Homework, Friday 15th September

This week, I would like you to read the extract from Farm Boy, and answer the questions that go with it. 

This is due on Monday, 18th September. 

Welcome to Mr. Quillfeldt's year 8 English blog!

Hi!

For those of you who are new to the school, or who have never had me as a teacher before, this is where you can check each week to see what the English homework is, as well as find other details about what is going on in English. 

Wherever possible, I will make copies of worksheets and resources available, but, in cases where someone else has created the resource, I might only be able to provide a link to it for copyright reasons. A hard copy of everything will always be provided in the homework folder though, so this blog is more of a backup. 

Homework will start next week, once we have chosen which novel we are going to study as a class, as most of the homework tasks will be reading comprehension activities based on it. In class we will be studying creative writing up until October half term, so hopefully, by the end of the unit, you will be able to write a short story of around 200 words. 

That's it for now. Make sure you check back next week. 

Homework, Monday 8th May, 2017

After a break of a couple of weeks, homework is back!

This week, I would like you to read the report below and answer the questions that go with it. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 9th May). Good luck!

A report to the local council outlining suggestions for facilities for the new youth club

Introduction

The local council is planning to build a youth club in the area. I have been asked to speak to young people in the area and find out their suggestions for facilities that could be included in the youth club. I will outline my findings below.

Athletic facilities

·        A five-aside Astro-Turf football pitch – this was a very popular suggestion and would be a great way of encouraging young people in the area to stay fit, as well as learning skills such as leadership and teamwork.

·        A basketball court – this would be cheaper than an Astro-Turf pitch as it can be put in what is currently the car park and is another way to encourage young people to stay fit and learn new skills.

Leisure facilities

·        A pool table – this was another very popular suggestion as young people in the area love playing pool. There would be space in the building, according to the plans.

·        A bar serving non-alcoholic beverages – obviously alcohol could not be served, but many of the young people I spoke to suggested this as a way to make them feel grown up.

·        Vending machines – several people suggested this and it would be a good way of making extra money, which could be used to pay for other things.

Recommendation

Overall, I would recommend all of the above as they are all very popular suggestions and would all come within the budget set out by the council.

Now answer the following questions:

1. Who is the report being written to?

2. What is the purpose of the report?

3. Does the report use formal or informal language?

4. What are the two categories that the facilities have been divided into?

5. Which of the two athletic facilities mentioned was a ‘very popular suggestion’?

6. What is one of the advantages of a basketball court over an Astro-Turf football pitch?

7. How do we know that there would be space in the building for a pool table?

8. Why do you think alcohol cannot be served at the youth centre?

9. Vending machines would be a good way of making extra what?

10. Which of the suggestions are recommended at the end of the report?

Extension questions

11. How can we tell that the title is the title?

12. Find and copy out the sentence which means the same as ‘Underneath, I’m going to write down what I found.’

12. Why do you think the information is broken into short sentences and paragraphs?

13. What is the purpose of the subheadings?

14. Why do you think the writer has used formal language?

Easter holiday homework, 2017

There are two tasks I would like you to complete this Easter:


1. Read the speech and answer the questions (it is from a textbook so I can't post it here but everything you need is in your homework folder).


2. Complete the end of term quiz (which is included below), which is based on speeches, reviews and articles.


Everything is due the first day back after Easter (Monday, 24th April).

End of term two massive English quiz!

 

1. What should always go at the top of an article?

 

2. List three things you could comment on the quality of when writing a review, e.g. acting.

 

3. Which technique is the following an example of:

 

          ‘He was as strong as an ox’?

 

4. What should you do in the first paragraph of a review?

 

5. What should each paragraph of an article have above it?

 

6. When you write down something someone said in speech marks, this is called a what?

 

7. Write down an example of a rhetorical question.

 

8. Re-write the following sentence so that it has the correct spelling, punctuation and grammar:

 

          i was speaking to a young lady just the other day she said it’s just so           tough being a single mum i wish someone could help me

 

9. Which technique is the following an example of:

 

          ‘I’ve told you million times that chewing gum is bad for you!’?

 

10. In which of the three text types we have covered this term (reviews, articles and speeches) would you expect to find the following sentence:

 

          ‘The plot moves along at breakneck speed, and the directing is             

           great.’?

 

11. Write down an example of a metaphor.

Homework, Monday, March 20th, 2017

Read the speech extract below and answer the questions that follow. This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, March 21st). 

The following is an extract from a speech by the human rights activist Malala Yousafzai delivered to the youth version of the United Nations on July 12^th, 2013.

…

I don't know where to begin my speech. I don't know what people would be expecting me to say. But first of all, thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me.

…

There are hundreds of Human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goals of education, peace and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.

So here I stand: one girl among many. I speak, not for myself, but for all girls and boys. I raise up my voice, not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights: their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated.

…

Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than sword” was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. And that is why they killed 14 innocent medical students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they killed many female teachers and polio workers in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa and FATA. That is why they are blasting schools every day.  Because they were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality that we will bring into our society.

I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist, “Why are the Taliban against education?” He answered very simply. By pointing to his book he said, “A Talib doesn't know what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits. Pakistan is peace-loving democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. And Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. Islam says that it is not only each child's right to get education, rather it is their duty and responsibility.

1. Where does Malala think she should begin her speech?

2. Who does she thank first?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘I have __________________ thousands of good wish cards from all over the ____________.’

4. What word in the second paragraph means the same as ‘striving’ (you may have to look ‘striving’ up in the dictionary)?

5. Who, according to the third paragraph, does Malala speak for?

6. Complete the sentence: ‘I raise up my ____________, not so that I can shout, but so that those ________________ a voice can be heard.’

7. What four rights does she list in third paragraph?

8. Find the sentence in the fourth paragraph which contains the word ‘Swat’ and copy it out.

9. Based on how it is used in the sentence, what do you think ‘Swat’ means?

10. What saying does she mention in the fifth paragraph?

11. What word is used in the fifth paragraph which means ‘not guilty’?

12. How does she describe Pakistan in the final paragraph?

Extension questions:

13. Why do you think Malala refers to the people in the audience as ‘brothers and sisters’?

14. In the final paragraph, she mentions a boy from her school. Why do you think she does this?

15. How does Malala get across a sense that she does not consider herself to be special?

Homework, Monday 13th March, 2017

The following is an extract from the acceptance speech Barack Obama gave when he was nominated as the Democrat Party's candidate to run in the presidential election in 2008. Read it and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 14th March). 

You can watch the speech here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms&t=52s

I want to congratulate Senator Clinton on a hard-fought victory here in New Hampshire.

A few weeks ago, no-one imagined that we'd have accomplished what we did here tonight. For most of this campaign, we were far behind, and we always knew our climb would be steep.

But in record numbers, you came out and spoke up for change. And with your voices and your votes, you made it clear that at this moment - in this election - there is something happening in America.

There is something happening when men and women in Des Moines and Davenport; in Lebanon and Concord come out in the snows of January to wait in lines that stretch block after block because they believe in what this country can be.

There is something happening when Americans who are young in age and in spirit - who have never before participated in politics - turn out in numbers we've never seen because they know in their hearts that this time must be different.

There is something happening when people vote not just for the party they belong to but the hopes they hold in common - that whether we are rich or poor; black or white; Latino or Asian; whether we hail from Iowa or New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina, we are ready to take this country in a fundamentally new direction. That is what's happening in America right now. Change is what's happening in America.

You can be the new majority who can lead this nation out of a long political darkness - Democrats, Independents and Republicans who are tired of the division and distraction that has clouded Washington; who know that we can disagree without being disagreeable; who understand that if we mobilize our voices to challenge the money and influence that's stood in our way and challenge ourselves to reach for something better, there's no problem we can't solve - no destiny we cannot fulfil.

Questions

1. Who did Barack Obama run against in the election?

2. What did no-one imagine a few weeks ago?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘For most of this campaign, we were far _____________, and we always knew our ______________ would be ___________.’

4. What, according to the third paragraph, did people come out and speak up for?

5. Which three place names are mentioned in the fourth paragraph?

6. What does Barack Obama say in the fifth paragraph instead of ‘turn out in large numbers’?

7. Which particular group of people does Barack Obama mention in the fifth paragraph?

8. What, according to the fifth paragraph, is happening in America right now?

Extension questions:

9. Why do you think Barack Obama congratulates Hilary Clinton at the start, even though he fought against her in the election?

10. In the second paragraph, there is a metaphor. What is it, what image does it put in your mind, and why has it been used?

11. There is an example of alliteration in the third paragraph. Find it and copy it out.

12. In the sixth paragraph, what does Barack Obama do when he talks about ethnic groups and American states, which technique does he use?

13. What does Barack Obama want people to think he represents more than anything else? How does he get this point across?

Homework, 6th March, 2017

Read the three speeches below and answer the questions that follow. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 7th March)

1

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand here before you today to talk to you about a very important issue: food in schools. I think you’ll agree with me when I say that it’s time for a change. For too long we’ve been served unhealthy meals packed full of fat and sugar, and we’ve had enough! Everyday we queue up in the canteen only to have fatty muck splattered onto our plates. Well, I think it’s about time the school started caring about our health and well-being and gave us fruit, vegetables, and low fat options so we can lead healthy lives. So I say to you: no more fat! No more sugar! No more carbs! 

2

Hello everyone. I’ve been thinking that the food in the canteen is quite unhealthy. I think we should probably think about changing and having more stuff like vegetables, bananas, apples, beans ... you know, stuff like that. Healthy stuff basically. So come on, let’s ask if we can get better food. That’s basically all I have to say.

3

Alright? In the canteen, they serve food like chips, burgers, hotdogs, deep fried chocolate bars. The other day I had this hot dog that was covered in cheese, and then for dessert I had another hot dog, but covered in ice cream. Tomorrow, apparently they’re going to have bacon wrapped in more bacon, and there’s no fruit. Anyway, have a nice day.

1. What are all three speeches about?

2. What is the purpose of the first speech?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘For too long we’ve been served unhealthy meals packed full of _______ and ___________, and we’ve had _____________.’

4. What, according to the first speech, do the students have ‘splattered’ onto their plates everyday?

5. What three healthy alternatives are suggested in the first speech?

6. What three things should there be no more of, according to the first speech?

7. Complete the sentence from the second speech: ‘I’ve been thinking that the __________ in the canteen is quite ____________________.’

8. What four things, according to the second speech, should the school canteen probably think about having more of?

9. According to the third speech, what two things were used to cover hot dogs?

10. According to the third speech, what is there none of?

11. In your opinion, which is the best speech and why?

Extension questions – have a go at these if you’re feeling especially brainy:

12. There are three examples of direct address in the first speech. What are they?

13. What is the effect of the use of the term ‘fatty muck’ to describe food in the first speech?

14. The first speech uses a list. Find it and copy it out.

15. Copy out the sentence from the first speech which includes repetition. 

16. One of the speeches contains a rhetorical question. Find it and copy it out.

17. Which particular word in the second speech tells us that it has been written in quite an informal way?