her eyes. The cave was empty.
‘Oh no!’ cried Molly in horror. ‘Reggie’s vanished!’
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What kind of animal is Molly?

2. What kind of animal is Reggie?

3. Who or what owns the cave where they are?

4. What has Reggie drunk?

5. What does the drink do to Reggie?

6. What is on the shelves in the cave?

7. Which phrase tells us that Reggie regrets having drunk

the juice?

8. What does Molly think the spell books can do to help?

9. What finally happens to Reggie?

 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

blinding

tempting

reverse

Extension work
1. If you were Molly Mole, how would you try to get
Reggie back?
2. Imagine you are Reggie. Where have you found
yourself and what is it like there?
3. Invent a magic spell. Write down the words you need
to say, and what magic the spell will do.
4. Suppose you are the witch who owns the cave. You
walk in just as Reggie vanishes. What do you do and
say?
5. If you were an animal, what would you like to be, and
why?
 Alien Invasion?
In the army headquarters on most of them should be killed but
Planet Zoid, Colonel-in-Chief some should be captured. They
Poz-zing smiled at her might be useful. We could drain
commanders. their brains to try and find out if
‘Earth is ready for invasion,’ any intelligence exists.’ There was
she told them firmly. ‘Humans a murmur of agreement from the
are foolish creatures who know other Zoidians.
nothing of the universe. Their ‘And Earth?’ questioned
intelligence is limited. They Commander Weng. ‘What
have no force shield to will happen to Planet Earth?
protect them so they will be Much of it is already destroyed
easy to overcome. Their forces through the Earthlings’
are weak; ours are strong. I foolishness. We should retrain
think we must attack now.’ them and help them to mend
‘What do you plan to do with the damage they have done.
the Earthlings, Colonel?’ asked I cannot see anything to be
Commander Wong. ‘I think that gained by destroying them or
draining their brains.’
There was silence in the army
headquarters. Colonel-in-Chief
Poz-zing frowned. She was not
fond of Earthlings. They had
caused nothing but trouble, to
their own planet and to others.
‘We will vote according to
the rules of Planet Zoid,’ she
decided. ‘Then we will know
what to do.’
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence.
1. What is the name of the Zoidian army’s Colonel-in-
Chief?

2. What does the Colonel-in-Chief think of the people

who live on Earth (Earthlings)?

3. What does Commander Wong want to do with the

Earthlings?

4. What does Commander Weng suggest they do with

the Earthlings?

5. What do you think a Force Shield might be?

6. How do we know that the Earthlings will be easy to

defeat?

7. The Zoidian Colonel-in-Chief is not fond of the

Earthlings. Why is this?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

invasion foolish

intelligence vote

Extension work
1. Commander Weng wants to ‘mend the damage’ the
Earthlings have done. What damage do you think the
Earthlings have done?
2. Describe some things Earthlings could do to make
Planet Earth a better place.
3. Commanders Weng and Wong have different views. If
you were a commander on Zoid, which of them would
you agree with, and why?
4. Imagine you are an Earthling visiting the army
headquarters on Planet Zoid. You want to give a speech
on behalf of all the people on Earth. What would you say
to persuade the Zoidians not to invade Earth?
5. Write a character profile on Colonel-in-Chief Poz-zing or
one of her commanders.
6. Write a story about the invasion of Earth by aliens.
 Birthday Cakes
It was the last week of next day. It was in the shape
February at the Arches School, of a number eight and had
and there were five birthdays chocolate icing all over it.
in Class 2B. At Arches School, Daisy’s cake was the largest.
when children had a birthday, She brought it in on Friday. It
they brought in a cake to share was in the shape of a green
with the class. dragon with bright red scales
On Monday, Soo brought in a on the top of its body. But it
cake in the shape of a football. was the end of the week, and
She loves sport and goes to everyone was fed up with
football club every Thursday. cake. So when it was nearly
On Tuesday, Tommy brought in home time, and she shared
a cake in the shape of a pirate out the cake, everyone asked
ship. for a really small piece.
On Wednesday,
Melanie brought
in a cake which
looked like a
castle. During
playtime one of
the windows and
a turret fell off,
which made her
cry.
Ben’s cake
appeared the
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. On which day did Soo bring in her cake?

2. Where does Soo go every Thursday?

3. On which day did Ben bring in his cake?

4. What did Ben’s cake look like?

5. Describe Daisy’s cake.

6. Who brought in the castle cake?

7. Why did Melanie cry?

8. What is the name of the children’s school?

9. How did everyone feel about cake by the end of the

week?
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

share

turret

dragon’s scales

Extension work
1. Something awful happens to one of Class 2B’s cakes!
What do you think happens and to which cake?
2. Which cake do you like the sound of best and why?
3. Imagine one of the cakes turns into a real thing.
Which cake is it and what happens next?
4. Imagine it is your birthday. What type of cake would
you like to have and why would you choose it?
5. Write a story about a magic cake.
6. Describe the birthday party of your dreams.
 Lemonade

Professor Bharti Bhaskar has been working on a very important

project for over twelve years, trying to turn sea water into
lemonade. She is now close to success. Professor Bhaskar says
that it will help sailors at sea. If they ever run out of water on
board ship, they can collect sea water, add a small amount of
her formula to it and the water will turn into lemonade.
There are still a few problems, which Professor Bhaskar is
working on:
u the formula has a rather nasty smell
u it must be kept in a freezer at a temperature
below –24ºC or it will go bad
u people drinking the lemonade might become
very itchy and bad-tempered.
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What is the name of the professor who has made the
formula?

2. How long has the professor been working on the

formula?

3. What does the formula do?

4. Who does the professor think will find her formula

useful?

5. Where must you keep the formula to stop it going

bad?

6. If you drink the formula after it has been added to

sea water what might happen to you?
 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

project

success

2. What do you think a formula is?

Extension work
1. Do you think the formula is a good idea? Why do you
think that?
2. The professor asks you to think up a name for her new
formula. What would you call it?
3. How do you think the professor felt when she realized
she had turned water to lemonade?
4. If you could invent a formula, what would it be for?
5. There was another problem with the formula but
Professor Bhaskar has sorted it out now. Decide what
the problem was.
 Local Goats Escape
from Farm
Dudbury Gazette
GOATS ESCAPE
T H R E E G O AT S escaped
from their pen on a
local farm last night.
The goats were well-
known to locals as
they had appeared in
television commercials
for Oak Tree Farm’s
goat milk products. The
goats were last seen by
farmhand David Topps
making their way up
the hill known as Tor
Scragg.
The owner of Oak
Tree Farm, Tara
Huggins, is surprised
and upset. ‘The goats
had a lovely life here
on the farm,’ Ms
Huggins told local
reporter, Ben Sweet.
‘They had a beautiful
pen and plenty of food. the ground can be very put out her washing on together with burnt-out
We gave them a good boggy.’ the line. ‘I know how fireworks and the left-
brushing every day to much they like to eat over bits of various raw
Last night Farmer
keep their coats clean my washing,’ she said. vegetables. People in
Huggins scattered raw
and free of knots. I ‘Perhaps it will bring Dudbury are wondering
vegetables around the
can’t understand why them home. Meanwhile, whether the goats
fields and the house to
they would want to early-morning walkers have been celebrating
attract the runaways
go to Tor Scragg. It’s on Tor Scragg have their freedom with a
home. Meanwhile,
windy up there, and reported the remains fireworks party.
Huggins’ sister, Lucy,
of a small bonfire,
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. How many goats have escaped from the farm?

2. Why were the goats already well-known to local

people?

3. Where does the farm owner think the goats have

gone?

4. Tara Huggins is surprised that the goats have escaped

from the farm. Why is that?

5. What has the farmer’s sister done to bring the goats

back?

6. Why did Tara brush the goats’ coats?

 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

farmhand scattered escaped

runaway boggy
2. Give a word which means the opposite of:

clean raw
3. In your own words, explain what a television
commercial is.
4. What are goat milk products?

Extension work
1. What evidence in the passage suggests the goats are
enjoying themselves on Tor Scragg?
2. Imagine you are one of the goats. Tell the newspaper
reporter why you escaped from the farm.
3. Write a story about what the goats do next.
4. Name some of the jobs you think a farmhand might
do.
5. Imagine there is something dangerous on Tor Scragg.
What can it be and will it pose a danger to the
goats?
6. Invent some names for the goats.
 Snagwit Castle
Beautiful Snagwit Castle is his bagpipes from the north
up for sale. Its current owner, tower every Sunday evening
Griff Grunt, says the castle is at 10 o’clock, and Soppy
too creepy for him and the Sally who goes around the
ghosts are driving him mad. castle turning on taps. This
There are four ghosts at has meant constant flooding,
Snagwit. Lady Mary is said which has cost Mr Grunt a
to haunt the small, blue small fortune in repairs.
music room, and Custard Mr Grunt no longer lives in the
the Great Dane haunts the castle itself, but in a caravan
stables. Custard died 500 in the grounds.
years ago while attempting to
rescue his master, Lord Henry
Snagwit, from
drowning in
the castle’s
moat. Mr
Grunt says
that Custard’s
barking keeps
him awake at
night.
The other
ghosts are the
Mad Piper,
who can be
heard playing
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Why is Snagwit Castle up for sale?

2. What is the name of the current owner?

3. How many ghosts lives at Snagwit Castle?

4. How long ago did Custard die?

5. How does Custard annoy Mr Grunt?

6. Why is there constant flooding at Snagwit?

7. Where does Lady Mary do her haunting?

8. Where does Mr Grunt live now?

 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

flooding rescue

creepy haunt

2. The flooding has cost Mr Grunt a small fortune. What

do you think this means?

Extension work
1. Would you like to live at Snagwit Castle? Why is that?
2. Imagine you are an estate agent. Your job is to sell
Snagwit Castle. Write a short description of the castle,
making it sound like a good place to live.
3. Use your imagination. Another ghost has started
haunting Snagwit Castle. What is its name and what
does it do?
4. Write a story explaining how the Mad Piper comes to
be a ghost at the castle.
 Blastoes
Blastoes
Frootee House
Westington
Cumbria

April 1st

Dear Mother,
I thought you would like to know about the launch of our new sweet, Blastoes, last
week. The idea for Blastoes came from Desmond. He suggested we design some
sweets that explode gently in your mouth.

We launched the sweets outside our factory. A helicopter dropped hundreds of

packets of Blastoes which floated down on little parachutes. There were a good
number of people there in the street to enjoy this, including the mayor.

Blastoes come in lots of flavours including pineapple, chocolate and fudge-

marshmallow delight. My favourite is the apple pie and custard flavour. I’ll get my
secretary to send you a selection.

Desmond and I are very hopeful that we will make enough from the new sweets
so that I can retire. He will then take over running the factory from me.
Blastoes go on sale in all shops on May 21st, and cost 78p a packet. Do tell all
your friends to buy them!

Your loving daughter,

Maybelle Ngate
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What are Blastoes?

2. Who runs the factory that makes Blastoes?

3. Where does Maybelle Ngate live?

4. How much will a packet of Blastoes cost?

5. When will Blastoes go on sale in the shops?

6. Name some of the flavours you will be able to buy.

7. A launch happens when something new is introduced

to the public. Describe how Blastoes were launched.

8. Describe what makes Blastoes different from other

sweets when you eat them.
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

flavour

selection

explode

Extension work
1. Who might Desmond be? Give reasons for your
answer.
2. Do you think the name Blastoes is a good name for
these sweets? Give reasons for your answer.
3. Choose a name for some new sweets. What are the
sweets like?
4. Imagine you are going to launch a new sweet to
the public and the newspapers. The idea is to make
people want to buy your sweets. What would you do
to make the launch special?
5. Write Maybelle’s mother’s reply to this letter.
 The Gumbo Tree

Far away where the hills are the night of a full moon it will
green and the rains water grant you three wishes. Pick
the earth daily, grows the one of the tiny bitter fruits
Gumbo Tree. Its trunk is red, and squash it, wiping the juice
and on the spreading branches on your hands and face. Then
are long thorns and huge, speak your wishes to the tree.
flat, yellow leaves which move The Gumbo Tree is also the
gently in the breeze, giving off home of the tiny Twiggle bird,
a sweet smell of toffee. When which makes its nest in the
the heavy rains pour down, topmost branches. The tree’s
these leaves protect you like thorns protect the Twiggle
an umbrella and keep you bird from predators and the
dry. bird provides company for the
The Gumbo Tree has magical Gumbo Tree.
powers. If you visit one on
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. What colour is the Gumbo Tree’s trunk?

2. What colour are the Gumbo Tree’s leaves?

3. What do the leaves smell like?

4. What magical power does the tree have?

5. When does the tree’s magic work?

6. What creature lives in the Gumbo Tree and where can

it be found?

7. In what way are the tree’s leaves useful?

8. What do you have to do before asking for your

wishes?

10. Descibe how the Gumbo Tree and the Twiggle bird
help on another.
 Word work
Give the meaning of the following words:

protect

predator

topmost

bitter

Extension work
1. Make a list of words used to describe the Gumbo Tree.
2. Suppose you found a Gumbo Tree at full moon. What
three wishes would you ask for?
3. Imagine that pirates have camped under the Gumbo
Tree at full moon. What do you think they might wish
for?
4. Invent some other magical powers for the tree.
5. Write a story about something else which has
surprising magical powers.
 Space Station Lucy

From: Gerz To: Tombo

Subject: Space Station Lucy cc:
Hi Tombo,
Today we caught the space shuttle to Space Station Lucy. It was great! We had to put on
special spacesuits and helmets. Only 50 passengers are allowed on each shuttle.
Mum and Gramps were terrified when the rocket carrying the shuttle took off. We could hear
the engines roaring behind us and I thought my head was going to drop off, the noise was so
bad.
As soon as we left Earth’s atmosphere everything was much quieter and the shuttle broke
away from the rocket. We could see the rocket falling back to Earth from the windows. The
shuttle stewards came around with food and drinks in funny little packets and tubes.
It took eight hours to get to the Space Station. The Space Station looks like a giant bubble. It
has all these walkways sprouting out of it which lead to smaller bubbles and more walkways.
It’s a really fantastic place! You can go space-jumping. You can also go to the Moon, using
another shuttle. Mum bought tickets for the Moon trip next week and I’m going space-jumping
tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to both of those.
We don’t need to wear our spacesuits in the hotel, only outside. You have to wear a safety
line when you are outside, too.
Wish you were here.
Love, Gerz
 Questions
Answer the following questions with a full sentence:
1. Who is the email written to?

2. How did Gerz and his family travel to the Space

Station?

3. How many people are allowed on the space shuttle?

4. How long did the shuttle take to get to Space Station

Lucy?

5. Using the passage to help you, describe Space Station

Lucy.

6. What activities is Gerz looking forward to?

7. Why do you think a safety line is necessary?

8. Compare the food you would get on an areoplane and

that on board Gerz’s shuttle.
 Word work
1. Give the meaning of the following words:

helmet

steward

passenger

2. Write out some of the adjectives you can find in the

passage.

Extension work
1. Why do you think Mum and Gramps were terrified
when the shuttle took off?
2. Imagine you are Gerz. Write an email to Tombo telling
him about your trip to the Moon.
3. Invent some activities you can do at the Space
Station. Which of these activities would you like to
try?
4. Imagine you are a shopkeeper at Space Station Lucy.
What souvenirs would you sell in your shop?
5. Make a list of things Gerz needed to pack for the
holiday at the space station.
 Answers
Sporty Animals (page 14) Extension work response and will therefore
Questions 1. Bonfire night is special vary.)
1. There are five sporty because we remember
animals. when Guy Fawkes and Mary Mouse (page 23)
2. A hippo is skating. (OR his friends failed to blow Questions
Harriet Hippo is skating) up King Charles I and the 1. Mary lives in a small house.
3. Zelda Zebra is going to Houses of Parliament. 2. Mary’s house is pink.
play tennis. (answers may vary) 3. Mary is a mouse.
4. Leo Lion plays football. 2. People put a Guy on the 4. Fred is a frog.
(OR The lion likes to play top of their bonfire. 5. Fred lives in a pond.
football). 3. To keep safe you should 6. Mary and Fred usually
5. Darko Dog is stay away from the have tea in the kitchen.
snowboarding. fireworks because they 7. When it is hot they go
6. The dog and the giraffe are dangerous and you outside.
are warmly dressed. (OR should wear gloves to
sensible variations on this) protect your hands when Word work
holding sparklers. (answers Sometimes – when you do
Extension work will vary: keep away from something occasionally but
(Answers require a personal the bonfire, hold your not all the time
response and will therefore parents’ hands, don’t touch Visit – when you pay a call on
vary.) fireworks that have not someone (go on a visit)
gone off, keep your pets Cool – when the temperature is
Bonfire Night (page 17) inside) neither hot nor cold
Questions 4–5. (Answers will vary)
1. Lucy and her friends wear Extension work
scarves and hats to keep Owl and Squirrel (page 20) (Answers require a personal
warm. Questions response and will therefore
2. The fireworks light up the 1. Samuel lives high up in an vary.)
sky. old oak tree.
3. The bonfire flames reach 2. Samuel is a squirrel. Rubbish Collection (page 26)
the trees. 3. Samuel visits Wise Owl. Questions
4. Lucy eats hot potatoes with 4. Wise Owl was very good at 1. Six animals took part in the
butter. playing chess. competition.
5. The happy children wave 5. Samuel wants to be the 2. The winner was Rupee
the sparklers in the air. forest chess champion. Rat.
6. Samuel thinks he can learn 3. Diva Dog came third.
Word work to be a better player by 4. Rupee is a rat.
1. playing with Wise Owl. 5. Rupee collected six bags of
Friend – someone you like very rubbish.
much and play with Word work 6. They collected 14 bags of
Crisp – (in this context) means Silky – smooth and soft (like rubbish altogether.
that the air is cold silk) 7. Freda’s bag burst.
Wrap – to cover with their Wise – clever and intelligent 8. The mice sisters are called
scarves and clothes Champion – someone who has Dawn and Nadine.
2. won something perhaps
‘Coloured rain’ is a way of many times Word work
describing the fireworks. Disqualified – when you
Extension work are stopped from
(Answers require a personal participating in an event
 because you have done which keeps people dry or ship.
something wrong or shaded 2. The pirates hoped to find
something happens which Busy – when you have a lot to treasure on the island.
automatically stops you do 3. They knew where the
from continuing treasure was because they
Competitor – someone who Extension work could see a cross on the
competes in an event or (Answers require a personal ground.
competition response and will therefore 4. They did not land on the
vary.) island.
Extension work 5. The octopus believed that
1. I think there was a lot Racehorses (page 32) the treasure belonged to
of rubbish because the Questions him.
people in the village are 1. Jumping Jack is only six 6. The octopus lifted the boat
really untidy. OR I think years old. into the air and tossed it
that there was a lot of 2. Jumping Jack is owned by high into the sky. It did this
rubbish because the foxes Gregori Bottletof. because it thought that the
got to the rubbish bins 3. The youngest horse pirates were hoping to steal
and emptied them all out is Jumping Jack. (OR the treasure.
whilst looking for scraps. Jumping Jack is the
OR I think there was a lot youngest horse.) Word work
of rubbish because in the 4. Hot Potato does not enjoy Jolly boat – another name for a
night there was a terrible racing. small rowing boat usually
storm which blew all the 5. Hot Potato would rather be attached to a larger vessel
bins over and scattered in a field eating grass. Tentacles – the legs of an
the rubbish everywhere. 6. Sally Slipper is Jumping octopus
(Accept anything else Jack’s rider. Hissed – when you speak under
novel and persuasive.) 7. Chilli Pepper eats out of your breath and through
2–4. (Answers require a gold bowls. your teeth
personal response and will 8. Chilli Pepper’s favourite
therefore vary.) treat is strawberry ice Extension work
cream. (Answers require a personal
The Terrible Day (page 29) response and will therefore
Questions Word work vary.)
1. Fox was having a terrible 1.
day. Important – very prestigious Stables (page 38)
2. Fox’s teabag had burst in Treat – something special to eat Questions
the cup. or drink 1. The Cobble Stables are in
3. The weather was wet Gentle – when someone or Yorkshire.
because it was raining. something is not rough 2. The stables are owned by
4. Fox missed his bus 2. Owen Hotpants.
because he was too busy This means that strawberry ice 3. Before he bought the
looking for his umbrella. cream is the food she likes the stables Owen was a jockey.
5. The office was locked most. 4. Thirty five horses live at
because it was Sunday The Cobble Stables.
and no one works on a Extension work 5. Owen’s favourite horse is
Sunday! (Answers require a personal Hot Chocolate.
response and will therefore 6. Hot Chocolate has recently
Word work vary.) won the Sunshine Stakes.
Burst – when something opens 7. The secret to Owen’s
up emptying the contents Pirates (page 35) success is the care and
when it is not expected Questions attention he gives the
Umbrella – an implement 1. The pirates were on the horses
8. The fitness centre is used Extension work you invisible.
to exercise injured horses. (Answers require a personal
response and will therefore Word work
Word work vary.) Chalice – a special cup or
Jockey – rider of a horse in a goblet
horse race Magic Kettle (page 44) Invisible – when you cannot be
Injured – when you are hurt Questions seen by others
Fitness – how fit and healthy 1. Mr Frost’s kettle was not Guarded – protected
you are working. Wrecked – destroyed (usually
Health – how you feel and how 2. Mr Frost wanted to make a referred to ships)
your body is feeling cup of tea.
3. Mr Frost called Mrs Frost. Extension work
Extension work 4. Mr Frost went to the (Answers require a personal
(Answers require a personal kitchen shop. response and will therefore
response and will therefore 5. Mr Frost bought a bright vary.)
vary.) green kettle.
6. When he got back he Musicians (page 50)
Girish Patek and the Magic plugged the kettle in and Questions
Carpet (page 41) then found that it could talk. 1. Marta plays the piano.
Questions 2. Rosco plays the double
1. Girish is cleaning out the Word work bass.
attic. Kettle plug – the attachment 3. ‘The Dolphin’ is difficult
2. In the attic Girish found, which goes into the socket to play because it is only
old lamps, broken chairs, and makes the kettle work played on one string.
pictures and a dirty table. Plugged it in – putting the lead 4. Marta started learning her
3. On top of the big box is a with the plug attached into instrument when she was
train set. the socket so that the kettle only two years old.
4. Girish Patek’s son is called will work 5. When she is not travelling,
Deepak. Very cross – angry Marta lives at home with
5. His son likes playing with her goldfish and dog Leo.
his computer. Extension work 6. Marta’s favourite piece of
6. Girish stood on the carpet (Answers require a personal music is Daisy Sweets’
in order to look at the response and will therefore Fifth Symphony.
patterns. vary.) 7. Rosco drinks tomato juice
7. The carpet is special before playing to give him
because it is magic. Chalices (page 47) energy.
8. I think the carpet will … Questions 8. Anneka was born in
(personal response 1. The gold coins come from Birmingham.
required). a wrecked ship. 9. Anneka teaches in her old
2. The Cup of Coins is school, Mossbury.
Word work guarded by a big, red
Attic – topmost room in a house dragon. Word work
often where things are 3. The Cup of Dreams is Performance – when you play
stored made of glass. in front of an audience you
Lamp – a device that gives light 4. The Cup of Darkness was give a performance
Twitch – when a part of the made over two hundred Recorder – a musical
body moves convulsively of years ago. instrument you blow
its own accord 5. The Cup of Darkness is through
Flutter – the movement the made from bad thoughts. Favourite – the thing or piece of
carpet makes as it begins 6. The Cup of Darkness was music you like to play best
to rise mended by the river fairies. of all
7. The Cup of Dreams makes Jester – someone whose job is
 to make others laugh cabbage. Extension work
7. The phrase is ‘the 1. I think Mr Simpkin felt very
Extension work cucumbers were nearly worried/sad/upset/alarmed/
(Answers require a personal twice as long as the ones frightened when he realized
response and will therefore in the shops’. Snowball was missing.
vary.) 8. Mrs Dibley is the Chair of (answers may vary –
Governors. someone might come up
The Talking Cat (page 53) with the idea that perhaps
Questions Word work Mr Simpkin doesn’t care
1. Fluffy is a ginger cat. Enormous – very large much about Snowball and
2. Fluffy can talk. Measured – when you take a so is not particularly upset
3. Fluffy wants to change measuring tape and find that he is missing!)
three things. out how big something is 2. I think Mr Simpkin thanked
4. Fluffy wants to sleep at the Circumference – the distance Rafi for finding Snowball.
end of Freddy’s bed. around the middle of 3–7. (Answers to questions will
5. Fluffy normally sleeps in something vary)
the kitchen.
6. He dislikes sleeping in the Extension work Horticultural Show (page 62)
kitchen because it is cold. (Answers require a personal Questions
7. Fluffy wants to change his response and will therefore 1. The Dugby Horticultural
name because he hates it vary.) Show is held every year in
and because he thinks the Daisybank Park.
other cats will respect him Rocket Boy (page 59) 2. The show was started by
more. Questions Farzia Ahmed.
8. Someone else is in charge 1. Rafi is also known as 3. She started the show
and giving orders. Rocket Boy because he is nearly twenty years ago.
a superhero. 4. Farzia always enters her
Word work 2. When he turns into Rocket favourite rose, the Bollifant
Strange – odd or peculiar Boy he plays football with Pink.
Disgusting – not very nice to eat planets for fun. 5. This year, Tony Scratchit
Fresh – new 3. He is using a purple, won the prize for best rose.
crystal rock as a night light His white rose was called
Extension work because if you tap it, it Mrs Scratchit!
(Answers require a personal flashes. 6. Hugo Brightface won
response and will therefore 4. Snowball is a cat. the prize for the heaviest
vary.) 5. Snowball fell asleep in the tomato.
basket of a hot-air balloon 7. Marie Wigglebottom won
Hoggly School Vegetable and the balloon took off a prize for the largest
Competition (page 56) with Snowball inside. marrow.
Questions 6. Rafi rescued Snowball by 8. Her brother Pierre brought
1. Class 2 showed their flying into the air, jumping the tomato to the show in a
beautiful, red carrots. into the basket and hearse.
2. Class 2 watered their grabbing Snowball.
carrots with tea to help Word work
them grow. Word work 1.
3. Class 3 showed their A superhero - someone with Horticultural – to do with
enormous cucumbers. special powers who can growing flowers, plants and
4. Class 5 received first prize. help others vegetables
5. The radish was the size of Flash – to light up Hearse – a vehicle used for
a football. Rescue – to come to someone’s carrying coffins
6. Mrs Dibley measured aid/assistance 2.
the circumference of the Farzia was ‘far from pleased’
because she had been hoping 2. Extension work
to win the show again for Tipped to win means that (Answers will vary.)
another year and this time she everyone believes that a
did not. It means she is not very particular person or pony is On the Glacier (page 71)
happy at not having won. going to win and has possibly Questions
3. placed money on it. 1. Amber, Rory and Coco
Started – ended waved goodbye to their
Win – lose Extension work friends.
Largest – smallest (Answers will vary.) 2. The youngsters are making
Lift – drop their way up the glacier
Florists in Maybury (page 68) 3. Their legs felt like jelly.
Extension work Questions 4. The ice is dangerous
(Answers will vary.) 1. Mariella Tangle owns because it is bumpy and
Wonderflowers. slippery and they might fall
The Pony Show (page 65) 2. Mariella’s favourite flower into a crevasse.
Questions is the Sharkflower because 5. They crossed the crevasse
1. Tiffany’s pony is called the flower looks just like a by walking across a metal
Sunbeam. shark’s head and the spiky ladder.
2. The pony had been leaves sting. 6. The camp cook had hot
expected to win first prize 3. She considers being near chocolate waiting for them.
for the Best Decorated the railway station a good 7. It took three house of
Pony. place because people climbing before they got to
3. Sunbeam shocked getting on and off trains camp.
everyone as he bolted out might buy flowers as a
of the ring, bucked and present for someone they Word work
threw his rider from the are visiting. (Responses Slippery – when something is
saddle and then galloped may vary) very difficult to walk on
off to the village pond. 4. Flower Power is owned by because it is smooth and
4. The local farmer thought it Herbert Bullock. shiny
was the ribbons which had 5. You can only buy roses at Glacier – a river of ice
upset the pony. Flower Power. Crevasse – a deep crack in the
5. Sunbeam had been 6. Bullock’s Baby is a new ice which can be miles long
decorated with ribbons in rose that Herbet has Youngster – young person
his mane and tail. grown. It has beautiful
6. Lara Trotting won the first purple and gold petals. Extension work
prize for Best Kept Pony. 7. Tarragon and Tansy (Answers will vary as a personal
7. Ivor Cleanly’s pony was Patterson run the market response is required.)
called Mr Potter. stall.
8. Lily MacElroy was riding 8. The phrase ‘is very excited Potion for Making Pigs Fly
Boxer. about the new rose’ tells us (page 74)
Herbert Bulock is pleased. Questions
Word work 1. The potion is meant to
1. Word work make pigs fly!
Bucked – when a horse raises Florist – someone who sells 2. You need three daisies.
its rear and kicks out with flowers 3. You mix the stardust with
its legs Posy – a small bouquet of the lemon juice.
Bolted – when something or flowers that can be held 4. You have to crumble the
someone rushes out very easily by hand slice of rainbow into the
quickly Variety – means that there are mixture.
Shocked – to be suddenly many flowers from which to 5. When the mixture is ready
surprised and horrified choose you have to put it in a small
jar and seal it tightly.
6. You have to leave the jar Word work Bandage – something that
under a wishing tree until Wondered – to think about you tie around an injured
the next full moon. something animal or person to keep
7. The tip tells us/reminds us Stretched – when you flex and their dressing in place and
to use fresh daisies. move your legs and arms/ to stop a wound becoming
8. I would look in the book of muscles dirty and infected
Spells and Potions. Excited – to be looking forward
to doing something Extension work
Word work Cool – when something (in (Answers require a personal
1. this case the water) is not response and so they will vary.)
Potion – is meant to be a hot but slightly cold
magical liquid/mixture Swamp – a boggy, muddy area The Potion (page 83)
made by wizards or Questions
witches Extension work 1. Molly is a mole.
Ingredients – these are the (Answers require a personal 2. Reggie is a rat.
items people use when response and will therefore 3. The cave is owned by the
they make something vary.) witch.
Crumble – means to break 4. Reggie has drunk some
something up into small Vets (page 80) juice.
pieces 1. Marine has been to 5. The drink has turned
2. Greenacre Farm. Reggie green and he is
Seal tightly – if you seal 2. Maisy is a cow. now getting bigger and
something tightly it means you 3. Marine gave Maisy some bigger.
make sure the top/lid is firmly pills and medicine to make 6. On the shelves are
screwed on her better. hundreds of bottles.
4. She bandaged the legs of 7. The phrase ‘I wish I hadn’t
Extension work the sheep to make them drunk that’ tells us Reggie
(Answers will vary.) feel better. regrets drinking the juice.
5. Toffee broke her leg when 8. Molly thinks the spell books
Tiger’s Birthday (page 77) she got stuck up a tree. can reverse the effects.
Questions She then became scared 9. In the end, Reggie
1. Tiger was excited because when a dog barked, vanishes.
it was his birthday. jumped out of the tree and
2. At the river, Tiger had a broke her leg. Word work
swim. 6. The fox was caught in a Blinding – when something is
3. He was hoping to meet his trap. very bright it hurts your
friend Crocodile and his 7. Megan is the nurse at the eyes
friends the monkeys. surgery. She gives the Tempting – when something
4. After his swim he made his animals their food, cleans is so appealing you really
way to the big palm tree out their cages, changes want to touch/eat/drink it
beside the swamp. their bandages and gives Reverse – to do the opposite of
5. Tiger was sad because he them their medicine. something
had no one with whom to 8. The best part of Megan’s
share his birthday. job is when the animals get Extension work
6. Out of the bushes came better and go home. (Answers require a personal
the monkeys, Crocodile response and so they will vary.)
and Zebra. Word work
7. At the party they had Limping – when you cannot The Alien Invasion? (page 86)
games, magic tricks and a walk properly and hop Questions
large birthday cake. slightly on one leg 1. The Zoidian army’s
Trap – a device which is meant Colonel-in-Chief is called
for catching animals Poz-zing.
2. The Colonel-in-Chief Thursday. 6. If you drink the formula
thinks that humans are 4. Ben’s cake was in the after it has been added
foolish creatures who know shape of a number eight. to sea water you might
nothing of their universe 5. Daisy’s cake was the become very itchy and bad
and their intelligence is largest. It was in the shape tempered.
limited. of a green dragon with
3. Commander Wong wants bright red scales. Word work
to kill most of the humans 6. Melanie brought in the 1.
but also capture some so castle cake. Project – something that you
that they can have their 7. Melanie cried because are working on, ie an
brains drained! during playtime one of the experiment or thesis or
4. Commander Weng would windows and a turret fell diary
like to retrain the humans off. Success – when you are
and help them to mend the 8. The children’s school is successful doing
damage they have done. called the Arches. something, ie when
She cannot see what will 9. By the end of the week something you are doing
be gained by draining their everyone was fed up with works
brains. cake. 2.
5. I think a force shield is a A formula is a special mixture
special invisible force that Word work that when added to something
protects a planet/Earth Share – to give a piece of else transforms it into
from attack by aliens. something to others something different.
6. Poz-zing knows their forces Turret – a round room situated
are weak. on the side or corner of a Extension work
7. Poz-zing is not fond of castle (Answers will vary as a personal
earthlings because they Dragon’s scales – the rough response is required.)
had caused nothing but skin that covers a dragon’s
trouble, to their own planet body Local Goats Escape from
and others. Farm (page 95)
Extension work Questions
Word work (Answers require a personal 1. Three goats have escaped
Invasion – when a place is response and so they will vary.) from the farm.
attacked and taken over by 2. The goats were already
an outside intruder or force Lemonade (page 92) well known to local people
Intelligence – someone or Questions as they had appeared in
something which is clever 1. The name of the professor television commercials.
Foolish – to be stupid or not who has made the 3. The farm owner thinks that
clever formula is Professor Bharti they have gone up to Tor
Vote – to come to an agreement Bhaskar. Scragg.
with others by voting 2. She has been working 4. Tara is surprised because
on the formula for twelve they had a lovely life on the
Extension work years. farm.
(Answers require a personal 3. The formula is supposed 5. The farmer’s sister has
response and so they will vary.) to turn sea water into hung the washing on the
lemonade. line to try and bring them
Birthday Cakes (page 89) 4. The Professor thinks that home as they like to eat
Questions the formula will be useful washing.
1. Soo brought in her cake on for sailors at sea. 6. Tara brushed the goats’
Monday. 5. You must keep the coats to keep them clean
2. Soo goes to football club formula in a freezer at a and free of knots.
every Thursday. temperature below -24°C
3. Ben brought his cake in on or it will go bad.
Word work Word work a choice
1. 1. Explode – when something
Farmhand – someone who Flooding – when an area is erupts, in this case when
helps the farmer on the covered in water the sweets burst open in
farm Creepy – when something your mouth
Scattered – spread around makes you feel
Escaped – manage to get free uncomfortable and scared Extension work
Runaway – when something or Rescue – save someone or 1. I think Desmond is
someone runs away from something Maybelle’s son because we
something or someone Haunt – what ghosts do, which are told that he is going to
Boggy – land that is wet and is to frequent places take over the factory from
soggy from too much rain 2. her when she retires and
2. ‘Cost Mr Grunt a small fortune’ often a member of your
Clean – dirty means that it has cost him a family would do this.
Raw – cooked great deal of money to repair 2–5. (Answers will vary as
3. the flood damage. a personal response is
A television commercial is required.)
a short piece of film that Extension work
advertises a product to people. (Answers will vary as a personal The Gumbo Tree (page 104)
4. response is required.) Questions
Goat milk products are things 1. The Gumbo Tree’s trunk is
like milk, cheese or butter which Blastoes (page 101) red.
have been made from goat’s Questions 2. The Gumbo Tree’s leaves
milk. 1. Blastoes are a new sweet. are yellow.
2. Maybelle Ngate runs the 3. The leaves smell like
Extension work factory. toffee.
(Answers will vary as a personal 3. Maybelle lives in Frootee 4. The tree has magical
response is required.) House, in Cumbria. powers because it can
4. A packet of Blastoes will grant you three wishes.
Snagwit Castle (page 98) cost 78p. 5. The tree’s magic will work
Questions 5. They will go on sale in all on the night of a full moon.
1. Snagwit Castle is up for the shops on the 21st May. 6. The Twiggle bird lives in
sale because the owner 6. Some of the flavours you the topmost branches of
says it is too creepy for him can buy are pineapple, the Gumbo Tree.
and the ghosts are driving chocolate and fudge- 7. The leaves of the Gumbo
him mad. mallow delight and apple Tree are useful as an
2. The current owner is called pie and custard. umbrella to keep you dry.
Griff Grunt. 7. Blastoes were launched 8. Before asking for your
3. There are four ghosts at outside the factory. A wishes you must pick one
Snagwit. helicopter dropped of the fruits, squash it and
4. Custard died 500 years hundreds of packets of wipe the juice on your
ago. Blastoes which floated hands and face.
5. Custard annoys Mr Grunt down on little parachutes. 9. The Gumbo Tree’s thorns
by barking. 8. Blastoes are different from protect the Twiggle bird
6. There is constant flooding other sweets because they from predators and the
because Soppy Sally goes explode gently in your Twiggle bird keeps the tree
around turning on all the mouth. company.
taps.
7. Lady Mary haunts the Word work Word work
small, blue music room. Flavour – the taste of something Protect – to look after
8. Mr Grunt now lives in a Selection – a large amount of something or someone
caravan in the grounds. something which gives you Predator – something or
 someone who preys on on the shuttle. Word work
another for food 4. It takes eight hours to get 1.
Topmost – at the very top of to the Space Station. Helmet – a special hat which
something like a tree or 5. (Answers will vary, accept protects your head
mountain detailed descriptions of Steward – someone on board
Bitter – sharp taste the Space Station with the shuttle or an aircraft
appropriate use of the who looks after the
Extension work passage.) passengers
(Answers will vary as a personal 6. Gerz is looking forward to Passenger – someone who
response is required.) space-jumping and visiting travels on board an aircraft
the Moon.
Space Station Lucy (page 7. You wear a safety line to 2.
107) stop you floating out into Funny, little, fantastic, great,
Questions space. terrified, giant.
1. The email is written to 8. The food on an aeroplane
Tombo. comes on trays and plates Extension work
2. Gerz and his family to eat with a knife and fork. (Answers will vary as a personal
travelled to the space The food on the shuttle response is required.)
station by space shuttle. comes in little packets and
3. Only 50 people are allowed tubes.
Also available