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Created by Ali Harwood

Learning Objective: I can answer comprehension questions effectively.

Teaching and Learning: Read through the opening extract from Jeff Young’s version of Hansel and Gretel. As a class, discuss any difficult vocabulary

Task: Discuss the success criteria before answering the comprehension questions.

Success Criteria: a) Read each question carefully. b) Refer to the text when you think about your answer. c) Write your answer, then check it. Does it answer the question?

Challenge/Extension: Can you create extra comprehension questions and prepare the answers which use the words ‘why’ and ‘how’?

Plenary/Feedback: As a class, discuss and mark the answers. What might happen next and why? What won’t happen next and why not?

Hansel and Gretel, an extract, retold by Jeff Young:

Once upon a time, at the edge of a tangle wood forest, there lived a woodcutter with his wife and two children. The children were called Hansel – that was the boy – and Gretel – that was the girl. Even though the woodcutter worked very hard they were a poor family who had to make do with old crusts and shrivelled fruit at the dinner table. Hansel and Gretel were mostly happy but they were often scolded by their mother. They thought she was cruel and bad tempered and I suppose she was sometimes. The truth of the matter is that the woman was the woodcutter’s second wife; his first wife had passed away after eating too many acorns. So I suppose his second wife sometimes got fed up with two excitable children dashing about the place and refusing to eat stale bread. At night, the woodcutter would lie awake in bed worrying about their terrible state of affairs. He would toss, turn, grumble and groan in despair and every night – tummy rumbling – he would turn to his wife at cock crow and, with a deep sigh he would say: ‘What is going to come of us? How can we possibly take care of our poor little children when the two of us don’t have enough to eat?’ But usually his wife was snoring, pretending to be asleep because she was sick to death of him going on about it. Why couldn’t he just chop down more trees and sell more firewood? Why couldn’t he chop down the entire forest and make them all millionaires? So he would grumble and she would snore until it was time to get up and eat more bread crusts. But one morning, sick of the whole thing, ruing the day she married him, she snapped: ‘Listen to me. Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, let’s take the children down into the deepest part of the forest. We’ll make a fire for them out there and give them each a crust of bread. Then we’ll leave them there by themselves. They’ll never find their way back home and we’ll be rid of them.’ Then, as an afterthought she said, ‘We’ll tell them it’s a sleepover.’ The woodcutter looked at Hansel and Gretel playing beneath the branches of a barren apple tree and cried, ‘How could I ever do such a thing? I would never be so cruel. I’m not like you! Wild beasts will surely find them and tear them to pieces!’ His wife pulled her hair out in despair and called him a fool: ‘In that case we’ll all starve to death so you’d better start making our coffins.’ She watched him going off to play a game with Hansel and Gretel and she wanted to be sick. Hansel and Gretel had climbed to the top of a very tall tree and were looking in amazement at the size of the forest. Neither of them had ever set foot in the forest and neither of them wanted to. To Hansel it looked like the scariest place in the world but Gretel tried to make it less scary by imagining it to be a place full of light and rainbows and dappled hollows. She gave Hansel one of her secret sweets and he smiled so much that she could see the terrible state of his teeth from eating too many toffees.

Hansel and Gretel, an extract, retold by Jeff Young: Comprehension 1. 1. 1. 1. Where did Hansel and Gretel live? Underline one (1 mark)

a) in a house made of sweets b) in the middle of a tangle wood forest c) at the edge of a tangle wood forest d) with a woodpecker

2.2.2.2. What adjective is used to describe the fruit at the dinner table? Underline one (1 mark) a) old b) shrivelled c) poor d) tangled e) happy

3.3.3.3. How can you tell that the woodcutter is hungry during the night? (1 mark)

4.4.4.4. How do you think the woodcutter’s wife feels when she pretends to be asleep while the

woodcutter talks in bed? Explain as fully as you can. (2 marks)

5.5.5.5. In your opinion, was the woodcutter’s wife right to get fed up when the children dashed

around all over the place? Explain your thoughts. (2 marks)

6.6.6.6. Would you have refused to eat stale bread at the dinner table if you were in Hansel and

Gretel’s situation? Explain your reasons. (1 mark)

7a.7a.7a.7a. Can you rewrite/ edit the following sentence in italics using the correct punctuation? (1 mark)

why couldnt he just chop down more trees and sell more firewood

7b.7b.7b.7b. Why is it important for writers to punctuate their work accurately? (1 mark)

8.8.8.8. Can you put number these events in chronological (time) order?

The first one has been done for you (1 mark)

Hansel and Gretel climb a tree

The woodcutter’s wife pulls out her hair

1 The woodcutter’s wife shares her plan with her husband

The woodcutter plays a game with his children

Hansel and Gretel play under an apple tree

9.9.9.9. Why didn’t the woodcutter want to leave Hansel and Gretel in the forest overnight?

Underline one (1 mark)

a) a wicked witch might trick them

b) the fire might burn them

c) they could fall out of the tree

d) wild animals would attack them

10.10.10.10. Read this quote below from the text:

The woodcutter looked at Hansel and Gretel playing beneath the branches of a barren apple

tree and cried, ‘How could I ever do such a thing? I would never be so cruel. I’m not like you!

Why didn’t the family eat the apples on the tree? (1 mark)

11.11.11.11. Why will the woodcutter’s wife tell the children it is a ‘sleepover’? (1 mark)

12.12.12.12. Do you think the woodcutter is a good father?

Back up your ideas using evidence from the text. (2 marks)

13.13.13.13. Secret sweets aren’t mentioned in the original story.

Why do you think writer Jeff Young has included them in the Unity’s version? (1 mark)

14.14.14.14. If you were Hansel or Gretel, how would you feel if you were left in the forest by

your parents and why? (3 marks)

Hansel and Gretel, an extract, retold by Jeff Young: Comprehension ANSWERS

1. Where did Hansel and Gretel live? Underline one (1 mark) a) in a house made of sweets b) in the middle of a tangle wood forest c) at the edge of a tangle wood forest d) with a woodpecker 2. What adjective is used to describe the fruit at the dinner table? Underline one (1 mark) a) old b) shrivelled c) poor d) tangled e) happy 3. How can you tell that the woodcutter is hungry during the night? (1 mark) His tummy rumbles/ you could also accept he can’t get to sleep. 4. How do you think the woodcutter’s wife feels when she pretends to be asleep while the woodcutter talks in bed? Explain as fully as you can. (2 marks) Award 1 mark for a feeling/emotion and 2 marks if this is explained with reference to the text She was annoyed with him because they were poor/ she was bored with him because he kept on repeating himself/ she was angry with him because he didn’t chop down more trees 5. In your opinion, was the woodcutter’s wife right to get fed up when the children dashed around all over the place? Explain your thoughts. (2 marks) No - they are children and needed to keep active/ they are only playing/ they are keeping fit/ it will keep their minds off eating/ the house is safer than the forest Yes – they could have an accident/ they could hurt themselves on an axe/ they should conserve energy 6. Would you have refused to eat stale bread at the dinner table if you were in Hansel and Gretel’s situation? Explain your reasons. (1 mark) Yes – I could become ill/ everyone should have a balanced diet No – I need to eat/ I wouldn’t want to be hungryI would be grateful/ I would be polite and respectful 7a. Can you rewrite/ edit the following sentence in italics using the correct punctuation? (1 mark) why couldnt he just chop down more trees and sell more firewood Why couldn’t he just chop down more trees and sell more firewood?

7b. Why is it important for writers to punctuate their work accurately? (1 mark) It makes it easier to understand/ it makes it clear/ it adds variety 8. Can you put number these events in chronological (time) order? The first one has been done for you (1 mark) 5) Hansel and Gretel climb a tree 3) The woodcutter’s wife pulls out her hair 1) The woodcutter’s wife shares her plan with her husband 4) The woodcutter plays a game with his children 2) Hansel and Gretel play under an apple tree 9. Why didn’t the woodcutter want to leave Hansel and Gretel in the forest overnight? Underline one (1 mark) a) a wicked witch might trick them b) the fire might burn them c) they could fall out of the tree d) wild animals would attack them 10. Read this quote below from the text: The woodcutter looked at Hansel and Gretel playing beneath the branches of a barren apple tree and cried, ‘How could I ever do such a thing? I would never be so cruel. I’m not like you! Why didn’t the family eat the apples on the tree? (1 mark) The tree was barren which means it was bare 11. Why will the woodcutter’s wife tell the children it is a ‘sleepover’? (1 mark) So when the adults don’t return before dark, they won’t be suspicious. 12. Do you think the woodcutter is a good father? Back up your ideas using evidence from the text. (2 marks) No – he doesn’t provide enough food for the children/ he lets his wife be cruel to them/ he doesn’t check his son’s teeth Yes – he worries about his children/ he doesn’t want to abandon them/ he plays a game with them 13. Secret sweets aren’t mentioned in the original story. Why do you think writer Jeff Young has included them in the Unity’s version? (1 mark) It gives a reason why they will be attracted by the witch’s house made of sweets/ makes a funny scene/ Gretel is resourceful/ that Hansel is careless/ 14. If you were Hansel or Gretel, how would you feel if you were left in the forest by your parents and why? (3 marks) Scared of wild animals, the dark/ upset, surprised that my dad had left me/ relieved to be away from my horrible stepmother