Adverbien und adverbiale Bestimmungen (2)

Grammar

Translate the adverbs in brackets and complete the text.

1. Jenny reads ____________ (besser als) her brother.
2. Sarah looked around even ____________ (nervöser als) her friend who was also very scared.
3. Mum drives ____________ (schneller als) dad, and she does not drive ____________ (so vorsichtig wie) dad.
4. My sister sings ____________ (so schön wie) a canary.

Reading 

Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. Where does the story take place?
3. When does the story take place?
4. Why is the title “All clear”? 

All Clear

It all started at the beginning of sixth grade. At first, Sandra wasn’t really sure what was happening. In class, she had to squint¹ to see the blackboard clearly. She had to do the same thing when she read street signs, or when she watched TV. She started to get worried. It wasn’t long before Sandra was squinting all the time, but she didn’t want anyone to know that she was having a problem.
In class, she asked for a desk that was closer to the blackboard. One day, her teacher said, “Sandra, are you all right? Do you have trouble reading the board?” Sandra shook her head. “I’m fine, Mrs Jones,” she said, but she knew people were noticing things. At home, she had to sit closer and closer to the television. Her mother saw her squinting as she watched her favourite TV programmes and knew that there was a problem. “Tomorrow I’ll call the eye doctor and make an appointment²,” she said. Sandra didn’t want that, but her mother didn’t listen.
Three days later, Sandra had new glasses³ and instructions from her doctor to wear them all the time. Sandra wasn’t happy. “All the kids at school will think I’m a nerd⁴,” she said. Her mother smiled and shook her head. “You look just as beautiful with those glasses on as you do without them,” she said. But Sandra didn’t believe her. The next day, Sandra kept the glasses in her pocket as she walked into the playground. She kept away from her friends and stood alone, feeling unhappy.
Suddenly, she heard her friend Jacky. She was shouting. Sandra ran over to the other girls. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “My silver ring is gone!” Jacky cried. “My sister sent it to me from California. It’s very special and I can’t lose it!” Sandra could tell that Jacky was very unhappy. They all looked for the ring in the grassy area of the playground. Sandra realized that she could search better if she could see better. She took the glasses out of her pocket and put them on.
Everything looked so different! Everything was so clear! She looked down at the ground and saw a glimmer of silver. It was the ring. “Here it is,” she shouted. “I’ve found it!” She handed it to Jacky. “Thanks Sandra,” she said. “I never thought we’d find it.” She stopped and looked at Sandra. “Hey, I didn’t know you had glasses. They look great!” Sandra had forgotten that she was wearing the new glasses. “Thanks,” she replied shyly⁵. As they walked back towards the school building, two more girls from her class told her how great her glasses were. Sandra smiled. “Maybe glasses aren’t so bad,” she thought.

1 to squint = hier: die Augen zusammenkneifen; 2 appointment = Termin; 3 glasses = Brille; 4 nerd = Langweiler; 5 shyly (shy) = schüchtern

Reading

Why did the writer write this story? Tick the right answers!

1. To explain how important it is to wear your glasses at school.
2. To show that sometimes we think things will be worse than they are.
3. To describe what it feels like to have to squint.
4. To warn people not to wear rings to school. 

Reading

Answer the questions by ticking the right answers:

1. BEFORE Sandra got glasses …    
   □ she thought glasses were bad.  
   □ she wasn’t able to see the blackboard clearly.  
   □ she found Jacky’s missing ring.    
   □ she sat far away from the television.
    
2. Her mother noticed her squinting as she watched her favourite TV  programmes. What did she do?    
   □ She made an appointment with the doctor.    
   □ She went to hospital.    
   □ She talked to Sandra’s teacher.    
   □ She sat closer to the TV.
    
3. What did Sandra have to do in the beginning of the story in order to  try to see better?    
   □ She had to watch TV.    
   □ Her teacher asked her to move closer to the board.    
   □ She moved to a desk closer to the board.  
   □ She stopped reading.
    
4. What do you think Sandra will do next?    
   □ She won’t tell her friends that she needs to wear glasses.    
   □ She will keep her glasses in her pocket where no one can see them.    
   □ She will wear her glasses all the time.    
   □ She will wear her glasses only when she is with her family.