II. Paraphrase the following sentences using words and expressions from the text.

1. Before the first week of the term was up, striking tales about the Headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, began to spread among the newcomers.

2. When she doesn’t know who the evildoer is, she makes a guess at it, and the trouble is she is often wrong.

3. At that moment something strange happened.

4. Below the knees her calf muscles bulged out like grapefruits inside her stockings.

5. “Your mother is a fool! ” the Trunchbull shouted in a very loud low voice.

6. She looked a bit confused and who could blame her.

III. Find these phrases in the story, and notice the way in which they are used. In each case circle a), b) or c) to show which you think is the best equivalent.

1. outward a) on the outside

b) outside hospital room

c) eager to mix socially with others

2. awesome a) very bad or unpleasant

b) expressing or causing feelings of awe

c) able to attract

3. amiable a) pleasant and well- intentioned; likable; friendly

b) feeling or showing anger

c) shocking; terrible

4. enthrall a) to mark the official beginning or the period of rule

b) to hold the complete attention and interest of

(someone) as if by magic

c) to amuse and interest

5. advance a) to move forward in position

b) to love deeply and respect highly

c) to make (someone) a little angry or impatient

IV. Find synonyms in the text

Search, skinny, awesome, twaddle, amazed, defect, threatening.

V. Some of the following words from this chapter usually have a positive meaning and some usually have a negative meaning. Group the words under Positive or Negative.

Brilliance, show off, sensible, adventurous, squelching, amiably, sneak, menacing, trapped, enraged, yell, lovely, graceful.

VI. Complete the following statements

1. If you had met Matilda casually and talked to her you would have thought she was a perfectly normal five-and-a-half –year –old child because___________.

2. Matilda’s classmates knew that she was clever because________________.

3. In the middle of the Prayer the Trunchbull leapt up and rushed out of the room because____________________________________.

4. The playground, which up to then had been filled with shrieks and the shouting of children at play, all at once became silent as the grave because___________________.

5. Hortensia’s parents wouldn’t complain because___________________________.

VII. The following words occur in the story. The ones on the left are related in some way to the ones on the right. Make pairs. Explain what each combination means.

Pay eye

Watchful noise

Squelching as a grave

Clasp to death

Gigantic hands

Silent attention

Scared figure

* * * * *

CHAPTER XI.