Activity worksheets
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
LEVEL 6
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
While reading
Chapters 1–3
1 Matchthequestionswiththeanswers.
a WheredidMarguerite’slightpurpledress
comefrom?…..
b Inherimagination,whyisMargueriteblack?
…..
c WhatgoesdownMarguerite’slegs?…..
d WhydoesMargueritelaughassherunsdown
intotheyard?…..
e WhatdoesMargueriteknowisgoingto
happentoherwhenshegetshome?…..
f HowoftendoesMargueriteeatfreshmeat?
…..
g HowdoesMargueritefeelaboutgoinginto
townwithmoneyinherpocket?…..
h HowdoesMargueritethinkwhitepeople
walk?…..
1) Becauseamagicianturnedherintoablack
girl.
2) Ontheirheelslikehorses.
3) Twiceayear.
4) Pee.
5) Itbelongedtoawhitewoman.
6) Sheisgoingtogetawhipping.
7) Becausesheisfreefromthesillychurch.
8) Joyful.
2 Arethesesentencestrue(T)orfalse(F)?
a MargueriteandBaileyaresentbyship
tolivewiththeirgrandmother.
c
b UncleWilliehasbeencrippledsince
hewasborn.
c
c MargueritewishesthatUncleWillie
washerfather.
c
d UncleWilliehideshiswalkingstick,
standserectandpretendsnottobe
crippled.
c
e ThecoupletakeapictureofUncle
WillieintheStore.
c
Chapters 4 – 6
3 Finishthesesentences.
a IfMargueritegoestobedwithdirtyfeet,
Mommawakesherinthenightbyhittingher
feetwitha………….
b IfMommawasn’tpolitetothepoor-whitetrashgirls,shewouldn’thave…………the
contest.
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c IfthejudgeknewthatMrs.Hendersonwasa
blackwoman,hewouldn’tcallher………….
d IfMommadidn’town…………andhouses,
UncleWilliewouldn’tbeabletowearreadyto-wearclothes.
e IfUncleWilliedidn’twearafreshwhite
shirteveryday,Margueritewouldn’thaveto
…………sevenwhiteshirts.
4 MatchtheeventsinMarguerite’slifewithher
feelingsaboutthem.
a MargueriteandBaileyreceiveChristmas
presentsfromtheirparentslivingin
California.…..
b Margueriteseeshowhandsomeherfatheris.
…..
c Marguerite’sfathertellsherthathehasto
returntoCalifornia.…..
d Margueriterealizesshewillmeethermother.
…..
e Margueriteseeshermother’sbeautifulfacefor
thefirsttime.…..
1) proud
2) relieved
3) afraid
4) abandoned
5) speechless
5 Fillinthemissingletterstospellwordsfound
inChapters4to6.
a __rt_ b w____r c __st
d __r_b___d e _a_ty f b___t_f__
g ___rch h __no_ i p___d
j f____y k __n_ly l tr____e
m h__d___e n __w_r o g__b___g
p w__sk__ q h_rt r n__gh__
s pa_n t t_rr___e
Chapters 7–9
6 Whosaysthesentencesa−h?Whoarethey
talkingto?
a “Now,Junior,becarefulyoudon’ttellanot
true.”
…………………to…………………
b “Ihadplannedtoinviteyouforcookiesand
lemonadesowecouldhavethislittlechat.”
…………………to…………………
c “She’sasweetlittlething,though.”
…………………to…………………
d “MynameusedtobeHallelujah.”
…………………to…………………
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Activity worksheets of 2
Activity worksheets
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
LEVEL 6
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
e “Thatclumsynigger.Clumsylittleblack
nigger.”
…………………to…………………
f “Gogetyoursweater,andbringmemine.”
…………………to…………………
g “Youknowit’snightandyou’rejustgetting
home?”
…………………to…………………
h “Thinkyou’regettingtooold,doyou?”
…………………to…………………
7 Matchthepeoplewiththedescriptions.
a Mrs.Flowers…..
b Mrs.Cullinan…..
c MissGlory…..
d KayFrancis…..
e Louise…..
f TommyValdon…..
g MissWilliams…..
1) isawhitemoviestarwholookslike
Marguerite’smother.
2) livesinathree-bedroomhouse.
3) sendsMargueriteavalentine.
4) hasdarkblackskin.
5) becomesMarguerite’sfriend.
6) isMarguerite’steacher.
7) hasworkedforMrs.Cullinanfortwenty
years.
Chapters 10 –12
8 Writethecorrectformofgraduateinthe
sentences.
a Largeclassesfromboththeelementaryschool
andthehighschoolare………….
b Theprincipal’swifewillplaythe…………
march.
c Thelower-grade…………walktotheirseats
belowtheplatform.
d Bailey…………theyearbefore.
e Margueriteis…………atthetopofher
class.
f Asamemberofthe…………classof1940,
Margueriteputsunpleasantfeelingsbehind
her.
9 Whathappensfirst?Whathappensnext?
Writethenumbers,1–8.
a c WorldWarIIstartsfortheAmericans
whentheyareattackedbytheJapanese.
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b c MommagoesbacktoArkansas.
c c MotherDearmarriesDaddyClidelland
theymovetoSanFrancisco.
d c MommaandMargueritearriveinLos
AngelesandmeetMotherDear.
e c MotherDeardrivesMargueriteandBailey
toSanFrancisco.
f c MotherDear,GrandmotherBaxter,Bailey
andMargueritespendafewmonthsinan
apartmentinOakland.
g c MotherDearreturnstoSanFranciscoto
findaplaceforthefamilytolive.
h c BaileyarrivesinSanFrancisco.
Chapters 13–15
10 Matchtheletters(a–f )withthenumbers
(1–6)tomakesentencesfromthestory.
a Ibelievethatmytalentwithaforeign
languagewastheonlyqualityIhadthat
impressedDolores.…..
b Signsinformedmethatwewereheadingfor
Ensenada.…..
c Peoplepattedmeontheback,shookDad’s
hand,andspokearapidSpanishthatIwas
unabletofollow.…..
d IfDoloresknew,shewoulddie.…..
e Iwasextremelyintelligentandhadgood
physicalskills.…..
f AndifIfailedtohidethewoundwewere
certaintoexperienceanothersceneof
violence.…..
1) Baileywastheheroofthehour,andashe
respondedtotheopenshowoffriendship
Isawanewsideoftheman.
2) IthoughtofpoorMr.Freeman,andthe
guiltwhichremainedinmyheart,even
afterallthoseyears,returned.
3) Shecouldn’tattemptthestrangesounds.
4) Thethoughtofthatkeptmehappyfora
longtime.
5) Onthatjourneyalongthetwistedroads
besidethesteepmountain,Ifearedthat
IwouldnevergetbacktoAmerica,
civilization,English,andwidestreets
again.
6) OfcourseIcoulddrive.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Activity worksheets
2 of 2
Progress test
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
LEVEL 6
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Photocopiable
Chapters 1–3
Chapters 10–12
1 Writetherightwordsinthesentences.
black cautiously curls marriage next
night purple whites
a Margueritewearsalight…………dress.
b Herparents’…………isdisastrous.
c ThetownregardsMarguerite………….
d UncleWilliecriesthewhole………….
e Mr.McElroylives…………totheStore.
f Baileyispraisedforhisdark…………skin.
g Bailey’shairfelldowninblack………….
h Margueriteknowsthat…………aredifferent.
4 Matchthesentences(a–f )withthepeoplewhosay
them(1– 6).
a “OneofthebestbasketballplayersatFisk
UniversitysankhisfirstballrighthereatLafayette
CountyTrainingSchool.”…..
b “Theydon’treallyhateus.Theydon’tknowus.”
…..
c “Thewhitemancalledmetocomeandhelptoo.”
…..
d “Whowasit?Whowasthewhiteman?”…..
e “Ritie.Ritie.Come,butbeveryquiet.”…..
f “Iamcertainthatallofyouhavereadthearticle.”
…..
1) UncleWillie
2) Mr.Donleavy
3) Mother
4) Momma
5) Bailey
6) MissKirwin
Chapters 4 – 6
2 Writetherightwordsinthesentences.
burden feel frighten kill mouth powder
scared ungrateful
a “Here’ssugar,MissPotter,andhere’sbaking
………….”
b “Theyonly…………meifyou’rearound.Alone,
Iknowhowtohandlethem.”
c “No,youcan’tdoit.Your…………ain’tpushed
outenough.”
d “Glory,glory,praisetheLord,whenIlaymy
…………down.”
e “Yourchildrenarethemost…………thingsIever
saw.”
f “Howareyougoingto…………seeingyour
mother?”
g “Now,Ididn’thurtyou.Don’tget………….”
h “Andifyoutell,I’mgonna…………Bailey.”
Chapters 7–9
3 Whoarethepeopleinitalics?Underlineyour
choices.
a WewereonthetraingoingbacktoStamps,and
thistimeIhadtocomfortBailey.Marguerite and
Bailey/Marguerite and Momma
b Theirdecisiontobesatisfiedwithlife’sunfairness
wasalessonforme.people living in Stamps/
people living in St. Louis
c Thenhewouldquicklysendmeonsomeerrand
thatwouldtakemeoutofhispresence.Bailey/
Uncle Willie
d SoIwasunderstood,ifnotforgiven.Bailey/
Marguerite
e Shehadthegracetoappearwarminthecoldest
weather,andonthehotArkansassummerdaysshe
seemedcool.Mother/Mrs. Flowers
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Chapters 13–15
5 Matchtheletters(a–h)withthenumbers(1–8)to
completethesentences.
a DaddyBaileyinvitesMargueritetospendthe
summerwithhim…..
b DaddyBaileyhasagirlfriend,…..
c DeloresliveswithDaddyBaileyinasmallhouse
…..
d DelorestrieshardtomakeMargueriteinto
something…..
e DaddyBaileyisamusedandseemstoenjoy
Marguerite’s…..
f InSanFrancisco,Baileymadenewfriendsandhis
language…..
g MargueritegoesintoBailey’sroomandfindshim
…..
h Margueritedoesn’texpecttointeresteitherbrother
…..
1) shecanreasonablyaccept.
2) changed.
3) insouthernCalifornia.
4) discomfort.
5) throwinghisclothesintoapillowcase.
6) permanently.
7) ontheoutskirtsoftown.
8) whobeganwritingletterstoMargueritesome
monthsbefore.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Progress test of