Matilda – Chapter 2 and 3 Quiz

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Matilda – Chapter 2 and 3 Quiz

15.  What are the two dishonest things which Mr Wormwood does in order to sell his cars for more money than they are worth?

a.    He mixes sawdust with the oil in the gear-box so that the car stops making rattling noises and seems to run smoothly.

b.    He knocks off miles from the speedometer by using a high-speed electric drill to make it spin backwards.

16.  In your own words, explain the meaning of the word “crookery” (top of page 18).

a.    Crookery is like criminality (‘crook’ is colloquial way of saying ‘criminal’).  It refers to the dishonest behaviour and dealings of such people.

17.  In what way does Mr Wormwood treat Matilda and her brother Michael differently?

a.    Mr Wormwood quite mistakenly looks on Michael as being superior to Matilda simply because he is a boy, and so considers him an intellectual equal – whereas he treats Matilda as being inferior.  The irony of course is that Mr Wormwood and his son ARE indeed intellectual equals – they are just as unintelligent as each other.

18.  What does the phrase “Two red spots appear on the father’s cheeks” (p.19) tell us about what Mr Wormwood is feeling?

a.    This phrase tells us that Mr Wormwood is feeling embarrassed about his immoral behaviour.

19.  Where does the Wormwood family usually eat their dinner, and why does Matilda hate it?

a.    The Wormwood family usually eat their dinner in front of the television.  Matilda hates this because she learns nothing from watching TV and would much prefer to be sat in the dining-room reading a good book.  Additionally, family meals in front of the TV provide yet more opportunities for Matilda to being at the receiving end of her father’s ranting.

20.  Briefly describe Mrs Wormwood, in your own words, using just three adjectives.

a.    Mrs Wormwood could be described as being: distracted, self-possessed, big/rotund/ plump, rude, uncaring etc.

21.  How does Matilda try to deal with the mean* way she is being treated, so as not to “go crazy”?

a.    She decides that she will teach her parents a lesson.  Every time they are mean to her, she will get her own back by playing a practical joke on them.

22.  Name two emotions that Matilda experiences on pages 22 and 23.

a.    Possibilities: anger, hatred, dissatisfaction, resentment, determination.

23.  What is the first trick* Matilda plays on Mr Wormwood?

a.    She applies superglue to the inside rim of her father’s hat so that when he puts it on it gets stuck to his head.

24.  What does Mrs Wormwood think is the explanation for her husband’s hat problem?

a.    She thinks that he has been careless with the superglue and has himself managed to spill some inside his hat, without realising it.

25.  What story about superglue does Matilda later mention in order to frighten her father more?

a.    Matilda tells a story about a boy who got some superglue on his finger and then, because he picked his nose, got his finger struck up his nose for a whole week.

26.  On page 29, what does Mrs Wormwood think about her husband?

a.    She feels dissatisfied with her buffoonish husband, who is hardly an ideal partner.

27.  What is the worst thing for Mr Wormwood about his predicament*?

a.    The worst thing about his predicament is having to go to bed with his hat on, since there is no comfortable way for him to lie on the pillow.

28.  What does everyone keep telling Matilda to do, repeatedly, throughout Chapters 2 and 3?

a.    They are all very rude to her and keep telling her to be quiet or “shut up”.

Vocabulary:

-          *Mean = not nice, nasty, horrible

-          *Trick = a practical joke meant to deceive someone, or make a fool out of them

-          *Predicament = a difficult situation