The Secret Garden

Read this passage from The Secret Garden.

Mary had not known that she herself had been spoiled, but she could see quite plainly that this myterious boy had been. He thought that the whole world belonged to him. How peculiar he was and how coolly he spoke of not living.

Which theme is best developed by this passage?

• Secrets are dangerous.

• Happiness depends upon helping others.

• Children who are unwanted cannot thrive; compassion and companionship are an important part of being human.

• The secret garden is a place for healing and growing.

Read the excerpt from The Secret Garden.

"That's fresh air," she [Mary] said. "Lie on your back and draw in long breaths of it. That's what Dickon does when he's lying on the moor. He says he feels it in his veins and it makes him strong and he feels as if he could live for ever and ever. Breathe it and breathe it."

Which event is foreshadowed in this excerpt?

• the arrival of spring

• a dramatic improvement in Colin's health

• the growing friendship between Mary and Colin

• Colin's ability to live forever

Which statement best describes Colin's character in The Secret Garden?

• Colin is a flat, static character who changes because of his interaction with Mary and Dickon.

• Colin is a round, dynamic character whose role is to be the opposite of Dickon.

• Colin is a flat, static character whose role is to be the opposite of Dickon.

• Colin is a round, dynamic character who changes because of his interaction with Mary and Dickon.

Read this excerpt from The Secret Garden.

“You never see anything if you are ill,” said Colin restlessly. He looked like a person listening to a new sound in the distance and wondering what it was.

What is the meaning of the figurative language used to describe Colin in this scene?

• Colin begins to hear the sounds of the creatures on the moor.

• Colin thinks he hears Dickon out on the moor.

• Colin is thinking about going outside for the first time.

• Colin remembers the doctor telling him to go outside.

Read this excerpt from Chapter 14 of The Secret Garden.

And they laughed so that in the end they were making as much noise as if they had been two ordinary healthy natural ten-year-old creatures—instead of a hard, little, unloving girl and a sickly boy who believed that he was going to die.

What is the effect of the word choice on the meaning of the excerpt?

• It reminds the reader of the children's underlying unhappiness.

• It shows the positive effect their interaction has had on them.

• It highlights how loud the children are when they are together.

• It emphasizes how much effort it will take the children to behave themselves.