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DIDACTIC TABLE OF
‘THE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN’

PLOT
Four children and a baby are starting their summer holidays when they find an ancient and strange creature who has the gift to grant wishes for a day. The children wish to be beautiful and their wish is granted. The problem is that nobody recognizes them so they are not allowed to enter their own house. The situation is resolved naturally at dusk.
DIDACTIC POTENTIAL (AT LANGUAGE LEVEL)
This story is suitable for working on speech/literary figures like metaphor, paradox, hyperbole, simile, and so on. Onomatopoeias, rhymes and haikus are also introduced in annotations as an opportunity to explore the musicality and imagery of words. These words have all been defined in the text: plaster quarry (limestone quarry) / dwelling / orchard / scold / housekeeper / in charge of (something) / short temper / spades / by chance / dig / upside down / remain / shriek / furry / slip away / gather / gaze / haughtily / flatter / genie / moisture / moat / make a wish come true / swell / huff and puff / regain / locks / bawl / pamper / await / starve / slam the door in someone's face /knock / famished / as far as someone can tell / let someone in / soaking wet / hence / turn into / dusk / bitterly / garland / go numb / give someone the fright of their life / rage / pinch / telling off / hang around with someone.
DIDACTIC POTENTIAL (OTHER COMPETENCES)
This story has several references to geographical terms and concepts, such as antipode, fossil, sea recession, etc. Therefore, it is suitable for working in parallel with the Geography teacher.
LIMITATIONS & POTENTIAL DIFFICULTIES
Conceptually, it is a simple story. However, the vocabulary is not always easy and there are a few long and complex structures that are common in B1.
PROPOSALS FOR WORKING WITH THE STORY IN CLASS & AT HOME
There is a balance between activities to be carried out at home or collaboratively in class. Others could be undertaken partly at home (preparation, thinking of examples, etc.) and then shared in small groups or with the whole classroom. The story provides a good opportunity for classroom discussion on values, particularly, to bring up the subject of physical beauty and its alleged overvaluation in society. In that sense, it could be of interest to have a debate on physical defects, disabilities, etc. and the testimony of great historical characters (or people they know of) who were handicapped and how they overcame their challenges and turned them into opportunities for personal growth..
SUGGESTIONS FOR BRAINSTORMING OR PRE-TASKS
There are many themes that come up in this story that could serve for a pre-task. Two of the main ones are ‘wishes’ and ‘beauty’. Possible pre-tasks could be thinking/discussing about:
  • Wishes. ‘If you could make a wish that would last for a day, what would it be?’
  • Physical appearance. What is your idea of human beauty? Do you think that physical perfection is attractive? Can old people be beautiful? What physical and psychological features make a person pleasant to others? (The topic must be suitable for the age group).
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING ON RELATED FIELDS & STORIES
One obvious parallel that can be drawn is to Aladdin, from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. The children could be asked to compare Calleja’s Genie of the Sand with Aladdin’s Genie of the Lamp as a post-task activity. Another well-known story involving being granted a gift that only lasts a few hours is Cinderella. A contrast between both stories could also prove interesting. As mentioned above, this story is suitable for addressing themes directly related to Geography. It could be interesting to ask the Geography teacher for support and collaboration so that the content of the corresponding annotations is properly explained in the Geography class. Apart from this, students have the possibility of working with irony, language figures, and poetry. It could prove to be interesting to involve the Spanish language teacher so that these themes are addressed from the perspective of this other language.

TABLA DIDÁCTICA DEL CUENTO
“LOS CHICOS GUAPOS”

RESUMEN
En vacaciones, cinco hermanos acuden a un arenal a jugar. De un agujero, aparece un genio que promete concederles un deseo cada día. Entonces, los niños deciden poseer belleza. Pero su deseo parece tener un efecto inesperado.
POTENCIAL DIDÁCTICO
De igual modo que ocurre en otros cuentos de la Colección (como en “Las monedas de oro”), esta narración se perfila en base al trazo de una tensión entre el plano de los deseos y el de la realidad. Ambas perspectivas dialogan continuamente, teniendo a los niños como principales protagonistas, en tanto que resultan creadores y consumidores de los mundos y objetos que desean, así como responsables de tales vivencias y transformaciones. Por ello, priman los contenidos en valores y la potenciación de la inteligencia emocional. Desde un punto de vista literario, es interesante reseñar que este cuento es el precedente de muchos otros que, en la Colección, tienen a los cinco hermanos como protagonistas. Por ello, las siguientes narraciones pueden ser tratadas desde la intertextualidad: “Las monedas de oro”, “¡Cuidado con el niño!”, “¡A volar todos!”, “En estado de sitio”, “El fenómeno”, “¿El menor o el mayor?”, “En el sendero de la guerra” y “Las alhajas de la duquesa”.
PROPUESTA DE ACTIVIDADES
Actividades de lectura crítica orientadas a concienciar en materia de igualdad de género, así como sobre ideales de belleza. Actividades sobre geografía, antropología, biología y paleontología. Actividades de escritura creativa y de dibujo. Actividades interactivas: respuesta múltiple.
VOCABULARIO
Definición de las siguientes expresiones, palabras o grafías: cantera de yeso, ama de llaves, velludo, megaterio.
Text, intertextuality and context: Activity to scaffold reading comprehension and notes on intertextual and historical or cultural contextual information.
Creativity: Activity to enhance imagination and fantasy.
Collaboration: Activity to be undertaken totally or partially in a group.
Critical capacity: Activity to promote explicit learning through analysis and critical reasoning.
Oral comprehension: Activity for the acquisition of oral receptive skills.
Gamification and digital skills: Activity to promote gamified and technology-based learning through exercises and small interactive games with the computer.
Oral interpersonal communication: Activity to improve oral production and interaction.
Didactic guidelines for the English teacher: Table with a summary of the story and recommendations for the use of the tool in the classroom.
Audio: Listening of the enriched audio embedded in each page.
Comprensión lectora y contexto Explicación de información contextual, histórica o cultural, difícil para el lector actual.
Creatividad Propuestas para trabajar la imaginación, la fantasía y la sensibilidad a partir de la lectura.
Trabajo colaborativo y emocional Propuestas de actividades para desarrollar el trabajo en grupo y el conocimiento de las emociones.
Capacidad crítica e intertextualidad Anotaciones que promueven el pensamiento crítico y la profundización en el conocimiento de las estrategias literarias.
Actividades auditivas Anotaciones orientadas a desarrollar la recepción auditiva, utilizando la dimensión oral del lenguaje, los sonidos y la música.
Elementos interactivos (Puzles, galerías de imágenes, ejercicios, etc.) Anotaciones que han requerido algún tipo de programación especial orientadas a fomentar la lectura activa.
Audio Pista de audio del cuento por página.

Do you know what a haiku is? It is a well-known type of Japanese poem that consists of 3 lines: The first and last lines have 5 syllables. The middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. Note that all the lines start with a capital letter.

This is a haiku to help you remember what a haiku is: “I am first with five, Then seven in the middle, Five again to end”.

Write a haiku about an animal on a piece of paper without naming it and read it aloud to your classmates and let them guess what animal it is about.

Here is a haiku about a frog to inspire you: “Green and speckled legs, Hop on logs and lily pads, Splash in cool water.”

Una ciudad de libros

Comprensión lectora y contexto Explicación de información contextual, histórica o cultural, difícil para el lector actual.
Creatividad Propuestas para trabajar la creatividad a partir de la lectura.
Trabajo colaborativo y emocional Propuestas de actividades para desarrollar el trabajo en grupo y el conocimiento de las emociones.
Capacidad crítica e intertextualidad Anotaciones que promueven el pensamiento crítico y la profundización en el conocimiento de las estrategias literarias
Comprensión sonora Ejercicios que trabajan la comprensión auditiva (para la versión en inglés).
Elementos interactivos (Puzles, galerías de imágenes, ejercicios, etc.) Anotaciones que han requerido algún tipo de programación especial
Icono audio Se utiliza este icono para escuchar el audio incrustado por página en la versión en inglés y en la bilingüe.

Los chicos guapos

Este relato es una adaptación del cuento de Edith Nesbit “Beautiful as the Day”, de la colección Five Children and It (1905). Es el primero de la colección y en él conocemos por primera vez a los hermanos Antera y Juana, Cirilo y Roberto, y el más pequeño de todos, que llaman el Cordero. El resto de los cuentos de Plaga de dragones pertenecen a esta colección de cuentos, así que volveremos a encontrarnos a estos niños en “Las monedas de oro”, “¡Cuidado con el niño!", “¡A volar todos!”, “En estado de sitio”, “El fenómeno”, “¿El menor o el mayor?”, “En el sendero de la guerra” y “Las alhajas de la duquesa”.

Portada de la primera edición.


The English version of this book is a translation from Plaga de Dragones, a story collection which was published by Saturnino Calleja in 1923. This translation was undertaken collaboratively as part of a crowd translation project which took place at the Spanish distance learning university UNED in 2016, involving translation teachers and students. During the translation process, we tried to reach a balance between being faithful to the Spanish text and bringing it into the 21st century for the enjoyment and learning of modern readers. We feel that the stories are still relevant to you these days and trust that you will find the cultural contrast interesting.

The text has been enriched with a number of annotations including audio, term explanations, and various proposals for activities, which are mainly aimed at young non-native English speakers.

Cantera de yeso

Una cantera es un sitio del cual se extrae piedra o cualquier otro material que sirve para diferentes obras, por ejemplo, el yeso. El yeso es una substancia mineral de color blanco que se usa para la construcción y la escultura porque puede endurecerse rápidamente al mezclarse con agua.

Cantera de yeso en Molino de Río de Aguas, Almería, España.


As you have read, the children seem to reach the conclusion that the gift of beauty does not, after all, guarantee perfect happiness.

What do you think about this? What are the downsides of being outstandingly beautiful, if any? Write down your opinion and three arguments supporting your perspective. Now discuss your own opinion with the group and be prepared to modify your initial view. Use expressions like: "If you think about it, ..."; "Have you ever thought that...?"; "Let's imagine that...".


Cyril does not seem to know how the petrification process really works. Furthermore, there are other ways to be turned into stone, at least in a fantastic world.

Do you know a fantastic character who turns people into stone?

ANSWER:


As you can see, the children are having problems to get into their own house.

Working in groups, write down the strategy you will follow to get into the house. This time try to be as imaginative and funny as possible! Once you are done, share your strategy with your partners and vote for the best one as a whole. Before voting, answer your partners' queries and supply additional arguments to defend your strategy.


As you can read, Joanna is very confident about how the children's problems are going to be solved. What makes Joanna think that they will go back to looking the same as ever when the day is over?

ANSWER:

Measles

A contagious illness that causes red spots on the skin and high temperature. Children have it more frequently than adults unless they are vaccinated.

Example: Tommy didn’t go to school when he had measles.

Bean

The seed of certain plants which are eaten as a vegetable in stews, soups, salads, or as a side dish.

Example: The smell of the bean stew was delicious.

Nanny

A person who provides care for somebody else’s children as a paid service.

Example: The nanny told the children a story at bedtime.

Three Wise Men

According to the Christian tradition, the Three Wise Men, Kings or Magi were distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, guided by a star, bearing gifts. They are common figures in Christmas nativity sets, next to the Holy Family and the shepherds.

Example: The names of the Three Wise Men were Melchior, Gaspar and Balthassar.

Bureau

A chest or piece of furniture for writing with drawers (boxes that slide in and out and are used to hold things). It can have a top that locks with a key and opens upwards.

Example: The old wooden bureau contained old secret documents.

Flock

A group of sheep, goats, or birds.

Example: Shepherds take care of their flock.

Benny_Trapp_Anatololacerta_oertzeni_Rhodos.jpg


Why do you think that Rosie and Fabian’s mother doesn’t let them open the two drawers? Try and guess the reason!


We are sure that you know what a bureau is and what it is for. Can you name up to five things that you would typically find in the drawers of a bureau and five things that you would never ever find there?


The snake has been used as a symbol throughout history. For example, snakes create waves while moving and for this reason they have been a symbolic representation of energy in many cultures.

There are different kinds of snakes and each of them is symbolically used depending on where they live. For example, in India, snakes are related to the waters of the sea and are guardians of the springs of life. In Egypt, they are related to the dangers of the desert and symbolize the forces of destruction.


We are sure that you know what a bureau is and what it is for. Can you name up to five things that you would typically find in the drawers of a bureau and five things that you would never ever find there?


We are sure that you know what a bureau is and what it is for. Can you name up to five things that you would typically find in the drawers of a bureau and five things that you would never ever find there?


At the beginning of the 20th century, families used to be large. Families with five, eight, twelve siblings were perfectly normal. What other changes can you see in families these days with respect to the past?


The children are happy to spend the summer in the countryside instead of Madrid because they have more freedom. Do you think living in a city is full of prohibitions and "Do not touch" signs? How is life in urban areas vs. rural areas in terms of freedom and carefree way of life?


The children's grandmother happens to be ill. Listen to the following ways of informing the children that their grandmother is ill. Pay attention to the information you can obtain from the words and the intonation.

Which one do you think is more appropriate for this situation?


The children's adventure is coming to an end so they are... how would you feel if you were in their position?

It is important to be able to express your emotions, which can range from furious to thrilled. In order to make it more fun, try and look for ten moods in the wordsearch below: furious, angry, upset, sad, tired, bored, cool, happy, thrilled, ecstatic. Good luck!

What do you think the shepherd thought and did when he saw his dog again? What do you think the dog did?

Collect and share information about snakes. First, try to make an effort and focus on what you already know. Try to remember what they eat, how they reproduce, etc. Then, you can look for more data in your Natural Science' books or the Internet if you need to

Afterwards, try to organize the information you have found out about their life (what they eat, how they reproduce, etc.) and summarize it in a paragraph or in a few PowerPoint slides.


The Sandy has a supernatural power to make wishes come true. If we could find him, he could make any of our wishes come true... well, our wishes or anybody's.

Think of three famous historical characters (alive or dead) and try to imagine what their main wish would be if they found the Sandy. What would former President Obama wish for? Maybe Mahatma Ghandi would ask for world peace?

Once you are done, share the wishes with the group and discuss which is the best one, both for the, both for an individual and for society.

This old snake seems to be the king of the other snakes. Many kings in fantastic stories must have done great achievements to be worthy of their position. Can you imagine what this old snake has down to deserve the throne?

Write the story of the old snake's past. Include the place and circumstances of its birth, which obstacles and enemies it encountered and defeated, and its path to the throne.

Let's be careful with our prejudices. The snake in your story does not have to be wicked if you don't want to!

Se prohíbe tocar

Seguro que en tu casa hay muchas cosas que se prohíbe tocar. No está escrito, pero tú lo sabes. ¿Qué cosas son? ¿Y por qué crees tú que no se pueden tocar? ¿Y en el colegio? ¿Y tú, estás de acuerdo con eso de que no se puede tocar?

Ama de llaves

Es una empleada doméstica que está al cargo de la organización del trabajo del resto de los criados y normalmente se queda al mando cuando los dueños de la casa no están. Se llama así porque se encarga de las llaves y de la economía de la casa.

Aquí tienes a una ama de llaves española de mediados del siglo XIX contando con los dedos:

Ama de llaves. Autor: Zarza. Grabador: Ortega. En Los españoles pintados por sí mismos. Madrid. Ignacio Boix. 1843. 1a ed. Tomo I.

Antera

Una antera es la parte de la flor en el que se guarda el polen. Es un nombre bonito. ¿A ti te gusta? ¿Y por qué crees que le han dado este nombre en el cuento?

El mundo es redondo

Señala en esta esfera dónde estás tú y dónde está Australia. ¿Pero tú crees que se podía excavar tanto, hasta llegar al centro de la tierra y más allá?

Y se figuraban

¿Tú crees que esto es verdad? ¿Andan así en Australia? ¡No! ¿Y por qué? Pero ¿cómo crees que es Australia?

Mira en este mapa de Australia Es de un libro como el que tenían Antera y sus hermanos. También puedes localizar Australia en este Atlas. Te doy una pista: ¡página 20!

Velludo

Velludo quiere decir que tiene mucho vello: un pelo muy fino en la piel.

Era digno de verse

¿Te has fijado en cómo ha dibujado Federico Ribas al Enarenado? ¿Tú cómo te lo habías imaginado? Dibuja a partir de la descripción que aparece en el texto un Enarenado diferente. ¿Te atreves?

Animales enormes

¿Sabes cómo eran de grandes esos animales? Ahora encontramos sus restos petrificados, en forma de fósiles. Aquí puedes ver el cráneo de un Tyrannosaurus rex, que podía medir hasta 1,50 de largo. Se ha encontrado un esqueleto completo que mide 12,30m. de largo y 4 metros de alto.

Desearíamos otra cosa

Si te encontraras con un Enarenado ¿qué le pedirías? Escribe aquí tres deseos. ¡Quizá alguno se cumpla!


Antera y su hermana

¿Y por qué son Antera y su hermana las que tiene esa idea? ¿Por qué no Cirilo y Roberto? ¡Qué manía! ¿No?

Guapos como soles

¡Otra manía con los ojos azules y los bucles de oro! ¡Cómo si no hubiera otra manera de ser guapo! ¿Qué es ser guapo para ti? ¡Cuéntanoslo!


Dispensen ustedes

Pero ¿qué es lo que ha pasado?

Parece que los hermanos ya no se reconocen entre sí. Hoy diríamos: “Ustedes perdonen” o “Disculpen ustedes”, pero los niños hoy en día casi no utilizan la forma de “usted”, y menos para hablar con otros niños, aunque no los conozcan.

Cogió al Cordero en brazos

¿Por qué el ama de llaves sí reconoce al Cordero? ¿Qué es lo que a él no le ha pasado?

Se nos ocurren dos explicaciones:

Megaterio

Un megaterio era un mamífero de la era cuaternaria (se inició hace 2,59 millones de años y llega hasta la actualidad) que vivió en las pampas argentinas y del que ahora quedan fósiles.

Funesta dádiva

“funesta… dádiva” ¿Y eso qué quiere decir? Escoge la respuesta correcta:

a)Un cacharro para fumar

c)Una cosa que trae mala suerte

b)Un regalo envenenado

 

 

Cuatro desagradables cosas distintas

El miedo, la ira, el hambre, el cansancio, son sensaciones bastante desagradables. Cuéntanos una experiencia tuya en la que se hayan juntado alguna de esas “desagradables cosas distintas”.


¡Qué guapos estáis, tan feos!

¿Y por qué dice eso Antera? ¿Están guapos o están feos? Son dos cosas contrarias en la misma frase, ¿no? A veces ocurren situaciones contradictorias como esta. A los escritores les parece ingenioso introducirlas en una misma frase, creando así una figura retórica que se llama antítesis. Aquí tienes un ejemplo de antítesis muy conocido:

Cuando quiero llorar no lloro,

y a veces, lloro sin querer.

(“Canción de otoño en primavera”, Rubén Darío)

de padre y muy señor mío

“…de padre y muy señor mío…”: ¿Y eso qué quiere decir? Escoge la respuesta correcta:

a) Una regañina hecha por el Papa

b) Una regañina de las que echan los padres

c) Una regañina enorme, de las que hacen época

 

 

“el Padre eterno escribió unas”

Finalmente, aparece Dios para salvar al pastor, ¿qué te parece este final? ¿Es el que esperabas? En realidad, lo de hacer aparecer a un Dios (u otro elemento externo a la trama y, generalmente, mágico) para que, de pronto, resuelva la situación, aunque no tenga mucho que ver con el resto de la historia, es un recurso que ya usaban los griegos en sus tragedias y que se llama "Deus ex machina". Sin embargo, no es una forma de resolver la trama muy recomendable, pues no guarda coherencia con el resto del argumento. ¿Se te ocurre una forma mejor de acabar este cuento? Escríbela.

Sueños...

Al final, todo había sido un sueño. ¿Conoces otras historias en las que todo se resuelva al despertar y no haya ocurrido de verdad? ¿Has leído Alicia en el país de las maravillas?

Ilustración de sir John Tenniel (1820-1914), para la novela original de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas (1865), de Lewis Carroll.

Concejo

Los pueblos y ciudades no solo son gobernados por un alcalde o alcaldesa, sino que, en el Ayuntamiento, también trabajan otras personas, que son las que forman el Concejo. A estos empleados se les conoce como «concejales», y se especializan en diversas áreas de gobierno, por lo que existen concejales de cultura, de educación, de sanidad, de medio ambiente y muchos más.

El final del cuento

¿Te parece justo para Eufemia y Enrique el final del cuento? Piensa sobre por qué los adultos no agradecen a los niños su hazaña e imagina un final diferente para el cuento. Puedes poner por escrito ese final aquí.

Juguetes

¿Cómo eran los juguetes de tus padres y abuelos? Pregúntales si tuvieron algunos de estos.

Issues

Something that is made, sent out, or published.

Example: The man sold all his old issues of comics from when he was a child.

Ancient life traces which turned into stones are what we call fossils. Usually, only the hard parts of animals are preserved because soft parts and organs decay before the fossilization process.

One way fossils are made is through a process called petrification. This happens when a dead animal is covered by mud or silt. Over time, sediment builds over the top and hardens into rock. Then, minerals replace the organic material cell by cell, turning it into stone.

Council

Imagine you and your partners are members of the city Council during the plague of dragons in the story. Each one of you must choose a role from the following list and start a discussion:

  1. Mayor: S/he wants to eliminate he plague but without harming anybody and without destroying any buildings or property.
  2. Militar advisor: S/he wants to eliminate the plague no matter what to ensure that the main objective is reached.
  3. Scientific advisor: S/he doesn't want to eliminate the plague in order study the dragons and protect the people at the same time.

Rosie and Fabian use a six-sided puzzle to make a castle. Each side contains a beautiful picture. Go to the webpage of a famous museum and select six paintings that you like, each one corresponding to the following famous painters:

  1. Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 15th century)
  2. Peter Paul Rubens (German, 17th century)
  3. Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 17th century)
  4. Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 19th century)
  5. Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 20th century)
  6. Salvador Dali (Spanish, 20th century)

Bayonet

A weapon that consists of a knife attached to the front end of a rifle.

Example: Bayonets were used in close fighting long ago.

Sabre

A heavy sword with one sharp curved edge.

Example: My grandfather has a sabre on the wall from the Mexican war.


As you can see, the children are having problems to get into their own house.

Working in groups, write down the strategy you will follow to get into the house. This time try to be as imaginative and funny as possible! Once you are done, share your strategy with your partners and vote for the best one as a whole. Before voting, answer your partners' queries and supply additional arguments to defend your strategy.

Fire poker

A pointed metal bar for stirring up a fire.

Example: Our father used the fire poker when the grill was about to extinguish.

Board

A plank; a flat, cut piece of wood.

Example: The child fixed small wheels to the board and then jumped on it.

Alquicel

Alquicel: Es una palabra que viene del árabe y se refiere a un tipo de vestidura a modo de capa, que normalmente era blanca y de lana.

Si quieres conocer qué otras palabras son de origen árabe, utiliza el diccionario e investiga: ¿Son de origen árabe estas palabras: “alcohol”, “almohada”, “aleta”, “alcázar”, “alcaldía”, “alhelí” y “altura”?

Lead

A grey metal which is very heavy.

Example: That shield is made of lead to protect the doctor against radiation.

Harvest

The gathering of ripe crops or plants grown on a farm.

Example: Summer is the time of year when the farmers harvest their wheat.

Rebecca at the well

A story from the Bible which narrates how a woman called Rebecca was chosen to be Isaac’s wife by his father’s servant because she was by a particular well and said and did what he was expecting, which he interpreted to be a sign of God.

Daoiz and Velarde

Two Spanish captains who raised against French Napoleonic occupation and rule, and fought in a famous and decisive battle which took place in Madrid on May 2nd 1808.

By heart

Using the memory.

Example: The child learnt the song by heart for the festival.

Alcubilla

A famous Spanish legal dictionary written by lawyer Marcelo Martínez Alcubilla in the 19th century.

Divine Comedy

A long narrative poem by 14th century Italian author Dante Alighieri. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of world literature.

There are shells in the sandy area, far away from the sea. Why do you think this happened? Maybe some clams took a trip to the countryside?

ANSWER:

Listen again to the way the Sandy speaks. Can you guess how he feels based on his intonation?

Now, working in pairs, imagine how the Sandy would talk to the children if he were sad, happy or worried or in any other mood you can think of. Practise the different versions with your partner, who will have to guess your mood.

This word is the female form of "shepherd". As you can see, it is the same word but with the sufix "-ess". You can find other examples of this use in words like "countess" and "heiress".

Also, there are other more common ways to refer to professionals who are women. For example, what do you call a woman who is a doctor?

A she-doctor

Doctoress

A female doctor

 

 

ANSWER:

La ciudad en la biblioteca, en la ciudad en la biblioteca

Los escritores utilizan muchos trucos para hacer sus historias interesantes. En este caso, la autora hace que los juguetes y los espacios de juego que construyen los niños cobren vida y se hagan reales dentro de la historia. ¿Conoces otros cuentos en los que ocurra hacen algo parecido?

Aquí tienes un ejemplo muy famoso:

El soldadito de plomo

Ran out of

To use up the entire amount of something.

Example: It was such a hot day that we ran out of drinks.

Rivadeneyra

Manuel Rivadeneyra (1805-1872) fue un editor e impresor español que desde 1846 trató de reunir las obras clásicas de la literatura española en una colección que se llamó la Biblioteca de Autores Españoles.

El ratón mecánico

Otro truco para hacer una buena historia es jugar con los narradores y el origen del cuento. Nuestro narrador ha escuchado la historia que acabamos de leer de uno de los personajes del cuento. ¿No es un poco raro? ¿Te fiarías tú de lo que cuente un ratón mecánico?

Inventa una historia con un narrador poco fiable ¡pero divertido!


Hyperboles are exaggerations not to be taken literally. Prepare a few hyperboles to praise or (respectfully) criticize famous characters. Say them out loud in front of your group and let them guess who you are referring to.


As we have read, the text is giving a deep explanation of a common practice.

This kind of text is called "etiological myth", which tries to explain the origin of a practice, a rite or a natural phenomenon, whose original meaning or purpose was lost.

If you are interested, you can read Metamorphoses by Ovid (43 BC - 17/18 AD), where this Greek writer tries to explain the origin of the world and its different elements.


The children in the story are trying to reach Australia through the hole they are digging. Obviously, this goal is imposible to achieve. Do you know why it is impossible?

Before entering the cave, the shepherd wasn't alone. Do you remember who was with him?

ANSWER:


Baa! is an animal sound, an onomatopoeia in the English language. Listen to the following onomatopoeias and try to identify the animal.

Do you think onomatopoeias are written the same way in different languages?


All throughout this story there are two scenarios: a real one in Rosie and Fabian’s library and an imaginary one in a medieval city which is about to become a battlefield… which is inside the library! Where are the children right now: still in the battlefield or back in the library?

Cloak

A long, loose, outer garment without sleeves that is used as a coat, to protect the wearer from the cold.

Example: The wizard had a purple cloak with stars on it.

Moors

North African Muslims.

Example: In the Middle Ages the Moors introduced many new scientific techniques to Spain and the rest of Europe.

Wheeled Board

A plank with wheels underneath. It can be a skateboard, which is a flat, short, narrow board that has four wheels on the bottom and is used for practising a sport.

Example: It is more fun to stand on your skateboard than to sit on it.

Rivadeneyra

A famous Spanish editor who lived in the 19th century, who published many Spanish works and collections with high quality.

The children in the story are trying to reach Australia through the hole they are digging. Obviously, this goal is imposible to achieve. Do you know why it is impossible?

ANSWER:

Lamb is the pet name given to the youngest sibling. Do you remember why they called him like that?

ANSWER:

What do you think has happened here? How can the shepherd have slept for several months?

ANSWER:


This is the end of the story. Rosie and Fabian are sick in bed. In their feverish sleep, they have a nightmare about being judged in court for having been disobedient and reckless. Distribute the roles at court among the members of your group:

Try to follow the main norms in a real court situation (respect to the magistrates’ indications, turn taking, etc.) and come out with a sentence.

Don’t forget to finish the role play by waking Rosie and Fabian up at the end!

Plaster quarry (limestone quarry)

An excavation zone where limestone (a sedimentary rock) is taken from and then mainly used as a component of building material.

Example: Some building materials used in the construction of the Burgos Cathedral were taken from the limestone quarry in the town of Hontoria de la Cantera.


The children of the story managed to persuade Lamb to take him home. What kind of arguments or tricks would you use to try to calm a baby down or persuade it to do something?

Working in pairs, one of you will play the role of a baby and the other will be his parent. Imagine that you are in the park, it's getting late, and the baby doesn't want to leave. How would the parent persuade it? Parent, try to sound as friendly, charming and persuasive as possible!

You can use expressions like: "You don't want to..."; "What about if...?"; "Don't tell me you...".

Dwelling

A place where people live; a house.

Example: The witch lived in a small dwelling in the forest.

Orchard

An area where fruit and nut trees (and shrubs or bushes) are intentionally grown.

Example: There is a cherry orchard behind their country house.

Scolding (scold)

To reprimand someone angrily.

Example: Grandpa scolded us because we broke an expensive sculpture.

Housekeeper

The person who is hired to do the main house chores (tasks), such as cooking and cleaning.

Example: This morning we picked up all our toys and put them in the toy-box so that the housekeeper could clean the floors.

In charge of (something)

To be responsible for something.

Example: The Science teacher put me in charge of the experiment.

Short temper

The tendency to get angry quickly; to get irritated easily for little reason.

Example: We all know about the headmaster's short temper so we try our best not to make him angry.

Spades

A tool used to dig.

Example: The gardener used the spade to make a hole in the ground.

By chance

An expression that means that something happens as a coincidence, without an obvious reason, not planned.

Example: The princess was walking along the beach when she met a prince by chance.

Dig

To break up and remove soil using a tool, a machine, or your hands.

Upside down

Into an inverted position; with the top part where the bottom should go.

Example: Have you noticed you hung the picture upside down?

Remained (remain)

To continue.

Example: The teacher asked the students to remain silent until the end of the explanation.

Shriek

A loud cry; produced as a result of powerful emotion.

Example: Suddenly a terrible shriek came from the bedroom.

Furry

Hairy (but only animal hair).

Example: I enjoy combing the back of my little furry dog.

Slip away

To leave without being seen or noticed.

Example: One of the students tried to slip away during gym class.

Gathered (gather)

To come together in a group.

Example: On New Year's Eve, people gather at Plaza Mayor and eat grape with each clock bell strike at midnight for a year of luck and prosperity.

Gazed (gaze)

To look at something with interest for a long time.

Example: The little girl stood by the window and gazed at the rainbow.

Haughtily

In a way that makes people feel inferior; in an arrogant way.

Example: The guide answered the visitors' questions rather haughtily.

Flattered (flatter)

To say nice things about someone to manipulate them to do something for you.

Example: He flattered me by saying I was the best cook in the world.

Genie

A spirit with magical powers.

Example: When Aladdin rubbed the lamp, a genie appeared.

Moisture

Water vapour.

Example: When it rains, there is a lot of moisture in the air.

Moats (moat)

A ditch that surrounds a castle for security.

Example: To get into the castle, you had to cross the moat by walking across a bridge.

Come true (make a wish come true)

To make a wish become real.

Example: Darling, I hope that one day all your wishes will come true.

Wizard

A magician, a person who practices magic.

Example: Merlin, the wizard, was king Arthur's advisor and tutor.

Swelling (swell)

To become bigger or rounder.

Example: When you blow air into a balloon, it swells.

Huffing and puffing (huff and puff)

To make a lot of noise when breathing because you are very tired.

Example: Finally, we arrived at the top of the mountain, huffing and puffing.

Regaining (regain)

To get back something you lost.

Example: When I saw my opponent, I was scared, but then I regained my courage.

Locks

A few hairs that hang together.

Example: She cut off a lock of her baby's hair, wrapped it in tissue paper and put it inside a book.

Premonition

A vision or feeling of something that is going to happen in the future.

Example: I had a premonition of the end of the world. Luckily I was wrong.

Bawl

To cry and/or shout loudly.

Example: The baby bawled uncontrollably in his cot.

Pamper

To try to make someone feel very comfortable by providing them with all sorts of attention and kindness.

Example: The celebrity was pampered by all the staff at the hotel where he was staying.

Awaited (await)

To wait for someone or something.

Example: Let me know what you think; I await your answer.

Starving (starve)

To be extremely hungry; to die of hunger.

Example: I haven't had anything to eat for the last 8 hours. I'm starving!

Slammed the door in their faces (slam the door in someone's face)

To shut a door hard when you don't want to talk to someone anymore.

Example: My friend was upset and she slammed the car door in my face so I apologized.

Knocked (knock)

To hit a door to let people know you are outside and want to come in.

Example: I knocked three times and waited for the door to open.

Famished

Very, very hungry.

Example: I haven't eaten all day, I'm famished!

As far as they could tell (as far as someone can tell)

An expression used to indicate that you think you know something, but there is a possibility that you could be wrong because you don't know all the facts.

Example: As far as I can tell, there is no life without light or oxygen.

Let them in (let someone in)

To admit someone into an area.

Example: The child had locked his bedroom and his mother asked him to let her in.

Soaking wet

Very, very wet.

Example: It was raining hard and I didn't have my umbrella with me, so I was soaking wet when I finally got home.

Hence

Because of the reason just mentioned.

Example: I didn't know what you wanted for dinner, hence my question.

Turn into

To become something different.

Example: The wizard said some magic words, and the boy turned into a mouse.

Dusk

The time between sunset and total darkness.

Example: Street lamps usually turn on at dusk, when it starts to become dark.

Bitterly

In a very sad, very unhappy way.

Example: When the boy got his test back and saw he only got 3/10, he was bitterly disappointed.

Garlands (garland)

A crown or long necklace made of leaves and flowers as decoration.

Example: The native dancers placed a colourful garland around the tourist's neck.

Had gone numb (go numb)

To not be able to feel your legs or another part of your body anymore.

Example: If you sit on your hands for a long time, they go numb.

Gave us the fright of our lives (give someone the fright of their life)

To scare someone very hard.

Example: The plastic shark fin that I saw at the beach gave me the fright of my life.

Rage

The feeling of being very angry.

Example: When the grumpy old man saw that the birds had eaten the seeds in his garden, he was full of rage.

Pinching (pinch)

To press someone's skin between your thumb and finger.

Example: The mother pinched the little child so he wouldn't tell his big sister about the surprise birthday party.

Telling off

A reprimand; speaking angrily to someone about what they did wrong.

Example: The mother gave her child a telling off for breaking the expensive vase.

Hang around with (hang around with someone)

To spend a lot of time with someone.

Example: When you go abroad to learn a language, you should hang around with native speakers.

Pleased

Happy, content.

Example: He was pleased with his grades this term.