Complete English Basics 2 Teacher Book

2
A class and homework course
THIRD EDITION
TEACHER
BOOK
Rex Sadler Sandra Sadler

2
A class and homework course
THIRD EDITION
TEACHER
BOOK
Rex Sadler Sandra Sadler

This edition published in 2021 by
Matilda Education Australia, an imprint
of Meanwhile Education Pty Ltd
Level 1/274 Brunswick St
Fitzroy, Victoria Australia 3065
T: 1300 277 235
E: customersupport@matildaed.com.au
www.matildaeducation.com.au
First edition published in 2007 by Macmillan Science and Education Australia Pty Ltd
Copyright © Rex Sadler and Sandra Sadler 2007, 2010, 2017
The moral rights of the author have been asserted.
All rights reserved.
Except under the conditions described in the
Copyright Act 1968 of Australia (the Act) and subsequent amendments,
no part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Educational institutions copying any part of this book
for educational purposes under the Act must be covered by a
Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) licence for educational institutions
and must have given a remuneration notice to CAL.
Licence restrictions must be adhered to. For details of the CAL licence, contact:
Copyright Agency Limited, Level 11, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW 2000.
Telephone: (02) 9394 7600. Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601. Email: memberservices@copyright.com.au
Publication data
Authors: Rex Sadler and Sandra Sadler
Title: Complete English Basics 2 Teacher Book: A Class and Homework Course
ISBN: 978 1 4202 3713 9
Publisher: Emma Cooper
Project editor: Barbara Delissen
Cover and text designer: Dim Frangoulis
Production control: Janine Biderman and Katherine Fullagar
Photo research and permissions clearance: Fiona Byrne and Vanessa Roberts
Typeset in Heuristica Regular 10.5/12pt by DiZign Pty Ltd
Cover image: Adobe Stock/Olga Khoroshunova
Printed in by
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 25 24 23 22 21 20
Warning: It is recommended that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples exercise caution
when viewing this publication as it may contain images of deceased persons.

Contents
Prefacevii
Acknowledgementsviii
1 Images and words 1
Comprehension Film poster 1
Cartoon 3
Spelling and vocabulary Behaviour 4
Language What is a clause? 6
Main clauses 6
Dependent (subordinate) clauses 6
Punctuation How well do you punctuate? 8
The craft of writing The graphic novel 8
2 Factual texts 10
Comprehension Information report 10
Autobiography 12
Spelling and vocabulary Confusing pairs 14
Language Dependent (subordinate) clauses 15
Punctuation Reviewing punctuation 17
The craft of writing Autobiography 18
3 Planet Earth 19
Comprehension Global warming 19
Spelling and vocabulary The Earth 21
Language Nouns 22
Punctuation Starting and finishing sentences 23
The craft of writing Problems of planet Earth 25
4 This sporting life 26
Comprehension The race 26
Spelling and vocabulary Sport 28
Language Proper and common nouns 30
Punctuation Punctuating fables 31
The craft of writing Becoming a better writer 32
978 1 4202 3713 9
iii

iv Contents
978 1 4202 3713 9
5 Hard times 33
Comprehension Shoes 33
Spelling and vocabulary Money matters 35
Language Collective nouns 36
Abstract nouns 37
Punctuation The full stop, question mark and exclamation mark 38
The craft of writing Poverty 39
6 Inventions40
Comprehension Credit cards 40
Shopping trolleys 41
Spelling and vocabulary Inventions and discoveries 42
Language Singular and plural nouns 43
Forming plural nouns 44
Punctuation Commas 45
The craft of writing Describing objects 46
7 War and peace 47
Comprehension The hiding place 47
Spelling and vocabulary In the line of fire 49
Language More plural nouns 50
Punctuation Statements and questions 52
The craft of writing War and peace 53
8 All about people 54
Comprehension Robyn 54
Spit Nolan 55
Spelling and vocabulary Up-front and personal 56
Language Using adjectives 58
Punctuation Apostrophes 59
The craft of writing Using details to describe people 60
9 In the wild 61
Comprehension Stingrays 61
Spelling and vocabulary Creatures in the wild 63
Language Adjectives of comparison 64
Punctuation Capital letters 66
The craft of writing The world of animals 67
10 Music, music, music 68
Comprehension ‘The nocturne in the corner phonebox’ 68
Spelling and vocabulary The sound of music 70
Language Onomatopoeia 72
Punctuation Punctuating dialogue 73
The craft of writing Using sound words 74

978 1 4202 3713 9
Contents
 
v
11 The world of books 75
Comprehension The emu 75
Banana fact file 76
Spelling and vocabulary All about books 77
Language Synonyms 78
Antonyms 79
Homonyms 79
Punctuation Using the apostrophe to abbreviate words 80
The craft of writing What’s that you’re reading? 81
12 Places82
Comprehension Beneath the sea 82
Spelling and vocabulary Describing places 84
Language Personal pronouns 85
Punctuation Direct and indirect speech 87
The craft of writing Describing a place 88
13 School days 89
Comprehension Conflict in the classroom 89
Spelling and vocabulary Education 91
Language Verbs 92
Punctuation Using the apostrophe to show ownership 94
The craft of writing School days 95
14 Disaster96
Comprehension Plane crash in the Andes 96
Spelling and vocabulary Emergency 98
Language Verbs tell time 99
Punctuation Apostrophes—avoiding confusion 101
The craft of writing Narratives 102
15 On the farm 103
Comprehension A plague of locusts 103
Spelling and vocabulary On the land 105
Language Present participles 106
Forming present participles 107
Punctuation Using commas 107
The craft of writing Plagues and epidemics 109
16 Health 110
Comprehension What it feels like to be stuck in a tornado 110
Spelling and vocabulary The human body 112
Language Past participles 113
Punctuation Abbreviations 115
The craft of writing Describing feelings 116

vi Contents
978 1 4202 3713 9
17 Abandon ship! 117
Comprehension Torpedoed 117
Spelling and vocabulary On the move 119
Language Adverbs 120
Forming adverbs 121
Punctuation Colons 122
The craft of writing The force of nature 123
18 Let’s go to the movies 124
Comprehension ‘A bundle of twists in a dragon’s tale: Eragon’ 124
Spelling and vocabulary At the movies 126
Language Idioms 127
Punctuation Paragraphs 129
The craft of writing Writing a film review 130
19 Read all about it! 131
Comprehension ‘Paraglider pilot survives horror storm ascent’ 131
Spelling and vocabulary The newspaper 133
Language Prefixes 134
Punctuation Quotation marks for speech 135
The craft of writing A news report 137
20 The great outdoors 138
Comprehension Rapids ahead! 138
Spelling and vocabulary In the wilderness 140
Language Conjunctions 141
Punctuation Question marks and exclamation marks in speech 143
The craft of writing Untamed lands 144
21 Careers145
Comprehension A day in the life of a naturalist 145
Spelling and vocabulary People at work 147
Language Suffixes 148
Punctuation Revision—punctuating sentences 149
The craft of writing What I would like to be 150
22 Numbers, shapes and sizes 151
Comprehension The great pyramids of Egypt 151
Spelling and vocabulary Counting and measuring 153
Language Numbers as adjectives 154
Numbers and prefixes 155
Punctuation Revision—punctuating sentences 156
The craft of writing How/why did it happen? 157
Back-of-the-book dictionary 158
Teachers will find extra activities, ‘Fun with words’, online.

Preface
Complete English Basics 2 sets out to present essential English skills in an interesting and
meaningful way for junior secondary students.
This third edition covers essential language and literacy skills underpinning the Australian
curriculum. It incorporates a wide range of comprehension texts, spelling and vocabulary
development, as well as language work on sentences, phrases, parts of speech, word families and
paragraphing. It is important to note that eleven creative writing and punctuation units have been
added to this new edition.
The workbook can be used as a class or homework text. One approach would be to have
students complete each unit over a two-week period.
The stimulus materials and exercises are designed to improve comprehension and vocabulary
skills, as well as language usage and spelling. A special feature is the back-of-the-book dictionary, which
encourages students to expand their vocabulary by looking up the meanings of unfamiliar words.
Correct spelling is essential for good communication. Research has shown that in those
classrooms where teachers are concerned about correct spelling and vocabulary enrichment, the
students’ spelling level improves significantly. It is a good idea, if time allows, to have a brief spelling
test at the end of each unit using the words from the spelling and vocabulary list.
The extracts are engaging and cover a diverse range of topics—from tornadoes to Egyptian
pyramids. A range of genres is represented including biography, crime, fiction and adventure.
Above all, we hope that students will enjoy their studies as they gain basic English skills.
Rex and Sandra Sadler
978 1 4202 3713 9
vii

Acknowledgements
The author and publisher are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material:
Photographs
ALAMY/A.F. ARCHIVE, 81, 124, /Archive Images, 144, /
Movie Stills, 130; Cartoonstock/Mark Lynch, 3; FAIRFAX
SYNDICATION/Dean Osland, 54; GETTY IMAGES/Archive
Photos/Stringer, 46, /Brendon Thorne, 123, /Corbis/
VCG, 28, ISTOCKPHOTO/, 26, /4x6, 40, /Aimin Tang,
47, /Alfsky, 89, /Amanda Rohde, 56, /AmmentorpDK, 4,
/-Antonio-, 157, /bjones27, 126, /blackred, 32, /btrenkel,
84, /Craig Dingle, 147, /Craig Dingle, 35, /davidf, 153,
/donald_gruener, 110, /dra_schwartz, 91, /edelmar,
103, /Fatman73, 76, /Forest Woodward, 112, /Geir-Olav
Lyngfjell, 140, /GlobalP, 14, /Ingvald kaldhussæter, 33, /
Island Effects, 82, /Jan Wolffgang, 67, /John Pitcher, 145,
/Justin Horrocks, 98, /karimhesham, 151, /kcline, 42, /
Kenneth Canning, 10, /kevinruss, 116, /kevinruss, 117, /
kirstypargeter, 77, /kmaassrock, 133, /Lise Gagne, 105, /
MR1805, 119, /Nathan Jaskowiak, 96, /oscarhdez, 102,
/Rafal Olkis, 49, /Robert Pernell, 138, /Saivann, 68, /
SandraKavas, 88, /shironosov, 18, /susan flashman,
75, /Tim Mccaig, 70, /vlad_karavaev, 39; Newspix/
James Croucher, 131; Photos.com, 60, 61, 63, 74;
SHUTTERSTOCK/Albie Venter, 21, /Alex Hinds, Design
element, /M. Shcherbyna, 25, /Shcherbinator, 137, /
Simon_g, 109, /Tifonimages, 19, /wavebreakmedia, 150,
The Kobal Collection/20th Century Fox, 1.
Other material
‘Treasure Island’ image panel adapted by Seymour Reit,
art by Ernie Colón, lettering by George Roberts and
colours by Luisa Colón from Treasure Island by Robert
Louis Stevenson. Copyright © 1995 by Bank Street College
of Education. Reproduced by permission of Bank Street
College of Education, 9; Extract from Whitaker’s World of
Facts by Russell Ash, Bloomsbury, 2005, 76; Extract from
True Spirit by Jessica Watson, Hachette, 2010, 123; Cover
and extract from Twopence to Cross the Mersey, reprinted
by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, © 1981
Helen Forrester, 12–13; Extract ‘Attacked by a swarm of
African killer bees’ from What It Feels Like, reprinted by
permission of Harper Collins Publishers Ltd © 2003 Edited
by AJ Jacobs, 109; Extract ‘What it feels like to be stuck in a
tornado’ by John Neidigh from What It Feels Like, reprinted
by permission of Harper Collins Publishers Ltd © 2003
Edited by AJ Jacobs, 110; Extract from Angela’s Ashes,
reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd,
© 1996 Frank McCourt, 33–4; Extract from The Overloaded
Ark by Gerald Durrell, Faber and Faber, 1953, 145–6;
Extract from Blueback by Tim Winton, Jenny Darling and
Associates, 82–3, 85; Extract from Lockie Leonard, Human
Torpedo by Tim Winton, Jenny Darling and Associates,
89–90; Extract from The Habit of Loving, Copyright ©
1978 by Doris Lessing, Featured by kind permission of
Jonathan Clowes Ltd., London, on behalf of The Estate of
Doris Lessing, 103–4; Extract from Macquarie Compact
Dictionary, 2014, 75; Extract from The Book Thief by
Markus Zusak reprinted by permission of Pan Macmillan
Australia Pty Ltd. Copyright © Markus Zusak 2005, 81;
Extract from Tomorrow, When the War Began by John
Marsden reprinted by permission of Pan Macmillan
Australia Pty Ltd. Copyright © JLM Pty Ltd 1993, 54;
Extract from Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin, Penguin
Books Australia, 2003, 39; Cover of Little Brother by Alan
Baillie, Puffin, 2004, Penguin Australia Pty Ltd, 53; Cover
and extract from The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier,
copyright © 1974 by Robert Cormier. Used by permission
of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin
Random House LLC. All rights reserved, 95; Extract from
Cold River by William Judson, copyright © 1974 by Cork
Tree, Inc. Used by permission of New American Library,
an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of
Penguin Random House LLC, 138; ‘Chapter three’ from
The Cay by Theodore Taylor, copyright © 1969 by Theodore
Taylor. Used by permission of Delacorte Press, an imprint
of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin
Random House LLC. All rights reserved, 117–18; Extract
from Spit Nolan by Bill Naughton reprinted by permission
of Peters Fraser & Dunlop (www.petersfraserdunlop.
com) on behalf of the Estate of Bill Naughton, 55; Extract
from Alive by Piers Paul Read, Random House, 1974,
96–7; Extract from The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier,
Random House, 1956, 47; Extract from Frozen Fire: A Tale
of Courage by James Houston, Simon Schuster, 1992, 67;
‘A bundle of twists in a dragon’s tale’ by Paul LePetit, in
The Sunday Telegraph, 17 Dec 2006, 124; E.T. film review
by Paul LePetit, in The Sunday Telegraph TV Guide, 24 Dec
2006, 130; ‘The nocturne in the corner phonebox’, by
Andrew Taylor, 68; Extract from Dougy by James Maloney,
University of Queensland Press, 1993, 26; ‘Paraglider
pilot survives horror storm ascent’ by DD McNicoll, The
Weekend Australian, 17 Feb 2007, 131–2.
The author and publisher would like to acknowledge the
following:
Extract from Little Brother by Alan Baillie, Puffin, 2004,
53; Extract from Frozen Fire: A Tale of Courage by James
Houston, Estate of James Houston, 1992, 67.
While every care has been taken to trace and acknowledge
copyright, the publisher tenders their apologies for any
accidental infringement where copyright has proved
untraceable. They would be pleased to come to a suitable
arrangement with the rightful owner in each case.
viii 978 1 4202 3713 9

Images
and words
1
Comprehension
Film poster
Look at the film poster and answer the questions that follow.
978 1 4202 3713 9
1

2 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Reading for understanding
1 What is the advertiser’s purpose in creating this poster?
The advertiser’s purpose is to persuade the reader to go and see the film.
2 In this poster, what immediately draws the audience’s attention? Why?
The audience’s attention is drawn to the scissor hands because they are so unusual.
3 How are the scissor hands positioned in relation to the two characters?
The scissor hands are in the foreground and given prominence.
4 How does the poster’s image show that the film is a love story?
The woman has her arms around Edward’s neck which suggests her tenderness and love for
him.
5 Which words in the poster indicate that the young woman is attracted to Edward?
‘Beauty is what she sees’.
6 Which words tell the audience about the character of Edward?
‘The story of an uncommonly gentle man.’
‘Innocence is what he knows.’
7 ‘… an uncommonly gentle man.’ Why do we wonder whether Edward can be gentle?
His scissor hands make it seem impossible for Edward to be gentle.
8 How does the film image suggest that Edward is the main character?
Edward’s face is directed towards the audience and he stands taller than Kim.
9 Why do you think the advertiser mentions two of the director’s previous films, Batman
and Beetlejuice ?
This suggests that the director is experienced: he has made two previous, well-known films.
10 Why do you think the title has ‘edward’ in lower case and ‘SCISSORHANDS’ in capital
letters?
The advertiser wants to draw the audience’s attention to Edward’s unusual hands.
11 What emotions are presented in the image?
The feelings of love and sadness are presented in the image.
12 What else in the image, other than his hands, suggests that Edward is an unusual
character?
Edward’s hair, clothes and make-up suggest that he is an unusual character.
12 marks

978 1 4202 3713 9
1 Images and words 3
Cartoon
Reading for understanding
1 What is the cartoonist’s purpose?
The cartoonist sets out to condemn the civilised world for the pollution of the ocean.
2 How do the survivors know that they have reached civilisation?
They know they have reached civilisation by the huge amount of rubbish floating towards
them.
3 How does the cartoonist show that the survivors have endured much hardship?
The survivors are thin and weak from a lack of food and their clothes are all tattered.
4 What emotions do the survivors experience when they see the garbage floating on the
water?
They are overjoyed and relieved to reach civilisation.
5 What has the cartoonist identified about our society’s values?
The cartoonist has identified our society’s lack of concern about the pollution of the natural
world.
5 marks

4 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Spelling and vocabulary
Behaviour
guess defiance gratitude similarity truly
perfection juvenile confiscate observant anonymous
praise resistance impostor prohibit amiable
stupidity minority completely prevention degradation
unanimous rejection noisily patriotism compulsory
respectable impulsive permit difficulties hurriedly
Finding list words
Use list words to complete these sentences.
1 minority is the opposite of majority.
2 hurriedly is the adverb formed from hurry.
3 difficulties is the plural of difficulty.
4 noisily is the opposite of quietly.
5 impulsive is the adjective formed from impulse.
6 anonymous means having no name or authorship.
7 truly is the adverb formed from true.
8 juvenile means of, or for, young people.
9 patriotism means love of one’s country.
10 defiance is the noun formed from defy.
11 observant is the adjective formed from observe.
12 unanimous means everyone is in complete agreement.
13 completely is the adverb formed from complete.
14 confiscate means to seize or take away.
15 similarity is the state of being similar.
16 praise means to express approval or admiration of.
17 compulsory is the adjective formed from compel.
18 amiable means friendly and good-natured.
19 prohibit is a verb meaning to forbid or prevent.
20 respectable means good, or worthy of respect.
20 marks

978 1 4202 3713 9
1 Images and words 5
Word skills
1 Form nouns ending in ‘-ion’ for each of the following list words.
a permit permission d confiscate confiscation
b prohibit prohibition e compulsory compulsion
c observant observation f completely completion
2 Write a list word similar in meaning to each of the following words.
a allow permit c totally completely
b sincerely truly d foolishness stupidity
3 Write a list word opposite in meaning to each of the following words.
a voluntary compulsory c slowly hurriedly
b quietly noisily d ingratitude gratitude
14 marks
Adding list words
Complete the following by using appropriate words from your list. The first letter of each word
is given to help you. Use each list word once only.
The quest for freedom
The r resistance group had made a u unanimous decision to depose
the i impostor who was trying to p prohibit them from gaining a democracy.
An a anonymous letter had been h hurriedly circulated and the people
showed their d defiance by an i impulsive attack on the parliament building.
A r respectable member of the community pleaded that the dictator should
recognise the d difficulties faced by the people and demanded that he no longer
should have the power to c confiscate their properties.
Back-of-the-book dictionary
The list word ‘permit’ is made up of two Latin words: per meaning
‘through’ and mitto, meaning ‘I send’. ‘To permit’ is ‘to send somebody
through’ or ‘to let someone pass through’. There are many words in
English that begin with the Latin prefix per-. Here are a few of them.
Using the back-of-the-book dictionary, write their meanings.
percolate: to drip through; to filter
perennial: through the years; year after year
perforate: to bore through; to make a hole in
persist: to continue doing something, often in spite of difficulty
permeable: able to be passed through
11 marks
5 marks

6 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Language
What is a clause?
A clause is a group of words expressing a complete thought. A clause contains a subject and a verb.
Clauses are often joined together to form sentences. The following sentence is made up of a
main clause and two dependent clauses.
Owls are able to catch small animals because they have strong night vision,
which enables them to see in the dark.
Dependent clause
(The first dependent clause begins with the conjunction ‘because’ and the second with the relative
pronoun ‘which’.)
Main clauses
Main clause
Dependent clause
A main clause (also called a principal clause or independent clause) contains a verb and a subject.
It usually makes sense on its own and may also form a complete sentence in itself.
A burst of lightning lit up the sea.
It very often combines with other main and dependent clauses to form sentences.
Main clause
Conjunction
Falcons are not huge birds, but they can fly very fast.
Please note: in the above sentence the two main clauses are joined by the coordinating conjunction
‘but’.
Dependent (subordinate) clauses
Main clause
A dependent clause (also known as a subordinate clause) is a group of words that has both a
subject and a verb, but it cannot stand alone as a sentence.
It is not able to function by itself. It usually begins with a conjunction or a relative pronoun,
as seen in the dependent clauses in bold below.
Dark clouds scudded across the horizon as the storm approached.
The old man, who was smiling happily, hugged his grandchild.
Identifying clauses
Identify the clauses as set out in each example.
1 When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.
from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Dependent clause: When he was nearly thirteen
Main clause: my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow

978 1 4202 3713 9
1 Images and words 7
2 Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.
from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
Main clause: Once there were four children
Dependent clause: whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy
3 He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone
eighty-four days now without taking a fish.
from The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Main clause 1: He was an old man
Dependent clause: who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream
Main clause 2: he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish
4 Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy,
Cotton-tail and Peter.
from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Main clause 1: Once upon a time there were four little rabbits
Main clause 2: their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter
5 When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his
eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and
excitement in Hobbiton.
from The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Dependent clause 1: When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced
Dependent clause 2: that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with
a party of special magnificence
Main clause: there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton
6 All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.
from Animal Farm by George Orwell
Main clause 1: All animals are equal
Main clause 2: some are more equal than others
7 The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had
long since ended.
from 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clarke
Main clause 1: The drought had lasted now for ten million years
Main clause 2: the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended
8 A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.
from A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Main clause: A woman must have money and a room of her own
Dependent clause: if she is to write fiction
18 marks

8 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Punctuation
How well do you punctuate?
Imagine where we’d be without punctuation. We’d have no sentences or paragraphs. There would
be no capital letters to tell us where to begin a sentence, no full stops to tell us where to end one,
and no commas to tell us where to pause. There would just be a never-ending block of print or
writing. Reading a book, newspaper or magazine would be intolerable.
To give you an idea of what it would be like, here is a dramatic paragraph taken from the
classic novel Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Rudolf Wyss. Your task is to rewrite the paragraph
adding capital letters, full stops and commas. The number of sentences that you need to use is
indicated in the brackets at the end.
Encounter with a boa constrictor
after the donkey ran from the beach it arrived at the lair of the snake and stopped
although the donkey realised its danger it could not move the poor animal should have
fled but it stood fascinated and uttered a low groan the boa its hungry jaws wide open
approached steadily until it was within striking distance the donkey could not move
because it was paralysed with fear it gazed at the monster that quickly wound its long
scaly body around him and then suffocated him in the horrible embrace we shuddered as
we looked at the fearful sight
(seven sentences)
from Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Rudolf Wyss
After the donkey ran from the beach, it arrived at the lair of the snake and stopped. Although
the donkey realised its danger, it could not move. The poor animal should have fled, but it
stood fascinated and uttered a low groan. The boa, its hungry jaws wide open, approached
steadily until it was within striking distance. The donkey could not move because it was
paralysed with fear. It gazed at the monster that quickly wound its long scaly body around him
and then suffocated him in the horrible embrace. We shuddered as we looked at the fearful
sight.
The craft of writing
The graphic novel
A graphic novel is a novel in a comic-strip format. It is a long story told in pictures and words. It
features:
• panels comprising words and pictures that show action and movement to develop the
story
• gutters, which are the spaces between the panels
• speech balloons that enclose the dialogue
• caption boxes containing information about a scene or character
• visual sound effects using special lettering and onomatopoeia (e.g. ‘kapow!’).
7 marks

978 1 4202 3713 9
1 Images and words 9
Creating graphic novel panels
Many famous novels have been changed into graphic novels. Here are two panels from a graphic
novel derived from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Notice how the combination of
words and images brings the story to life. Now try your hand at converting an incident or scene
from a novel, poem or story you have been reading. Four panels are provided for you to use.

2
Factual texts
Comprehension
Read the following two texts and answer the questions.
Information report
Polar bears
POLAR bears live in five countries— United
States (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland and
Norway. Some have been seen near the North
Pole but this is unusual as there is not much food
there for them.
They are the largest land carnivore. The males
grow two to three times larger than the females.
Their skin is black and their fur completely
covers their body except for their nose and the
soles of their feet. They shed their fur completely
once a year and then re-grow their coat. Although
the fur looks white or creamy yellow, each hair is
transparent and hollow. This special type of hair
transmits the sun’s heat directly to the base of
the hair where it is absorbed by the black skin.
Amazingly, polar bears are so well insulated they
tend to overheat, so they move slowly and take
regular rests. The excess heat is released through
blood vessels close to the skin.
Polar bears are strong swimmers and can
swim up to 95 kilometres without resting. They
can also swim underwater for up to two minutes
by flattening their ears against their head and
closing their nostrils.
They mainly eat seals but will also eat carcasses
of beluga whales, walruses, etc. Occasionally
they themselves will kill young walruses and
beluga whales. When food is scarce they will eat
small rodents, seabirds, eggs, berries, kelp and
even human garbage. They do not drink water
because they get all the fluid they need from
their food. Hungry polar bears that come into
towns and camping sites looking for food are very
dangerous and, if they attack, a human has little
chance of surviving. Bears that attack humans are
most often young adults and mothers with cubs.
Most females give birth to two cubs once
every three years. They enter a den where they
sleep deeply. Their heart rate slows and their
temperature drops slightly. This sleep is different
to hibernation and the bears can be roused
quickly if necessary. They give birth while in this
deep sleep and remain in the den with the cubs
until the outside temperature rises and the young
cubs are able to travel.
In 1968 the polar bear population was reported
to be 10 000 but because government regulations
now limit hunting, the population is now
estimated to be between 21 000 and 28 000. Even
so, polar bears are classified as ‘threatened’.
Polar bears hunt from large platforms of ice
called pack ice. Global warming is causing the
ice to melt and the bears are forced to hunt
from these platforms for shorter periods of
time. This means that many are starving or
are undernourished. Older, weaker bears in
particular are prone to starvation.
10 978 1 4202 3713 9

978 1 4202 3713 9
2 Factual texts 11
Reading for understanding
Choose the correct answer for each of the following.
1 Polar bears live mainly
a at the North Pole.
b in five different countries.
c in dens.
b in five different countries.
2 The bears’ diet
a can be quite varied.
b never includes plant matter.
c would never include human’s food.
a can be quite varied.
3 The male bears
a are a similar size to the females.
b are the largest land carnivores.
c cannot swim underwater.
b are the largest land carnivores.
4 Polar bears
a have pure white fur.
b are poorly insulated.
c have black skin.
c have black skin.
5 Female bears usually
a give birth to a single cub.
b take the cubs out of the den soon after their birth.
c give birth to cubs once every three years.
c give birth to cubs once every three years.
6 Since 1968 the polar bear population
a has increased.
b has decreased.
c has remained stable.
a has increased.
7 Polar bears
a are likely to increase in numbers.
b are completely protected from hunters.
c are a threatened species.
c are a threatened species.

12 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
8 Global warming
a has had little effect on polar bears.
b shortens the length of time bears can hunt.
c has meant that fewer cubs survive.
b shortens the length of time bears can hunt.
9 A female polar bear
a gives birth to cubs while in a deep sleep.
b hunts for food during the winter months.
c hibernates during the coldest months.
a gives birth to cubs while in a deep sleep.
10 Polar bears
a react well to humans.
b prefer human’s food to seals.
c are willing to kill humans if disturbed.
c are willing to kill humans if disturbed.
10 marks
Autobiography
A young teacher asked me, as I stood uncertainly
in the hall, what courses I wanted to take.
I was aghast. I had no idea what courses to
take. All I wanted was to continue my education
from where I had left off nearly three years
earlier.
‘I’m not sure,’ I managed to mutter. ‘I know I
need to learn arithmetic.’
She pointed to an open doorway farther down
the hall.
‘Try bookkeeping,’ she said kindly, as she
turned to attend to another lost youngster.
I did not know what bookkeeping was, but
I was so scared of the shifting, staring young
people crowding round me, some of whom
sniggered when they looked at me, that I bolted
down the corridor and turned thankfully into a
classroom holding about a dozen boys and girls
and a young lady teacher.
The classroom, with its walls of frosted glass
and varnished wood, had enough desks, made
to accommodate two pupils each, to swallow
about fifty children; four electric lights hanging
from the ceiling failed to illuminate it adequately;
the bare wooden floor was grey from years of
tramping boots. Facing the pupils’ desks was
a high, single desk for the teacher and near it
stood a blackboard
on an easel. The air
smelled of chalk
dust and damp
woollens. A dingy,
uninspiring room it
was, but it was made
more lively by the
buzz of conversation
among the pupils.
As I came through
the door, the teacher
looked up, and a pall
of silence fell upon
the gathering. The
mouths of the neatly
clad, well-scrubbed
young people fell
open. Then a well-curled blonde began to giggle.
She hastily stuffed her handkerchief into her
mouth, while a derisive grin spread through the
class.
The dim electric lights became blurred, as
tears of realization welled up. I must have been
a horrible sight, with hair draggling round my
shoulders, its greasiness combed through with
my fingers; septic acne sores all over my face;

978 1 4202 3713 9
2 Factual texts 13
hands with dirty, broken nails, sticking out
from an ancient cardigan with huge holes in its
elbows, no blouse, and a gym slip shiny with
accumulated grime. Red blotches of bug bites
were clearly visible on my naked legs and thighs,
our new house being equally as verminous as our
old one, and my toes stuck out of the holes in the
laceless gym shoes on my feet.
I fought back my tears. I was made of better
stuff than the children before me.
from Twopence to Cross the Mersey by Helen Forrester
Reading for understanding
1 Why was the narrator attending night school?
She was attending night school to continue her education, to take up from where she left off
nearly three years earlier.
2 Why did the young teacher tell the narrator to try bookkeeping?
The young teacher associated the learning of arithmetic with the study of bookkeeping.
3 ‘I bolted down the corridor …’ What caused the narrator to do this?
The narrator was afraid of the crowd of young people staring and sniggering at her.
4 What are the smells in the classroom the narrator is conscious of?
She was conscious of the smell of chalk dust and damp woollens.
5 How did the class initially react as the narrator came through the door?
The class fell silent.
6 What comments does the narrator make about the appearance of the other young
people in the room?
The young people in the room were neatly clad and well scrubbed.
7 ‘I must have been a horrible sight …’ What was ‘horrible’ about her face?
She had septic sores all over her face.
8 What was wrong with the narrator’s gym shoes?
Her gym shoes had holes in the toes and no laces.
9 What does the final short paragraph reveal about the narrator’s character?
She was courageous and determined. Despite her poverty, she had faith in herself.
10 Using the back-of-the-book dictionary, write the meanings to the following words.
a aghast: shocked and frightened
b dingy: having a dull, dirty colour and looking shabby
c pall: a covering of gloom; a cloth for spreading over a coffin
d derisive: mocking or making fun of someone
13 marks

14 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Spelling and vocabulary
Confusing pairs
soar counsellor principal pause lessen
sore councillor principle paws lesson
faint barren role colonel deceased
feint baron roll kernel diseased
medal profit loan mail current
meddle prophet lone male currant
Who am I?
Write a list word for each of the following clues.
1 I can prophesy the future. prophet
2 I am in charge of a school. principal
3 I am the opposite to female. male
4 I am a senior officer in the army. colonel
5 I am a nobleman. baron
6 I am a member of a council. councillor
7 I am an adviser; in particular, a psychologist. counsellor
7 marks
What am I?
Write a list word for each of the following clues.
1 I am the feet of an animal with nails or claws. paws
2 I am given as an award for bravery or as a prize. medal
3 I am sent by post. mail
4 I am a small, dried, seedless grape. currant
5 I am the part or character an actor plays. role
6 I am money given, usually to be repaid with interest. loan
7 I am the edible inner part of a nut. kernel
8 I am a short rest or stop when speaking, etc. pause
9 I am an injured, inflamed or infected part of the skin. sore
10 I am the time when students are taught a subject. lesson
10 marks

978 1 4202 3713 9
2 Factual texts 15
Back-of-the-book dictionary
The word ‘current’ is a flow of air, water or electricity. It is derived from
the Latin word curro, which means ‘I run’. Here are some of the words
derived from curro. Use the back-of-the-book dictionary to write their
meanings in the spaces below.
recurrent: happening again or at intervals
concur: to agree; to occur at the same time
excursion: a short journey or trip usually taken for a special reason
incur: to bring upon yourself
succour: help or support
currency: the money used in a country
incursion: an invasion or raid
7 marks
Language
Dependent (subordinate) clauses
There are three kinds of dependent (subordinate) clauses—adjectival, adverbial and noun.
Dependent clauses cannot stand alone. They are used with a main clause.
Adjectival clauses do the work of adjectives. They describe nouns. They begin with the
relative pronouns who, whose, whom, which or that.
Adjectival clause
Polar bears, which are strong swimmers, can swim 95 kilometres without resting.
The students laughed at the newcomer whose clothes were in tatters.
Adverbial clauses tell how, where, when and why. They begin with conjunctions such as when,
while, since, after, until, before, although, though, unless, because, then, as, whether, if, than.
Polar bears do not drink water, because they get all the fluid they need from their food.
Adverbial clause of time
When the new student came through the door, the teacher looked up.
Noun clauses do the work of nouns. They often begin with a word such as that.
Noun clause
Adjectival clause
It is a scientific fact that polar bears are the largest land carnivore.
Noun clause
The new student realised that she was a horrible sight.
Adverbial clause giving the reason

16 Complete English Basics 2
978 1 4202 3713 9
Identifying clauses
Identify the clauses in each sentence, as indicated.
1 If a hungry polar bear attacks, a human has little chance of surviving.
Adverbial clause: If a hungry polar bear attacks
Main clause: a human has little chance of surviving
2 The Ancient Egyptians and Greeks thought that giraffes were a mixture of camel and leopard.
Main clause: The Ancient Egyptians and Greeks thought
Noun clause: that giraffes were a mixture of camel and leopard
3 Female polar bears give birth while they are in a deep sleep.
Main clause: Female polar bears give birth
Adverbial clause: while they are in a deep sleep
4 There are not many bears that inhabit the North Pole, because food is in short supply there.
Principal clause: There are not many bears
Adjectival clause: that inhabit the North Pole
Adverbial clause: because food is in short supply there
5 When they are kept in captivity, African elephants prefer to eat hay, grain and vegetables.
Adverbial clause: When they are kept in captivity
Main clause: African elephants prefer to eat hay, grain and vegetables
6 Although seals are mammals that live mostly underwater, they need to come up to the
surface to breathe air.
Adverbial clause: Although seals are mammals
Adjectival clause: that live mostly underwater
Main clause: they need to come to the surface to breathe air
7 It is hard to believe that the first email was sent in 1972.
Main clause: It is hard to believe
Noun clause: that the first email was sent in 1972
8 The Sumerians were the people who invented the wheel in about 3500 BC.
Main clause: The Sumerians were the people
Adjectival clause: who invented the wheel in about 3500 BC
9 Although jaguars spend most of their time on the ground, they are able to climb trees
because their sharp claws allow them to grab hold of trunks.
Adverbial clause: Although jaguars spend most of their time on the ground
Main clause: they are able to climb trees
Adverbial clause: because their sharp claws allow them to grab hold of trunks
10 Research has shown that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old.
Main clause: Research has shown
Noun clause: that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old
23 marks

978 1 4202 3713 9
2 Factual texts 17
Punctuation
Reviewing punctuation
Punctuation marks work together to make the meaning of a sentence clearer for the reader. In
its simplest form, a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark
or exclamation mark. After you have read through the review of the major punctuation marks,
complete the exercise that follows.
• A capital letter begins sentences and names.
Albert Einstein was a famous mathematician.
• A full stop (.) is used at the end of a sentence or abbreviation.
School will finish at 2 p.m. today.
• A comma (,) is used to indicate a pause or to separate items in a list.
When the bell rang, the students put their books away.
Emus, kookaburras, platypuses and kangaroos are Australian native animals.
• A question mark (?) is used after a direct question has been asked.
Are you going to the movies on Saturday?
When is she leaving?
• An exclamation mark (!) is used to end a sentence that expresses a strong feeling.
Oh! What a beautiful morning! Fire! Look out!
• An apostrophe (’) shows ownership or indicates the omission of a letter or letters from a
word.
The emperor’s palace was destroyed by the barbarians’ battering ram.
He can’t pay his fine.
Punctuating sentences
She isn’t at school today.
Rewrite each of the following sentences, inserting all the necessary punctuation.
1 the polar bear is the biggest land hunter in the arctic
The polar bear is the biggest land hunter in the Arctic.
2 polar bears eat ringed seals walruses reindeer and musk oxen
Polar bears eat ringed seals, walruses, reindeer and musk oxen.
3 the fire in the department store destroyed childrens toys mens shirts and womens fashion
The fire in the department store destroyed children’s toys, men’s shirts and women’s
fashion.
4 pres obama was the first african american to lead the united states.
Pres. Obama was the first African American to lead the United States.
5 its important to know whos coming to the party and when theyre arriving
It’s important to know who’s coming to the party and when they’re arriving.
6 leonardo da vincis famous painting of mona lisa hangs in the louvre in paris
Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre in Paris.
6 marks