Comprehension activities on

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Reading comprehension extracts

Extract 1

Alice has found a house which has a fish and a frog as servants who at first do not want
to let Alice in, but she goes in anyway and this is what she finds.
1 The door led right into a large kitchen which was full of smoke from one end to the
other: the Duchess was sitting on a three-legged stool in the middle, nursing a baby; the
cook was leaning over the fire, stirring a large cauldron which seemed to be full of soup.
2 “There’s certainly too much pepper in that soup!” Alice said to herself, as well as she
could for sneezing.
3 There was certainly too much of it in the air. Even the Duchess sneezed occasionally;
and as for the baby, it was sneezing and howling alternatively without a moment’s
pause. The only things in the kitchen that did not sneeze, were the cook, and a large cat
which was sitting on the hearth and grinning from ear to ear.
4 “Please would you tell me,” said Alice, a little timidly, for she was not quite sure
whether it was good manners for her to speak first, “why your cat grins like that?”
5 “It’s a Cheshire Cat,” said the Duchess “and that’s why. Pig!”
6 She said the last word with such sudden violence that Alice quite jumped; but she saw in
another moment that it was addressed to the baby, and not to her, so she took courage,
and went on again.
7 “I didn’t know that Cheshire cats always grinned: in fact, I didn’t know cats could grin.”
8 “They all can,” said the Duchess “and most of ’em do.”
9 “I don’t know of any that do,” Alice said very politely, feeling quite pleased to have got
into a conversation.
10 “You don’t know much,” said the Duchess, “and that’s a fact.”
11 Alice did not at all like the tone of this remark and thought it would be as well to
introduce some other subject of conversation. While she was trying to fix on one, the
cook took the cauldron of soup off the fire and at once set to work throwing everything
within her reach at the Duchess and the baby- the fire irons came first; then followed a
shower of saucepans, plates and dishes. The Duchess took no notice of them even when
they hit her, and the baby was howling so much already, that it was quite impossible to
say whether the blows hurt it or not.
12 “Oh, please mind what you’re doing!” cried Alice jumping up and down in an agony of
terror. “Oh, there goes his precious nose,” as an unusually large saucepan flew close by
it, and very nearly carried it off.
13 “If everybody minded their own business,” the Duchess said in a hoarse growl, “the
world would go around a deal faster than it does.”

© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 1 of 6

 Comprehension activities on
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Reading comprehension extracts

Extract 2

After singing a very odd lullaby to the baby, the Duchess then throws the baby at Alice.
1 “Here! You may nurse it a bit, if you like!” the Duchess said to Alice, flinging the baby
at her as she spoke. “I must go and get ready to play croquet with the Queen.” And she
hurried out of the room. The cook threw a frying pan after her as she went out, but it
just missed her.
2 Alice caught the baby with some difficulty, as it was a queer-shaped little creature, and
held out its arms and legs in all directions, “just like a starfish,” thought Alice. The poor
little thing was snorting like a steam-engine when she caught it, and kept doubling itself
up and straightening itself out again, so that altogether, for the first minute or two, it
was as much as she could do to hold it.
3 As soon as she had made out the proper way of nursing it, she carried it out into the
open air. “If I don’t take this child away with me,” thought Alice, “they’re sure to kill it
in a day or two: wouldn’t it be murder to leave it behind?” She said the last words out
loud, and the little thing grunted in reply. “Don’t grunt”, said Alice, “that’s not at all a
proper way of expressing yourself.”
4 The baby grunted again, and Alice looked very anxiously into its face to see what was
the matter with it. There could be no doubt that it had a very turn-up nose, much more
like a snout than a real nose; also its eyes were getting extremely small for a baby:
altogether Alice did not like the look of the things at all. “But perhaps it was only
sobbing,” she thought, and looked into its eyes again, to see if there were any tears.
5 No there were no tears. “If you’re going to turn into a pig, my dear,” said Alice,
seriously, “I’ll have nothing more to do with you. Mind now!” The poor little thing
sobbed again (or grunted, it was impossible to say which) and they went on for some
time in silence.
6 Alice was just beginning to think to herself, “Now what am I to do with this creature
when I get it home?” when it grunted again, so violently, that she looked down into its
face in some alarm. This time there could be no mistake about it: it was neither more
nor less than a pig, and she felt it would be quite absurd for her to carry it any further.
7 So she set the little creature down, and felt quite relieved to see it trot away so quietly
into the wood. “If it had grown up,” she said to herself, “it would have made a
dreadfully ugly child: but it makes a rather handsome pig, I think.” And she began
thinking over other children she knew, who might do very well as pigs …when she was a
little startled by seeing the Cheshire Cat sitting on a bough of a tree a few yards off.
8 The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought: still it had
very long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt it ought to be treated with respect.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 2 of 6

 Comprehension activities on
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Total mark:

Complete these activities in order to see if you have understood the
passage and can identify key language devices and vocabulary. /30

Extract 1 questions

1. In Paragraph 1, which adjective tells you that this is a big kitchen? .....................
2. In Paragraph 1, which noun is suggesting that the cook could be like a witch? ...................
3. Look at Paragraphs 2 & 3 and explain why Alice is sneezing. ........................................
......................................................................................................................
4. In Paragraph 3, which onomatopoeic verb is showing the noise the baby is making?
........................
5. In Paragraph 3, which phrase tells you that the cat’s grin covered its whole face?
......................................................................................................................
6. In Paragraph 4, which adverb tells you that Alice is a little afraid?
7. In Paragraph 6, which two word phrase shows that the Duchess’s shout was loud, powerful
and a shock?
................................................
8. In Paragraph 6, which abstract noun means bravery? ......................
9. In Paragraph 8, which two letters has the apostrophe replaced in the Duchess’s word “ ’em”?
............
10. In Paragraph 11, what does the writer mean by “Alice did not at all like the tone of this
remark”?
......................................................................................................................
11. In Paragraph 11, which metaphor is used to show how many kitchen things were being thrown
around?
......................................................................................................................
12. In Paragraph 12, which phrase suggests Alice is in pain from being so scared?
................................................
13. In Paragraph 12, which adjective shows that the baby’s nose is something to be valued?
........................
14. In Paragraph 12, which subordinate clause adds to the danger the baby is in from the flying
saucepan?
......................................................................................................................
15. In Paragraph 13, which phrase makes the Duchess sound like an animal with a sore throat?
................................................
© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 3 of 6
 Comprehension activities on
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Extract 2 questions

1. In Paragraph 1, which verb tells you that the Duchess isn’t really caring for her baby?

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

2. In Paragraph 2, which phrase proves that the baby didn’t really feel like a baby? ...............

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

3. In Paragraph 2, which simile creates the sound the baby was making? .............................

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

4. From Paragraph 2, explain what it was that was causing Alice to have difficulty holding the
baby?

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

5. In Paragraph 3, what type of question is used to show Alice’s thoughts? ..........................

6. Which verb is repeated in paragraphs 3 & 4 which is foreshadowing that the baby might be an
animal?

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

7. In Paragraph 5, which two emotive adjectives show that perhaps the writer is feeling sorry
for the “baby”?

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

8. In Paragraph 6, which phrase tells you that Alice is now really quite scared and anxious?

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

9. In Paragraph 6, which adjective means odd and ridiculous? ......................

10. In Paragraph 7, which two adjectives are antonyms of each other? ................................

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

11. In Paragraph 7, what evidence is there that Alice is perhaps not a very kind girl? ...............

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

12. In Paragraph 8, what made Alice feel that she ought to be polite to the Cheshire Cat?

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

13. Final question:

Using both sections, write down three things that show that this is a piece of fantasy writing
and that Alice may well be dreaming all of this. (3 marks)

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

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

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

© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 4 of 6

 Comprehension activities on
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Extract 1 answers

1. In Paragraph 1, which adjective tells you that this is a big kitchen? Large
2. In Paragraph 1, which noun is suggesting that the cook could be like a witch? Cauldron
3. Look at Paragraphs 2 & 3 and explain why Alice is sneezing.
There is a lot of pepper in the soup and it is in the air so Alice is sneezing. Students
should explore both ideas from paragraphs 2 & 3 to get the full mark. Students could
write that the pepper in the soup had gone into the air which made her sneeze.
4. In Paragraph 3, which onomatopoeic verb is showing the noise the baby is making?
Howling
5. In Paragraph 3, which phrase tells you that the cat’s grin covered its whole face?
From ear to ear
6. In Paragraph 4, which adverb tells you that Alice is a little afraid? Timidly
7. In Paragraph 6, which two word phrase shows that the Duchess’s shout was loud, powerful
and a shock?
Sudden violence
8. In Paragraph 6, which abstract noun means bravery? Courage
9. In Paragraph 8, which two letters has the apostrophe replaced in the Duchess’s word “ ’em”?
Th
10. In Paragraph 11, what does the writer mean by “Alice did not at all like the tone of this
remark”?
Students should recognise that it was the way the remark sounded and that it sounded
angry or aggressive or judgemental.
11. In Paragraph 11, which metaphor is used to show how many kitchen things were being thrown
around?
Shower of saucepans, plates and dishes.
12. In Paragraph 12, which phrase suggests Alice is in pain from being so scared?
Agony of terror
13. In Paragraph 12, which adjective shows that the baby’s nose is something to be valued?
Precious
14. In Paragraph 12, which subordinate clause adds to the danger the baby is in from the flying
saucepan?
And very nearly carried it off.
15. In Paragraph 13, which phrase makes the Duchess sound like an animal with a sore throat?
Hoarse growl

© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 5 of 6

 Comprehension activities on
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Extract 2 answers

1. In Paragraph 1, which verb tells you that the Duchess isn’t really caring for her baby?
Flinging

2. In Paragraph 2, which phrase proves that the baby didn’t really feel like a baby?
A queer-shaped little creature

3. In Paragraph 2, which simile creates the sound the baby was making?
Snorting like a steam-engine

4. From Paragraph 2, explain what it was that was causing Alice to have difficulty holding the
baby?
It was doubling itself up, then straightening out.

5. In Paragraph 3, what type of question is used to show Alice’s thoughts? Rhetorical

6. Which verb is repeated in paragraphs 3 & 4 which is foreshadowing that the baby might be an
animal?
Grunt/ grunted

7. In Paragraph 5, which two emotive adjectives show that perhaps the writer is feeling sorry
for the “baby”?
Poor little

8. In Paragraph 6, which phrase tells you that Alice is now really quite scared and anxious?
In some alarm

9. In Paragraph 6, which adjective means odd and ridiculous? Absurd

10. In Paragraph 7, which two adjectives are antonyms of each other? Ugly/ handsome

11. In Paragraph 7, what evidence is there that Alice is perhaps not a very kind girl?

She was thinking of other children who would do very well as pigs.

12. In Paragraph 8, what made Alice feel that she ought to be polite to the Cheshire Cat?

It had long claws and a great many teeth.

13. Final question:

Using both sections, write down three things that show that this is a piece of fantasy writing
and that Alice may well be dreaming all of this. (3 marks)
Baby as a pig. Duchess holding a pig. Cook flinging things. Duchess giving Alice the pig.
Alice seeing nothing peculiar about a baby turning into a pig.
Students could write down a number of reasonable points, as long as these are based on
the content from both extracts.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2023 36187 Page 6 of 6