Homework, 11th December, 2017

For your last piece of homework of the term, I would like you to write one more formal letter. It's a kind of letter we haven't looked at in lessons, so this will be a test of how well you can come up with ideas of your own, as well as a test of how well you can remember how to lay out a formal letter and how well you can use formal language. 

The letter I would like you to write is to the manager of a hotel you recently stayed in complimenting her on the excellent experience you had. Things you could mention include:

* The comfortable beds
* The great restaurant
* The politeness of the staff

There might be other things you can think of as well. 

The address you should use is:

Sunny View Hotel
Sunshine Avenue
Perranporth
PE4 8UH

The letter should be around 300 words long. 

Good luck, merry Christmas and see you soon!

Homework, 4th December, 2017

Have a look at the sentences below and, for each one, decide whether it belongs in a formal or informal letter, or is just too informal. 

If you decide that the sentence belongs in a formal letter, you then need to decide whether it goes best in a job application letter or a complaint letter.

The first one has been done for you as an example. 

1. I am writing to apply for the position of teacher at the Moat School. This goes best in a formal job application letter. 

2. Wassup bruv?

3. I can't wait to see you next week. 

4. I am writing to express my disappointment at the pair of shoes I bought from you last week. 

5. How are Mike and Julie?

6. She's bare peng innit. 

7. I feel I would be the ideal candidate for the reasons listed below. 

8. In addition to this, I have three years' experience working in retail.  

9. I hope you will make this up to me by giving me a full refund. 

10. I recently started taking swimming lessons. 

11. I was, quite frankly appalled at the service. 

12. Fam, it was bangin', you feel me?

Homework, 27th November, 2017

You recently read an article in a magazine which argued that school uniform should be scrapped in schools in the UK. 

Decide whether or not you agree with this point of view, then write a letter to the editor (the person in charge) of the magazine giving your view. Use the guidelines below to help you. 

It should be around 250 words long. 

Generic letter to the editor structure

Your address, e.g.: Mr Quillfeldt 12 Bishop’s Avenue London SW6 6EG

The date in long form, e.g.: 15th September, 2015

The address of the person you are writing to, e.g.: The Editor Education Today Magazine 567 Brooke Avenue Barnsley BR4 8YG

If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, start Dear Sir/Madam. If you do know the name of the person you are writing to, start Dear Mr if it is male, or Ms if it is a female.

In the first paragraph, explain why you are writing the letter, e.g.: I am writing to you to express my views on … Give the opposite view first: Some people believe that …

Then give your view: My own view on this topic is that …

Sum up everything you have said: For all of these reasons, I believe …

Sign off. If you know the name of the person you are writing to, use Yours sincerely. If you don’t know the name of the person, use Yours faithfully.

Write your name

Homework, 13th November, 2017

Read the following letter and answer the questions that follow. 

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

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to apply for the position of infantryman in the British armed forces. Below I will outline the reasons why I feel I would be ideal for the job.

Firstly, I am a passionate patriot who believes in his country and is absolutely committed to the war effort. I believe in the greatness of our nation and, like so many other young men, I want to do my bit.

Secondly, I believe I have the skills required to be one of the best soldiers the British army has ever seen. I am physically fit, having worked on a farm since a young age, and am able to adapt quickly to using new tools and pieces of equipment. I am also an excellent team player, working well with others, respecting their opinions and acquiring new skills quickly.

                                                                                                    

Furthermore, I always follow instructions first time, without hesitation, something which is very important in a battle situation, where the enemy is around all the time and won’t wait for you to make your mind up.

I am sure you will agree that all these factors make me the ideal candidate to be an infantryman in the army and I look forward to hearing your response in the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Albert Narracot

Questions

1. What three things are missing from the top of the letter?

2. What position is Albert applying for?

3. Based on how it is used in the letter, what is a passionate patriot?

4. Complete the sentence: ‘Secondly, I believe I have the skills ______________ to be one of the best ______________ the British army has ever seen.

5. Which of the following is this an example of:

a)      Simile

b)      Alliteration

c)       Hyperbole

d)      Metaphor?

6. Write down one of the skills Albert claims to have.

7. When does Albert hope to hear a response?

8. There is something not quite right about the sign-off. What is it?

Extension activity

The following is a list of words which are quite informal. Find the more formal version of each in the letter and write it next to the informal one. The first one has been done for you.

Job – position

Perfect ___________________

Enthusiastic _________________

Totally _________________

Needed ______________

Change ______________

Really good ______________

Getting/picking up _______________

What’s more _________________

Things _______________

Reply ____________________

Homework 6th November, 2017

Read the letter from Captain Nichols to Albert and answer the questions that follow.

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, 7th November). 

Dear Albert

I hope this letter finds you well. I am well myself; we have been on manoeuvres, getting ready for the first big push against the Germans, which will be happening in a few weeks’ time, and whilst I feel that we are in good shape, I am having trouble with the idea that this is going to be easy and the war will be over soon. I worry that we may have underestimated the enemy.

Anyway, I’m sure you are wondering how Joey is doing. Well, I don’t think it’s too much of an exaggeration to say that he is the finest horse this regiment has ever seen. Even Corporal Perkins admires him, and believe me, he is a very hard man to please. I will certainly feel confident, or, at least, as confident as I possibly can, riding Joey into battle.

I wish I could tell you that everything will be okay and that Joey will return to you in one piece, but at the same time, I don’t want to set you up for disappointment. This is war, and the reality of war is that there are casualties. I will make this promise to you, however: I will do my utmost to make sure that Joey is looked after and protected as much as possible and that you are reunited with him one day. I know you miss him, and he misses you, I am sure of it.

I have to go know; it’s dinner time and I don’t want to miss out! I’ll need all my strength if we’re going to beat those Germans.

Warmest regards,

Captain Nicholls

Questions

1. What is missing from the top of the letter?

2. What has Captain Nicholls been getting ready for?

3. Complete the sentence: ‘Anyway, I’m ______ you are _____________ how Joey’s doing.’

4. What compliment does he pay Joey in the second paragraph?

5. What will make him confident?

6. What does he wish he could tell Albert?

7. Why does he not tell him this?

8. Complete the sentence: ‘This is ____ and the ____________ of war is that there are _________________.’

9. What does he promise?

10. Why does he have to go?

Extension questions

11. What does Captain Nicholls think about Britain’s chances of winning the war?

12. How can we tell this?

13. What evidence is there in the second paragraph that he is not totally confident of winning his first battle?

14. How can we tell from what is written that Corporal Perkins is a tough man?

Homework, 16th October, 2017

This week I can post the text I would like you to read as it is a short story I wrote myself! Once you have read it, answer the questions that follow. The formatting is a little off due to it being copied and pasted across from a Word document, but it should make sense anyway. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, October 17th). 

Nightmares

I wake with a jolt, as if someone has just switched me on. I am drenched in sweat, I ache all over, and my heart is racing. I sit for a few seconds, desperately trying to calm down. This is the third morning in a row this has happened. Before I have time to think about it anymore, however, Sam floats into the room, arms outstretched, holding a tray with my morning cup of coffee sitting, as always, in the dead centre. I take it and drink.

                ‘Thanks Sam,’ I say.

            ‘You’re welcome,’ she replies. I say she; she’s actually an ‘it’, genderless, but to me there is something feminine about her compassionate manner. I know it is compassion that has been programmed and is therefore not real, but I am convinced that, over the years she has been with me, she has started to develop her own personality. Perhaps I should be scared by that, but I’m not. I can always switch her off if I need to.

                I finish my coffee, then hoist myself out of bed and rub the sleep from my eyes. For a second I am calm, but then I remember the nightmare and begin to worry. The same bad dream three nights in a row can’t be good.

                Sensing my anxiety, Sam enquires, ‘shall I make an appointment for you to see Doctor Wells?’

                ‘Um … yes, actually,’ I reply, ‘thank you.’                                                             

*     *     *

               ‘So, three nights in a row,’ says Doctor Wells. He has a kind face, sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. His voice is soothing, although the soft lighting and comfortable chair with its embracing arms all contribute as well. And then there’s the animated artwork on the walls; there’s something strangely calming about it which I can’t quite explain.  

                ‘Yup,’ I reply.  

                ‘And what happens in this dream?’ he asks.

              ‘It’s scary … people suffering, explosions, people fighting … politicians arguing with each other. It’s like a whole world which is different from ours but somehow familiar, like it’s from a time long ago.’

                ‘Hmm.’ He takes a deep breath.

                ‘What do you think?’ I ask after a few uncomfortable seconds of him not replying.

               Without him saying anything to me, he picks up his telephone. ‘Trisha,’ he says into the receiver. ‘Could you cancel my next appointment please?’ There is a pause while Trisha says something back to him, but I can’t quite make out what it is. ‘Yes,’ he eventually says. ‘The fifth one this week.’ He hangs up. ‘It’s okay,’ he replies, turning to me. ‘Stay calm and look at the painting on the wall opposite you. You feel sleepy. Your eyes are heavy …’

*     *     *

I am coaxed gently out of unconsciousness by the comforting voice of Doctor Wells. ‘It’s okay,’ he says. ‘You’re going to feel slightly disorientated, but that’s normal. Everything is fine.’ His room gradually comes into view.

                ‘What happened?’ I ask, yawning. I feel a little groggy.  

                ‘You came to see me about some bad dreams you were having, but it’s all fine now. Everything is fixed.’

                ‘Oh, right …’ I have a vague memory that I was having nightmares, but I can’t remember what they were about. I sit there for another few minutes while he types on his computer.

                ‘How are you feeling now?’ he asks.

                ‘Fine,’ I reply. ‘Great, in fact.’

                ‘Good. You can go. Just book a follow-up appointment with Trisha on your way out for … let’s say, a week’s time, just so I can make sure you’re still okay, which you will be.’ He smiles.

                I thank him and leave.

*     *     *

When I get home, Sam is waiting for me with dinner on the table. Pasta. Good old Sam, I think to myself. I sit down and begin eating. As always, it’s the best food I’ve ever tasted. But then, something strange happens … an image … in my mind …

1. What is the narrator drenched in when she wakes up?

2. How many mornings in a row has this happened?

3. What does Sam bring for her?

4. What does the narrator say she probably should be scared of, but isn’t?

5. What is the name of the doctor Sam makes an appointment for the narrator to see?

6. What colour is the doctor’s hair?

7. What word is used to describe the arms of the chair in the doctor’s office?

8. Write down one thing that is scary about the dream that the narrator describes.

9. What does the doctor do to make time to hypnotise the narrator?

10. When she wakes up from having been hypnotised, the narrator yawns, then says she feels what?

11. What do you think this word means, based on how it is used in the story?                           

12. After telling the narrator to book a follow-up appointment, what does the doctor say to reassure her?

Extension questions

13. This is a Science Fiction story. Write down one thing about it that fits with the Science Fiction genre.

14. Look at your answer to question 4. Why do you think the writer says she should probably be worried about this?

15. What particular theme does this address?

16. How does the writer create suspense at the very end of the story?

17. There is an example of personification somewhere in the story. See if you can find it and copy it out.

18. This story is deliberately vague about what is actually happening. Why do you think this is?

                                                                                                                                           

19. What do you think is going on? 

Homework, October 2nd, 2017

This week I would like you to read another extract from War Horse. This time, it is a description of Corporal Samuel Perkins, the soldier who trains Joey before he goes to France to fight. 

Once you have read it, you will need to answer the questions that go with it. Everything you need is in your homework folder. 

This is due tomorrow (Tuesday, October 3rd)