The Fruitcake Special and other stories

by FRANK BRENNAN

Name:

TEST

Date:

The Fruitcake Special (5 marks)

Describe the two main characters: physical appearance and personality.

...............

.................

The Real Aunt Molly (5 marks)

Answer the following questions about the story.
1. What happened to Aunt Molly when uncle Dalton
died? ........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................
2. What did the twins suggest Maxwell make Aunt Molly to
do? ...........................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................
3. Could Aunt Molly get back to normal after Maxwell had the heart attack?
Why? ........................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................
4. Which is the difference between the old and the new Aunt
Molly? ......................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................
5. What is the decision Aunt Mollys family has to face at the end of the
story? .......................................................................................................................................
............................................................................

Brains (5 marks)
Write the verbs in brackets in the correct tense.

The video _1_(show) Max three years earlier, before Gina _2_ (begin) to work on him when
he was still a normal monkey. Then, three months after her work had begun Max _3_(see)
drawing simple pictures with a pencil. After a year he was spelling out simple words. After two
years he _4_(can) add and take away simple numbers. After three years he _5_(can) read,

write and do basic mathematics. He also _6_(understand) everything Gina _7_(say) to him.
Max _8_(come) to see Gina as his mother and _9_(love) her. The video _10_ (finish) with Max
putting his arms around Gina while Gina laughed.

1_________ 2__________ 3______________

4_____________

5________________

6_________ 7__________ 8______________

9_____________

10_______________

The book of Thoughts (5 marks)

Are these sentences True (T) or False (F)?
___1.Chester was dark and slim and dressed old-fashioned.
___2.He ate chicken and rice at the Chinese restaurant.
___3.He made the waiter feel embarrassed.
___4.Mr Shaw is smiling at the meeting because he dislikes Chester.
___5.Kim cant play squash with Chester because he has promised to take his girlfriend to the
cinema.
___6.The meeting with the Eastern company was a great success.
___7.Although Chester had not told anyone else about the book he believed in it himself.
___8.Every time he looked at it, the book told him he was one of the most popular guys in the
company.
___9.The idea of knowing about his own thoughts frightened him.
___10.When he didnt find the book he really felt released.

Finders Keepers (5 marks)

Below there is a cut-up version of the story. Put the sentences in the correct order.(Use
numbers)
___ a. The first time he blew the whistle everything became as still as a photograph.
___ b. As he blew the whistle, a brilliant, blinding light shot through his eyes and he dropped it.
___ c. Professor Teo asked Harry to look at the pots which were found close to the body in the
grave.
___ d. He tried the whistle out on Professor Teo and found out that it stopped Time itself.
___ e. He decided he would look around his favourite shops for all the things he could never
afford before but

had always wanted.

___ f. The university had been given the job of examining the old grave and the things inside it.
___ g. Harry broke a pot and found a pipe made of clay, a sort of musical instrument.
___ h. It was the evening of the next day and he was with his bag with him ready to put his
shopping in.

___ i. He stole a small jade dragon from a shop in Orchard Road.

___ j. When he cleaned the whistle he discovered an old Chinese writing on it.

10

Writing (5 marks)
Choose one of the following activities:
1) Which of these stories did you like best? Why?
Write an opinion essay. Use paragraphs (Introduction, body and conclusion), linking words, etc.
(100 to 120 words)
2) Write a summary of one of the five short stories. Use paragraphs (introduction, turning
point, ending), linking words, etc.(100 to 120 words)