Monday 27th April 2020 – Year 4 Reading Task

Good morning Year 4. We hope you all had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the sunshine. If you can contact any of your friends who are not blogging, please encourage them to do so, so they can keep up to date with the learning.

Here is your reading comprehension task for today. Remember to read the text carefully and answer the questions in full sentences, where necessary.

Arthur and the Sword in the Stone

The legend of King Arthur dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. There may have once been a leader called Arthur but over thousands of years the story has been added to and we can’t be sure which parts are fact and which are fiction. Here is the story of how Arthur became king:

Sadness descended over Britain as news spread of the death of King Uther. But after the sadness, quickly came anger and arguments about who should be the next king. None of the powerful knights or nobles knew about Uther’s son, Arthur, who had been sent away to keep him safe from attacking Saxon armies.

Fights raged for many months until one freezing morning when the frost covered the trees like a crystal white blanket, a great stone appeared. It lay in front of the ancient church of St Paul and thrust deep into the stone was a glittering sword. When the knights came closer, they could read a message carved into the shining metal of the blade saying, “Whoever pulls this sword from the stone is the rightful King of England.”

Many times they tried to wrench the sword from the stone. They tugged and heaved and strained with all their might. But it was no use. The sword would not budge for any of them.

Years passed and young Arthur was dashing through the city, looking for a sword. His foster brother Kay was due to fight in a competition but had lost his sword. Suddenly, Arthur’s eyes fell upon the stone, the metal of the sword glistening in the early morning sunlight. He stepped towards the sword, fallen leaves crunching under his steady footsteps. Reaching out, he clasped the jewelled handle of the weapon and pulled. The sword slid out like a knife gliding through butter.

Here are your questions:

  1. Why didn’t people know who should be the next king?
  2. Where was the sword in the stone?
  3. What time of year did the sword appear? Explain how you can tell.
  4. Why do you think that the sword in the stone might have appeared?
  5. The author uses lots of other words for ‘pulled’. List the ones that you can find:
  6. Was it easy or hard for Arthur to pull the sword out? Explain how you know.
  7. Why you think Arthur was able to pull the sword out when all the other men couldn’t?

Look forward to reading your responses in the comments or you can email a photo of your work to yearfour@lingsprimary.org.uk

Missing you,

Mrs Denny, Mrs Baldry and Miss Bishop

17 thoughts on “Monday 27th April 2020 – Year 4 Reading Task

  • 27th April 2020 at 9:49 am
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    1) They did not know as they did not know about King Uther’s son Arthur.
    2) It was beside St. Paul’s church.
    3) It appeared at Autumn or Winter as there where leaves and frost.
    4) It appeared to choose the next king.
    5) Tugged.
    6) It was easy because the sword slid out like a knife out of butter.
    7) He could as he was the chosen one to be the rightfull next king.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:52 pm
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      Good job Franek.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 10:06 am
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    1. None of the powerful knights or nobles knew about Uther’s son, Arthur, who had been sent away to keep him safe from attacking Saxon armies.
    2. It lay in front of the ancient church of St Paul and thrust deep into the stone was a glittering sword.
    3. It was winter, as the text is saying: ‘until one freezing morning when the frost covered the trees like a crystal white blanket, a great stone appeared.’
    4. I think God wanted to finish all arguments and it was the best time to find a new king.
    5. Wrench, tugged, heaved, strained, budge
    6. It was easy for Arthur to pull the sword out as the sword slid out like a knife gliding through butter.
    7. He was the chosen one and he was a rightful heir of the England’s throne.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:51 pm
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      Good work Alex, make sure all your answers are written in full sentneces.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 10:15 am
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    1. people didn’t no who would be the next king because None of the
    powerful knights or nobles knew about Uther’s son,Arthur.
    2. the sword was deep in the stone.
    3. I think winter because in the text it said “the frost covered the trees like a blanket”so this tells me it was in winter.
    4. the stone and the sword appeared because of all the arguments about who should become king of England.
    5. all the words for pull is wrench,tugged,heaved and strained.
    6. it was easy for Author to pull it because he described it as he was slicing through butter.
    7. i think only the right full king could pull it out as there was a sentence carved in the swor saying only the right full king can pull it out.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:51 pm
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      Well done Brooke.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 10:23 am
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    1. Why didn’t people know who should be the next king?
    Because no one knew about Uther’s son, Arthur who was sent away.

    2. Where was the sword in the stone?
    The sword was thrust deep into the stone in front of the ancient church of street Paul.

    3. What time of year did the sword appear? Explain how you can tell.
    Winter as the frost was covering and snow was glittering.

    4. Why do you think that the sword in the stone might have appeared?
    To test who ever pulls the sword becomes the rightful king of England.

    5. The author uses lots of other words for ‘pulled’. List the ones that you can find:
    Wrench; Slid

    6. Was it easy or hard for Arthur to pull the sword out? Explain how you know.
    Yes, it was easy for Arthur to pull the sword.
    Easy because the simile that has been used tells us that it is gliding softly through the butter.

    7. Why you think Arthur was able to pull the sword out when all the other men couldn’t?
    After reading the text, Uther’s son, Arthur, has a link between them so Arthur was a right type of leader.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:50 pm
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      Well done Hargun.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 12:01 pm
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    1) Nobody know about Arthur.
    2) Infront of St. Paul’s church.
    3) It appeared at Winter because there was frost on the trees
    4) It was because they couldn’t decide who was the rightful king
    5) Wrench,Tugged,Heaved,Strained
    6) It was easy because the sword slid out
    7) He was able to take it as he was the rightful king

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:50 pm
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      Good work Finlay, try to answer every question with a full sentence.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 1:18 pm
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    1. As nobody knew who the son of king Uther was.
    2. It was put in front of st. paul’s church.
    3. It appeared during winter as there was frost on the trees.
    4. To decide who is king.
    5. Tugged and pulled.
    6. Easy as the text said it slid out the stone.
    7. As the sword chose him to be king and as he might of the son of king Uther.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:49 pm
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      Well done Owen, remember to answer in full sentences for every question.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 1:30 pm
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    1. They didn’t knew who should be King because none of the powerful knights or nobles knew about Uther’s son, Arthur.

    2. The sword in the stone was in front of the ancient church of St Paul.

    3. The sword in the stone appeared in winter because it said ‘for many months until one freezing morning when the frost covered the trees like a crystal white blanket’.

    4. I think the sword in the stone appeared because they were fighting over who should be king after Uther died.

    5. The other words for pulled are wrench and tugged.

    6. It was easy for Arthur to pull the sword out of the stone because in the text it said ‘The sword slid out like a knife gliding through butter.

    7. I think Arthur was able to pull out the sword because he was supposed to be king and the other men wasn’t.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 1:49 pm
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      Good girl Hollie you have answered in full sentences.

      Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 3:23 pm
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    1.People didn’t know wok will be the king because they were all fighting.
    2.The sword was laying near the St Paul’s church.
    3.The sword was found in the Saxon times because in the first sentence it said it was in the Saxon times.
    4.I think the sword appeared next because it wants to choose the next king.
    5. Wrenched, tugged.
    6. It was hard to pull because the sword was stuck in the rock.
    7. Maybe he was stronger then all the men.

    Reply
  • 27th April 2020 at 6:26 pm
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    1 No one knew the king had a son.
    2 St pauls church.
    3 The sword was found in saxon times.
    4 Because no one knew he was next anointed.
    5 Wrenched and tugged.
    6 It was brave to pull the sword.
    7 He must of been trained in a strong country.

    Reply
    • 27th April 2020 at 6:42 pm
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      Thank you Michael! Remember to write in full sentences

      Reply

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