~ This text is from The Macmillan First Nursery Collection: The Emperor's New Clothes and Other Stories and is retold by Mary Hoffman.

Dick Whittington

There was once a little boy called Dick Whittington who had a very difficult start in life. He lived in a village in England where food was scarce. And it became even scarcer for Dick after both his parents died. The little boy was left an orphan and had to beg for food from the villagers.

He grew up a very hungry and skinny child, always dreaming of what it must be like to have a full stomach. Sometimes Dick heard people talk of London, the great city that was the capital of England.

The way they talked made it seem as if everyone in London was a rich lady or gentleman. "The streets are paved with gold there," they said. And that made Dick dream of a grand city with golden pavements where, if you were hungry, you could just break off a bit of gold and exchange it for a meat pie.

He determined that the only way to make his fortune was to get to London. One day he saw a wagon and he guessed it might be going to London. The wagoner was a kind man and took pity on the ragged boy who wanted to see the big city, so he gave him a lift.

Dick couldn't believe his eyes when he saw London. The buildings were so tall and grand, the streets were full of horses and carriages and there were people absolutely everywhere. Dick had never seen so many people all together.

"But where is the gold?" thought Dick He searched everywhere, but the roads and pavements seemed made of dirt to him, not of precious gold.

He didn't know how to pay for food and his lodgings were the same dirty streets. He begged for a few pence, but Londoners weren't as kind as the people in his own village, who knew him. So Dick went hungry.

He had nothing to eat for three days, and on the fourth he fainted on the doorstep of a rich merchant.

l t:'UI J /""1.UIUIIIII IC:> / "- • I U1' r"\

I Name I Class I Date

Dick Whittington

Dick had a difficult start in life. In what way was the beginning of his life

difficult? Write one thing.

- - -- - -- - -- --- -- -- --..:: ---------- -- -------- --- ------------------ ------------------------------------- ----- -----------

~ 0 Why did Dick want to go to London? Explain your answer as fully as you can,

----, using the story to help you.

Draw lines to match each word with who or what it describes in the story.

Word Who or what it describes ,- ------- ---- ---, : skinny : , _________ ____ __ , : the wagoner ,------- -------- ,

kind : ,- -------------- ,1 : great , , _______________ , Dick Whittington

----------------- ---- -----------

-:;

Dick couldn't believe his eyes when he saw London.

-, What did Dick find so amazing when he first got to London? Write two things.

1

2 ____________________________ _

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D2b 1 mark

CJ2c 2 marks

CJ2b 1 mark

CJ2b 2 marks

Total for this page

' C 0 Why was Dick disappointed by the pavements in London?

- - -- - --- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - - - - -- - - -- -- - - -- - - - - -- - - -- - - - - ----------- ----- --- -------

0 When Dick got to London, his lodgings were the same dirty streets. What does this mean? Tick one.

The streets in London were all the same.

Dick had no home and had to sleep outside.

Dick didn't have any money to pay for food.

The lodgings in London were all full.

□ □ □ □

------- --- -- ------ --------- ------- --- -- ---- ----- --- --------- --- --- ---- -------- --- -- ---- -- ----- ------ -

0 Number these sentences in the order in which they happen in the story.

The first one has been done for you.

D Dick got a lift to London in a wagon.

D Dick fainted because he was so hungry.

[iJ Dick lived in a village in England.

D Dick begged for food on the London streets.

D Dick heard people talk about London.

---- ------ --- --- ----- -- --- ---- ---- -- -- ------ ---- --------- --- ---------- ------------- ---- ----- --- ---- ----- --------

0 Which of the following sentences best describes Dick's life so far? Tick one.

His early life was hard but it got better when he met the wagoner. D His early life was hard because he lived in London. D His early life was hard and it stayed that way in London. D His early life was hard but it got easier when he went to London. D

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02d 1 mark

02d 1 mark

□2f 1 mark

02c 1 mark

□ Total for this test

11 Content Mark Extra information

Part A: Dick Whittington domain

I 1 Award 1 mark for any of the following points relating to Dick's 2b 1

early life: I • He didn't have much food./He was hungry./He had to beg for

food. I • He was an orphan./His parents died .

2 Award 1 mark for each of the following points, up to a maximum 2c 2 Do not award marks for vague/non-specific

a answers, e.g. Because it was good. of 2 marks:

I • Everyone there was rich/was a lady/gentleman .

• He thought the streets were paved with/made of gold .

a • He wanted to swap a piece of pavement for a meat pie.

• He wanted to make his fortune/become rich .

~ • He heard/people said it was a great/grand/amazing city .

3 Word Who or what it describes 2b 1 Award 1 mark for all correctly matched.

I -- ---------- ----------------------: : : I

: skinny : : the wagoner I

I ------------ ----------------------: ------------ ---------------------- I

kind : the city of London : I I I ------------ ----------- -- ---------I I ------------ ----------------------

great : : Dick Whittington : : I : ------------ ----------- -- -------- -

I 4 Award 1 mark for each of the following points, up to a maximum 2b 2

of 2 marks: i • The buildings were tall/grand.

I • The streets were full of horses/carriages.

• There were so many people.

I 5 Award 1 mark for answers that recognise that the pavements were 2d 1

not made of gold (as he had expected), e.g.:

I • They were not made of gold .

• They were made of dirt. I • They were just normal pavements .

I 6 Dick had no home and had to sleep outside. 0 2d 1

7 [I] Dick got a lift to London in a wagon . 2f 1 Award 1 mark for all sentences correctly

• w Dick fainted because he was so hungry. numbered.

~ OJ Dick lived in a village in England.

w Dick begged for food on the London streets.

• w Dick heard people talk about London .

8 His early life was hard and it stayed that way in London. 0 2c 1

•