Mr Sch oo lin g’s Extr a w ork (3 ):
O l iver Tw is t
by CH A RL E S DI CK E N S
Read the chapter below and, using a paper or online dictionary if necessary, find the vocabulary marked 1 to 40. (/20)
Chapter Three: On the road to London
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Oliver didn’t know where to go. He walked for a long time and he was very tired1. He sat down on a milestone2 to rest3. The
milestone said: LONDON 70 miles. “London!” he thought. “Mr Bumble can’t find me in London!” So, Oliver began walking
again.
Oliver walked 20 miles the first day. He ate only one piece of bread with some water. At night he slept near4 the road. The
next morning he was cold and hungry. He bought some bread with his only5 penny. He walked 12 miles that day. As6 the days
passed Oliver became weak7. A kind8 man gave him some bread and cheese9. A poor10 lady gave him some food and kind
words.
On the seventh day Oliver was exhausted11. He arrived in a little town near London. He sat near the road to rest. Then a
strange boy looked at Oliver and said, “Hello! What’s the matter?12”
The boy had big ears13 and little eyes. He was short. He was Oliver’s age. He wore a long man’s coat14 and a man’s hat.
Oliver told him his sad15 story. “Come with me!” said the strange boy. “I can help you.” He smiled16 and took Oliver to an inn17.
At the inn, Oliver had bread, ham18 and something to drink. “I feel better19,” said Oliver. The boy asked, “Are you going to
London?”
“Yes,” answered Oliver.
“Do you want a place to sleep?”
“Oh, yes please,” said Oliver. “I slept outside in the cold for seven nights.”
“Stay with me! I know an old man in London. You can sleep at his house.”
Oliver was happy to accept his help.
“My name’s Jack Dawkins, but they call me “Dodger.” The two boys walked to the big city together.
It was almost20 eleven p.m. when they arrived in London. Oliver followed21 Dodger. He looked at the small, dirty22 streets
and the old houses. The ground was wet. Everything was ugly23. There was an awful24 smell25 everywhere26.
Dodger stopped in front of an old, black house. He and Oliver went up some broken stairs27. They entered a dark, dirty room.
There were a lot of young boys. There was an ugly old man near the fire. He had red hair and red beard28. He wore dirty clothes.
He smiled at Oliver and said, “I’m happy to meet you. I’m Fagin.” Oliver looked at all the handkerchiefs29 hanging30 in the
room. Fagin said, “We washed them. Now sit down and eat some sausages.” Oliver was happy to eat some hot food in a warm
room. He soon31 fell asleep.
The next morning Oliver woke up late32. Fagin prepared a cup of coffee. He turned around33 and looked at Oliver. Oliver
closed his eyes and didn’t move34. Fagin thought, “Oliver is still asleep.” So he took a box from a secret place in the floor. He
put the box on the table and opened it. He took out35 many beautiful watches36 and splendid jewels37.
Suddenly, Fagin saw Oliver wake up. Fagin quickly closed the box. He was angry and said, “Why are you awake?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I just opened my eyes,” said Oliver.
“Uh, did you see those pretty38 things?” asked Fagin.
“Yes, sir,” said Oliver.
“I’m an old man and they are all I have. Now go and wash your face.”
Oliver thought, “Fagin must be a miser39! He lives in a dirty place and has many jewels.” At that moment Dodger and his
friend Charley Bates arrived. They all sat down and had breakfast.
“Did you boys work this morning?” Fagin asked.
“Yes, we did. Look, here are some wallets40 and some handkerchiefs.”
Part One: Reading Comprehension (/30)
Fill in the blanks to summarise Chapter Three. (/10)
Oliver sat (1) ........................ on a milestone because he was (2) ........................ tired. He decided to go to London (3)
........................ Mr Bumble couldn’t find him. In a (4) ........................ days he was cold and hungry. He (5) ........................ a
strange boy called Dodger (6) ........................ seven days. Dodger wanted to help Oliver and they left (7) ........................ London
together. Dodger took (8) ........................ to Fagin’s old house. Oliver (9) ........................ some sausages and (10) ........................
asleep. (11) ........................ Oliver was sleeping, old Fagin opened a box full of jewels and watches.
1. a) at
b) up
c) in
d) down
2. a) very
b) much
c) many
d) lots
3. a) where
b) wear
c) while
d) why
4. a) several
b) few
c) some
d) any
5. a) meeting
b) meets
c) meet
d) met
6. a) for
b) during
c) after
d) on
7. a) to
b) at
c) for
d) in
8. a) him
b) he
c) it
d) his
9. a) eating
b) eats
c) eat
d) ate
10. a) went
b) fell
c) goes
d) fall
11. a) During
b) If
c) Since
d) Until
Part Two: Grammar Work: The Genitive (/10)
Read the explanation in French given below and then translate the four sentences into English.
Contrairement au français, le possesseur est indiqué en premier :
John’s dog = le chien de John.
1. Pour tout nom singulier ou pluriel qui ne se termine pas par un « s » on rajoute la lettre « s » précédée d’une apostrophe
pour indiquer un lien de possession entre une personne et un objet ou de parenté entre deux personnes :
a boy’s toy, Charles’s grandfather, the children’s clothes… (le jouet d’un garçon, le grand-père de Tom, les
habits des enfants…)
Le saviez-vous ?
Quand on dit « Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday » on utilise le génitif, car à l’origine, chacun de ces jours est associé à
un dieu : Tuesday = Tiw’s day (le dieu norse de la guerre, comme le dieu romain Mars) ; Wednesday = Woden’s day
(un dieu anglo-saxon) ; Thursday = Thor’s day (le dieu norse du tonnerre)
2. Les noms pluriels (noms communs ou propres) qui se terminent déjà par un « -s » : on ne rajoute pas de « s »
supplémentaire qui ne s’entendrait pas, mais à l’écrit on rajoute une apostrophe aux possesseurs :
the girls’ skirts, the Joneses’ car*… (Les jupes des filles, la voiture des Jones…)
*N’oubliez pas que les noms de famille dont le dernier son est /s/, /ʃ /, /ʧ/, /z/ rajoutent « -es »
3. Le génitif s’emploie dans de nombreuses constructions indiquant les commerces ; la plupart du temps, le mot « shop » ou
« surgery » est sous-entendu ; dans les noms propres, l’apostrophe a tendance à disparaître :
the baker’s, the butcher’s, the newsagent’s, Boots the Chemist, Harrods, the doctor’s, the dentist’s, the
vet’s… (la boulangerie, la boucherie, le bureau de tabac, à l’origine, la pharmacie de « M. Boot », à l’origine,
le grand magasin londonien de « M. Harrod », le cabinet du médecin, le cabinet du dentiste, le cabinet
vétérinaire…)
4. Quand on parle de « chez quelqu’un » en français, en anglais le mot « house » ou « home » est le plus souvent omis :
I’m going to John’s tonight ; she’s staying at her grandmother’s… (Je vais chez John ce soir ; elle reste chez sa
grand-mère…)
5. Il s’emploie également pour indiquer le lien étroit entre les organismes ou localités (« peuplés » de personnes) et leurs
objets ou personnel :
this company’s managing director, France’s football team, Lyon’s mayor… (le PDG de cette entreprise…)
6. Il s’emploie également pour indiquer le lien étroit entre les animaux et leurs objets ou leurs parties du corps, etc. :
a lion’s den, a cat’s eyes… (les yeux d’un chat, l’antre d’un lion…)
7. Il s’emploie également dans les expressions de temps et de distance :
tomorrow’s news, today’s date, a five miles’ walk… (les informations de demain, la date d’aujourd’hui, une
promenade de huit kilomètres…)
8. A l’exception de ces catégories, aucun groupement de deux noms ne peut être un génitif :
the roof of the house = le toit de la maison.
1. Nous allons chez mon oncle ce week-end, parce que nous devons aider avec la construction de sa nouvelle
maison. (/1.5)
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2. « Où vas-tu ? » « Je vais d’abord chez l’opticien, puis à la boulangerie, enfin à la poste. » (/2.5)
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3. Cette dame est la femme du beau-père de mes trois enfants. (En fait, c’est mon ex !) (/3)
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4. J’ai vu aux informations d’hier soir que le chien du PDG a tué les filles des Peters. (/3)
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Part Three: Written Composition (/20)
From the text of Chapter Three and the picture below, describe (and imagine) what Fagin is like and what he and his boys
do for a living.
Write on one line in two.
Length: between 150 and 200 words.
VOCABULARY: ......... / 8
GRAMMAR / SYNTAX: .......... / 7
EFFORT / RISK: .......... / 5