WorksheetsThe Landlady
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 11mins
Why does Billy Weaver walk "briskly" down the street?
He wants to impress his boss.
He wants to act like a successful businessman.
He wants to keep warm.
He is anxious to get to the boarding house.
The author describes the air as, "deadly cold and the wind was like a flat blade of ice on his cheeks." What kind of figurative language is this?
onomatopoeia
imagery
simile
metaphor
Make an inference: The author writes that Mr. Greenslade told Billy to, "Find your own lodgings, and then go along and report to the Branch Manager as soon as you've got yourself settled." Why is Billy in Bath?
to take a vacation
to look for a new place to live
to start a new job
to take a bath
Reread this portion of the text:
The houses had porches and pillars and four or five steps going up to their front doors, and it was obvious that once upon a time they had been very swanky residences.
What does the word swanky mean in this context?
luxurious and expensive
cheap and poorly built
colorful and cheerful
intimidating and off-putting
Which aspects of the house make Billy think it would be a good place to stay?
Green curtains and chrysanthemums were in the windows and a fire burned in the fireplace
A pretty little dachshund was curled up asleep in front of the fire and a parrot was in a cage
There was a baby grand piano and several plump armchairs in the room
All of the above
Why did Billy not go to the pub?
He thought a pub would be more comfortable than a boarding house.
There would be more people to talk to.
He had never stayed in a boarding house and was a tiny bit frightened of them.
The "Bed and Breakfast" notice compelled him to stay where he was and not walk away.
The author emphasizes the speed at which the Landlady answers the doorbell. What might this foreshadow about the Landlady?
She has a lot of experience with boarders.
She was expecting Billy to ring the doorbell.
It was a slow night for boarding houses in the city.
She takes pride in speedy service.
What does this part of the story foreshadow about the plot?
The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds, and I didn't much care for it.
Billy is allergic to almonds.
The landlady loves almonds.
Billy is going to try to leave.
Billy is being poisoned.
When should Billy have been suspicious of the Landlady?
When he noticed that there were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas or walking sticks.
When the landlady told him that "everything is always ready day and night in this house just on the off-chance that an acceptable young gentleman will come along."
When he signed the guest book and found that there were only two other entries.
All of these things should have sent alarm bells to Billy that something was not right.
As Billy is remembering the connection between the two boys, what effect did the interruptions from the Landlady have on the story.
The interruptions build tension.
The interruptions confuse the reader.
The interruptions indicate the fate of the boys.
The interruptions reveal Billy's fate.
Which word best describes the mood of this story?
joyful
suspenseful
angry
comical
What is Billy's fate? Use evidence from the story to support your statements.
