Unit 12

The Iron ManÀ giant Iron Man approaches, but no-one has seenhim yet.

ne evening a farmer's son, a boy calledHogarth, was fishing in a stream that ran

down to the sea. It was growing too dark to fish,his hook kept getting caught in weeds and bushes.So he stopped fishing and came up from thestream and stood listening to the owls in the woodfurther up the valley, and to the sea behind him.Hush, said the sea. And again, Hush. Hush. Hush.Suddenly he felt a strange feeling. He felt he was

being watched. He felt afraid. He turned andlooked up the steep field to the top of the highcliff. Behind that skyline wasthe sheer rockycliffand the sea. And on thatskyline, just above theedge ofit, in the dusk, were two green lights. Whatwere two green lights doing at the top of the cliff?Then, as Hogarth watched, a huge dark figure

climbed up overthe cliff-top. The two lights roseinto the sky. They were the giantfigure’s eyes. Agiantblackfigure, taller than a house, black andtowering in the twilight, with green headlampeyes. The Iron Man! There hestood ontheciiff-top, looking inland. Hogarth beganto run. He ranand ran. Home. Home.The Iron Man hadcome back.

So he got homeatlast and gasping forbreath he told his dad. An Iron Man!An IronMan!A giant!

His father frowned. His mothergrew pale. Hislittle sister begantocry.

His father took down his double-barrelled gun.Hebelieved his son. He wentout. He locked thedoor. He gotin his car. He drove to the next farm.But that farmer laughed. He wasa fat, red man,

with a fat, red-mouthed laugh. Whenhe stoppedlaughing, his eyes were red too. An Iron Man?Nonsense, hesaid. |

From The Iron Man by Ted Hughes

Something strange?

Read the passage then write a sentence in your book to answer each question.

A B1. Why did Hogarth stop fishing? 1. How did others react when told about

2. What sounds did Hogarth hear before the Iron Man came? the Iron Man?

3. Whatstrangefeeling did he get? 2. Explain why Hogarth atfirst saw

4, What unusual thing did he see? only the Iron Man'seyes.

5. How do we know that the Iron Man had beenthere before?

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3. What do you think will happen next?

Added strength

We can change the meaning of adjectives by adding suffixes such as -eror -est:

tall taller tallest strong stronger strongest

We can sometimes add -ish to an adjective, to mean somewhat or slightly.

Tallish means somewhat tall; sweetish meansslightly sweet.

We canalso add very to an adjective.

It was very tall and the boy was very frightened.

À Copy and complete the table below. Use these words.

Thefirst word has been donefor you.

sweet young old bald small round

firm soft square light dark

-er -est -ish very

sweet sweeter sweetest sweetish very sweet

B Add these words to yourtable.

fair smooth neat easy slippy tidy big happy thin fat

oe

C Choose one word from each column of your table and use each in a sentence of your own.

BONAdjectival phrasesComplete each sentence with an adjectival phrase of your own.

Begin your phrase with one of these words: with without in

Thefirst one has been donefor you.

1. The man is a teacher. The man

with

glasses is a teacher.

2. The lady is our next door neighbour.

3. The car is Mum's. se oa

4. The boy is my brother. \ os

5. I live at a house

6

7

i”« 3 E

. IT have seen the man on television. d

. He boughthera scarf > dé

Bar

Continuing the story

Continue the story of the lron Man.

Use these notes to help you plan your story.

O Introduction: describe where Hogarth and his father are

whenthe Iron Man appears. Describe the setting, Begin a new line

choosing your words carefully so that your reader for each paragraph.

expects something exciting to happen. Start thefirst

O Build-up: describe the way the Iron Man slowly comes sentence for eachinto view. His head might appearfirst, for example. paragraph aboutDescribe each part of him as it appears. Don't forget to 2 cm in from thedescribe sounds and sensations, e.g. the ground margin.shaking. How do Hogarth and his father feel? What do

they say?

O Main event: what does the Iron Man do? Does he cause

any damageorhurt anyone?Is hefriendly and helpful?

O Ending: how does yourstory end?

As hard as iron

When we say something is like something else we are using a simile.

Similes usually contain the word as.

as tall as a giant as fit as a fiddle

A Complete these similes. Use the picture clues to help you.

1. as white as 2. as light as a

3. as sharp as a 4. as cool as a

5. as quick as 6. as busy as a

7. as timid as a 8. as green as

B Use each simile in a sentence of your own. Thefirst one has been donefor you.

1. as quiet as a mouse He sat in the corner as quiet as a mouse.

2. as tall as a giant 3. as wise as an owl 4. as clean as a new pin5. as good as gold 6. as right as rain 7. as easy as winking8..as clear as a bell 9. as brave as a lion 10. as pleased as Punch

11. as strong as a horse 12. as hungry as a wolf