Name _______________________________ Date
The
____________
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Hobbit
If you can read this, you get extra credit.
CHAPTER 1 Comprehension Questions
1.
What is Gandalf’s reputation? _______________________________
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2. What is your reputation? ______________________________________
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3. What kind of mark does Gandalf put on Bilbo’s door, and how is it usually
translated?
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4.
How many dwarves come to tea and what are their names?
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5.
What two things does Gandalf give Thorin? _____________________
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6.
How did the dwarves lose their treasure and kingdom? ___________
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7.
List the five ways Gandalf interprets “good morning”.
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8.
Which best describes you, Bagginsish or Tookish? Why?
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9. What two things did “Bullroarer” Took achieve in the same moment when
he charged the goblins at the Battle of the Green Fields?
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CHAPTER 2 Comprehension Questions
1.
What are the terms of Bilbo’s contract?
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2.
How does Bilbo know that the three people are trolls?
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3.
What is Bilbo doing when he is caught?
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4.
How does Gandalf rescue Bilbo and the dwarves?
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5.
What do they take from the trolls’ hoard?
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6.
Is strength or intelligence more valuable so far in this book? Explain.
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CHAPTER 3 Comprehension Questions
1.
Why is Rivendell hard to find?
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2.
When is Durin’s Day?
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3. What is the difference between the way Bilbo and the dwarves react to
Rivendell?
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4. How does Elrond feel about the expedition, and what does he say about the
dwarves’ love of gold and the wickedness of dragons?
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5. What values are important to the elves?
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6.
Would you rather spend a weekend with dwarves or elves? Explain.
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CHAPTER 4 Comprehension Questions
1.
Why does the expedition take shelter in the cave?
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2.
Why isn’t Gandalf captured?
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3.
What do goblins usually do with their prisoners?
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4.
How does Gandalf rescue Bilbo and the dwarves?
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5. “It is not unlikely that the goblins invented some of the machines that have
since troubled the world, especially the ingenious devices for killing large
numbers of people at once.” Tolkien wrote this story after his experiences in
World War I. He was a witness to The Battle of the Somme. Look it up on the
internet or in the library. Find answers to the following questions.
a.) How many British soldiers were killed on the first day of the battle?
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b.) Search through the links in the webpage text. What “ingenious devices for
killing large numbers of people at once” is Tolkien likely referring to?
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c.) What do you think Tolkien thinks of the people who really invent such
machines of destruction?
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6. What does Tolkien tell us about goblins? Their sounds and actions, but
nothing about their appearance except that they have hands, heads, teeth and
flat feet. Because he does not describe their appearance, we must use our
imaginations, and this involves us more actively in the fantasy. On the
following page, draw a picture of what you think a goblin looks like. Include
an “ingenious device” somewhere in your drawing.
Drawing of a Tolkien Goblin with an “Ingenious Device”
CHAPTER 5 Comprehension Questions
1.
How does Bilbo know his little sword was also made by elves?
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2.
Why is it good that Bilbo lost his matches?
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3.
What do Bilbo and Gollum have in common?
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4.
How do the Goblins know that someone is at the gate?
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5.
Why doesn’t Bilbo kill Gollum? Should he have? Explain.
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CHAPTER 6 Comprehension Questions
1.
What is the proverb that Bilbo invents?
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2.
Why won’t the Eagles fly near where men live?
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3. Why doesn’t Bilbo tell the dwarves about his ring? Do you consider this
lying? Justify your position.
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CHAPTER 7 Comprehension Questions
1.
What does Beorn eat?
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2.
How does Gandalf get Beorn to shelter thirteen dwarves?
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3. What is the most important advice that Beorn and Gandalf give about
Mirkwood?
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4. Which of the following characteristics do you think is most important in
Beorn’s character? Quote two pieces of direct evidence from the text to
support your choice.
gentle
generous
suspicious
grim
independent
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7.
Why is it necessary to the story that Gandalf leave the expedition?
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CHAPTER 8 Comprehension Questions
1.
What do the dwarves shoot with their bows?
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2.
When Bilbo climbs the tree, why doesn’t he see an end to the forest?
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3.
What does Bombur dream of?
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4.
What does Bilbo name his sword?
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5.
How does Bilbo rescue the dwarves in Mirkwood?
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6. What ‘awful’ names does Bilbo call the spiders to anger them?
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7. Why is there an ancient feud between dwarves and elves? Whose fault is it?
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CHAPTER 9 Comprehension Questions
1.
How does Bilbo get in and out of the palace?
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2.
How many entrances does the palace have and why?
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3.
Is Bilbo a burglar now? How does he feel about stealing?
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4. Why does the Elvenking imprison the dwarves?
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5. Why won’t Thorin tell the Elvenking what his mission is?
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CHAPTER 10 Comprehension Questions
1. What kind of person is the Master of Laketown, and why does he welcome
the expedition?
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2.
Why are the dwarves happy? Why is Bilbo unhappy?
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3.
What does the Elvenking think will happen to the dwarves?
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4.
What is the Master’s reaction when Thorin announces his departure?
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5. Compare the attitudes of the men of Lake-town, the Master, and the
Elvenking to Thorin’s mission. Who is reasonable? Who is silly? Then
consider Bilbo’s attitude. Keeping in mind that elves are renowned for
wisdom, is that renown justified? How wise is Bilbo?
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CHAPTER 11 Comprehension Questions
1. Look at Tolkien’s Map in your book. In that style, make a detailed map of
the party’s trip from Laketown to The Lonely Mountain. Annotate each
location and the events that occur there.
CHAPTER 12 Comprehension Questions
1.
Who goes partway down the tunnel with Bilbo?
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2.
What does Bilbo take from the hoard?
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3.
Bilbo quotes two of his father’s sayings. What are they?
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4.
Who is the real leader of the expedition?
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5.
What about Bilbo puzzles Smaug?
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6.
What is the most important thing Bilbo learns from Smaug?
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7.
What proverb does Bilbo invent?
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8.
What is the Arkenstone?
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9. “Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did...he fought the real
battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait”
According to this passage, what is true courage? What abilities and character
traits does Bilbo have?
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10. Is it wise to steal the cup? Why does Bilbo do it?
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11. Explain the names that Bilbo gives himself when speaking with Smaug: “I
come from under the hill. I am the clue finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly.
I was chosen for the lucky number”.
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CHAPTER 13 Comprehension Questions
1.
What does Thorin give Bilbo?
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2.
Why do the dwarves leave the underground halls?
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3.
Why does Bilbo keep the Arkenstone? Does he have a right to it?
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CHAPTER 14 Comprehension Questions
1.
Who is the guard “with a grim voice”?
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2.
Why do the men of Esgaroth destroy the bridges?
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3.
Why can Bard understand the thrush?
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4.
Why are the people of Esgaroth angry with Thorin?
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5. Characterize Bard and the Master. Who speaks more convincingly? What
does their appearance suggest about them? Explain Bard’s pessimism. Who
has more courage? Who has more leadership? Do you believe that some people
are natural leaders? Can this ability be inherited?
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6. Why does the Elvenking set out from his halls? Why does he go to
Esgaroth? What does this tell you about the value he places on treasure?
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CHAPTER 15 Comprehension Questions
1.
How did Ravenhill get its name?
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2.
Who is Roac, and how old is he?
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3. From the very beginning, Bilbo has assumed that the climax of the
adventure would be the recovery of the treasure. Then he realizes that Smaug
must also be dealt with. Now he finds that even Smaug’s death does not end
the adventure. So, what is this story REALLY about?
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4. Why won’t Thorin deal with Bard and the Elvenking? Evaluate Bard’s
three topics for discussion and Thorin’s answer. Does Thorin have a point, or
is he being unreasonable? Is this greed, or is it pride? If you were in his
position what would you do?
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CHAPTER 16 Comprehension Questions
1.
How does Bilbo leave the Mountain without being caught?
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2.
What is Bilbo’s plan to avoid war?
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3.
Why does Thorin reject Roac’s advice?
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4. Just as the moment in the tunnel is Bilbo’s bravest, giving up the
Arkenstone is his noblest. Why does he do it? Would any other character in the
story be capable of this? Why does he return to the Mountain?
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CHAPTER 17 Comprehension Questions
1.
What terms do Thorin and Bard come to?
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2.
What army makes the first attack?
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3.
Name the armies in the Battle of Five Armies.
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4. Is it surprising that Thorin comes out from behind his stronghold to join
the battle? Why or why not? Look up the word redemption. Is this an act of
redemption?
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5.
Where does Bilbo take his final stand? Why?
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CHAPTER 18 Comprehension Questions
1.
Why isn’t Bilbo found until the day after the battle?
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2.
Who turned the tide of the battle?
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3. “There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West.
Some courage ...and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued
food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world”
Thorin reveals this epiphany on his deathbed. When precisely do you think he
had this realization? If he had survived, how do you think he would have
shared out his treasure?
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4. Do you think Gandalf knows from the beginning that Thorin and Bilbo each
had something to learn from the other? What did they teach each other? Did
Thorin have to die (or sacrifice himself) in order for Bilbo to learn his lesson?
Explain.
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CHAPTER 19 Comprehension Questions
1.
Where was Gandalf while the expedition crossed Mirkwood?
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2.
How long do Bilbo and Gandalf stay at Rivendell?
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3.
Why do they walk at the end of their journey?
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4.
Why are Bilbo’s goods being auctioned?
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5. What changes does Balin notice in Bilbo? Why is it significant that Balin,
of all the dwarves, came to visit?
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6.
What happened to the old Master of Lake-town?
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7. “My dear Bilbo!’… ‘Something is the matter with you! You are not the
hobbit that you were”. How has Bilbo changed?
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Roads go ever ever on
Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.
Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star.
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.
-J.R.R. Tolkien
8. Memorize it.
9. Do you think people who experience a wider world, often an unjust, violent,
and dangerous world, can really “come home” and expect things to be the
same as they were? What about soldiers serving far away? Is “home” a place,
or an idea, or something different? Do you think returning home after such
“adventures” is a comfort or a disappointment?
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Directions for using this workbook
1. Read Each Chapter, then read and answer the Chapter
Comprehension Questions, scanning back for specific answers as
needed. Context is important.
2. When answering questions, use the space provided. Assume you
must explain and elaborate on your answers to questions.
3. Slow down to write neatly, legibly, and as though your grade
depends on it. IT DOES. Messy work will be given a zero.
4.
Each Chapter will be graded on a 5 point rubric as follows:
Points Earned
Criteria
0
Incomplete, Messy, or Illegible OR over a week late.
1
Poor work, a semblance of completeness, but looks hurried, and
shows only superficial thought and effort in answering questions OR
answers are far off topic or incomplete OR turned in more than one
day late.
2
Just adequate work, completed on time, answers are mostly complete,
but looks hurried, superficial, with little personal investment or care
in product OR a day late.
3
Fair work, completed on time, conveys understanding though may
occasionally be a little thin. Mostly good effort, with limited errors.
May not always use complete sentences to convey understanding.
4
Solid work, completed on time, demonstrates understanding through
carefully worded, fully explained answers, in complete sentences.
Errors of grammar and spelling are minor and few.
5
Exceptional work, completed on time, demonstrates understanding
through thoughtful, fully developed answers to questions and/or
creating maps or illustrations with care and extra effort. This includes
excellent spelling and grammar in written responses.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z