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Kidnapped Chapters 1-2 Comprehension
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Kidnapped Chapters 1-2 Comprehension
This original retelling introduces the opening events of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped. Use details from the passage to support your answers. For prediction questions, more than one answer may be reasonable if it is supported by a clue.
A New Beginning
When David Balfour’s father dies, the young Scotsman is left with little money and few close relatives. Before his death, David’s father tells him to seek out his uncle, Ebenezer Balfour, at the House of Shaws. David sets off carrying a letter of introduction from a family friend, Mr Campbell.
The journey takes him through the countryside to a large, old house. David expects to find a welcoming family home, but the House of Shaws seems neglected and gloomy. Its worn appearance makes him uneasy. When Ebenezer appears, David notices that his uncle is thin and nervous. Rather than greeting David warmly, Ebenezer watches him with suspicion.
David explains who he is and presents the letter. Ebenezer reads it, but his reaction is difficult to understand. He seems startled by David’s arrival and asks questions about the past. David begins to wonder why his uncle is so anxious. Still, he hopes they can become family and that the house may offer him a secure home.
As evening approaches, David looks around the strange house and listens to the wind outside. He has travelled far to meet his only close relation, yet he already feels that something is wrong. He decides to stay alert and learn more about the secrets surrounding the House of Shaws.
Check the Details
1.Who does David travel to meet after his father dies?
- Mr Campbell
- Ebenezer Balfour
- A neighbour from the countryside
- His father
2.What does David carry to introduce himself to his uncle?
3.True or false: David finds the House of Shaws welcoming and well cared for. Explain your choice using one detail from the passage.
4.Which word best describes Ebenezer’s first reaction to David?
- Suspicious
- Delighted
- Bored
- Amused
5.Find a word in the passage that means “looked after badly or allowed to fall into disrepair”.
Read Between the Lines
6.Why might David have expected a warm welcome at the House of Shaws?
7.The passage says Ebenezer’s reaction is “difficult to understand”. What details make his behaviour seem unusual?
8.How does the description of the house help create a feeling of unease? Use two details from the passage.
9.What can you infer about David from the fact that he decides to stay alert and learn more? Give one piece of evidence.
10.Predict one problem David might face at the House of Shaws. Support your prediction with a clue from the passage.
11.Put these events in the order they happen by writing 1, 2 and 3 beside them: David arrives at the House of Shaws; David’s father dies; David presents the letter to Ebenezer.
- David arrives at the House of Shaws
- David’s father dies
- David presents the letter to Ebenezer
- 1
- 2
- 3
3 printable pages
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
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