ICSE CHAMP

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1. Harbour.

2. Groves of trees.

3. Lagoon.

4. Back Water.

5. High Hills.

6. Sand Dunes.

Comprehension

Read and answer

1. Fill in the blanks.

a. The captain told Selkirk that the name of the island was Juan Fernandez.

b. On the island, Selkirk built a little hut and planted a small garden.

c. Selkirk decided he would be kind and obliging to everyone if he ever escaped the island.

d. Daniel Defoe was a journalist and author who heard Selkirk's story.

e. The character that Defoe based on Selkirk was named Robinson Crusoe.

2. Which things were given to Selkirk before he was left alone? Look at picture and circle them.

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Reference to context

3. "For this reason many people were glad when he ran away from home and went to sea."

a. Who 'ran away from home and went to sea'? Name one sea or ocean this person travelled over.

= Alexander Selkirk 'ran from home and went to sea'.

One sea or ocean this person travelled over is Pacific Ocean.

b. Who are these 'people'?

= These 'people' are the neighbours of Alexander Selkirk.

c. Why were the people glad?

= The people were glad because Alexander Selkirk often caused trouble with his bad temper among his neighbours.

4. "Do so," said Selkirk. "You cannot please me better."

a. Who was Selkirk speaking with?

= Selkirk was speaking with the captain of the ship he was voyaging on.

b. What was he asking them to do?

= He was asking them to put him ashore on the first island that they see.

c. Did they agree to grant his request? Why?

= Yes they agreed to grant his request.

Because Selkirk used to quarrel with other sailors including the captain of the ship. He had become even more unpleasant.

5. "Selkirk set to work to make the best of things."

a. What does the phrase 'to make the best of things' mean?

= The phrase 'to make the best of things' means to try to survive in the unfavourable circumstances.

b. Why did Selkirk need to make the best of things?

= Selkirk needed to make the best of things because he was in a deserted island which was unknown to him.

c. What did he do?

= He built himself a little hut for shelter at night and in stormy weather. He planted a small garden.

6. "Here is something worth telling about."

a. Who said this?

= Daniel Defoe said this.

b. What was 'worth telling about'?

= The story of Alexander Selkirk was 'worth telling about'.

c. What did the speaker do after saying this?

= After saying this, the speaker sat down and wrote a wonderful story, which he called The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Every boy and girl has heard of Robinson Crusoe.

Reflect and answer

7. Describe Alexander Selkirk's personality. Talk about his positive as well as his negatives.

= Alexander Selkirk was a young man lived in Scotland two hundred years ago. He was a rough man with a bad temper. He was often causing trouble among his neighbours.  His neighbours were very much disappointed upon him. They became glad as he ran away from home and went to sea.

Alexander was big and strong and soon became a fine sailor. But he was still a very stubborn man. He got into trouble with the other sailors including the captain of the sea due to his temper. They, being fed up of him, according to his wish, left him in an isolated island.

Alexander Selkirk realised that how fool he had been to ask them to leave him on that island. He thought how terrible it would be to live there without one friend, without one person with whom he could speak. He was neither seen nor heard by any ship and no ship came nearer to him for four years and four months. This incident made him to promise to be kind and obliging to others while he returned to his home.

8. Do you think Alexander Selkirk changed after living alone on an island?

= Yes, I think Alexander Selkirk changed after living alone on an island. After leaving in the isolated island by the sailors, Alexander Selkirk set to work to make the best of things. He built himself a little hut for shelter at night  and in stormy weather. He planted a small garden. There were goats on the island and plenty of fish could be caught from the shore. There was always plenty of food. But soon he realised the reality of life.

Alexander Selkirk realised that how fool he had been to ask them to leave him on that island. He thought how terrible it would be to live there without one friend, without one person with whom he could speak. He was neither seen nor heard by any ship and no ship came nearer to him for four years and four months. This incident made him to promise to be kind and obliging to others while he returned to his home. He changed himself after living alone in the isolated island.

9. Why did Selkirk become famous after he came back to Scotland?

= When Selkirk reached Scotland, everybody was eager to hear him tell of his adventures and he soon became famous.

Daniel Defoe heard how Selkirk had lived alone on the island of Juan Fernandez for four years and four months. He wrote a wonderful story about this called The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. This also indirectly made Selkirk famous.

10. Imagine someone like Alexander Selkirk is your classmate. he is constantly quarreling with others in the class. Due to this nobody talks to him. What would you do to help Selkirk make friends in the class?

= If Alexander Selkirk is my classmate and he is quarreling with others in the class, I shall try to talk to him. I shall try to know his problems for doing so. I shall provide him story books of friendship and tell him to participate in various fun activities. This will make him realise the importance of friendship and friends.