PENGUIN

READERS
Activity worksheets LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme

Matilda Photocopiable
While reading 6 Discuss these questions with another student.
Chapters 1–3 What do you think?
1 Write the right names in the sentences. Do you think it is right for children to watch TV
a ………… is a small, ratty-looking man. all the time? Why or why not?
b ………… is a clever little girl. 7 Draw a picture to illustrate what happens in
c ………… is an ordinary little boy. Chapter 3.
d ………… is a librarian. Chapters 4–6
2 Answer these questions. 8 Answer these questions.
a What can Matilda do at the age of one and a a How old is Matilda when she goes to school
half ? for the first time? …………
……………………………………………… b How many children does Crunchem Hall
b What can Matilda do at the age of three? have? …………
……………………………………………… c How many other children are in Matilda’s
c What can Matilda do at the age of four? group? …………
……………………………………………… d How old is Miss Honey? …………
d Why does Mrs Phelps watch Matilda with e What is fourteen multiplied by nineteen?
surprise and excitement? …………
……………………………………………… f How many children in the group can spell the
e Why doesn’t Mr Wormwood want Matilda to word cat ? …………
read books? g How many miles are on the clock of Miss
……………………………………………… Trunchbull’s car? …………
3 Discuss these questions with another student. h How old is Hortensia? …………
What do you think? i How many times was Hortensia in The
Do you think Mr Wormwood is a good father? Chokey in her first year? …………
Why or why not? j How old is Bruce Bogtrotter? …………
4 Discuss these questions with another student. 9 Match the questions with the answers.
What do you think? a Why does Matilda start going to school later
Which do you prefer – watching TV or reading? than other children? …
Why do you feel this way? b Why does Miss Honey try to stay calm when
5 Are these sentences right (3) or wrong (7)? Matilda multiplies twelve sevens? …
a Matilda’s parents are busy doing things c Why does Miss Honey go to see Miss
that aren’t important. c Trunchbull? …
b Matilda doesn’t look at the pictures in d Why does Miss Trunchbull like Mr
the books. c Wormwood? …
c Matilda’s father buys and sells cars. c e Why does Miss Trunchbull think Matilda is a
d Matilda’s father is an honest man. c bad girl? …
e Matilda’s father drives cars backwards for f Why does Miss Honey go to see Matilda’s
thousands of miles. c parents? …
f Matilda wants to watch TV with her g Why doesn’t Mr Wormwood want to see Miss
family. c Honey? …
g Matilda puts glue around the inside of h Why does Miss Trunchbull put children in
her father’s hat. c The Chokey? …
h Matilda cuts the hat off her father’s head. c i Why doesn’t Miss Trunchbull like Amanda’s
i Fred lives very close to Matilda. c hair? …
j Matilda borrows a parrot from Fred. c j Why does Miss Trunchbull make Bruce
Bogtrotter eat a cake? …

c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Matilda - Activity worksheets  of 2

 PENGUIN READERS
Activity worksheets LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme

Matilda Photocopiable
k Why isn’t Bruce Bogtrotter hurt when Miss g What does Matilda do with the piece of
Trunchbull hits him with a plate? … chalk?
l Why does Lavender put a newt in Miss ………………………………………………
Trunchbull’s glass of water? … h Why does Miss Trunchbull leave the village?
1 Because she wants to be as brave as ………………………………………………
Matilda. i What arrives at the office?
2 Because she doesn’t want to show that she ………………………………………………
is very surprised. j What happens to Matilda at the end of the
3 Because she wants to make them story?
understand that Matilda is very special. ………………………………………………
4 Because she thinks he ate her cake. 13 Work in groups of five.
5 Because she wants to punish them. Role play the scene in Chapter 7.
6 Because she wants to tell her about 14 Write down how you feel when …
Matilda. a Miss Trunchbull catches Wilfred’s feet in her
7 Because he is too full of cake. hands.
8 Because he is watching TV. ………………………………………………
9 Because her parents forgot to send her. b the piece of chalk starts moving across the
10 Because she believes that he sold her a blackboard.
good car. ………………………………………………
11 Because it is very long. c Miss Trunchbull falls to the floor.
12 Because Mr Wormwood told her this. ………………………………………………
10 Work in groups of three. d Nigel pours water over Miss Trunchbull.
Role play the scene in which Miss Honey goes to ………………………………………………
see Mr and Mrs Wormwood and tries to make e Miss Honey gets her house back.
them understand that Matilda is very special. ………………………………………………
11 Make lists. f Mr and Mrs Wormwood let Matilda live with
Write down five things that good parents do and Miss Honey.
five things that bad parents do. ………………………………………………
15 Work in pairs.
Chapters 7–9
Look at the names Wormwood, Trunchbull and
12 Answer these questions.
Honey. Look up worm, bull and honey in a
a What question does Miss Trunchbull ask
dictionary. Why do you think Roald Dahl chose
Rupert?
these names? Choose new names for these
………………………………………………
characters. When you have finished, compare
b What word does Miss Trunchbull ask Eric to
your new names with those of your classmates.
spell?
……………………………………………… After reading
c What does Miss Trunchbull call Matilda’s 16 Look up the word impossible in your dictionary.
father? Lots of impossible things happen in Matilda.
……………………………………………… Write the things down. When you have finished,
d How old was Miss Honey when her father compare your list with those of your classmates.
died? 17 What do Matilda and Miss Honey say to each
……………………………………………… other when they return to Miss Honey’s house?
e How much does Miss Honey pay to live in Write the conversation.
the little house?
………………………………………………
f Who is Miss Honey’s aunt?
………………………………………………

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 PENGUIN READERS
Progress test LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme

Matilda Photocopiable
Chapters 1–3 4 Write the right words in the sentences.
1 Who are the people in italics?
angry car dark eggs happen
a ‘We’re too good to you already, my girl!’
orange school shaking
………………
b ‘Shall I find you a nice one with lots of pictures in a Most children begin ………… when they are five
it?’ ……………… years old.
c ‘You mean you’ve looked at the pictures.’ b Matilda has ………… hair.
……………… c Miss Honey’s voice is ………… when she asks
d ‘I get it from the wood shop.’ ……………… Matilda about the books she is reading.
e ‘She was too angry.’ ……………… d Miss Trunchbull sounds like an ………… dog.
f ‘You’ll pull the skin off my head!’ ……………… e Miss Trunchbull buys a ………… from Matilda’s
g ‘Don’t you ever stop reading?’ ……………… father.
h ‘My father gave it to me.’ ……………… f Someone puts bad ………… under Miss
i ‘He’s always saying that.’ ……………… Trunchbull’s desk.
j ‘I want to see if you’re clever.’ ……………… g Lavender thinks that bad people need to have
2 Underline the right words. something bad ………… to them.
a Matilda is older / younger than Michael. h Newts have ………… stomachs.
b Matilda reads fourteen famous books in six / sixteen Chapters 7–9
months. 5 What happens first? What happens next? Write the
c Matilda’s father sells cars / houses. numbers, 1–5.
d Mr Wormwood has a thick / thin moustache. a Matilda moves the piece of chalk across the
e Matilda and her family always eat dinner in the blackboard. c
dining-room / living-room. b Mr and Mrs Wormwood drive away. c
f Matilda asks her father if his feet / head got bigger. c Miss Trunchbull leaves the school. c
g Mr Wormwood’s first name is Harry / Michael. d Matilda pushes the glass over with her eyes. c
h The parrot is always saying, ‘Dead man’s dinner / e Matilda asks her parents if she can live with
supper!’ Miss Honey. c
Chapters 4 – 6 6 Finish these sentences.
3 What are the things in italics? a ………… says, ‘What are two sevens?’
a Nigel spelled it. ……………… b ………… says, ‘I didn’t do it!’
b ‘Mrs Phelps at the library helps me to choose them.’ c ………… says, ‘I want to talk to you.’
……………… d ………… says, ‘It can’t be Magnus!’
c ‘I was in there yesterday.’ ……………… e ………… says, ‘We’re leaving.’
d ‘It’s only got ten thousand miles on the clock.’
………………
e ‘We don’t keep them in the house.’ ………………
f ‘It’s a very tall, narrow cupboard in Trunchbull’s
room.’ ………………
g ‘M-my m-m-mummy likes it long.’ ………………
h ‘And this selfish little snake ate it !’ ………………
i But Miss Trunchbull picked up the empty plate and
crashed it down on his head. ………………
j ‘She never gives a lesson without one.’
………………

c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Matilda - Progress test  of 

 PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme

Matilda
Book key 19 a You mustn’t have long hair.
b You mustn’t eat her chocolate cake.
1 a  gearbox  b  parrot  c  ghost  d  multiply c You mustn’t speak until she speaks to you.
e  newt  f  sawdust  g  chalk, blackboard d You must stand up when you answer her questions.
h  will  i  drill e You must put a glass of water on her table.
2 a  Matilda  b  Miss Honey  c  Norway 20 Open answers
d  children and adults 21 a  toes > hair  b  nose > ears  c  nice man > robber
3 Open answers d  laughs > screams  e  Lavender > Matilda
4 a 7 – they aren’t interested in Matilda and they leave f  hands > eyes  g  desk > glass
her alone in the house. 22 a  Rupert  b  Rupert  c  Eric  d  Eric
b 3 e  Mr Wormwood  f  Matilda  g  Matilda
c 7 – there aren’t any. 23 Open answers
d 7 – Mrs Phelps is surprised to see Matilda. 24 a, b, d, g and i are true (e may also be true).
e 3 25 –26  Open answers
f 3 27 a  blackboard  b  drops / on  c  Agatha
5 Possible answers: d  cold water  e  old house  f  can’t
Mr Wormwood is wearing a jacket, a yellow shirt g  running away to  h  happy
and a red tie. Mrs Wormwood is wearing a short 28 –38  Open answers
pink skirt, high pink shoes and a pink top. Michael is
wearing short trousers and a big T-shirt. He has a cap Discussion activities key
and black shoes. Matilda is wearing short jeans, a blue 1– 4  Open answers
top and blue shoes. 5 Possible answer:
6 a  Mr and Mrs Wormwood  b  Michael No, I wouldn’t like to have the Wormwoods for
c  Matilda  d  Mrs Phelps, the librarian parents because they aren’t nice, and because they
e  Charles Dickens aren’t interested in their children.
7 Open answers 6 –13  Open answers
8 b, c, d and f are right 14 Possible answer:
9 Sample answers: The best teacher in the world is friendly, clever and
a She says his business isn’t honest. interested in students. He or she always tries to help
b He says she can’t read her book at supper time. students.
10 –11  Open answers 15 –19  Open answers
12 a  7  b  7  c  3  d  3  e  7  f  3  g  7 20 Possible answer:
13 Sample answer: Matilda – clever
The ghost, because her family was nice to her for Mr Wormwood – dishonest
about a week. Mrs Wormwood – nasty
14 Open answers Mrs Phelps – sensible
15 a  Mrs Wormwood  b  Miss Honey  c  Matilda Miss Honey – nice
d  Nigel  e  Matilda  f  Mr Wormwood Miss Trunchbull – evil
g  Miss Honey  h  the other teachers
i  Mrs Wormwood  j  Mr or Mrs Wormwood Activity worksheets key
16 a Miss Honey – calm, kind, never shouts 1 a  Mr Wormwood  b  Matilda  c  Michael
Miss Trunchbull – frightening, strong, rude, angry, d  Mrs Phelps
dangerous, always right 2 a At the age of one and a half, she can speak perfectly
b Open answers and knows as many words as most grown-up
17 Open answers people.
18 a  six  b  hair  c  steals  d  sick  e  piece  f  plan b At the age of three, she can read newspapers.
g  newt  h  brings  i  water c At the age of four, she can read fast and well.

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 PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme

Matilda
d Because during the next six months, Matilda reads Progress test key
fourteen ‘famous books’ by different writers. 1 a Mr and Mrs Wormwood / Matilda’s parents
e Because he wants her to watch TV instead. b Mrs Phelps
3 – 4  Open answers c Matilda
5 a  3  b  7  c  3  d  7  e  7  f  7  g  3 d Mr Wormwood / Matilda’s father
h  7  i  3  j  3 e Matilda
6 –7  Open answers f Mrs Wormwood / Matilda’s mother
8 a  Five and a half.  b  Two hundred and fifty. g Matilda
c  Eighteen.  d  About twenty-three. h Fred
e  Two hundred and sixty-six.  f  Three. i Fred’s parrot
g  Ten thousand.  h  Ten.  i  Six.  j  Eleven. j Michael / Matilda’s brother
9 a  9  b  2  c  6  d  10  e  12  f  3  g  8  h  5 2 a  younger  b  six  c  cars  d  thin  e  living-room
i  11  j  4  k  7  l  1 f  head  g  Harry  h  dinner
10 –11  Open answers 3 a the word cat
12 a ‘What are two sevens?’ b books
b What. c Wormwood Cars / Mr Wormwood’s business
c A robber. d Miss Trunchbull’s new car / the car
d Five. e books
e Ten pence a week. f The Chokey
f Miss Trunchbull. g Amanda’s hair
g She uses it to write words on the blackboard. h Miss Trunchbull’s cake
h Because she is very frightened. i the empty plate
i Miss Honey’s father’s will. j a large glass of water
j She stays in England and lives with Miss Honey. 4 a  school  b  dark  c  shaking  d  angry  e  car
13 Open answers f  eggs  g  happen  h  orange
14 Possible answers: 5 a  2  b  5  c  3  d  1  e  4
a  frightened  b  amazed  c  excited  d  amused 6 a  Miss Trunchbull  b  Matilda
e  relieved  f  happy c  Miss Honey  d  Miss Trunchbull
15 –17  Open answers e  Mr Wormwood / Matilda’s father

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