Biography
What were J. K. Rowling's parents' names?
Peter and Anne
What's the meaning of shudder?
To tremble
Describe Mrs Dursley.
She was thing and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which was useful as she was always spying on her neighbours.
Was Mrs Dursley close to her sister? Explain
No, she wasn't. She even pretended she didn't have one because they were totally different.
What does a Put-Outer do?
It switches off the light.
What happened to her mum when she was a teenager?
She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and died in 1990.
What's the meaning of huddle?
A closely gathered group
What was the cat doing when she was first seen?
She was reading a map.
What was the weather like on the day our story begins and what day of the week was it?
It was a dull, grey Tuesday with a cloudy sky.
Why did Dumbledore know who the cat was?
Because he had never seen a cat sit so stiffly.
What was her first novel about and how old was she then?
She was eleven and the novel was about seven cursed diamonds and the people who owned them.
Provide two synonyms from the text for "look at"?
To stare at, to gaze
What were Professor McGonagall's glasses like?
They were square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes.
What was the second strange thing Mr Dursley noticed that first morning?
A lot of strangely dressed people.
Why does Professor McGonagall think it's easier for Dumbledore to use Voldemort's name?
Because Dumbledore is the only one Voldemort was afraid of.
How was her knowledge of Classical culture helpful later on in her life?
Because it helped her create the spells in the Harry Potter books.
Explain the idiom "rooted to the spot".
It means unable to move, it takes the image from trees as roots keep them fixed on the ground.
What didn't Albus Dumbledore seem to realise when he arrived in Privet Drive?
That everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.
What other strange things were reported on the news?
The strange behaviour of owls, flying in day light and the downpour of shooting stars.
Why did Dumbledore need to check his golden watch?
Because Hagrid was late.
What does the "K" in her name stan, whose suggestion was it and why?
It stands for Kathleen, her paternal grandmother and it was her publisher's request, who worried about the target audience of the book.
Provide two synonyms from the text for "causing great surprise or amazement".
Astonishing and astounding
When was the last time Dumbledore had blushed so much?
When Madam Pomfrey told him she liked his new earmuffs.
When was Mr Dursley very wrong?
When he thought he and his wife couldn't be mixed up in whatever strange thing that was going on.
Why is Harry Potter so special?
Because he survived Voldemort's attack and caused his power to break.