1. If you had met Matilda casually and talked to her you would have thought she was a perfectly normal five-and-a-half –year –old child because___________.
2. Matilda’s classmates knew that she was clever because________________.
3. In the middle of the Prayer the Trunchbull leapt up and rushed out of the room because____________________________________.
4. The playground, which up to then had been filled with shrieks and the shouting of children at play, all at once became silent as the grave because___________________.
5. Hortensia’s parents wouldn’t complain because___________________________.
VII. The following words occur in the story. The ones on the left are related in some way to the ones on the right. Make pairs. Explain what each combination means.
Pay eye
Watchful noise
Squelching as a grave
Clasp to death
Gigantic hands
Silent attention
Scared figure
* * * * *
CHAPTER XI.
BRUCE BOGTROTTER AND THE CAKE
I. Look up the following words and expressions in the dictionary and find them in the text.
Go the whole hog, upturned, waddle, exceedingly, to edge, flabby, apprehension, fleck, shrivel, persuasive, bemused, crafty, stride, jolly, intently, perseverance, get away with smth.
II. Explain the difference between the following words and expressions and find them in the text.
March on (off), come, waddle, edge away, shuffle, sneak into, walk, lead up to, stagger, move, keep going, let out, lunge.
III. Find these phrases in the text, and notice the way in which they are used. In each case find the best equivalent.
1. “get away with” to succeed in leaving
to admit the truth
to do (smth wrong) without being caught
2. “decidedly large” considerably big
not large at all
clearly large
3. “shriveled female” a beautiful woman
an old woman
a dry wrinkled woman
4. “crafty grin” friendly grin
cunning grin
angry grin
5. “they were rooting for him” they were looking for him
they were giving him strong support
they were beating him
IV. Find synonyms in the text
A hand raised, dirt, confused, dried up, foxy, ominous.
V. Some of the following words from this chapter usually have a positive meaning and some usually have a negative meaning. Group the words under Positive or Negative.
Outrageous, disgusting, genuine, delicious, crafty, sneak, adore.
VI. Complete the following statements
1. Matilda thought children’s parents would never believe them because----------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Bruce Bogtrotter knew very well he wasn’t up there to be presented with a prize, he knew there was a catch somewhere because--------------------------------------------------------
3. The boy picked up the knife and was about to cut it into the cake when he stopped because---------------------------------------------------
4. The Trunchbull stood motionless on the platform. Her great horsy face turned the colour of molten lava and her eyes were glittering with fury because-----------------------------------------------------------.
VII. The following words occur in the story. The ones on the left are related in some way to the ones on the right. Make pairs. Explain what each combination means.
Go kindness
Upturned grin
Fleck the whole hog
Send faces
Persuasive of froth
Crafty voice
Out of compliments
* * * * *
CHAPTER XII
LAVENDER
I. Look up the following words and expressions in the dictionary and find them in the text.
Swot, mull over, admittedly, foe, exploit, newt, wriggle, plop, thrash, damp, slide, fraction, culprit, quicksilver.
II. Paraphrase the following, using words and expressions from the text.
1. “You have to be sure your clothes are clean, your faces are clean and your hands are clean”,- said Miss Honey
2. Lavender’s quick mind was going over the possibilities that this water-jug job had opened up for her.
3. Then, having thought it over again,she opened the lidjust the tiniest fraction so that the creature could breath.
III. Find synonyms in the text
container for liquid, have a high regard for, think over, plunge, portion, criminal,
IV. Find these phrases in the text, and notice the way in which they are used. In each case find the best equivalent.
1. “scheming mind” unkind mind
slow mind
calculating mind
2. “mull over” consider
discuss
disagree
3. “ murky creature” dangerous creature
friendly creature
gloomy creature
4. “ thrashed around” came around
lashed around
send around
V. Phrasal words with «go».
1. It would go--------- my principles to work for a company that manufactured weapons.
2. Go--------, we are all listening.
3. Don’t go---- that old map; it might be out of date.
4. The standard of work has gone------.
5. I’ve set the heating to go---- at six o’clock.
6. She’ gone--- for a walk.
VI. Some of the following words from this chapter usually have a positive meaning and some usually have a negative meaning. Group the words under Positive or Negative.
1. Care, admire, murky, daring, skill, culprit.
VII. Explain the difference between the following words and expressions and find them in the text.
Wriggle, squirm, tingle, thrash, plop, swoop, tip, pour.
VIII. The following words occur in the story. The ones on the left are related in some way to the ones on the right. Make pairs. Explain what each combination means
Eager newts
Scheming faces
A colony of mind
A jug of quicksilver
Squirm (like) water
* * * * *
CHAPTER XIII
THE WEEKLY TEST
I. Look up the following words and expressions in the dictionary and find them in the text.
Assemble, expel, go round the bend, bellow, scare, swell, inflate, bug, peeve, rove, hesitation, stalk, twiddler, garbage, filthy.
II. Paraphrase the following, using words and expressions from the text.
1. At two o’clock sharp the class gathered, including Miss Honey who noted that the jug of water and the glass were in the right place.
2. The Trunchbull’s dangerous shimmering eyes roamed around the classroom.
3. Ms. Trunchbull was annoyed that Nigel had succeeded.
4. “You are not imperishable I’ll soon rub you out”, said Ms Trunchbul.
5. “You think I’m a fool!”- Exclaimed Ms Trunchbul.
III. Find synonyms in the text
Trash, bundle, insect, uncertainty, destiny, force out, gather, fright, blow up, irritate, go mad, save, track, lazy, muddy
IV. Find these phrases in the text, and notice the way in which they are used. In each case find the best equivalent.
1. “Her face seemed to swell up”— her face seemed to puff up
her face seemed to brighten
her face seemed to turn pale
2. “without hesitation” -- unwillingly
without dithering
with pride
3. “diabolical gaze” -- friendly gaze
devilish gaze
scrutinizing gaze
4. “What cheek!” -- what impudence!
how beautiful!
what nonsense!
V. Write derivatives of the following words.
Note, taste, hesitate, advance, danger, suggest, low.
VI. Phrasal words with “get”.
1. The robbers got------------- with several thousand pounds.
2. I’ve got terribly-------------with my work.
3. We could never got --------on my salary alone.
4. This weather is really ---------- me ---------------.
5. It’s time you ----------------------- to some work.
6. Jo is getting--------- very well at school.
VII. Insert articles and prepositions where necessary.
1. --- two o’clock sharp ---- class assembled, including Miss Honey who noted that --- jug of water and --- glass were --- --- proper place.
2. You can hear --- same sort --- thing if you walk --- --- riding stable when --- horses are being fed.
3. Go and stand --- --- corner --- one leg --- your face --- --- wall.
4. ---- the back --- --- classroom Miss Honey cried: “Stop it”.
5. “Do you take me --- --- fool.”
6. “Stand --- when you speak --- me.”
* * * * *
CHAPTER XIV
THE FIRST MIRACLE
I. Look up the following words and expressions in the dictionary and find them in the text.
Bane of somebody’s life, porcelain, lizard, hatred, reluctantly, malicious, patch, tomb, desperately, to pin smth on somebody, reach out, get rid of smth
II. Fill in the blanks with prepositions where necessary.
1. Matilda sat---- again ---- her desk.
2. Then she reached--- a hand and took hold --- her water-jug.
3. And suddenly, --- the water, --- came the long slimy newt straight --- the glass, plop.
4. She stared --- the creature twisting and wriggling --- the glass.
5. The headmistress let--- a yell that must have rattled every windowpane --- the building and --- the second time --- the last five minutes she shot--- --- her chair like a rocket.
III. Find synonyms in the text/
Disgust, element, feeling, spark, scrap, grave, china, unwillingly, frantically, revolting, spiteful.
IV. Find these phrases in the text, and notice the way in which they are used. Explain the meaning. In each case find the best equivalent.
1. “strong point”--- weak quality
----strong quality
---- hesitant
2. “behind bars” --- in a tavern
--- at a lawyer’s
--- in prison
3. “pin on” --- to fix guilt on somebody
--- to fasten or join with a pin or pins
--- identify
4. “a splash of water”—a drop of water
--- a mark made by splashing
--- a trickle of water
5. “vouch for somebody”------be uncertain
------be proud
------to declare strong belief