The Ruum English 9 Key Concepts Anti against

“The Ruum” English 9

Key Concepts Ü Anti – against Ü Climax – turning point Ü The climax is the point of highest interest at which we know how the story will end. The main conflict and suspense are concluded here. Ü If that climax is a let down to what we expect, it is called an anticlimax.

Key Concepts Ü Example of anticlimax: A large present, labeled for you, sits under the Christmas tree. You have been wanting a new bicycle for quite some time and have “guessed” that is what the box contains. Christmas day arrives and you rip open the large box only to find a candy cane buried at the bottom of the box. Ü Needless to say, an anticlimax tends to result in disappointment.

Key Concepts Ü The setting is when and where a story takes place. Ü Setting can be both general (month or season, century or year, geographical area) and specific (time of day, specific area). Ü The setting may determine the kind of characters, the action, the type of conflict, and the mood.

Key Concepts Ü Foreshadowing gives the reader a hint of something that is going to happen next without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense.

Vocabulary Ü Interstellar overdrive (p. 45) – A special high-speed gear for travelling between the stars Ü Rigel (p. 45) – A bright star in the constellation of Orion. Ü Stegosaur (p. 47) – A type of dinosaur.

Vocabulary Ü Saurian (p. 48) – A reptile such as a dinosaur, crocodile, or lizard. Ü Tyrannosaurus (p. 48) – A very large dinosaur. Ü Percussion caps (p. 54) – Small caps containing powder that explodes when struck.

Discussion Questions 1. When did Ilkor visit Earth? Ü Millions of years ago Ü The age of the dinosaurs

Discussion Questions 2. Why did it not return? Ü It was destroyed by a raider ship

Discussion Questions 3. What information about the ruum given by an officer of the Ilkor later proves to be important? Explain what is meant by the information. Ü The officer of the Ilkor says “For a maximum radius of 30 miles, and 160 pounds plus or minus 15” (p. 45). Ü The officer means the ruum is supposed work within a 30 mile radius and look for species between 145 and 175 pounds.

Discussion Questions 4. What information is given about the people of Ilkor? Ü The commander has triangular eyes, which suggests they are not human (aliens) Ü They are violent. The one responsible for leaving the ruum will be killed for his mistake.

Discussion Questions 5. How long has the robot been left on Earth before it is discovered? What does this suggest about the nature of the ruum? Ü The robot has been left on Earth for millions of years before it is discovered Ü This suggests that the ruum is an indestructible and unstoppable robot

Discussion Questions 6. Where and when does most of the story take place? Why is the setting so important? Ü The majority of the story takes place in a remote valley of the Canadian Rockies Ü The setting is important because it is secluded. Jim is alone with the ruum.

Discussion Questions 7. Why is the isolation of the valley stressed? Ü The isolation is stressed because if the plane failed to return, Jim would surely die. Ü Also, Jim is all alone, meaning no one can help him but himself.

Discussion Questions 8. What is Jim Irwin doing in the Rockies? How much time does he intend to spend there? What other facts are given about him? Ü Jim is in the Rockies because he is looking for uranium. Ü He intends to spend 3 weeks there. Ü We know that Jim is physically fit and military trained.

Discussion Questions 9. What examples of foreshadowing can you find? Ü “For a maximum radius of 30 miles, and 160 pounds plus or minus 15” (p. 45). ” Ü “He noticed… the victims were roughly a size. […] Each specimen was about the size of a large sheep” (p. 48). Ü “Jim Irwin weighed exactly 149 pounds” (p. 49).

Discussion Questions 10. What was amazing about the collection of animals Jim came upon? Ü They were lined up in a triple row Ü The animal collection included recent and prehistoric animals, including a stegosaurus Ü The animals were paralyzed and still alive, just in suspended animation Ü The animals were all similar in size

Discussion Questions 11. Jim says the ruum’s collection of specimens is “like some enterprising giant’s outdoor butcher shop. ” What does this comparison tell you about the ruum’s methods? What is the figure of speech in the above quotation? Ü This comparison tells us the ruum is organized and detail-oriented. It is specific in the way it handles its prey. Ü The figure of speech is a simile – a comparison between two things using like or as.

Discussion Questions 12. Consider the following: The ruum can only move 5 mph. How fast can a man or woman run? What about a deer? Why then does the ruum always catch its prey? Provide two reasons why Jim could not get free of the ruum just by running. Ü The ruum never stops. It doesn’t get tired and doesn’t need food and/or fuel. Ü Jim can’t destroy the ruum. All of his time is spent running from and fending off the ruum; Jim is tired and hungry. The ruum is not.

Discussion Questions 13. List the steps Jim took in his attempt to destroy the rum. Ü Hides Ü Drops Boulder Ü Climbs cliff Ü Shoots ruum Ü Detonates his own dynamite trap with pistol bullet

Discussion Questions 14. Why does the ruum lift Jim and put him down without harming him? What saved Jim? Ü Because Jim has spent so much time running from the ruum, he has lost weight, leaving him outside of the ruum’s acceptable weight requirement. Ü The ruum only looks for species between 145 and 175 pounds. Jim lost weight in his battles with the ruum, unknowingly making himself undesirable to the ruum. Ü What saved Jim was the ruum.

Discussion Questions 15. Although Jim has found no uranium, his expedition is not a complete financial failure. Why not? Ü His expedition is not a complete financial failure because of the prehistoric animals and reptiles he discovered. Ü As Walt says, “if we can snatch up just a few of these prehistoric lizards and things while the museum keeper’s away, the scientists will pay us plenty” (p. 57).