The Secret Garden Activity Sheet
Chatterbooks in Lockdown

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I hope you enjoyed reading the book. But how well did you read it? See if you answer these questions:
Not read it yet? Read The Secret Garden now.

1. At the beginning of the book, what is the name of the illness that Mary's parents die of?
2. What nickname do the children give Mary when she stays with the clergyman in India?
3. Where in England is Misselthwaite Manor?
4. How did Mrs Craven die in the secret garden?
5. Why does Mary compare Colin to an Indian Rajah?
6. What is Mary looking for when she begins to explore the huge house?
7. Who or what helps Mary locate the key to the secret garden?
8. Why does Dr Craven ignore Colin, his son?
9. What special gift does Dickon possess?
10. What do Dr Craven and Mrs Medlock think might be causing Colin and Mary to gain weight?
11. What is Colin doing when the sun goes down on his first visit to the secret garden?
12. Why does Colin keep his improved health a secret from everyone?

Click here for the answers

Language

Some of the main characters in the book, including Dickon and Martha, speak using the local Yorkshire 'dialect'. This sometimes makes it tricky to understand what they are saying. Can you try to translate the following extracts/sentences from the book from the Yorkshire dialect to the more 'standard' English that we speak. To help, try saying the words aloud.

Yorkshire English	'Standard English'
"Canna tha dress thysen?"
"It's the air of th' moor that's givin' thee stomach for tha' victuals."
"Nowt o' th' soart."
"I never ketched cold since I was born. I wasn't brought up nesh enough."
"He's took a graidely fancy to thee."
"Doesn't tha understand a bit o' Yorkshire when tha' hears it?...Eh! I wonder tha'rt not ashamed o' thy face."

Other Activities

• Which character would you like to be friends with and why?
• If you were given your own secret garden, what would it look like? What plants would you grow in it? Would you encourage wildlife to use it? What other features would you include? (swimming pool? Sun terrace? Tennis court? Wild flower garden? Vegetable plot? Greenhouse etc). Perhaps you could draw a plan and sketch it out.

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Quiz Answers

1. At the beginning of the book, what is the name of the illness that Mary's parents die of? Cholera
2. What nickname do the children give Mary when she stays with the clergyman in India? Mistress Mary, quite contrary
3. Where in England is Misselthwaite Manor? Yorkshire
4. How did Mrs Craven die in the secret garden? A tree branch on which she was sitting broke and she died of her injuries
5. Why does Mary compare Colin to an Indian Rajah? Because he orders people around
6. What is Mary looking for when she begins to explore the huge house? The source of the crying
7. Who or what helps Mary locate the key to the secret garden? A robin
8. Why does Dr Craven ignore Colin, his son? He reminds him of his dead wife
9. What special gift does Dickon possess? He can communicate with animals
10. What do Dr Craven and Mrs Medlock think might be causing Colin and Mary to gain weight? Fresh air
11. What is Colin doing when the sun goes down on his first visit to the secret garden? Standing up
12. Why does Colin keep his improved health a secret from everyone? He wants to surprise his father.

 

Translations

• Can't you dress yourself?
• It's the moor air that’s giving you an appetite
• Nothing of the sort
• I haven't caught a cold since I was born. I wasn't bought up to be so weak.
• He really likes you
• Don’t you understand the Yorkshire dialect? I am surprised you aren't embarrassed.

 

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Page last updated: 29th June 2020