Matilda Chapter 7

Name Matilda's school.

Choose the correct adjectives that were used to describe Miss Trunchbull.

• formidable

• older

• polite

• middle-aged

How is Miss Honey described in the book?

Answer explanation

Miss Honey is described as a young twenty-three or twenty-four year old woman. Her face is oval-shaped and she has blue eyes and light brown hair. She is a rather mild and quiet person and doesn't raise her voice. She has a rare gift, where she is able to understand children very well, and they all seem to adore her.

"Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress was something else altogether. She was a gigantic holy terror, a fierce tyrannical monster who frightened the life out of the pupils and teachers alike. There was an aura of menace about her even at a distance."

Identify the metaphor in the above paragraph.

"Miss Trunchbull never walked, she always marched like a storm-trooper with long strides and arms swinging - when she marched along a corridor you could actually hear her snorting as she went, and if a group of children happened to be in her path, she ploughed right through them like a tank!"

Identify one simile.

Give a synonym for 'pupil'.

On the first day of school, Miss Honey went about giving the students advice and suggestions on how to get through their time at Crunchem Hall with Miss Trunchbull as their headmistress. What advice did she give them?

Answer explanation

Miss Honey told the students that Miss Trunchbull expects discipline at all times, and that the students must make sure they are, especially in her presence. They must never argue with her and they must do exactly as she says.

What do we learn about Matilda in this chapter?

• that she was too young for her class.

• that she was very lucky because her parents taught her to multiply lots of numbers

• that she can do Math like a calculator

• that she was exactly like her classmates

"At this point, Miss Honey could not resist the temptation of exploring further the mind of this astonishing child. She knew that she ought to be paying some attention to the rest of the class, but she was altogether too excited to let the matter rest."

What do you think Miss Honey was thinking about at this very moment in class?

Answer explanation

According to me, she was very curious about Matilda. She probably had never quite met a child quite like her before. Even though she knew she had to pay attention to ALL her students, she just couldn't help but focus on Matilda. She must have thought she was gifted, and she wanted to see how far Matilda could really go!

"I insist upon hearing this limerick, Matilda," said Miss Honey.

Reluctantly, Matilda stood up and very slowly, very nervously recited her limerick.

What do you think the underlined word means?