DOSSIER CHANGING THEIR SKIES

DOSSIER CHANGING THEIR SKIES Stories from Africa Name: Marina Redondo Viger Class: 4rt C Curs: 2009/2010 Teachers name: Jesús Cerdà i Tortosa 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 1

INDEX Changing their skies mini dossier... 3 Exercises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 3 Setting... 5 Characters... 6 Dialogue... 7 Vocabulary... 8 Plot... 9 Activities... 10 Before reading... 10 After reading... 11 Map with the countries and the flags... 15 Postcards from the countries... 16 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 2

Name and surnames: Marina Redondo Viger Group: 4rt C Date: Friday, 8th January 2009 Changing their Skies: Stories from Africa Retold by Jennifer Bassett 1 Which story do these sentences come from? The Rubbish Dump, Cardboard Mansions, Leaving. a She began to think again about Stanger, and the past, and her friend Ratnadevi. Cardboard Mansions b He saw Mazambezi sitting by the side of the pit looking down into it. The Rubbish Dump c There were no fruit trees, no birds calling and flying in and out of the trees. Cardboard Mansions d Some weeks later answers to the letters began arriving with big shiny prospectuses. Leaving e Near the house he stopped and hid the plane under his shirt. The Rubbish Dump f That was the first time I saw her as a person, and not just as our mother. Leaving g All through the journey he stood by the window, with his nose against the glass. Cardboard Mansions h It was a hard life, with five children and no husband. Leaving i Why did people vomit when they were flying in a plane? The Rubbish Dump j She waited for the boy, pulling the end of her old green cotton sari over her head. Cardboard Mansions 2 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? a T Joey kept all his secret things from the airport in his school bag. b T Dadi-Ma and Chotoo went from Durban to Stanger by train. c T Aloo s mother refused to marry again because of her children. 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 3

d F The rubbish dump was a long way from Joey s house. e T A famous college in America offered Aloo a place with a scholarship. f T The name Mazambezi meant rubbish collector. g F Mr Naidoo was happy to wait for the rent money. h F Aloo wanted to study agriculture. i T Dadi-Ma had a little money saved from the good old days. j F Aloo wanted to marry a white woman. 3 Fill in the gaps using: into, out, of, around, down. a b c d e We moved to a quiet part of town. The smells of the rubbish were all around them. Mazambezi held out a toy plane. Dadi-Ma sat down on the step to wait. Aloo put all the papers into Mr Velji s hands. 4 Who said this? Who did they say it to? Mazambezi, Dadi-Ma, Joey, Aloo s mother, Chotoo, Joey s mother, Neela, Joey, Dadi-Ma, Aloo. a b c d e I thought you had a terrible headache. Joey's mother to Joey They say old man Naidoo going to throw us out. Chotoo to Dadi-Ma And promise me that you will not smoke or drink. Aloo's mother to Aloo Did all that come from the plane? Jory to Mazambezi Sonny doesn t beat you, that s one good thing. Dadi-Ma to Neela 5 Match a number from A with a letter from B to make complete sentences. A B 1 c He was holding out a toy plane, a Aloo and I played card games with her. 2 d I remembered her arms around me b pulling the boy close to her side. 3 e Mazambezi was old, c with AIR RHODESIA written on the side. 4 a When Mother felt sad, d when I was a young child. 5 b She sat down by the side of the road, e with a lot of grey in his short black hair. 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 4

Setting Choose the best answer. 1 Aloo s mother sold the store and moved with her last two children to a quiet part of. a [ ] London b [ ] Dar es Salaam c [ ] Tanga d [ ] America 2 Joey lived near an international. a [ ] school b [ ] house c [ ] airport d [ ] plane 3 Aloo s mother did not have the money to send him to an American. a [ ] store b [ ] university c [ ] scholarship d [ ] prospectus 4 Dadi-Ma and Chotoo lived in a house in Port Elizabeth. a [ ] wooden b [ ] new c [ ] large d [ ] shanty 5 was the centre of Chotoo s life. a [ ] Sonny b [ ] Mr Naidoo c [ ] Neela d [ ] Dadi-Ma 6 Aloo s mother wanted him to study hard but she did not want to him. a [ ] lose b [ ] visit c [ ] pay d [ ] believe 7 The disease of tuberculosis killed Dadi-Ma s and three of her sons. a [ ] wife b [ ] husband c [ ] grandson d [ ] friend 8 Mazambezi pushed the rubbish in his wheelbarrow from the airport to the. a [ ] pit b [ ] plane c [ ] house d [ ] school 9 Aloo had a at the university in Dar es Salaam but he did not want to study agriculture. a [ ] scholarship b [ ] subject c [ ] prospectus d [ ] place 10 Flies over the rubbish pit near Joey s house, and big birds circled. a [ ] stepped b [ ] looked c [ ] buzzed d [ ] ran 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 5

Characters Choose the best answer. 11 Dadi-Ma hated living in the city and she did not her time in Stanger. a [ ] forget b [ ] think c [ ] remember d [ ] believe 12 was in his last year at school and a clever student. a [ ] Mr Datoo b [ ] Mr Velji c [ ] Aloo d [ ] Aloo s uncle 13 Joey loved the noise and roar of the. a [ ] planes b [ ] wheelbarrow c [ ] cars d [ ] flies 14 Sonny got into a fight and the police him. a [ ] helped b [ ] paid c [ ] beat d [ ] arrested 15 Aloo s mother was only thirty-three when her died. a [ ] daughter b [ ] mother c [ ] son d [ ] husband 16 Mazambezi looked through the, finding bits of food left from aeroplane meals. a [ ] balcony b [ ] field c [ ] rubbish d [ ] house 17 was one of the school officers and looked like a clever man. a [ ] Mr Datoo b [ ] Mr Velji c [ ] Aloo d [ ] Aloo s uncle 18 was a young woman when she came from India to South Africa. a [ ] Chotoo b [ ] Dadi-Ma c [ ] Sonny d [ ] Neela 19 Aloo wanted to study medicine in. a [ ] London b [ ] Dar es Salaam c [ ] Tanga d [ ] America 20 Joey spent all his free time on the at the airport. a [ ] balcony b [ ] wheelbarrow c [ ] rubbish d [ ] sleeping mat 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 6

Dialogue Who said this? 21 If you don t pay, you go. a [ ] Chotoo b [ ] Dadi-Ma c [ ] Sonny d [ ] Mr Naidoo 22 You ve been to that smelly rubbish pit! a [ ] Joey b [ ] Mazambezi c [ ] Joey s mother d [ ] Joey s father 23 If you send him, you will lose your son. a [ ] Aloo s mother b [ ] Aloo c [ ] Mr Datoo d [ ] Mr Velji 24 We just sit out there, and talk and laugh. a [ ] Chotoo b [ ] Dadi-Ma c [ ] Sonny d [ ] Mr Naidoo 25 Are we so unimportant to you? a [ ] Aloo b [ ] Aloo s mother c [ ] Mr Velji d [ ] Mr Datoo 26 I sit here every day and look into the pit. a [ ] Joey b [ ] Joey s father c [ ] Joey s mother d [] Mazambezi 27 When I get there, I will know where to go. a [ ] Chotoo b [ ] Dadi-Ma c [ ] Sonny d [ ] Mr Naidoo 28 Can t we borrow some money? a [ ] Aloo b [ ] Aloo s mother c [ ] Mr Velji d [ ] Mr Datoo 29 We go by train. a [ ] Chotoo b [ ] Dadi-Ma c [ ] Sonny d [ ] Mr Naidoo 30 What have you got this time? a [ ] Joey b [ ] Mazambezi c [ ] Joey s mother d [ ] Joey s father 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 7

Vocabulary Choose the best answer. 31 an official document to show that you can go into a country a [ ] visa b [ ] wheelbarrow c [ ] novel d [ ] rent 32 a long piece of very thin metal a [ ] wheelbarrow b [ ] yard c [ ] pile d [ ] wire 33 a container made of thin sticks; you use it for holding or carrying things a [ ] cardboard b [ ] bundle c [ ] basket d [ ] wheelbarrow 34 to take air in through your nose and mouth a [ ] buzz b [ ] breathe c [ ] sob d [ ] grunt 35 a book that tells a story about people and things that are not real a [ ] exam b [ ] document c [ ] prospectus d [ ] novel 36 a light open shoe a [ ] sandal b [ ] sari c [ ] balcony d [ ] toy 37 to make a short rough sound, like a pig makes a [ ] hang b [ ] buzz c [ ] grunt d [ ] sob 38 knowing and understanding a lot about many things a [ ] barefoot b [ ] wise c [ ] horrible d [ ] lined 39 to make a picture of something in your mind a [ ] believe b [ ] vomit c [ ] sob d [ ] imagine 40 something that is not clean a [ ] dirt b [ ] bundle c [ ] cardboard d [ ] plastic 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 8

Plot Choose the best answer. 41 Ratnadevi s house in Stanger was pulled down. a [ ] three years ago b [ ] when it was dark c [ ] a long time ago d [ ] in the future 42 Aloo s mother went to Mr Velji for about Aloo s scholarship. a [ ] money b [ ] education c [ ] college d [ ] advice 43 Joey followed Mazambezi to the rubbish pit and something horrible. a [ ] fell into b [ ] vomited c [ ] visited d [ ] opened 44 Sonny lost his job and there was no money for the. a [ ] factory b [ ] rubbish c [ ] street d [ ] rent 45 Joey was afraid that would find the toy plane. a [ ] his father b [ ] the white man c [ ] his mother d [ ] Mazambezi 46 Aloo began to think about his future because of Mr Datoo s visit from. a [ ] Tanga b [ ] America c [ ] Dar es Salaam d [ ] London 47 Dadi-Ma wanted to do something with his life, to escape from life in the shanties. a [ ] Mr Naidoo b [ ] Sonny c [ ] Neela d [ ] Chotoo 48 Aloo wrote to universities in America, but his did not take his plan seriously. a [ ] sister b [ ] uncle c [ ] mother d [ ] teacher 49 Mazambezi gave Joey a. a [ ] book b [ ] toy plane c [ ] meat can d [ ] wheelbarrow 50 Dadi-Ma did not want to see them and ask for his rent. a [ ] Mr Naidoo b [ ] Sonny c [ ] Chotoo d [ ] Neela 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 9

ACTIVITIES Before reading: 1. The Rubbish Dump (story introduction page 1). Choose answers to these questions. Why do Joey and Mazambezi meet at the rubbish dump? Because Mazambezi is a rubbish collector and he works at the dump. Joey is a small boy and Mazambezi is an old man. What do they talk about when they meet? The things in the dump and where they came from. Why does Joey like to collect things from the airport? Because these things are his toys. 2. Cardboard Mansions (story introduction page 17). Which ending do you think will be best for these sentences? The people in this story live in... a shanty. They need money to... pay the rent. They dream about living in... a house with a garden. 3. Leaving (story introduction page 31). Do you agree (A) or disagree (D) with these ideas? When children grow up, mothers should not try to keep them at home if they want to leave. Agree Children should not move to another country if their parents need them at home. Agree A good education is very important. Agree A good education is the most important thing in life. Disagree It is better to go to university in your own country. Disagree 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 10

4. Which of these words do you think you will find in each story? Put the words into groups after story title. The Rubbish Dump: smell, horrible, dirt, plastic. Cardboard Mansions: building, garden, rent, wall. Leaving: university, visa, exam, college. After reading: 1. Perhaps one day Joey's mother found the little toy aeroplane in Joey's school bag. Here is her conversation with Joey. Write in the speakers' names, and put the conversation in the right order. Joey's mother speaks first (number 3). Mother: Joey! What's this that I found in your school bag? Joey: It's a toy aeroplane, Mother Mother: I can see it's an aeroplane! Where did it come from? Joey: I-I-I don't know where it came from. Mother: What do you mean, you don't know? Did you steal it? Joey: No, I didn't! Someone gave it to me. Mother: Who? Come on, who gave it to you? Joey: He... the man with the wheelbarrow. Mother: What wheelbarrow? Oh, you mean Mazambezi? Joey: Yes. Mother: Do it came from that smelly rubbish pit! Go and throw it away at once, Joey! 2. What do you think Joey did next? Choose one of these sentences. He hid it in a much more secret place. 3. Use these clues to complete the crossword with words from the stories. All the words go across. Dadi-Ma did not have enough money to pay the rent. Joey made a toy car out of wire and cardboard. Mazambezi collected rubbish in his wheelbarrow. Aloo wanted to study medicine at university. A college offered Aloo a place with a scholarship. Joey and Mazambezi sat on the edge of the pit. Aloo's mother went to Mr Velji for advice. Chotoo had no shoes so he went barefoot. Dadi-Ma an Chotoo lived in a shanty. 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 11

1. R E N T 2. C A R D B O A R D 3. R U B B I S H 4. M E D I C I N E 5. S C H O L A R S H I P 6. P I T 7. A D V I C E 8. B A R E F O O T 9. S H A N T Y Now find the hidden word of 9 letters in the crossword. What is the word? The word is education. This thing is important to people in all three of the stories. Can you say how? The education is important for the people in all three of the stories because the education is important for everybody. A part of the education how to life is more important because without a proper life they can't go to school and they can't be educated. But the education that the parents or the tutors taught is very important for the future of the children and if it has got a good education the future could be easy with the relation with the people. 4. In the story Leaving what do you think will happen to Aloo in America? Here are three letters - one from Aloo to his mother, and two different replies from his mother. Use these words to complete all the letters (one word for each gap). Dear mother, bring, broken, exams, few, girl, green, job, life, marries, marry, meet, name, pleased, promised, red, top, understand, white After five years, I have at last finished my studies. My exams went well and I came top in my class! I know I promised to come home when I finished, but a big hospital here has offered me a job. I will learn a lot working in an American hospital, so I must stay here for a few yeas. And there's another thing. I know you won't like this but I have met a girl. She's lovely! She has red hair and green eyes, and she come from Ireland. Her name is Jacky. We want to get married next year. Please try to understand, Mother. I have to life my own life. Love to all my brothers and sisters, and to you. Aloo Reply 1: Dear Aloo, you have broken my heart. You promised me that you would come home, and that you would not marry a white woman. I will never speak to you again. Mother 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 12

Reply 2: Dear Aloo, top in your class, and a job in a hospital - that's wonderful! And I'm so pleased you've met a nice girl. Jacky sounds very beautiful. Why don't you bring her here for a little holiday? We'd love to meet her. All my love, Mother. 5. Read the two replies again, and answer these questions. Which reply do you think Aloo's mother will send? She will send the first reply because she is very strict and she doesn't allow that her son marry with a white woman. Which reply do you think she should send? Why? The second because the mother can't say with who her son have to marry or what he has to do because he is older than 18 years old. If she send the second reply her son will love her mother more and he would be happy. Her mother has to think of the happiness of her son. 6. What happens after the end of Cardboard Mansions? Here are two possible endings. Complete them in your own words. (Use as many words as you like). Dadi-Ma died in the street a few minutes later. The woman from the big house saw them and Chotoo start to cry. Then the police came and took Chotoo. They sent Chotoo to an orphanage. People were not interested in Chotoo and he had a hard life. The woman from the big house took Dadi-Ma and Chotoo inside her home and gave them a glass of water and a piece of bread. They stayed there for 13 years. Dadi-Ma got sick and Chotoo went to school. He learnt to wirte and to read and later he got a job as a teacher, He took care of Chotoo until he was working. 7. Read the two endings again, and answer these questions. Which ending do you think is right for the story? The first ending because the people of those countries are very distrustful and they can't take other people because the haven't got enough money to take care from them. A part of this Dadi-Ma is very old and it's more real that she died. The people from there have a hard and difficult life too. Which ending do you like best? Why? I like more the second ending because Chocoo can go to school and learn things and Dadi-Ma doesn't die. I like it too because the dreams of Dadi-Ma come true. I like the happy ending. 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 13

8. Here is a short poem (a kind of poem called a haiku) about one of the stories. Which of the three stories is it about? Will the travellers find the house she remembers? The end is unsure. CARDBOARD MANSIONS Here is another haiku, about the same story. He has no parents, no home, no shoes, but he has a grandmother's love. CARDBOARD MANSIONS A haiku is a Japanese poem, which is always in three lines, and the three lines always have 5, 7, and 5 syllables each like this: He has no par ents = 5 syllables no home no shoes but he has = 7 syllables a grand mo ther's love = 5 syllables Now write your own haiku, one for each of the other two stories. Think about what each story is really about. What are the important ideas for you? Remember to keep to three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables each. THE RUBBISH DUMP He wants to travel to visit other countries. To travel by plane. LEAVING Goes far from his town He wants to be a doctor and live his own life 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 14

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POSTCARDS ABOUT THE COUNTRIES MALAWI: Dear aunt, I am in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. Malawi borders with Mozambique in the south-east, Zambia in the west and Tanzania in the north. The population of Malawi is 15263000 aprox. The language that the majority of the country speaks is the English. In the east of Malawi there is the Malawi Lake. It is wonderful. There is a lot of life inside the water. The water is the cleanest water that I have ever seen. Kisses, Marina ZIMBABWE: Dear Helena, I'm writing to you from Harare. Do you know where is it? It is in Zimbabwe and it is the capital. Harare is a very big city. The population of Zimbabwe is about 12521000 aprox. and it borders with Mozambique in the east, South Africa in the south, Botswana in the west and Zambia in the north-west. Here in Zimababwe there are the Victoria falls. They are impressive. Zimbabwe is a very poor country. There is a lot of people in the streets. It is very sad. See you soon, Marina 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 16

SOUTH AFRICA: Dear mum, How are you? I hope you and dad are ok. I'm fine but here in South Africa is very hot. A part of the hot I have visited a lot of things. Did you know that in this country there are three capitals? Yes. They are Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town. The population of South Africa is about 49320000 aprox. South Africa borders with Namíbia in the north, Botswana in the north, Zimbabwe in the north, Swaziland in the east, Lesotho in the east and in the south there are the Atlantic ocean and the Indian Ocean. The country is beautiful and comparing with the other countries of Africa is richer. Hughs and kisses, Marina 2 nd term Evaluating Linguistic Competence 17