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 1-4
Vocabulary
- adept: very skilled or proficient at something
- cistern: an underground container that is used for collecting and storing rainwater; a tank on the roof of a building that holds water for the building
- cunning: getting what is wanted in a clever and often deceptive way
- feeble: very weak
- indignant: feeling or showing anger because of something that is unfair or wrong; very angry
- obstinate: refusing to change your behavior or your ideas; difficult to deal with
- preposterous: very foolish or silly
Vocabulary Sentences
- After only one year of lessons, Chloe had become quite adept at playing the piano.
- The mother became indignant when she saw the boy push her daughter down on the playground.
- It is preposterous to believe that you can snap your fingers and travel anywhere around the world.
- The child became obstinate and refused to get into the car, after her mother told her she may not have another cookie.
- The elderly woman looked so feeble as she shuffled her feet and slowly walked through the market.
Comprehension Questions
- Digory had been crying because he had to leave his home in the country and move to London with his Aunt and Uncle, who are helping to care for his sick, dying mother while his father is away in India. (pg. 4-6)
- It seems fishy to Digory that Mr. Ketterly has a study on the top floor and Aunt Letty says he must never go up there. (pg. 6)
- Digory believes the empty house is haunted. (pg. 9)
- Polly and Digory find themselves in a room that looks like an attic, but is filled with books, furniture and a fireplace. (pg. 12-13)
- In Uncle Andrew’s study, Polly touched one of the rings and disappeared. (pg. 17)
- Mrs. Lefay had done unwise things and went to prison. (pg. 19-20)
- The box had originally come from the lost island of Atlantis, and it contained something which had been brought over from another world, just when their world was beginning. (pg. 22-23)
- Uncle Andrew was planning to send Digory with the yellow and green rings, in order to bring Polly back. (pg. 26-27)
- Polly and Digory decide to leave the guinea pig behind because they don’t want Uncle Andrew to do something horrible to it. (pg. 35)
- Polly and Digory almost forget to switch the yellow and green rings before jumping into another pool. (pg. 37)
- Polly and Digory keep looking around the courtyard because they aren’t sure if someone or something is watching them, since the city is in ruins and there is nothing but silence. (pg. 45-47)
- Polly is drawn into the room by the magnificent clothes worn by the figures. (pg. 50-51)
- The most interesting figure in the room is a woman who is the tallest, most richly dressed, and most beautiful. (pg. 53)
- After ringing the bell, Polly and Digory mistakenly believe that the roof and walls were finished crumbling. (pg. 57)
Section 2: Chapters 5-8
Vocabulary
- aghast: shocked and upset; struck with terror, amazement, or horror
- contempt: a feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval; the act of despising
- cower: to move back or bend your body down because you are afraid
- deplore: to hate or dislike (something) very much: to strongly disapprove of something
- impertinent: rude and showing a lack of respect
- minion: someone who is not powerful or important and who obeys the orders of a powerful leader or boss
- vain: too proud of your own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc.
Vocabulary Sentences
- I was aghast when I walked into the house and found my puppy chewing on my favorite pair of sneakers.
- Gwen deplored the idea of having to eat all of her vegetables in order to get dessert.
- Mary began to cower when she saw the angry dog coming toward her.
- Holly did seem vain when all she wanted to do was stare at herself in the mirror and take selfies all day.
- Henry became impertinent when his parents told him he had to complete his chores before going to soccer practice.
Comprehension Questions
- When the bell stops ringing in the great room, the tall and beautiful Queen wakes up and asks who has broken the spell. (pg. 58-59)
- Polly, Digory, and Queen Jadis have to leave the room quickly because the whole palace is breaking up and they don’t want to get buried under the ruins. (pg. 60)
- If people and things stand in Queen Jadis’s way, she raises her hands and speaks words that make them turn to dust. (pg. 63-64)
- All the great kings had known that if anyone used the Deplorable Word, then all living things would be destroyed, except for the person who spoke it. (pg. 66)
- Queen Jadis assumes that Polly and Digory were sent to her world in order to fetch her and take her back to their world. (pg. 69)
- Polly and Digory learn that you can also jump from world to world just by touching someone who is touching or wearing the ring. (pg. 73)
- Uncle Andrew begins to imagine that Queen Jadis will fall in love with him. (pg. 83)
- Aunt Letty won’t loan Uncle Andrew any money because he never does any work, and he has run up large bills in the past which she has had to pay over and over again. (pg. 83-85)
- When Queen Jadis discovers her magic doesn’t work, she grabs Aunt Letty’s neck and knees and holds her above her head, like a doll. (pg. 87)
- Digory plans to get Queen Jadis out of this world by slipping on the yellow ring, and then touching her, so that they return to the Wood between the Worlds. (pg. 89)
- Digory hopes to visit different worlds in order to find the Land of Youth or a magical fruit to heal his mother. (pg. 92-93)
- Digory’s plan is complicated when he grabs Queen Jadis’s ankle and shouts to Polly to put on the ring, he realizes that Uncle Andrew, the cabby, and Strawberry the horse are also with them. (pg. 101-103)
- After entering the dark world, the cabby suggests that they sing hymn. (pg. 104-105)
- Queen Jadis hates the new world when she realizes this world is filled with a Magic that is different and stronger than her own magic. (pg. 108-109)
Section 3: Chapters 9-12
Vocabulary
- lilting: characterized by a rhythmical swing or cadence; cheerful
- nuisance: a person, thing, or situation that is annoying or that causes trouble or problems
- ostentatious: displaying wealth, knowledge, etc., in a way that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy
- sagacious: having or showing an ability to understand difficult ideas and situations and to make good decisions
- sarcastic: using or showing sarcasm, which is the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say, especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny
- stupendous: causing astonishment or wonder
- vague: not clear in meaning: stated in a way that is general and not specific
Vocabulary Sentences
- When asked what she wanted to do on her summer vacation, Katie sarcastically explained that she couldn’t wait to do math assignments.
- The view of the Grand Canyon with all of its brilliant colors and layers was absolutely stupendous to behold.
- The baby fell asleep in his mother’s arms as she gently lilted back and forth.
- When asked what she wanted for her birthday, Jen’s grandma vaguely replied, “Oh, you know I love anything that is pink.”
- I admired her sagacious judgment when she chose to make conversation, not with the girl who had the most friends, but with the girl who seemed kind and interesting to chat with.
Comprehension Questions
- While Polly and Digory are watching the Lion sing and fill the land, Uncle Andrew is trying to steal the rings out of Digory’s pocket. (pg. 113)
- The Cabby tells Uncle Andrew to “stow it” because he explains that this is the time for listening and watching, not talking. (pg. 114)
- Pending…
- The iron bar bounced off the Lion and fell into the grass. (pg. 116)
- Strawberry startles Polly and Digory when he speaks. (pg. 127)
- Aslan gives the creatures all of Narnia, the woods, the fruits, the stars, and himself; he also tells them to rule the dumb beasts gently, so that that the talking beasts won’t lose their ability to talk. (pg. 128)
- Digory wants to talk to Aslan about his mother, because he hopes that Aslan will give him something good to help her. (pg. 131)
- Uncle Andrew can’t hear the animals speaking because when he heard Aslan singing, he didn’t like the song because it made him feel uncomfortable and he made himself believe that the Lion was only roaring, not singing, which caused him not to be able to hear the Lion or the other animals speak. (pg. 136-137)
- The third joke was when one of the bears stood up, took a step backward, tripped over a low branch, and then fell on his back. (pg. 142)
- Aslan asks Digory to tell the Beasts how the evil Witch came to Narnia. (pg. 146)
- The first responsibilities given to the King and Queen of Narnia are to name all the creatures, do justice among them, and protect them from their enemies. (pg. 151)
- Aslan sends Digory, Polly, and Fledge on a quest to find a garden with a tree, and they are to pluck an apple from that tree and bring it back to Aslan. (pg. 155-158)
- After Digory divides their toffees evenly, he plants the last one so that it will grow into a toffee tree, just like the lamp-post turned into a light-tree. (pg. 164-165)
- Just before Polly and Digory fall asleep under Fledge’s wings, they saw a tall, dark figure moving near them. (pg. 166)
Section 4: Chapters 13-15
Vocabulary
- canter: to run fairly fast; to ride on a horse that is running fairly fast; to ride a horse at a canter
- coronation: a ceremony in which a crown is placed on the head of a new king or queen
- cataract: a condition in which a part of your eye (called the lens) becomes cloudy and you cannot see well
- conceit: too much pride in your own worth or goodness
- loathe: to dislike greatly and often with disgust or intolerance
- noble: having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire (such as honesty, generosity, courage, etc.)
- solemn: very serious or formal in manner, behavior, or expression; sad and serious
Vocabulary Sentences
- Jane did canter through the woods on her favorite black horse.
- My favorite part in the movie is when she puts on her special gown for the Queen’s coronation.
- Even though the elderly man had a cataract in his left eye, he continued to talk and smile as though nothing bothered him at all.
- One day, I hope to become a noble gentleman, someone who is honest, kind, generous, and brave.
- Her face became solemn when she realized she would not be able to spend the day at the beach with her friends.
Comprehension Questions
- The toffee which Digory plants grows into a toffee tree. (pg. 167)
- Polly, Digory, and Fledge first know they are getting close to the valley when they begin smelling the most delicious fruits and flowers. (pg. 168-169)
- Digory knows which tree he is looking for when he sees it standing in the middle of the garden, with great silver apples on it. (pg. 172)
- After taking the apple, Digbry runs from the garden because the Witch is chasing him. (pg. 174)
- Queen Jadis makes the mistake of trying to convince Digory to be mean and leave Polly behind, which made him realize that all she had been saying was false. (pg. 175-178)
- Whenever Digory thought of Aslan’s shining eyes, he was sure he made the right decision about the apple. (pg. 178)
- Aslan instructs Digory to plant the apple by the river bank, so that a Tree will grow to protect Narnia. (pg. 180)
- Polly and Digory notice that King Frank and Queen Helen are wearing beautiful clothes, and their faces have changed because the cares of London have been taken away. (pg. 181)
- The animals of Narnia are convinced that Uncle Andrew is a living thing when he begins to scream and howl. (pg. 182)
- After Digory plants the apple, it grows into a large tree with great silver apples on it. (pg. 188-189)
- Aslan is sure Queen Jadis will not come down from the North to Narnia while the Tree flourishes, because its smell brings death and horror and despair to her. (pg. 189)
- Aslan tells Digory to pluck an apple from the Tree to take home to his mother, in order to heal her. (pg. 191-192)
- Aslan warns Polly and Digory that their world will be ruled by tyrants and that an evil person will destroy all living things. Aslan commands Polly and Digory to take Uncle Andrew’s rings and bury them so that no one can ever use them again. (pg. 193-194)
- After his mother eats the Apple and gets better, Digory buries the core of the Apple in the back garden and it grows into a tree. (pg. 199, 201)