Tricky words
Vast
Really big
Who owns Alfie?
Mrs Silver
Explain how Mr Hoppy and Mrs Silver know each other at the beginning of the book.
They are neighbours
Who wrote Esio Trot
Roald Dahl
How long did it take the real Alfie to double in size?
30 years
Quivering
Shaking
Why did Mr Hoppy want to swap places with Alfie?
He wanted to swap places because he loved Mrs Silver and she loved Alfie more than anything.
Explain what "tortoise language" is.
Tortoise language is the same as English written backward.
Who illustrated Esio Trot?
Quentin Blake
How many tortoises did Mr Hoppy buy?
140
Halt
Stop
Why was making the tortoise-catching device easy for Mr Hoppy?
He used to be a mechanic
Explain how the tortoise catcher works.
The tortoise catcher looks like a long pole with claws that open and close. It can grab things that are far away.
What did Mr Hoppy do with all the tortoises at the end of the story?
He returned them to the pet shops.
What did Mr Hoppy feed the tortoises?
Cabbage leaves and water
Foliage
Leaves from a plant or tree
How much did Alfie weigh in the beginning?
13 ounces
Explain what Mr Hoppy did when "Alfie" was too big to fit through the door of his little house.
Mr Hoppy swapped "Alfie" for a smaller tortoise that was small enough to fit.
Where did Mrs Silver work?
How long can a tortoise live for?
Up to 150 years!
Parlour
An old fashioned word for a fancy room in which guests were entertained (like a living room)
Who did Alfie end up living with at the end of the book?
Roberta Squibb
Explain why Mr Hoppy swapped the tortoises slowly over time.
Mr Hoppy wanted to replace the tortoises slowly so that Mrs Silver did not immediately notice any difference until she weighed Alfie.
What is hibernation?
When an animal sleeps through the winter.
Where did Mr Hoppy say he learned tortoise language from?
From a tribesman from Africa.