Form 3 English Language

Chapter 2: A Blind Boy Teaches Himself To Ride A Bicycle

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2.1. Introduction
2.2. Following instructions
2.3. Register and communication - persuasion
2.4. Summary writing
2.5. Narrative composition
2.6. Regular verbs and irregular verbs
2.7. Summary
2.8. Expected/Possible answers

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2.1. Introduction

Sometimes in life we encounter situations that seem to be a limitation or seem to be impossible to overcome. Have you ever been overwhelmed in life by a situation, incident or event. In such situations you need to learn to deal with the situation or manage wisely. It is always fulfilling to overcome challenging situations and succeed. We want to learn how to achieve the seemingly impossible obstacles in life. Yes, you can be a super star or a hero if you put your mind to it.

Always think positively and adopt a positive self-image. Do you know that people judge you with what you say or with the way you express yourself? If you accept failure, indeed you will fail. What you say with your mouth determines your destiny, how far you will go. So speaking and listening would help you to build that confidence you require to communicate effectively. Have you ever asked yourself how sentence construction can be made easy? This can be attained only through practice using different supporting language structures. Therefore in this chapter you will learn how to form regular and irregular verbs so that you can sharpen your skills in writing.

Note: Objectives are an overview of what you will learn in the chapter, therefore always read them so that you will know what is expected of you in the chapter.

Objectives

After going through this chapter, you should be able to

• listen carefully to instructions so that you follow correct directions.
• persuade others using persuasive language for you to be convincing.
• identify key points for a summary and be able to write a summary.
• write a narrative composition using figurative language and show creativity
• form regular and irregular verbs and use them in sentence construction.

Key terms

Agent - The main character for the summary.
Irregular - Something without uniformity or not having a constant pattern.
Regular - Having a constant pattern or showing a common pattern.

Time

You should not spend more than 8 hours in this chapter.

Study skills

Make use of the following skills for this chapter.

• Note-making - Write down notes through each exercise to record what you learnt.
• Scanning - Quickly go through the passage identifying the main points.
• Silent reading - Read silently to be able to concentrate and understand what you are reading about.

2.2. Following instructions

We know that you are so much used to the area where you stay such that you can find your way without a map or a campus. You can easily visualise the familiar places and be at the place or destination without much effort. Have you ever given someone directions clearly that they can easily find the place they want to get? Today, you are going to give directions to different people who want to get to different destinations. Remember that in directions, you refer to well-known places, streets and directions like, turn left and face north and follow Mambo street. Yes, these details are needed so that the person can easily follow your instructions. Now, this takes us to the exercise where you will use a given map to give directions.

Listening for instructions

Today we are going to navigate your community and give directions to people who want to get to different destinations. Can you name the gadgets or tools we use when looking for directions? Yes we have a campus, Google maps and many others. Any of the tools you name, of course the most common one is a map. Do you know how to read a map? Different kinds of maps exist for different uses. Before you can use a map to help you find your way, you need to make sure that you are equipped with a suitable map. For example, there are road maps to help drivers navigate highways and also maps for travellers. Now, in this exercise we are going to use a map to give directions as it is quite handy and easy to use and has places or structures marked on it. We are going to study the sketch map of Selbourne suburb and find our way around. Now, study the following map and familiarise yourself with it.

There is nothing as interesting as giving directions and yet people still get lost. Now let us see if you have understood the given map by quickly answering the following questions.

1. Quickly note down places that can easily be found?
2. Which places might be difficult to give directions for?

Milton Park suburb map

Have you noticed some familiar places that you can easily find? Which places do you think might be difficult to give directions? Yes, it is possible that some places require detail for them to be found. How do you give directions? Remember that we use cardinal directions like north, west, east, and south. We also use terms like turn right or left or go straight.

Exercise 2.1.

Now that you are familiar with the sketch map, I want you to give directions to the following people.

1. A stranger who wants to get to Old Hararians from Lezard Avenue.
2. A visitor who wants to get to 11A Sherwood Drive Meyrick Park from corner Blackiston Street and Harvey Brown Avenue.
3. A visitor who wants to get to Dr Tumushime Ophthalmic Surgeon from Harare Hebrew Congregation.
4. A tourist travelling from Old Hararians who wants to get to Spice Lounge.

Remember, it is a matter of choice on which roads or paths you want to take to get from Point A to Point B. You must always select the route that is easy to follow to your destination. Directions are given according to streets and turns that a traveller has to take.

Refresh your mind: Did you enjoy giving people directions? Do you think that the people you directed got to their destinations? This largely depends on how you gave them the directions. Now, study the map again and mark on it the possible routes they could have taken and see if they were able to find their way as directed. Can you see that it is easy to direct others when you have a map to guide you? Now continue to practise using maps and giving directions to your friends and family. If you are also doing Geography, there is a map reading section where you are expected to find the location of some places or structures on the map. Use those maps for practice purposes to enhance your skills of map reading.

Project: Now that you have a sample of a map, I want you to draw the map of your home area indicating all the possible routes that can be used to get to different destinations. Remember to indicate all important details that can help the travelers to find their way.

Exercise 2.2.

Now that you have been giving directions to different people, We want you to practice this exercise with your friends or peers when you make a recording of giving directions and see if you will be able to find your way or if you will be understood by others when you give them directions. Remember to take down notes always so that they guide you to find your way. Always take note of the major structures or features that are well-known by most people as the focal point. Yes, you can use places like the local clinic or shopping centre as the focal point from which your listeners can begin their journey around.

2.3. Register and communication - persuasion

We know that you always talk to your friends and sometimes you argue on issues you do not agree on. Yes, you sometimes win the arguments or you lose them. In register and communication, we use appropriate language which is suitable for a particular situation. Can you define persuasion? Yes it is the whereby you speak convincingly to others and end up changing their opinion or point of view. This is a simple example of persuasion whereby you argue to convince or to change the opinion of others.

Do you know that in persuasion, you are to be convincing and state facts such that no one can dispute or challenge your stance. For example, you want to go on a trip and you want money to pay for the trip. How do you request for the money such that your family is really convinced that the trip is a necessity? Yes you state the points like the trip will widen your scope on the preservation of the environment, exposure to technology and to acquired adequate information and It will help you to write a pending project you have started researching on.

Exercise 2.3.

You want to exercise but you require the company of your friends to go on a walk. Your friends do not like walking long distances to accompany you. Now you are to convince them to go with you. We know that you can convince them especially if you state the importance and benefits of exercise. Do you think that you can persuade them to join you and enjoy the exercise you want to embark on? Remember it is essential for you to research and have notes that you will use to back up your argument. Persuasive language must leave the listeners without any doubts about what you have been telling them. Do you know that all our lives we have been buying other peoples’ attention by being persuasive in our approaches?

Assignment: Keep on practising using persuasive language with your family and peers as it is a skill that is important in life. It helps you to build up character and self-esteem. You will eventually realise that you can easily get what you want from others without any struggle.

2.4. Summary writing

We assume that you have told stories or related how some incidents happened. Did you realise that when you tell an incident, you state important points and leave out unnecessary detail. You only gave a summary of what took place. This gives you an idea that a summary consists of only important ideas or points as directed by the question.

A summary is a brief account of what took place and mostly comes with specific requirements or instructions. Whenever you summarise, you are just precise and straight to the point without beating about the bush. Summary writing is a very important aspect which is tested at the end of the course, as result you must grasp the concept and skills required for you to write a summary effectively. Now having said so much about it, let us go through the important steps which are needed for you to write a good summary.

Exercise 2.4.

Remember that summary writing is a skill that must be acquired for you to be able to answer any question on this section. Let us go through the steps on how to write a good summary together.

1. Mark the summary passage, i.e., where the material of your summary will begin and end for example from Paragraph 5 to the end of Paragraph 11 or from line 35 to the end of line 95.
2. Identify the key words, i.e., what are you expected to write on. For example, your or writer’s thoughts, actions, feelings, problems and solutions, advantages and disadvantages.
3. Read the summary passage intensively paragraph by paragraph, identifying all key points, using key words and underline them in their order.
4. Write the summary using the points that you underlined in continuous writing following the order of appearance on the passage.
5. Always state the number of words used which must be 160 words.
6. Identify the agent (the main character) correctly so that you will know who is the focal person.
7. Take note of the tense used which is stated in the ten words given to you.

Note: Remember not to write in your own words which might result in you changing the meaning of the story. Always use the scanning reading skill which requires you to state the important points or ideas only. We hope you were following closely when we were going through the steps on how to write a summary. Now study the example on how to identify the key points using key words and follow it to identify other key points. Always remember that a summary consists of key points only that are joined together to form a paragraph. A good example of the key words in this question are problems and how you overcome them. Always keep in mind that key points come first then you join them together to form a paragraph which is written on a grid where you insert a word in the boxes provided.

The following is an example showing how you should identify key points.

I would climb onto the seat of my bicycle and ride around the house, pretending that I was on the road going to school with my big sisters and big brother. I would go around and around, stopping and starting, entranced by the sound of the rubber tyres on the gravel and the rattle and click of the bicycle chain, taking bones and turns faster and faster. I found it difficult to establish my position, so I used the way the sound of the tyres on the gravel bounced off walls and objects.

Note that all the relevant points have been underlined. Now continue to identify the key points and underline them. Remember that a summary is written by inserting a word in a box.

Exercise 2.5.

Read the following passage carefully before you attempt any questions. We want you to identify and follow the steps stated on how to write a summary on the question that will follow at the end of the passage. Remember to read the passage repeatedly so that you understand it fully and can follow the events in the passage. Always have your note book handy because you have to jot down all the important points as you read.

In his autography, The Ledge Between the Streams, Ved Metha, blind since four years of age, but determined to lead a normal life like his brothers and sisters and to go to school to learn, recounts his experiences.

(Adapted from The Ledge Between the Streams by Ved Metha. Published by Picador Pan Books 1984.)

Evaluation of the passage

We hope you enjoyed reading the comprehension passage and you were inspired by the blind boy. Do you have anything that was stopping you from excelling? Now you learnt that anything is possible if you work hard towards achieving your goals.

Exercise 2.6.

The passage describes how a blind boy taught himself to ride a bicycle. He however, faced difficulties in manoeuvering his way around because of his blindness. Imagine you are the writer. Give an account of the problems you experienced and how you overcame them.

Use only material from paragraph 6 to the end of paragraph 10. Your summary should not be longer than 160 words.

Hint: You begin by identifying important points and then join your points together forming a continuous paragraph of 160 words in length. The opening sentence has been given. Continue the summary:

Once I realised that I could actually ride the bicycle, ...

We hope you enjoyed the summary writing process and are now in a position to tackle any question that comes. Now that you have acquired the skill, we want you to practise summary writing using a variety of passages. We want you to go back to chapter 1 and summarise the passage and see how many points you will find.

2.5. Narrative composition

Do you still remember the last time you had to relate an event that had taken place to someone. Yes we know you have told stories so many times. That act is called narration, retelling or relating. Today, we want you to acquire the skill of narrative writing. A narrative tells a story or gives an account of events or incidents. It often revolves around a plot or a storyline. In narration you give all the details that create a vivid picture of what you are talking about. Have you realised that even today you related an event to someone? Think about what you did since you woke up today and tell it to your peers. You will discover that there is so much to talk about. Sometimes you easily get carried away especially if what you are relating excites you. Narration happens spontaneously as it happens without you planning it. This shows how interesting narrative writing can be. Already you are now ready to start writing.

Here are the steps for writing a narrative composition: planning provides the logical thoughts and actions which we normally call brain storming. Your introduction indicates time and settings which is how events must take place at a certain place. The body consists of a number of paragraphs, it contains a series of events and developments leading to the climax which is the highest point of the story. Remember, it is important to set the mood and tone of the story by using expressions that are captivating. Your vocabulary must be varied to enrich your language. A satisfactory conclusion ties up the loose ends. Can you see how interesting narrative composition writing can be?

Now study the two pictures and narrate what happened. I know that many thoughts and ideas came into your mind and you already have an idea of what could have happened.

Remember you are to relate the events as they occurred. Time the event so that you are writing that the story knits up together at the end. You must always create an atmosphere which is conducive for a story to take place. Your characters must have names so that they become real. Now, let us look at the pictures which are meant to help you imagine an event or a story that took place. Here is an example of how to narrate an event using pictures.

Our Number 11 player Theo was dribbling forward facing the goal keeper. He had gone past two defenders of the opposite team and was determined to score a goal to declare our team champions. All the spectators were on their toes cheering him on to increase his speed and strike the ball. The coach screamed at the top of his voice for Theo not to delay. When he finally struck the ball and it landed at the back of the net. There was celebration in the stadium. After the match, we all ran to congratulate Theo and thank him for such a spectacular golden goal. His teammates lifted him up and cheered. It was celebration everywhere as we were crowned the champions of the tournament. Theo was the man of the match.

Now that you have read the example above on how to write a narrative composition, write a composition on any of the topics that follow. Always remember to follow the rules of composition writing learnt in chapter 1. Use of varied vocabulary will enrich your composition.

Exercise 2:4.1.

1. Write a story on a family event which bought unity to the members.   [30]
2. Write a story based on the following words
   1. Crime does not pay, he said this as he sat on the cold floor of his cell.   [30]
   2. When she recalls what happened tears well up in her eyes.   [30]
3. Give account when a stolen baby was finally found.   [30]

You are advised not to spend more than 50 minutes on this exercise.

Note: Example of a narrative plot:

Introduction → Body/Development of series of events → Conclusion

More practice exercises

Remember that practice makes perfect, try to attempt writing compositions on the following topics to sharpen your writing skills. Yes each topic has its on demands therefore you must put more effort to produce your best.

1. A holiday to remember.
2. That day l realised that hard work pays.
3. It was when he sat on the cold floor of his cell that he realised that crime does not pay.

2.6. Regular verbs and irregular verbs

Do you know that word formation is very important. It helps you to be able to form words that you need to use either in speaking or writing. Today you are going to form regular and irregular verbs. Do you still remember the definition of a verb? Yes, a verb is a doing or an action word. For example walk, talk, run, sweep. Most verbs end in -ed or -d in the past tense and past prefect participle and these are called regular verbs. Regular verbs are formed by adding -d or -ed to the stem of the word. A stem is the root of a word that does not change. So this means that regular verbs do not change their form when they are either in their past or past participle. Now, let us look at how to form regular verbs in their past tense and past participle.

Example

Now do you realise that only -d and -ed were added to the verb and the stem of the word still remained unchanged. Proceed and do the following exercise.

Exercise 2.7. Regular verbs

Now quickly form regular verbs of the following words in their past and past participle. Study again the examples given and understand how regular verbs are formed.

We hope that you did not face any challenges in forming regular verbs. We want you to check for the answers that are provided and see where you might have gone wrong. Looking at your excitement it is evident that you got all answers correct. Keep on practising and also try to identify regular verbs from the comprehension passage.

Irregular verbs

Now that regular verbs have been formed, let us look at irregular verbs which do not have the usual -d or -ed endings. Now note that irregular verbs change their form when the word is in its past or past perfect tense. Can you think of any words that change their form? Yes you could have got the words right. Now, let us look at the following words that are irregular. Here is an example of irregular verbs:

Exercise 2.8.

Study the examples given and see how the verbs changed their form. Remember that with irregular verbs you do not add -d or -ed at the end of the word. Listed below are irregular verbs, now form the past and the past perfect participle of the verbs listed.

More on irregular verbs

Note that verbs change their form when forming irregular verbs.

There are also some verbs that do not change their form whether they are in the present, past or past participle. For example:

You may attempt the following exercise.

Exercise 2.9.

Form regular and irregular verbs. Remember that with regular verbs you add -d or -ed at the end of the stem of the verb. When you are forming irregular verbs, the word changes its form and we do not add anything at the end of the word. Revise again the examples given before you can attempt the exercise.

It is good that you have attempted the exercise. We know that you are eager to know how you performed. Check for the answers at the end of the chapter. Yes we are certain that you really did well as you were able to get some words correct. If you failed to get some words correct, this is the opportunity for you to go back again and reattempt the exercise and mark for yourself.

Exercise 2.10.

Now complete each sentence with the correct form of verb from the one given in brackets. You are expected to form regular and irregular verbs and use them to complete the gaps in the following sentences.

1. By the time the rains stopped, the roof had been .......... off. (blow)
2. This is the house John .......... last year. (build)
3. The judges have not yet .......... the winners in the competition. (choose)
4. Long ago, villagers .......... water from the well. (draw)
5. How tall you’ve .......... . (grow)
6. Before he died, the old man .......... the bell every morning. (ring)
7. After the dough had .......... she put the tray in the oven. (rise)
8. The ship .......... after hitting the rocks off the coast. (sink)
9. After all the speakers had .........., the chairman .......... for a while. (speak/speak)
10. Because the suit had been .......... before, she .......... the black one. (wear/wear)

Subject-verb agreement

Subject-verb agreement means the subject and the verb must agree in number. This means that both need to be singular or plural. A singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb. Yes, it is important for words to agree so that you understand what is being communicated. Do you know that words must have agreement like what you exactly do when you talk to other people? In sentence construction, it is essential for you to make sure that your words are able to make sense and meaning to you. The subject and the verb must agree in number and person. For you to decide whether the verb should be singular or plural, you must find the subject, decide whether it is singular or plural and match the verb with the subject.

We want you to look closely at the following so that it will be easy for you to identify the subject and verb so that an agreement is reached and there is harmony. Now study the following examples of how the subject agrees with the verb.

1. My sister is sleeping on the couch.
   - sister is the subject in the singular form, and
   - is, is the verb in the singular form.
2. My brothers and sisters are going on a trip.
   - My brothers and sisters is the subject which is in the plural form,
   - are is the verb in its plural form.
3. John lives two streets away from his school.
   - John is the subject in the singular form, and
   - lives is the verb in the singular form.
4. My dog does not like noise.
   - dog is the subject in the singular form whereas,
   - does not is the verb which is in the singular form.

Sometimes the subject may consist of a group of words. A common example is the collective noun, which refers to the group as a single unit.

1. The class of learners was kept busy after school.
   - The subject is the class which is in the singular form.
2. My brother and sisters are going on a trip.
   - My brother and sisters is the subject in the plural form whereas are is the verb plural.

Assignment

1. Construct five sentences using the regular and irregular verbs using verbs listed in exercise 2.5.2.2.
2. Construct five sentences of your own and clearly indicate the subject and the verb used. (Remember the singular the plural rule.)

Exercise 2.11.

Now that you have studied closely the examples given, a subject and verb must agree in number. We want you to revise again the examples given above and understand how the subject-verb agreement is accomplished. Now read the following sentences with understanding and decide whether a singular or plural verb is needed for each sentence. Choose the best word in brackets to correctly complete each sentence.

1. Boots and a warm hat (is/are) what you need in winter.
2. Either Tendai or Rachel (is/are) coming to meet you.
3. Hwange and Victoria Falls (is/are) known for their hospitality.
4. The early hours of the morning (is/are) the time when thieves strike.
5. Mathematics (include?includes) the study of algebra.
6. Neither you nor l (have/has) travelled by plane.
7. The explosions at the mine (was/were) heard from very far.

Reflection

We believe that you enjoyed doing the exercises in this chapter. All this was not new to you as you have been interacting with a lot of material before this chapter. Remember that in this chapter you learnt how to listen for instructions. When you listen carefully to instructions, you always find your way easily around. Yes it is essential to have an attentive ear and this makes listening enjoyable to you and others. Speaking is a skill that helps you to be fluent in your spoken language and to be able to confidently express yourself. Practise speaking fluently with your friends. Yes, it is true that writing is an enjoyable exercise especially if you develop your skills in creative writing through narrative composition writing. Reading is a skill that enhances other skills and you enjoyed reading the passage in this chapter. You were also inspired to break limitations in life like when you read the blind boy story.

Continue reading other materials that will help you to improve your reading skills.

2.7. Summary

In this chapter you covered speaking skills which encouraged you to be fluent in your communication. You must be able to speak convincingly to others. Yes you also learnt how to listen carefully and attentively for information. We know that narrative composition writing was one of the most interesting experiences you also had in this chapter. One of the areas covered was proper and correct use of language which focused on the formation of regular and irregular verbs and subject-verb agreement. You will continue doing more language exercises so that you sharpen your language skills.

2.8. Expected/Possible answers

Exercise 2.6.

Summary points:

I often fell down.
I always got up.
I found it difficult to establish my position.
I used the way sound of the tyres bounced off walls.
I developed my facial vision/ vivid mental pictures.
I was able to distinguish different objects.
I used the sound of tyres.
An object had to be fairly substantial.
There had to be no distracting sounds.
I approached objects at great speed.
I had to react quickly.
Father’s car would loom suddenly ahead.
I had to decide quickly how far I had to veer to avoid banging into it.
If l hesitated l banged into it.
Sensing an object was no guarantee that l would not into it.
I might not be paying attention or simply be unable to stop quickly enough.
I would ram into the wall or up the verandah steps and into the columns, or whatever happened to be in or out of place.
I would bag up my bicycle.
Bruise/scrape my knees/elbows.
Every time l would pick myself up and off again.
I fixed my bicycle.
My family scolded me.
Mother forbade me to go near the bicycle.
I returned to my bicycle again.

Exercise 2.7.

Exercise 2.8.

Exercise 2.9.

Exercise 2.10.

1. blown
2. built
3. chosen
4. drew
5. grown
6. rang
7. risen
8. sank
9. spoken/spoke
10. worn/wore

Exercise 2.11.

1. are
2. is
3. are
4. are
5. includes
6. have
7. were