1 Have you ever had
an adventure?
2 Can you name a
famous adventurer?
3 What is your
favourite adventure
novel or film?
4 What makes a good
adventure story?
Adventure is at the
centre of some of our
most popular and
exciting stories. How
do the creators of
adventure stories and
films capture the
drama and action of
the hero’s journey?
How do we find out
about real-life
adventures and
adventurers?
In this unit
• Adventure in
narrative texts
• Adventure in
biography
• Adventure in news
reports
• Adventure in travel
advertisements
• Adventure in films
Onward to glory
adventure noun
1. a hazardous, daring or
exciting experience: The
week spent exploring the
Amazon rainforest was an
unforgettable adventure.
Word history: Middle
English from Latin adventura,
a thing about to happen.
Word family: adventurous,
adventuring, adventurer,
venture.
Familiar sayings: Life’s an
adventure.
Nothing ventured, nothing
gained.
1
Wordplay
The first sentence
establishes first person
narrative: the story will
be told from the
protagonist’s point of
view.
The combination of
pistols and waiting
creates suspense
— something is going to
happen.
2 english alive 2
W
hen someone tells you they’ve ‘had an adventure’,
you can be pretty certain they have had a time filled with
excitement, challenges and new experiences. In novels, news
stories and films, there’s nothing like a good adventure story in
which the hero goes on a quest to fantastic places, faces
unexpected danger, takes risks, and displays exceptional bravery
and determination. In the world of adventure, good and evil
frequently do battle, and boundaries are broken. That’s why we
are captivated by adventure stories: because they take us to
exhilarating places and times, show us the deeds of exceptional
people, and reveal to us what human beings can achieve.
Reading and writing adventure
in narrative
Adventures rarely go to plan. The heroes, or protagonists, often find themselves
faced with do-or-die challenges in situations they had not anticipated — and
therein lies the excitement.
The novel Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a classic adventure story full
of action, lies, deceit, murder and betrayal. It is narrated by young David Balfour,
whose parents have recently died. He travels to the estate where his father once
lived, and is greeted there by an old man, Ebenezer, who is in fact his uncle. When
his plan to kill David fails, Ebenezer has David kidnapped and taken away on
board the ship Covenant.
As you read the following extract from Kidnapped, the margin notes will
explain how the writer creates a sense of adventure and of the narrator’s fear
and courage.
I
felt I was lost. With all my strength, I plucked myself clear
. . . and ran to the bulwarks. Sure enough, there was the
boat pulling for the town, with my uncle sitting in the stern.
I gave a piercing cry — ‘Help, help! Murder!’ — so that both
sides of the anchorage rang with it, and my uncle turned
round where he was sitting, and showed me a face full of
cruelty and terror.
Later, David is forced into a fierce fight for his life on
board the ship, but is helped by his companion, Alan:
By this, my pistols were ready, and there was nothing to do
but listen and wait . . . The thought of the sharp swords and
the cold steel was strong in me; and presently, when I began to
Powerful verbs and
adjectives convey
energy and drama:
characteristic of the
adventure genre.
Description lets the
reader ‘see’ what the
hero is facing.
More images of
weapons create a sense
of an impending battle
in which the adventure
hero will be tested.
A striking image creates
the action that we witness
through the hero’s eyes.
A cutlass was a short,
curved sword used by
sailors.
The hero, although
terribly fearful, is still able
to fight for his life.
Attacking with a dagger
The hero faces
overwhelming odds.
hear stealthy steps and a brushing of men’s clothes against the
round-house wall, and knew they were taking their places in
the dark, I could have found it in my mind to cry out aloud.
All this was upon Alan’s side; and I had begun to think my
share of the fight was at an end, when I heard someone drop
softly on the roof above me.
Then there came a single call on the sea-pipe, and that was the
signal. A knot of them made one rush of it, cutlass in hand,
against the door; and at the same moment, the glass of the skylight
was dashed in a thousand pieces, and a man leaped through and
landed on the floor. Before he got his feet, I had clapped a pistol
to his back, and might have shot him, too; only at the touch of
him (and him alive) my whole flesh misgave me, and I could no
more pull the trigger than I could have flown.
He had dropped his cutlass as he jumped, and when he felt the
pistol, whipped straight round and laid hold of me, roaring out
an oath; and at that either my courage came again, or I grew so
much afraid as came to the same thing; for I gave a shriek and
shot him in the midst of the body. He gave the most horrible, ugly
groan and fell to the floor. The foot of a second fellow, whose
legs were dangling through the skylight, struck me at the same
time upon the head; and at that I snatched another pistol and
shot this one through the thigh, so that he slipped through and
tumbled in a lump on his companion’s body. There was no talk
of missing, any more than there was time to aim; I clapped the
muzzle to the very place and fired.
I might have stood and stared at them for long, but I heard
Alan shout as if for help, and that brought me to my senses.
He had kept the door so long; but one of the seamen, while
he was engaged with others, had run in under his guard and
caught him about the body. Alan was dirking him with his left
hand, but the fellow clung like a leech. Another had broken in
and had his cutlass raised. The door was thronged with their
faces. I thought we were lost, and catching up my cutlass, fell
on them in flank.
But I had not time to be of help. The wrestler dropped
at last; and Alan, leaping back to get his distance, ran upon
the others like a bull, roaring as he went. They broke before
him like water, turning, and running, and
falling one against another in their
haste. The sword in his hands flashed
like quicksilver into the huddle of our
fleeing enemies; and at every flash
there came the scream of a man
hurt. I was still thinking we were
lost, when lo! they were all gone,
and Alan was driving them
along the deck as a sheepdog chases sheep.
Lets the reader ‘hear’,
and creates further
suspense.
Powerful verbs
continue the non-stop,
do-or-die action
Striking image creates
a picture in the
reader’s mind of a
chaotic scene.
Powerful verbs
Use of similes
enhances description
of the hero in conflict
with his adversaries
or antagonists.
The hero triumphs.
This simile enhances
description of the
heroes’ victory.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 3
READING NARRATIVE TEXTS
Adventure narrative
texts often contain:
• an unusual or exotic
setting
• an atmosphere of
danger and suspense
• a heroic main character
• a battle between good
and evil
• events or circumstances
that threaten death for
the hero.
Understanding and knowing
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the first sign for David that the men are preparing to attack?
How many men does David definitely kill?
When and why did Alan roar like a bull?
List three sounds the reader ‘hears’ in the passage.
Making meaning
5. Select four of the extract’s powerful verbs that create a feeling of action.
6. How might the setting for this fight make it even more difficult for David to
survive?
7. What cues in the extract told you that this was set in a time period other than
the present?
8. What did you need to know — for example about old types of weapons — to
understand this extract?
9. Predict what might happen next in the story.
Analysing and reflecting
10. Why, at one point, did David believe his share of the fight was at an end?
11. Why do you think two men, David and Alan, were able to defeat the many
men who outnumbered them?
12. Why would David be unsure whether it was courage or fear that made him
shoot?
13. What views does this text present about violence and when it might be
justified? Do you agree with the writer?
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
Verbs
Verbs are words that
convey actions. They tell
us what something or
someone does or is doing
or thinking. Every formal
sentence must contain a
verb. Verbs have tense;
that is, they change
according to the time of
the action they are
expressing. There are
three basic tenses:
• present, as in David
aims his pistol.
• past, as in David aimed
his pistol.
• future, as in David will
aim his pistol.
Where more than one
word makes up the verb
(for example will grab),
these verbs are called
compound verbs.
4 english alive 2
14. Draw and label a picture of the place, as you
imagine it, where the fight took place.
15. If you were planning a short, first person
narrative of a fight in a confined place like
those in the two photographs shown here,
and you wanted the reader to ‘see’ and
‘hear’ the action, what similes and strong
verbs might you use?
16. Rewrite the scene from the point of view of one of David’s attackers.
How has it changed?
on
OM
CDthe R
CDthe R
OM
on
Verbs
Participles
• Participles are verb
forms.
• The present participle
ends in -ing: talking,
building, shining.
• The past participle
generally ends in -ed
but can also end in -t,
-n, or -en: talked, built,
blown, bitten.
Adjectives
Adjectives
Adjectives are words that
tell us more about a noun
or pronoun. They usually
sit before the word they
describe, but can also
appear later in the
sentence. Sometimes,
more than one adjective
will be used. Here are
some examples. (In each
case, the adjective is
underlined. Nouns are
highlighted in blue,
pronouns in red.)
CDthe R
OM
on
frosty morning
The morning is frosty.
She was ecstatic.
They were terrified.
Adverbs
Adverbs
Adverbs are words that tell
us more about a verb,
adjective or another
adverb. Adverbs describe
how (quickly, gracefully),
where (everywhere, there),
when (immediately,
occasionally), and to what
extent (hardly, extremely).
Many adverbs end
in –ly.
Bringing adventure to life with powerful and
descriptive words
Adventure stories take the hero (and the reader) to all sorts of incredible
places, times and possibilities. Part of the adventure writer’s challenge is to
make the hero and his/her deeds gripping and believable. Powerful verbs,
adverbs and adjectives can be used to paint a descriptive picture that
involves the reader in the story.
The following extract is from Merewenna, a novel by Dan Ashlin. It is set in
medieval England where the female protagonist, Merewenna, has been
masquerading as a squire to the local lord. This scene represents the climax
in which Merewenna must fight for her life against a more skilled male
opponent. Selected verbs, including participles, are highlighted in blue,
adjectives in orange and selected adverbs in pink.
M
erewenna parried another stroke, but this time instead of merely stepping
back, she pushed Simon’s sword sideways, turning the defensive move
into an attack of her own. Shocked at the sudden renewed vigour of his enemy,
Simon stepped back, and the surprise gave her the impetus she needed. Merewenna swung again, a short draw-back and thrust, banking all on a single stroke.
Had she been in full vigour, it might have proved decisive, but she was too tired
to follow through, and Simon was able to scurry backwards and narrowly avoid
the thrust . . .
Simon rushed at her again, swinging his sword wildly. Again and again,
Merewenna blocked. Her eyes darted back and forth, desperately looking for
an opening . . .
The swords clashed, again and again, the sparks now like tiny exploding suns
burning into Merewenna’s mind. But surely, the thrusts were not as strong as
they had been. Merewenna’s sword-arm felt like to fall off.
But Simon’s strokes too were weakening. Unlike herself, carefully conserving
energy, watching for weaknesses, Simon was rushing forward, a madman,
wasting most of his strength.
And then, the end came. He rushed at her, swinging a huge hay-maker of a
blow, with all of his weight behind it, so that Merewenna’s sword was knocked
sideways.
1. Rewrite the extract without the highlighted adjectives and adverbs. How
has it changed?
2. What sounds can you ‘hear’ in the fight? What movements can you ‘see’?
Over to you
3. The fight between Merewenna and Simon continues. Fill in the missing
words with verbs, adjectives and adverbs that create action.
S
he held on to her weapon, but only just, and in the struggle fell backwards,
her feet
from under her. With a roar of triumph, Simon
forward, lifting the sword, bringing it down in a blur of
steel.
>
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 5
>
And, her eyes shut, Merewenna
her sword back in front of her,
point forward. Holding tight,
herself against the shock, and coughing
as Simon’s weight landed upon her.
A
jolt went through her arm, and then the resistance lessened as he
himself
upon the blade.
4. On May 20, 1932, the American pilot Amelia Earhart flew across the
Atlantic Ocean in a Lockheed Vega. She broke several records on this
flight: she was the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo and the only person
to fly it twice; it was the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman;
and she broke the record for crossing in the shortest time.
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how
adventure stories
engage readers through
action
understand the role of
the hero in an
adventure story.
6 english alive 2
On June 1, 1937 Amelia and her navigator, Fred Noonan, departed
Miami, Florida. They were bound for California but planned to fly east,
around the world (rather than west, across the United States), to get there.
Near New Guinea, she made the following radio call: ‘KHAQQ calling
Itasca. We must be on you but cannot see you . . . gas is running low . . .’
Not long after, her plane disappeared, never to be found.
Write what happened in the next minute. Use powerful verbs and
adjectives to describe how Amelia fights heroically to save herself and her
navigator. Your first sentence might be: I replaced the radio handset and
looked out the window, down at the churning sea below.
Reading and writing adventure
biographies
The real-life deeds of explorers and adventurers make for gripping biographies in
which their courageous achievements are recounted. In the extract below, from
This Accursed Land by Lennard Bickel, the courage of the Australian polar explorer
Douglas Mawson is revealed. Mawson and two other men ventured to the South
Pole in 1911, undertaking exploration in the most inhospitable environment on
Earth: Antarctica. From Mawson’s diaries, Bickel is able to vividly recreate the terrible setting and its effects on the real-life hero of the story.
T
Adjectives are used to
create an image of a
strange, inhospitable
place.
This description uses an
experience with which
the reader is familiar and
can compare to Mawson’s
struggle.
Close attention to detail
in the description creates
suspense and conveys
danger.
he snowflakes that morning were huge — six-pointed
frozen stars which mingled with the blown drift. They
had stopped for Mertz to find the next half-mile of passable
terrain, and Mawson stood by his dog team, waiting, with his
hand on the main towrope between the dogs and the two
joined sledges. All at once, in that eerie light of floating snow,
he was aware of a strange sensation. His feet were not moving,
he was making no effort, yet his body was gliding forward.
Then he realised. He was not going forward; the only objects
he could see and associate were his dogs and the joined
sledges, and they were moving backward. As he stood there,
waiting for the call from Mertz, the rear sledge, silently,
stealthily, had sunk into the snow bridge of a crevasse. Its
gliding weight was dragging the front sledge backwards, was
dragging the dogs backward — to disaster. He yelled the call
for help with all the power of his lungs as he leaned his whole
weight in a frightening tug-of-war with the dangling rear
sledge. Gradually, he lost ground; inch by inch his heels were
sliding through the snow. Then thankfully, Ninnis was there,
hammering an ice-axe into the surface, and Mertz was bending
a rope around it to take the weight from his straining back.
Provides a visual image to
immediately establish an
important aspect of the
polar setting.
The writer describes the
moment as Mawson
would have experienced
it, allowing the reader to
‘see’ and ‘feel’ Mawson’s
loss of control over his
body.
Alliteration gives
greater impact to the
description of the odds
against which the
adventurer must pit
himself.
The harshness of this setting had terrible effects on Mawson. In the passage below,
Bickel describes horrific injuries that Mawson suffered on his journey.
Vivid adjectives add
power to the description.
The reader can ‘feel’ and
‘hear’ this sensation.
Use of alliteration and a
simile enhances the
difficulty of the situation.
T
he new pressure and the pounding on his knees wiped
away the new pain for a while and masked his mind
against the awkward, lumpy, squelching feeling in his feet,
as though he was treading in treacle; there was also a deeprooted ache in his ankles. . . . He sat on the edge of the sledge
and took off his finnesko and the two pairs of socks.
The sight of his feet was a hammerblow to the heart. The
lumpy, awkward feeling came from underneath — where
both his soles had separated into casts of dead skin. The
thick pads of the feet had come away leaving abraded, raw
tissue. His soles and heels were stripped; an abundant watery
fluid filled his socks, and it was that which had caused the
squelching feeling. A wave of despair rode over him.
Norwegian word for
reindeer fur boots
A metaphor adds
impact to the description.
The reader can empathise
with the hero’s plight.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 7
READING BIOGRAPHIES
Understanding and knowing
Adventure biography:
• belongs to the nonfiction genre and is
based on primary
sources such as diaries,
journals, letters,
interviews
• has the dual purpose
of informing and
entertaining
• recreates the heroic
deeds of real people in
real places
• may use the vivid
language of similes,
metaphors, alliteration,
powerful verbs and
adjectives to describe
the hero’s battle.
1. In your own words, explain what happened to Mawson in the first passage.
2. What made travelling and surviving so difficult in this environment?
3. Find any words in the extracts that you are not sure of and list them under
one of these two headings: Unsure of Pronunciation, Unsure of Meaning. Use
a dictionary to help you define or respell (as a pronunciation guide) each
word in your list. Try to use some of these words in your next piece of writing.
Making meaning
4. Bickel’s book was written in 1978, more than 60 years after Mawson’s journey.
Why do you think people would want to read this story so long after it took
place?
5. Select six verbs and adjectives that you think help Bickel recreate the
harshness of the Antarctic environment.
6. Why do you think the title of the book is This Accursed Land? After reading
the extracts, do you think this is an appropriate title?
Analysing and reflecting
7. What do you think are the human qualities needed to survive such an
experience as Mawson’s?
8. Why do you think people undertake expeditions such as this?
9. Mawson pitted himself against the forces of nature. In contrast, David Balfour,
in the extract from Kidnapped on pages 2 and 3, battles against a human
opponent. Who do you feel more admiration for? Explain.
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
10. Imagine you undertook an adventure such as Mawson’s. What do you think
would be your strengths and weaknesses? Write a diary entry in which you
describe how you are coping with the danger and hardship.
11. Draw and label a picture of the place where Mawson almost went into the
crevasse.
12. Imagine someone lost alone in the Australian desert. Write a short passage
describing their struggle against this harsh environment. Remember to use
vivid language such as powerful verbs, adjectives, similes, metaphors and
alliteration.
8 english alive 2
Changing point of view: from first to third person
Lennard Bickel’s This Accursed Land is a third person account of Mawson’s
exploration in Antarctica. Mawson’s diary, on the other hand, is a first person
account of his expedition. Bickel described the diary as a tightly controlled
narrative which precluded [did not allow] heroics.
These features of Mawson’s diary are worth noting:
• It is written in the first person and in the present tense.
• It is written in an abbreviated form and in the more formal English of the
early twentieth century.
• It is written with little detail or explanation.
The following is an extract from Mawson’s diary.
T
he surface was slippery and we both had frequent falls bruising our emaciated bodies. Quite dizzy from the long stay in our [sleeping] bags, I felt
weak from the lack of food. But — to my surprise Xavier [Mertz] soon caved
in. He went only two miles with many long halts, and then he refused to go any
further . . .
1. How would you change the words highlighted in the extract above so
that it is narrated in the third person? (You may need to consider using
proper names as well as pronouns.)
Over to you
2. Imagine you are Mawson’s biographer and your task is to convert the
diary extracts below into a third person recount in the past tense.
J
7: At 8 pm he (Mertz) raves &
breaks a tent pole. Continues to rave &
call ‘Oh Veh, Oh Veh’ (‘Oh dear!’) for hours.
I hold him down, then he becomes more
peaceful & I put him quietly in the bag.
He dies peacefully on the
morning of the 8th. Death
due to exposure finally
bringing on a fever, result of
weather exposure & want of food.
He had lost all skin of legs
and private parts. I am in
same condition & sores
on finger won’t heal.
ANUARY
2
Explorer Y chart
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how
adventure biographers
recreate stories from
first-hand accounts
write in the third
person.
J
11: Frost-bitten
fingertips festering,
mucous membrane of nose gone,
saliva glands of mouth refusing duty, skin coming
off whole body. The sun bath today will set
much right however.
ANUARY
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 9
Reading and writing adventure in
news reports
Adventures are not a thing of the past. People today still take on great challenges
at sea, in the sky and in space. Reports of their exploits make gripping news
stories. We can still be amazed at the courage and determination of people who
travel around the world alone, whether it is at sea on a yacht or in the air in a hot
air balloon.
News stories about such adventures are often called ‘good news’ or ‘human
interest’ stories. Like all news reports, they focus on giving readers the latest information about what, when, where, who, how and why.
Headline to
summarise or
quickly convey
topic
The first sentence
provides key
information on
what the
adventurer has
achieved.
The second
sentence
provides detail
expanding on the
first sentence:
who is she?
The third
sentence explains
when and where
the adventurer
finished her
journey.
Direct quotes
from the
adventurer give
the reader insight
into how she feels
about her
achievement.
10 english alive 2
British woman
sails the world in
record time
A British woman has broken the
record for a solo, round-theworld sailing voyage.
Ellen MacArthur, in her boat
BandQ, completed her voyage in
71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes
and 33 seconds, beating the previous record of Francis Joyon by
more than a day.
On her arrival in the French
harbour of Les Sables D’Olonne
at 10.29 pm on Monday 7 February 2005, she was greeted by
35 000 people.
‘I feel exhausted but I’m elated
to be here. It has been an unbelievable journey,’ she said.
‘The whole voyage has been
very draining,’ MacArthur said.
‘But it’s great that I can finally
switch my brain off and relax in
the company of others, which
I’ve really missed.’
The 28-year-old said that she
had always believed she could
break the record, but didn’t
think she would manage it on
her first attempt.
‘The whole South Atlantic was
terrible and it has just been one
big draining event from there
onwards,’ she said.
‘When I crossed the line I felt
like collapsing on the floor and
just falling asleep. I was absolutely over the moon.’
Mark Turner, MacArthur’s project director, said: ‘She’s done an
awesome job — it was right
down to the line . . . I’m glad we
did it the first time. I’m not sure
we could deal with doing it a
second time.’
MacArthur maintains that she
had always fully appreciated the
difficulty of what she was setting
out to do. The previous recordholder, Francis Joyon, had broken
the old mark by 20 days, and it
was felt his achievement would
not be bettered for many years.
Covering more than 41 000 kilometres of ocean, MacArthur beat
the record in a 22-metre trimaran
— a smaller and lighter boat than
that used by Francis Joyon.
On her voyage MacArthur had
to battle huge seas, icebergs and
gale force winds that could easily
have capsized her boat.
Organised in
columns
Direct quotes
from an observer
her project
director, give a
different
perspective on
MacArthur’s
achievement.
A signal to the
reader that the
article may be
about to explore
some of the
challenges
MacArthur faced
and overcame
Some of the
hazards of the
setting in which
MacArthur’s
adventure took
place
More hazards are
detailed
Other dangers were common.
She almost collided with a
whale, suffered burns to her arm
trying to prevent leaking fumes,
and was badly bruised after
climbing the mast to carry out
repairs on the mainsail.
Possibly her biggest hurdle was
sheer exhaustion. On average she
slept no more than four hours a
day, often for only 30 minutes at
a time.
This is not MacArthur’s first
sailing record. In 2001 she
became the fastest woman to sail
solo around the world in the
Vendée Globe race, completing
her circumnavigation in 94 days.
Article concludes
with information
that widens
the reader’s
understanding of
the adventurer’s
achievements.
Photograph is
used to illustrate
the news report,
and to enable
reader to relate to
Ellen MacArthur
on a more
personal level
through the use
of her image.
The caption to
the photograph
provides key
information: who
is in the picture,
what she has
done, and how
she feels about it.
A tired but jubilant Ellen MacArthur said her record-breaking journey was
‘hard the whole time. There were very few moments of relaxation.’
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 11
READING NEWSPAPER REPORTS
Understanding and knowing
Adventure news
reports:
• are factual accounts
• are classified as ‘human
interest’ or ‘good news’
stories
• focus on the most
daring or unusual of
adventure stories
• present information on
what, when, where,
who, how and why
• tell of the difficulties,
dangers and challenges
faced by the adventurer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What event is being reported in this news article? Why is it newsworthy?
List the facts the news item tells you about Ellen MacArthur.
List some other facts you would like to know about her.
In the article and caption, find words or phrases that mean:
(a) in high spirits
(e) a boat with a middle hull and
(b) exhausting
two outer hulls
(c) a stopping of bodily or mental
(f) a sailing trip around
effort
something
(d) accomplishment
(g) extremely happy or joyful.
Making meaning
5. Is this article intended for sailing enthusiasts or a wider audience? Explain
your answer.
Analysing and reflecting
3
Adventurers’ placemat
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how
newspaper reports on
adventurers are
constructed
write an imaginative
news report of an
adventure story.
12 english alive 2
6. What personal qualities would MacArthur have needed to overcome the
dangers and difficulties she faced?
7. For what other reasons might MacArthur have undertaken this journey, other
than to break a record?
8. Is MacArthur’s achievement any greater or lesser because she is a woman?
Explain your answer.
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
9. Imagine you are sailing around the world alone and you experience a day of
mountainous seas, icebergs and gale force winds that threaten to capsize your
boat, and that you narrowly miss colliding with a whale. Write your diary
entry for that day. You may also like to include any of the other difficulties
mentioned in the article.
10. Write a list of five questions you would like to ask Ellen MacArthur about her
journey. Using the answers you imagine she might give, write a third person
account of her achievement.
11. In pairs, take on the roles of the first teenager to explore space in a space
capsule and the journalist who interviews him or her. The teenage
adventurer has faced hazards such as meteor showers, comets, black holes,
asteroids and so on, and needs to be able to describe these events
convincingly. The journalist must write a newspaper report, modelled on
the one above, following the teenager’s safe return home. Include a
headline and quotes.
Reading visual texts — adventure
travel advertising
Adventure tourism accounts for a large part of the tourism market today. Special
adventure travel companies cater for people who live ordinary lives most of the time
but who want to feel the thrill of adventure in a safe and supervised way. With a
tour guide and like-minded fellow travellers, it is possible to go on safari in Kruger
National Park, canyoning in Nepal, whitewater rafting in Costa Rica or diving ocean
wrecks in the Pacific Ocean. Already, tourists can visit Antarctica, and plans are
under way to allow tourists to go into space. How do adventure tourism brochures
capture in words and visuals the spirit of adventure? How do they find a way to
appeal to the adventure-seeking traveller? Look at the examples shown here and on
the following page.
Image shows rugged,
exotic setting with
participants engaged in
exciting, possibly
hazardous adventure.
Single line of copy captures attention of
reader. It contrasts the ordinary life of
the viewer with the adventurous travel
experience they could be having. It is
understated and has a slightly
humorous tone.
Logo identifies the tour company who can
provide this travel experience. The design
incorporates a mountain, which is a reminder
of ‘the great outdoors’. The typeface has a
relaxed, informal look.
Together, image and copy
appeal to an audience of
bored office workers who
want a thrilling holiday.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 13
Headline is designed to encourage
prospective traveller to believe
adventure can be a reality.
The tour company’s
logo is an easily
recognised image. It
helps the prospective
traveller to remember
the company and
associate the
company with
adventure.
Images increase impact of
scenarios described in words
in brochure copy.
Adventure is not just a state of mind.
Live it with Thrilltour!
Appeal to prospective
traveller’s emotions
and self-concept
These details are
designed to instil
confidence in the
company’s
experience.
Speaking directly
to the reader
personalises the
message.
It’s Monday morning and
everyone else is at work. But
not you. They’re all huddled
around a postcard showing
you scaling Mt Robson in the
Rockies, diving the wrecks of
Kosrae in the Pacific Ocean, canyoning in Chile or
hanging out with a cheetah in Africa’s Kruger
National Park.
Adventure is what we aim for, and at Thrilltour
we’ve been planning adventure holidays since
1982. You’ll be in safe hands.
No matter where your wild spirit yearns to
be, we can organise getting you there. Join
our experienced, highly qualified guides for
the holiday that will bring out the adventurer in you.
Call in person, phone or visit our website to find out
more about our range of customised adventure holidays
of a lifetime.
Images increase
impact of scenarios
described in words in
brochure copy.
YOUR ADVENTURE IS WAITING —
COME AND GET IT!
www.thrilltour.com
Phone: 09 3375 55400 24 Precipice St, Clifton, Colorado
Company’s
contact details
14 english alive 2
Final slogan again
exhorts (urges) the
prospective
traveller to act.
READING VISUAL TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
1. Find the words in the brochure copy on page 14 that mean:
(a) grouped or crowded together
(b) to long for or crave
(c) made to individual requirements.
2. What are the four travel scenarios listed and illustrated in the brochure?
3. List the natural features shown in the billboard image.
Making meaning
4. Explain how the final slogan on the brochure persuades the prospective
traveller.
5. How does the single line of copy on the billboard (page 13) relate to the visual
image? Can you think of a more appropriate line?
6. Who do you think is the audience for (a) the brochure and (b) the billboard?
7. How does the adventure travel company try to convince the prospective
traveller reading the brochure to have confidence in travelling with them?
Analysing and reflecting
8. Which advertisement — the billboard or the brochure — is most persuasive in
your opinion? Find someone in your class who disagrees with your choice
and discuss your differing opinions.
9. How would the impact of the billboard be altered if the image was of a river
flowing gently through a flat, grassy landscape?
10. Study the images used to illustrate the brochure. Do the people shown seem
to have anything in common? If so, what might this be and why might these
particular images have been chosen by the tour company?
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
11. Design a postcard based on one of the adventure tours in the
advertisements on pages 13 and 14 or on an adventure tour you would
like to take. Write the message you would send home on the postcard.
12. Design and create an advertising billboard to advertise the first adventure
tour in space.
13. Write suitable copy for one of the images shown here. Your aim is to
capture the adventurous spirit of the activity shown in your chosen image.
14. Create an itinerary for your ideal travel adventure. Write a brief diary entry at
the end of one of your adventure-filled days.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 15
Viewing adventure in films
Some great adventure films
King Kong (1933)
The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Moby Dick (1956)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Star Wars (1977)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Braveheart (1995)
Gladiator (2000)
The Perfect Storm (2000)
Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Black Pearl (2001)
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Adventure films, like adventure books, brim
with excitement and energy. Their purpose is
to entertain. Through the main characters,
we experience adventures in faraway places:
on the high seas or deserted islands, in lost
worlds, dark jungles and outer space.
Adventure films are like action films but
the emphasis is on the experience and the
setting rather than on the action itself.
They often involve a quest, journey or
mission in some location far away in
time or place.
Adventure stories often dip into fantasy, science fiction, myths and legends,
and past history for inspiration. But
they all have one thing in common —
at least one hero. He or she is involved
in all the main events, overcomes the
obstacles, and survives to tell the tale.
The hero’s story is the adventure.
Still image from
Kingdom of Heaven
Looking for heroes
Early adventure films, before the surge of feminism in the 1960s, typically
appealed to men. They were tales of swashbuckling pirates such as Captain Blood
(1935), noble defenders of honour such as The Three Musketeers (1948) or wartime
survivors such as those in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). The main action
involved men, and the heroes were men. If there were women involved, their role
was typically to be rescued or protected.
Woman shown is almost
incidental — an observer
or helper rather than a
major partipant in the
‘adventure’ of war.
The men are obviously
experiencing hardship
and danger. Each one’s
character will be tested to
the limit, and they will be
called upon to do heroic
deeds such as transport
injured comrades in
inhospitable conditions.
Although war was
considered by some to be
an adventure, the injured
man here shows the
awful reality.
16 english alive 2
Rugged
landscape
shows the
conditions
the men
must face.
Facial
expressions
show
exertion.
Still image
from The
Bridge on the
River Kwai
The film was made in
1981, but the typeface
used for the poster title is
‘retro’, giving it a 1950s
look. (The director was
deliberately trying to
make an old-fashioned
adventure film similar to
the movie serials he had
seen as a child.)
The typical hero or protagonist was generally a stereotype: brave, honest, good,
patient and strong. If there was a villain, or antagonist — as was often the case —
he was typically sneaky, dishonest, mean and evil. The conflict between the hero
and the villain provided the tension that moved many adventure stories along
towards their exciting climax. (See page 66 for more information on story plots.)
The hero always ‘won’ in the eyes of the audience, whether he brought a damaged rocket ship back to Earth, escaped his captors, saved the damsel in distress,
survived years alone on a desert island or discovered lost treasure. Sometimes his
win was a moral victory: he might lose his life, but die for a noble cause, as one of
the heroes did in A Tale of Two Cities (1958).
The double life
Sometimes heroes of adventure
films and books have two sides to
their character. They live quiet,
respectable lives . . . but only some
of the time. Indiana Jones, the hero
of Stephen Spielberg’s film Raiders of
the Lost Ark, is one such hero. He is
a
mild-mannered,
bespectacled
archaeologist and academic who, in
his spare time, travels to dangerous
places seeking ancient artefacts. In a
quest to find the biblical Ark of the
Covenant, and armed only with a
whip and a pistol, he overcomes
terrifying obstacles in foreign lands
to find the treasure before the Nazi
villain does.
The adventure creates strong contrast with Indiana’s ordinary, boring
life: from the quiet safety of his university work he enters a world of
heart-stopping action, thrills and
mysterious occurrences. The adventure he embarks on is reflected in
the promotional poster for the film
(left).
The hero’s clothing is practical, low-key
and well worn, making him look ready
for anything. His hat could belong to
an ordinary working man but the whip
over his shoulder and the leather strap
across his chest suggest he is
something quite different.
Subtle elements
superimposed on main
figure reinforce that this
is an adventure film.
The look on Indiana Jones’s
face conveys determination
and courage — qualities of the
typical hero.
The main image looks
creased and slightly dirty,
suggesting an old document
or map.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 17
The female hero
The feminist movement and women’s demand to be treated as men’s equals have
blurred the clear division that once existed between men’s and women’s traditional roles in Western society. This is reflected in adventure films. Lara Croft:
Tomb Raider (2001) and the more recent Elektra (2005) are adventure stories with
powerful and fearsome female heroes. In these strong heroic roles, females blend
the once stereotypical characteristics of male heroes with their own unique characteristics, creating another type of hero with whom female viewers can identify.
The stereotypical male hero of many
adventure movies rescues women. His body
language communicates power and control.
In this scene Indiana Jones’s clothing appears
dirty, and he has not shaved for a few days.
The stereotypical female in many adventure
movies is rescued by a man. Her body
language communicates fear and
dependence; her clothing and shoes reveal that
she is ill prepared for this adventure and needs
to be protected. This woman still manages to
look clean and fresh, in contrast to her rescuer.
This character has no time for fancy
hairstyles. Her hair is pulled back from her
face, apart from a few strands hanging
sweatily over her forehead.
This woman appears strong, active,
and involved in a dangerous
situation of high drama. There is no
man in this scene helping her.
Her clothing is dark and practical
but close fitting. She wears boots
with a lot of buckles, a backpack, a
sturdy belt, a knife strapped to her
thigh and a gun on one hip.
Our overall impression is that this
woman is tough, capable and
heroic but (regardless of her
practical clothing) still extremely
attractive.
18 english alive 2
VIEWING ADVENTURE FILMS
on
OM
Adventure films:
• feature action as a means
to an end
• are fast-paced, with
unexpected events and
twists
• typically involve a quest,
mission, endurance trial,
expedition or search
• feature a hero (or heroes)
• often feature a villain,
with the conflict
between hero and villain
creating tension
• involve exotic settings
and peoples
• are often ‘larger than life’
in terms of special
effects, costume,
lighting, sound
CDeffects and
the R
music.
Script Scriber
Understanding and knowing
1. Adventure films are often full of action. How can you tell that it is more than
just an action film?
2. What qualities have typically been associated with the heroes of many
adventure movies, especially those made in previous decades?
3. Explain the terms protagonist and antagonist in your own words. Give an
example of each from an adventure film you have seen.
Making meaning
4. (a) Explain why you think the role of the hero is so prominent in an adventure
movie.
(b) Explain in what ways adventure heroes have changed in recent decades. To
what extent does this reflect changing cultural attitudes?
5. Study the film still (below left) from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and answer the
following questions:
(a) What suggests this is a foreign setting for Indiana Jones? Provide two
examples as evidence.
(b) How do you know from Indiana Jones’s appearance (clothing and body
language) that he is not feeling ‘cool, calm and collected’?
(c) What sort of circumstances in an adventure film might prompt people, and
the hero, to act as they are doing in this film still? Give two or three
imaginative examples.
Analysing and reflecting
6. Do you think an adventure film always has to have an antagonist? Why?
7. Why are adventure films often big box-office successes? Write a profile of what
you believe to be a ‘typical’ adventure film viewer.
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
8. Select one of the films listed in the minor column on page 16. Conduct some
further research about this movie. Using the information you find, construct an
enticing film poster. (The poster on page 17 may give you some ideas.)
9. You are the casting director for a new adventure film. Select one option from
the table below as your starting point. Use this general information to decide
what sort of people you will cast as your hero and your villain. Describe in
detail (giving physical traits, personality, abilities etc.) the sorts of people you
are looking for and why.
4
Design an
adventure hero
Feature
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Setting
The heart of a
lost jungle, full
of cannibals
A remote desert
Outer space
Under the sea in
a pressurised
capsule
Time
1800s
Medieval period
2050
Now
Problem
An expedition
team has
become lost.
A knight has
been wrongfully
expelled from
his lands.
A spaceship is
malfunctioning.
The mission of
the team is to
find sunken
treasure.
✔ learning
I CAN:
explain the features and
typical plots of an
adventure film
understand the role of
the hero, and how it has
changed over time.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 19
Creating a storyboard
A storyboard is a way of planning how a film will be produced. It is drawn
by an artist after discussions with the director. Typically, storyboards consist
of a series of frames that provide some or all of the details a film-maker needs
to record a scene: what is seen, what the characters say (if anything), how the
camera captures the scene, the lighting and sound effects. An example of a
storyboard is given below. Study it carefully, noting the annotations.
Scene number and shot
number help the filmmaker to keep track of film
sequence. (This is
important because films
are often shot out of
sequence.)
SCENE 1
SHOT 1
SCENE 1
SHOT 2
Arrows can be used to
indicate direction of
movement.
CU means close up.
A ‘cut’ is an immediate
change to a different
image, and is the most
common type of transition
in films. Other transitions
are the fade-in, fade-out,
dissolve, push and wipe.
(For more on these, go to
On the Web on page 24.)
FADE IN: Hero is galloping along a
dark jungle track towards the camera.
Moonlight filters through the trees.
CUT to CU. Hero looks worried.
Something’s not right. He looks around.
SCENE 1
SCENE 1
SHOT 3
SHOT 4
Drawings must be
accurate and as dynamic
as possible.
Language is brief and to
the point.
LA means low angle.
POV means point of view.
CUT to sudden CU of huge snake with
open mouth, hissing loudly, seen from
hero’s POV.
CUT to LA MS of hero grappling with
snake, while horse rears up.
MS means medium shot.
1. Use the notes in the storyboard for shot 1 to describe what the camera is
doing. Might it be in a fixed position or moving away from the
horseman? How would this affect what viewers see on screen?
2. What sound is introduced for shot 3? How will this affect the dramatic
impact of the shot?
3. Suggest what sounds will be heard in shots 1, 2 and 4 that have not been
detailed in the storyboard.
4. What do you think the next shot will show?
>
20 english alive 2
>
Over to you
5. Using the previous storyboard as a model, produce three storyboard
panels in response to the following scene from Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Black Pearl. The first panel will be for the scene you imagine might
have occurred immediately before this one; the middle panel will be
for this scene; and the last panel will be for a scene you imagine
might follow it. Be creative in your choice of filming effects, and add
dialogue.
o what does adventure mean? It’s spelt A for
adventure, D for daring, V for victory, E for excitement, N for
notorious, T for tantalising, U for ultimate, R for reckless, and
E for exploits. But there’s probably a word from every other letter
of the alphabet to describe adventure — it’s such a far-reaching
and varied concept. But whether your personal passion is
adventure through fictional stories and films or through news
reports or biographies of real-life people who have made their
names synonymous with adventure, one thing is certain: the
spirit of adventure will live on.
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 21
Through the labyrinth!
Now it’s your chance to conceive your own
adventure story or film sequence! You can either:
• Write a story following the plot graph and
characters given on this page. Make sure you
describe the hero, the place, the danger, and the
moment of triumph. Your aim should be to
create an adventure in which your hero faces up
to and overcomes many challenges on his or her
way to triumph.
Or
• Plan for the filming of a sequence based on the
plot graph and characters given on this page.
Choose a key event from the plot graph and,
in words and sketches, storyboard the
sequence. Annotate your sketches as
a way of telling your tale.
TITLE: Through the labyrinth
SETTING
An ancient labyrinth deep in the jungle: an intricate
construction of complex passageways and rooms,
through which it is difficult
to find one’s way.
CHARACTER
BANK
Sally McKenzie
Gender: female
Role: archaeologist and expert on the lost
treasure of the Arkani
Description: has an open, honest face.
She is optimistic and speaks in a
light, pleasant voice.
Abe Jefferson
Gender: male
Role: leader of the
expedition
Description: a born
leader, sensible and
level-headed. He
speaks calmly and
evenly.
22 english alive 2
PLOT
Damon Peart
Part one: orientation
• The characters find themselves at the entrance to
the labyrinth.
• What is it like?
• What are they doing there?
Gender: male
Role: member of the expedition
Description: apparently
trustworthy but with a greedy
heart. He speaks softly.
Part two: complications
• At Peart’s suggestion, the group separates. Sally is
concerned because she knows how dangerous the
labyrinth can be. What are its dangers?
• Sally finds Jefferson’s body; he has been murdered.
How?
• Sally and Marco meet up. Marco tells her how he
saw Peart murder Jefferson and take the details
about the lost treasure.
Part three: climax
• Sally and Marco meet Peart in the centre of the
labyrinth.
• Marco is attacked and knocked out.
• Peart tells Sally that she is going to die.
A suggested sentence:
PEART
[laughing] You’re all fools!
Part four: resolution
• How does Sally save herself?
• What becomes of Peart?
• What becomes of Marco?
• Is the lost treasure found?
• Is there a way out of the labyrinth for the
survivors? How?
Marco Perez
Gender: male
Role: member of the expedition
Description: a nervous person,
lacking in confidence. He
speaks in a strained
anxious manner.
Sally and Marco meet
up. He says Peart
murdered Jefferson.
Sally finds
Jefferson’s
body.
Complication
Unit 1
Marco and Sally meet Peart.
Marco is attacked. Peart tells
Sally she is going to die.
Climax
Complication
Resolution
Group separates out.
Possible danger.
Characters find
themselves at
entrance
to labyrinth.
Complication
Rising
tension
Orientation
unit 1 • Alive with . . . adventure 23
Key terms
adversary: an unfriendly
opponent, foe or rival
alliteration: repetition of a
consonant at the start of words
positioned close together in a
sentence or line of verse
antagonist: the character who
stands in opposition to the
protagonist, or hero, of a story
biography: the story of a person’s
life, written by someone else
copy: written, typed or printed
matter that is to be reproduced in
print, such as text for a newspaper
article or for an advertisement
feminism: a movement that aims
to achieve equality for women in
all walks of life
first person narrative: narrative
told by a character who is part of
the story, and who uses words like
I, we, my.
gender: a person’s sex, i.e. male
or female
metaphor: a figure of speech (or
technique) whereby something is
said to be another thing, not just
like another
narrative: a written or spoken
text type that tells a story. It
usually has an orientation, one or
more complications, a sequence of
events, a climax or resolution and
sometimes a moral.
primary source: a source of
evidence that was created during
the time period under study
protagonist: the leading
character or hero in a play, novel
or film
recount: a written or spoken text
type that records events in the
order in which they happened, in
the past tense
setting: the time and place in
which a story occurs
simile: the use of words in order
to liken one thing to something
else; for example, as thin as a stick
insect, hair like a pineapple
24 english alive 2
stereotype: a fixed,
oversimplified image or idea we
have of someone based on his or
her category (such as race,
nationality, sex) rather than that
person’s individual characteristics
storyboard: a document used by
film-makers in which they plan
how each scene will be filmed
suspense: the feeling of being
insecure or anxious, usually about
a perceived threat
synonymous: having the same
meaning
third person account: a retelling
of events by someone outside
those events, who therefore refers
to the people involved as he, she
and they rather than I or we
Word list
Word
Alternatives
captivate
delight, charm
daring (noun)
bravery
daring (adj.)
brave, bold,
audacious
determination willpower, resolve,
grit
epic
grand, heroic
exceptional
outstanding,
superior
exhausted
fatigued, worn
out, drained
exhilarating
exciting,
energising
exploit (noun) achievement, act,
action, deed
hazardous
risky, perilous,
unsafe
heroic
gallant, valiant,
courageous
inhospitable
harsh, bleak,
desolate
Treasure Island by Robert Louis
Stevenson, Signet Classics
This Accursed Land by Lennard
Bickel, Pan Macmillan
Biographies and
autobiographies
The Wildest Dream: The Biography
of George Mallory by Peter and
Leni Gillmann, Mountaineer Books
Lionheart by Jesse Martin, Allen &
Unwin
Films
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Paramount
Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney
The Perfect Storm, Warner Brothers
North by Northwest, Warner
Brothers
Connections
Narrative fiction: see pages 26–9,
52–4, 100–2, 122–4, 146–8, 186–7,
190–1
Biography/autobiography:
see pages 76–9
Newspaper reports: see pages
82–3, 110
Advertisements: see page 94
Films: see pages 67–9, 112–15
On the Web
Go to www.jaconline.com.au/
englishalive/ea2 and click on
the following weblinks:
Storyboards
Film transitions
Treasure Island online
The Call of the Wild online
On the CD-ROM
Novels
Grammar (verbs, adjectives
and adverbs): get a grip on
grammar (see page 5)
Kidnapped by Robert Louis
Stevenson, Penguin Classics
Script Scriber: get set to
scriptwrite (see page 19)
Try these