Welcome to Lesson 2.

In this lesson, you will study Chapter One of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

What you must do first

Read the first 5 pages of Chapter One carefully before answering any questions.

How to work through this lesson

• Read slowly and understand each paragraph
• Use a dictionary for difficult words
• Answer in full sentences where required
• Use evidence from the text when asked
• Check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar

Example of a correct answer

Question: What kind of child is Mary at the beginning?
Answer: Mary is described as an unpleasant and selfish child who is not liked by others.

EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Vocabulary (Dictionary Work)

Instruction:

Write the meaning of each word as used in the text.

1. disagreeable
2. sour
3. tyrannical
4. selfish
5. governess
6. familiar
7. stammered
8. passion
9. mysterious
10. veranda
11. scarlet
12. muttering
13. insult
14. grinding
15. imploring
16. delicate
17. disdain
18. wrung
19. appalling
20. bewilderment
21. confusion
22. terror
23. cholera
24. wailing
25. abandoned

Exercise 2: Comprehension

Instruction:

Answer in full sentences.

1. How is Mary described at the beginning?
2. Why did Mary’s mother not take care of her?
3. How was Mary treated by the servants?
4. Why did the governess leave?
5. What happened on the morning Mary woke up feeling cross?
6. Why was the house in confusion?
7. What game was Mary playing in the garden?
8. What does Mary say about the servants?
9. What illness spread in the house?
10. What happened to the people in the house?

Exercise 3: Find Evidence

Instruction:

Copy a word, phrase, or sentence from the text.

1. Mary is unpleasant
2. Mary is neglected
3. Mary is selfish
4. The servants obey her
5. The house is in disorder
6. People are afraid
7. Mary is alone
8. Her mother is beautiful
9. The situation is dangerous
10. People are dying

Exercise 4: Word Classes (Advanced 11+)

Instruction:

Identify the word class (noun, verb, adjective, adverb).

Example:

“quickly” → adverb

1. disagreeable
2. ran
3. beautiful
4. silently
5. terror
6. shouted
7. delicate
8. slowly
9. confusion
10. cried

Exercise 5: Sentence Transformation

Instruction:

Rewrite the sentence without changing the meaning.

Example:

Mary was very angry.
→ Mary felt great anger.

Questions:

1. Mary was a selfish child
2. The servants obeyed her
3. The house was full of fear
4. She cried loudly
5. The illness spread quickly
6. The woman spoke softly
7. Mary felt very alone
8. The people were terrified
9. The boy answered quietly
10. The situation was dangerous

Exercise 6: Punctuation

Instruction:

Rewrite correctly.

1. mary was a disagreeable child
2. where is my ayah she said
3. the servants were afraid confused and silent
4. what is happening
5. the boy said someone has died
6. mrs lennox cried loudly
7. mary stood still and watched
8. the illness spread quickly
9. come with me she said
10. the house was quiet and empty

Exercise 7: Inference (11+ Skill)

Instruction:

Answer using thinking + clues from the text.

1. Why did Mary become selfish?
2. Why were the servants afraid?
3. Why did no one explain things to Mary?
4. Why was Mary left alone?
5. What does the illness show about the setting?
6. Why did the adults panic?
7. What does Mary’s behaviour show about her upbringing?
8. Why did the house become silent?
9. What does the boy’s reaction show?
10. What mood is created in this chapter?

Exercise 8: Noun Phrases

Instruction:

Underline the noun phrase.

1. The disagreeable child sat alone
2. A strange illness spread quickly
3. The frightened servants ran away
4. The beautiful woman wore fine clothes
5. The young boy spoke softly
6. The empty house became silent
7. The loud wailing frightened Mary
8. The sick people lay still
9. The dark room felt cold
10. The terrified child hid quietly

Exercise 9: Conjunctions

Instruction:

Fill in the correct conjunction.

1. Mary was selfish ___ rude
2. She cried ___ no one came
3. The servants were afraid ___ they ran away
4. The illness spread ___ people died
5. Mary waited ___ no one answered
6. She shouted ___ nobody listened
7. The house was silent ___ empty
8. He spoke quietly ___ clearly
9. They tried to help ___ failed
10. Stay here ___ I return

Exercise 10: Synonyms & Antonyms (From Text)

Instruction:

Use words from the passage where possible.

Synonyms:

1. disagreeable
2. afraid
3. beautiful
4. angry
5. quiet

Antonyms:

6. selfish
7. afraid
8. noisy
9. weak
10. empty