Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
It is hard to believe that this extract, from ‘Five Children and It’, was written
over 100 years ago, its appeal for younger readers is still strong today.
However, as with all classic texts, a note of caution needs to be given when
reading. Some of the phrasing is different to that which we use today and
often terminology changes with each decade. Take time to talk to your child
about the differences in language; this will help them to develop a wider
appreciation and love of great literature, both old and new.
Answers:
1. Why has the author used capital letters for the word ‘MUCH’ (line 2) ‘IT’ and
‘ME’ (line 5)? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
To show the person is whispering
To show the person is pausing
To show the person is emphasising his words
To look interesting on the page
Words are written in capital letters to demonstrate that he person speaking is
emphasising (or shouting) their words. It is often difficult to demonstrate whether a
person is whispering; this may be marked by a description of the person speaking.
If someone pauses, often an ellipsis is used. All of the features may look interesting
on the page; however, this is not the primary purpose of using upper case.
.
2. How did the children realise that the creature in the hole was not a snake?
(1 mark)
a. It was too big
b. It was too small
c. It had hands
d. It had feet
In lines 3 and 4 it mentions that ‘It’s not a snake. It’s got feet’. This is a direct text
retrieval question. The children mention the word ‘bigger’ but this is in relation to a
rat. There is no mention of the Psammead’s hands until much later in the passage.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
3. Why was Cyril reluctant to dig with his hands? (1 mark)
Cyril was reluctant to dig with his hands as he thought the creature might hurt
him or He was worried about getting hurt.
In line 5, Cyril says ‘And let it hurt me instead! That’s so likely, isn’t it?’ This suggests
that Cyril is scared of the creature hurting him.
4. . What would be an antonym for the term ‘seize’ in line 5? (1 mark)
.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Grab
Catch
Clasp
Release
Release is the opposite of the word ‘seize’ (or antonym). Options a-c describe
synonyms (words with similar meanings) for the word seize therefore are not
suitable
5. Why does Anthea call her brother ‘Squirrel’? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
He looks like a squirrel
He digs like a squirrel
He lives in a tree
Squirrel sounds like Cyril
This question requires deduction. Anthea calls her brother Squirrel in line 7. If we
look in the passage we can rule out option a, as there is nothing to suggest that
Cyril has the physical characteristics of a squirrel, Cyril prefers to dig with a spade,
making b unlikely and, as he is a human child, it is almost certain that he does not
live in a tree. Siblings often have pet names for one another and this is an example
of this.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
6. What does Cyril means when he says he thinks his sister has ‘gone off her
head?’ (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
She has fallen over
She has gone mad
She has a hat on
She went off
This question requires the reader to understand the phrase ‘gone off her head’.
This means ‘to go mad’ and is heard even today in spoken informal language.
7. Why was Anthea ‘jumping up and down with hotness and anxiety? (line 13)
(1 mark)
.
a.
b.
c.
d.
She was exercising
She was worried about what was in the hole
She was trying to cool down
She needed to visit the bathroom
It is clear from reading line 13 that Anthea is worried about what might be in the
hole. There is no mention of her exercising or trying to cool down, neither is there
mention of her needing the bathroom.
8. Why did Anthea decide to take over the digging? (1 mark)
Anthea took over the digging as she was not afraid of the creature or she was
afraid of the others hurting the creature.
In line 16, Anthea states ‘I’m not afraid, let me dig.’ which leads the reader to believe
that she is unafraid of the creature (unlike her brothers)
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
9. She began to ‘scratch like a dog when he has suddenly remembered where
it was that he buried his bone.’ (lines 17 and 18). What is this an example of?
(1 mark)
This is an example of a simile.
A simile is a literary technique where a noun is described as being like or similar to
another noun. In this case Anthea is being described as being similar to a dog who
has remembered where he has buried his bone.
10a. How did the children feel when they heard the husky voice? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scared
Sad
Angry
Happy
The children felt scared when they head the husky voice. See 10b for an
explanation
10b. What phrase from the text tells us this? (1 mark)
Their hearts jumped nearly as fast as they did.
The phrase above suggests that the children were scared. It is often said that our
hearts ‘skip a beat’ when we are scared or anxious. This phrase does not fit with
sadness, and there is nothing to suggest this in the text. The children are certainly
not angry, although the Psammead may be referred to as angry at the end of the
passage. Although the children may feel happy, this is not explicit in the passage.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
.
11a. The Psammead was pleased to be disturbed. True or false? (1 mark)
True/ False
.
See below for explanation
11b. What
does the Psammead say that tells us this? (1 mark)
.
‘Let me alone’
In line 22, the Psammead says ‘Let me alone.’ This means ‘Leave me alone’,
therefore indicating that the Psammead is not pleased to have been disturbed.
12. ‘Sand stirred and spun and scattered’ what is this an example of? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Onomatopoeia
Simile
Metaphor
Alliteration
The phrase above is an example of alliteration. This refers to a set of words which
all contain the same initial letter. Onomatopoeia refers to words that sound like the
‘thing’ they are referring to. Similes describe an object as being like another.
Metaphors describe an object in terms of another.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
13. What reason does the Psammead give for being in the hole? (1 mark)
It had fallen asleep.
This is a text retrieval question. In line 30, the Psammead states ‘I believe I must
have dropped asleep.
14. Which of the descriptions below accurately describes the Psammead? (1
mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
A small, furry, fat creature with brown wings, like a bat
A fat, brown furred creature, with eyes on stalks, like a snail
A brown furred creature, with eight legs, like a spider
A brown furred creature, with a head like a monkey’s.
This question asks the reader to read the character description in lines 27-36
carefully. Although monkeys, spiders and bats are all referred to, it is only option b
that gives a correct summary of the creature’s appearance.
15. What would Jane like to do to the Psammead? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Take it back to her house
Take it to the zoo
Take it to Australia
Leave it alone
In line 37, Jane says ‘Shall we take it home?’, thus option a would be the most
suitable answer. These questions can often catch the reader out as there will often
be words or phrases which are also mentioned in the text in the options given.
Australia is mentioned as this is where the children want to dig through to. The
Psammead wants to be left alone, rather than Jane wanting to leave him alone.
The zoo is not mentioned in this extract.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
16a. What did the Psammead think of Jane’s hat? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
He thought it looked trendy
He thought it looked ridiculous
He thought it looked stylish
He thought it was too big for her head
See explanation below.
16b. Find a word or phrase that tells us this. (1 mark)
“Does she always talk nonsense or is it the rubbish on her head that makes
her silly?”
Or
‘It looked scornfully at Jane’s hat as it spoke’
Either of the above sentences shows the Psammead’s dislike of Jane’s hat. The
first also suggests that the Psammead thinks that the ridiculousness of the hat is
linked to Jane’s ‘silly’ attitude (in his eyes).
17. What does the Psammead do to show that he is offended by the suggestion
that the children might hurt him? (1 mark)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Rub his eyes
Go to sleep
Make his fur stand on end
Throw sand at the children
In line 46 it explains that all of the Psammead’s fur stood on end like a cat when he
felt offended. Although he does rub his eyes and has been awoken from a deep
sleep, these actions are not linked to him being offended. The Psammead never
throws sand at the children.
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Comprehension Answers
The Psammead
18. What language does the word Psammead come from?
The word Psammead comes from the Greek language.
Also accept ‘Greek’.
Although the Psammead does not state this explicitly, the exchange “A
Sammyadd? That's Greek to me." "So it is to everyone," suggests that Psammead
is a word from the Greek language.
19. How do you know that the Psammead has been on the earth for a long time?
He says ‘Well, I knew the world had changed—but’
The phrase above suggests that the Psammead has been on the Earth for a long
time.
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