A Pharaohly Big Deal - Stage 4 Comp - Chapter 4 - Comprehension Pack.pdf

STAGE 4 Unit focus: A Pharaohly Big Deal Text focus: Narrative Chapter 4 “Tell her I’m a god incarnate!” Qar hissed from somewhere around Bastet, the cat’s stomach area....

STAGE 4 Unit focus: A Pharaohly Big Deal Text focus: Narrative Chapter 4 “Tell her I’m a god incarnate!” Qar hissed from somewhere around Bastet, the cat’s stomach area. “She won’t hear me,” he urged. “I’m Sen,” Sen said lamely. “This is a god,” he finished, pointing at the cat who had taken this moment to relieve itself against one of the clay jars. “I promise.” “You shouldn’t be in here,” the young girl who had opened the door said. “I’m Meret. I work here. You don’t. I’d have noticed you running around.” “Thanks,” Sen said, blushing. “I mean because you look like an accident waiting to happen. Why are you in here?” Sen paused. Perhaps the truth might be the best way out of this. “The Pharaoh is dead.” “Clumsy and clever,” Meret scowled. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll scream, and you’ll be joining him.” “He was murdered! Somebody called Kheti did him in!” “Old ‘Dung-beetle-breath’ Kheti? He’s a bit of a camel’s backside, but I don’t think he’d murder somebody. Who told you that?” Sen glanced at Bastet, who was now cleaning a paw in the absent-minded way of cats everywhere. “Er, him?” “You’re going to tell me that the ghost of the Pharaoh is inhabiting the cat, aren’t you?” “Would you believe me if I did?” Sen asked optimistically. “Not a chance.” “Then I won’t say it.” “It’s true, though, isn’t it?” Meret asked, pu ng the empty jars she had been carrying down. “That’s Bastet, and he usually has bright green eyes. Today they just look…confused.” “I don’t think he likes the company,” Sen said, thankful that he didn’t seem to be in immediate trouble. all resources ©2023 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com “Tell her we need to get a message to Hori, the High Priest. He’ll know what to do,” Qar said through the confused Bastet. Sen relayed the message to Meret, who seemed a bit more convinced now. “Nobody outside the palace knows Hori’s name,” she said by way of an explanation. “Maybe the cat really is the Pharaoh.” She seemed to think for a moment before adding, “Put these on.” She handed Sen a handful of loose robes that looked remarkably similar to her own. “These are slaves’ clothes,” Sen said with a sneer, “and they’re for women.” Meret rolled her eyes. “You are wearing what is basically a loincloth, so you aren’t exactly the fashion police. Secondly, only women are allowed to work inside the palace as slaves. If you are spotted, you’ll be executed on the spot. What would you prefer: a guard’s spear or a bit of a dodgy outfit?” Silence filled the small room. “Well?” “I’m thinking,” Sen snapped, snatching up the outfit and quickly throwing it over his own clothes. With the headdress covering his face, it might just work. “Follow me,” Meret said, grabbing him by the hand and ushering the three of them out into a large corridor. “They’re all feasting at the minute. It will be a good time to get Hori’s attention.” Sure enough, the High Priest was sat at the head of a long table filled with people that, on any normal day, Sen wouldn’t have even dared to look at. He saw them as gods, but here they were, eating like any normal person. Meret hid Sen and Bastet behind a tall pillar whilst she went and grabbed the priest. When he returned with her, they quickly explained the Pharaoh’s story, with the ghost chipping in with new information whenever it was needed to convince Hori that they weren’t making it all up. “Interesting,” said Hori with a smirk when they had finished explaining it all. “Very interesting. I think I see how we can solve this.” all resources ©2023 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com  SUMMARY FOCUS 1. Who speaks first in the chapter? 2. How is Meret so convinced that Sen doesn’t belong there? 3. Why doesn’t Sen tell Meret that the ghost is inhabiting the cat? 4. How does Meret know that Sen is telling the truth? 5. How does Meret plan to disguise Sen? VIPERS QUESTIONS V How does Meret threaten Sen that he will end up dead? R What is Kheti’s nickname? V Find and copy a phrase that means “without thinking”. R What is Hori doing when they find him? V What does “ushering” mean? all resources ©2023 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com