TASK SHEET:
A vivid imagination
A
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1. Work with a partner and decide what these sentences mean:
a) ‘Do you like Sally?’ ‘She’s OK, but she’s too self-possessed for my taste.’
b) He didn’t seem to want to talk, so they sat there in silent communion.
c) ‘Did you go birdwatching yesterday?’ ‘Yes, but there wasn’t much to see – just a few snipe in the
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
marshes, as usual.’
Oh, it was terrible! He was crossing the dry river bed, when he was engulfed by a sudden flood.
It’s such a treacherous river!
She tried to sing it, but her voice faltered on the highest notes.
Once he understood Paul’s problem, he talked to him with sympathetic comprehension.
When our reinforcements arrived, the enemy made a headlong retreat from the battlefield.
If you walk in the Indian countryside, you must be careful of the packs of pariah dogs – they
can have rabies.
2. Read the first part of the short story ‘The Open Window’ by Saki (H. H. Munro).
3. Say if these statements are true or false; correct any that are false.
a) This scene takes place in a house in the country.
b) Framton and Vera are waiting for Framton’s sister.
c) Vera tells Framton about her aunt’s tragedy while they wait.
d) Framton is there for a health cure.
e) Mrs Sappleton comes in through the open window from the garden.
f) Vera says Mrs Sappleton’s husband killed her brother in a shooting accident.
g) Mrs Sappleton is very interested in Framton’s medical problems.
h) Vera says that today is Mrs Sappleton’s third wedding anniversary.
Check your answers with a partner.
4. Explain to your partner in brief what Vera says about
a) What happened to Mrs Sappleton’s family.
b) Why the window is open.
5. Mrs Sappleton comes in and starts talking. To Framton, it was all purely horrible. Why?
6. Read the last sentence of the first part again. Why do you think Mrs Sappleton suddenly changes?
What do you think will happen next? Tell a partner.
7. Read the second part of the story. How did your prediction compare with what actually happened?
8. What did Framton do? Why?
9. How was Vera’s reaction to Framton’s disappearance similar to what she did on Framton’s arrival?
How does the final sentence reflect this?
10. Get into groups of seven (Vera, Framton, Mrs Sappleton, Mr Sappleton, the two brothers, and a
narrator). Set up a space like the room in the story. The narrator reads the story, and the characters
say what is in speech marks, and move appropriately.
11. How would you describe this story? What genre is it?
12. Write a summary of the story in 50 words.
http://education.hill.continuumbooks.com © David A. Hill (2010)
Resources for Teaching English 14–16. London: Continuum.