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While readingChapter 1 1 Answer these questions. a Why are the man and woman approaching

Weydon-Priors unhappy? b What does the old woman’s secret smile

mean? c What does the man complain about when he

gets drunk? d What do the people in the tent know about

the sailor? e What reminds Michael the next morning of

what he has done?

Chapter 22 Find the person. Who … a did Susan first meet at the fair outside

Weydon-Priors eighteen years earlier? b did Susan last see in the same place? c drowned at sea? d does Susan recognise in the field filled with

tents? e returned to England when Elizabeth-Jane was

twelve?

3 Answer these questions. a Why are the people of Casterbridge angry

with the mayor? b Did he do it on purpose? c What did Donald Farfrae’s note to Michael

Henchard say? d Why does Susan look worried when she sees

their hotel room? e Why is Farfrae planning to go to America?

Chapters 3–4 4 Answer these questions. a Why is Henchard no longer interested in

Joshua Jopp? b Why is Henchard relieved when Elizabeth-

Jane tells him her name? c Why does Henchard call Susan ‘simple-

minded’? d Farfrae isn’t shocked when he hears about

Henchard’s past. What does this tell us about Farfrae’s character?

5 How does Henchard feel … a when he learns that Susan has kept their past

a secret?

b when he realises that Susan has behaved kindly to him?

c when Elizabeth-Jane leaves his office? d he takes Susan in his arms? e towards Farfrae? f when he explains his complicated situation to

Farfrae?

6 Correct these sentences. a Elizabeth-Jane has black hair. b Elizabeth-Jane wants to change her name to

Henchard. c The note that Donald receives is in Elizabeth-

Jane’s handwriting. d Abe Whittle comes to work without his

jacket.

7 Answer these questions. a Why does Henchard’s attitude to Farfrae

suddenly change? b Why is Henchard’s fair ruined? c What reason do the townsmen give for

Henchard’s fair disaster? d Why does Henchard order Elizabeth-Jane

never to see Farfrae again? e What secret does Susan tell her daughter

when she is dying?

Chapters 5–6 8 Are these sentences true or false? a Michael Henchard is Elizabeth-Jane’s real

father. …. . b Henchard’s daughter died when she was a

baby. …. . c Henchard is proud when he sees his daughter

helping the servants. …. . d Elizabeth-Jane spends many hours each day

educating herself. …. . e Henchard wants Farfrae to take Elizabeth-

Jane away from him. …. .

9 Who or what do the words in italics refer to? a ‘I’m sure he doesn’t want to visit any place

where he might see me.’ b ‘I am disappointed that you have not come

before.’ c ‘It looks like a kind of agricultural piano.’ d ‘You refused to see me !’ e ‘… she began to observe her employer and

friend more carefully.’

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Chapters 7–8 10 Answer these questions. a At the beginning of the chapter, how have

Farfrae’s feelings for Elizabeth-Jane changed? Why?

b How have Henchard’s feelings for Lucetta changed? Why?

11 Henchard’s business is ruined. Put these events in order to explain how. Number them 1–9.

a c Farfrae buys a lot of grain at very low prices.

b c Farfrae now sells his grain at a high profit. c c Henchard and Jopp learn that heavy rain

is forecast for August and there will be a bad harvest.

d c Henchard can’t pay his debts. He has to sell property to pay back the bank.

e c It starts to rain, but it is too late for Henchard.

f c Nobody buys Henchard’s grain. g c The price of grain falls below the price

that Henchard paid for his. h c The wind changes and the sun comes out.

There is a good harvest. i c They buy as much grain as they can and

fill Henchard’s barns.

12 Complete these sentences. a Lucetta leaves ……………… for a few days

after she hears the news from the courtroom.

b It was a ……………… to run away from the bull.

c Henchard ……………… the two women by catching the ……………… which hung from the ring through the bull’s nose.

d Henchard had not noticed that his ……………… was in danger as well as Lucetta.

e Henchard doesn’t want Lucetta to ……………… him the money he needs.

Chapters 9–10 13 Which of these adjectives apply to Henchard

in this chapter? Explain. bankrupt foolish dishonest bitter satisfied more positive worried dangerous

14 Who … a was the woman in Jersey who helped

Henchard when he was ill? b did Henchard meet at the Roman ruins two

years earlier? c is Jopp angry with? d suggests a skimmity-ride? e do you think the man who pays for the

skimmity-ride is?

Chapters 11–1215 Answer these questions. a Why do Farfrae’s men send him to

Weatherbury and Mellstock? b Why does Elizabeth-Jane run to the window

to close it? c How does Lucetta know that the model is

meant to be her? d Why won’t Farfrae go with Henchard? e What is the effect of the skimmity-ride on

Lucetta?

Chapters 13–1416 Answer these questions. a At the beginning of the chapter, who does

Elizabeth-Jane think her father is? b Why does Henchard tell Newson that

Elizabeth-Jane is dead? c What does Henchard see floating in the

river? d Is Henchard happy about the growing

relationship between his stepdaughter and Farfrae?

e Why does Henchard finally leave Casterbridge?

17 Are these sentences true or false? a Richard Newson decides to stay in

Casterbridge and live near his daughter. b Henchard had plenty of money with him

when he left Casterbridge. c Henchard dies half an hour before Elizabeth-

Jane and Farfrae get to him. d He was happy to have Abe Whittle’s help

before he died. e Elizabeth-Jane feels much happier after

Henchard’s death.

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Progress testlevel 5 Teacher Support Programme

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1 Who is who in the story? Match the name to the description. There is an extra option.Furmity woman Henchard Jopp SusanFarfrae Newsona At the beginning, this character has no home, no

money and no family. But after some time he becomes respected and important in the town.

b She was sold to a stranger but returns to find her husband.

c She works hard at the fair serving customers. d He pays the five guineas for a woman and a child.

They live together for a long time. e This corn manager with modern ideas and good

looks succeeds both in business and in love.

2 What happened first in the book? Number the sentences, 1–10.a c Elizabeth-Jane meets Lucetta and agrees to

move in with her and work as a housekeeper. b c Susan writes a letter telling Henchard the truth

about Elizabeth-Jane’s father. This letter can be opened after she gets married.

c c Henchard tells Elizabeth-Jane how he sold his wife and child when he got drunk at the fair.

d c Farfrae meets Lucetta when he calls on Elizabeth-Jane and likes her.

e c Lucetta wants to meet Henchard so he sends a note to him.

f c Henchard reads Susan’s letter and learns he is not Elizabeth-Jane’s real father.

g c Susan dies after a short illness.h c Henchard marries Susan. i c Lucetta refuses to see Henchard now that she

has developed an interest in Farfrae. j c Henchard avoids meeting and talking to

Elizabeth-Jane. This confuses her.

3 Are these sentences right (✓) or wrong (✗)? a Henchard hired a new manager because he

was jealous of Farfrae. c

b Lucetta explained to Henchard that she would not marry him because she was wealthy and independent. c

c Henchard had to sell his property to the bank when the harvest failed. c

d Henchard begs Lucetta to marry him and she accepts because she loves him. c

e Henchard acted as a magistrate when the mayor was away because of his age and money. c

f The drunk woman in court had been at the fair when Henchard sold his wife. c

g Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane were attacked by a horse and Farfrae saved them. c

h Lucetta agreed to help Henchard repay his debt to Grower. c

i Lucetta married Farfrae in Casterbridge so that everyone saw her. c

j Elizabeth-Jane was very upset to learn about Lucetta’s marriage to Farfrae. c

4 Choose the correct answer.a Elizabeth-Jane was very upset at Lucetta’s marriage

because she …. . 1) would have liked Lucetta to marry her father. 2) did not like Farfrae. 3) had hoped Farfrae would marry her. b When Henchard realised he was bankrupt, he …. . 1) admitted his position to the bank and lost

everything except his gold watch. 2) asked his daughter for help but she refused. 3) blamed Farfrae publicly for his situation.c Farfrae not only married the woman Henchard had

chosen but also …. . 1) wanted him to leave the country. 2) moved into his old house. 3) turned his daughter against him. d Elizabeth-Jane took a job in Farfrae’s company

because …. . 1) she needed to earn her own money. 2) Lucetta asked her to. 3) she wanted to protect Farfrae.e Henchard went to get the Lucetta’s letters from

the safe so as to …. . 1) send them back to her. 2) read them out to Farfrae. 3) burn them.

5 Answer these questions.a What did the townspeople do to shame Lucetta

and Henchard?b How did this affect Lucetta?c Why did Newson pretend to drown at sea?d Why did Henchard leave the town?e What did the note say was his final wish?