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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Chap 1 - 4

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 22mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How does Bruno feel about his father's job?

a)

He is frustrated because his dad works for the military and he doesn't like it.

b)

Bruno is happy that his father serves his country in the military. When he grows up he wants to be just like him!

c)

He is frustrated because he doesn't know what his father does for a living and the other boys in his class do.

d)

Bruno thinks that his dad's job is important and that he is a good man.

2.

How old is Bruno?

a)

6 years old

b)

7 years old

c)

9 years old

d)

10 years old

3.

Who are the "monsters" that Bruno refers to in Chapter 3?

a)

His sister, Gretel's dolls

b)

Monsters that live under his sister Gretel's bed

c)

His sister, Gretel's friends

d)

The children that he sighted at the other side of the fence

4.

"But there was something about the new house that made Bruno think that no one ever laughed there; there was nothing to laugh at and nothing to be happy about."

Based on the quote above, how does Bruno feel about his new house?

a)

He likes the house as he feels the new house is cool and fun; he loves the open space; he feels right at home.

b)

He feels excited about the new house as he thought that it will be an adventure for him to explore and find new nooks and crannies! He can't wait to set up his room.

c)

He dislikes the new house as he thought that it is old, dreary, cold and boring; he feels alone and not at home.

d)

He is indifferent about the new house; it neither excites him or disappoints him.

5.

At the end of chapter 2, Bruno saw something that made him feel 'cold and unsafe'. What did he see?

4 lines
6.

At the end of chapter 2, Bruno saw something that made him feel 'cold and unsafe'. What does that suggest about how Bruno was feeling?

4 lines
7.

Bruno only saw 'small boys and big boys, fathers and grandfathers' when he looked across into the fenced up area. Where do you think all the mothers and grandmothers are?

a)

they have been taken to factories to work for the Nazis

b)

they have been removed and put to another sector of the camp

c)

they have been given jobs in kindergartens to teach the children

d)

they have been moved to the kitchens to cook for the other prisoners

8.

Why is there so much barbed wire on very high fences?

a)

to stop people getting in to the camp

b)

to prevent birds from perching on the fence

c)

extra security for desperate prisoners trying to escape

d)

to make the compound look intimidating

9.

How does Gretel display her naivety?

a)

by telling Bruno that she is more mature than he is

b)

by thinking that what she saw the soldiers doing was like a rehearsal for a show or film

c)

by saying how much she loves the new place

d)

by believing that the war would be over soon

10.

Which striking imagery is used by the author to display the German soldiers' cruelty?

a)

that of children playing football and losing the game

b)

that of the blue skies above grey buildings

c)

that of the train arriving at Auschwitz late

d)

that of the distressed children being laughed at by the soldiers

11.

How does Gretel display her prejudices?

a)

only German officers' children were good fun to play with

b)

she states how those children were not the type they should play with, and that they were filthy

c)

she claims that Jewish children were fun to play with as they are different

d)

children who go to countryside holiday camps are just not fun to play with

12.

This chapter is very informative about the Bruno and Gretel because...

a)

it highlights the prejudice, naivety and ignorance of the children

b)

it informs the reader all about the way Nazis lived in Berlin

c)

it displays how clever Gretel is compared to bruno

d)

it makes us further aware of how good Nazi kids were taught at school

13.

The children's house was a fair distance away from the camp because..

a)

they hadn't finished the normal quarters at the camp yet

b)

the swimming pool could not fit into Auschwitz's water supply, and needed its own one

c)

the commandant did not want to see, hear or smell what was going on in Auschwitz after his shift finished

d)

officers were never located near the other soldiers in nazi Germany

14.

The room that is "out of bounds at all times no exceptions" is ..

a)

The den

b)

The kitchen

c)

The father's office

d)

The backyard

15.

"Some people make all the decisions for us". Mother's feelings about the moving is...

a)

confusion

b)

annoyance

c)

joy

d)

indifference

16.

After meeting with his father to complain about the new house, Bruno salutes his father and says "Heil Hitler!".


This demonstrates that Bruno is _____________________.

a)

Innocent, because he thinks it means "goodbye for now"

b)

Obnoxious because he is mocking Father

c)

Cruel, because he is honoring Adolf Hitler

d)

Has a sense of humour because he is making a joke to his father

17.

Read the excerpt below and answer the following question:


"I have been very considerate of your feelings here, Bruno, because I know that this move is difficult for you. And I have listened to what you have to say, even though your youth and inexperience force you to phrase things in an insolent manner. And you’ll notice I have not reacted to any of this. But the moment has come when you simply have to accept that –”


Using your knowldge of context clues, what would be a synonym for the word insolent?

a)

loud

b)

quiet

c)

respectful

d)

rude

18.

Everywhere they looked they could see people, tall, short, old, young, all moving around. Some stood perfectly still in groups, their hands by their sides, trying to keep their heads up, as a soldier marched in front of them, his mouth opening and closing quickly as if he were shouting something at them. Some were formed into a sort of chain gang and pushing wheelbarrows from one side of the camp to the other, appearing from a place out of sight and taking their wheelbarrows further along behind a hut, where they disappeared again. A few stood near the huts in quiet groups, staring at the ground as if it was the sort of game where they didn't want to be spotted. Others were on crutches and many had bandages around their heads. Some carried spades and were being led by groups of soldiers to a place where they could no longer be seen.


Which evidence shows that the soldiers were abusive in their treatment of the Jews?

a)

'some stood perfectly still in groups, their hands by their sides'

b)

'his mouth opening and closing quickly as if he were shouting something at them'

c)

'Some were formed into a sort of chain gang and pushing wheelbarrows further along behind a hut'

d)

'Others were on crutches and many had bandages around their heads'

19.

Everywhere they looked they could see people, tall, short, old, young, all moving around. Some stood perfectly still in groups, their hands by their sides, trying to keep their heads up, as a soldier marched in front of them, his mouth opening and closing quickly as if he were shouting something at them. Some were formed into a sort of chain gang and pushing wheelbarrows from one side of the camp to the other, appearing from a place out of sight and taking their wheelbarrows further along behind a hut, where they disappeared again. A few stood near the huts in quiet groups, staring at the ground as if it was the sort of game where they didn't want to be spotted. Others were on crutches and many had bandages around their heads. Some carried spades and were being led by groups of soldiers to a place where they could no longer be seen.


Which two piece of evidence show that the Jews were terrified of the soldiers?

a)

'Everywhere they looked they could see people, tall, short, old, young, all moving around'

b)

'Some carried spades and were being led by groups of soldiers to a place where they could no longer be seen'

c)

'Some stood perfectly still in groups, their hands by their sides, trying to keep their heads up'

d)

'staring at the ground as if it was the sort of game where they didn't want to be spotted'

20.

Bruno described the children to be 'wearing the same clothes as each other: a pair of grey striped pyjamas with a grey striped cap on their heads.'


Why is it ironic to compare the uniform that the Jews were made to wear at the concentration camp with pyjamas?

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