Today we are continuing our work on Malorie Blackman’s writing. We are going to look at an extract from Noughts and Crosses and then answer questions about the text. This clip below
Noughts and Crosses
Malorie Blackman
Prologue
‘Honestly, Mrs Hadley,’ said Meddige McGregor, wiping her eyes. ‘That sense of humour of yours will be the death of me yet!’
Jasmine Hadley allowed herself a rare giggle. ‘The things I tell you, Meggie. It’s lucky we’re such good friends!’
Meggie’s smile wavered only slightly. She looked out across the vast lawn at Callum and Sephy. Her son and her employer’s daughter. They were good friends playing together. Real good friends. No barriers. No boundaries. Not yet anyway. It was a typical early summer’s day, light and bright and, in the Hadley household anyway, not a cloud in their sky.
‘Excuse me, Mrs Hadley.’ Sarah Pike, Mrs Hadley’s secretary, approached from the house. She had shoulder-length straw-coloured hair and timid green eyes which appeared permanently startled. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you but your husband has just arrived. He’s in the study.’
‘Kamal is here?’ Mrs Hadley was astounded. ‘Thank you, Sarah.’ She turned to Meggie. ‘His fourth visit home in as many months! We’re honoured!’
Meggie smiled sympathetically, making sure to keep her mouth well and truly shut. No way was she going to get in the middle of another inevitable squabble between Kamal Hadley and his wife. Mrs Hadley stood up and made her way into the house.
‘So, Sarah, how is Mr Hadley?’ Meggie lowered her voice to ask. ‘Is he in a good mood, d’you think?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘He looks about ready to blow a fuse.’
‘Why?’
‘No idea.’
Meggie digested this news in silence.
‘I’d better get back to work,’ Sarah sighed.
‘Would you like something to drink?’ Meggie pointed to the jug of ginger beer on the patio table.
‘No, thanks. I don’t want to get into trouble…’ With obvious trepidation, Sarah went back into the house.
What was she afraid of? Meggie sighed. No matter how hard she tried, Sarah insisted on keeping her distance. Meggie turned back to watch the children. Life was so simple for them. Their biggest worry was what they’d get for their birthdays. Their biggest grumble was the time they had to go to bed. Maybe things would be different for them…Better. Meggie forced herself to believe that things would be better for the children, otherwise what was the point of it all?
Vocabulary questions:
- Find a word that means ‘scarce’ or ‘unusual’.
- What does the word ‘wavered’ mean?
- Malorie Blackman uses the words ‘barriers’ and ‘boundaries’? What does this make the reader think of? Why has she chosen these words?
- ‘timid green eyes which appeared permanently startled’ which word in this noun phrase is closest in meaning to ‘surprised’?
- ‘Mrs Hadley was astounded.’ Choose the word closest in meaning to ‘astounded’: shocked astonished angry disappointed
Inference questions:
- What is the relationship between Mrs Hadley and Meggie?
- Why does Meggie’s smile ‘waver’ when Jasmine Hadley says they are ‘such good friends’?
- Why is Sarah Pike so anxious?
- What is Mr Hadley like?
Prediction question:
What do you think will happen next?
Explanation question:
Explain why Malorie Blackman includes a description of Mrs Hadley’s secretary.
Write down 4 things that you know about Sarah Pike after reading this passage.
Retrieval questions:
- What is Mrs Hadley’s husband’s name?
- What is Sarah Pike’s job?
- What drink does Meggie offer Sarah?
- Where are they when this scene takes place?
- What is the childrens’ biggest worry?
Summarise/Sequence task:
Write a 5 sentence summary of this passage.
