Answer keys
LEVEL 4
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
Macbeth
Book key
1
2
3
4
5
Open answers
a traitor, tyrant, witch
b armour, battle, dagger, surrender, sword, victory
c ambition, fate, predict
Open answers
a Macbeth
b Banquo
c the supernatural
d murder
e the Thane of Cawdor
f his land and property
g the crown
h Duncan
Macbeth is afraid of the witches and of killing
Duncan.
They are both ambitious, although Lady Macbeth is
more impatient.
Lady Macbeth is angry with Macbeth because he does
not want to murder Duncan.
Macbeth is a brave soldier.
Lady Macbeth is not worried about killing Duncan in
his sleep and blaming the guards for the murder.
Lady Macbeth says that Macbeth is too kind and
gentle.
Lady Macbeth has a stronger character than Macbeth.
Macbeth has a weaker character than Lady Macbeth.
He finally agrees that he should murder Duncan.
6 – 8 Open answers
9 a 7 b 3 c 7 d 7 e 7 f 3 g 7 h 3
i 7
10 Possible answers:
a confused and frightened
b happy; calm and clear-headed
c shocked and angry
d shocked
e afraid and upset
11 a Macbeth imagines that it is leading him to
Duncan’s bedroom.
b Macbeth thinks that it ‘invites’ him to the crime.
c After he kills Duncan, Macbeth believes that he
hears a loud voice saying, ‘Macbeth has murdered
Sleep’. It is a sign that he is unable to think clearly.
d Lennox says that there was a strong wind and
strange screams in the night. It is another example
of the supernatural in the story.
e This makes people believe that they are responsible
for their father’s murder.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008
12 Possible answers:
a They are afraid for their lives. They are unwise
to do this, because everybody thinks that they
murdered their father. It also means that Macbeth
becomes the next king.
b He has left the country and people think that he is
a murderer.
c Open answers
13 a–b Open answers
c their = the witches; you = Macbeth; the witches
predicted that his children would be kings
14 Open answers
15 a thinks
b have not
c do not blame
d does not know
e escapes
f cannot
g has
h do not have
16 a Macbeth is afraid of Banquo’s ‘royal quality’. He
does not want Banquo’s sons to be kings. After the
murder, Banquo’s ghost frightens him and makes
him behave strangely for the first time in public.
b Fleance escapes the murderers and will now be
Macbeth’s enemy.
c Macduff has gone to England to ask King Edward
for help against Macbeth.
d Malcolm is in England and knows that Macbeth is
a murderer.
e Lennox and Ross have suspicions about Macbeth.
17 a Macbeth is talking to the two murderers about
Banquo.
b Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth about why
they are not happy with their success.
c Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth about his
future plan (to kill Banquo), which she knows
nothing about.
d Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth about his
strange behaviour at dinner when he sees Banquo’s
ghost.
e Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth about why he
cannot act calmly and wisely after his crimes.
f Ross is talking to Lennox about why Malcolm is in
England.
18 Lennox is talking about Macduff, who has gone to
England. Macduff is going to ask for the English
king’s help to free Scotland from Macbeth.
Macbeth - Answer keys
of 3
Answer keys
LEVEL 4
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
Macbeth
19 –20 Open answers
21 a A soldier warns Macbeth about Macduff.
b The ghost of Banquo follows eight kings across the
stage.
c Macbeth receives three spoken predictions.
d Lady Macduff thinks that her husband has acted
badly/unwisely/foolishly.
e A murderer kills Macduff ’s son with a knife.
f Ross brings Macduff bad news about his family.
g Malcolm has an army of ten thousand soldiers.
h Macduff wants to fight face to face with Macbeth.
22 a 3 b 6 c 4 d 2 e 7 f 5 g 8 h 1
23 –25 Open answers
26 a 6 b 4 c 7 d 2 e 5 f 1 g 8 h 3
27 Macbeth is responsible for the deaths of Banquo,
Duncan and Lady Macduff. (Lady Macbeth kills
herself.) (The Thane of Cawdor is executed.) Fleance
does not die.
28 –39 Open answers
Discussion activities key
1–2 Open answers
3 a dagger, page 15
witches, page 4
a sword, pages 4, 15, 40
a crown, pages 31, 49
a lamp, page 45
a moor, page 4
armour, pages 4, 31, 49
a ghost, page 31
4 a after
b eleventh century
c Stratford-upon-Avon
d 37
e Inverness
f Yes, but the story was changed quite a lot.
g ‘the Scottish play’. They believe it is unlucky to call
the play by its name.
5 –19 Open answers
Activity worksheets key
1
2
3
4
a 3 b 2 c 1 d 6 e 5 f 4
a 2 b 3 c 1 d 3 e 2
a tired b bed c wine d guards e sleep
f kill g daggers h blood i sad
a 2 b 1 c 3
c Pearson Education Limited 2008
5 a Macbeth is talking to Banquo. He is explaining why
he is not yet asleep. his means Duncan’s.
b Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth. He has just
killed Duncan. This is the sight of his bloody
hands.
c Banquo is talking to Lady Macbeth. Banquo thinks
that she is too worried about her reputation and not
enough about the king’s death. It means the murder
of the king.
d Macbeth is talking to Macduff, Lennox, Ross,
Malcolm and Donalbain. He is trying to make
them believe that he killed the two guards because
he loved the King. them means the two guards.
e Ross is replying to Macduff after Macduff tells him
that he thinks the King’s sons paid the guards to kill
their father. their are Duncan’s sons’.
6 a 6 b 2 c 4 d 1 e 5 f 3
7 a Fleance b Ross c Banquo d Lady Macbeth
8 a T b F c T d T e F f T
9 a pot
b bloody
c a crown
d like
e father
f left
g Macduff ’s son
h fight
10 a The second witch is talking to the other witches.
Something means Macbeth.
b Macbeth is talking to the witches about the line of
kings. his means Banquo’s.
c Macbeth is talking to himself. this thing means the
killing of Macduff, his wife and children.
d Lady Macduff is speaking to Ross. He means her
husband.
e Ross is talking to Macduff. the worst news is the
news that Macduff ’s wife and son have been killed.
11 a afraid – pleased or happy
b the witches – the kings or his sons
c agrees – disagrees
d afraid – not afraid
e money – men or soldiers
12 a Lady Macbeth is talking to herself while washing
her hands in her sleep. the old man means Duncan.
b Macbeth is replying to his servant Seyton after
Seyton tells him Lady Macbeth has killed herself.
she means Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth - Answer keys of 3
Answer keys
LEVEL 4
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher Support Programme
Macbeth
c A messenger is talking to Macbeth. the forest is
really the trees held by the soldiers as they come
near Macbeth’s castle.
d Macbeth is talking to Macduff during their final
fight. They are the three witches.
13 a 5 b 1 c 3 d 6 e 4 f 2
14 a–f Open answers
Progress test key
1 a witch b king c captain d thanes
2 a on the moor b Macbeth c funny d unhappy
3 a 3 b 7 c 3 d ?
4 a sleeping b guards c afraid d dark
5 a 5 b 6 c 3 d 1 e 7 f 4 g 2
6 a T b F c T d F
7 a 4 b 1 c 6 d 2 e 5 f 3
8 a Lady Macduff b Macduff ’s son c Ross
d Edward
9 a afraid b kill herself c armour
d joined the other side
c Pearson Education Limited 2008
Macbeth - Answer keys of 3