Going Solo

Chapter 1

1/ Roald Dahl is on his way to Mombassa, which country is this in?

2/  How old was he when he set out on this journey and how old would he
 be when he returned home?

3/ What was the most memorable thing about his voyage out to Mombassa?

4/ Explain what these terms mean to  people R.D. is travelling with:-
 "Sun downer" "chota peg" "memsahib" "tiffin"

5/ Why did he think the cotton mill manager's name was rather odd?

6/ Why did R.D. become embarrassed  at the breakfast table when the major recognized him?

7/ Why did the major take a jog around the deck in the morning?

8/ A snob is someone who looks down on others, do you think the major was a snob, if so, why?

9/ Miss Trefusis eats oranges in a strange way, why?

10/ What does Miss Trefusis consider the dirtiest part of the body?

 In the front of your book there is a map of the route that the SS Mantola is taking.
  Copy this map onto a page. Trace a route from Port Said to Mozambique to show
 the course the ship must be taking.

 On the map is a scale in miles. How many miles do you think it is from Port Said to Mozambique?
 If a ship travels at 12 "Knots" (Nautical miles an hour) roughly how many days do you think it will
 take to reach Mozambique? (remember ships do not stop at night).

 Look up these words and write down the definitions on a page in your book.

1/ dialects 2/ sinewy 3/ eccentric  4/ apparition 5/ self-conscious 6/ spouse 7/ contempt 8/ vapid 9/ arrogant
 

Homework

Roald Dahl wrote a letter home to his mother when he was in the red sea. Imagine you are a passenger
 on the S.S. Manotola and have to write a letter home about the passengers and the journey.