Question 1 of 10
The writer describes 'an explosion of fiery noise and colour'. What technique is this?
A) A simile — comparing the street to a real explosion using 'like'
B) A metaphor — describing the overwhelming sights and sounds as if they were a real explosion
C) Onomatopoeia — the word 'explosion' sounds like the noise
D) Alliteration — repeating the letter 'f' in 'fiery'
Question 2 of 10
Tom imagines presents 'wrapped in rainbows'. This means the presents are...
A) Literally wrapped in rainbows from the sky
B) All the same plain colour
C) Wrapped in bright, beautiful, multi-coloured paper — seen through a child's excited imagination
D) Wet from the rain outside
Question 3 of 10
The adults looked like 'a grotesque puppet show' with 'giant faces' looming over Tom. Why do they look this way?
A) Because Tom is small and frightened, the normal adults above him look huge, distorted, and monstrous
B) Because the people are wearing scary Halloween masks
C) Because there is a real puppet show happening on the street
D) Because the street lights are making shadows on people's faces
Question 4 of 10
The braziers 'spat fire at him like awful dragons'. Earlier, the same braziers seemed exciting. What does this change show?
A) The braziers have actually changed and become more dangerous
B) Real dragons have appeared on the street
C) The fire has spread and the street is now on fire
D) The same things can look completely different depending on how you feel — fear changes everything
Question 5 of 10
'Dark clouds gathered in the sky above his head' as Tom becomes sadder. This technique is called...
A) Personification — giving the clouds human feelings
B) Pathetic fallacy — where the weather mirrors the character's emotions
C) A simile — comparing Tom to a dark cloud
D) Foreshadowing — predicting that it will rain tomorrow
Question 6 of 10
'Tom just stood still; he had nowhere to go.' Why is the semicolon important here?
A) It's a grammar mistake — it should be a full stop
B) It makes the sentence longer to fill the page
C) It creates a pause that links the two ideas, making the sadness of having 'nowhere to go' land harder
D) It separates two completely unrelated sentences
Question 7 of 10
'Thunder rumbled closer and closer and the rain fell harder and harder.' What technique does the repetition create?
A) It builds tension and mirrors the growing danger, making us feel the storm and Tom's fear increasing together
B) It shows that the writer has run out of words and is repeating themselves
C) It makes the sentence easier to read for younger readers
D) It is an example of alliteration
Question 8 of 10
The 'azure sky suspended over his head' is actually...
A) The real sky clearing up after the storm
B) A blue painting on a nearby building
C) Tom imagining a sunny day to feel better
D) His mother's blue umbrella, described as if it were a beautiful sky because it brings Tom the same feeling of safety and relief
Question 9 of 10
Tom could smell the 'tang' of chestnuts. What is a tang?
A) A very faint, barely noticeable smell
B) A strong, sharp, distinctive taste or smell
C) A type of juice drink
D) An unpleasant, rotten smell
Question 10 of 10
Which technique is used in 'an icy trickle run its finger down his spine'?
A) A simile — comparing water to a finger using 'like'
B) Alliteration — repeating the same starting letter
C) Personification — giving the water a human finger that touches Tom
D) Hyperbole — an extreme exaggeration