OXFORD BOOKWORMS
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest
1 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a ___ Gwendolen is Algernon’s sister.
b ___ Miss Prism teaches Cecily.
c ___ Jack’s brother Ernest died in London.
d ___ Gwendolen likes a lot of sugar in her
tea.
e ___ Algernon and Jack both ask Dr
Chasuble to christen them.
f ___ Miss Prism lost a baby.
g ___ Algernon is Jack’s cousin.
h ___ Mr Cardew found Jack in a handbag.
i ___ Gwendolen loves the name Ernest.
j ___ Jack’s real name is Ernest.
20 marks
2 Put these sentences in the right order.
Number them 1–10.
a ___ Algernon visits Jack’s country house
and meets Cecily.
b ___ Jack asks Gwendolen to marry him.
c ___ Cecily tells Algernon that they are
already engaged.
d ___ Miss Prism tells the true story of the
handbag.
e ___ Algernon discovers that Jack is a
secret Bunburyist.
f ___ Jack discovers his real name.
g ___ Lady Bracknell approves the marriage
of Algernon and Cecily.
h ___ Cecily and Gwendolen meet.
i ___ Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen come
to tea with Algernon.
j ___ Lady Bracknell discovers that Jack was
found in a handbag.
20 marks
3 Who said this? Algernon, Jack,
Gwendolen, Lady Bracknell, Miss Prism,
Cecily.
a ‘Young women are green.’ ……………
b ‘Mother, I am engaged to Mr
Worthing.’……………
c ‘So when did we get engaged?’ ……………
d ‘Cecily, I’ll wait for you!’ ……………
e ‘I put the book in the pram, and I put the
baby in the bag.’ ……………
f ‘My dearest daughter cannot possibly marry
something from a station cloakroom.’
……………
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COMPREHENSION TEST
g ‘Before you can marry her, you must explain
about Cecily.’ ……………
h ‘Some aunts are tall, some are not.’
……………
i ‘Losing both is a little careless, is it not?’ .
……………
j ‘I’d like to meet that terrible young brother of
his.’ ……………
20 marks
4 Who in the play …? Jack, Algernon, Lady
Bracknell, Cecily, Miss Prism.
a puts a lot of sugar in Gwendolen’s tea?
……………
b lost a handbag? ……………
c pretends to have a friend called Bunbury?
……………
d wrote a novel? ……………
e was adopted by Mr Cardew? ……………
f is Algernon’s older brother? ……………
g has lost both parents? ……………
h has a daughter called Gwendolen?
……………
i lives in her uncle’s house in the country?
……………
j pretends to be Jack’s brother? ……………
20 marks
5 Fill in the gaps. Use these words:
Bunbury, ill, interested, kill, kill, country,
Cecily, brother, pretends, pretends.
Jack Worthing lives in the (a) ……………, and he
(b) …………… to have a terrible (c) ……………
called Ernest. He can come to London to visit
him when he wants. Algernon (d) …………… to
have a friend called (e) …………… . This friend
is often (f) ……………, and Algernon has to visit
him. Both these people are useful, but in the end
they decide to (g) …………… them. Jack has to
(h) ……………. Ernest because (i) …………… is
getting too (j) …………… in him.
20 marks
Total marks
OXFORD BOOKWORMS COMPREHENSION TEST ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

1 5
a F a country
b T b pretends
c F c brother
d F d pretends
e T e Bunbury
f T f ill
g F g kill
h T h kill
i T i Cecily
j T j interested

2
a 5
b 3
c 6
d 9
e 1
f 10
g 8
h 7
i 2
j 4

3
a Miss Prism
b Gwendolen
c Algernon
d Algernon
e Miss Prism
f Lady Bracknell
g Algernon
h Jack
i Lady Bracknell
j Cecily

4
a Cecily
b Miss Prism
c Algernon
d Miss Prism
e Jack
f Jack
g Jack
h Lady Bracknell
i Cecily
j Algernon

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

SETTING 9 Dr Chasuble plans to _____ Jack and

Algernon at the local church.
Choose the best answer. a  talk to
1 Algernon’s flat is in _____. b  christen
a  London c  adopt
b  Oxford d  pray for
c  Cambridge
10 At the end, Jack learns about his
d  Worthing
real _____.
2 Jack and Algernon are both interested a  name
in _____. b  age
a  gardening c  address
b  sport d  sister
c  pleasure
20 marks
d  helping poor people
3 Last week, Jack left _____ at Algernon’s
CHARACTERS
flat.
a  a bag Choose the best answer.
b  a cigarette case 11 When Jack comes to London he says his
c  an umbrella name is _____.
d  a hat a  Algernon
4 At the flat, Lady Bracknell wants to b  Ernest
eat _____ sandwiches. c  Bunbury
a  tomato d  Peter
b  salad 12 At the beginning, Algernon is Jack’s _____.
c  cheese a  friend
d  cucumber b  servant
5 When Jack was a baby somebody left him in c  uncle
the _____ at Victoria Station. d  doctor
a  cloakroom 13 Jack wants to marry _____.
b  waiting room a  Miss Prism
c  ticket office b  Lady Bracknell
d  shop c  Cecily Cardew
6 Jack was left inside a _____. d  Gwendolen Fairfax
a  small basket 14 Lady Bracknell is Algernon’s _____.
b  big box a  friend
c  black handbag b  sister
d  red pram c  mother
7 Algernon has a ‘friend’ called d  aunt
Bunbury _____. 15 Lane and Merriman are both _____.
a  in the next flat a  servants
b  in the country b  gentlemen
c  in London c  vicars
d  in Paris d  teachers
8 Jack has a big house _____. 16 _____ is Cecily Cardew’s governess.
a  near Victoria Station a  Gwendolen Fairfax
b  in Paris b  Miss Prism
c  in Bunbury c  Lady Bracknell
d  in the countryside d  Lane

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

17 Cecily and Gwendolen both like the b  Algernon

name _____. c  Miss Prism
a  Augusta d  Lane
b  Algernon
25 ‘My only business is enjoying myself, and
c  Jack
I’m enjoying myself very much here. Cecily
d  Ernest
is a sweet little thing.’
18 When Algernon is unhappy he a  Jack
always _____. b  Lane
a  sings c  Merriman
b  cries d  Algernon
c  eats
26 ‘Oh no, I couldn’t love a man called
d  sleeps
Algernon.’
19 Dr Chasuble is a _____. a  Cecily
a  servant b  Miss Prism
b  vicar c  Lady Bracknell
c  friend of Jack’s d  Gwendolen
d  dentist
27 ‘My tea is full of sugar!’
20 At the end, Jack learns that he is the son a  Miss Prism
of _____. b  Jack
a  Miss Prism c  Gwendolen
b  Dr Chasuble d  Dr Chasuble
c  Lady Bracknell’s sister
28 ‘A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! Now
d  Merriman
that I look at Miss Cardew again, I find her a
20 marks very sweet young lady.’
a  Jack
DIALOGUE b  Lady Bracknell
c  Miss Prism
Who said or wrote this? d  Algernon
21 ‘I’m in love with Gwendolen.’ 29 ‘But both these young men have asked me
a  Jack to christen them immediately!’
b  Algernon a  Jack
c  Merriman b  Algernon
d  Dr Chasuble c  Merriman
22 ‘There were no cucumbers at the market d  Dr Chasuble
today, sir. I went there twice,’ 30 ‘I knew that I had a brother! I always said
a  Jack that I had a brother!’
b  Algernon a  Jack
c  Lane b  Algernon
d  Dr Chasuble c  Cecily
23 ‘My dearest daughter cannot possibly marry d  Gwendolen
something from a station cloakroom!’ 20 marks
a  Miss Prism
b  Lady Bracknell VOCABULARY
c  Gwendolen
d  Dr Chasuble Choose the best answer.
31 when somebody or something is very bad
24 ‘I once wrote a novel in my younger days.’ a  happy
a  Jack b  beautiful

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

c  wicked 40 to give a name to a person in church; this is

d  wonderful usually for a baby
a  engage
32 when two people have agreed to get
b  christen
married in the future
c  marry
a  engaged
d  pray
b  immediate
c  careful 20 marks
d  comfortable
33 a man who comes from a good family PLOT
a  uncle
Choose the best answer.
b  lady
c  vicar 41 Algernon asks Jack about the name _____
d  gentleman on the inside of the cigarette case.
a  Gwendolen
34 when a person is hardworking and serious b  Cecily
a  lazy c  Mary
b  earnest d  Augusta
c  funny
d  wild 42 Algernon decides to go to Jack’s house
in the country because he wants to
35 the child of your uncle or aunt meet _____.
a  cousin a  Dr Chasuble
b  brother b  Miss Prism
c  sister c  Cecily Cardew
d  father d  Gwendolen Fairfax
36 when you try to make people believe 43 Algernon secretly writes Jack’s
something that is not true address _____.
a  play a  on some paper
b  prefer b  in his diary
c  pretend c  in his cigarette case
d  plan d  on his hand
37 a small cart for a baby; you can push the 44 Jack is very _____ when Algernon arrives at
baby around in this his house.
a  car a  happy
b  bed b  angry
c  bike c  hungry
d  pram d  busy
38 a book that tells a story about people and 45 Cecily and Gwendolen both think they are
things that are not real engaged to Jack’s _____, Ernest.
a  magazine a  friend
b  dictionary b  uncle
c  novel c  son
d  newspaper d  brother
39 someone who works for another person in 46 Cecily and Gwendolen are both unhappy
their house when they learn about the _____ of Jack
a  servant and Algernon.
b  doctor a  first name
c  teacher b  family name
d  manager c  mother
d  father

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

47 Lady Bracknell is interested in Algernon

marrying _____ young women.
a  an intelligent
b  a beautiful
c  a nice
d  a rich
48 Twenty-eight years ago, Miss Prism left
Lady Bracknell’s house with _____.
a  a pram
b  a dog
c  a cigarette case
d  some money
49 Jack learns his name is really _____.
a  Algernon
b  Ernest
c  Oscar
d  Alfred
50 At the end, everybody is _____.
a  angry
b  unhappy
c  happy
d  afraid
20 marks

Total marks

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

SETTING PLOT
1 a 41 b
2 c 42 c
3 b 43 d
4 d 44 b
5 a 45 d
6 c 46 a
7 b 47 d
8 d 48 a
9 b 49 b
10 a 50 c

CHARACTERS
11 b
12 a
13 d
14 d
15 a
16 b
17 d
18 c
19 b
20 c

DIALOGUE
21 a
22 c
23 b
24 c
25 d
26 a
27 c
28 b
29 d
30 a

VOCABULARY
31 c
32 a
33 d
34 b
35 a
36 c
37 d
38 c
39 a
40 b

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

BEFORE READING Act 2

Dr Chasuble did not ask Miss Prism to marry him
Activity 1
in Act 2.
Do not give the answers now, but ask
The correct order is: 2, 6, 1, 5, 7, 3
students to wait and see if their guesses
were correct as they read the plays. Before Reading Act 3
The correct answers are: Do not give the answers now, but ask
1 No 2 No 3 Yes 4 Yes 5 No students to wait and see if their guesses
were correct as they read the plays.
Activity 2
The correct answers are:
Do not give the answers now, but ask
1 It is large and black.
students to wait and see if their guesses
2 Miss Prism.
were correct as they read the plays.
3 Mr Cardew found it 28 years ago, but now Miss
The correct answers are: Prism finds it again (Jack gives it back to
1 b 2c her).

WHILE READING
Act 1
1 Jack Worthing.
2 Algernon/Algy Moncrieff.
3 Cecily Cardew.
4 Gwendolen Fairfax.
5 Aunt Augusta/Lady Bracknell.
Act 1
When Jack was a baby, someone left him in a
large black handbag in the cloakroom at
Victoria Station. An old man called Mr
Cardew found him and gave him the name
of Worthing, because he had a ticket to
Worthing in his pocket.
Before Reading Act 2
Do not give the answers now, but ask
students to wait and see if their guesses
were correct as they read the plays.
The correct answers are:
1Y 2N 3N 4N
Act 2
1 Miss Prism to Cecily about her novel.
2 Jack to Dr Chasuble about a christening.
3 Miss Prism to Dr Chasuble about Ernest
Worthing.
4 Cecily to Algernon/Ernest about his letters to
her.
5 Gwendolen to Cecily about her diary.
Act 3 up to Page 33
Cecily and Gwendolen were happy that Jack
and Algernon were ready to change their
names. Suddenly Lady Bracknell arrived.
She said that Algernon could not marry
Cecily, although Cecily’s grandfather, Mr
Cardew, had a good address. But when
she heard that Cecily had a lot of money,
she agreed to the marriage. Then Jack
said that he was Cecily’s guardian and that
he would only agree to the marriage if
Lady Bracknell would let him marry
Gwendolen. Lady Bracknell said that this
was impossible.
Act 3
Miss Prism put the baby in the handbag.
Miss Prism left the handbag in a station
cloakroom.
Miss Prism put the novel in the pram.
Miss Prism left the pram in an empty street.
Act 3
1 F Lady Bracknell is Jack’s aunt/ Lady
Bracknell’s sister is/was Jack’s mother.
2 F Jack is Algernon’s older brother/ Algernon
is Jack’s younger brother.
3 T
4 T
AFTER READING
Activity 1

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Importance of Being Earnest

Suggested answers: Activity 5

Lady Bracknell: Is Mr Moncrieff at home, F O K I S S R T H E F
Lane? W I R S T T I M E I P
Lane: No, Lady Bracknell, I’m afraid that Mr I N M Y B A B Y L I L
Moncrieff is not at home. C F L E I U N D E R A
Lady Bracknell: Where has he gone? K S E T A N A U N T T
Lane: To the country, Lady Bracknell. E D S T H E I M P O E
Lady Bracknell: What is he doing there? D R S T A N C E O F B
Lane: Mr Moncrieff is visiting his friend Mr
E I O N G M U F F I N
Bunbury.
E A N R N S I R E S T
Lady Bracknell: He seems to visit this Mr
Bunbury very often!
Lane: Yes, Mr Bunbury is often ill, the poor
Activity 6
gentleman.
Lady Bracknell: Well, how long will he be 1 For the first time in my life I understand the
there? Importance of Being Earnest.
Lane: Until Monday, he told me. 2 Jack Worthing.
Lady Bracknell: And do you know where this 3 Now Jack realises how important it is a) to be
Mr Bunbury lives? serious about life b) to be called Earnest.
Lane: Yes, Lady Bracknell. Mr Moncrieff left me
Activity 7
the address.
Lady Bracknell: Then give it to me, Lane! 1 Gwendolen: she is having tea with Cecily at
Lane: Of course, Lady Bracknell. Here you are. Jack’s house in the country.
2 Jack: he is angry with Algernon, who has just
arrived at the house in the country,
Activity 2 pretending to be Jack’s brother Ernest.
Today I met Uncle Jack’s brother Ernest! He told 3 Dr Chasuble: he has just been told by Miss
me all about his poor friend Mr Bunbury, who is Prism that women will never leave him alone
often very ill. Dear Ernest is so kind to him! if he stays single. He is considering asking
He said that I was the most beautiful girl he’d her to marry him.
ever seen, and asked me for a flower to wear
on his coat. I think that perhaps he’s in love Activity 8
with me. I do hope so! Open answers.

Activity 3
1 +6 2+4 3+5
Open answers.

Activity 4
1 wicked (it describes someone’s character)
2 kiss (a movement, not a piece of writing)
3 baby (a living person, not a thing)
4 aunt (female, not male)
5 lesson (a time for teaching, not a person)
6 plate (a container, not food)
7 muffin (a type of food, not something people
wear)
8 sir (what people sometimes say to a man, not
a place)

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