www.englishraven.com
SS/Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived
wizard english
The Start of a Strange Day for Mr. Dursley…
When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the
W
dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was
nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest
that strange and mysterious things would soon be
happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley
hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for
work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as
she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high
chair.
None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter
past the window.
At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his
briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and
tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because
Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing
his cereal at the walls. “Little tyke,” chortled Mr.
Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car
and backed out of number four’s drive.
It was on the corner of the street that he
noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat
reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley didn’t
realize what he had seen – then he jerked his head
around to look again. There was a tabby cat
standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there
wasn’t a map in sight. What could he have been
thinking of ? It must have been a trick of the light.
Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared
back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and
up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It
was now reading a sign that said Privet Drive – no,
looking at the sign; cats couldn’t read maps or signs.
Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the
cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he
thought of nothing except a large order of drills
he was hoping to get that day.
But on the edge of town, drills were driven out
of his mind by something else. As he sat in the
usual morning traffic jam, he couldn’t help
noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely
dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr.
Dursley couldn’t bear people who dressed in funny
clothes – the getups you saw on young people! He
supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He
drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his
English Raven’s
R ea d i n g
eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing
quite close by. They were whispering excitedly
together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a
couple of them weren’t young at all; why, that man
had to be older than he was, and wearing an
emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then
it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some
silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting
for something… yes, that would be it. The traffic
moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley
arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind
back on drills.
Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the
window in his office on the ninth floor. If he
hadn’t, he might have found it harder to
concentrate on drills that morning. He didn’t see
the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though
people down in the street did; they pointed and
gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped
overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl
even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a
perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at
five different people. He made several important
telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in
a very good mood until lunchtime, when he
thought he’d stretch his legs and walk across the
road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.
He’d forgotten all about the people in cloaks
until he passed a group of them next to the
baker’s. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He
didn’t know why, but they made him uneasy. This
bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he
couldn’t see a single collecting tin. It was on his
way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in
a bag, that he caught a few words of what they
were saying.
“The Potters, that’s right, that’s what I heard –”
“– yes, their son, Harry –”
Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him.
He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted
to say something to them, but thought better of it.
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to
his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb
him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished
dialing his home number when he changed his
mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
English Raven’s
www.englishraven.com
[Text © 1997 by J. K. Rowling]
[Chapter 1 illustration © 1998 by Warner Bros.]
7. What did Mr. Dursley see on his way to work
today?
He saw a lot of people dressed in cloaks.
Some of these people were young and some
of them were old.
8. Describe a “perfectly normal” morning at work
for Mr. Dursley…
[Answers may vary]
During a perfectly normal morning, he
shouts and yells at people, and makes
several important phone calls.
SS/Chapter 1: Comprehension
1. What day is it when this story starts, and how is
the weather?
It’s Tuesday, and the weather is dull and
cloudy.
9. Mr. Dursley heard something that made him
scared – what was it?
He heard people talking about the Potters.
10. Why did he decide not to call his wife?
He thought he was being stupid, that
2. What time does Mr. Dursley go to work?
At half past eight (8.30)
3. How does Mr. Dursley get to work?
Potter was a common name, and he didn’t
want to upset his wife.
4. What was the “first sign of something peculiar”
that Mr. Dursley noticed?
11. Match these words to their synonyms:
suppose
a. kiss
strange
b. eye
look
c. angry
peck
d. funny
enraged
e. think
5. What is the name of the company where Mr.
Dursley works?
12. Match these words to their opposites:
dull
a. uneasy
confident
b. normal
happy
c. distribute
peculiar
d. interesting
collect
e. upset
He drives his car to work.
He thought he saw a cat reading a map.
Grunnings
6. What does this company sell?
Drills
English Raven’s
13. Try to match names with descriptions:
Mr. Dursley
a. tantrum
Mrs. Dursley
b. nephew
Dudley
c. gossiping
Harry
d. enraged
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
his mustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid.
Potter wasn’t such an unusual name. He was sure
there were lots of people called Potter who had a
son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn’t
even sure his nephew was called Harry. He’d never
even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or
Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs.
Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of
her sister. He didn’t blame her – if he’d had a sister
like that… but all the same, those people dressed
in cloaks…
www.englishraven.com
Writers do not always give all of their information in the text. Sometimes you have to figure out or guess
about information that is not directly stated. This is called making inferences.
Look at the inferences below. Write “Y” next to the inferences that can be made, and “N” next to the
inferences that cannot be made. For each inference, list a clue from the text that supports or disproves that
inference.
Clue from Text:
Inference:
1. Mr. Dursley prefers to wear uninteresting
clothes to work.
YES
He hummed as he picked out his most
boring tie for work.
2. Mrs. Dursley is a very quiet lady who doesn’t
like to talk much. NO
Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily
3. Dudley is a calm and quiet baby.
screaming Dudley… having a tantrum
NO
4. Mr. Dursley thinks that people in funny
clothes are perfectly normal.
NO
Mr. Dursley couldn’t bear people who dressed
in funny clothes… getups… wierdos
5. Mr. Dursley lives outside the city but works in
the city.
YES
As he drove toward town…
on the edge of town
6. Mr. Dursley prefers not to look out the
window when he is in his office.
YES
Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the
window in his office…
YES
7. Mr. Dursley’s office is located in a tall building.
8. Most people have seen owls before.
NO
In his office on the ninth floor.
Most of them had never seen an owl
9. Several people work in Mr. Dursley’s office. YES
He yelled at five different people.
10. Mr. Dursley is very kind to the people that
work for him.
NO
He yelled at five different people… snapped at
11. Harry Potter is Mr. Dursley’s sister’s son. NO
12. Mrs. Dursley is always happy to get news about
her sister.
NO
Mrs. Dursley… upset at mention of her sister
Mrs. Dursley… upset at mention of her sister
13. Mr. Dursley was not happy to see strange
people in cloaks next to the bakery.
YES
He eyed them angrily, they made him uneasy
14. Mr. Dursley knows Harry Potter very well. NO
He’d never even seen the boy
15. The strange people in cloaks are very nervous
and scared about something.
NO
They were whispering excitedly together.
This bunch were whispering excitedly, too
English Raven’s
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
SS/Chapter 1: Skill Focus – Making Inferences
www.englishraven.com
1.
What kind of person does Mr. Dursley appear to be?
from the text to describe his character.
Try to use examples
[Answers will vary]
He appears to love his family (his wife and his son), because he kisses
them happily before he goes to work, and he doesn’t mind Dudley
screaming and having tantrums.
He doesn’t like unusual people or unusual
clothes, and he likes to shout and yell at people at his work.
He seems to
get angry very often and very easily, even over small things.
2.
Do you have an idea who the strange people in cloaks are? Who are they,
and why do you think they are out in public everywhere?
[Answers will vary]
The people in cloaks are probably wizards.
They are out in public because they are very happy at the news that
Voldemort is finally dead.
3.
Later in the chapter, the Dursley family will find Harry Potter on their
doorstep. How do you think they will react? Why?
[Answers will vary]
They will probably be very shocked and very upset.
Mrs. Dursley
doesn’t like her sister because she is strange and a shame to the family.
Mr. Dursley doesn’t like unusual people, and Dudley is not a nice boy.
4.
Make a chart to show which things in the text you would find normal, and
which ones you would find unusual.
Normal Events:
Unusual Events:
[Answers will vary]
[Answers will vary]
Mr. Dursley goes to work
Cat reading a map
Traffic jam
People in cloaks
Go to the bakery at lunchtime
Many owls flying during the day
Work in an office in a building
English Raven’s
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
SS/Chapter 1: Critical Thinking
www.englishraven.com
dull
to suggest that
hum
pick out
gossip away
wrestle
high chair
tawny
flutter
peck
tantrum
tyke
chortle
back out
notice
sign
peculiar
realize
jerk
tabby
in sight
trick
blink
stare
mind
drill
drive out
traffic jam
about
cloak
bear
funny
getups
suppose
huddle
weirdo
enraged
nerve
strike… that
stunt
obviously
collect
back to
concentrate on
swoop
in broad daylight
gaze
overhead
(adj)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(adj)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(n)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(adj)
(v)
(v)
(adj)
(n)
(n)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(n)
(v)
(n)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
(n)
(n)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
(n)
(adv)
(v)
(adj)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(v)
(adv)
Reading: English to English Wordlist
boring, not interesting
[here=] to show that, to reveal that
sing without words and without opening one’s mouth
choose, select
talk fast about unimportant things
[here=] move by force
a special chair for babies, raised higher than normal chairs
light brown color
fly, move wings quickly
[here=] kiss quickly, like a bird movement
angry mood/temper, crying and screaming in anger
[expr.] small child, small dog (affectionate)
laugh, chuckle
move backwards (esp. car or vehicle)
[here=] see
[here=] evidence, indication
strange, uncommon, unusual
understand, know, notice
move quickly/suddenly
black and gray/blue color (esp. cat)
vision, visible
deception, fooling s.b. to see or think s.th.
close and open one’s eyes very quickly
look hard at, focus one’s eyes for a long moment
[here=] thoughts, thinking
electric tool for creating holes or putting in screws
move or push out
a busy crowd of cars that can’t move because there are too many
[here=] around, be somewhere
large coat, usually with a hood for the head and no arm sleeves
[here=] tolerate, “put up with”, accept
[here=] strange, peculiar, not normal
[expr.] clothes, clothing combinations in a particular style
think, guess
a group, close together
strange or ‘funny’ person, a non-normal person
very angry
[here=] bravery, daring
[here=] occur to s.b. that, appear, look like to s.b.
trick, act, attempt to fool or impress people
clearly, easy to see
[here=] get money by asking people for donations
[here=] back towards, not facing
think about
fly, fly down and then up in a curve
in bright light, during the daylight when anyone can see
look or stare with interest
above, high
English Raven’s
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
SS/Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived
www.englishraven.com
perfectly
owl-free
yell
mood
stretch
eye
uneasy
bunch
clutch
catch
dead
fear
flood
dash
snap at
disturb
seize
dial
receiver
stroke
mustache
unusual
point
upset
mention
blame
(adj)
(adj)
(v)
(n)
(v)
(v)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
(v)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)
(n)
(v)
(n)
(adj)
(n)
(adj)
(n)
(v)
Reading: English to English Wordlist
[here=] very
[expr.] without owls, no owls
shout, talk or call loudly
feeling
make longer, move muscles
look at, stare
worried, anxious, not happy, nervous
group
hold tightly
[here=] hear
not alive [here=] not moving
worry, feeling of being scared, fright
move quickly over a big area (esp. water)
move or run very quickly
speak quickly and angrily
bother, interrupt
grab, hold tightly
choose telephone numbers when making a telephone call
part of telephone that one holds when listening and speaking
touch lightly/gently
small beard/hair above mouth and below nose
strange, not normal, uncommon
[here=] bonus or benefit
angry and sad
talk, announced casually
accuse, be angry at someone for something they do
Reading: Expressions and Phrases
nothing to suggest that…
for a second
put s.th. out of one’s mind
have s.th. driven out of one’s mind by
not help noticing
drum one’s fingers
the nerve of s.th/s.b!
gaze open-mouthed at
stretch one’s legs
catch a few words of
stop dead
be flooded with fear
think better of s.th.
come to think of it,
no point in doing s.th.
not blame s.b.
but all the same,
English Raven’s
no indication, no evidence of something
for a brief/quick moment
forget about, not think about anymore
forget about s.th. because of something else
forced to see or know, even if one doesn’t mean to
tap one’s fingers (like a drum roll), when bored or impatient
the bravery/courage of s.b., (esp.) when they are doing a bad thing
look in surprise or interest at, with the mouth open in amazement
get some quick exercise, do some walking
hear some of the words s.b is saying
stop suddenly and completely, in complete surprise or shock
be scared suddenly
change one’s mind, decide not to do s.th
= if I think a little more about it, when I think seriously about it
nothing to be gained, nothing good if one doe’s something
understand s.b.’s situation, feel the same way as s.b. else
however
wizard english
ANNOTATED TEACHER’S VERSION
SS/Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived