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PERSEPHONE AND THE POMEGRANATE SEEDS
Geraldine McCaughrean
Greek Myths, Heinemann New Windmills (1992)
Before Reading
In some countries, why do we have a season called winter? How is winter different from the other seasons?
Do you know any myths that explain why we have winter?
Match the following words/phrases to their definitions (or pictures).
|
WORD/PHRASE |
DEFINITION |
|
in bloom |
The edge of something (e.g. a cup, a river) |
|
a blossom |
|
|
the brim |
Producing flowers |
|
a chariot |
A flower |
|
a whip |
|
|
reins |
Kindness to people when they visit you – e.g. giving them food and drink |
|
miserable |
A tough-skinned, reddish-yellow fruit with many seeds inside |
|
hospitality |
Feeling depressed, very sad |
|
a pomegranate |
The strap tied to a horse’s head for controlling it |
In your group, make a story from the following notes. (You must use your imagination.) You do not need to write it all down, but you must be ready to tell the story to your classmates.
- Long ago … no seasons (warm weather, flowers, crops, plenty of food)
- a goddess + her pretty daughter were gardeners for the whole earth
- the god of the underworld was cold + lonely (no friends, no wife) …
- so he … (WHAT DID HE DO?)
- The goddess complained to Zeus (king of the gods) …
- Zeus said: "Well, if she doesn’t eat any food in the underworld, she can come back."
- PROBLEM: the god of the underworld tricked the daughter … (HOW?)
- Zeus had to solve the problem: should the pretty daughter remain in the underworld forever? WHAT WAS HIS SOLUTION?
While Reading
- Scanning (= quick reading for pieces of information)
- Who was the god of the Underworld?
- What was another name for the Underworld?
- Who was the goddess of agriculture (growing crops)?
- What was her daughter called?
- What is the name of the river that divides the earth from the Underworld?
- Who was the fastest of the gods, their messenger?
- What did Pluto find most difficult about his life?
- How did the trees react when Pluto snatched Persephone?
- What two things did the River Styx do to help Persephone?
- Why did Zeus feel worried when Demeter spoke to him?
- What did Persephone eat in the Underworld? (Your answer should include a number.)
- What did Zeus decide? (Use the word should in your answer.)
- List three or four ways that Demeter shows her sadness during the winter.
Vocabulary
- Arrange the following words into two groups. (How did you choose the groups?)
bright dismal laughing dark gloomy
warm cheerful in despair cold sunny lonely
- Arrange the following words into three groups. (How did you choose the groups?)
whispered bawled sobbed murmured demanded
declared cried announced pleaded
Frankie Meehan