The Swiss Family Robinson Quiz

At what time of year is the passage set?

• winter

• spring

• rainy season

• mid-summer

• autumn

The father compares himself and his family to prisoners set free. Why?

• They had been held hostage by pirates.

• They had been trapped in their cave.

• They had been trapped in their house due to stormy weather.

• They had been caught in heavy rain which had finally stopped.

• They had been unfairly accused of crimes but the accusations had been dropped.

‘The winds at length were lulled’ (line 1) What is another way of saying ‘lulled’?

• rhythmic

• weakened

• welcomed

• rocked

• calmed

Why might the author have decided to include water references in the first paragraph? (lines 1–5)

• The heavy rain had recently stopped.

• Rain was still falling heavily.

• Water makes the setting seem more peaceful.

• The family hadn’t had a drink for a long time.

• The family have found themselves on an island surrounded by water.

How many adjectives can you count in the sentence beginning “We refreshed our eyes...”? (lines 3–5)

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

‘in a few days it [the tree-house] was again habitable’ (line 7) What does this mean?

• The family soon got used to the damage to the tree-house.

• The tree-house was rapidly transformed into a luxury home.

• The family were soon able to live in the tree-house again.

• The tree-house was destroyed again within a few days.

• The tree-house quickly dried out by itself.

Where had the family kept their supplies over the winter?

• in a cellar

• in their tree-house

• in their tent

• in a cave

• outside, in barrels

How did the family attempt to rescue their supplies?

• They shook all of the water off them.

• They fetched new materials to mend them.

• They took them to the tree-house instead of the tent.

• They made a fire to dry them out.

• They placed them out in the sun to dry.

The father considered the damage inflicted on their property ‘irreparable’. (line 12) What does this word suggest he thought about the damage?

• It would be easy to repair the damage.

• The damage was likely to be repeated.

• The damage could be repaired but it would be difficult.

• It would be impossible to repair all of the damage.

• The father had never seen damage like it before.

What is meant by ‘quarters’ (line 13)?

• sections

• lodgings

• storerooms

• stables

• beds