Summer Holiday Detective Agency Stage 4 PDF

STAGE 4 Unit focus: Summer Holidays Detective Agency Text focus: Narrative The Case Of The cursed comic book Chapter 1...

STAGE 4 Unit focus: Summer Holidays Detective Agency Text focus: Narrative The Case Of The cursed comic book Chapter 1 Edward was red-faced and out of breath when he burst through the door of Kimmy’s shed and the headquarters of the Summer Holiday’s Detective Agency. “Have you heard?” he asked wildly. “Calm down,” Mo said. He’d been lying on an old sofa reading a comic book when his friend sat down heavily on his legs. “Why are you so red and scratched?” “I had to push through the bushes at the edge of the park to get here quicker! Have you heard?” he asked again more urgently. “Heard what?” “The Dragon’s Plunder have got a copy of Thunderworld issue number 7. For sale!” The Dragon’s Plunder was the local comic book shop that the four friends often visited. Thunderworld was a legendary comic, and issue number 7 was even more famous. “The unluckiest comic in the world?” Ola asked. “The Cursed Comic,” Kimmy added. She made a point of emphasising the second word. “They say that if you read just one panel, you will be cursed for the rest of your life,” Edward said in hushed tones. “It’s just a scary story,” Ola said, but she didn’t seem convinced. “How much is it?” Mo asked the question they were all thinking. “That’s the best bit,” Edward said with a wide grin. “It was donated second-hand by an old man. It’s only a couple of pounds!” Mo burst into life. He grabbed the change from his pocket and slammed it onto the table. “There’s just over forty pence there,” he said. “Come on, we can get this.” Kimmy and Edward emptied their own pockets and added to the total. “Ola, we just need another ten pence,” Kimmy said. “What do you think?” Ola’s face was creased. “I don’t know. It seems like a waste of money. Is it even a good story? Or do people want it just because of the curse?” “Totally the curse,” Mo said. “I don’t care. We want it! Come on!” “What if the curse is true?” Ola said. She wasn’t reaching for her pocket. “You said it was nonsense,” Edward pointed out. “Are you really scared of a comic book?” all resources ©2024 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com “Isn’t it our duty as detectives to work out if it’s true or not?” Kimmy asked, trying a different angle. Ola puffed out her cheeks. “Fine.” She grabbed the coins from her pocket and threw them onto the table. “I want to see your best detective work on this one, though.” It didn’t take them long to reach The Dragon’s Plunder. Mo was so excited that he practically dragged them there. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he said, pushing the door open. A tiny bell alerted the owner. “I’m back,” Edward said to the small woman who emerged from behind a set of beaded curtains. “Did you hold on to it for me?” “Of course, Edward,” the lady said, handing him a comic book preserved in clear plastic. “I must warn you all, though,” she added as they handed over the coins, “this is a cursed comic. You must not read it. If you do, then you will be forever cursed with bad luck!” At just that moment, a gust of wind blew the door open, sending it crashing into one of the racks. The four children leapt into the air before bursting out laughing. “It looks amazing,” Mo said, pulling open the packet and glancing at the first page. “Save it for when we get back,” Edward said, snatching it back. They left the shop and headed back along the main road. Just before they reached Kimmy’s house, Mo’s shoe slipped from underneath him, sending him tumbling into a hedge. INFERENCE FOCUS 1. What shows that Edward is excited in the first paragraph? 2. Why might they all have heard about the comic? 3. Who do you think doesn’t want to get the comic? What gives you that impression? 4. Why might Kimmy have “emphasised the second word”? 5. Why is Mo so excited? VIPERS QUESTIONS V Which phrase means a “quiet” or “whispered” voice? R Where did they buy the comic book from? R What issue did they buy? V Which word means “given away”? S How could they afford to buy the comic book? all resources ©2024 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com