The Tale of Custard the Dragon

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Reading Comprehension 1

Belinda lived in a little white house,

With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,

And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,

And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,

And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,

And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,

But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.

Where did Belinda live?
a) In a big brown house
b) In a little white house
c) In a small green hut
What was the name of Belinda’s pet dragon?
a) Ink
b) Blink
c) Custard
What do you learn about Belinda’s pets from the poem?
a) All of them were brave
b) Each pet was different in colour and character
c) They all looked the same
Why do you think the poet calls the dragon a coward?
a) Because he was afraid of fighting
b) Because he was lazy
c) Because he ran away from Belinda
Identify the poetic device used in “realio, trulio, little pet dragon.”
a) Alliteration
b) Poetic License
c) Personification

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 2

Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,

And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,

Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,

And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.

Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,

And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,

Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,

But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

What did Custard the dragon have on his body?
a) Feathers and fur
b) Spikes and scales
c) Spots and stripes
What did Custard cry for?
a) A bowl of food
b) A nice safe cage
c) A soft warm bed
What does the poet tell us about Belinda and her pets?
a) They were all brave except Custard
b) They were all cowardly
c) They were all scared of Custard
Why do you think Custard wanted a cage?
a) Because he liked to sleep inside it
b) Because he wanted to be safe from danger
c) Because Belinda asked him to
Identify the poetic device used in “Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears.”
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Alliteration

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 3

Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,

Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,

They all sat laughing in the little red wagon

At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.

Belinda giggled till she shook the house,

And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,

Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,

When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

What did Belinda and her pets do to Custard?
a) They played with him kindly
b) They teased and laughed at him
c) They ignored him completely
What name did Ink, Blink, and Mustard call Custard?
a) Percival
b) Mustard
c) Blink
What can you say about the behaviour of Belinda and her pets?
a) They were kind and friendly to Custard
b) They were rude and made fun of him
c) They respected his fear
Why do you think Custard cried for a nice safe cage again?
a) He wanted to hide from the teasing
b) He was sleepy and tired
c) He wanted to play with Belinda
Identify the poetic device in “Belinda giggled till she shook the house.”
a) Hyperbole
b) Simile
c) Metaphor

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 4

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,

And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.

Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,

For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.

Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,

And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,

His beard was black, one leg was wood;

It was clear that the pirate meant no good.

What did Belinda and her pets hear suddenly?
a) A sweet song
b) A nasty sound
c) A loud laugh
Who was climbing into the window?
a) A soldier
b) A pirate
c) A thief
What does the poet describe about the pirate’s appearance?
a) He had a black beard and a wooden leg
b) He wore a shining crown
c) He had golden hair and blue eyes
Why did everyone get frightened?
a) Because the pirate looked dangerous
b) Because they saw a strange animal
c) Because the lights went off
Identify the poetic device used in “Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound.”
a) Alliteration
b) Repetition
c) Personification

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 5

Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!

But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,

Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,

And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.

But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,

Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,

With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,

He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.

The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,

And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,

He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit,

And Custard gobbled him, every bit.

What did Belinda do when she saw the pirate?
a) She called the police
b) She cried for help
c) She ran away quietly
What did the other pets do when the pirate appeared?
a) They bravely fought the pirate
b) They hid or ran away in fear
c) They laughed at the pirate
What can you say about Custard’s action in this scene?
a) He was brave and fought the pirate
b) He stayed in his cage and cried
c) He called the other pets for help
Why did the pirate gulp some grog from his pocket flagon?
a) He wanted to celebrate
b) He was tired and thirsty
c) He was nervous and scared of Custard
Identify the poetic device in “snorting like an engine.”
a) Simile
b) Metaphor
c) Alliteration

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 6

Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,

No one mourned for his pirate victim.

Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate

Around the dragon that ate the pirate.

But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,

I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered.

And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,

We’d have been three times as brave, we think,

And Custard said, I quite agree

That everybody is braver than me.

How did Belinda and her pets react after Custard killed the pirate?
a) They scolded him
b) They praised and hugged him
c) They ignored him completely
What did Mustard say after the fight was over?
a) He said he was not afraid at all
b) He said he would have been braver if he hadn’t been flustered
c) He said Custard was still a coward
What can you understand about the other pets’ behaviour after the danger passed?
a) They were honest about their fear
b) They again started boasting about their bravery
c) They thanked Custard for saving them
Why do you think Custard said, “Everybody is braver than me”?
a) He was proud of himself
b) He was being humble
c) He wanted to tease the others
Identify the poetic device in “Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate.”
a) Alliteration
b) Simile
c) Repetition

Answers:

Reading Comprehension 7

Belinda still lives in her little white house,

With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse,

And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,

And her realio, trulio little pet dragon.

Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,

And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,

Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,

But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.

Where does Belinda live with her pets?
a) In a little white house
b) In a big brown house
c) In a red brick house
What does Custard still keep crying for?
a) A new toy
b) A nice safe cage
c) Some food
What does the poet show about Belinda and her pets in these lines?
a) They have gone back to their old ways
b) They have become kind to Custard
c) They all want to be like Custard now
Why is Custard’s behaviour at the end of the poem interesting?
a) Because he again acts cowardly after being brave before
b) Because he becomes a hero forever
c) Because he runs away from the house
Identify the poetic device in “Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears.”
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Personification

Answers:

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