Activity worksheets PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
LEVEL 6
Oliver Twist
While reading
Chapters 1–5, pages 1–16
1 Are these sentences true (T) or not true (NT)?
a Oliver’s mother dies very soon after he is
born.
c
b Mrs Mann takes for herself some of the
money from the weekly allowance for the
children.
c
c Mr Bumble takes Oliver to the large
workhouse when Oliver is ten.
c
d At the large workhouse, the boys receive three bowls of soup and three pieces of bread per day.
c
e The officials decide to send Oliver away from the workhouse because he asked for
more food.
c
f The magistrate doesn’t allow Oliver to go away with Mr Gamfield because he can see that the chimney sweep looks cruel.
c
2 Complete the following sentences with the
best answer.
a Oliver cries as he goes with Mr Bumble to Mr Sowerberry’s house because he is …
1 afraid.
2 lonely.
3 in pain.
b When Mrs Sowerberry first sees Oliver, she
doesn’t like him because …
1 he’s ugly.
2 he’s crying.
3 he’s small.
c Oliver attacks Noah Claypole because …
1 Noah insults Oliver’s mother.
2 Noah steals Oliver’s breakfast.
3 Noah insults Oliver by calling him
‘Workhouse’.
d Oliver is locked in the cellar because …
1 he has been eating too much meat.
2 he is refusing to work.
3 he has become violent.
Chapters 6 –10, pages 16–35
3 Who is it? Write the name of the character.
a …………………… is only a boy but dresses
like and has the mannerisms of a man.
b …………………… is cooking sausages and
sorting out silk handkerchiefs.
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c …………………… pretends to be asleep
while Fagin is counting his collection of
treasure.
d …………………… has a very noisy laugh.
e …………………… suspects Oliver Twist of
pickpocketing his handkerchief.
f …………………… sentences Oliver to three
months in prison.
g …………………… tells the magistrate who
the real thieves were.
Chapters 11–15, pages 36–61
4 Put the following events in the order of the
time at which they occurred. Write 1–7.
a c Bill Sikes and Toby Crackit attempt to rob
a house in Chertsey.
b c Nancy takes Oliver from Fagin’s house to
Bill Sikes’ house.
c c Fagin meets Monks on the corner of the
street.
d c Toby Crackit goes to Fagin’s house to give
him some bad news.
e c Oliver is shot and wounded.
f c Bill Sikes and Nancy kidnap Oliver.
g c Charley Bates and the Artful Dodger tell
Bill Sikes that Oliver has been arrested.
5 Who is speaking? What are they talking
about?
a ‘I’m surprised they don’t murder you. I would
if I was in their place.’
………………………………………………
b ‘Oh my brother! What has happened to him?’
………………………………………………
c ‘Such silver, my dear, such silver!’
………………………………………………
d ‘So if you do make up your mind to speak
without permission, say your prayers first.’
………………………………………………
Chapters 16–20, pages 61–76
6 Answer the following questions.
a Why do Mrs Maylie and Rose decide to keep
Oliver in their house?
………………………………………………
b What do you think Dickens is trying to teach
the reader in Chapter 16?
………………………………………………
Oliver Twist - Activity worksheets
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Activity worksheets PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
LEVEL 6
Oliver Twist
c How does Dr Losberne save Oliver from
being arrested by the police?
………………………………………………
d What kind of life does Oliver lead in the
country with Mrs Maylie and Rose?
………………………………………………
7 Match the characters in the box with the
adjectives below. (You may find that some of
the adjectives correspond to more than one
character).
Mr Bumble Bill Sikes Monks Dr Losberne Rose Mrs Maylie Nancy
8
a tall ……
b kind-hearted ……
c cruel ……
d generous ……
e dark ……
f mysterious ……
g self-important ……
h greedy ……
i affectionate ……
j bad-tempered ……
k fearful ……
l anxious ……
Which of these sentences are true (T) and
which of them are not true (NT)? Correct the
ones which are not true.
a Monks gives Mrs Bumble £20 for her
information about Old Sally.
………………………………………………
b In the leather bag in Old Sally’s hand there
was a gold chain, two locks of hair and a
wedding ring.
………………………………………………
c Sikes sends Nancy to Fagin’s to get some food.
………………………………………………
d Nancy listens secretly to the conversation
between Fagin and Sikes.
………………………………………………
Chapters 21–25, pages 77–95
9 Complete these sentences in your own words.
a Sikes is surprised by Nancy’s appearance
because
………………………………………………
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b Nancy tells Rose that Monks promised Fagin
money if
………………………………………………
c Nancy tells Rose that Monks has proof of
………………………………………………
d Nancy says she will walk on London Bridge
every Sunday night so that
………………………………………………
e Fagin has Nancy followed because he thinks
………………………………………………
f Bill Sikes kills Nancy because
………………………………………………
Chapters 26–30, pages 95–113
10 Explain how these people and/or places are
connected. Write sentences in the spaces
provided.
a Bill Sikes and France
………………………………………………
b Edward Leeford and Monks
………………………………………………
c Oliver Twist and Edward Leeford
………………………………………………
d Bill Sikes and Jacob’s Island
………………………………………………
e Mr Brownlow and Oliver Twist
………………………………………………
After reading
11 Work with another student. Talk about your
opinions on how the story ends by asking and
answering the following questions about the
characters in the box.
Fagin Oliver Twist Charley Bates
Mr and Mrs Bumble Monks
a How does the story end for these characters?
b Do you think the characters get what they
deserve?
c To which of the above characters do you feel
most sympathy for?
d Which of the characters is your least
favourite?
Oliver Twist - Activity worksheets of 2
Progress test
LEVEL 6
Oliver Twist
1 In which order do the following things happen.
Write numbers 1–9.
a c Nancy tells Rose Maylie that Oliver is in
danger.
b c Oliver is arrested for picking Mr Brownlow’s
pocket.
c c Oliver takes part in a robbery with Bill Sikes
and Toby Crackit.
d c Mr Bumble meets Monks in a public house.
e c Fagin suspects Nancy has another lover and has
her followed.
f c Nancy overhears Monks talking about Oliver to
Fagin in the street.
g c Oliver arrives in Barnet and meets the Artful
Dodger.
h c Nancy meets Mr Brownlow on London Bridge.
i c Nancy goes to the police station to find out
what has happened to Oliver.
2 Who is who? Complete the following sentences by filling in each of the blanks with the name of one of the characters from the list in the box.
Sometimes, there may be more than one correct
answer.
Oliver Twist Bill Sikes Fagin Mr Bumble
Mr Brownlow Monks Nancy Mr Grimwig
the Artful Dodger Rose Maylie Dr Losberne
a ……… is greedy and has an inflated opinion of his
own importance.
b ……… and ……… become very good friends at
the end of the story.
c The most violent character in the book is probably
……… .
d The two male characters who do the most to help
Oliver Twist are ……… and ……… .
e Three characters who provide comic relief in the
story are ………, ………, and ……… .
f The most deceitful character in the book is ……… .
g The bravest character is the book is ……… .
h ……… and ……… have the same father.
3 Choose the best alternative title for each of the
following chapters.
1 Chapter 6 …
a Oliver Walks Twenty Miles
b Oliver Meets Fagin.
c Oliver Arrives in Barnet
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2 Chapter 11 …
a Bill Sikes Threatens Fagin
b Nancy Goes to the Police Station
c Oliver is Kidnapped
3 Chapter 16 …
a Oliver has a Lucky Break
b The Police Question Giles
c The Police Question Oliver
4 Are these sentences true (T) or not true (NT)?
a c Oliver’s first job is with a chimney sweep.
b c Oliver has better food at the undertaker’s than
at the workhouse.
c c Fagin and Bill Sikes plan to rob Mr Brownlow’s
house.
d c The Maylies base their judgement of Oliver on
his appearance.
e c Oliver escapes being questioned by the police
thanks to the kindness of Mr Giles.
f c Mr Brownlow was friends with Oliver Twist’s
father.
g c Fagin attempts to commit suicide in his prison
cell.
5 Fill in the gaps with ONE suitable word.
Oliver Twist was born in a ……… to an ………
mother. His mother died soon after he was ………,
and he grew up with twenty or thirty other young
……… . When he was nine he was ……… to an
undertaker, but he was so unhappy there that he
decided to run ……… .
After walking for many days, he arrived in ………
where he met Jack Dawkins who said he knew an old
gentleman who would offer him ……… and a job.
Oliver accepted the offer, but it soon became clear that
the old gentleman was in fact the leader of a gang of
……… .
The old man tried to teach him how to ………
pockets, but Oliver was not a good pupil and he was
……… while out on his first ‘job’.
Fortunately for Oliver, the man whose pocket the gang
had picked took ……… on him and Oliver’s fortunes
began slowly to change.
The gang managed to ……… Oliver once more and
forced him to take part in a ………, but in the end
everything ended well for him, and he was ……… by
Mr Brownlow and lived a happy and contented life.
Oliver Twist - Progress test
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