The Big Hill Chapter 6

Category: The Big Hill

“NothingNothing to drink!” crycried Mia.

“No tea!” groaned Mr Gale.

“No milk!” mutteredmuttered Tim and Ricki.

“Oh well, we willwe’ll    just have to wait untiluntil we get back to the boat, and boil a billybilly on the beach. I think the water and tea and milk came aboardaboard alright,”alright,” Mr Gale added.added.  

cucumbers“And cucumberscucumbers are juicey – almostalmost as good as a drink,” said Mia.

“But I just hate cucumbers,” said Ricki. And althoughalthough the others had a good meal, and found that one or two cool cucumbers stoppedstopped them from being thirsty,y, poor Ricki was so dry that he could hardlyhardly swallow his food. Mia told him severalseveral times how cool and juicy and like a drink cucumbers were, but Ricki hatedhated even the smell of them so much he would notwouldn’t   try even the smallestest bite.  

“Bad luck, Ricki,” said Mr Gale, “but it isit’s   about time to go down now, anyway.”anyway.”  

“I amI’m   alright,alright, Dad,” Ricki said cheerfully,ly, but he reallyreally felt too thirsty to be able to share the good feelingfeeling of havehaving reacheded the top of the hill.  

Comprehension

Summarise what has happened so far in this narrative.

Clarify these words: groaned, muttered, billy.

Retell what happens in this chapter.

Make inferences and give opinions about:

  • What the problem is.
  • How the 'said' verbs tell you how they're feeling.
  • How they can solve the problem.
  • Who has problems with this and why.
  • How the cucumbers help.
  • Why Ricki's walk to the top was ruined for him.

 

What prediction can you make about what might happen next?

What question could you ask about this chapter?

Visualise this use of descriptive language: cried Mia, groaned Mr Gale, muttered Tim and Ricki; boil a billy on the beach; one or two cool cucumbers stopped them being thirsty.

Make a connection with this chapter.

Word Study

Verb endings: What happens when we add s, ed and ing to: cry, stop, hate, shine, carry, have.

Other affixes: What happens when we add other prefixes and suffixes like y, ly, ful, est to these words: juice, thirst, hard, real, cheerful, cheer, small.

What two words make up these compound words: nothing, aboard, alright, almost, although, anyway.

What two words are contracted here: wouldn't, it's, I'm.

What job does the apostrophe do in: Mr Gale's, Ricki's.