Nicobinus

 Nicobinus

This is Chapter 1 

Words to know from the page:

• daft: silly

• jerkin: a sleeveless jacket, usually made of leather

• roller: a heavy cylindrical stone used to flatten grass

• shutters: wooden window covers

• squirm: to wriggle or twist the body from side to side

• weed: to pull up wild plants growing in unwanted places

• Trap-door → A door in the floor that opens downward

• Tunnel → A long underground passage

• Shed → A small building for storing things

• Buns → Soft round pieces of bread

• Lemonade → A sweet drink made from lemons

• Chase → To run after someone quickly

• Escape → To get away from danger

• Adventure → An exciting or risky journey

• Valuable → Something worth a lot of money

• Glistening → Shining with light

• Stunning → Very beautiful or surprising

• Delicate → Fragile; easy to break

• Unexpectedly → Not expected; suddenly

• Promotional → Meant to advertise or sell something.

Simple summary of Chapter 1:

This is the story of an extraordinary child named Nicobinus who lived in Venice a long time ago. He could do anything, but only his best friend Rosie knew that. Nobody believed Rosie because she always had wild ideas.

One day Rosie suggested they pull up all the weeds on Nicobinus’s doorstep. He said no. Then she said, “Let’s discover the Land of Dragons!” Nicobinus called her daft and asked how they could do that. Rosie replied, “Because you can do anything.”

The next morning, before sunrise, Rosie threw pebbles at Nicobinus’s shutters to wake him up. He was still half asleep when he looked out and asked, “What’s the matter, Rosie?”

Key point: Nicobinus is powerful but quiet about it, while Rosie is imaginative and always coming up with adventures.

What happens next:

1. The adventure starts

 Rosie whispers that she has buns and lemonade as “supplies for the road.” They’re going to find the Land of Dragons. Nicobinus thought Rosie forgot, but she says it’s one of her best ideas.

2. They run from the Nightwatchman

 The Nightwatchman catches them and asks where they’re going so early. Nicobinus says “the Land of Dragons.” The man says they can’t, but Rosie and Nicobinus sprint away before he can grab them.

3. Accident with the dog

 They run across 3 bridges and trip over a sleeping dog. Rosie’s lemonade bottle smashes, and the buns roll into the gutter. The dog eats the buns, says “Thank you!” in a funny way, and runs off.

4. Nicobinus falls into a garden

 Rosie is upset because now they have no supplies. Nicobinus sees an apple tree and tries to pick apples by standing on Rosie’s shoulders. The tree is farther than he thought, he loses balance, and falls with a crash into the most magnificent garden he’s ever seen.

5. Cliffhanger

 Nicobinus looks up but can’t climb back over the high wall. He yells “What am I going to do?” Rosie yells back, “You’ll think of something!” while crossing her fingers for luck.

Key points:

• Rosie = full of wild ideas, brave, and loyal

• Nicobinus = can do anything, but still gets into silly trouble

• Tone: Funny + adventurous. Even serious things like running from a watchman turn silly when the dog says “Thank you!”

 Chapter 2 

Summary of this chapter:

1. Nicobinus gets caught

 A voice says “Oy!” behind him. Nicobinus runs without looking and crashes into a tree. The man grabs him by the neck and wrist. Instead of running, Nicobinus bends backwards fast and knocks the man’s legs out. The man falls into leaves.

2. Rosie senses trouble

 Rosie asks if he’s alright. The man growls, “Just you wait... Both of you!” Rosie says, “Oh dear... Sounds like trouble.” And she’s right.

3. Chapter 2 begins - The Shed

 Nicobinus runs fast, bolts himself inside a little shed. The man bangs on the door and shouts “Open up!” Nicobinus thinks the door won’t last, so he drags a heavy stone roller against it to block it.

4. The discovery

 While the man shouts threats, Nicobinus ignores him. He’s amazed by what he found under the roller — a trap-door. He opens it and finds stone steps going down, slippery with slime and smelling of graveyard.

Important vocab from this page:

• bolt: lock a door with a metal bar

• hinges: metal joints that let a door swing

• roller: heavy cylindrical stone used to flatten 

• trap-door: a hidden door in the floor

Key idea:

 Nicobinus is quick-thinking and brave. Instead of panicking, he uses tricks to escape. Now the adventure is getting more mysterious with the hidden trap-door.

Want me to save this + the previous 2 pages into one full Chapter 1-2 summary so you can revise it all together?

[6/12, 10:06] Meta AI: Keeping this one too 📄✅ Page 5 added.

 Chapter 2 continue...

The adventure gets darker and funnier:

Summary of this portion:

1. Down the trap-door

 Nicobinus runs down the slippery, slimy stone steps that go deeper and deeper into the ground. It becomes pitch black. He blames Rosie in his mind: “This is all your fault!”

2. He falls

 Suddenly the steps end and Nicobinus starts falling. While falling, 3 thoughts flash in his mind: 

◦ “Bother!” - a rude thought

◦ A silly thought of Rosie dangling over a snake pit while dragons chant “Poor Nicobinus!”

◦ “Suppose it’s a deep well with icy water...”

3. The crash

 He lands very suddenly and painfully. “Ouff!” He lies there in the dark, breathless, until a stone hits him on the head.

4. The Man catches up

 He hears footsteps coming down. The Man shouts “Ah ha! I’ve got you now! I shall beat every bone in your body until it is black and...” Nicobinus expects him to say “blue” but instead the Man makes a weird noise: “Bkfahooharrirrghghhhmph!” Nicobinus understands it means danger and moves out of the way just in time. Crash. The Man falls instead.

Key points + vocab:

• pitch black: completely dark

• dank: damp and cold

• instigated: started/encouraged something

• Tone: Suspense + comedy. Even when Nicobinus is in danger.

Summaryin just words:

Rosie’s idea → They run → Nicobinus falls into a garden → Finds trap-door → Falls down dark tunnel → The Man falls instead.

Summary of this portion:

1. The Man is hurt

 Nicobinus asks “Are you alright?” but there’s silence. He feels around in the dark and finds the Man is breathing but lying still as death.

2. Only one way out

 Nicobinus thinks he must get help. The only exit is a narrow gap, just 1 foot high, near the floor. He says, “I can’t squirm through that in the pitch dark!”

Then he hears Rosie’s voice: “You can do it!” He turns around — no one is there. It’s just his imagination/voice in his head.

3. The tunnel

 He remembers what Rosie would’ve said and starts wriggling through the tight, dark stone passage. It gets narrower until he can barely move. He thinks of going back but keeps going.

4. Escape

 Finally the tunnel opens up. He stands, falls over stone steps, and starts climbing up. He thinks it must be a tower or a grand house. He finds a crack of light, pushes a hidden catch, and a panel slides open. He steps into the most amazing room he’s ever seen. Cliffhanger!

5. About the Author

 This is from the novel Nicobinus by Terry Jones (1942-2020). It’s full of humour and adventure. Terry Jones was also a comedian, screenwriter, actor, director, and historian.

Vocabulary from this page:

• leather jerkin: sleeveless leather jacket - from your “words to know” list

• squirm: wriggle your body side to side - also from the list

• groping: searching with your hands in the dark

• wriggling: twisting your body to move through a tight space

Chapters 1-2 so far:

Rosie’s wild idea → Running from watchman → Nicobinus falls in garden → Finds trap-door → Falls down dark tunnel → Man chases him → Man falls → Nicobinus crawls through tiny tunnel → Escapes into a mysterious amazing room.

COMPREHENSION

1. Answer the following questions.

 a. What do we learn about Nicobinus in the first paragraph?

 He can do anything, but only Rosie knows it. He’s extraordinary.

b. Who is Rosie?

 Nicobinus’s best friend. She has wild ideas and loves adventures.

c. Why don’t people pay attention to what Rosie says?

 Because she always has silly, wild ideas, so no one believes her.

d. What two things does Rosie suggest that she and Nicobinus should do?

1. Pull up all the weeds on his doorstep.

2. Discover the Land of Dragons.

e. When do the children go on their adventure and what do they take with them?

 Before sunrise. They take buns and lemonade as supplies.

f. Who do they meet on their journey? Say what happens at each of the two encounters.

1. The Nightwatchman – He stops them and asks where they’re going. They run away before he can catch them.

2. The Man in the orchard – He catches Nicobinus. Nicobinus trips him, runs, hides in a shed, then falls down a trap-door tunnel.

g. How does Nicobinus escape from the Man in the orchard?

 He bends backwards quickly, knocks the Man’s legs out, then runs and locks himself in a shed. Later he escapes through a trap-door tunnel.

h. How does Nicobinus get out of the well?

 He wriggles through a narrow, dark stone tunnel until it opens to stone steps. He climbs up and finds a hidden panel leading to an amazing room.

Challenging questions:

 i. What shows us that the Man doesn’t really want to break down the door?

 He just shouts threats like “Open up!” and “Just you wait” but doesn’t actually break the door. Nicobinus has time to block it with a roller.

j. What are the thoughts Nicobinus has as he is falling? What is he feeling?

1. “Bother!” – Annoyed/frustrated.

2. Thought of Rosie over a snake pit with dragons – Worried about her/guilty.

3. “Suppose it’s a deep well with icy water” – Scared of what’s below.

2. Speaker of each line:

 a. ‘Ah ha! I’ve got you now!’ – The Man

 b. ‘Let’s pull up every single weed on your doorstep.’ – Rosie

 c. ‘It’s one of the best ideas I’ve ever had!’ – Rosie

 d. ‘Ow!’ – Nicobinus

 e. ‘Open this door at once, d’you hear?’ – The Man

 f. ‘You’ll think of something!’ – Rosie

2. REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS

Irregular verbs with no spelling change

base form set put cut hurt let

past set put cut hurt let

past participle set put cut hurt let

Verbs that change but have the same spelling in past + past participle

base form sit buy get teach keep say feel

past sat bought got taught kept said felt

past participle sat bought got taught kept said felt

Verbs that have a change in spelling in past + past participle

base form drink sew sing see write take know eat drive

past drank sewed sang saw wrote took knew ate drove

past participle drunk sewn sung seen written taken known eaten driven

More examples of your own:

1. hit - hit - hit – I hit the ball. I have hit it before.

2. bring - brought - brought – She brought sweets. I have brought some too.

3. CONTRACTIONS - Use apostrophes

a. I am → I’m

 b. have not → haven’t

 c. they have → they’ve

 d. we are → we’re

 e. cannot → can’t

 f. they will → they’ll

 g. shall not → shan’t

 h. it is → it’s

 i. they are → they’re

 j. will not → won’t

 k. I would → I’d

 l. she will → she’ll

4. Which of the following sentences contain mistakes? Correct those that are wrong.

a. The elephant had a man on its back.

 b. The man sold buttons and hooks.

 c. This year’s students are very clever.

 d. The letter was signed, ‘yours truly’.

 e. Ours is the yellow car.

 f. He’s a good boy. ✓ Correct

5. Add apostrophes to the following.

a. men’s shoes

 b. the women’s coats

 c. the child’s cart

 d. Shaw’s plays

 e. Ambika’s nose

 f. a dog’s bones

 g. Pramod’s car

 h. ladies’ blouses

 i. policemen’s whistles

 j. birds’ nests

 k. heroes’ rewards

 l. boys’ schools

 m. mother’s garden

 n. St Joseph’s Convent

C LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE

PUNCTUATION

1. Two examples of brackets from Nicobinus ‘About the Author’:

 a. Terry Jones (1942-2020)

 b. Nicobinus(a novel)

SENTENCES

2. Write questions for these answers.

 a. She was the Prime Minister. → Who was the Prime Minister?

 b. Possibly, but I’m not sure about that. → Are you sure about that?

 c. It, most certainly, is not. → Is it true?

 d. I did. → Did you do that?

 e. They call them the ‘terrible twins’. → What do they call them?

3. Make a statement, a command, a question, and an exclamation for each of the pairs of words given below.

a. cat/door

 Statement: The cat is near the door.

 Question: Is the cat at the door?

 Command: Close the door on the cat.

 Exclamation: That cat just ran through the door!

b. treasure/island

 Statement: There is treasure on the island.

 Question: Is there treasure on the island?

 Command: Find the treasure on the island.

 Exclamation: What a huge treasure on the island!

c. pots/empty

 Statement: The pots are empty.

 Question: Are the pots empty?

 Command: Fill the empty pots.

 Exclamation: All the pots are empty!

d. noise/loud

 Statement: The noise is loud.

 Question: Is the noise loud?

 Command: Stop making such loud noise.

 Exclamation: What loud noise that is!

e. ‘I hate tomatoes!’ (He said...)

 Statement: He said he hated tomatoes.

 Question: Did he say he hated tomatoes?

 Command: Say, “I hate tomatoes.”

 Exclamation: He really hates tomatoes!

4. Change or remove words in these statements so that they have the opposite meaning.

a. You can fly to China.

 b. Hair does grow.

 c. Mice do not roar. / Mice squeak. (Mice is plural)

 d. Ajmal has a football.

5. Convert the following exclamations into statements. Do not change the meaning.

a. What a lovely dress! → The dress is lovely.

 b. How brave you are! → You are brave.

 c. How angry she is! → She is angry.

 d. What a fine day it is! → The day is fine.

Want me to do the set idioms part too with your own sentences?

[6/12, 10:09] Meta AI: Here are the answers with the same layout as your book:

6. Now write one sentence of your own for each of the phrases above.

• set someone off: My sister’s joke set my brother off laughing.

• set something off: The firecrackers set off the smoke alarm.

• set on someone: The guard dog was set on the thief.

• set out: I set out to finish my homework before dinner.

• set to: They set to work as soon as school ended.

• set up: She set up a small shop in the market.

D LISTENING AND SPEAKING

1. Listen to the description of Venice and answer the questions. Mark the correct answers with a tick.

 a. Venice is a city in

 i. Italy. ✓

 ii. France.

b. The city is like a

 i. maze. ✓

 ii. market.

c. Venice is famous for its

 i. furniture.

 ii. architecture. ✓

 iii. airport.

 iv. cars.

d. The city is in danger of

 i. melting.

 ii. drowning.

 iii. sinking. ✓

 iv. burning.

e. Venice has lots of

 i. museums and cafes. ✓

 ii. cafes and cars.

 iii. famous artists.

 iv. art and animals.

Challenge: Make three statements, three exclamations, and three questions about the story you have just read.

Statements:

1. Nicobinus fell down a trap-door tunnel.

2. Rosie had buns and lemonade for their journey.

3. The Man chased Nicobinus into a shed.

Exclamations:

1. What a deep tunnel that was!

2. How brave Rosie is!

3. What a strange noise the Man made!

Questions:

1. Where did Nicobinus and Rosie want to go?

2. How did Nicobinus escape from the Man?

3. What did Nicobinus find at the end of the tunnel?

E COMPOSITION

WRITING A TOPIC SENTENCE

1. Read the following paragraphs and think what they are about. Then write a topic sentence.

 a. Wearing life jackets can save lives in emergencies.

 Life jackets have been proven to save lives. No one can predict when an accident might happen. There may not be enough time in an emergency to put on a life jacket. But if you are already wearing it, it may save your life.

b. Tim has many hobbies, but reading is his favourite.

 He had collected coins and stamps ever since he was a kid. He is very proud of his sizable collection. He also enjoys cycling, as well as painting. He recently also tried his hand at gardening. Out of all his hobbies, Tim’s favourite hobby is reading. He tries to read a book every week.

c. Clean utensils are safer and more pleasant to use.

 No one likes to eat with a dirty knife, fork, or spoon. Clean utensils won’t transmit germs and bacteria. They also are more pleasant to eat with.

d. There are several ways to fall asleep when you cannot sleep.

 Sometimes it is hard to fall asleep. Maybe you are not sleepy, or maybe you are thinking about what happened during the day. You can also lie awake if a big event, like a test or a get-together, is happening the next day. You can try counting sheep, or just counting, which will keep your mind busy with a repetitive activity. Sometimes listening to gentle sounds, like rain, helps. You can even try telling yourself a story, which may distract your mind enough that you will be asleep in no time.

2. What would the most amazing room you have ever seen look like? Write a description of the room and its contents.

 The most amazing room I have ever seen would be a library hidden inside a tree. The walls would be made of living wood with shelves carved into them, full of old books with golden covers. There would be a round window that looked out over the sky, and a soft, round chair shaped like a leaf to sit and read. A small fountain of water would flow in one corner, and the air would smell like old paper and flowers. Light would come from tiny glowing lanterns hanging from branches. It would be the perfect quiet place for adventures, just like the room Nicobinus found.

3. Use the words and phrases given in this mind map to help you. Make sure every paragraph has a clear topic sentence and relevant supporting sentences.

The most amazing room

Paragraph 1: Size and Shape

Topic sentence: The most amazing room I can imagine is large and L-shaped.

Supporting sentences: It is a big room with a high ceiling that makes it feel open and grand. The L-shaped design creates two cozy corners, one for reading and one for relaxing. The shape of the windows is circular, which lets in lots of natural light and makes the room look unique.

Paragraph 2: Furniture and Flooring

Topic sentence: The furniture in the room is classic and elegant.

Supporting sentences: There is a comfortable sofa, a wooden bed, a dresser, and a few chairs placed around the room. The flooring is made of wood with soft rugs and carpets on top. The wooden floor and rugs make the room feel warm and welcoming.

Paragraph 3: Colours, Lighting, and Atmosphere

Topic sentence: The colours, lighting, and atmosphere make the room feel peaceful.

Supporting sentences: The colour of the walls is light and neutral, which keeps the room bright and calm. A beautiful chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and a fan keeps the temperature cool. The overall atmosphere is simple yet elegant, making it the perfect place to relax and feel happy.

Describing the crown using words from the mind map

1. The crown is made of highly polished gold with fine metalwork.

2. It has twists and twirls and looks beautifully crafted.

3. The crown is set with valuable gemstones like rubies, emeralds, and pearls.

4. The glistening jewels make the crown look stunning and delicate.

5. It may seem lightweight, but it is actually unexpectedly heavy.

PROJECT

Other cities famous for their canals:

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands – Known as the “Venice of the North” with over 100 canals.

2. Bangkok, Thailand – Called the “Venice of the East” because of its many waterways.

Promotional poster idea for 2 canal cities: Venice & Amsterdam

1. VENICE, ITALY

History: Built on 118 islands in a lagoon, over 1,500 years old.

Famous Landmarks: St. Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs.

Tourist Attractions: Gondola rides on canals, Murano glass factories, colourful Burano Island.

Speciality Foods: Seafood risotto, cicchetti, tiramisu.

How to get there: Fly to Marco Polo Airport, then take a boat or bus.

Where to stay: Hotels near St. Mark’s Square or in Cannaregio district.

2. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

History: Built around canals in the 17th century, called the “Golden Age”.

Famous Landmarks: Anne Frank House, Royal Palace, Magere Brug skinny bridge.

Tourist Attractions: Canal cruise, Van Gogh Museum, flower market, bicycle rides.

Speciality Foods: Dutch pancakes, stroopwafels, herring.

How to get there: Fly to Schiphol Airport, then take train/tram to city centre.

Where to stay: Hotels along the canal ring or near Dam Square.