IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.

Section 1: Chapters 1-3

Vocabulary

antagonistic: showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward someone or something
assimilate: take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully
belligerent: hostile and aggressive
inadvertent: not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning
indignation: anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment
morass: a complicated or confused situation
prodigious: remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree

Vocabulary Usage in the Book

“…Try to be a little less antagonistic…” (Ch. 2,pg. 33)
“…I need fuel so that I can sort things out and assimilate them properly.” (Ch. 2,pg. 44)
“Do you enjoy being the most belligerent, uncooperative child in school?” (Ch. 2, pg. 32)
“…You tell me, you see, sort of inadvertently…” (Ch. 2, pg. 36)
Meg was indignant. (Ch. 3, pg. 48)
“I guess so,” Meg said, but her happiness had fled and she was back in a morass of anger and resentment. (Ch. 3, pg. 57)
“Prodigious,” Mrs. Murray said. (Ch. 1, pg. 16)

Comprehension Questions

The unusual thing about Charles Wallace is that he didn’t start talking until he was four years old. (Ch. 1, pg. 13
Mrs. Whatsit confirms the existence of a tesseract and that stuns Mrs. Murry. (Ch.1, pg. 27)
Meg gets sent to the principal’s because she was rude to her teacher. (Ch. 2, pg. 30)
Charles Wallace wants Meg to go visit Mrs. Whatsit with him. (Ch. 2, pg. 34)
Charles Wallace knows the tesseract is something big because his mother gets upset when the tesseract is mentioned by Mrs. Whatsit. (Ch. 2, pg. 34)
Calvin says he came to the cabin to get away from his family. (Ch. 2, pg. 38)
Charles Wallace decides that he believes Calvin. (Ch. 2, pg. 40)
Meg’s fears were calmed by Calvin’s strong hand at her elbow and Fort pressing against her leg. (Ch. 2, pg. 41)
Calvin makes Meg angry by asking questions about her father. (Ch. 3, pg. 57)
Mrs. Whatsit reveals that Mrs. Who is a few billion years old. (Ch. 3, pg. 63)
Meg became good at math because she and her father used to play with numbers. (Ch. 3, pg. 50)
The government says that Mr. Murry is in on a secret and dangerous mission. (Ch. 3, g. 59-60)
Mrs. Which doesn’t fully materialize because it’s too tiring to do so. (Ch. 3, pg. 63)

Section 2: Chapters 4-6

Vocabulary

aberration: a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome
ephemeral: lasting for a very short time
inexorable: impossible to stop or prevent
myopic: lacking imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight precipitous-dangerously high or steep
propitious: giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
sonorous: a voice that is imposingly deep and full

Vocabulary Usage in the Book

“…We haven’t had an Aberration for three years.” (Ch. 6, pg. 118)
For some reason Meg felt that Mrs. Which, despite her looks and ephemeral broomstick, was someone in whom one could put complete trust. (Ch. 4, pg. 70)
…lying on the moving water, pulsing gently with the swells, and feeling the gentle, inexorable tug of the moon. (Ch. 4, pg. 76)
If anyone had told her only the day before that she, Meg, the snaggle-toothed, the myopic, the clumsy, would be taking a boy’s hand to offer him comfort and strength … would have been beyond her comprehension.” (Ch. 6, pg. 107)
“…You will just have to wait until the propitious moment.” (Ch. 6, pg. 112)
Mrs. Which’s voice rang out clear and strong, echoing against the walls of the cavern, and the words fell with a sonorous clang. (Ch. 5, pg. 96)

Comprehension Questions

Mrs. Whatsit explains that Mrs. Who uses quotes because she has a hard time verbalizing. (Ch. 4, pg. 69)
Meg is told she must learn patience in order to see her father. (Ch. 4, pg. 71)
The children are shown a dark shadow in the darkened sky. (Ch. 4, pg. 81)
Mrs. Whatsit tells the children they will be helping their father do something difficult. (Ch. 5, pg. 84)
After leaving Uriel, the children can’t stop at the first planet, because it was a two dimensional place and they couldn’t breathe there. (Ch. 5, pg. 90)
Mrs Whatsit is exactly 2,379,152,497 years, 8 months, and 3 days old. (Ch. 5, pg. 95)
The Happy Medium doesn’t want the children to see the earth because it is covered by the dark Thing. (Ch. 5, pg. 99)
Seeing Meg’s mother made Meg feel mad and that helped her to not be scared. (Ch. 6, pg. 109)
The final planet did not seem frightening to Meg because the landscape and town looked familiar. (Ch. 6, pg. 111)
Mrs. Whatsit warns Charles that pride and arrogance could betray him. (Ch. 6, pg. 114)
All the Children were playing in an identical way and that was very strange. (Ch. 6, pg. 115)
The mother on Camazotz describes an aberration as a child dropping a ball. (Ch. 6, pg. 118)
Charles Wallace thinks the children should go to Cental Central Intelligence to learn about Camazotz. (Ch. 6, pg. 123)

Section 3: Chapters 7-9

Vocabulary

bilious: affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting
bravado: a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate emanate-originate from; be produced by
miasma: a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor
oblique: neither parallel nor at a right angle to a specified or implied line; slanting pedantic-of or like a pedant
pinion: the outer part of a bird’s wing including the flight feathers

Vocabulary Usage in the Book

The green of the marble reflecting on their faces made them look bilious. (Ch. 7, pg. 128)
She wondered if Calvin realized that a lot of the arrogance was bravado. (Ch. 7, pg. 131)
…the red miasma began to creep before her eyes again, and she was afraid she was going to lose consciousness again. (Ch. 9, pg. 175)
She tried looking at the mouth, at the thin, almost colorless lips, and this was more possible, even though she had to look obliquely (Ch. 7, pg. 137)
…but the black-smocked men were too quick for her, and one of them held her with her arms pinioned behind her back.” (Ch. 8, pg. 149)

Comprehension Questions

The man who speaks to the children’s minds, claims to assume all the pain ,and responsibilities ,and burdens of thought and decisions. (Ch. 7, pg. 135)
Charles Wallace quotes nursery rhymes to try and prevent his mind from being controlled. (Ch. 7, pg. 135-136)
Meg made the voice angry by tackling Charles Wallace to the ground. (Ch. 7, pg. 140)
Charles Wallace can’t tase the food like Meg and Calvin because he is able to completely shut out the man from his mind. (Ch. 7, pg. 144)
Charles Wallace is suddenly able to taste food because he gave over his mind to the man. (Ch. 8, pg. 148)
On Camazotz people who are sick are just put to sleep. (Ch. 8, pg. 154)
The little boy with the red ball was at Central Central Intelligence because they were reprograming him to never desire to deviate again. (Ch. 8, pg. 158)
The voice from Charles Wallace tells Meg that she must go to IT in order to save Mr. Murry. (Ch. 9, pg. 162)
Calvin tries to reach Charles by quoting Shakespeare and staring into his eyes. (Ch. 9, pg. 162)
Meg uses the spectacles that Mrs Who gave her to rescue her father. (Ch. 9, pg. 164)
Meg recites the Gettysburg Address to keep her mind from being controlled by IT. (Ch. 9, pg. 176)
Meg fears that all the people including Charles Wallace would be destroyed if IT was destroyed. (Ch. 9, pg. 178)
Mr Murry, Meg and Calvin tesser out of the room to escape from IT. (Ch. 9, pg. 179)

Section 4: Chapters 10-12

Vocabulary

despondent: in low spirits from loss of hope or courage
pungent: having a sharply strong taste or smell
relinquish: voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up
spasm: a sudden involuntary muscular contraction
tic: a habitual spasmodic contraction of the muscles
trepidation: a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen vestige-a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

Vocabulary Usage in the Book

Such a wave of despondency came over Meg that she was no longer able to eat.(Ch. 11, pg. 208)
She had been stripped of her clothes, and something warm and pungent was gently being rubbed into her body.” (Ch. 11, pg. 198)
“…The Black Thing does not relinquish its victims willingly” (Ch. 11, pg. 199)
With this burst of terror a spasm of pain wracked her body and she gasped.” (Ch. 11, pg. 196)
…his eyes still slowly twirling, his jaw still slack, as she had seen him before, with a tic in his forehead reiterating the revolting rhythm of IT.”(Ch. 12, pg. 227)
The middle beast, a tremor of trepidation in his words said, “You aren’t from a dark planet, are you?” (Ch. 11, pg. 195)

Comprehension Questions

Mr. Murry and Calvin are able to hold out against IT because IT isn’t used to being refused. (Ch. 10, pg. 181)
IT offered Mr. Murry complete rest and he almost gave into IT. (Ch. 10, pg. 181)
Charles was susceptible to IT because he thought he could go into IT and come out again. (Ch. 10, pg. 182)
Meg accuses her father of leaving Charles Wallace on Camazotz. (Ch. 10, pg. 188)
The Beasts want to know if people on Earth were used to visitors from other planets. (Ch. 11, pg. 195)
Meg finds it difficult to explain eyesight to the creatures of Ixchel. (Ch. 11, pg. 199)
When Meg is comforted by Aunt Beast she has a feeling that the beast would be able to love her no matter what she said or did. (Ch. 11, pg. 202)
The creatures of Ixchel find Earthly language utterly simple and limited. (Ch. 11, pg. 206)
Meg realizes that it has to be her to go rescue Charles Wallace because Charles understands Meg. (Ch. 12, pg. 216)
Meg’s solution for rescuing Charles was to go directly to It. (Ch. 12, pg. 225)
Mrs Whatsit compares life to a sonnet and says people are given the form but have freedom within it. (Ch. 12, pg. 219)
Mrs. Which gives Meg the gift of knowing she has something IT does not have and Mrs. Who gives Meg a passage of scripture. (Ch. 12, pg. 222)
Me finally realizes that she has love and that IT does not. (Ch. 12, pg. 228)