speaking cards book

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

BOOK

Reading activities

Literary genres

• All stories are either fiction or non-fiction. 
• Fiction stories are made up by the author, 
• non-fiction stories are true stories or stories based on historical facts.
• These two types of stories can be further divided into many different sub-types, called genres. 

a story about new and unknown technologies or inventions

a story about a real person 

a story in which strange events happen and problems have to be solved 

a story about things that really happened in the past, but with made-up characters

an imaginary story which could happen in real life

realistic fiction

historical fiction

science fiction

biography

mystery

What is the literary genre of the novel you are reading?

www.randomlists.com

1 Who is the main character in your story?

2 Which adjective would you use to describe the main character?

3 Find an adjective with the opposite meaning.

4 Is it possible to describe one of the other characters with the adjective mentioned under 3? If so, which character?

5 With which adjective would you describe yourself and why?

The cover of a book. 

• How important is the cover of a book? 
• In turns describe the covers of the books you are reading. 
• Does the cover match the book?
• What do you learn about the book you're reading by just looking at its cover? 
  

The first sentence. 

• Take turns reading out loud the first sentence of your books. 
• Is it a good opening sentence? 
• Did it hook you?

Let's meet!

Pick one of the characters from the book you're reading. 

Together write a dialogue in which your chosen characters  meet. 

 

Look at the following statements and pick three of them. Think about your point of view: do you agree with them or would you challenge any of them? 

1 The setting of a story needs to create an atmosphere of danger.

2 In every story the narration can be seen as a journey the main character goes on.

3 The climax of a narrative has to come very late in the plot.

4 Ambiguous resolutions or story endings are so much more interesting.

Turning a book into a film

The story you have read is a film-maker’s dream.

1 If you were a film-maker, what would be the first scene in your film?

2 What would be the final scene?

3 The story is too long and your time is limited, so you have to make some changes in the storyline. How would you change it?

Reading Skills

Rewrite a dialogue

1 Choose one dialogue or scene you have read.

2 How do the protagonists speak and how do they act?

3 For instance, do they have an accent, are they polite, do they remain calm or are they totally upset?

4 Rewrite the dialogue and make huge changes in the way they speak. Make sure your dialogue still fits in the main text.

Rewrite a dialogue

Now act out your dialogues together with a classmate. 

Can you relate?

• Is there a character you can relate to? Why? (same hobbies, family dynamics, character traits...)
• Which character is absolutely NOT like you? In what way?
• is there a character that reminds you of someone?
• Have you  ever been in a similar situation as described in the book?
• Do you think the characters are described realistically? 

Write a possible conversation

1 Choose two characters from the story or the play you have just read.

2 Are they major or minor characters?

3 How are they related to each other?

4 Compare the way they behave and speak.

5 Write a conversation they might have or might have had.