Skimbleshanks the railway cat - New Oxford Modern English - Class 8 - English

Use the following in sentences of your own.

a. more or less
b. on the move
c. to a man       
d. is abroad
e. all clear    
f. now and then
g. by and large  
h. without fail

Find adverbial clauses of condition, reason or place to complete the following and state which kind of clause you have used. Use each word in this box at least once. Remember that you may, if you wish, put the main clauses at the end of the sentence.

a.    We will go to the cinema without you…
b.    The old lady could not stand up …
c.     We will get very wet…
d.    The children left their books….
e.    You should be reading your books…
f.     The old man lived by himself…
g.    Dina’s small white dog goes….
h.    I’ll spend all the money on clothes….
i.      Usha does not eat meat….
j.     I’m afraid you will have to have black coffee….

Identify the adverbial clauses in the following and say what kind they are.
a.    The children sat in the library because Mr Sen told them to read more.
b.    She will be allowed to go to the party, if you go with her.
c.     Since were are going, they can come too.
d.    He goes to the zoo whenever he visits the city.
e.    He will never ding out what is wrong, unless he visits the doctor.
f.     They settled down on the grass where it was dry.
g.    He will post your letter as he is going that way.
h.    They will be allowed some sweets after they have eaten their dinner.

In the poem you have just read, Eliot has given Skimble a complete personality. The cat acts like a human being and is described in every way as being a cat of ‘character’ – all that is missing is a suit of clothes. If you have a pet at home – a dog, a cat, a rabbit, or any other animal imagine how it would behave if it possessed certain human qualities. Skimble ‘saunters’ down the platform as an important person would; he ‘supervises’; he ‘examines all the faces’ and ‘establishes control’; he ‘doesn’t approve’ of certain things.
Write a short account of an animal. Try to consider it as you would a person with a definite character. He or she can be surly, grumpy, important, bossy or possess other characteristics.

In what way is Skimble in charge of the train?

Why are the passengers very quiet when Skimble is about?

What delights are there for the passengers of the train?

In what way are the passengers comforted by Skimble’s presence?

What does Skimble do while the passengers are all safely asleep?

How does the poet create the impression of a moving train? (Hint: examine the lines of the poem.)

Saying ‘Skimble where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble … ?’

i) Who is asking the question?
ii) What does ‘hunting the thimble’ refer to?
iii) Why is Skimble being searched for?
iv) What cannot happen till he is found?
v) When does Skimble eventually appear?

Down the corridor, he paces and examines 01/ the faces

i) Who paces down the corridor?
ii) Whose faces does he examine?
iii) Why does he pace the corridor?
iv) Why does he examine the faces?
v) What effect does this have on the passengers?

Which says: ‘I’ll see you again! …’

i) Who or what says this?
ii) Who is going to be seen again?
iii) With what is this message delivered?
iv) What is the complete message?

At 11.42 then the signal’s nearly due
And the passengers are frantic to a man-
Then Skimble will appear and he’ll saunter to the rear:
He’s been busy in the luggage van!
He gives one flash of his glass-green eyes
And the signal goes ‘All Clear!’
And we’re off at last for the northern part
Of the Northern Hemisphere!
You may say that by and large it is Skimble who’s in charge
Of the Sleeping Car Express.

1. In what ways does Skimbleshanks’s appearance affect the atmosphere inside the train and among the passengers?

2. Why do you think the poet has Skimbleshanks flash his “glass-green eyes” before the signal goes ‘All Clear!’?

3. Identify and analyze the role of Skimbleshanks on the Sleeping Car Express. Why is his role essential for the train journey?

4. By examining the methods used by Skimbleshanks to keep everything in order on the train, infer the characteristics he possesses that make him suitable for this role.

5. How does the poet use vivid imagery and simile in creating a character like Skimbleshanks?