Character B

Category: Descriptions

He had a long white beard and a long white moustachemoustache which hung down on either side of it. A close inspectioninspection showedshowed that he was far from clean. The old gentlemangentleman was streaked with bird droppingsdroppings over his shoulders, among the stars and trianglestriangles of his gown, and a large spiderspider was slowlyslowly loweringlowering itselfitself from the tip of his secretlondon Wizard s Hat 300pxpointeded hat, as he gazedgazed and slowlyslowly blinkedblinked at the little boy in front of him. He had a faintlyly worryworried expression,expression, as though he were tryingtrying to rememberremember someone'ssomeone's name. His mild blue eyes, big and round under the tarantulatarantula eyebrows,eyebrows, peereded through his spectaclesspectacles and graduallygradually filmedfilmed and cloudeded over as he staredstared at the boy and then he turneded his head awayaway with a boredbored look on his face, as though it was all too much for him.

 

Comprehension

Clarify these words: beard, moustache, close inspection, gentleman, streaked, bird droppings, gown, lowering itself, expression, tarantula, spectacles, filmed and clouded over.

Retell details from this character description.

Make inferences or give opinions about:

  • What his beard and moustache being white tell about him.
  • How he is far from clean.
  • Why he might have bird droppings on him.
  • What the spider might be doing there.
  • Why he might look worried when he looks at the little boy.
  • Why the eyebrows might be described as taratula.
  • What is happening when his eyes film and cloud over.

 

What question could you ask about this description?

Visualise these uses of descriptive language: a long white beard and a long white mosutache which hung down on either side; a close inspection showed he was far from clean; old gentleman; streaked with bird droppings over his shoulders, among the stars and triangles of his gown; a large spider slowly lowering itself from the tip of his pointed hat; gazed and slowly blinked at the boy; faintly worried expression; mild blue eyes, big and round; under taratula eyebrows; peered though his spectacles; gradually filmed and clouded over; turned his head away with a bored look on his face.

Use the clues to help you draw a coloured sketch of this character.

Make a connection with this description.

Word Study

Verb endings: What happens when we add s, ed or ing to: drop, gaze, worry, try, stare, bore.

Other affixes: What happens when we add other prefixes and suffixes like ly to these words: slow, faint, gradual.

What other words can you think of that end in -tion like inspection, expression?

Find some other prepositions like down, side. 

What two words make up these compound words: gentleman, someone, eyebrows.