The Phoenix and the Carpet

by E. Nesbit

Te a c h e r ’ s
Material
 c o n t e n t s

To the Teacher ..................................................................................................................... 3

Before Reading .................................................................................................................... 4

After Reading ....................................................................................................................... 6

Worksheet 1: Chapters 1-4 .................................................................................................. .. 7

Answers to Worksheet 1 ..................................................................................................... 8

Worksheet 2: Chapters 5-8 ................................................................................................ 9

Answers to Worksheet 2 .................................................................................................... 10

Worksheet 3: Chapters 9-12 . ............................................................................................. 11

Answers to Worksheet 3 .................................................................................................... 12

Final Test .............................................................................................................................. 13

Answers to Final Test .......................................................................................................... 14

Answers to Activities in the Reader .................................................................................. 15

Before using the following teacher’s material, we recommend that

you read the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet.

Copyright © 2011 Burlington Books


 The Phoenix and the Carpet

TO T H E TE A C H E R

List of Main Characters

Jane: The 11-year-old narrator of the story. Phoenix: a magical talking bird.
Anthea and Robert: 13-years-old twins. Mother: the children’s mother.
Jane’s sister and brother. Cook: the family’s cook.
Charles: Jane’s 9-year-old brother. Brian: a burglar.
P l o t S u mm a r y
A day before Guy Fawkes Night, Jane, Anthea, Robert and Charles play with fireworks and accidentally set
their playroom carpet on fire. Their mother buys them another carpet, which turns out to be a magic carpet.
Inside the carpet is an egg with a talking phoenix in it. The Phoenix explains that the carpet can give them
three wishes a day. For the first wish, the children fly to Egypt on the magic carpet. Charles wishes to see
inside a pyramid and the carpet grants his wish. It’s dark inside the pyramid, so they wish for a torch. The
children explore the tomb and then want to go home, but they can’t because they haven’t got any wishes
left for that day. They find some treasure with a note saying that it is theirs to keep and they are excited. But
suddenly, it’s midnight and the carpet takes them home, leaving the treasure in the pyramid.
The next day, the carpet takes them and their cook, who steps on the carpet while holding a box of her
biscuits, to a tropical island. The island’s natives meet Cook and taste her delicious biscuits. They want her
to stay and be their queen – and she agrees. The children return home without Cook.
The next day, the children help Mother get Indian food for a bazaar – by flying to India to buy the food.
Then they fly to the school bazaar and search for Mother. They discover that a horrible teacher, Mrs Biddle,
bought their carpet by mistake. She refuses to give it back to them until they use the carpet’s magic to put
her in a good mood.
The next day, the carpet goes to Persia, and brings back 100 cats. The cats mew all the time and want milk.
The carpet flies away again and brings a cow, but nobody knows how to milk it. Jane goes to the kitchen to
look for milk just as a burglar appears. Luckily, the burglar can milk the cow. The kids give the cats and the
cow to the burglar. Later, the police catch the burglar. They assume the cats are stolen and put the burglar
into prison. The children rescue him from prison and fly him to Cook’s tropical island. The burglar falls in
love with Cook and they live happily ever after.
On their way back home, the carpet tears and Jane almost falls through the hole. The children realise that
this is the end of the carpet. The Phoenix says goodbye to the children and everyone is very sad. But the
next week, they get a surprise. A big package arrives and inside is the treasure from the pyramid. Mother is
overjoyed and the children are very happy, too.

About the Author

Edith Nesbit was born in London, England, in 1858. She wrote many poems and plays. She was most
successful as a children’s writer. Some of her most famous novels are The Story of the Treasure Seekers
(1899), Five Children and It (1902), The Phoenix and the Carpet (1904) and The Railway Children (1906).
She wrote 44 novels before her death in 1924.

Background
• The Phoenix: The legend of the phoenix bird is very old. It goes back to the myths of the ancient Greeks,
Persians, Romans and Egyptians. The phoenix is a beautiful bird, the colours of fire – gold, purple, blue
and red. It never dies and is therefore a symbol of rebirth and immortality. At the end of its 1,000-year life
cycle, the phoenix dies in fire and a new egg appears from the ashes. Then the phoenix is born again to
live another 1,000 years.
• Guy Fawkes Night: On 5th November, 1605, an Englishman called Guy Fawkes tried to kill the King
of England with explosives. Luckily, the explosives were discovered and Guy Fawkes was arrested. The
people of London were very happy that their king was saved. They celebrated by lighting bonfires, and
this became a tradition. Until today, every 5th November, the British light bonfires and watch colourful
fireworks. Sometimes, they make a big doll that looks like Guy Fawkes and burn it on the bonfire.

 The Phoenix and the Carpet

before reading

Suggestions for Lead-in Activities

These activities are designed to help the students’ reading comprehension. They help to activate background
knowledge, expectations and ability to predict. At this level, these activities will usually be conducted in the
students’ mother tongue. Students with a strong vocabulary can do some of these activities in English.
Ask the questions and elicit the answers from the whole class. (Some possible answers are provided in
italics.) If you prefer, students can work in pairs or in small groups.
1. What is a phoenix? (A mythical bird: it lives for a thousand years and then bursts into flames, dies and
is born again.)
2. Can you think of animals that talk or communicate with humans? (parrots, dolphins, monkeys,
elephants, dogs, cats)
3. Which films, book or games do you know with a magic carpet? Make a list. (Film: “The Thief of
Baghdad”; Book: “Aladdin”; The Nintendo game: “Super Mario Bros”)
4. Imagine you have got a magic carpet. Where do you want to go? What do you do there?
5. What is Guy Fawkes Night? (Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated in Britain. Every year, on
5th November, people go to bonfires and watch firework displays. Sometimes, people make a big doll
and burn it.) Have you got a similar type of celebration with fireworks in your country?
6. Have you ever flown to a different country? (Yes / No) How did you feel? (I was excited / scared.) What
did you think of the place? (It was strange / different / exciting.)
7. If you had three wishes, what would you ask for?
8. In the story, one of the characters goes to live on a small island with only a few people on it. Would you
like to live on a small island? Why? / Why not? (It’s fun on a small island because I know everybody
and I can go to all the places on the island safely. I can just rest all day, swim in the water and explore
the island. OR: I wouldn’t like to live on a small island because I would get bored. I miss going to
school, going to the cinema and city life.)

Before Reading Activities

The Before Reading activities in the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, page 3, can
be applied to The Phoenix and the Carpet.
In addition to the activities in the general leaflet, students can do the following activities.
1. Scan the first page of the story. How many children are there in the family and what are their names and
ages? (Four children: Jane, 11, Robert, 13, Anthea, 13 and Charles, 9.)
2. Look at the picture on page 3. How does the mother look? (upset) Why do you think that is? (She has
just discovered that her children have burned a hole in the carpet.)
3. Look at the picture on page 8. Where are the children? How are they travelling? (They are in Egypt and
they are travelling on a flying carpet.)
4. Read the last paragraph on page 13. Where do the children go? Who goes with them? (They go to a
sunny tropical island. Cook goes with them.)
5. Read the last two paragraphs on page 18. Why do you think Cook prefers to stay on the island? (It’s
more fun to be queen of the island than cooking in a kitchen.)
6. Read the last two paragraphs on page 23 and look at the picture. What problems have the children got?
(The carpet brings 100 cats and a cow to the playroom.)


 The Phoenix and the Carpet

K e y V o c a b u l a ry

1. Pre-teach the following words. Then photocopy the exercise and ask the students to look at the pictures
and write the correct number next to each word.

...... egg ...... phoenix ...... flames ...... carpet ...... torch ...... biscuits ...... treasure

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2. Pre-teach the words below. Then photocopy the exercise and tell the students to write the words in the
correct column.

queen sea sister brother desert mother father

cook island jungle twins teacher beach

People Places

3. Pre-teach the following verbs. Then photocopy the exercise and tell the students to write the correct
verb under each picture.

sell fly find climb clean jump

1 2 3

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

4 5 6

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


 The Phoenix and the Carpet

A F TE R R E A DING

drama activities
Work with a partner or group. Learn one of the dialogues below and act it out in front of the class.
1. The children and the Phoenix are inside a
pyramid.
Anthea: Oh, it’s horrible in here. Let’s ask the
carpet for some light. (A torch appears
in her hand.)
Charles: We’re inside the pyramid. Can you
believe this?
Robert: There’s no way out. Charles, this was a
really stupid wish!
Charles: Sorry. Here’s a good wish. Please,
Carpet, we want to go home.
Jane: What’s happening, Phoenix? Why
aren’t we going home?
Phoenix: You’ve only got three wishes every day.
The torch was your last wish.
Charles: What? Why didn’t you tell us that?
Phoenix: I explained that yesterday. You didn’t
remember!
2. The children, the Phoenix and Cook have just
landed on a tropical island.
Cook: Is this a dream? I want to be awake and
in my kitchen again.
Jane: You can’t make a wish, Cook, only we
can. You’re awake, and this is not a
dream.
Cook: People always say that in dreams.
Phoenix: And do birds talk in dreams?
Cook: You’re a bird! How can you talk? This
is a strange dream.
Project Suggestions
3. The children are at Mrs Biddle’s front door.
Anthea: There’s a mistake. That’s our
carpet.
Mrs Biddle: No, it isn’t! It was on sale. It’s
mine now.
Charles: We want our carpet.
Mrs Biddle: Well, I’m sorry, but you can’t have it.
Anthea: Dear carpet, please make
Mrs Biddle generous!
Mrs Biddle: (smiling) Come in, children, and
have some biscuits.
Robert: Thank you, but we must go home
with our carpet.
Mrs Biddle: Oh, yes, of course. Come and visit
me again, dears.
4. Jane is in the kitchen and a burglar climbs
through the window.
Jane: Excuse me, are you a burglar?
Brian: Oh! You frightened me! Yes, I am. But
it’s my first time, so I’m not a very good
burglar.
Jane: Well, I think you’re quite good. What’s
your name?
Brian: I’m Brian and I don’t like this job. It’s
not kind and it’s not honest.
Jane: No, it isn’t. (pause) Do you know how to
milk a cow?
Brian: Oh yes. I love animals. I lived on a farm
once.
Jane: Well, we need your help, Brian.

You may want to present some of these activities in the students’ own language.
1. Draw a different cover for the book and give it a different title.
2. Work in pairs. Imagine that you are the children’s mother and father. Have a conversation about the
children’s behaviour recently, especially after Cook has complained about them.
3. Who is your favourite character in the story? Write a few sentences about him / her / it and explain why
you like that character best.
4. Make a poster advertising trips on the magic carpet to special places around the world.
5. Imagine what happens after the children receive the treasure. Write a continuation to the story.
6. Look in an encyclopedia or search the Internet to find information about Guy Fawkes Night or the
legend of the Phoenix. Write a short paragraph about the information you find and read it to the class.


 The Phoenix and the Carpet

W O R K S H EET 1 : Chap t e r s 1 - 4

A. Find seven words in the puzzle below. Then write the correct word under each picture.

1 2
y f l a m e s
z c a r p e t
b o r b l o u
........................ w t o r c h n ........................
i h c u n p n
3 4
n e k r f o e
d s s m e l l

5 6 7
........................ ........................

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

B. Use the adjectives below to describe the pictures.

tired dirty new oval strong dark rich

1 2 3 4

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

5 6 7

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

C. Put the sentences in the correct order.

..... a. They light a firework and it burns the carpet.
..... b. The children fly to Egypt on their magic carpet.
..... c. The children find treasure in a pyramid.
..... d. The children buy some fireworks for Guy Fawkes Night.
..... e. When they open the new carpet, a magic egg rolls out.
..... f. The Phoenix tells the children about the magic carpet.
..... g. The egg rolls into the fire and a phoenix comes out.
..... h. The children’s mother buys them a new carpet.


 Worksheet 1: Chapters 1-4

A NS W E R S

A.
y f l a m e s
z c a r p e t
b o r b l o u
w t o r c h n
i h c u n p n
n e k r f o e
d s s m e l l

1. carpet
2. rocks
3. smell
4. flames
5. wind
6. torch
7. tunnel

B. 1. new
2. strong
3. oval
4. dark
5. tired
6. rich
7. dirty

C. 1. d
2. a
3. h
4. e
5. g
6. f
7. b
8. c


 The Phoenix and the Carpet

W O R K S H EET 2 : Chap t e r s 5 - 8

A. Match the words to the correct pictures.

a. teacher b. hair c. drink d. skin e. queen

1 2 3 4 5

B. Label the pictures kitchen or jungle. Then write the correct letter next to each item.

a. fruit b. flowers c. tree d. biscuits e. island f. milk g. animal h. dinner

A. ........................ B. ........................

1 2
3

3 4
4

C. Read the sentences below. Write T (true) or F (false) next to each statement.
..... 1. Cook wants to leave because of the children.
..... 2. Mother believes the children’s stories about the magic carpet.
..... 3. The children invite Cook to come with them on the carpet.
..... 4. On the island, Cook eats all the biscuits.
..... 5. The savage cannibals want to eat Cook’s biscuits.
..... 6. Mother doesn’t want to cook Indian food for the school bazaar.
..... 7. The Taj Mahal is a special kind of Indian food.
..... 8. The children go to India to get some Indian food.


 Worksheet 2: Chapters 5-8

A NS W E R S

A. 1. b
2. e
3. d
4. a
5. c

B. A. KITCHEN
1. f
2. a
3. d
4. h

B. JUNGLE
1. c
2. e
3. g
4. b

C. 1. T
2. F
3. F
4. F
5. T
6. T
7. F
8. T

10
 The Phoenix and the Carpet

W O R K S H EET 3 : Chap t e r s 9 – 1 2

A. Use the words in the puzzle to complete the sentences. Then circle the answers in the
puzzle and help the children find their way to the treasure.

tremble
lonely hungry
b

jo
smiles

belongs

rescue
er box
nn
di

marvel cow
lous oy
j
stra en
nge

1. The carpet now........................ to Mrs Biddle.

2. Mrs Biddle ........................ and gives the children some biscuits.
3. The carpet brings a ........................ to the playroom to feed the cats.
4. The burglar doesn’t like his ........................ because it’s not kind or honest.
5. The children decide to ........................ Brian.
6. Cook is happy to have a friend because she sometimes feels ........................ .

B. Circle the correct word.

1. Mrs Biddle buys / jumps the carpet.
2. The carpet makes Mrs Biddle horrible / generous.
3. The children have got many cows / problems!
4. The burglar climbs / carries through the window.
5. The children rescue the burglar from prison / the island.
6. The burglar falls in love with Cook and wants to rescue / marry her.

C. Match each question in A to the correct answer in B.

A B
1. What happens to the magic carpet at the ….. a. The children roll the egg in the carpet and
bazaar? burn it in the fire.
2. What does the carpet bring from Persia? ….. b. Because they don’t believe his story about
3. What happens when Jane goes to the the cats.
kitchen? ….. c. The burglar takes them in his van.
4. What happens to the cow and the cats? ….. d. A big box of treasure.
5. Why do the police arrest the burglar? ….. e. One hundred cats.
6. Why isn’t the carpet safe any more?
….. f. She sees a burglar.
7. What happens after the Phoenix gets
into the egg? ….. g. Mrs Biddle buys it.
8. What arrives in the post? ….. h. Because there are many holes in it.

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 Worksheet 3: Chapters 9–12

A NS W E R S

A.

tremble
lonely hungry
b

jo
smiles

r belongs
e box

res
nn
di

cu
e
marvel cow
lous oy
j
stra en
nge

1. belongs
2. smiles
3. cow
4. job
5. rescue
6. lonely

B. 1. buys
2. generous
3. problems
4. climbs
5. prison
6. marry

C. 1. g
2. e
3. f
4. c
5. b
6. h
7. a
8. d

12
 The Phoenix and the Carpet

F IN A L TEST

A. Label the pictures with the following words.

fruit rocks flower eggs carpet

queen tree animals skin island

1 2 3 4 5

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

6 7 8 9 10

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

20 points (2 points each)

B. Complete the sentences with the words below.

flames lonely rescue job biscuits clean torch drink

1. The natives like Cook’s ........................ .

2. It’s very dark. We need a ........................ so we can see.
3. The carpet is very dirty. We must ........................ it.
4. The children decide to ........................ the burglar.
5. Cook feels very ........................ on the island.
6. The children put the egg in the ........................ .
7. The children often ........................ milk.
8. The burglar doesn’t like his ........................ .
16 points (2 points each)

C. W
 ho is speaking? Match the sentences to the characters. a b c
..... 1. It’s so nice to fly again, after a thousand years!
..... 2. Children, it’s very late. Why aren’t you sleeping?
d e f
..... 3. Stop your stupid stories!
..... 4. This is a marvellous dream. I don’t want to wake up!
..... 5. You stupid kids! Don’t sit on that table! g
..... 6. Excuse me, are you a burglar?
..... 7. I love animals. I lived on a farm.
14 points (2 points each)
13
 Final Test

answers

A. 1. eggs
2. tree
3. island
4. rocks
5. queen
6. fruit
7. flower
8. carpet
9. animals
10. skin

B. 1. biscuits
2. torch
3. clean
4. rescue
5. lonely
6. flames
7. drink
8. job

C. 1. g
2. f
3. c
4. b
5. d
6. e
7. a

14
 The Phoenix and the Carpet

A NS W E R S TO A CTI V ITIES IN T H E R E A DE R

Page 3: Mother takes the fireworks (picture A).

Page 6: The Phoenix wants to sleep (picture B).
Page 9: The visitors can help the children (picture C).
Page 12: The children are angry with Cook (picture D).
Page 14: Cook wants to be in the kitchen (picture A).
Page 17: The men are eating biscuits (picture B).
Page 20: The Phoenix gives an explanation about the Taj Mahal (picture B).
Page 22: Jane asks to make Mrs Biddle generous (picture C).
Page 25: C, D, B and A
Page 28: Robert and the Phoenix help Jane (pictures B and D).

15