Homework: Monday, 27th February, 2017

Read the speech below and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due on tomorrow (Tuesday, 28th February). 

You have been asked to talk to a group of elderly people about the benefits of Smartphones. Write down what you would say.

Hello ladies and gentlemen. My name is Wally and I’m here today to tell you all about Smartphones. If, like me, you imagined a future world of flying cars when you were younger, you’re probably disappointed. But actually the future is already here, and it’s a future of Smartphones.

Now, I know most of you are probably not very keen on the idea of Smartphones – they look complicated and fiddly to use, and you’re probably thinking ‘I don’t need one – if I need to call someone, I’ll do it on my home phone.’ Hopefully, though, by the time I’ve finished speaking to you, I’ll have changed your mind.

Smartphones are great, even if you don’t use them to make calls. There is so much you can do on them: you can check your emails, listen to music and even browse the internet. Did you know that? Well, you can, and this opens up a whole world of opportunity. It’s like having the world at your fingertips. Ever wanted to learn a new language? Well, you can with a Smartphone and, because it’s portable, you can even learn while you’re on the bus or train. Want to make something nice for dinner? Well, if you’re in the supermarket and want know what ingredients to buy for, say, a pizza, you can find a recipe online right there, in the palm of your hand! It’s literally the best thing ever!

I mentioned earlier that you can use your Smartphone to listen to music while you’re out and about. That’s right, you can, and your Smartphone can hold hundreds, maybe even thousands of songs! So whatever it is you’re into, whether it’s Frank Sinatra, One Direction or Metallica, you can listen to it on the go using your Smartphone.

Your Smartphone also has loads of other great features that are useful in everyday situations. These are called apps. For example, if you buy something in a shop and you think the cashier might have given you the wrong change, you can whip out your Smartphone and use the calculator. If you’re abroad and you want to convert a foreign currency into Pounds, well, there’s an app for that too! In fact, there’s an app for almost anything you can think of.

I’m not going to bore you any more – the best way to learn about how great Smartphones is use one for yourself. I’ll be sticking around for another few hours, so if you have any questions or want me to show you how to use your own Smartphone, I’m more than happy to do that.

Thanks for listening!

1. What is the name of the person giving the speech?

2. What did he imagine when he was younger?

3. Why do you think he doesn’t think most of the people in the audience will be very keen on the idea of Smartphones?

4. What does he hope the people he is speaking to will have done by the time he’s finished speaking to them?

5. What adjective does he use to describe Smartphones in the first line of the third paragraph?

6. What three things does he say you can do on Smartphones?

7. Where does he say you can find a recipe for pizza?

8. What feature of Smartphones does he mention in the fourth paragraph?

9. What feature, according to the fifth paragraph, is especially useful if you are abroad?

Extension task

Now, if you’re feeling adventurous, write down all the literary techniques that have been underlined and numbered in the speech. One has been done for you as an example.

1.

2. Direct address

3.

4.

5.

6.

Direct address          Strong, clear opening          List Hyperbole          Simile          Rhetorical question

Half term homework, February 2017

Hi, 

This homework is due on Monday, February 20th (the first day back after half term). It is all to do with how writers try and get their point across, so will help you with your reading comprehension skills, but will also help to make you a better writer yourself. 

Have a look at the table below. In the left-hand side column are some examples of techniques which writers use to try and get a point across. Next to each example is the name of the technique.

Example	Technique
Watching this film was like eating a delicious meal.	Simile
The epidemic first hit Canada, then America, then Mexico.	List
Over 6 million people live in the UK.	Fact
It was a million times worse than I could have imagined.	Hyperbole (exaggeration)
Education, education, education.	Repetition
Sharon Starling is fitness fanatic, and now she has written a book.	Example of a specific person
‘It came as shock, I can tell you,’ said Ms. Lampard.	Quote
The storm growled at me.	Personification
I suggest you sit down before reading this.	Direct address (speaking directly to the reader)
Isn’t it about time we realised what is really happening here?	Rhetorical question
It is advisable that you avoid fatty foods.	Advice/recommendation
I think it’s time to try something else.	Personal opinion.

Now look at the table below. You are now going to write down next to each example which technique you think has been used. All the techniques are listed in the table above (the one you have already read through), so you can pick and choose from there. Each technique only appears once.

Example	Technique
His speech was a million times more effective.
Last year, 3.5 million people signed up to Facebook.
No, no, no!
John Campbell, 37 from Worcester, has always loved cheese.
The long, sinewy fingers of the trees reached out towards me.
First Miliband, then Cameron, now Farage.
Has the time not come to end this madness?
You really should think about following her example.
Doctors advise exercising at least three times a week.
Watching this movie is like being slapped in the face with a fish.
‘I couldn’t believe it,’ said Mr Campbell.
I just don’t think people really enjoy it.

Now see if you can come up with your own examples and fill in the table below. If the boxes are too small, you can do this on a separate piece of paper.

Example	Technique

Homework, 6th February, 2017

Hi,

This week I would like you to read the article on pirates and answer the questions that go with it. As always, everything you need is in your homework folder.