'The Silence of the Girls': understanding the extract | Starter Quiz | Oak National Academy

Match each term to its example sentence (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’).

• second person

• You must have heard of Achilles.

• third person

• Achilles was known as a brutal warrior. She feared him hugely.

• first person

• As I heard his battle cry, I shivered.

Answer explanation

If you are writing a narrative, one of your first decisions will be about which perspective you will write from. Third person allows you access to all characters, but first person can help develop a relationship between reader and main character.

What is true of Achilles, a character from Greek mythology? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

• He is a disappointment to his father.

• He is a warrior.

• He marries a sea nymph.

• His best friend is called Patroclus.

• He is strong but slow.

Answer explanation

Achilles is a famous character from Greek mythology, most famous for his abilities on the battlefield. He is also known for his stubbornness and speed.

Match each word to its definition (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’).

• first person

• what we feel when we anticipate something bad is going to happen

• annotate

• the state we are held in as we wait for something bad to occur

• suspense

• narrator is a character in the story, using pronouns like "I" and "me"

• tension

• to make short notes on, and about, a text

• perspective

• point of view

Answer explanation

Annotate is something that you will do when reading a text – making short notes about interesting ideas. The other words are all examples of things that writers do or make choices about in their writing.

What does it mean to be renowned? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

• to be loved

• to be hated

• to be famous

• to be unknown

• to be a powerful warrior

Answer explanation

The word renowned means well-known or famous, and you are usually renowned for a particular thing.

Complete the sentence: A ___ is a method of comparison by which a writer compares two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’. (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

Answer explanation

Similes are a way of comparing one thing to another. They are a method used by writers. If appropriate, try and use a simile in your next piece of creative writing!

Which of the examples below are similes? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

• He was a pig of a man.

• He cut men down like a butcher.

• He was renowned as a famous warrior.

Answer explanation

Similes are used to help us understand an aspect of something or someone by comparing them to something else. Developing convincing similes is an exciting challenge. Consider trying to use one in your next piece of creative writing!