This resource is strictly for the use of member schools for as long as they remain members of The PiXL Club. It may not be copied, sold nor transferred to a third party or used by the school after membership ceases. Until such time it may be freely used within the member school. All opinions and contributions are those of the authors. The contents of this resource are not connected with nor endorsed by any other company, organisation or institution.

CommissionedbyThePiXLClubLtd.

October2017

©CopyrightThePiXLClubLimited,2017

‘5for5’ReadingHolidayChallengeThisbookletisdesignedtokeepyourbrains‘tickingover’duringthehalftermbreak.Justafewshortactivitieswillmeanthatyoureturntoschoolreadytolearnandraringtogo!Trytoreallyimpressyourteacherbycompletingone

challengeforeachdayoftheholidays.Circleanyquestionsthatyou’dlikesomemorehelpwithwhentermstartsagain.

Reading-Day1

Bethany’sstomachwasrumbling.Hereshewas,sittinginthisbrand-new,classyrestaurantthateveryonehadsaidwassomarvellous,yetnoonehadevencomeovertohertabletotakeherorder.Notwantingtoembarrassherself,shesatquietly,hopingtocatchtheeyeofoneofthewaiters.Nosuchluck.Theyallseemedtobetoobusyburstinginandoutofthedoorstothekitchen,ortalkingtocustomerswhohadalreadybeenserved.Worsestill,shecouldhearthemexaggeratingtheirfakeforeignaccentsinadesperateattempttoimpressthecustomers.

ChallengesforDay1Challenge1:Setatimer,readtheextract.Howmanysecondsdidittakeyou?___________Challenge2:Writedownanywordsyoudidn’tunderstand.________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussthemwithanadultandlookthemupinadictionary.

Challenge3:Findandcopyawordclosestinmeaningto:sophisticated_______________brilliant___________________amaze____________________Challenge4:WherewasBethanysitting?__________________________________________________Whydidn’tthewaitersseeBethany?__________________________________________________Challenge5:DoyouthinkBethanywasoutgoing?Explainyourreasons.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading-Day2

Ofalltheancientcivilisations,themostdisciplinedwerethe

Spartans.Attheheightoftheirpowers,theSpartanshadestablishedastrictsocietybuiltonasystemofloyalty,militaryserviceandeducation.Everyonewasexpectedtobetaughtmaths,readingandwriting–eventhegirls,whichwasunusualinthosedays–andeachboywasdestinedtobecomeasoldier.Thismeantthatwhiletheladswerespendingtheirtimebeingturnedperfectphysicalspecimens,alltheactualworkhadtobedonebyslaves.Theyweretreatedbadlytostopthemfromrising-upagainsttheircruelmasters.

ChallengesforDay2Challenge1:Setatimer,readtheextract.Howmanysecondsdidittakeyou?___________Challenge2:Writedownanywordsyoudidn’tunderstand.________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussthemwithanadultandlookthemupinadictionary.

Challenge3:Accordingtothetext,whatwastheSpartansocietybuilton?Givetwoexamples.

1. _________________________2. _________________________Challenge4:Whatwereboysmostlikelytobecome?________________________HowwouldyoudescribetheSpartansociety?_____________________________________________Challenge5:Whydoyouthinkitwasunusualforgirlstolearnmaths,readingandwritinginthesetimes?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading-Day3

Ifyoutalkaboutatelephonetoanyoneundertheageoftwenty-

five,theywillprobablythinkofjustoneofthemanyamazingfunctionsofamobile.Butonlyafewyearspreviously,atelephonemeantsomethingthatwasattachedtoacableinthehomeoroffice.Ifyouwantedtocommunicatewithsomeonewhowasnotrightnexttoyou,itwasyouronlyoption:textingorsocialmediahadneverevenbeenimagined.Peopleevenhadaspecialstyleofpronunciationknownastheirtelephonevoice,whichwouldsoundveryposhtomostofustoday!

ChallengesforDay3Challenge1:Setatimer,readtheextract.Howmanysecondsdidittakeyou?___________Challenge2:Writedownanywordsyoudidn’tunderstand.________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussthemwithanadultandlookthemupinadictionary.

Challenge3:‘Peopleevenhadaspecialstyleofpronunciation…’pronunciationis:TickoneawayofbehavingawayofspeakingawayofwritingChallenge4:Whereweretelephoneslikelytobefound25yearsago?Givetwoplaces.___________________________________________________Challenge5:Howhasthewaywethinkabouttelephoneschangedinmoderntimes?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading-Day4

Thiswassomethingnew–asong-writingcompetition.Atleastit

madeapleasantchangefromallthestory-writingchallengestheyweresoregularlypresentedwith.Nevertheless,itdidmeanthatSachawasfaced,forthefirsttimeinaslongasshecouldremember,withablankpieceofpaper.Butwheretostart:thewordsorthetune?Shewasconfidentthatshecouldwriteadecentrhyme–afterall,theyhaddoneenoughoftheminpoetrylessons.Butwhataboutthemelody,oreventherhythm?Shepursedherlips,readytowhistle,butnothingcameout.

ChallengesforDay4Challenge1:Setatimer,readtheextract.Howmanysecondsdidittakeyou?___________Challenge2:Writedownanywordsyoudidn’tunderstand.________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussthemwithanadultandlookthemupinadictionary.

Challenge3:Circlethecorrectoptiontocompleteeachsentence:SacharegularlywroteShetriedtowhistleandChallenge4:WhatwasSachaexpectedtodo?__________________________________________________Whydidshefeelconfidentthatshecouldwritearhyme?__________________________________________________Challenge5:DoyouthinkSachawashappyaboutthecompetition?Why?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

stories. letters. songs.

spat. succeeded. couldn’t.

Reading-Day5

ThefirstthingthatSophiedidwhentheyarrivedattheirnew

accommodationwastolookoutofthewindow.Therideinthefilthy,smellylifthadseemedtohavetakenforever;nowshecouldseejusthowhighuptheywere.Tinycarsscurriedalongtheroadslikeratsalongasewer.Towerblocks,factoriesandstreetafterstreetoftightly-packedhousescloggedthenearandmiddledistance.Peeringthroughtheyellowy-brownhazethatsuffocatedthecity,shecouldjustaboutpick-outtheleafyparksandavenuesofwheretheyusedtolive-saltinthewound.

ChallengesforDay5Challenge1:Setatimer,readtheextract.Howmanysecondsdidittakeyou?___________Challenge2:Writedownanywordsyoudidn’tunderstand.________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussthemwithanadultandlookthemupinadictionary.

Challenge3:Findandcopyawordclosestinmeaningto:scuttled_______________placetostay___________________choked____________________Challenge4:WhatcouldSophieseefarawayinthedistance?__________________________________________________HasSophielivedherelong?Howdoyouknow?____________________________________________________________________________________________________Challenge5:DoesthispassagesuggestthatSophieishappytobehere?Howdoyouknow?Useevidencefromthetexttosupportyouranswer.

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