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Reread this part of the story:
The house wasn’t nearly large enough for so many people, and life was extremely uncomfortable for them all. There were only two rooms in the place altogether, and there was only one bed. The bed was given to the four old grandparents because they were so old and tired. They were so tired, they never got out of it. Mr Bucket was the only person in the family with a job. He worked in a toothpaste factory, where he sat all day long at a bench and screwed the little caps onto the tops of the tubes of toothpaste after the tubes had been filled. But a toothpaste cap screwer is never paid very much money, and poor Mr Bucket, however hard he worked, and however fast he screwed on the caps, was never able to make enough money to buy one half of the things that so large a family needed. There wasn’t even enough money to buy proper food for them all. The only meals they could afford were bread and margarine for breakfast, boiled potatoes and cabbage for lunch, and cabbage soup for supper. Sundays were a bit better. They all looked forward to Sundays because then, although they had exactly the same, everyone was allowed a second helping.
Answer these questions:
How do you know the family is poor? Describe the house in your own words. Why was Mr Bucket’s job so boring? What meals were the family able to eat? Who slept in the bed? Describe these people in your own words. Why did the family look forward to a Sunday? What do you think the author (Roald Dahl) wants us to feel at this point in the story? Why do you think he wants us to feel this way at the beginning of the book? Rewrite this section of the story, putting in your own adjectives. Place them before the words that are underlined (the nouns).
The house wasn’t nearly large enough for so many people, and life was extremely uncomfortable for them all. There were only two rooms in the place altogether, and there was only one bed. The bed was given to the four old grandparents because they were so old and tired. They were so tired, they never got out of it.
Reread this part of the story:
The house wasn’t nearly large enough for so many people, and life was extremely uncomfortable for them all. There were only two rooms in the place altogether, and there was only one bed. The bed was given to the four old grandparents because they were so old and tired. They were so tired, they never got out of it.
Answer these questions:
How many rooms were in the house? Who was the bed given to? Why did they have the bed? Why do you think life was uncomfortable for the family?
Now reread this part of the story:
Mr Bucket was the only person in the family with a job. He worked in a toothpaste factory, where he sat all day long at a bench and screwed the little caps onto the tops of the tubes of toothpaste after the tubes had been filled. But a toothpaste cap screwer is never paid very much money, and poor Mr Bucket, however hard he worked, and however fast he screwed on the caps, was never able to make enough money to buy one half of the things that so large a family needed.
Answer these questions:
Who earned the money for the family? Describe this person’s job in your own words.
Now reread this part of the story:
There wasn’t even enough money to buy proper food for them all. The only meals they could afford were bread and margarine for breakfast, boiled potatoes and cabbage for lunch, and cabbage soup for supper. Sundays were a bit better. They all looked forward to Sundays because then, although they had exactly the same, everyone was allowed a second helping.
Answer these questions:
What three meals did the family have each day? Why was Sunday a bit better than the other days? What do you think the author (Roald Dahl) wants us to feel at this point in the story? Why do you think he wants us to feel this way at the beginning of the book?
Reread the poem from chapter 21.
Answer these questions:
What do the Oompa Loompas think chewing gum is nearly as bad as? Where did Miss Bigelow chew gum? What did she chew when she had no gum? What happened to her chin because of her chewing? How many bits of gum did she chew a day? What are the Oompa Loompas going to try to do to Violet Beauregarde?
Rewrite this part of the poem:
But now, how strange! Although asleep Her mouth kept chewing, ________________! They chewed and chewed right through the night, With __________________________________________. Her jaws would chomp and chomp and chomp, They couldn’t stop, _______________________. And late at night, the noise they made - Saw all her neighbours quite afraid. They called the police, ambulance, fire - They __________________________________. But Mrs Bigelow’s mouth just couldn’t be stopped, It ________________________________________. Now she sits alone in a quiet place Her teeth still _____________________. So let this lesson teach you some - It isn’t wise ____________________.
Reread this part of the story:
The four old people, two at either end of the bed, propped themselves up on their pillows and stared with anxious eyes at the bar of chocolate in Charlie’s hands. Mr and Mrs Bucket came in and stood at the end of the bed, watching Charlie. The room became silent. Everybody was waiting now for Charlie to start opening his present. Charlie looked down at the bar of chocolate. He ran his fingers slowly back and forth along the length of it, stroking it lovingly, and the shiny paper wrapper made little sharp crackly noises in the quiet room.
Now answer these questions:
Who was in the room at first? Who else joined them in the room? Why re these people all gathered together? Why is this such a special event? (Give at least 2 reasons) How is everyone feeling? (Try to use a few adjectives to describe their feelings) Why did the present not get opened straight away? What happens when the present is opened? (Check your answer on page 33 of the text if you are not sure) Imagine that the chapter ends differently. What do you think everyone would have said and done? Write your own ending to this chapter. Here are a few sentences from the book to start you off:
Very slowly, Charlie’s fingers began to tear open one corner of the wrapping paper. The old people in the bed all leaned forward, craning their scraggy necks. Then suddenly, as though he couldn’t bear the suspense any longer, Charlie tore the wrapper right down the middle … and on to his lap, there fell …
