I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional...

24
1 Have you ever discovered a secret and passed it on? 2 Who do you think is the most famous fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, many books and films have been released featuring teenage spies. Do you think it would be possible for a teenager to be a spy in real life? Explain. Those who enjoy the spy genre give a variety of reasons for their devotion. Some like the mystery and intrigue; some like the gadgets; others enjoy the exotic locations and incredible exploits of the cult heroes and villains. What are the techniques that their creators use to allow us to experience the thrills and spills of the spy story? In this unit Spies in narrative texts Spies in short stories Spies in computer games Spies in film

Transcript of I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional...

Page 1: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

1 Have you ever

discovered a secret

and passed it on?

2 Who do you think is

the most famous

fictional spy?

3 In the last few years,

many books and films

have been released

featuring teenage

spies. Do you think it

would be possible for

a teenager to be a spy

in real life? Explain.

Those who enjoy the spy

genre give a variety of

reasons for their

devotion. Some like the

mystery and intrigue;

some like the gadgets;

others enjoy the exotic

locations and incredible

exploits of the cult

heroes and villains.

What are the techniques

that their creators use to

allow us to experience

the thrills and spills of

the spy story?

In this unit• Spies in narrative texts

• Spies in short stories

• Spies in computer

games

• Spies in film

Page 2: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

110 english alive 3

I spy, you spyspy noun

1. an agent employed by a

state to obtain secret

information, especially of

a military nature,

concerning its potential or

actual enemies: He was

captured inside enemy lines

and shot as a spy.

2. one who secretly keeps

watch on others: My little

sister is such a spy, always

trying to see what my friends

and I are doing in my room.

spy verb

1. to find out by looking

closely: He was sent to spy

out the land before the

attack.

Word history: From German

spähen, to scout, reconnoitre

Word family: espionage, espy

Technology: spyware is any

software application that is

planted on a computer hard

drive, without the owner

knowing, and that can ‘see’

the Internet sites visited. Its

purpose is to send that

information back to another

source, such as a marketer.

nce you enter the tangled web of espionage, there is

no escape. A spy story twists and turns, keeping the protagonist

and the audience guessing until the end. Like most literature, spy

fiction often reflects the preoccupations of its time. During the post–

World War II period, when famous spy fiction writers included Ian

Fleming, John Le Carré and Robert Ludlum, the USSR was the big

enemy. Fictional Russian agents were pitted against those of the UK

and the USA in a never-ending spy game that reflected Cold War

politics. So what does the future hold for the genre? Only one thing

is certain: as long there are battles for ‘world domination’ and secrets

to be kept and revealed, there will be spies; and while

there are spies, there will be spy fiction.

Reading and writing aboutspies in narrative textsSpy novelsA good spy story draws the reader in with fast action and a

series of puzzling clues to a mystery. Often the clues will lead

the reader and the protagonist to one conclusion, only to discover that they have

been tricked — led astray by a clever double agent or spymaster.

Below is an extract from the spy novel Sleeper by Luke C. Jackson. Set in present-

day India, Sleeper centres around 15-year-old Sara Gray, a student at Calderstone’s

International School. In this extract, Sara is catapulted into a dramatic situation

that sets in motion a series of events which will make her question her past and

fear for her future. The margin notes will give you some tips to consider when

writing your own spy stories.

O

Wordplay20

A single sentence, endingin a cliff-hanger,

immediately pulls thereader into the story.

Implied violence adds to the sense of impending danger.

t the bottom of the stairs, she steps into the living room

and freezes.

In the middle of the room, her mother is sitting in a chair,

her hands behind her back. The telephone cord has been used

to bind her hands to each other, then to the chair’s frame. Her

mouth is covered with electrical tape, its silver surface stained

with blood that trickles from her nose.

Two men stand in the room, both of European appearance,

one dressed in a suit, the other in a black shirt and leather

jacket. She doesn’t recognise either of them, but they both

wear the same almost-blank expression as they turn to face

her.

A

Page 3: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 111

‘You must be Sara,’ the man with the leather jacket says. He

has the trace of an accent that Sara can’t identify.

Sara says nothing.

‘Why are you just standing there? Aren’t you going to help

your mother?’

Sara’s mind reels. Should she make a run for it? She could

probably make it upstairs, lock herself in her room, then call the

police on her mobile. But without a lock on her door, it would

only be a matter of time before they broke in.

‘Come in,’ the man in the suit says, motioning for her to move

to her left, further into the room.

For the first time, Sara notices that he holds a gun, its long

barrel reflecting the light from the kitchen. As she takes three

shaking steps to the left, she’s surprised the gun wasn’t the

first thing she saw. ‘My father will be home any minute,’ Sara

says, her voice quaking. Then she thinks about Aparna’s

father, and bluffs, ‘He’s in the computer business. He’s impor-

tant. And he has guards who go everywhere with him. They

have guns, too.’

‘We’ll take that chance,’ the man in leather says, smiling.

For a few seconds, nobody says anything. The only sounds are

the drip of a tap in the kitchen, her mother sniffing softly, and the

distant whine of an auto-rickshaw. Then the man in leather

speaks again. ‘So Sara, your mother tells us you’re an intelligent

girl. Is that correct?’

Sara doesn’t know what to say.

‘I’m going to make you an offer, one intelligent person to

another. Would you like that?’

Sara’s heart is hammering. Her legs feel like they’re about to

collapse beneath her. But she nods.

‘Very good,’ the man says. ‘If you answer my questions cor-

rectly, we’ll make sure no more harm comes to your mother.

Okay?’

Again, Sara nods, and the man continues. ‘Who are you

working for, Sara?’

Sara shakes her head. ‘What do you mean? I’m not —’

She stops as he produces his own pistol and shakes his head

sadly. ‘I thought you loved your mother.’

‘I do!’ Sara cries out. ‘I do. Please, I’ll help you, if I can.

Really!’

Now the suited man is speaking in a foreign language. His

words are short and clipped. Sara has no idea what he’s saying,

and stares at her mother. Mrs Gray’s nose continues to bleed, and

her chin is cut, her forehead rising in a lump, but her eyes are sur-

prisingly calm. Taking heart from her bravery, Sara forces herself

to relax. She hears a voice inside her, whispering.

The guy in the suit doesn’t want to use his gun.

A description of anumber of sounds

makes the scene morevivid for the reader.

The question of whoSara is working for is

raised. This question isa common one in spy

narratives.

The only escape route is considered and dismissed immediately, heightening suspense.

Sara demonstrates her ability to think quickly.

Through her interior monologue, it is clear that Sara understands more about the men, and the use of weapons, than she realises

Page 4: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

112 english alive 3

Sara doesn’t know where the thought comes from. She shakes

her head in confusion.

Look at the way he holds it, with his finger so far from the

trigger. He’s afraid to fire.

Her vision clouding momentarily, Sara feels a stinging sen-

sation in her temples, then forces herself to breathe more slowly.

Now the leather-jacketed man is speaking again. Sara tries to con-

centrate, but catches only the tail end of what he’s saying, ‘. . . our

operation.’

‘Okay,’ Sara bluffs. ‘I’ll tell you what you want to know.’

He smiles. ‘Tell us how much you remember about the

operation.’

The men relax slightly. For the first time both are holding their

guns in plain sight, and Sara knows that their pistols contain tran-

quilliser darts, designed to stun rather than kill. She doesn’t know

how she knows it, but she does.

If you’re going to do something, do it now, the voice whispers.

As Sara springs forward, the man in the suit raises the pistol,

but Sara ignores it, punching him once in the solar plexus. Then,

using her own body to keep him upright she slips her hand

beneath his, her right forefinger finding the gun’s exposed

trigger.

Spinning in the direction of the man in the leather

jacket, she aims the gun and presses the trigger,

feeling three small, gas-powered explosions, each

shot sending a dart into the man’s broad

chest. Even as he takes a step towards her

his eyes roll upwards, before he crashes

to the ground unconscious.

The man hunched behind her has begun

to recover from the punch, and raises his free

hand to her shoulder. Spinning, Sara

simultaneously breaks his hold and

wrenches the gun from the man’s

grasp, using her momentum to drive

a foot into the soft tissue behind his knee.

With a grunt, the man pitches forward, and

the blade of her right hand collides with the

back of his neck, knocking him out.

Less than six seconds after the

fight had begun, it’s over. Both of

Sara’s attackers are on the

floor, still breathing but

unconscious, and she

is unscathed.

Now the voice in herhead seems to be

commanding her todefend herself, almost

as if there are twopeople within Sara,

arguing about the bestcourse of action.

Sara’s actions are those of somebody with an extensive background in martial arts, not a schoolgirl who took a couple of kung fu lessons.

This whole scene acts as a complication inthe narrative, and it occurs on pages 39 to 42 of the novel after we have been introduced to Sara as part of the orientation. The narrative drive isdeveloped strongly through the action and events in this scene.

To have knocked two armed attackers unconscious in less than six seconds would be impossible if she hadn’t been trained to do so. But she doesn’t remember being trained.

Page 5: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 113

Spy narrative texts:

• often have an exotic

setting

• include characters with

a mysterious past

• use mystery and action

to propel the narrative

• incorporate a series of

conflicting clues

• have an underlying

sense of danger.

READING NARRATIVE TEXTS

Understanding and knowing

1. According to the men, why have they come to see Sara?

2. The author of Sleeper surprises the reader in this extract by twisting the story

in unexpected ways. Find two examples.

3. Find a word in the extract that means:

• shaking, trembling

• to trick, deceive

• briefly, for a short time

• to jerk, force

• unharmed, not hurt.

Making meaning

4. Why do you think it takes Sara so long to notice that the men carry guns? Is

this realistic?

5. What examples can you find in the extract of (a) action, (b) mystery and

(c) suspense? Which of these is used most to drive the narrative forward?

6. The novel Sleeper has an exotic location: the city of Udaipur in India. Find a

clue in the extract that suggests this location.

7. This chapter teases the reader, supplying pieces of the puzzle that will not

make sense until later in the story. What questions do you have about Sara’s

past after reading this chapter? List at least three.

Analysing and reflecting

8. When this extract ends, Sara has knocked her mother’s attackers unconscious.

When she removes the gag from her mother’s mouth, what might Mrs Gray

say to her daughter?

9. Based upon what you have read in the extract, what do you imagine might

happen later in the novel?

10. In spy fiction, the idea of a protagonist with an unreliable memory is not new,

the most famous example being Jason Bourne in Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne

Identity. Why do you think this might be such an appealing idea to writers of

spy stories?

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS

11. This chapter is written in the third person, but is limited to Sara’s point of

view. Retell Sara’s attack on the two men from her mother’s point of view, still

using the third person.

12. Sleeper poses the question ‘What if your whole life was a lie?’ Discuss this with

the person next to you.

13. (a) If you had always been certain that you remembered something a certain

way, and then found out that you had been wrong all along, how would

you feel?

(b) If this has ever actually happened to you, describe your experience to your

classmate.

14. Chart this scene from Sleeper as a line graph to show how the tension rises as

the action develops.

Page 6: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

114 english alive 3

Short storiesFor the fan of spy stories, one of their appealing aspects is that they provide

escapism. The short story below, A Trip to the Shop by Richard Yaxley, takes a

humorous view of the spy genre, based on the idea that many readers need to

escape from their humdrum daily lives. Like all short stories, this one can be

read in a single sitting; it has a limited number of characters, a brief

orientation, few complications and a short climax; and it is followed quickly

by the resolution.

A Trip to the Shopby Richard Yaxley

hania,’ said her mother waspishly, ‘can you please get your nose out of that book and

go to the shop for me?’

Shania did not move. She was a tall girl with a mop of brown hair and too many

freckles. She was reading a book called Action Stations.

It was a thriller, with a gorgeous heroine called Katerina who karate-chopped block-

headed baddies, flew gyrocopters upside-down over piranha-infested rivers and saved the

world with the same frequency that most women apply lip-gloss.

She liked the name Katerina. It had two a’s and an i. Just like Shania.

‘Shania,’ whined her mother. ‘We need some bread, honey. And tomatoes. Please!’

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Katerina appraised him with her cool, luscious eyes.

‘You’re a man,’ she said perceptively. ‘I have no time for men. They get in my way.’

‘But Katerina,’ pleaded the tall, dark, handsome, part-Mediterranean stranger,

‘you and I . . . we belong together. Like wine and cheese — we are made for one

another.’

‘Very well,’ murmured Katerina seductively. ‘You may kiss me.’

The stranger leaned forward. Katerina let him get close enough to see the quality of

her hand-made Latvian silk blouse, then she twirled, flexed and scissor-kicked to his

kidneys. The stranger buckled immediately and fell to the floor, groaning. She laughed

with the abandon of someone in complete control of her destiny then leapt into her red

Maserati sports coupe and zoomed back down the autobahn.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

‘Oh Katerina!’ breathed Shania.

‘Oh Shania!’ yelled her mother. ‘How many times do I have to ask you?’

Shania sighed. She marked her spot in the book, closed it and placed it carefully on

the table.

‘Bread and tomatoes,’ said her mother more calmly. ‘Make sure they’re firm.’

She looks so . . . ordinary, Shania thought. She tried to imagine her mother zooming

down an autobahn in a red Maserati sports coupe and nearly laughed aloud.

‘Okay,’ she said.

S

The title may or may notenable the reader to predict

the story’s subject matter.

The name of theprotagonist is mentioned

early in the story,clarifying who will be the

focus of the action.

Orientation

Link between two stories

Italic text is the cue thatwe are reading the story

within the story.

Action is very importantin spy stories.

Back to the ‘real’ story

Page 7: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 115

‘And milk,’ said her mother petulantly.

‘Okay,’ said Shania Smith. She took a ten-dollar note from the housekeeping jar and

left the house.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

It didn’t take long for the action to warm up. Two hawk-eyed, hack-mouthed killers

were waiting for her in the shadows of the front hedge. The sun glinted off their curved

swords, held wickedly before them. Shania let them get close enough to see the quality of

her beige Woolworths T-shirt, then she ducked, spun, grabbed their wrists in an iron grip

and flung their weapons fifty metres into the depths of the housing estate. The trained

assassins — for that was what they surely were — squealed in terror, jumped back on

their mopeds and buzzed off.

‘Kretzel’s henchmen,’ muttered Shania through gritted teeth. ‘I knew it.’

Kretzel was a ruthless, bald, one-eyed, squeaky-voiced megalomaniac who would

stop at nothing to achieve world domination. Katerina had had problems with him

too.

Shania walked on down the dusty road. The shop was only a short distance away —

about five hundred metres — but that was no excuse for complacency. A lot can happen

in five hundred metres, thought Shania grimly.

As if on cue, a giant shadow fell across her path. She looked up as three hairy,

humungous woman-eating spiders stepped out from behind a CWA billboard. Their eyes

spun towards her like out-of-control marbles. Then, in perfect synchrony, they lifted

their front legs and began a lumbering scuttle in Shania’s direction. The lead spider

raised fangs that dripped with a megalitre of death-dealing toxin.

Shania rummaged in her backpack. Since first tangling with the evil Kretzel, she

rarely travelled without her AFP — Arachnid Freeze Pump. Held in the hand like a

small, cylindrical pistol, it pumped a misty spray that had been specially developed in

Frankfurt laboratories to put hairy, humungous woman-eating spiders in a state of

suspended animation.

The creatures closed in. Shania could smell their rancid fur, see the sweat gleaming on

their thoraxes and their bulbous yellow abdomens.

She held up the AFP and pressed a button. The spray flew out and coated the spiders.

Instantly they froze.

Shania checked the gauge on the side of the AFP, just as Katerina would have done.

‘Down to 12 per cent availability,’ she grimaced. ‘Hope there aren’t any more.’ She

stepped beneath the legs of the spiders, taking care to avoid a frozen drip of venom that

hung like a stalactite from the last spider’s jaw. Then, having looked left, right then left

again — superwomen are very conscientious about road rules and setting a good

example — Shania crossed the road.

Here the footpath followed the line of the ocean. Today, fluffed by a light breeze,

the water was darker, topped with small choppy waves. Perfect conditions for an

attack, thought Shania, remembering Katerina’s recent tangle with Kretzel. She took

out her high-powered laser opto-binoculars and scanned the ocean. Just as she

thought. Kretzel’s fleet of sniper subs were waiting below the surface of the pier like

marauding sharks.

Complication

This links with Katerina’shand-made Latvian silk

blouse, providing acontrast between Shania’s

real life and her fantasylife.

The villain or arch enemyis a standard feature of

spy stories.

Another complication

Gadgets are another‘must-have’ in spy stories.

Use of humour ‘sends up’the spy genre.

Complication

Page 8: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

116 english alive 3

Another send-up of spyheroes and spy stories

Another gadget

Complication

Protagonist continues toshow incredible heroic

abilities.

Use of name Smith

suggests ordinariness ofShania’s real life. By

contrast, most spy heroeshave exotic or glamorous

names.

Sniper subs are tiny vessels built for a single operator. They are amphibious and carry

enough explosives to detonate an entire city. About the size of a torpedo, they are even

more deadly.

Shania clicked on the digitalised mapping mechanism of her opto-binoculars.

Instantly she was given a graphic display showing the exact position of each sub.

She counted. Twelve in all. Lucky. In her backpack was a box of micro depth charges.

Twelve of them, as it happened. Shania wasted no more time. Within seconds she was

disguised as a bearded tuna fisherman. She sauntered out onto the pier, smiling at the

playing children and waving to the men who were sitting on stools and hoping for a

catch of whiting.

How little they know, she thought grandly. Be with me, Katerina . . .

She used a portable scopex to locate each of the subs. After she had dropped the

MDCs there was a series of small popping sounds, but no-one seemed to notice. Life

went on as it always had. Shania looked down into the ocean. Nothing. The subs were

already plummeting to the bottom. Disaster had been averted. She wiped her brow,

ripped off the beard and continued on her way.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Shania knew immediately that the man behind the counter was a plant, probably

from Kretzel’s inner sanctum. How many shop assistants have titanium fangs in their

mouth and an MK47-shaped bulge under their shoulder? She used the StunBeam in

her watch to put him temporarily out of action, then grabbed her bag of groceries

and scuttled out of the store, nearly tripping on a concealed plutonium bomb, which

she quickly defused (red wire first, then blue followed by black). She had just com-

pleted this delicate but fulfilling task when a squadron of low-flying jet fighters

zoomed out of the clouds.

‘Kamikaze,’ said Shania to no-one in particular. ‘What a drag.’ She shrugged, took a

make-up mirror from her back pocket and deflected the sun’s rays directly into the path

of the aircraft. Suddenly blinded, the pilots panicked, strayed off course and the fighters

hurtled into the ocean with a ripping, roaring explosion and a huge splash.

As Katerina says, thought Shania, a modern girl should never go out without her

make-up mirror.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

On the way home there was a minor skirmish with a giant rolling boulder — easily dis-

integrated with her new, astro-powered Rock-Blaster — as well as two sword fights, a

quick scuffle with a Sherman tank and a tricky obstacle course through a cloud of poi-

soned arrows. But, like Katerina in Action Stations, Shania managed brilliantly, and

soon she was standing on the corner of their street.

She scanned the horizon. Her acutely developed nose-for-danger told her it was

over — all threats defeated. She sighed, wiped her forehead and smiled to herself. It

had been a busy day, but nothing she couldn’t handle, and tomorrow would bring

other challenges. It was all part of the business of being who she was — Shania

Smith, superwoman and saviour of the solar system. She took one final look around.

Everything appeared to be normal. Her mother’s brick-and-tile house squatted in the

Page 9: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 117

middle of a suburb of brick-and-tile houses. In the distance she could see more brick-

and-tiles punctuated by the odd taller building and shopping centre. The sky — so

recently filled with the fumes of spider-breath and buzzing jet fighters — was once again

clear and blue. Behind her, the ocean — lately filled with marauding submarines and

exploding depth charges — lapped gently against the beach.

Shania sauntered up the driveway of their home, wondering if someone tall, dark and

handsome, and probably Mediterranean, would be waiting for her. A rakish Renaldo,

perhaps, or Jean-Paul with a snorting Spanish horse and fedora hat. She looked ahead

but could see only her mother, small and dumpy in a rayon print dress as she hung out

the washing.

‘Did you get the bread?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’ Shania held out the bag. ‘One loaf of white sandwich bread and six firm

tomatoes.’

‘Thanks,’ said her mother, not really listening.

‘Not a problem.’

If only she knew, thought Shania. If she knew about the real me — Shania Smith,

superwoman, saviour of the solar system, defender of rights, vanquisher of evil, goddess

of all that is good and true — she wouldn’t be so blasé.

She smiled to herself, wandered back inside to the lounge room. Action Stations was

on the table where she had left it. She sat down, tired from her afternoon’s exertions.

Repelling giant spiders, sinking marauding submarines, defusing massive bombs, out-

witting trained assassins, dodging kamikaze aircraft — it all took it out of you. She

yawned, picked up her book and started reading again.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Katerina opened the door of the six-star apartment. Jean-Paul, a tall, dark, handsome

man who wore a fedora and moved as if he might own a snorting Spanish horse, walked

towards her with a glass of champagne.

‘Guess what, ma cherie,’ Jean-Paul said in his resonant, perfect-tenor voice.

Katerina drained the champagne in a single gulp, glided to the bar and poured herself

another.

‘What?’

‘My share portfolio has increased by fifteen million per cent in the last ten minutes,’

said Jean-Paul, checking his new gold Rolex watch. ‘Because of this, I have just bought

an island in the Mediterranean, a squadron of luxury Lear jets and two succulent

lobsters. Ma cherie, I want you to be with me there . . .

Katerina looked into his deep dark eyes, felt her body shake with longing . . .

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

‘Shania! Shania!’ Her mother was shaking her shoulder. ‘Wake up!’

She stretched, yawned, opened her eyes.

‘Mum, I was asleep . . .’

‘You forgot the milk. Go back to the shop at once and get the milk!’

‘Oh,’ said Shania Smith.

The book lay, face down, on the floor beside her.

Italics again link to thestory within the story that

began on page 114.

Climax, twist andresolution all occur

together, bringing readerback to earth.

Page 10: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

118 english alive 3

Spy short stories:

• have a clear beginning,

middle and end

• take place in a limited

amount of time

• involve only two or

three main characters

• assume that the reader

knows nothing of the

characters prior to

reading the story

• use action and suspense

to propel the story

• may end with a twist.

READING SHORT STORY TEXTS

Understanding and knowing

1. Why does Shania admire the character of Katerina in Action Stations?

2. How do you think Shania feels about her mother? Which two sections of the

story provide this information?

3. Find six words or phrases in the story that you associate with the spy

genre.

4. List the gadgets that Shania has at her disposal in the story.

5. List three adjectives to describe:

(a) Shania’s appearance

(b) Katerina’s appearance.

Making meaning

6. Why do you think the author called this story A Trip to the Shop? Suggest a

more exciting title for the story.

7. What, if anything, did you enjoy about this story? What sort of reader would

you recommend it to?

Analysing and reflecting

8. This is a story within a story. Discuss with a partner how the author has done

this, and then draw up a graph to illustrate its structure.

9. How does the ending make you feel? Does the beginning of the story prepare

you for the ending?

10. Who seems like a more realistic character: Shania, Katerina, or Sara Gray in

Sleeper? Explain your answer using relevant examples from the stories.

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS

11. Teenage spies are very popular. Check out the official website of another

fictional teenage spy, Alex Rider at www.alexrider.com, and then consider the

following questions.

(a) Is the site enjoyable to explore? Explain.

(b) Who does the website appear to be targeting? Think about age, gender and

interests.

(c) Is there anything the web developers could have done to make the

experience more enjoyable for you?

(d) If you were going to design a website for Sleeper and its main character,

Sara Gray, how would you use what you have learned from exploring

the Alex Rider website to make the experience most enjoyable for

visitors?

12. Imagine that the Australian government approached you tomorrow with a

proposition: ‘Come and work for us’. They would train you in the various

skills that a spy needs (known as ‘tradecraft’), and then send you all over

the world to learn what you could about people and organisations on

behalf of the government. They would clear it with your parents and make

sure your school was none the wiser. The only trouble is that it could be

dangerous. Would you do it? Why or why not? Discuss with a partner the

pros and cons.

13. Choose a scene from A Trip to the Shop and illustrate it.

on

theCD-RO

M

Story Spinner

Crack a code21

Page 11: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 119

lacing her hands on

her hips, Terri asked,

‘Steve, where are you

going?’

‘I am going out,

Terri,’ Steve answered.

‘Is that acceptable to

you?’

‘You were meant to

do your chores before

you left the house today.

You promised Mother

you would do them.’

‘And I will do them,

Terri,’ Steve insisted. ‘I

will do them as soon as I

return. You must trust

me.’

P

Using dialogue to maintain reader interest

The modern spy story is complex, but should never get so bogged down in

detail that the reader loses interest. One way in which a writer can keep a

story flowing, even while delivering crucial information, is by using dialogue.

Look at the following passage from Sleeper.

itting back, Sara realises how quiet the house is. Usually, one of the staff would

have offered Sara a cup of tea or coffee by now. But, apart from them, the

kitchen is empty. ‘Is everything okay?’ she asks.

Staring at her hands, Apona seems to have lost some of her usual confidence.

‘It’s . . . I can’t believe . . .’ Shaking her head, she attempts to smile, but her bottom

lip trembles and she has to look away. ‘It’s nothing for you to worry about, Sara.

But I’m — I will have to stay here today. In case . . . my father needs me.’

They had planned to go into town this afternoon, so that Apona could choose a

present. Sara had saved her pocket money for a few weeks, and had a thousand

rupees — around thirty-five US dollars — easily enough to buy something nice;

Apona would get the best possible price.

‘Did something happen?’ Sara asks. ‘Is everyone okay?’

‘Yes,’ Apona says. ‘Everybody’s fine. It’s nothing like that. Last night . . .’

‘What is it?’ Sara asks.

When her friend looks at her, her eyes fill with tears. ‘Something’s missing . . .

something to do with my dad’s new project. Something important.’

There is information in this passage about the thing that has gone missing

from Apona’s father’s study, but the information does not come across as

rushed or forced. The first step to writing good dialogue is to recognise that

real people rarely speak ‘correctly’. A normal conversation will be filled with

broken sentences and questions, and peppered with contractions and

colloquial language. Look at the conversation on the left. By contrast, the

speakers sound very formal and, as a result, their argument sounds awkward

and unconvincing.

Over to you

1. Keeping the same basic lines of dialogue, rewrite the formal conversation

in a more realistic way, having the characters interrupt each other and use

slang where appropriate.

The second element of good dialogue is what is not said but is suggested in

the characters’ tone and body language. Imagine that the scenario above left

was part of a spy story. Terri is older than her brother, and feels protective of

him. She does not want to tell him that she thinks the house is being

watched. Steve knows the house is being watched, and had been intending

to find out who was doing the watching when his sister had called him back.

2. Keeping the same four lines of dialogue you wrote for question 1, add

body language and descriptions of the way things are said. Try to reflect

the sister’s concern for her brother as well as both characters’ frustration

with each other.

on

theCD-ROM

Script Scriber

I CAN:

understand what drives a spy narrative forward

appreciate some of the elements of spy fiction

recognise the differences between a spy short story and a spy novel

appreciate the design of a website based upon a popular spy series

use dialogue to maintain reader interest.

learning✔

Page 12: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

120 english alive 3

Reading and writing about spies in visual texts

Spies in computer gamesComputer games today attract

some of the most popular novel-

ists and screenplay writers, and

have overtaken movies in profits

earned. Filled with complex

puzzles, the best games are visual

texts that are held together by

an absorbing plot, and are

enjoyed globally by people of all

ages. With unique cell-style ani-

mation, XIII is a stylish thriller

that owes a lot not only to the

comic on which it is based but

also to Robert Ludlum’s The

Bourne Identity. Engaging charac-

ters, a wide range of challenges

and a complex storyline make

XIII a favourite among those

who love a good spy story.

Based on the French comic by William

Vance and Jean Van Hamme, XIII is a

comic-book-style computer game

known as a first-person shooter. It

tells the story of a man who wakes up

on a beach with no memory of how he

got there and no idea who he is. The

only clues he has to his identity are a

key to a safety deposit box in New York

and the number XIII tattooed on his

shoulder.

When the American

president is assassinated, the

protagonist discovers that he

is the main suspect, but he

has no memory of the event

and is convinced that he is

being set up. Is the

protagonist a hero or an

assassin?

Page 13: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 121

The black and whitecolour scheme makes it

clear that the scene tookplace in the past. An

otherwise unremarkablesetting allows the player

to focus on the maincharacter.

In film terms, a highcamera angle is used to

suggest that the characterlacks power . . . perhaps

the power to stop himselfdoing something he

would not otherwise do.

A mirror is commonlyused by a character whenthey are questioning their

identity.An early cut scene flashes back to a time

when the protagonist stood in front of a

mirror, about to reveal a tattoo on his arm

of the number XIII.

The character of XIII has an

array of weapons and gadgets to

choose from.

The game of XIII uses

a computer graphics

technique known as

cel-shading. With its

thick linework and

heavy shadowing, this

technique creates a

hand-drawn

appearance and style

that mimics that of a

comic book.

Page 14: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

122 english alive 3

MAIN FRAME

Reds and browns give thescene a sense of menace.

The first-person perspectivemakes the player feel as if

they are completelyimmersed in the action.

The sound of the explosion isspelled out in bold, orange

text, heightening the comic-book feel of the scene.

INNER FRAMES

Frames within frames reflectthe game’s comic-book roots.

VALUES ON LEFT-HAND SIDE

OF MAIN FRAME

The player’s strength andammunition are shown on-screen for quick reference.

When attacked by a heavily armoured chopper, the protagonist protects himself with a rocket

launcher, one of many weapons he has been trained to use.

MAIN FRAME

The location is constantly varied: one minute it is set on the beach, the next in snow, thus keeping the game visually engaging.

MINOR FRAME

The close-up on a two-way radio demonstrates its potential importance to the character.

OTHER ON-SCREEN FEATURES

The player has a choice of fighting techniques/weapons: hand-to-hand combat, throwing knives and crossbow, all of which are silent when used correctly.

The on-screen text alerts the player to what the protagonist senses: ‘Feeling an alarm near!!’ His awareness of these elements increases by completing different challenges and regaining the skills he was once trained to use.

The doctor’s expression is stern, suggesting he means business.

The scalpel and needle, one held in each hand, are in the foreground,giving them prominence and making the doctor appear more menacing.

A fish-eye lens effect is used to mimic the character’s warpedperceptions.

A green fluid in the needle contrasts strongly with the white of thedoctor’s coat, drawing the player’s eye.

In the background, an X-ray viewing screen can be seen, with what maybe the protagonist’s x-rays displayed, suggesting that he has been here

for a while.

There is great contrast between light and shadow in the room, but thecolour scheme is dark overall, creating a sense of foreboding.

The protagonist has to fight his way out of the

lab while under the effects of a toxic serum.

The protagonist uses stealth to gain access to a

highly fortified military base where General

Carrington, the man who once trained him, is

being kept under lock and key.

Page 15: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 123

A spy computer game:

• uses film techniques

such as different angles

and lighting techniques

• is broken into episodes,

each with a number of

smaller goals, before

ending with a climactic

challenge or fight

• will usually take place in

a series of distinct

locations

• may contain a range of

storytelling techniques,

including cut scenes

and flashbacks

• may combine a realistic

look and a stylised

look.

READING AND VIEWING SPIES IN COMPUTER

GAMES

Understanding and knowing

1. What Arabic numeral is represented by the Roman numerals XIII?

2. What skills would a player need to master in order to succeed in XIII?

3. XIII is a spy story. However, it also fits into other genres. From what you have

read and seen of it, which seems most appropriate:

• action

• mystery

• adventure

• science fiction?

Explain.

4. Which of the images from the game interests you the most? Why?

Making meaning

5. Which age group and gender do you think XIII is predominantly aimed at?

What makes you say this?

6. How could the game be altered to appeal to a wider audience?

7. Like a film, a computer game’s score heightens the mood. What kind of

music would best suit XIII?

8. The protagonist discovers that he has the number XIII tattooed on his

shoulder. Judging by what you have seen and read, what could this number

mean? Who, or what, could be number I?

Analysing and reflecting

9. Why might the game’s producers have decided to present XIII from the first-

person perspective? What would the effect have been if they had presented it

from over the shoulder of the character, as on page 121 (top)?

10. XIII is very stylised, looking much more like a comic book than real life. In

your opinion, does this less realistic look add to or detract from the game’s

appeal?

11. Often ‘shooters’ are considered boys’ games. But is it true that boys and girls

prefer different types of games? Discuss this with your classmates to gain a

consensus on what types of games girls and boys prefer. Assuming there is a

difference in preference, what might account for this?

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS

12. Choose one of the images from XIII on pages 120 to 122. How might this

level be redesigned to allow a player to succeed without simply shooting the

bad guy/s? Present your response as a diagram if you wish.

13. Every week you can turn on the television and watch shows that review

movies, discussing characters and plots and making recommendations. Do

you believe that computer games will ever get this kind of mainstream

acceptance? Explain.

14. Look at the image at the top of page 121. Imagine you are the protagonist.

You have no idea where you are or why, and you remember nothing of your

life before waking up in this room. Write half a page describing what you see,

hear, taste, smell and feel after waking up in the doctor’s surgery.

I CAN:

understand how the look and feel of a computer game is constructed to appeal to a particular audience

create alternative ways of solving a level of a spy-based computer game.

learning✔

Page 16: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

124 english alive 3

Reading spy filmsAlthough there have been many spies in fiction, by far the most famous is James

Bond. He is a cultural icon, appearing in novels, films and computer games. And

with a new actor announced to play James Bond, there is no sign of him hanging

up his ‘licence to kill’ any time soon.

The Bond movies have really become a sub-genre of spy stories. Without

realism to hold them back, the films centre on the idea of the ‘super spy’ and are

littered with gadgets, weapons and pretty girls. Gone are the shadowy figures of

spy literature; the bad guys in Bond stories are much more ‘up front’: they want to

start World War III from their space stations or underground lairs. And questions

of morality are almost non-existent, as Bond dispatches dozens of enemies in

every film, often in the most elaborate and gruesome way possible.

on

theCD-RO

M

MeZine

Agent 007, super spySince hitting the big screen in 1952

with Dr No, the unflappable Agent 007

has set the pace for super spies. His sig-

nature line, Shaken, not stirred (the way

he likes his martinis), reflects his cool

demeanour and is recognised the world

over.

Dressed in a dinner suit, with a flower in his lapel, Bond appears suave and sophisticated.

His gun is silenced, suggesting that the secret agent is at least somewhat concerned with being stealthy.

Bond’s expression is hard and unforgiving, leaving no room for argument.

The Bond GirlThe Bond Girl combines sex appeal

with strength. Giacinta ‘Jinx’

Johnson, played by Halle Berry, is an

agent of America’s National Security

Agency, and will stop at nothing to

catch her man.

Wearing a bikini, ‘Jinx’ entices Bond totrust her . . . but is she all that she seems?

The knife worn on her designer beltsuggests that she knows how to protect

herself. It also refers to an earlier Bond Girlplayed by Ursula Andress, who wore a

bikini with a similar knife belt.

Page 17: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 125

Every country has a distinctive look, belief system and set of

customs, which Bond movies incorporate to give each film a

different feel. Later spy stories, including Luke C. Jackson’s

novel Sleeper, maintain this tradition.

When travelling in another country, Bond usually changes his attire very little, and seems more concerned with stirring things up than blending in.

When asked who he is, he simply replies, ‘Bond . . . James Bond’.

An evil organisationBond has faced SPECTRE (the Special Executive for Counter-

intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) in a number

of adventures. Originally, SPECTRE aimed to control the

world by pitting the two superpowers, America and the USSR,

against one another, before attacking the victor.

Emilio Largo, second-in-commandof SPECTRE, wears a white suit and

appears completely comfortableamong the rich and powerful — as

does Bond.

Largo is made to look lesstrustworthy with the addition of

an eye patch.

The super villainThe head of SPECTRE, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, is James Bond’s arch

enemy, appearing in six Bond films. Originally, his face was not

shown; instead, filmmakers used a close-up of a hand stroking

a white Angora cat. This made him appear more mysterious.

A large scar runs down the right-hand side of Blofeld’s face, hinting at a violent past.

Usually the presence of a pet would signal that a character is kind; here, it is used in a menacing way, the villain compulsively stroking his cat while ordering men to their deaths.

Page 18: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

126 english alive 3

In order to complete his missions, Bond requires technical assistance in

the form of gadgets. These are provided by the ‘Q Division’ of MI6.

Throughout Bond’s career, many gadgets have been hidden in his watch;

more recently, he has carried a stun gun, a mobile phone with a high-

tech lock pick, and a remote control for his BMW.

Usually designed to match his clothing, the gadgets that Bond actually uses have a clean, stylish look. They are hidden from prying eyes, but are ready for immediate use. This pen doubles as a gun.

The Bond gadgets were parodied in the

television series Get Smart. As Agent 86,

Maxwell Smart was equipped with

unnecessary and impractical gadgets

such as a shoe phone. This would have

attracted so much attention that it would

have been easier to find a pay phone

instead.

Before Bond goes on a mission, there is always a demonstration of the latest prototypes back at headquarters. The films indulge in humour by displaying gadgets that are not quite ready or are just plain silly, this one being demonstrated by the legendary character Q.

Page 19: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 127

Super-spy films:

• are less concerned with

realism than with

providing thrills

• pit the super spy against

a powerful enemy who

is usually bent on world

domination

• involve the use of

elaborate gadgets

• are often parodied in

film and television.

READING SPY FILMS

Understanding and knowing

1. Who was James Bond’s arch enemy?

2. Which appeals to you more: a traditional spy story or a super-spy story?

Why?

3. Which of the following is not a feature of the super-spy sub-genre?

(a) Gadgets

(b) Exotic locations

(c) Moral ambiguity

(d) Thrills and spills

Making meaning

4. It has been suggested that a super spy needs to be opposed by a super villain.

Why might this be?

5. Which would be easier to use as the basis for a computer game: a traditional

spy story or a super-spy story? Explain.

6. Why might the super-spy genre be parodied more often than the more

traditional spy story?

Analysing and reflecting

7. In super-spy parodies such as the Austin Powers films and Get Smart the main

character is depicted as not very bright, but the main woman — the

equivalent of the Bond Girl — remains fairly intelligent and resourceful. Why

might this be?

8. Some people describe Bond films as formulaic; clearly, to some extent this is

true. In your opinion, is it a bad thing that they are formulaic?

9. For fans, do spy films appeal because they provide escapism? (Escapism is the

avoidance of reality through the imagination or through entertainment.) In

pairs, discuss whether you think this is the main reason for their appeal. For

what other reasons might such films appeal to viewers? What might be the

profile of a typical spy film fan?

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS

10. Pretend you have just begun working for Q Division. Design a gadget for

use by a teenage spy. Present it in the form of a detailed diagram. Remember

that the gadget needs to be useful for the teenage spy and should be

concealed in a device that would not raise an eyebrow if he or she were

searched.

11. Create your own super-spy parody. Sketch your character and then write a

description of them including the following:

(a) name

(b) catchphrase

(c) allies

(d) favourite gadget/s

(e) a brief description of their personality

(f) a brief description of their most famous mission, including a catchy title

along the lines of Thunderball, Moonraker or You Only Live Twice.

Design a spy gadget22

Spy-Q23

Page 20: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

128 english alive 3

>

Creating a super villain

A super spy needs an arch enemy . . .

someone to run into a number of

times before meeting in a final

showdown. This is the super villain.

They typically have an elaborate

background that ties into their present

evil deeds, and are not satisfied with

merely controlling a company or small

country: they want to take over the

world.

In the 1997 super-spy spoof Austin Powers:

International Man of Mystery, James Bond’s arch

enemy Blofeld was parodied in the character of

Dr Evil. From his secret island lair, the super

villain planned to send an

explosive device into the centre

of the Earth, which would

swamp the planet with

boiling hot magma . . .

unless the world’s leaders

paid him a hefty ransom.

Page 21: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 129

>

I CAN:

recognise the difference between a traditional spy story and a super-spy story

design a parody of a super spy

create a suitably evil super villain.

learning✔

Over to you

1. Design a suitable arch enemy for either James Bond or your own parody

of a super spy. In your profile, include:

(a) a head or full-body sketch

(b) a list of their skills

(c) their favourite weapon

(d) under what circumstances they first met the super spy.

2. Most ‘final fights’ are preceded by a scene in which all the loose ends are

tied up before the battle begins. Write a brief passage of dialogue in which

the villain describes their motives for trying to take over the world. And

remember: the best parodies keep the same basic structure as a serious spy

story, but change small details in order to create a comedic effect. It does

not have to be too ‘over the top’.

3. A final showdown usually takes place in the location at which the villain

feels most at home, such as Dr Evil’s volcanic lair or moon base.

Sometimes it will involve the villain fighting from within a vehicle that

represents their personality. Design a setting for this final showdown,

drawing it either from overhead or from eye level. How might your

villain use the terrain to enhance their chances of defeating the super

spy?

lthough spies have existed for thousands ofyears, the job title was not officially acknowledged by

Western governments until early in the twentieth century. Even

today, much of what spies actually do is cloaked in secrecy.

Filling the gap between what we suspect and what we know is

the fictional spy — highly trained and equipped for any

situation. But it is not simply the protagonist’s resourcefulness

that guarantees a readership for the spy story. The best spy

stories question the notions of good and evil, and explore the

grey area between. As the world moves into an era in which

companies have as much power as small governments, and the

enemy could be anywhere, the spy is a fitting hero in an era of

uncertainty. Often asked to do things that they may disagree

with, spies must maintain a strong sense of self if they want to

survive. As Michael Cox, editor of The Oxford Book of Spy Stories

writes, ‘For writers, the great game is still there to be played’.

And of course it is there for readers too. Spy on!

A

Page 22: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

130 english alive 3

The designer who came in

from the coldIn a bid to capitalise upon the popularity of ‘super-spy’ stories around

the world, an Australian computer-game-design company has come

to your school. They want to design a spy game aimed squarely at the

teen market (boys and girls) and have decided to allow you and a

classmate to flesh out the concept before they approach their

investors. The following scene will eventually be animated, forming a

cut scene to begin the game.

hen he looked through the binoculars and saw the money on the

bed, Owen stopped short. He was no stranger to large sums of

money, but there was something about the duffle bag filled with cash that

made it hard to breathe.

He was only meant to watch. Watch and make notes. Instead, he’d left

his equipment in the bare-walled apartment across the road and entered

Terry’s room. Closing the door quietly behind him, Owen listened care-

fully. He heard running water, then the clink of metal on porcelain. Terry

was shaving.

Owen was leaving the room and walking down the brightly lit corridor,

duffle bag slung over his shoulder, before he had time to talk himself out of

it. A minute later, he was jumping on a bus, paying for a ticket and

squeezing himself between the late-night passengers, hoping the trains

would still be running.

He reached the busy station fifteen minutes later, and was about to walk

through the entrance when he sensed, rather than heard, the car pull up to

the curb. He turned around and saw the black-coated men making their

way through the crowd towards him. So he started to run.

It was what they’d trained him to do.

W

The game may be serious or

satirical, but you must cater for

both male and female players. And

remember: this is a super-spy game,

so think big. Big organisations, big

villains, and big thrills for the

player. With your partner, complete

the following activities.

The look/feel

• Will the game be serious or

satirical?

• Which point of view will the

game show?

• Will the artwork be realistic,

comic-book style or something

else altogether?

• What kind of music will

accompany the game?

The protagonist

• Sketch a picture of Owen and

list his skills. What weapons/

gadgets might he have on him

as he enters the train station?

• What items might he pick up and

use to fend off his pursuers once

he is inside the train station?

SAMPLE STORYBOARD

Page 23: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

unit 5 • Alive with . . . spies 131

The story

• Who might the money belong to?

• Who might Owen have been trained by?

• Imagine that when he eventually reaches the train,

three floors down, Owen meets either an ally or an

enemy. Who is it?

The gameplay

• How will you design this level so that players can

achieve success in different ways?

• Draw a map of the train station from above,

including two possible routes that the protagonist

can take to get to his train.

• Design one puzzle for the player to solve within

the level.

Marketing material

Once you have completed the activities above,

you will need to prepare sample marketing

material for your computer game.

Packaging

• The front cover of your game’s case may contain

a single captivating image or a series of images

that convey different aspects of the game. On the

back cover, it should contain a blurb. Use punchy

language to grab the reader’s attention.

Website

• No computer game marketing campaign is

complete without an official website. Suggest three

ways in which the look and feel of the game could

be built upon in an online setting. If you like, you

can create a sample page using a website development

program.

A computer game case should leap off the

shelf, forcing a potential player to pick it up.

Unit 5

Page 24: I spy, you spy - John Wiley & Sonscatalogimages.johnwiley.com.au/Attachment/07314/... · fictional spy? 3 In the last few years, ... What are the techniques ... knocking him out.

132 english alive 3

Key termsblurb: brief description of a book,

DVD or computer game, designed

to entice potential readers/viewer

climax: the highest point of

tension in a story, where the main

action is concluded

Cold War: the period of tension

between communist and non-

communist countries, from 1945

to 1991

colloquial: describes language

that is part of everyday, informal

speech

complication: a problem that

occurs in a plot, and which

heightens the dramatic tension

cut scene: found in computer

games, a scene that tells a vital

piece of the story and does not

allow the player to interact with

characters on screen

double agent: an agent who is

acting for more than one intelligence

organisation and passing on the

secrets of one to the other

first-person shooter: a ‘shoot

’em up’ style of game, presented

with a first-person perspective, so

that the action is viewed as if

through the character’s eyes

fish-eye lens: a wide-angle

photographic lens that covers about

180°, producing a circular image

with foreshortening in the centre

and distortion towards the edges

formulaic: based upon a set

formula or pattern

interior monologue:

conversation with oneself in one’s

own head

narrative: a written or spoken

text type that tells a story

narrative drive: the force that

moves a story forward

orientation: beginning of a story,

when characters are introduced

and settings established

parody: to imitate something in

order to ridicule it

point of view: the perspective

from which a story is told

protagonist: the leading character

or hero in a play, novel or film

resolution: the process by which

the dramatic tension in a narrative

or drama falls and the conflict

comes to a satisfactory end

satirical: describes a text that

makes fun of human vice or

weakness, often with the intent of

criticising or changing an aspect of

our society

score: the music written for a film

or a play

spoof: an imitation of a well-

known art form or genre in order

to make fun of it

stylised: using artistic forms and

conventions to create effects;

having a distinctive style

sub-genre: a sub-division of a

larger genre

third person: third person

pronouns are he, she and they, so a

text written in the third person talks

about characters in this way.

twist: a surprise ending

visual text: a text constructed

using visual images rather than

words, for example a photograph

Word listWord Alternatives

crucial vital, critical, pivotal

exotic unusual, out of the ordinary

fitting appropriate, suitable, proper

gruesome revolting, blood-curdling

mission assignment, task

resourceful adaptable, flexible, ingenious

stealthy secretive, undetectable

unpredictable erratic, unforeseen

villain scoundrel, wrongdoer

Try theseNovels

Sleeper by Luke C. Jackson, John

Wiley & Sons

Stormbreaker: the First Alex Rider

Mission by Anthony Horowitz,

Walker Books

Computer games

XIII

Goldeneye: Rogue Agent

James Bond: From Russia with

Love

Television shows

Alias

Get Smart

Films

James Bond: Die Another Day,

MGM

Agent Cody Banks, MGM

Austin Powers: International Man

of Mystery, New Line

Dr No, MGM

ConnectionsNarratives: see pages 2–6, 7–9,

20–4, 30–4, 60–1, 71–3,

172–4, 186–8

Films: see pages 11–14

On the webGo to www.jaconline.com.au/

englishalive/ea3 and click on

the following weblinks:

CIA: spy-fi

CIA: artefacts

Alex Rider

On the CD-ROMMeZine: make your own mini-

mag (see page 124)

Story Spinner: spin your own

story (see page 118)

Script Scriber: get set to script

write (see page 119)