Instructions
Read each chapter of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and then complete the worksheet for that chapter. The activities will test your understanding of the story, help you learn new words, and encourage you to think creatively about Alice's journey. Try to answer in full sentences where possible.
Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit-Hole
Reading Comprehension
- Why was Alice feeling "very sleepy and stupid" at the beginning of the story?
- What was so unusual about the White Rabbit that made Alice follow him?
- Name two strange things Alice saw or thought about while falling down the rabbit-hole.
- What did Alice find on the three-legged table?
- Why couldn't Alice get through the little door into the garden, even when she was small enough?
Vocabulary Builder
Match the word to its correct meaning.
- Waistcoat
- Earnestly
- Antipathies
- Curiosity
- A. A strong desire to know or learn something.
- B. A man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat.
- C. In a serious and sincere way.
- D. A deep-seated feeling of dislike.
Creative Corner
If you fell down a rabbit-hole, what would your "Wonderland" look like? Describe three amazing or nonsensical things you would expect to see.
Chapter 2: The Pool of Tears
Reading Comprehension
- What happens to Alice after she drinks from the bottle labelled "DRINK ME"?
- What causes the "pool" to form in the great hall?
- Who does Alice meet while she is swimming in the pool?
- Alice tries to start a conversation by talking about her cat, Dinah. Why was this a bad idea?
- At the end of the chapter, where do Alice and the other creatures go?
Literary Device: Pun
A pun is a joke that uses a word with two different meanings. The Mouse says he will tell Alice his "long and sad tale." Alice looks at the Mouse's tail and gets confused. Explain the two different meanings of "tale/tail" that create the pun.
- "Tale" means: _________________________________________
- "Tail" means: _________________________________________
Chapter 3: A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale
Reading Comprehension
- Why did the Dodo suggest they have a Caucus-Race?
- What were the rules of the Caucus-Race?
- Who won the race and what did they receive as prizes?
- What did Alice give as a prize?
- Why do all the other animals get offended and leave Alice alone at the end of the chapter?
Order of Events
Number these events from 1 to 4 in the order they happened in the chapter.
- [ ] The Mouse tells its "long and sad tale."
- [ ] Everyone wins the Caucus-Race and demands a prize.
- [ ] The Dodo suggests a race to get everyone dry.
- [ ] Alice frightens the birds away by talking about her cat, Dinah.
Chapter 4: The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill
Reading Comprehension
- Who does the White Rabbit mistake Alice for?
- What two items does the Rabbit send Alice to fetch from his house?
- What happens to Alice when she drinks from the little bottle in the Rabbit's house?
- How do the Rabbit and his friends try to get Alice out of the house first?
- What finally makes Alice shrink and escape the house?
Character Point of View
Imagine you are the White Rabbit. Write a short diary entry about the day you found a giant monster (Alice) stuck in your house. How did you feel?
Chapter 5: Advice from a Caterpillar
Reading Comprehension
- Describe the Caterpillar Alice meets. Where is he and what is he doing?
- The Caterpillar asks Alice, "Who are you?" Why is this a difficult question for Alice to answer?
- What is the Caterpillar's advice about how to change her size?
- Alice recites the poem "You are old, Father William." What is the Caterpillar's opinion of how she recited it?
- What happens when Alice first tries eating the two sides of the mushroom?
Vocabulary Builder
Use the following words from the chapter in a sentence of your own.
- Contemptuously: __________________________________________________
- Languid: __________________________________________________
Chapter 6: Pig and Pepper
Reading Comprehension
- Who does Alice see sitting outside the little house before she goes in?
- Why is everyone inside the house sneezing?
- What strange advice does the Cheshire Cat give Alice about which way to go?
- What happens to the baby that the Duchess gives to Alice?
- What is the most remarkable thing about the Cheshire Cat?
Character Sketch
Describe the Cheshire Cat in three words. Explain why you chose each word.
- Word: ___________ Why? __________________________________
- Word: ___________ Why? __________________________________
- Word: ___________ Why? __________________________________
Chapter 7: A Mad Tea-Party
Reading Comprehension
- Who is at the tea-party when Alice arrives?
- Why is it always six o'clock at the tea-party?
- The March Hare offers Alice wine. Why is this not a real offer?
- What riddle does the Hatter ask Alice that has no answer?
- Why does Alice decide to leave the tea-party?
Figurative Language
The Hatter says he "quarrelled with Time" and now it is "always six o’clock." This is an example of personification, which is giving human qualities to an object or idea. Can you think of another example of personification? (It doesn't have to be from the book). Write it below.
Chapter 8: The Queen's Croquet-Ground
Reading Comprehension
- Why were the three card-gardeners painting the white roses red?
- What is the Queen of Hearts' favorite phrase to shout?
- Describe the strange way croquet was played. What was used for the mallets, balls, and arches?
- Who does Alice see reappear on the croquet-ground?
- Why does the Queen order the Cheshire Cat to be beheaded, and why can't the executioner do it?
Compare and Contrast
How are the King and Queen of Hearts different from each other? Give one example from the chapter.
Chapter 9: The Mock Turtle's Story
Reading Comprehension
- Who takes Alice to meet the Mock Turtle?
- Why is the Mock Turtle so sad?
- The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon list the subjects they studied at their school in the sea. Name two of them.
- What did they call their teacher?
- What is a "Mock Turtle"? (You may need to look this up!)
Wordplay
The Mock Turtle's school subjects are puns on real subjects. What do you think the "real" school subjects were?
- Reeling and Writhing: ___________________________
- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision: ___________________________
Chapter 10: The Lobster Quadrille
Reading Comprehension
- What is a "Quadrille"?
- According to the Mock Turtle, what two animals are partners in the Lobster Quadrille?
- What is "whiting" used for in the sea, according to the Mock Turtle?
- The Gryphon asks Alice to tell them about her adventures. Why does he and the Mock Turtle find her story so curious?
- What interrupts the Mock Turtle's song at the end of the chapter?
Creative Corner
The Lobster Quadrille is a very silly dance. Invent your own silly animal dance. Give it a name and describe two of the steps.
Name of Dance: __________________
Step 1: ____________________________________________
Step 2: ____________________________________________
Chapter 11: Who Stole the Tarts?
Reading Comprehension
- Who is on trial, and what is the accusation?
- Who is the judge?
- The first witness is the Hatter. What happens to him when he gets nervous?
- What happens to Alice's body while she is watching the trial?
- What piece of "evidence" does the White Rabbit present at the end of the chapter?
Courtroom Vocabulary
Draw a line to match the courtroom term with its definition.
| 1. Jury | A. A person who gives testimony in a court of law. |
| 2. Witness | B. A formal decision made by a jury. |
| 3. Evidence | C. A group of people sworn to give a verdict in a legal case. |
| 4. Verdict | D. Information or objects presented in court to prove or disprove a fact. |
Chapter 12: Alice's Evidence
Reading Comprehension
- Why is Alice called as a witness?
- What is Rule 42? Why does Alice say it's not a real rule?
- The King says the letter is important evidence against the Knave. How does Alice argue against this?
- The Queen shouts "Sentence first—verdict afterwards!" What is wrong with this idea?
- How does Alice wake up from her dream?
Final Reflection
Alice's dream was full of characters who followed nonsensical rules. In the real world, why are rules and logic important? Give one reason.
Answer Key
Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit-Hole
Reading Comprehension: 1. She was bored sitting by her sister on the riverbank with nothing to do. 2. The Rabbit pulled a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket and was talking to itself. 3. Answers may include: jars of marmalade that were empty, pictures and maps, falling so slowly she could look at things. 4. A tiny golden key. 5. She had left the golden key on the table and she was too small to reach it.
Vocabulary Builder: 1-B, 2-C, 3-D, 4-A.
Creative Corner: Answers will vary.
Chapter 2: The Pool of Tears
Reading Comprehension: 1. She grows to be over nine feet tall. 2. It is made of the tears Alice cried when she was a giant. 3. A Mouse. 4. The Mouse and the other creatures are afraid of cats, so they were offended and frightened. 5. They swim to the shore to get dry.
Literary Device: Pun: 1. "Tale" means a story. 2. "Tail" means the part of an animal's body that extends from its back.
Chapter 3: A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale
Reading Comprehension: 1. To help everyone get dry after swimming in the pool of tears. 2. There were no real rules; they all ran in a circle and stopped whenever they wanted to. 3. Everybody won. They all received comfits (a type of candy) from Alice's pocket. 4. Alice gave the Dodo her thimble. 5. She talks about her cat, Dinah, again, which scares the birds.
Order of Events: 2, 4, 1, 3.
Chapter 4: The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill
Reading Comprehension: 1. His housemaid, Mary Ann. 2. His gloves and fan. 3. She grows so large that she fills the entire house. 4. They try to send Bill the Lizard down the chimney. 5. The animals throw little pebbles at her, which turn into tiny cakes. When she eats one, she shrinks.
Character Point of View: Answers will vary but should reflect the Rabbit's panic and confusion.
Chapter 5: Advice from a Caterpillar
Reading Comprehension: 1. He is a large, blue caterpillar sitting on top of a mushroom, smoking a hookah. 2. She has changed size so many times that she doesn't feel like herself anymore. 3. He tells her that one side of the mushroom will make her grow taller, and the other side will make her grow shorter. 4. He says she recited it "wrong from beginning to end." 5. The first bite of one side makes her neck grow incredibly long, and the first bite of the other makes her shrink rapidly.
Vocabulary Builder: Sentences will vary but should correctly demonstrate the meaning of the words (Contemptuously: scornfully; Languid: slow and relaxed).
Chapter 6: Pig and Pepper
Reading Comprehension: 1. A Fish-Footman and a Frog-Footman. 2. The Duchess's cook is putting too much pepper in the soup. 3. He says that no matter which way she goes, she will meet mad people, because everyone in Wonderland is mad. 4. It turns into a pig. 5. He can vanish and reappear, sometimes leaving only his grin behind.
Character Sketch: Answers will vary. Examples: Mysterious, mischievous, philosophical.
Chapter 7: A Mad Tea-Party
Reading Comprehension: 1. The March Hare, the Hatter, and a Dormouse. 2. The Hatter "murdered the time" so Time has stopped at 6 o'clock (tea-time) for him. 3. There was no wine on the table. 4. "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" 5. She is tired of their rudeness and endless riddles.
Figurative Language: Answers will vary. Example: The wind whispered through the trees.
Chapter 8: The Queen's Croquet-Ground
Reading Comprehension: 1. They had accidentally planted a white rose tree instead of a red one, and they were trying to fix their mistake before the Queen arrived. 2. "Off with his head!" or "Off with her head!" 3. They used live flamingos for mallets, live hedgehogs for balls, and soldiers bent over to form the arches. 4. The Cheshire Cat. 5. The Queen orders his execution, but since the cat is only a head without a body, the executioner argues he can't behead something that has no body to behead from.
Compare and Contrast: The Queen is loud, angry, and tyrannical, constantly ordering executions. The King is much calmer and more reasonable, often quietly pardoning the people the Queen has condemned.
Chapter 9: The Mock Turtle's Story
Reading Comprehension: 1. The Gryphon. 2. He used to be a real turtle, but now he is only a Mock Turtle, and he is sad about it. 3. Answers may include: Reeling and Writhing, the different branches of Arithmetic (Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision), Mystery, Seaography, Drawling, Stretching, and Fainting in Coils. 4. Tortoise. 5. A soup that was popular in the Victorian era, made from calf's head, that was meant to imitate green turtle soup.
Wordplay: 1. Reading and Writing. 2. The four operations of Arithmetic: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division.
Chapter 10: The Lobster Quadrille
Reading Comprehension: 1. A type of dance, popular in the 19th century, that was performed by four couples in a square formation. 2. A lobster and a turtle (or whoever wants to join). 3. It is used to clean and polish boots and shoes under the sea. 4. Because every time she tries to recite a poem or recall a fact from her world, it comes out completely different and nonsensical in Wonderland. 5. A cry in the distance announcing that the trial is about to begin.
Creative Corner: Answers will vary.
Chapter 11: Who Stole the Tarts?
Reading Comprehension: 1. The Knave of Hearts is on trial, accused of stealing the Queen's tarts. 2. The King of Hearts. 3. He gets so nervous his shoes become too tight and he has to take them off. 4. She begins to grow larger again. 5. A piece of paper with a poem written on it, which doesn't seem to be written by the Knave or make much sense.
Courtroom Vocabulary: 1-C, 2-A, 3-D, 4-B.
Chapter 12: Alice's Evidence
Reading Comprehension: 1. Her name is called out. 2. "All persons more than a mile high to leave the court." Alice says it's not a real rule because the King just made it up. 3. She says there is no meaning in it, it isn't in the Knave's handwriting, and it isn't signed. 4. It's illogical and unjust. You must have a verdict (a decision of guilt or innocence) based on evidence before you can decide on a punishment (sentence). 5. As the cards fly up and attack her, she screams and finds herself back on the riverbank with her sister, waking from the dream.
Final Reflection: Answers will vary but should touch on concepts like fairness, safety, order, and making sure things work properly in society.