OSCAR WILDE “SHORT STORIES”

NAME_______________________________________________ COURSE________

LORD ARTHUR SAVILE’S CRIME

1. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

A) What did Mr Podgers give to Lord Arthur? Why?

B) How did Lord Arthur decide to murder his victim and why?

C) Why was Lord Arthur unhappy when he was in Venice?

D) What did lady Windermere tell Sybil about Mr Podgers?

2. WRITE TRUE OR FALSE NEXT TO EACH SENTENCE. CORRECT THE FALSE ONES
A) Lord Arthur Savile was not interested in having his palm read by Mr Podgers. ___________
B) Mr Podgers’ predictions made Lord Arthur Savile hysterical. ___________
C) Lord Arthur Savile decided to use poison to kill Lady Clementina. ___________
D) The news of Lady Clementina’s death reached lord Arthur while he was at his gentleman’s club.
___________
E) Lord Arthur Savile intended to kill his uncle, the Dean of Chitester, with an exploding clock.
___________
F) Lady Windermere informed Lord Arthur of Mr Podgers’ death. ___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE

1. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

A) Why did Hughie have to walk home after spending the day with Laura?

B) What is the difference between a millionaire model and a model millionaire?

1
2. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER.
A) Laura’s father wouldn’t allow Hughie to marry her until he had ( a job/ horses/ money)
B) On his way to (Baron Hausberg’s house / The Stock Exchange / Laura Merton’s house),
Hughie stopped to visit Alan Trevor at his studio.
C) Hughie gave the beggar (£10,000 / one sovereign / three shillings) when Trevor left the studio
for a minute.
D) That evening, Trevor told Hughie that the beggar was really (Colonel Merton/ Baron Hausberg /
his father).
E) Alan Trevor was the (best man / painter / driver) at Hughie and Laura’s wedding.

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST.

1. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

A) Where was Canterville chase and how did people get there?

B) What was the noise which awakened Mr Otis?

C) Why did the Ghost throw the bottle violently against the floor?

D) How did the Ghost make the bloodstain reappear?

2. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES BELOW WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE PHRASAL
VERBS FROM THE BOX.

Look around wake up pick up go back stretch out trip over

A) The sound of metal clanking in the corridor made Mr Otis ________________.

B) Mr Otis __________________ a bottle of Rising Sun Lubricator from his night table and gave it
to the Ghost.
C) The Ghost grew tired of ___________________ the strings that the twins tied across the corridor.
D) The Otis family began to ___________________ their new home as soon as the arrived there.
E) As Virginia walked into the spirit-world, the hunters on the tapestry cried for her to __________
F) Although Sir Simon de Canterville’s skeleton was completely ___________, it had not been able
to reach the food and water.

*************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************

2
FINAL TEST

A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER.

1. Lord Arthur Savile told Lady Clementina that the poison capsule was meant to cure
a. headaches.
b. indigestion
c. rheumatism
2. According to the newspaper article, it was assumed that Mr Podgers
a. died of natural causes
b. was mysteriously murdered.
c. committed suicide
3. Hughie knew that if he gave the beggar the money,
a. he wouldn’t be able to take a cab for two weeks.
b. he would have to take more money out of the bank.
c. Colonel Merton would finally let him marry Laura.
4. When the messenger from baron Hausberg appeared, Hughie thought that he had come
a. to give him a gift.
b. with an invitation to join the Baron for lunch.
c. for an apology.
5. The ghost made the bloodstain reappear every morning by using
a. real blood.
b. Virginia’s water colours.
c. his supernatural powers.
6. In appreciation for her help, the Ghost gave Virginia
a. a box of magnificent jewels.
b. a box filled with gold coins.
c. a box of dried rose petals.

B. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER.

 When Mr Podgers began to read Lord Arthur Savile’s palm, it was (as to / as if) he had seen a
ghost. He became agitated and his face turned a (greenish / blackish) colour. Mr Podgers
only said that Mr Arthur would go on a (voyage / shipwreck) and lose a relative. Lord Arthur
(ignored / noticed) the palm reader’s strange reaction and waited until they were alone to ask
for an explanation. ( As though / By the time) Mr Podgers had given his true predictions,
Lord Arthur was hysterical.

 Although Hughie Erksine was a (boring / pleasant), good-looking young man, he didn’t have
much money. He and Laura merton were the most (handsome/ piteous ) young couple in
London. However, (unless / uniquely ) Hughie had £ 10,000, Laura’s father (wouldn’t /
would only) allow her to marry him. Hughie’ s luck changed when a messenger arrived ( on
the part of / on behalf of ) Baron Hausberg with a cheque for £ 10,000

 When Virginia saw the Ghost in the Tapestry Chamber, he was sitting by the window,
watching the (branches / leaves) fall off the trees. Instantly, she left (sorry for / angry with)
him. The Ghost’s (melancholy / groaning) was so deep that he didn’t notice that she had
entered the room until Virginia was standing next to him. He told Virginia that the forces of
evil had no power over the (pain/ purity) of a child. She agreed to help him ask for
forgiveness for being (wild / wicked).

3
SOLUTIONS

LORD ARTHUR SAVILE’S CRIME

1. A. Mr Podgers gave him a card so that Lord Arthur could send him the money he owed him
B. he decided to poison his victim because it was safe, sure and quite and because he didn’t want any
personal violence or painful scenes.
C. He was unhappy because he didn’t read anything about Lady Clementina’s death in the Times and
because Sybil’s letters often sounded sad.
D. She told sybil that Mr Podgers was a terrible impostor.
2. A- false B- true C- true D- False E- True F- False
A- Lord Arthur Savile was very interested in having his palm read by Mr Podgers.
D- The news of Lady Clementina’s death reached Lord Arthur Savile while he was in Venice.
F- Lord Arthur learned about Mr Podgers’ death by reading the newspaper.

THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE

1. A. He had to walk home because he had given the only money he had to Alan’s model, so he had no
money left to take a taxi.
B. A millionaire model is a millionaire who does modelling; a model millionaire is a millionaire who
behaves exactly as she should.

2. A money B Laura’s Merton house C one sovereign D Baron Hauseberg E best man

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST

1. A. Canterville Chase was a country house seven miles away from Ascot. From Ascot train station,
travelling by carriage was the only way to get to the mansion.
B. The noise was the metal clanking of the Ghost’s manacles.
C. The Ghost threw the bottle violently against the floor because he had no scared Mr Otis at all.
D He used Virginia’s paints.
2. A- wake up B- picked up C- tripping over D- look around E- go back
F- stretched out

FINAL TEST

A. 1- b 2-c 3-a 4-c 5-b 6-a

B. as if / greenish / voyage / noticed / by the time
Pleasant / handsome / unless / wouldn’t / on behalf of
Leaves / sorry for / melancholy / purity / wicked