How the Tortoise got its shell - New Broadway - Class 6 - English

Who was invited to the feast?

‘...al Zeus’s creatures sped’. Who are the creatures? Why did they speed?

Only animals were invited to the feast. Yes or No?

‘Why weren’t you there, my friend, the day that I was wed?’

1. Who says these words to whom? And why?

2. What is the answer given by the ‘friend’?

The tortoise did not go to the feast because ................
a.            She did not like wedding feasts.
b.            She loved staying at home by herself.
                (Tick the right answer.)

What punishment did Zeus give to the tortoise? What does this tell us about Zeus?

From this day on you’ll carry your home...

a.            What is the ‘home’?
b.            Why is it called a ‘home’?

Do you think Zeus was right in punishing the tortoise? Discuss your opinion in groups.

Pick out any five examples of rhyming pairs of words in the poem.

As you know, alliteration is the use of the same letter or sound at the beginning of words that are close together. ‘... great god’ (line 2) is an example of alliteration. Find five more examples of alliteration in the poem.
a.            Read the poem aloud in chorus. Read stanzas 2, 3 and 4 fast, and then slow down and pause slightly for emphasis when you read the refrain ‘except the tortoise’. What type of effect does the reading create in the class?
b.            Look at the form of the poem. While all the lines are together, the refrain ‘except the tortoise’ stands alone at a distance. Why does the poet use this form? Do you think the poet wants to show a contrast between the tortoise and other creatures and highlight it as an exception? Do you think it is a good way to communicate meaning through form?

The fliers and the creepers,
the long, the short, the tall;|
the crawlers and the Ieapers,
the feathered, furred and bald;
hunters, biters, finders, fighters,
hooters, whistlers, roarers,
Squeakers, screamers, squawkers, dreamers,
nibblers, gulpers, borers.

1. Who are the 'creepers' and 'fliers' referring to in the stanza?

2. Who might the 'hunters, biters, finders, fighters' refer to?

3. What could the words 'hooters, whistlers, roarers' suggest about some creatures?

4. Who do you think the 'squeakers, screamers, squawkers, dreamers' are?

5. What do the terms 'nibblers, gulpers, borers' suggest about the habits of some creatures?

6. What types of creatures do the 'feathered, furred and bald' describe?

7. Can we infer that the creatures are diverse and vary in behaviour from this stanza? Why?