Family meeting
African Storybook
Thulisile Shongwe
English
First paragraphs
We are having a family meeting.
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There is Dad, Auntie Pula, Uncle Chavani, Eddie, Attie, me, and Grandma.
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I am the youngest.
1
The radio is on in my house 24/7. We always listen to the news.
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We heard today that schools are going to re-open next week.
2
Schools were closed for months because of lockdown.
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Dad begins, “Family, we need to make a decision about the children going back to school.”
3
Auntie Pula is worried. “When schools open it means that more people will be infected.
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Things could get worse,” she says.
4
Attie says, “I am afraid of getting this disease.
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Let us wait two weeks to see how things are going at school. There is a lot of confusion.”
5
Dad says, “I am afraid for Grandma.
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If the children get the disease and bring it home, it will be really serious for her.”
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Grandma nods.
6
My Grandma is elderly. She has diabetes and a heart condition.
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I am very afraid. I am worried about my family.
7
Uncle Chavani says, “I think the children should stay home, as a precaution. Let us wait and see if schools are ready for students.”
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Everyone agrees except Eddie.
8
“I am supposed to go to High School next year.
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I do not know if I can cover the work.
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Online learning is not favourable to me,” says Eddie.
9
I am not concerned about falling back on schoolwork.
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I am concerned about humanity. How are we going to treat each other now?
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We need to face this together.
10

——Questions


  1. Write the meaning of these words: infected, elderly, precaution, humanity.
  2. Explain what it means to be ‘concerned about humanity’.
  3. What decision do you think the family made? Why?
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——


This storybook is based on reports for RX Radio. RX Radio is a children’s internet radio station, by and for children.
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RX Radio operates from the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.
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RX Radio helps children to tell stories about issues important to them.
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Visit RX Radio
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Attribution CC BY
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Title: Family meeting
Author/s: African Storybook
Illustrator/s: Thulisile Shongwe
Assurer/s: African Storybook
Language: English

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