Text / Story Comparison

Text Comparison -

Read this extract carefully, then answer, incomplete sentences, the questions that follow.

For some minutes Alice stood without speaking, looking out in all directions over the country – and a most curious country it was. There were a number of tiny little brooks running straight across it from side to side, and the ground between was divided up into squares by a number of little green hedges, that reached from brook to brook.

Continue Reading.

“I declare it’s marked out just like a large chess-board!” Alice said at last. “There ought to be some men moving about somewhere – and so there are!” she added in a tone of delight, and her heart began to beat quick with excitement as she went on.“It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played – all over the world – if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join – though of course, I should like to be a Queen, best.”

Continue reading.

She glanced rather shyly at the real Queen as she said this, but her companion only smiled pleasantly and said “That’s easily managed. You can be the White Queen’s Pawn, if you like, as Lily’s too young to play; and you’re in the Second Square, to begin with: when you get to the Eighth Square you’ll be a Queen –” Just at this moment, somehow or other, they began to run.

From Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Open Ended

Who is the main character in this story?

Open Ended

Where is the setting of this place?

Describe in your own words.

Open Ended

Does Alice expect to enjoy this part of her adventure or not?

How can you tell?

Open Ended

Why would Alice rather be a queen than a pawn?

Open Ended

Which side is Alice about to play for?

Open Ended

Can you find any words or phrases to suggest that this was written a long time ago?

New Text - Read this extract carefully, then answer in complete sentences, the questions that follow.

They followed, running again. Once inside the house, with its maze of corridors, they could lose her. But there she was – they heard her first, those dragging footsteps. Then, hurrying, they saw her blue cloak, fair head. She pushed a huge panelled door and passed through, leaving it open behind her. They reached it and peered in just in time to see Sarah passing through yet another door on the far side of a room that was evidently part of the main house. There was heavy, gleaming furniture, walls lined with gilt-framed pictures, richly draped windows. Minty set off across it ...

Continue reading..

They were through the second door now and into an amazing crimson.‘Cor!’ Tom was awestruck. ‘Red Drawing Room, this is! Heard about it! Cor! Ain’t it just red?’

It was. Carpet, walls, hangings smouldered, blazed. The very air breathed red. Sarah had vanished. Minty crossed the room and came into a vast light entrance hall. There, on the great black and white diamonds of the floor, was that small blue figure, a chess piece.

Continue reading..

At that moment there came other footsteps, a clatter and rattle. Sarah stopped in her tracks, Minty and Tom stiffened.

From Moondial by Helen Cresswell

Open Ended

Where is the setting of this place? Describe in your own words.

Open Ended

Name the three characters in this part of the story.

Open Ended

Why do you think Sarah is described as “a chess piece?”

Open Ended

Is the next part of this story likely to be funny or threatening? How can you tell?

Comparing Texts.

Use the following questions to help you plan comparison of both the extracts from the previous questions.

Open Ended

Mention the narrator in both extracts.

Open Ended

What difference in conversations in both extracts can you see?

Multiple Select

Which of these terms could be used for the stories:

• Traditional

• Fantasy

• Adventure

• Autobiography

• Novel

Poll

Would you like to read more about either of these type of books?

• Yes

• No