Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 12

Questions to answer while you read
1. What happens to the jury-men?
2. What is Rule Forty-two? Is it a real rule?
3. What is in the “letter”?
4. (Make sure you understand the King’s pun.)
5. What is done at the end of the trial?
6. Where has Alice been during this whole story? What might the pack of cards have been? The teacups? The Queen’s voice? Other strange sounds? The Mock Turtle’s crying?

VOCABULARY
Upset(ting)
Globe
“I beg your pardon”
Proceed
Diligent(ly)
Overcome
Verdict, sentence
“directed to”
Verses
Mischief
Cardboard
Fit (n) / fit (v.)
Pun
Dull

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 11

Questions to answer while you read

1. Who are the following people in the trial?

Defendant (possible criminal):
Judge:
Herald (makes announcements in court):
Juror (one of 12):
Witness 1:
Witness 2:
Witness 3:

2. Are the jurors very smart?

3. Something begins to happen to Alice during the trial. What is it?

4. What do the guinea-pigs do, and what happens to them?

5. The King asks, “What are tarts made of?” What are two answers to this question? What happens to the second person who answers?

VOCABULARY

Courtroom terms
Judge
Jury-box
Jurors
Accusation
Verdict
Deny
Suppress
Cross-examine

Other
Tarts
Wig
Crown
Slate
Spectacles
Squeak
Herald
Shillings and pence
Stolen
Confusion
Squeeze
Breathe
A reasonable pace
Concert
Dunce
Applause
Whiskers

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 10

Questions to answer while you read
1. Two times during this chapter, Alice stops herself from talking in the middle of a sentence. Why does she do this? What is she talking about? Who is she talking to?
2. The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon describe an activity some of the animals do. Can you think of some adjectives to describe this dance?
3. The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon make Alice recite more poetry. Does this go well or not? Why?
4. The Mock Turtle sings a song. What is it about?
5. Where do the Gryphon and Alice run off to?

VOCABULARY

Animals
Lobster
Seal
Salmon
Jelly-fish
Whiting
Snail
Porpoise (vs. “purpose”)
Sole (vs. “sole”)
Eel (vs. “heel”)
Owl
Panther

(Where do most of these animals live?)

Verbs
Punch
Taste
Interrupt
Advance
Caper
Check (oneself)

Other
Voice
Quadrille
Sea-shore
Crumbs
Blacking
Would vs. could
Queer
Trial

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 9

Questions to answer while you read

1. What is the Duchess’s attitude toward Alice?
2. What does the Duchess like to do when she is speaking? (a characteristic of her speech)
3. How does the croquet game end?
4. What happens to the people who are sentenced to execution?
5. What is the mood of the Mock Turtle? Why does he feel this way?
6. The Turtle, the Gryphon, and Alice discuss something from the Turtle’s past. What is it? Describe what they talk about.

VOCABULARY
Affectionately
Temper
Moral
Mustard
Bite (two kinds)
Follow (an idea)
Tremble
(“you must”) be off
Shade
Mock (adj.)
Turtle soup
Gryphon
(to) rub (one’s) eyes
Fancy (n.)
Pity (v.)
Sigh
Sorrow
Sob
Turtle vs. tortoise
Subjects
Flappers
Grief

Phrases and figures of speech
“tut, tut”
Minding (one’s) own business
Mine (adj.) vs. mine (n.)
Frowning like a thunderstorm
“tortoise” – “taught us”
(to) be ashamed of (one)self
Ready to sink into the earth
(to) hold (one’s) tongue
“Reading, Writing, and ‘Rithmatic”
-fy (to make)
-tion (noun)
Lesson (n.) vs. lessen (v.)

“Morals”
Love makes the world go ‘round.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Be what you would seem to be.

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 8

Questions to answer while you read:

1. Alice meets three gardeners. What are they trying to do?
2. The Queen’s family and servants are “ornamented” (dressed or decorated) in three different ways. What are the three kinds of decoration? What do they remind Alice of?
3. What is the Queen’s favorite way to solve her problems?
4. What has happened to the Duchess?
5. The Queen’s game of croquet is very unusual. Name four things that make it difficult to play.
6. What friend does Alice meet during the game?

Vocabulary

VERBS
blame (also n.)
bow (bowed)
execute
sentence (also n.)
(to) box (someone’s) ears
quarrel
(to be) “getting on”
attend to = pay attention to
fetch

OTHER WORDS
beheaded
anxious (anxiously)
soldiers
clubs
courtiers
ornamented
diamonds
hearts
merrily
procession = parade
knave
pack of cards
“Nonsense!”
unfortunate
shan’t
(on) tiptoe
ridges and furrows
hedgehogs
flamingoes
mallets
arches
turns
dispute
executioner

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 7

Questions to answer while you read

1. At the tea-party, what does the table look like? How do the number of people compare to the number of places? How are the people seated at the table?
2. What is the riddle Alice can’t guess? What is the answer?
3. What are the problems with the Mad Hatter’s watch?
4. Is the Dormouse very involved in the party? Why or why not?
5. What is the Hatter’s problem with time (Time)? How did this come about?
6. What is the Dormouse’s story about? Why does Alice have trouble understanding the story?

Vocabulary
Hare
Hatter
Dormouse
Raven
(To) “want cutting”
Personal remark
Writing-desk
Riddle
To drop (a conversation)
Pocketwatch
Watch works
(To) “suit” something
Crumbs
“o’clock” (n.)
(to) waste time
On good terms (with someone)
Lessons
Dinner
Tea-time
Pinch
Treacle
Well
(to) live on (something)
Civil
Nibble

Plays on words
time / (Father) Time
Beat (someone) / beat time (in music)
Draw (art) / (to) draw (something) from (somewhere)

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 6

This week, we are reading Chapter 6 (VI) of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Questions to answer while you read

1. Alice meets a servant outside the house. What does he look like? What is his attitude?
2. Who lives in the house? What invitation does she receive?
3. The cook has a dangerous habit. What is it?
4. Alice thinks the house is a bad place for the baby. Why?
5. What happens to the baby after Alice takes it away?
6. What are two unusual (not normal) things about the Cheshire cat?
Vocabulary

VERBS:
Rap (rapped)
Creep (crept
Knock (knocked
Howl (howling)
Sneeze (sneezing)
Whistle (whistling)
Grin (grinning)
Chop
Grunt
Vanish (vanished)
(to) become of
OTHER WORDS:
Footman, livery
Knuckles
Croquet
Dish, plate, cauldron
Idiotic
Pepper
Axis, axes
Lullaby
Murder
Snout
Ugly / handsome
Mad
Pig, fig

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 5

This week we are reading Chapber 5 (V) of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

As you read, try to answer the following questions. If you can answer them, you will know that you understand the main events of the chapter. The vocabulary might also help you.

1. What question does the Caterpillar ask Alice? Is it an easy question for her to answer?
2. Alice says she can’t do something like she used to do. What is it? How does the Caterpillar test her?
3. Is the Caterpillar an easy person to talk to?
4. How does Alice’s head end up above the treetops?
5. The pigeon thinks Alice is a ____________. Why does this upset him?
6. How does Alice return to her normal size?

Vocabulary
(to) explain oneself
(to) be oneself
Chrysalis
(to) keep one’s temper
Somersault
Sage (person)
Locks (personal description)
Jaws
Eel
Clever
(to) be particular
Contradict
Content
Wretched
Serpent
Zigzag
Pigeon
Contempt / contemptuous
Puzzling

Note: The poem Alice recites for the Caterpillar, “You are old, Father William,” is a parody of a real poem called “The Old Man’s Comforts and How He Gained Them“ by Robert Southey. A parody is a piece of writing that copies the style of another piece of writing, but changes it to make it funny or make a point.

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland Chapter 4

This week we are reading Chapber 4 (IV) of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

As you read, try to answer the following questions. If you can answer them, you will know that you understand the main events of the chapter. The vocabulary might also help you.

1. Why does Alice go to the White Rabbit’s house?
2. What does she do when she goes inside?
3. What do the White Rabbit and his workers see that frightens them? What different ways do they try to solve their problem?
4. How does Alice solve her problem?
5. Who does Alice meet in the forest?

Vocabulary
Executed
Vanished
Housemaid
“going messages”
Fancy (v.)
Grown up
Cucumber-frame
Cart
Ladder
Chimney
Pebbles
Lizard
Guinea-pig
(a) wood
Bark (v.)
Enormous
Mushroom
Caterpillar
Hookah

Intermediate: Alice in Wonderland links

In the Fall semester 2006, my Intermediate class (Intermediate A) will be reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Here are some links to help you:

Wikipedia encyclopedia article about the book

Audio files of each chapter – listen to someone read the book

Free book to read on the web – scroll down for links to each chapter of Alice in Wonderland (illustrated by John Tenniel)
(Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9 / Chapter 10 / Chapter 11 / Chapter 12)

Another free book to read on the web: the whole book or chapter by chapter. This version has larger text and might be easier to read.