OXFORD BOOKWORMS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest
1 Put the following events in the story in
the right order. Number them 1–10.
a ___ Edward learns to shoot deer.
b ___ Edward fights for the king.
c ___ Edward is Mr Hetherstone’s secretary.
d ___ The children hide in bed from the
soldiers.
e ___ Cromwell’s soldiers burn Arnwood.
f ___ Humphrey catches a cow.
g ___ The children run away from Arnwood
with Jacob.
h ___ Edward marries Patience.
i ___ The king returns to London.
j ___ Edward helps put out the fire and
saves Patience.
20 marks
2 Look at this picture and answer the
questions, using these words: the King,
Cromwell, Mr Hetherstone, Patience,
Edward.
a Who is the man sitting down? ............... .
b Who is he working for? ............... .
c Who is the boy? ............... .
d Who does he say the New Forest
belongs to? ...............
e Who is the girl? ............... .
10 marks
3 Who said this in the story? Who did they
say it to? Edward, Patience, Oswald, the
soldiers, Jacob, the children, Pablo,
Humphrey.
a ‘I can’t light a fire every day, so I cook once
a week.’
............... to ...............
b ‘You are cleverer than I am,
brother.’ ............... to ...............
c ‘These terrible Roundheads have killed the
king.’
............... to ...............
d ‘Lost in the forest. No food, no
water.’ ............... to ...............
e ‘I’m young and I must talk to my
father.’ ............... to ...............
20 marks
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COMPREHENSION TEST
4 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a ___ Edward was the oldest of the four
children.
b ___ Jacob had two sons.
c ___ Mr Hetherstone was sorry about the
burning of Arnwood.
d ___ Edward’s leg was badly burned in the
fire.
e ___ The children buried Jacob near the
cottage.
f ___ Pablo was Spanish.
g ___ Alice and Edith didn’t like Patience.
h ___ Mr Hetherstone wanted Patience to
marry Humphrey.
i ___ When Edward went away, Alice and
Edith went to live in the north of
England.
j ___ Edward went to fight for the Spanish
army.
20 marks
5 Fill in the gaps, using these words:
chickens, potatoes, cart, eggs, spring,
pigs, forest, field, vegetables, deer.
In the ............... everyone worked very hard.
They planted ..............., and other ............... in
the ............... . Edith looked after the ...............
and looked for the ............... every morning.
Humphrey built a house for the ............... . Jacob
and Edward went into the ............... to
kill ............... . And Billy learned to pull
a ............... .
20 marks
6 Why did Edward first go to Oswald
Partridge’s house?
………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..………………
10 marks
Total marks
OXFORD BOOKWORMS COMPREHENSION TEST ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

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

2
a Mr Hetherstone
b Cromwell
c Edward
d the King
e Patience

3
a Jacob, the soldiers
b Edward, Humphrey
c Oswald, the children
d Pablo, the children
e Patience, Edward

4
a T
b F
c T
d F
e T
f T
g F
h F
i T
j F

5
spring, potatoes, vegetables, field, chickens,
eggs, pigs, forest, deer, cart.

6
He wanted a puppy.

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

SETTING 9 When the soldiers came to the cottage, the

children _____.
Choose the best answer. a  pretended to be hungry
1 The story started in _____. b  told them to go away
a  1747 c  pretended to be ill
b  1645 d  hid in the forest
c  1647
10 The children had to cook two dinners
d  1745
because _____ the first dinner.
2 Jacob Armitage was _____. a  Jacob didn’t like
a  one of Cromwell’s soldiers b  the soldiers ate
b  a poor forester c  the youngest children didn’t like
c  a rich man d  the children burned
d  the Beverley children’s grandfather
20 marks
3 There were _____ children in the Beverley
family.
CHARACTERS
a  two
b  three Choose the best answer.
c  four 11 The youngest of the Beverley children
d  five was _____.
4 The children lived _____ at Arnwood. a  Edith
a  with their aunt and uncle b  Alice
b  with their mother c  Edward
c  alone d  Humphrey
d  with their grandparents 12 Jacob lived alone because _____.
5 Their father died while fighting for _____. a  he never married
a  King Charles I b  he didn't like people
b  King Charles II c  his cottage was small
c  King Henry VIII d  his wife was dead
d  Queen Victoria 13 Humphrey was _____.
6 Cromwell’s soldiers were looking for _____. a  good at hunting
a  the Beverley children b  clever with his hands
b  Jacob c  good at housework
c  a good dinner d  clever at school
d  the King 14 Jacob was _____ when he died.
7 The soldiers _____ the house at Arnwood. a  seventy-six
a  burned down b  eighty
b  sold c  sixty-six
c  lived in d  seventy
d  painted 15 Edward told _____ who they really were.
8 The Beverley children _____. a  Patience
a  moved to Hampton Court b  Cromwell
b  went to live with the soldiers c  Oswald
c  built a new house d  Hetherstone
d  went to live with Jacob

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

16 Humphrey found Pablo, a Spanish _____, 24 ‘We buried him six weeks ago.’
in the forest. a  Jacob
a  soldier b  Edith
b  prince c  Hetherstone
c  king d  Edward
d  gypsy boy
25 ‘These terrible Roundheads have killed
17 Edward sent his sisters _____. the King.’
a  on holiday to France a  Hetherstone
b  to live in the north b  Humphrey
c  to see the King c  Edward
d  to live in Spain d  Oswald
18 _____ stayed to look after the farm. 26 Happy to work for you.’
a  Humphrey and Edward a  Edward
b  Oswald and Humphrey b  Alice
c  Humphrey and Paolo c  Pablo
d  The Hetherstones d  Patience
19 Hetherstone wanted to rebuild 27 ‘I will pay you and you can help your family.’
Arnwood _____. a  Charles II
a  because it was beautiful b  Hetherstone
b  and give it back to Edward c  Edward
c  and give it to his daughter d  Humphrey
d  and sell it for a lot of money
28 ‘While I was away, I was always thinking
20 _____ asked to marry Patience while of you.’
Edward was away. a  Patience
a  Another man b  Alice
b  Nobody c  Pablo
c  Lots of men d  Edward
d  Pablo
29 ‘All my plans have gone wrong.’
20 marks a  Humphrey
b  Edward
DIALOGUE c  Hetherstone
d  Oswald
Who said or wrote this?
30 ‘You were very unkind to her.’
21 ‘You must leave this house immediately.’ a  Edith
a  Edward b  Hetherstone
b  Cromwell’s soldiers c  Alice
c  Patience d  Humphrey
d  Jacob
20 marks
22 ‘Bad men ate our dinner.’
a  Edith
VOCABULARY
b  Jacob
c  Alice Choose the best answer.
d  Edward
31 to get away from a place where you do not
23 ‘You killed your first deer!’ want to be
a  Humphrey a  save
b  Patience b  run
c  Jacob c  escape
d  Alice d  clean

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

32 a small old house, usually in the country PLOT

a  manor
b  home Choose the best answer.
c  court 41 _____ had to learn to hunt with Jacob.
d  cottage a  Humphrey
b  Alice
33 a young dog
c  Edward
a  puppy
d  Edith
b  calf
c  cub 42 The wild cow followed Humphrey’s cart
d  kitten because _____.
a  she was hungry
34 to put a dead person in the ground
b  of her calf
a  burn
c  she liked him
b  dig
d  Edith ran after her
c  bury
d  build 43 Hetherstone said that _____ worked for him.
a  all the foresters
35 not afraid
b  the children
a  kind
c  the soldiers
b  brave
d  his daughter
c  angry
d  nervous 44 Edward rescued _____ from a fire.
a  Jacob
36 to catch and kill wild animals for food
b  Alice
a  look after
c  Humphrey
b  hate
d  Patience
c  search
d  hunt 45 _____ murdered Charles I.
a  Humphrey
37 something you use to reach high places
b  Cromwell’s men
a  wall
c  The foresters
b  ladder
d  Hetherstone
c  letter
d  will 46 Hetherstone asked Edward to _____.
a  become a forester
38 to touch somebody with the lips to
b  say who he really was
show love
c  leave the forest
a  kiss
d  be his secretary
b  kill
c  hold 47 When Edward told Patience he loved
d  hug her, _____.
a  she ran away
39 a person who travels from place to place
b  she gave a strange answer
a  gypsy
c  she started to cry
b  soldier
d  she said she loved Humphrey
c  king
d  roundhead 48 _____ gave the house at Arnwood
to Hetherstone.
40 to take someone or something out of danger
a  Oswald
a  frighten
b  Alice
b  forget
c  Parliament
c  save
d  The King
d  try
20 marks 49 Edward fought with _____ for nine years.

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

a  the English army

b  the Scottish army
c  Cromwell’s soldiers
d  the French army
50 In the end, _____ and lived at Arnwood.
a  Patience married Humphrey
b  Alice married a forester
c  Edward married Patience
d  Edith married a prince
20 marks

Total marks

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

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

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

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

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

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

BEFORE READING 3 Edward told Mr Hetherstone his name was

Armitage.
Activity 1 4 Mr Hetherstone was one of Cromwell’s good
1 The King is in prison. friends.
2 Cromwell’s men have burnt the children’s 5 Mr Hetherstone thought the burning of Arnwood
home. was a terrible thing.
3 The children escaped and are hiding in the 6 Oswald Partridge gave Edward one of his
New puppies.
Forest. 7 Edward saved Patience from the fire.
4 The children’s father fought for the King and 8 Edward did not want Mr Hetherstone’s thanks.
was killed.
5 In 1647 it was dangerous to be a friend of the Chapter 4
King. 1 Humphrey to Edward, about Jacob.
6 Jacob is the children’s one true friend. 2 Oswald to Edward, about Mr Hetherstone and
7 With Jacob’s help, the children learn to live off the murder of the King.
the land. 3 Edward to Oswald, about the people who killed
the King.
Activity 2 4 Oswald to Edward, about the news that
Encourage students to speculate and to Colonel Beverley’s children were still alive.
make guesses, but do not tell them the 5 Oswald to Edward, about Mr Hetherstone.
answers. They will find out as they read 6 Mr Hetherstone to Edward, about King
that the ‘yes’ answers are numbers 1, 4 Charles I.
and 5. 7 Mr Hetherstone to Edward, about Edward
working for Mr Hetherstone as his secretary.
WHILE READING 8 Patience to Alice and Edith, about the three of
them being friends.
Chapter 1 9 Mr Hetherstone to Edward, about Edward
1 Because they thought the King was hiding going to fight for the King’s son, who was
there. now King Charles II.
2 Because before Colonel Beverley died, he
Before Reading Chapter 5
asked Jacob to look after his family.
3 Because of his brother and his sisters. Encourage students to speculate and to
4 Because they burned Arnwood. make guesses, but do not tell them the
5 Because rich children never cooked or answers. They will find out as they read
cleaned. that the answers are 1b, 2a, 3a, 4b and
6 Because they were searching for the King. 5a.
7 Because he didn’t want the soldiers to see
Chapter 5
their rich clothes.
8 Because the soldiers ate the first one. 1+10 Many of the King’s soldiers were killed,
and Edward had to return secretly to the
Chapter 2 New Forest.
1 Jacob 5 Jacob 2+7 Edward told Patience that he loved her, but
2 Edith 6 White Billy he did not understand her answer.
3 Alice 7 Humphrey 3+12 Parliament gave Arnwood to Mr
4 Edward 8 Smoker Hetherstone, who planned to rebuild it
and give it back to Edward.
Chapter 3 4+8 Edward couldn’t ask Patience to marry him
1 Jacob was ill that winter and could not leave so he left England and went away to
the cottage. France.
2 Humphrey needed a dog to help with the farm
animals.

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

5+11 Humphrey stayed at the farm with Pablo, also looked after the chickens and went to
but his sisters went to live with friends in get the eggs every morning.
the north. Humphrey was clever at making things out of
6+9 Patience had to wait for nine years before wood. One day he caught a wild cow and
Edward came home and married her. her new-born calf in the forest, so then they
had milk to drink.
Edward learned to hunt the red deer of the forest,
AFTER READING but he always wanted to be a soldier. One
day he rode away, with his father’s sword by
Activity 1
his side, to fight for the King. He came home
Words across: pot, smoke, ladder, climb, farm, wearing a dead Roundhead’s uniform. After
burn, save, search, bucket that he was away for years, fighting with the
Words down: stables, forest, land, flames, French army.
pretend, cottage
Activity 4
R P O T E M S M O K E P E The picture goes on page 26.
S M L A D D E R B F E R C 1 Patience, Edward and Oswald.
T R F Y C L I M B L O E O 2 Mr Hetherstone’s cottage was on fire. Edward
saved Patience’s life, and then, with other
A U O A F A R M R A E T T
people, helped to put the fire out.
B U R N M N Y G R M A E T 3 Oswald and Edward carry Patience to
L N E D C D S A V E H N A Oswald’s cottage, and then Edward rides
E I S S E A R C H S L D G home with Humphrey’s puppy.

S D T R E B U C K E T N E
Possible captions are:
 ‘Patience was alive!’
1 The hidden sentence is: ‘Remember, you are  Oswald and Edward gave Patience
my grandchildren.’ Jacob said this to the some water.
four Beverley children.
2 No.
Activity 5
3 Because the children were still in danger from
Cromwell’s soldiers, and it was important for If students need help with this, encourage
them to pretend that their name was them to look at the links in the language;
Armitage, not Beverley. for example:
Where has he gone? – He’s gone . . . /
Activity 2 We’ll never see him . . . – I hope we will.
Animals: calf, chickens, cow, deer, horse, 3 Mr Hetherstone: Patience, I’ve just had a letter
pig, puppy from Edward.
Food: bread, eggs, meat, milk, potatoes, 8 Patience: From Edward? Why? Where has he
salt, vegetables gone?
5 Mr Hetherstone: He’s gone to fight for the King
Fighting: army, enemy, gun, soldier, sword,
in France.
uniform
10 Patience: Oh no! Oh, Father, we’ll never see
Activity 3 him again.
The children all worked hard. Every spring they 1 Mr Hetherstone: I hope we will, child. I hope
planted lots of different vegetables in the he’ll be your husband one day. You love him,
fields. Alice cleaned the house and learned don’t you?
how to cook, and Edith made oatmeal bread 6 Patience: Yes, I do, Father. But are you happy
and cooked it on the stones by the fire. She for me to marry a poor forester?
9 Mr Hetherstone: He isn’t a forester. His name’s
Edward Beverley.

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 2
The Children of the New Forest

2 Patience: Beverley? You mean the Beverleys

of Arnwood?
7 Mr Hetherstone: Yes. But all my plans have
gone wrong. I wanted to rebuild Arnwood and
give it back to him.
4 Patience: Oh Father, why didn’t you tell him
that? Now he’s gone to France, and it’s too
late . . .

Activity 6
Open answers.

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