Everyday Reading A Veteran Never Forgets A Veteran

Everyday Reading: A Veteran Never Forgets

A Veteran Never Forgets • Read through the text silently to yourself and underline any words you do not understand. • In Year 6, you should be able to read around 90 words per minute, so this text should take you approximately 8 minutes to read with understanding. • Now we will read the text through all together out loud.

What is a veteran? • Discuss with your partner. • A: A veteran is an ex-member of the armed forces, so someone who has previously been a soldier. • Other names you may not know: • German Luftwaffe = the German air force, who flew the planes. • Spitfire = a British fighter airplane • Fuhrer = a German leader, in this case Adolf Hitler.

Grammar • Look at the tenses in the text. • What do you notice about most of the verbs in the first, third and fifth paragraphs? Why is the case? Highlight them in one colour. • What do you notice about most of the verbs in the second and fourth paragraphs? Why is the case? Highlight them in another colour. • What do you notice about most of the verbs in the first, third and fifth paragraphs? They are in the PRESENT tense, because he is talking about what is happening NOW. • What do you notice about most of the verbs in the second and fourth paragraphs? They are in the PAST tense, because he is talking about what happened during World War 2.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary • Words you may not know: • daunting • descend • higgledy-piggledy • detonating • droning • brim • intimidate • chaotic • insignificant • gripping • defensive • heroism • anticipation • decorated • wireless • reminisce • fateful • piercing • naively • desecrated • foundations • harrowing • unearthed • civilians • defensive • inquisitive • aroma • palpable • embarked • treacherous • sheepishly • callous • instantaneously • instinctively • dwelling • outhouse • imprinted

Word of the Week: • Let’s complete a Vocabulary Meaning Tree for the word ‘instinctively’.

Complete the question sheet

Answers 1. In the first paragraph, how does the veteran say he has changed from when he was younger to now as an older man? A: When he was younger, he kept his experiences to himself. Now that he is older, he has softened and he tells everyone his memories. He says, “I freely reminisce”. 2. What are the British aeroplanes compared to? A: They are compared to geese flying north in the summer.

Answers 3. What (and who) makes the veteran stop having his first flashback about the war being fought in the skies? A: Caspar, his grandson, tugs on the veteran’s trouser leg. 4. At what age did the man sign up to become a soldier? A: When he had just turned 18 years old.

Answers 5. What adjectives are used to describe Caspar? A: Adorable and inquisitive. 6. What does inquisitive mean? A: To be curious and interested in knowing things. 7. Who helped the veteran and his friend when they were separated from their company? A: French farmers helped them.

Answers 8. What (and who) makes the veteran stop having his second flashback? A: The wailing (crying) of his latest, new-born granddaughter, Lily. 9. Why does the veteran say he is ‘one of the lucky ones’? A: He says this because he did not die in the war; he got to come home and make a life for himself.

Answers Star Challenge: 10. Find an example of personification in the third paragraph. Explain how it is an example of personification. A: “The palpable love in the room hugs me. ” Love cannot hug anyone, so the veteran has made it sound as though ‘love’ is a person, wrapping its arms around him and cuddling him.