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Comprehension 2
'Please, sir, I want some more.'

Comprehension 2

Comprehension is about the meaning of words. Learning how to spell, write and say words is one thing, but it's vital to know the meaning of them. Otherwise your writing and language will be nonsense!

If you are not familiar with Charles Dickens, you might enjoy reading his stories. He was an English author of the 19th century and many of his stories have been adapted into films or plays. Some of his most famous works are Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol. His books should be available in your local school or public library.

See how much you comprehend by playing this 11-plus quiz. Read the text carefully before you answer the questions.

The questions below are based on the following text: An extract from "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

The room in which the boys were fed was a large stone hall, with a copper at one end; out of which the master, dressed in an apron for the purpose, and assisted by one or two women, ladled the gruel at mealtimes. Of this festive composition the boys had one porringer and no more - except on occasions of public rejoicing when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides. The bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons again till they shone again; and when they had performed this operation (which never took very long, the spoons being nearly as large as the bowls), they would sit staring at the copper, with such eager eyes, as if they could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed; employing themselves meanwhile, in sucking their fingers most assiduously, with the view of catching up any stray splashes of gruel that might have been cast thereon. Boys have generally excellent appetites.

Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months. At last they got so voracious and wild with hunger, that one boy who was tall for his age, hinted darkly to his companions that unless he had another basin of gruel, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy sleeping next to him, who happened to be a weakly youth of tender age. He had a wild, hungry eye and they implicitly believed him. A council was held; lots were cast for who should walk up to the master after supper that evening and ask for more; and it fell to Oliver Twist.

The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook's uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves beside him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered to each other and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said, somewhat alarmed at his own temerity, -

"Please, sir, I want some more."

The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed with stupefied astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds; and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder, the boys with fear.

"What!" said the master at length, in a faint voice.

"Please, sir," replied Oliver, "I want some more."

The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the ladle, pinioned him in his arms, and shrieked aloud for the beadle.
1 .
In 'a copper at one end', what is meant by the word 'copper'?
A reddish brown butterfly
A piece of metallic copper
A large pot for boiling soups and stews
A policeman
The gruel (a watery porridge) was served from the copper
2 .
In 'the boys had one porringer and no more', what is meant by the word 'porringer'?
a bag of porridge
a soup bowl
a soup spoon
a soup plate
It's a small soup bowl
3 .
Why didn't the bowls ever need washing?
The bowls had special non-stick surfaces
In trying to eat every single drop of gruel, the boys ended up cleaning the bowls with their spoons
The boys took pride in cleaning their own bowls with their spoons
They were given new bowls at each meal time
They were so hungry that they literally cleaned the bowls with their spoons
4 .
In 'as if they could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed', which of the following words is closest in meaning to 'devour'?
swallow
drink
chew
eat
'devour' means 'to eat quickly and hungrily'
5 .
What is meant by 'suffered the tortures of slow starvation'?
They were hurt by the food they ate
They were purposely being starved to death
They were being poisoned
They suffered the physical and mental pains associated with undernourishment
A bowl of gruel a day would be considered as starvation
6 .
What is meant by 'lots were cast'?
A lot of porridge was thrown on the floor
The boys liked to gamble
A method of chance was used to pick someone
A game played by small children
A typical example is drawing straws: the person who by chance draws the smallest straw has to do the deed
7 .
What is meant by 'it fell to Oliver Twist'?
Oliver had to ask for more gruel
The gruel fell on Oliver
It wasn't Oliver that had to ask for more gruel
Oliver fell over
So Oliver must have drawn the shortest straw
8 .
In 'He gazed with stupefied astonishment', who does 'he' refer to?
The master
The beadle
Oliver Twist
The reader
Read the previous sentence
9 .
Why was Oliver called 'the small rebel'?
Because he was always causing trouble
Because he was the boys' leader
Because his actions were against the accepted order of things
Because he had a wild and unruly character
By asking for more gruel, he went against what was considered to be acceptable behaviour
10 .
Who do you think 'the beadle' might be?
The head cook
An official of the institution
A food inspector
A police officer
A 'beadle' is an official of the church, but he is not a priest
Author:  Frank Evans

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