USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )

Name : ___________________________________ Date : __________________

The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit

COMPREHENSION TEST
Who in the story ... ? Bobbie, Mother, Jim, the engine driver, Father, the old
gentleman, Perks, Phyllis, Mrs Viney, Peter.
a ... wrote stories for magazines. ...............
b ... waved to the children every morning. ...............
c ... took some coal. ...............
d ... was in prison. ...............
e ... was given a lot of birthday presents. ...............
f ... broke his leg. ...............
g ... was the youngest child. ...............
h ... mended Peter’s train. ...............
i ... stayed with the boy in the tunnel. ...............
j ... left the family some supper when they arrived at their new house. ............... ( 20 marks )

2 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)

a The children went to their new house by car.
b Mother didn’t have enough money to buy coal.
c The children went to school.
d When Mother was ill, the children wrote a letter to the old gentleman.
e When the tree fell down, Bobbie stood in the middle of the railway line.
f At first, Perks was angry when the children gave him the birthday presents.
g Bobbie read in the newspaper that her father was working in London.
h Jim stayed in hospital after his accident.
i The old gentleman was Jim’s grandfather.
j Mother knew that Father was coming home. ( 20 marks )

3 Put the following events from the story in the right order. Number them 1–5.
a The railway company wrote a letter to the children.
b The train stopped.
c The children were given a gold watch each.
d The children saw a tree fall onto the line.
e The girls took off their red petticoats, cut them up and waved them at the train. ( 20 marks )

5 Match a number from A with a letter from B to make complete sentences.

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A
1 When the family arrived at their new house ...
2 When Mother was ill ...
3 When the boy broke his leg in the tunnel ...
4 When Father came home ...
5 When the children got the gold watches ...
B
a ... everyone on the train waved and looked happy.
b ... they wore their best clothes.
c ... they couldn’t find their supper.
d ... the old gentleman sent some food, wine and flowers.
e ... Peter and Phyllis went to a farm to get help. ( 20 marks )

Multiple-choice Test
SETTING

Choose the best answer.

1 Mother wrote stories and then read them to _____.
a [ ] Father after dinner b [ ] the children after tea c [ ] the maid d [ ] her friends
2 _____ came to talk to Father.
a [ ] Two men b [ ] A woman c [ ] Three people d [ ] Four men
3 Mother went in to the next room and when she came back _____.
a [ ] she was very happy b [ ] her hair was white
c [ ] her face was white d [ ] she was laughing
4 Mother told the children that Father _____.
a [ ] had to go back to work b [ ] had to go to prison
c [ ] was a spy d [ ] had to go away on business
5 Mother went out early the next morning and it was nearly _____ before she came home.
a [ ] two o’clock b [ ] half past six c [ ] six o’clock d [ ] seven o’clock
6 The children knew that Father worked _____.
a [ ] as a spy b [ ] in a Government office c [ ] for the railway d [ ] as an engineer
7 They went to live in a _____ near a railway line.
a [ ] little white house b [ ] railway station c [ ] big old house d [ ] little yellow house
8 The children sat on a big, flat, comfortable stone in the grass and _____.
a [ ] fell asleep in the sun b [ ] watched the trains
c [ ] listened to Mother read a story d [ ] talked to Father
9 The children walked along the edge of the line, beneath the _____, to the station
a [ ] trees b [ ] signals c [ ] telegraph wires d [ ] platform
10 When Mother sold a story to a magazine _____.
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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )
a [ ] the children had to go to school b [ ] there were cakes for tea
c [ ] there was coal for the fire d [ ] she wrote to Father ( 20 marks)

CHARACTERS
Choose the best answer.
11 Peter wanted to be _____ when he grew up.
a [ ] a porter b [ ] a train driver c [ ] an engineer d [ ] a spy
12 Phyllis was always trying to _____.
a [ ] be good b [ ] read the newspaper c [ ] go to school d [ ] talk to her mother
13 Father was never angry and always ready to _____.
a [ ] watch the trains b [ ] play a game c [ ] read the newspaper d [ ] write stories
14 Peter was _____ years old.
a [ ] eight b [ ] nine c [ ] ten d [ ] eleven
15 The old gentleman travelled on the _____ train.
a [ ] 8.15 b [ ] 8.30 c [ ] 9.15 d [ ] 9.30
16 The old gentleman had _____ and looked nice.
a [ ] white hair b [ ] no hair c [ ] brown eyes d [ ] green eyes
17 _____ put Peter’s engine in a box and took it down to the railway.
a [ ] Mother b [ ] Bobbie c [ ] Phyllis d [ ] Perks
18 The children gave _____ some roses and a handkerchief for her birthday.
a [ ] Mother b [ ] Mrs Viney c [ ] Mrs Perks d [ ] Mrs Ransome
19 The old gentleman was _____.
a [ ] Jim’s grandfather b [ ] Mother’s brother c [ ] Perk’s father d [ ] Bobbie’s grandfather
20 Perks was _____ for the railway.
a [ ] an engineer b [ ] an engine driver c [ ] a porter d [ ] the Station Master ( 20
marks )

DIALOGUE
Who said this?
21 ‘Of course there’s hope! I’ll mend it on Saturday, and you can help me.’
a [ ] Peter b [ ] Father c [ ] Mother d [ ] Ruth
22 ‘There’s a letter from Mrs Viney. Her son broke his arm and she went home early.’
a [ ] Father b [ ] Peter c [ ] Mother d [ ] Phyllis
23 ‘Now I’ve caught you, you young thief!’
a [ ] the Station Master b [ ] Perks c [ ] the old gentleman d [ ] Mother
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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )
24 ‘I shouldn’t be here! I’ll be in terrible trouble!’
a [ ] Bobbie b [ ] Peter c [ ] Phyllis d [ ] Perks
25 ‘Wave your flags! But don’t stand on the line, Bobbie!’
a [ ] Perks b [ ] Peter c [ ] Mother d [ ] the old gentleman
26 ‘People in the village will laugh at me.’
a [ ] Mother b [ ] Peter c [ ] Perks d [ ] the old gentleman
27 ‘Let’s go across the top of the hill and see them come out the other end of the tunnel.’
a [ ] Phyllis b [ ] Bobbie c [ ] Perks d [ ] Peter
28 ‘Are you afraid of the dark, Bobbie?’
a [ ] Jim b [ ] Peter c [ ] Mother d [ ] Perks
29 ‘Don’t worry, you poor dear. You must go to bed and I’ll send for Doctor Forrest.’
a [ ] Bobbie b [ ] Perks c [ ] the old gentleman d [ ] Mother
30 ‘Take care of your mother, my dears. She’s a woman in a million.’
a [ ] Perks b [ ] Father c [ ] the old gentleman d [ ] the Station Master ( 20 marks )

VOCABULARY
Choose the best answer.
31 a kind of box on wheels to carry a baby in
a [ ] hound b [ ] pram c [ ] charity d [ ] yard
32 help or money for people who are poor
a [ ] charity b [ ] magic c [ ] government d [ ] hare
33 a person who works on a railway station and who carries suitcases
a [ ] fireman b [ ] maid c [ ] platform d [ ] porter
34 something that you use to stop a moving train or car
a [ ] yard b [ ] brake c [ ] magic d [ ] steam
35 a kind of dog which chases and catches wild animals like hares
a [ ] hound b [ ] hare c [ ] petticoat d [ ] horrible
36 something which makes strange and wonderful things happen, which nobody can explain
a [ ] magic b [ ] steam c [ ] government d [ ] charity
37 something wet and coloured which you use to make pictures or to change the colour of
something
a [ ] yard b [ ] brake c [ ] wave d [ ] paint
38 a kind of ‘smoke’ which comes from very hot water
a [ ] wave b [ ] steam c [ ] platform d [ ] yard
39 a piece of hard ground near a building, usually with a wall round it

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a [ ] platform b [ ] hound c [ ] yard d [ ] charity
40 the group of people who control a country
a [ ] fireman b [ ] government c [ ] porter d [ ] maid ( 20 marks )

PLOT
Choose the best answer.
41 On their last night in their old house Peter had to _____.
a [ ] sleep on the floor b [ ] pack all the boxes c [ ] cook the supper d [ ] visit his father
42 The children pretended the old gentleman knew Father and that he was _____.
a [ ] going to talk to him b [ ] taking him a newspaper
c [ ] taking their love to him d [ ] working with him
43 Mother was ill and needed _____, and some other special things.
a [ ] a cup of tea b [ ] some apple pie c [ ] cold meat d [ ] fruit and milk
44 Mother told the children they must never ask _____ to give them things.
a [ ] strangers b [ ] Perks c [ ] Father d [ ] Mrs Viney
45 Mother _____ to thank the old gentleman.
a [ ] wrote a letter b [ ] went to London c [ ] went to the station d [ ] telephoned
46 The children waved red flags and the train stopped _____.
a [ ] twenty metres from Bobbie b [ ] at the station
c [ ] in the tunnel d [ ] ten metres from Peter
47 The children took the presents to Perks’s house _____.
a [ ] in a taxi b [ ] in a cart c [ ] in a pram d [ ] on the train
48 Bobbie read in the newspaper that her father was _____.
a [ ] coming home b [ ] a spy c [ ] a friend of the old gentleman d [ ] ill
49 The children helped Jim when he broke his leg _____.
a [ ] on the train b [ ] in the tunnel c [ ] at the top of the hill d [ ] at the station
50 Father waited _____ for Bobbie to tell Mother that he was home.
a [ ] in London b [ ] in the garden c [ ] at the station d [ ] on the train ( 20 marks )

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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )

The Railway Children

1 a Mother
b The old gentleman
c Peter
d Father
e Perks
f Jim
g Phyllis
h The engine driver
i Bobbie
j Mrs Viney
2

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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )
a F f T
b T g F
c F h F
d T i T
e T j F
3
a 4 d 1
b 3 e 2
c 5
4 a Father
b Bobbie
c He has been in prison.
d Because the government/ people thought he was a spy.
5 1 c
2 d
3 e
4 a
5 b

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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )

The Railway Children

Setting
1 b
2 a
3 c
4 d
5 d
6 b
7 a
8 a
9 c
10 b

Characters
11 c
12 a
13 b
14 c
15 c
16 a
17 b
18 d
19 a
20 c

Dialogue
21 b
22 c
23 a
24 a
25 b
26 c
27 d
28 a
29 d
30 c

Vocabulary

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 USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE ( LUNAS )
31 b
32 a
33 d
34 b
35 a
36 a
37 d
38 b
39 c
40 b

Plot
41 a
42 c
43 d
44 a
45 a
46 a
47 c
48 b
49 b
50 b

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