The Carver House: Vocab & Techniques

Question 1 of 10

What does sentinel mean in 'guarding the upper floor like a sentinel'?

A) A type of spider commonly found in old houses

B) A soldier or guard keeping watch

C) A pet that has been left behind

D) A staircase in an old building

Question 2 of 10

What does malicious mean when the cat 'threw him a malicious look'?

A) Curious and interested

B) Frightened and nervous

C) Intending to do harm; full of spite

D) Hungry and desperate for food

Question 3 of 10

What does hypnotised mean when 'Max was hypnotised by the strange vision'?

A) Completely fascinated; unable to look away

B) Made to fall asleep against his will

C) Confused and unable to understand

D) Disgusted and wanting to turn away

Question 4 of 10

What does enclosure mean in the passage?

A) A letter or document sent in the post

B) A roof covering a building

C) A window with a view of the garden

D) An area surrounded by a wall, fence or barrier

Question 5 of 10

What does vegetation mean in 'The vegetation had invaded the grounds'?

A) Insects and small creatures living in the garden

B) Plant life; the plants growing in a particular area

C) Statues and stone ornaments

D) Dust and dirt from old buildings

Question 6 of 10

The phrase 'guarding the upper floor like a sentinel' is an example of which technique?

A) Simile

B) Metaphor

C) Personification

D) Onomatopoeia

Question 7 of 10

The comparison 'a walled garden that reminded him of a village graveyard' creates what effect?

A) It makes the garden sound peaceful, restful and inviting

B) It suggests the garden is full of beautiful flowers, like those left on graves

C) It creates an eerie atmosphere by evoking stone figures, enclosing walls, silence and death

D) It tells us that people are actually buried in the garden

Question 8 of 10

The phrase 'The vegetation had invaded the grounds' is an example of which literary technique?

A) Simile

B) Personification

C) Alliteration

D) Onomatopoeia

Question 9 of 10

How does the writer use dialogue to characterise the Carver family in Section 1?

A) All the characters speak in exactly the same way, showing they are a united family

B) The writer uses long descriptions instead of dialogue to show personality

C) Only the parents speak, while the children stay silent

D) Each character's speech reveals their personality: Mr Carver is gentle, Mrs Carver practical, Alice dramatic, Emma provocative, Max sarcastic

Question 10 of 10

How does the writer create a contrast between the comic opening and the Gothic atmosphere later in the passage?

A) The humorous family bickering about spiders gives way to the sinister cat and the eerie, graveyard-like statue garden

B) The whole passage is Gothic and frightening from beginning to end, with no humour

C) The statue garden is described in a cheerful, funny way that contrasts with the serious family argument

D) There is no contrast — the tone stays exactly the same throughout the passage

The Carver House: Vocab & Techniques

Assessment complete