Vocabulary
Vast
Wide open or 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
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.
What does Esio Trot REALLY mean?
Tortoise
Bewildered
Confused
Why was making the tortoise-catching device easy for Mr Hoppy?
He used to be a mechanic
Explain how the tortoise catcher works.
Mr Hoppy’s tortoise catching device works by pulling a lever which opens and shuts the claw.
What advice would you give to Mr Hoppy when he first wanted to speak to Mrs Silver?
Any good advice
Envy
Jealous
How much did Alfie weigh in the beginning?
13 ounces
Explain what Mr. Hoppy's plan is.
His plan is to buy turtles of varying sizes, and to trick Mrs. Silver into thinking Alfie is growing.
Why do you think Roald Dahl included information about the Turtle Trade at the beginning of the book?
He wanted readers to understand why MR. Hoppy was able to get so many turtles, and why some readers may not be able to do that in real life.
Parlour
An old fashioned word for a fancy room in which guests were entertained (like a living room)
What does Alfie eat and drink?
Lettuce and water
What was the Tortoise Trade?
Various: trade that was banned, trade that sold turtles, sold from North Africa to the UK
Explain the process of hibernating
An animal spends the Winter in a dormant state