Question 1 of 10
What does meekly mean in 'They put down their porridge spoons and stood up, politely and meekly'?
A) Loudly and confidently
B) In a quiet, gentle, submissive way without protest
C) Clumsily and awkwardly
D) Happily and enthusiastically
Question 2 of 10
What does grudging mean in 'Mr Evans was looking at Nick with a certain, grudging respect'?
A) Generous and warm-hearted
B) Frightened and nervous
C) Given reluctantly; unwilling but forced to admit something
D) Sarcastic and mocking
Question 3 of 10
What does startled mean in 'He simply looked startled'?
A) Suddenly surprised or slightly shocked
B) Furiously angry
C) Deeply ashamed
D) Quietly pleased
Question 4 of 10
What does titbits mean in 'No whining round my sister for titbits'?
A) Bedtime stories
B) Hugs and comfort
C) Gossip and secrets
D) Small pieces of food; snacks or treats
Question 5 of 10
What does fussiness mean in 'So no fussiness, mind!'?
A) Crying and sobbing at mealtimes
B) Being excessively particular or hard to please, especially about food
C) Making loud noises during dinner
D) Eating with your fingers instead of cutlery
Question 6 of 10
The comparison of Evans' smile to 'the kind of grin a tiger might give before it pounced on its prey' is an example of which technique, and what effect does it create?
A) Metaphor — it says Evans IS a tiger, making him seem wild and untamed
B) Personification — it gives the tiger human feelings of cruelty
C) Simile — it compares Evans' grin to a tiger's pre-attack grin, making his 'smile' seem predatory and dangerous, and positioning the children as vulnerable prey
D) Alliteration — the repeated 'g' sound in 'grin' and 'give' creates a growling effect
Question 7 of 10
The comparison 'as if a worm had just lifted its head and answered him back' reveals Evans' attitude towards Nick. What does it show?
A) Evans sees Nick as something tiny and insignificant — far beneath him — so he's astonished that this 'worm' dares to speak
B) Evans thinks Nick is slimy and untrustworthy, like a worm that hides underground
C) Evans admires Nick's bravery, comparing him to a worm that bravely surfaces despite predators
D) Evans feels sorry for Nick, seeing him as a helpless little worm
Question 8 of 10
Miss Evans has 'bright squirrel eyes watching the door'. Why is 'squirrel' an effective comparison for Miss Evans?
A) Because squirrels are bold and aggressive — suggesting Miss Evans is secretly fierce and ready to fight
B) Because squirrels are small, timid, alert prey animals always watching for danger — just as Miss Evans nervously watches the door, afraid her brother will catch her laughing
C) Because squirrels hoard food — suggesting Miss Evans secretly stores food for the children
D) Because squirrels are noisy and chatty — suggesting Miss Evans talks too much
Question 9 of 10
The idiom 'sugar on the pill' reveals Evans' true feelings about having the evacuee children. What does it show?
A) Evans is delighted to have the children and sees them as a sweet addition to his household
B) Evans enjoys cooking for children and wants to feed them sugar and sweets
C) Evans is worried the children are too sweet and polite and might be hiding bad behaviour
D) He sees having evacuee children as a bitter, unwelcome burden (the 'pill'), but their good manners are the one thing that makes it slightly bearable (the 'sugar')
Question 10 of 10
There is a striking contrast between Carrie and Nick throughout this passage. Which statement best describes how they differ in their response to Mr Evans?
A) Carrie is brave and outspoken while Nick is quiet and timid — she stands up to Evans while Nick hides behind her
B) Both children react in exactly the same way — they are equally frightened and equally silent throughout
C) Carrie is cautious and inwardly frightened — she trembles when Nick speaks back — while Nick is bold and fearless, directly challenging Evans and refusing to be intimidated
D) Carrie admires Evans and wants to please him, while Nick hates him and wants to leave