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Kensuke's Kingdom WITH ANSWERS

by Michael Morpurgo

Chapter One Peggy Sue

A. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Page 1
When and how old was Michael when he disappeared?
He was eleven.

Why did it take him a long time to tell the world about what happened?
Kensuke made him promise to say nothing at all for at least ten years.

Page 2
Why has Michael finally decided to tell all about what happened? He's
had time to think, had gone to college, and he didn’t want to tell lies anymore
more. He also wanted the world to know about Kensuke.

Who lived in his house before his disappearance? His father, mother, and
his dog, Stella
Artois.
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What signalled the end of Michael’s normal life?
The arrival of the letter about the closing of the Brickhouse.

Why? (Answer this question after reading the entire chapter.)

The letter changed his life and his family’s. They went on an adventure.
sailing on a yacht.

Page2-4
What was his early life like? Write what he did -

every morning

went to school

after school:

played football with his friends.

every weekend:
did the paper round at Mr. Patel’s shop

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Why were Sundays special? He would go dinghy sailing with his family.
in the reservoir.
 Who were the Mudlarks and why were they not so good when playing?
away from home?
Michael's football team was called the Mudlarks. They were used to
playing in their town’s recreation ground that was muddy.

What is the meaning of 'doing the paper round?' Why was Michael doing it?
this job?
It means to deliver newspapers in the neighborhood. Michael wanted to
save money for a mountain bike.

Stella Artois was a Belgian brewery founded in the 14th century. It is best known for its pale lager beer, which became popular worldwide. The name 'Stella Artois' derives from the founder Sebastian Artois, who was a master brewer in the city of Leuven. The beer gained its name 'Stella' in honor of the Christmas star ('Stella' in Latin) when it was first brewed as a seasonal beer in 1926.
Michael's dog, a black and white sheepdog with one ear up and one ear down,

Page 4
Where did his parents work? At the Brickworks.

Why did they like sailing so much? The air was clear and clean.
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What sort of weather stopped them sailing? No kind of weather stopped
them sailing. They would always sail no matter what the weather was
like.
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What was he better at than his parents? Fishing.

Why did Stella find fishing so boring? She had no one to bark at.

Page 5
What was the letter about? The Brickworks where his parents work was
closing down.
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What happened after they received the letter? A creeping misery came.
over the house.

Describe the creeping misery that came over the house after the letter.
came. His parents were not speaking to each other; they argued a lot.
Michael's father stopped fixing things around the house. He was scarcely
home and was down at the pub often.
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What was the big upsetting thing that happened to Michael? His best
friend, Eddie, moved away.
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What word on page 5 has the same meaning as destroyed? 'savaged'
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Page 6
 Why was his Mum crying? His father had gone off.

What did his father do according to his mother? Give three. He has sold.
the car; The family was moving south, and his father was going to find
them a place.

The last in a series of events that causes someone to finally lose patience or become angry.
seriesofunpleasanteventsthatfinallymakes youfeelthat you cannot
continuetoacceptabadsituation:
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Page 7
Why was his father so upset before he left? He was upset that it was his
son, Michael who was bringing in the only money, and he had nothing to
be proud about because he had lost his place in the household as the
breadwinner
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Why did his Mum not want to go? Because she had been born there.
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Why did his Dad seem so changed when they all met up again? He had
sorted everything out, had a brilliant idea, and had made up his mind
about what to do.

Page 8-9
Who was Peggy Sue? The yacht that his father bought.

Why did his Dad make his decision? The family loves sailing, and sailing
was what he had been dreaming of doing.
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Page 10
What did his Dad think they would be thinking? That his plan was crazy.

What were they going to do for 6 months before they leave? To train on
how to sail.

How long did they intend to be away? A year or 18 months.

to dribble
away
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Page 11
Mum
Michael
How did they intend to train themselves up? Barnacle Bill will train them.

What about Michael going to school? His parents will teach him.

Page 12
What did Gran think about it all? It was reckless and irresponsible.

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Page 13
Barnacle Bill was a fictional character often depicted as a rough and rugged sailor. He is usually portrayed as a boisterous and adventurous individual, often engaging in humorous antics on the high seas. His personality combines elements of bravery, a love for adventure, and a carefree attitude towards life. Despite his tough exterior, he can also show a softer side, especially toward friends and those in need. His character embodies the spirit of the maritime tradition, showcasing loyalty and camaraderie among sailors.
He was an old whiskered mariner from the yacht club. A hard taskmaster.
and thought children and animals were a nuisance.

How did the training go? It went well.

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Page 14
Who were scared when training at sea? Michael and his father

Who was the only one to get seasick? Michael’s mom.

What did he discover about his parents? They were more than just
parents. His father became his friend and shipmate. His mother was
gritty and could be a tyrant.

Page 15
What did he think about his Mum? They had absolute confidence in her.
as she was brilliant.

What did Gran want to do when she came to wave them off? She wanted
to come with them.

Who else was there? Barnacle Bill, Eddie Dodds and other friends.
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What was given to Michael as a lucky mascot? What was special about it?
this mascot? A football. Eddie signed it all over with his name.

Why did Michael think Stella fell quiet as they sailed past the Isle of
Wight? He thought that Stella could sense that there was no turning.
back now.

Page 16
And what did Michael realize then? It wasn't a dream. They were really
off round the
world.
_

Chapter 1 introduces the main characters and sets the scene for the story. It provides background information on the protagonist's life, detailing their challenges and motivations. The chapter ends with a significant event that propels the narrative forward.

I disappeared on the night before my 12th birthday. There are 3 people in my

family and one sheep dog. We are living in harmony, until both of my parents
lose their jobs at the brick factory because the brick factory shuts down. So they
look around town for new jobs but have no luck. My dad feels despair because the
only money coming in was my little income from delivering newspapers. Then my
Dad had gone off and later comes back to show us a yacht and thinks of living on
the sea for the millionth time but this time my mom is desperate and says okay. So
they look for a trainer to teach us the ways of the sea and so mom can get a
skippers (captains) license. My parents find a man named Barnacle Bill (also known
as Bill Parker) to train us on sailing. My father and I feel the fear of being in the
water and mom is seasick from time to time. My parents have planned on teaching
me so I won’t miss school. Gran was not happy at first with this plan but later wants
to come with us. Eddie Dodds, Barnacle Bill are among the friends that wave us
Goodbye. Eddie gives me a football as a lucky mascot. As we sail away, Stella is
quiet, and I realize that it’s not a dream and that we’re really going round the world.