Comprehension Test
Stories from the Five Towns
Arnold Bennett
1 Which story do these sentences come from? News of the Engagement, The Burglary, Beginning the New Year, The Silent Brothers. a Two men were carrying something large and square across the garden. ............... b Bursley watched the two men carefully. ............... c I was ready for a difficult evening. ............... d After a year it was too much. ............... e In the town centre almost everything was different. ............... f She was wearing white flowers on her hat! ............... g He couldnt jump on the train, so he missed it. ............... h He tossed the penny and put his hand over it. ............... i I had an important letter to post. ............... j An hour later there was another knock at the door. ............... 20 marks 2 Who said this in The Burglary? Sir Jee, Lady Jee, William Smith. a I hope I can help you. ............... b I cant eat any more with it up there. .............. c I cant come to Johns house this afternoon. ............... d Im a businessman. ............... e Ill stay with you if you like. ............... 10 marks 3 Match a number from A with a letter from B to make a complete sentence. 1 2 3 4 5 Toby missed his train so ... Sir Jee wanted to get rid of the portrait so ... Priscilla thought Toby was dead so ... William Smith was a good burglar so ... The people of the Five Towns wanted to give something to Sir Jee so ...
a ... she got married again. b ... he asked William Smith to steal it. c ... they gave him a portrait. Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2 1
d ... he decided to go and see Priscilla. e ... he knew all about Sneyd Castle. 20 marks 4 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? a b c d e f g h i j Philip lived in Bursley. Philips mother met him at the station. Mr Nixon was an old friend of his mother. Philip was going to marry Agnes. Philips mother knew Agnes. Philip liked Mr Nixon. Sir Jee liked his portrait. Smith agreed to steal the portrait on Christmas Day. Smith sold the portrait in America. Smith worked with a friend. 20 marks 5 What do they make in the strange buildings in this picture? ......................................................................... 10 marks 6 Put these sentences from The Silent Brothers in the right order. Number them 15 a b c d e After that they did not speak for ten years. And so Annie started her own business. John and Robert both wanted to marry Annie Emery. Neither of them married Annie Emery. One day, they quarrelled about her. 20 marks
Total marks
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
Multiple-choice Test
Stories from the Five Towns
Arnold Bennett
Setting
Choose the best answer. 1 Philip had some very important news for his _____. a [ ] father a [ ] visited b [ ] brother b [ ] wrote to c [ ] sister d [ ] mother d [ ] talked to d [ ] September d [ ] Cressage 2 Philip _____ his mother every week. c [ ] listened to 3 Philip asked Agnes to marry him on 20th _____. a [ ] November a [ ] Lady Dain a [ ] Sir Jee a [ ] twenty b [ ] December b [ ] Sir Jee c [ ] October 4 Nobody in the Five Towns liked the portrait of _____. c [ ] William Smith c [ ] the police c [ ] twenty-two c [ ] Job Tansley 5 The people in the Five Towns often laughed at _____. b [ ] Lady Dain b [ ] twenty-one b [ ] Priscilla d [ ] William Smith d [ ] twenty-three d [ ] Mr Gibson 6 It was Toby Halls first visit to the Five Towns for _____ years. 7 Number 11 Child Row belonged to _____. a [ ] Toby Hall months ago. a [ ] mother a [ ] eight b [ ] brother b [ ] nine c [ ] sister d [ ] father 9 The brothers had a quarrel _____ years before. c [ ] ten d [ ] eleven c [ ] train station d [ ] school 10 The two brothers worked in a _____. a [ ] bookshop 20 marks b [ ] pottery factory 8 Both the Hessian brothers were wearing black because of the death of their _____ three
Characters
Choose the best answer. 11 Mr Nixon was a large strong man of about _____. a [ ] thirty-nine or forty b [ ] forty-nine or fifty 3 Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
c [ ] fifty-nine or sixty a [ ] Agnes a [ ] burglar a [ ] potter a [ ] long b [ ] Sarah
d [ ] sixty-nine or seventy c [ ] Priscilla d [ ] Maggie d [ ] potter d [ ] solicitor
12 Philips mother was called _____. 13 William Smith was a _____. b [ ] magistrate b [ ] policeman b [ ] untidy c [ ] solicitor 14 Sir Jehoshophat Dain was the most successful _____ in the Five Towns. c [ ] businessman d [ ] short c [ ] Toby Hall d [ ] daughter d [ ] best friend d [ ] magistrate d [ ] potter d [ ] Mr Gibson 15 William Smith was a small, thin man, with _____ hair and dirty clothes. c [ ] black 16 Miss Priscilla Bratt was a quiet woman of twenty-three when she married _____. a [ ] Job Tansley a [ ] son b [ ] Ned Walklate c [ ] mother 17 There was a picture of Priscillas _____ above the fire. b [ ] sister 18 Maggie was John and Robert Hessians _____. a [ ] mother a [ ] solicitor a [ ] servant 20 marks b [ ] sister c [ ] servant 19 Powell Liversage was a _____. b [ ] servant c [ ] burglar 20 Annie Emery was a _____. b [ ] businesswoman c [ ] solicitor
Dialogue
Who said this? 21 Good evening, young man. Its good to see you back in Bursley. a [ ] Mr Nixon a [ ] Agnes keep it. a [ ] Lady Dain b [ ] Sir Jee b [ ] John c [ ] William Smith c [ ] Lady Dain c [ ] Job Tansley d [ ] the police d [ ] Sir Jee d [ ] Ned Walklate 24 I dont know if I want help, but I never say no to money. a [ ] William Smith a [ ] Toby Hall 25 Sit down. I thought you were dead. Someone wrote to me. b [ ] Priscilla 26 I think Ill go round and have a drink. Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2 4 b [ ] Philip c [ ] Agnes c [ ] Philip d [ ] Mother 22 Cant it wait until tomorrow, my pet? b [ ] Mother d [ ] Mr Nixon 23 Im not taking that portrait down, or selling it not even for ten thousand pounds. I want to
a [ ] Priscilla
b [ ] Ned Walklate b [ ] Toby Hall
c [ ] Toby Hall c [ ] Priscilla c [ ] John
d [ ] Job Tansley d [ ] Job Tansley d [ ] Robert
27 I havent forgotten it. Im coming back. a [ ] Ned Walklate 28 Weve found your sisters will at last. a [ ] Powell Liversage a [ ] John a [ ] Annie b [ ] Robert c [ ] John d [ ] Powell b [ ] Maggie c [ ] Annie 29 It will be nice of you to help me eat my supper, then. b [ ] Maggie d [ ] Robert 30 When they find out that were going to get married. Theyll say I want to marry you for the
20 marks
Vocabulary
Choose the best answer. 31 a flat black stone used for writing on a [ ] will b [ ] slate b [ ] pet b [ ] court b [ ] service c [ ] court d [ ] proof d [ ] pottery d [ ] quarrel d [ ] engagement d [ ] pet d [ ] servant d [ ] bachelor d [ ] bachelor 32 a painting of a person a [ ] portrait a [ ] proof a [ ] toss c [ ] potter c [ ] fair 33 things that show if something is true or not 34 doing something well; making a lot of money in business c [ ] success c [ ] mad 35 a word you say to someone you like or love very much a [ ] bachelor a [ ] potter a [ ] solicitor a [ ] solicitor a [ ] proof a [ ] spare b [ ] elder 36 a person who breaks into houses to steal things b [ ] burglar b [ ] widow b [ ] servant c [ ] magistrate c [ ] magistrate c [ ] stepfather d [ ] toss d [ ] engagement 37 a person whose job is helping people with the law 38 a man who is not married and has never been married 39 hard, black stone from under the ground; you burn it on a fire b [ ] coal b [ ] fair c [ ] tail c [ ] will 40 a letter to say what a person wants to do with their money after they are dead
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
20 marks
Plot
Choose the best answer. 41 _____ went to the post office to post an important letter. a [ ] Philip a [ ] Mother a [ ] Sir Jee a [ ] paint a [ ] frame b [ ] Mr Nixon b [ ] Agnes c [ ] Agnes c [ ] Philip d [ ] Mother 42 _____ was alone in the sitting-room, smoking. d [ ] Mr Nixon d [ ] the portrait painter 43 The police wanted _____ to go to prison for five years or more. b [ ] Lady Dain b [ ] steal c [ ] William Smith d [ ] pay for d [ ] food d [ ] some money 44 Sir Jee wanted William Smith to _____ the portrait. c [ ] look at c [ ] bed 45 The burglars took the _____. b [ ] portrait 46 Toby Hall stopped at the station for _____. a [ ] a newspaper a [ ] husband a [ ] newspaper a [ ] Monday a [ ] John b [ ] a drink c [ ] a smoke 47 Priscillas _____ died four years ago. b [ ] son c [ ] father c [ ] hat d [ ] sister d [ ] coat d [ ] Sunday 48 Toby left his _____ on the table and walked to the pub. b [ ] drink b [ ] Thursday 49 On _____ Annie was wearing white flowers on her hat. c [ ] Friday 50 Annie decided to marry _____. b [ ] Robert c [ ] Powell d [ ] nobody
20 marks
Total marks
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
Stories from the Five Towns
1 a b c d e f g h i j 2 a b c d e 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 a b c d e f g h i j The Burglary The Silent Brothers News of the Engagement Beginning the New Year Beginning the New Year The Silent Brothers Beginning the New Year The Silent Brothers News of the Engagement The Silent Brothers Sir Jee Lady Jee Sir Jee William Smith Lady Jee d b a e c F F T T F T F F F T
5 Pottery Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2 7
6 a b c d e
3 5 1 4 2
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
Stories from the Five Towns
Setting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 d b b b a d b c c b
Characters 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 b b a c b c d c a b
Dialogue 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 a b b a b c b a c d 9
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
Vocabulary 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Plot 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 a d c b a b a c d c b a a c d b a d b c
Oxford Bookworms Library Stage 2
10