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Stuart Cloete

Claws of the cat

Easy questions to cut your teeth on!

Keith Tankard
Knowledge4Africa.com
Updated: 6 March 2014
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A young boy is placed in charge of the farm while his parents journey to Cape Town for his father to have surgery.

While they are gone, a lynx attacks the animals. The boy must investigate and, if possible, destroy the dangerous predator.



READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE:

And now she must leave all this and go with her husband to Cape Town, to the hospital. The doctor had said she must be there, just in case. Besides, she knew that Jan would not be happy if she was not near him. Like a big black-bearded baby was this bold husband of hers. Kaapstad, Cape Town she said to herself. And in a motor-car. She had never been in a car. Besides, the horses had never been in a town any more than she had. And though she could drive them in the open veld and over the mountains, she would be as frightened as they in a great town.

A bed had been moved into the kitchen because it was easier to take care of her husband there. A man put his head through the half-door and said, "It is here." That was the motor-car.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:



The farmer and his wife are going to Cape Town.
  • What is the purpose of their visit? (4)

[Need help?]

  • Explain in your own words why the woman needed to accompany her husband. (4)

[Need help?]




The husband is presented in this passage as a wonderful contrast of strong and weak.
  • Explain how this is achieved. (4)

[Need help?]

  • What is going to happen to their farm during their absence? (4)

[Need help?]




A question of vocabulary.
  • Why does the narrator write the words "Kaapstad, Cape Town"? (4)

[Need help?]

  • Apart from "Kaapstad", what other indication is given that this story is set in South Africa? (4)

[Need help?]




What type of people are they?
  • What indication is given that the couple are very unsophisticated country people? (4)

[Need help?]

  • Are the couple wealthy? Provide reasons for your answer. (4)

[Need help?]




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