OXFORD BOOKWORMS COMPREHENSION TEST

Stage 6
The Enemy

1 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? g because he didn’t like her.
a ___ Malcolm and Penny met in a disco. h because he thought she was her sister,
b ___ Ashton didn’t want Malcolm to Penny.
marry Penny. i to be with his family in England.
c ___ There was no information in the j because the people in Ullapool said that no
computer about Ashton. one had crossed from the island the
d ___ Malcolm needed a few men to help him day before.
to watch Ashton and his daughters. 10 marks
e ___ Penny was very happy when she
discovered what Malcolm’s real 4 Why was it impossible for Malcolm to
job was. speak with Penny when he telephoned
f ___ Ogilvie allowed Malcolm to see the Scottish laboratory?
information from Level Black. ………………………………………..………………
g ___ Ashton and Benson ran away ………………………………………..………………
to Russia.
h ___ Malcolm shot Ashton by accident. 20 marks
i ___ Benson and Ashton both originally
came from Russia. 5 Ogilvie offered Malcolm a new and better
j ___ Lord Cregar died when Malcolm job. Why did he refuse to take it?
shot him. ………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..………………
20 marks
………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..………………
2 Penny was not happy with the plans for
………………………………………..………………
the laboratory in Scotland. Why not?
………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..……………… ………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..……………… ………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..………………
10 marks
10 marks
6 Write a short comment on the story. (Do
3 Match a number from A with a letter from you think Malcolm will be happy during
B to make complete sentences. his last few months? Do you think the
A story is realistic? Did you enjoy the
1 ___ Ashton wanted Malcolm to marry book? If so, why?)
Penny ... ………………………………………..………………
2 ___ Mayberry attacked Gillian by ………………………………………..………………
accident, ... ………………………………………..………………
3 ___ Malcolm knew that Dr Carter was ………………………………………..………………
lying ... ………………………………………..………………
4 ___ Penny was very angry with Malcolm ... ………………………………………..………………
5 ___ Ashton left Russia after the war ... ………………………………………..………………
………………………………………..………………
B ………………………………………..………………
a after he let his men search her bedroom. ………………………………………..………………
b because she was pregnant. ………………………………………..………………
c because he wouldn’t look directly at him. ………………………………………..………………
d when she saw him with another woman. ………………………………………..………………
e so that he could take her away from danger.
f because he didn’t want to continue working 30 marks
in weapons research.
Total marks

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS COMPREHENSION TEST ANSWERS
Stage 6
The Enemy

1
a F
b F
c F
d T
e F
f T
g F
h F
i T
j F

2
She thought the laboratory would not be safe
enough but her bosses were not prepared to
spend more money to make it more secure.

3
1 e
2 h
3 j
4 a
5 f

4
Malcolm couldn’t speak to Penny because she
was lying unconscious in bed.

5
Malcolm didn’t want Ogilvie’s job because he
wanted to leave government agent work. He
didn’t want to become like Ogilvie who was
prepared to do a deal with a criminal like Lord
Cregar.

6
Students’ individual answers

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 6
The Enemy

SETTING 8 The secret laboratory is _____ in Scotland.

a  on a mountain
Choose the best answer. b  on a lonely island
1 Malcolm Jaggard first meets Penny Ashton c  in a large castle
at _____. d  in a forest
a  a top-secret laboratory
9 Penelope Ashton is angry because she
b  his office
wants to get a much _____ laboratory.
c  a dinner party
a  more comfortable
d  a hospital
b  warmer
2 Malcolm Jaggard is introduced to Penny’s c  cleaner
father at _____ near Marlow. d  safer
a  his luxury boat
10 Malcolm Jaggard spends money at _____
b  his large family home
in London.
c  the new government laboratory
a  an auction
d  an expensive restaurant
b  a hotel
3 At Malcolm Jaggard’s office there is a _____ c  a restaurant
called Nellie. d  a shop
a  computer system
20 marks
b  cleaner
c  secretary
d  cat CHARACTERS

4 Malcolm Jaggard learns that George Ashton Choose the best answer.
grew up in _____. 11 Malcolm Jaggard works in the world
a  Peru of _____.
b  China a  drugs
c  Russia b  spies
d  Sweden c  hotels
5 At George Ashton’s house there is a very d  travel
large model _____. 12 Penny Ashton is a _____ at UCL.
a  village a  secretary
b  railway b  student
c  tower c  researcher
d  ship d  professor
6 George Ashton and Benson run away 13 George Ashton is _____ man in his fifties.
to _____. a  a violent, stupid
a  Russia b  an angry, bored
b  Peru c  a fit, intelligent
c  Italy d  a quiet, lazy
d  Sweden
14 Gillian is George Ashton’s _____ daughter.
7 George Ashton and Benson _____ and then a  strange
go to the small town of Strangnas. b  difficult
a  get in a helicopter c  famous
b  get on a motorbike d  home-loving
c  jump off a bridge
d  jump off a train 15 Benson works as George Ashton’s _____.
a  personal servant
b  lawyer
c  researcher
d  gardener

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 6
The Enemy

16 _____ is the head of Malcolm Jaggard’s 23 ‘…Did you get close to me just to learn more
department at work. about my father?’
a  Inspector Honnister a  Penelope Ashton
b  Ogilvie b  Gillian Ashton
c  Peter Michaelis c  Benson
d  Peter Mayberry d  Inspector Honnister
17 Peter Mayberry wants to protect the world 24 ‘All I know is that your father is considered
from _____. by some people to be a very important man.’
a  guns and bombs a  Peter Mayberry
b  bad weather b  Lord Cregar
c  Russian spies c  George Ashton
d  modern science d  Malcolm Jaggard
18 Archie Ferguson helps _____. 25 ‘I’ve opened Level Black for you.’
a  George Ashton a  Ogilvie
b  Lord Cregar b  Lord Cregar
c  Malcolm Jaggard c  George Ashton
d  Benson d  Inspector Honnister
19 _____ is a top man from the government. 26 ‘I understand there is a strong room here.’
a  Peter Michaelis a  Ogilvie
b  Lord Cregar b  Lord Cregar
c  Malcolm Jaggard c  Benson
d  Benson d  Penelope Ashton
20 Gillian Ashton and Peter Michaelis 27 ‘The biologists are breaking the laws of
plan _____. God.’
a  to get married a  Gillian Ashton
b  to open a shop b  Malcolm Jaggard
c  to hurt Malcolm Jaggard c  George Ashton
d  to go to Russia d  Peter Mayberry
20 marks 28 ‘Miss Ashton gave me permission to use the
set upstairs whenever I like.’
DIALOGUE a  Lord Cregar
b  Benson
Who said or wrote this? c  Peter Michaelis
21 ‘My eyes! Oh my eyes!’ d  Larry Godwin
a  Penelope Ashton 29 ‘Well, Daddy never did any experiments in
b  Gillian Ashton genetics. He learned things from talking with
c  George Ashton me.’
d  Benson a  George Ashton
22 ‘I can get you a special licence and you can b  Benson
be married by the end of next week.’ c  Gillian Ashton
a  Peter Mayberry d  Penelope Ashton
b  Benson 30 ‘A man must do something important in his
c  George Ashton life – something that people will remember.’
d  Malcolm Jaggard a  Lord Cregar
b  Ogilvie
c  Malcolm Jaggard
d  Inspector Honnister
20 marks

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 6
The Enemy

VOCABULARY 39 a terrible event that causes great sadness

a  coincidence
Choose the best answer. b  anniversary
31 an important university teacher of the c  tragedy
highest level d  promise
a  doctor
40 the scientific study of all living things
b  professor
a  biology
c  researcher
b  mathematics
d  learner
c  chemistry
32 to print copies of something written d  physics
a  pause
20 marks
b  persuade
c  punish
d  publish PLOT

33 a mark made by a finger Choose the best answer.

a  fingerprint 41 When Malcolm Jaggard is at George
b  fingernail Ashton’s house, someone _____.
c  fingertip a  hurts Penelope
d  fingermark b  kills Benson
34 a dangerous liquid chemical c  shoots Ashton
a  ice d  throws acid at Gillian
b  steam 42 Malcolm Jaggard is asked to
c  acid investigate _____.
d  wine a  George Ashton
35 a person’s working life b  Inspector Honnister
a  defeat c  Benson
b  career d  Larry Godwin
c  appointment 43 At first, Malcolm Jaggard can’t find the
d  adventure information he wants _____.
36 a person who has exceptional intelligence a  on the work computer
a  designer b  in Ashton’s desk
b  president c  in Penelope’s genetics books
c  hero d  in Penelope’s laboratory
d  genius 44 Godwin frightens Ashton by _____.
37 a sale where each thing is sold to the a  pointing his gun
person who offers the most money b  speaking in Russian
a  auction c  showing him a letter
b  market d  showing him some old photos
c  discount 45 Benson kills George Ashton because he
d  investment thinks he will _____.
38 a person who is not a member of a a  talk about the scientific experiments
particular group, society, family etc. b  talk about Lord Cregar
a  foreigner c  go to the Russians
b  outsider d  go to the Americans
c  loser
d  winner

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
Stage 6
The Enemy

46 The model railway is really _____.

a  the door of a strong-room
b  a very clever computer
c  a secret laboratory
d  a place where Ashton keeps money
47 Penelope Ashton becomes ill because
of _____.
a  an accident in the laboratory
b  an accident at sea
c  a fire in her bedroom
d  a fight in the laboratory
48 Malcolm Jaggard learns that Benson
was _____ for 30 years.
a  a Russian spy
b  a scientific researcher
c  married
d  Lord Cregar’s spy
49 George Ashton tried to hide his scientific
ideas so that _____.
a  he wouldn’t go to prison
b  his daughters couldn’t find them
c  the politicians couldn’t steal them
d  the spies couldn’t give them to the
Americans
50 At the end, Malcolm Jaggard _____.
a  works with Lord Cregar
b  continues Ashton’s research
c  marries Penelope
d  is going to die
20 marks

Total marks

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST ANSWERS
Stage 6
The Enemy

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

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

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

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

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 6
The Enemy

BEFORE READING 4 Ashton disappeared because he wanted to

protect Penny.
Activity 1 5 Malcolm told Penny the truth about his job,
1 Malcolm Jaggard but he didn’t tell her father.
2 Malcolm Jaggard 6 The three surprising things that they found in
3 George Ashton Ashton’s house were a laboratory, a secret
4 George and Penny Ashton strong- room, and a model railway.
5 Penny Ashton’s sister / George Ashton’s other
daughter Chapter 7
6 Politicians Encourage students to speculate and to
make guesses, but do not tell them the
Activity 2 answers. They will find out as they read
Students will find out as they read that the that the answers are 1a, 2c and 3a.
‘yes’ answers are 2, 3, 4 (soon after the
end of the story), 5 and 6. Chapters 8 to 10
1 Malcolm to Gillian about himself and Penny.
Activity 3 2 Michaelis to Malcolm about the model railway.
Open answers. The basic meaning of 3 Crammond to Malcolm about Mayberry.
sentence 1 is that the speaker is 4 Mayberry to Malcolm about Penny.
confident of beating the enemy. 5 Professor Lumsden to Malcolm about his
Sentence 2 implies that the enemy is experiments.
hidden amongst people who are 6 Ogilvie to Malcolm about Ashton.
apparently friends and allies. It could be 7 Ogilvie to Malcolm about the Russians who
interesting to ask students to answer this were watching Ashton.
question again when they have read the 8 Henty to Malcolm about Ashton walking
book and to ask them if they agree with towards the guns.
sentence 2. 9 Henty to Malcolm about Benson.
Original source of quotations:
Chapters 11 to 13
1 Oliver Hazard Perry, heroic American
1 To continue to investigate the Ashton case.
commodore
2 Advising on the building and safety of a new
2 Walt Kelly, subversive sociological laboratory.
cartoonist 3 The model railway.
4 By talking to Penny and reading her books.
WHILE READING 5 In the timetables for his model railway, which
was a computer.
Chapters 1 to 3 6 Because Cregar’s special interest was in
1 Penny Ashton + 11 biological and chemical weapons.
2 Malcolm Jaggard + 12 7 That Benson was Cregar’s man.
3 Benson + 8
4 Gillian Ashton + 7 Chapters 14 to 16
5 George Ashton + 9 1 How . . .? In a fisherman’s boat.
6 Ogilvie + 10 2 Why . . .? Because Malcolm told him that
Ogilvie had the letter that was found in
Chapters 4 to 6 Benson’s pocket.
1 Gillian was blind / was badly injured. 3 What . . .? There was an accident at the
2 Penny didn’t agree to marry Malcolm laboratory and she was made ill by
immediately / agreed to marry Malcolm bacteria.
but couldn’t say when. 4 What . . .? He would send Penny to hospital.
3 Lord Cregar was an important politician / man 5 Who . . .? The local fishermen.
in the government. 6 How . . .? Malcolm hit Cregar and his gun
went off.

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OXFORD BOOKWORMS
Stage 6
The Enemy
7 What . . .? Dangerous bacteria.
8 Why . . .? Because he was given orders not
to let him ever go back to the Russians.
9 Why . . .? Because he wanted to do
something that people would remember.
10 Who . . .? Peter Michaelis.
11 What . . .? He showed the mathematical
basis of genetics.
12 Why . . .? To keep them from politicians like
Cregar and the Minister.
13 Why . . .? Because he thought it would
destroy the honest part of him.
Before Reading Chapter 17
Encourage students to speculate and to
make guesses, but do not tell them the
answers. They will find out as they read
that the only ‘yes’ answer is number 3
(soon after the end of the story).
AFTER READING
Activity 1
Possible answers:
Malcolm: Hello, sir. I was trying to get hold
of you.
Ogilvie: Why? What’s happened?
Malcolm: Well, I’m afraid the department
owes me £31,000.
Ogilvie: What? £31,000! Have you gone
completely mad?
Malcolm: Not at all. I’ve bought Ashton’s
model railway.
Ogilvie: Bought his railway? And you want
me to pay for it? You’re an idiot! If you
want a boy’s toy . . .
Malcolm: Just a minute, sir. It’s not a toy. I
believe it’s actually a very clever
computer.
Ogilvie: A computer? You must be out of
your mind.
Malcolm: No, let me explain. I realized what
it was because of the timetable.
Ogilvie: What timetable?
Malcolm: The one Ashton tried to give me
when he was dying. I didn’t understand
at the time, but I do now.
Ogilvie: You may understand, but I’m afraid I
don’t!
Malcolm: It was Michaelis who made me think
of it. He told me that Ashton’s timetables
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BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
didn’t fit the books that he had. In fact,
they didn’t fit any normal pattern.
Ogilvie: So you’re telling me that the
railway . . .?
Malcolm: Yes, I believe the railway is a sort
of mechanical computer, and the
timetables are programs.
Ogilvie: That’s all very well, but why did you
have to buy the model? Couldn’t you just
stop the auction?
Malcolm: The auctioneer refused to stop
without a letter from Penny herself, and
I couldn’t get hold of her.
Ogilvie: But why did it have to cost so much
money?
Malcolm: A rich American who collects
model railways was also trying to buy it.
He was ready to pay a lot of money for
it.
Activity 2
Other answers may be possible, but the best
words to complete the paragraph are as
follows:
Penny Ashton was a biologist who had made a
special study of genetics. Her father
became interested in her research and
because he had originally studied
mathematics, he was able to work with
computer programs without doing
experiments in a laboratory. Penny was
doing important work to help people
suffering from cancer. Her boss, Professor
Lumsden, was also working on isolating
the genes of plants and animals, to try
and produce more and better food.
But Mayberry believed that their work was
against his religious beliefs, because they
were creating new forms of life – he said
that Penny was making monsters, and that
was why he wanted to throw acid into her
face.
However, it was Penny’s sister who was injured
in Mayberry’s attack. Then Penny became ill
in Scotland after an accident in Cregar’s
secret laboratory; some dangerous bacteria
escaped and made her very ill.
OXFORD BOOKWORMS BOOK ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Stage 6
The Enemy

Activity 3 plastic materials. One of his daughters,

Many different sentences are possible, Penelope, was also a clever scientist who
depending on the students’ view of the studied genetics. Ashton studied with her,
characters. Possible answers would be: and used his knowledge to show the
mathematical basis of genetics.
 Benson was dangerous (stupid) because
he was completely loyal to Cregar. However, because he did not trust politicians to
 Ashton was clever (right) to hide his use his discoveries safely, he hid his ideas in
ideas in the model railway. / wrong to computer programs. After he was killed in
run away. Sweden last year, his discoveries were found
hidden in the timetables for his model railway.
 Cregar was evil (dangerous) because he
wanted power. Activity 6
 Malcolm was brave when he went to the
Open answers. Here are some possible
island to find Penny. / clever to guess
completions:
the secret of the railway.
 Penny was wrong to work with 1 If Mayberry had thrown the acid at Penny, she
dangerous bacteria. / right to want to wouldn’t have gone to Scotland, and so she
help people with cancer. and Malcolm wouldn’t have been made ill by
the bacteria.
 Mayberry was stupid to leave his
2 If Mayberry had not thrown the acid, George
fingerprints in the car. / dangerous
Ashton wouldn’t have been so frightened for
because he was mad.
his family that he disappeared.
 Ogilvie was wrong to make Malcolm
3 If George Ashton had known that Penny had
spy on his future father-in law. / stupid
agreed to marry Malcolm, perhaps he
when he refused to let Malcolm talk to
wouldn’t have disappeared.
Ashton in Sweden.
4 If George Ashton hadn’t disappeared, perhaps
Activity 4 he wouldn’t have been killed.
5 If Hartman had bought the model railway,
The correct order is:
Malcolm’s department wouldn’t have found
3, 1, 4, 2 out what was in Ashton’s computer
1 Cregar to Benson when he first gave him the programs.
job of spying on Ashton. 6 If Benson had not been loyal to Cregar, he
2 Benson to Ashton after the acid attack. probably wouldn’t have shot Ashton.
3 Cregar to Ashton when he got him out of 7 If Ogilvie had let Malcolm talk to Ashton in
Russia. Sweden, Ashton would not have been
4 Benson to Cregar about five years before the killed.
story begins.
Activity 7
Activity 5 Open answers.
Possible answer:
This is the amazing story of how a Russian
scientist lived and died as an ordinary British
businessman. Aleksandr Chelyuskin was a
brilliant student of mathematics in Russia.
During the war he worked in weapons
research, but after the war he started to dislike
Russian society and arranged to disappear. He
came to live secretly in England, where he
took the name George Ashton. He married
an Englishwoman and had two daughters.
At the time of his death, he was a successful
businessman who owned two factories making

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