Kathryn Lomer

‘The Spare Room’

Chapter Focus Questions

Name: ________________ Teacher: __________

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‘The Spare Room’ Kathryn LomerAs you read through the novel, answer the questions below to help you develop a good understanding of the story and the techniques used by the author to position the reader.Chap 1

1. How long has Akira been home from his trip to Australia? _________________

2. What job is he doing back in Japan? ___________________________________

3. What is Akira having for breakfast? ___________________________________

4. He gets a letter from Angie – what kinds of things does she write? ___________

5. What does Akira think about doing after he reads the letter? ________________

Chap 2

1. Why did Akira go to Australia to study? ________________________________

2. What kind of relationship did Akira have with his father? ___________________

3. How did his mother give him the ticket? Do you think that is strange? Why/why not? ____________________________________________________________________

4. Describe how Akira’s feelings about his trip to Australia changed over the time before he went?

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5. Why did Akira buy the Kirin beers and what happened when he drank them? _____________________________________________________________________Chap 3

1. How did Akira feel in the weeks before he left for Australia? _____________________________________________________________________

2. Describe what happened when Akira said goodbye to –

His mother? _________________________________________________

His father ? _________________________________________________

3. Akira was reading about his homestay family on the plane – write the details below.Name/age/gender/other? Name/age/gender/other?

Parents

Children

Chap 4

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1. What was the ‘stroke of luck’ that happened to Akira when he arrived at the airport in Australia?

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2. What happened when Akira tried out his English with the official in the booth?

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3. Who met Akira at the airport? What happened after that?

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4. Which members of the family were there? Who was missing?

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5. In the box below draw a picture of the Moffat’s car and house. (You could also use descriptive words from the text if you don’t want to draw)

Chap 5

1. Make a list of some of the first cultural differences in that Akira noticed.

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2. What happened with Angie that first morning?

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3. Why did Akira say to Chisuko that the homestay was “maybe normal”?

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4. Do you think they were normal? Why/why not?

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5. Akira felt that he was “trapped inside a new language”. What did he mean? Have you ever felt like that? When? Why?

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Chap 6

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1. How did Akira feel about his language school? Why?

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2. When he arrived home, Akira heard Angie’s voice from the kitchen. Write the words he heard below.

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3. Alex told Akira he was the cook and “chief bottle-washer”? What did this mean and how did it compare with Akira’s family? How about yours?__________________________________________________________________

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4. Akira’s homework that night was to do a “family tree”. What happened when he asked Jess for help with it?

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5. Daisy helped Akira with his homework. Use the table below to show what she drew for him.

Chap 7

1. How did Akira feel when Daisy kissed him? Why? ___________________ ______________________________________________________________

2. What did Akira do that night that he had never done before? Why is that important for the story?____________________________________________________________

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3. Akira noticed that night that the Moffat family was different from his – in what ways?______________________________________________________________

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1. Where does Akira go in the beginning of this chapter? Who with? Why?

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2. Describe the language problem he has on P.58. Have you ever had a problem like this?___________________________________________________________

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3. What happened when Akira went home that night? Why did Angie become angry?___________________________________________________________

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Chap 9

1. The next morning, Akira helps Alex move a desk into his room. Akira noticed something carved into the wood. Write what he saw on the desk pictured here. Can you explain why this is relevant?_____________________________

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2. What does Akira feel about the differences in food between Australia and Japan?

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3. Describe some interesting things about his meeting with Stolly in the cafeteria that day.________________________________________________________________

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4. Stolly then helped Akira get a job in a bar. How did Akira think that his parents would feel about this?

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Chap 10

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1. What did Akira do after the English lesson on writing greeting cards? Use the box on the left below to either draw or write your answer. There is a grammar mistake in the words he wrote on the card. Use the box to the right to write the correct grammar if you can.

2. What was Angie’s reaction? Why do you think she reacted like that?

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3. Describe some of the things that happened at the beach that day

- With Daisy __________________________________________________

- With Angie __________________________________________________

4. Alex explains to Akira why he is not working in a job anymore. What two words did he use to describe this? Which one is an example of “idiomatic” language?

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5. Akira experiences something difficult on P 77 -78. How did you feel when you were reading this? Have you ever experienced anything like this?

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6. How did Stolly respond when Akira told him about this incident?

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_______________________________________________________________Chap 11

1. Akira visits Chisuko’s homestay in this chapter. Name the people living there.

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2. List some things that happened to make Akira feel that the lunch was “wonderful”.

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3. In the second part of this chapter, Akira talks about a few different things. One is about the meaning of the word ‘home’. He says, “Home is still something I am working out’. What do you think he means by that?

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4. What does this word mean to you?

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5. In the last lines of the chapter, Akira writes, “I am also learning man things about Australian culture.” What is he referring to?

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Chap 12

1. Akira observes a similarity between his family and the Moffats – “but reversed”. What is it?________________________________________________________________

2. On pages 94 and 95 of this chapter, Akira describes the Moffat family’s holiday shack. Draw a picture in the space below showing you understand the meaning of the words he used in his description.

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3. Later in the chapter, Akira meets Alex’s father (Angie and Daisy’s grandfather) for the first time. After that Angie tells Akira her grandfather was a P.O.W. What does this mean and why is this important to know?

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4. Then in the last lines of the chapter another important even happens. What is it and why is Akira upset by this?

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Chapter 13

1. The day after Akira had seen Jess with another man, she explained to him that she had been with a “colleague”. What does that word mean and why do you think she told Akira this?

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2. That same day, Akira’s teacher told him he had “a gift”. What did she mean by that?

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3. How did Akira feel about this? Explain your answer using the information on P.106.

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4. The following statements summarise what happened from P.107 – 110. Put them in the correct order.

Angela spoke angrily to Akira saying she didn’t need his help.

Akira put the perfume he had bought in Angie’s room.

Akira paid for the perfume which Angie had dropped.

Akira saw a motorbike in a shop nearby and instantly was” hypnotised” by it.

Angie attempts to steal some perfume from the department store.

Akira noticed Angie shopping and started following her.

Akira saw a photo of a good-looking young man in Angie’s room and wondered who it was.

Chapter 14

1. Why did the police officers bring Angie home in the beginning of this chapter?

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2. Akira uses the word “officials” when speaking with the police officers. Why does he use this word? Is it the right word for this situation? What else could you suggest he should use?_____________________________________________________________________

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3. What does Akira promise the police officers?

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4. Describe Angie’s response to Akira’s actions._____________________________________________________________________

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5. Akira says on Page 115, that “ he didn’t get much sleep that night.” Explain why you think that is.

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Chapter 15

1. Stolly warned Akira that his family was “very Greek”. List some cultural differences Akira experienced when he went to Stolly’s father’s party regarding the following -

Introductions ________________________________________________________________

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Compliments________________________________________________________________

Use of titles to address elders ___________________________________________________

Behaviour of husband of wife in public ___________________________________________

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Behaviour at a 50th birthday party ________________________________________________

2. Who was Kristina? What did Stolly’s “withering” look mean when Akira asked him about her?

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3. What happened to Stolly’s father at the party and what did Akira do to help?

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4. What did Akira do when he got home? Why?

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Chapter 16

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1. Stolly referred to his father’s near death experience as “The Resurrection”. Why do you think he did this? (Look it up if you don’t know). ____________________________________________

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2. Akira had another chance to speak with Alex’s father again. How did this conversation go? Give an example to explain your answer.

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3. Akira realises he has been using a word inappropriately on page 132. Have you ever had this experience? Give an explanation.___________________________________________________________________________

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4. What do we learn about Akira on the bottom of page 132?

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5. Stolly corrects Akira by saying, “Black lamb” on page 136. Can you explain what this is about?

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Chap 17

1. On page 137, Akira is “taunted” by Angie and her friends. Write down three of the taunts used._________________________________________________________________________

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2. “Suddenly Angie was on her feet.” What is happening here? _______________________

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3. Chisuko explains something to Akira on page 140. Can you work out what it is?

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4. Why does Akira and his friends go to the pub on page 140-141. What are they celebrating?

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5. “Here’s to achieving our dreams.” What are the dreams of the following characters –

Akira ________________________________________________________________

Stolly ________________________________________________________________

Kristina ______________________________________________________________

Chapter 18

1. Akira rode his bike home and sat on it for a few moments before taking his helmet off. What did Jess do when she saw this? Why?

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2. After Akira took his helmet off, Jess’s face “contorted in pain”. What does that mean? Explain what happened next?

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3. Angie started yelling angrily at Akira. Write down some of the vocabulary the author uses to show how angry and upset she is.

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4. “Angie, I understand,” said Akira. What do you think he was talking about?

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5. Akira was on his bike ready to ride away from the Moffat house forever. Why did he turn back? _________________________________________________________________________

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Chapter 19

The following statements refer to what happened from P.155 – 160. Indicate with T/F whether they are true or false.

The Moffats’ car would not start.

Akira told Angie to come with him on the bike.

Akira and Angie rode off on the bike without their helmets.

Daisy told the person at the bus depot she was catching a bus to meet her brother.

There was no sign of Daisy at the lighthouse so Akira and Angie went home.

Akira then got onto a sinking boat.

They found Daisy lying on the beach.

Angie told Akira that Joey had been a model.

Angie allowed Akira to embrace her while she cried, thinking of her dead brother.

At the cemetery, Angie embraced Joey.

Chapter 20

1. Alex “got out a bottle of champagne” at the beginning of this chapter. What was he celebrating?

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2. That night, Akira experienced the “kind of picture (he) had imagined way back” .. “before (he) came to Australia. Give some examples of what that was. (draw them if you prefer)____________________________________________________________________

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3. Describe what happened after “Angie came walking barefoot across the room with a candle in her hand.”

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4. Make a list of the things that Akira achieved while he was living with the Moffats.

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WHAT DID YOU THINK? In the space below write down what you think the author wants us to feel about Akira and his story. Give examples to explain your answer..

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