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Unit 2

Active reading (1)

Language points

1 ... I can recall the changing colors of those days, clear and definite as a pattern seen through a kaleidoscope. (Para 1)

A kaleidoscope is a toy that shows changing patterns. It is made of a tube with mirrors and colored pieces of glass inside. The glass pieces move as you turn the kaleidoscope. As a metaphor, kaleidoscope means a view, situation or experience that keeps changing and has many different aspects. 2 … and look over the lights of Boston that blazed and blinked far off across the darkening water. (Para 2)

To blaze means to burn strongly and brightly. The lights ... that blazed and blinked means the lights were bright and went on and off continuously,

like the blinking of eyes.

3 The sunset flaunted its pink flag above the airport, and the sound of waves was lost in the perpetual droning of the planes. (Para 2) To flaunt means to deliberately try to make people notice something, eg your possessions, beauty, abilities etc, because you want them to admire you. The sunset flaunted its pink flag means the pink color of the setting sun was like a flag which the sun was using to try to make everyone notice and admire it. To drone means to make a continuous low sound. Because Logan is an international airport, the noise of the planes continued all the time. So it was perpetual.

4 I marveled at the moving beacons on the runway and watched, until it grew completely dark, the flashing red and green lights that rose and set in the sky like shooting stars. (Para 2)

A beacon is a bright light that shines in the dark and is used as a signal to warn people of danger or to show them the way to somewhere. Beacons are used in airports to show approaching and departing planes the position of the runways to help them land and take off safely. A shooting star is a meteor, a large piece of rock in space that falls through the earth’s atmosphere and makes a bright line of light in the sky. When you see a shooting star, it is said to be lucky, and some people make a wish. 5 Out by the parking lot David and I found the perfect alcove for our Superman dramas. (Para 5)

A parking lot is the American equivalent of a car park, British English. A

lot in American English refers to a small area of land used for a

particular purpose.

6 During recess, David and I came into our own. (Para 6)

To come into one’s own means to have the opportunity to show how good or useful someone is. Here the two children are good at imaginative play with Superman games.

7 We ignored the boys playing baseball on the gravel court and the girls giggling at dodge-ball in the dell. (Para 6)

Dodge-ball is a game played by children standing in a circle or on opposite

sides of an area. A rubber ball is thrown by those outside, who try to hit those in the circle. The children in the circle try to dodge the ball to avoid being hit.

8 Our Superman games made us outlaws … (Para 6)

An outlaw is a criminal, especially one who moves from place to place to avoid being caught. There are many famous stories of outlaws in Western culture, eg Robin Hood, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Ned Kelly etc. Here, the two children are outlaws because they play their imaginative games against the custom of other games like dodge-ball. 9 … the sallow mamma’s boy on our block who was left out of the boys’ games ... and skin his fat knees. (Para 6)

Mamma, mama, momma, mummy are children’s names for mother (mum). A mamma’s boy is one who depends too much on his mother and is not

independent when he should be.

To skin one’s knees means to hurt one’s knees by falling on a rough surface in a way that causes some skin to be removed.

10 At the time my Uncle Frank was living with us while waiting to be drafted … (Para 8)

The draft means conscription into the armed forces for military service. People who are drafted are made to join the army, navy etc; they are

conscripts or draftees not volunteers.

Reading and understanding

3 Answer the questions.

1 What were Sylvia Plath’s most important memories?

She remembered winning a prize, Paula Brown’s new suit and the view from her window.

2 Where did she live and what could she see from her bedroom window?

She lived on the bay side of town, on Johnson Avenue, and she could see the lights of Boston and Logan Airport from her bedroom window. 3 What did the view make her want to do? It made her want to fly in her dreams. 4 Why did she have such vivid dreams?

Because she was rarely tired when she went to bed. 5 Who appeared in her dreams?

Superman appeared and taught her to fly.

6 Why did she enjoy the radio adventures of Superman? Because she loved the sheer poetry of flight. 7 Where did her friend and she play Superman?

At the dingy back entrance to the school, an alcove in a long passageway.

Unit 2 Childhood memories 46

8 Why do you think they chose Sheldon to be the villain?

Because he was a mamma’s boy and was left out of the other boys’ games. 9 How did she feel about her Uncle Frank?

She admired him as she thought he bore an extraodinary resemblance to Superman incognito.

4 Choose the best summary of the passage.

3 Sylvia Plath wrote about her real and imaginary life as a child.

Dealing with unfamiliar words

5 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 accurate and true (definite) 2 continuing all the time (perpetual) 3 to spin quickly in circles (whirl) 4 to shine very brightly (blaze)

5 to laugh in a nervous, excited or silly way that is difficult to control (giggle)

6 to encourage someone to speak or continue speaking (prompt) 7 to fall to the ground (tumble)

6 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 5. Plath never needed to be (1) prompted to talk about her childhood memories. They were very (2) definite and still real to her as an adult. She imagined she could fly and (3) whirl through the air like Superman. Coming from the highways around Boston was the (4) perpetual sound of traffic. In the