Characters
What is Mary Lennox’s personality like at the beginning of the story?
A. Kind and cheerful
B. Quiet and shy
C. Unfriendly and selfish
D. Adventurous and curious
C. Unfriendly and selfish
Where does Mary first live at the beginning of the story?
A. In a cottage in England
B. In India with her parents
C. At Misselthwaite Manor
D. In a school dormitory
B. In India with her parents
What is one main conflict Mary faces at the beginning of the story?
A. She wants to go back to India.
B. She doesn’t like animals.
C. She feels lonely and unwanted.
D. She argues with her parents.
C. She feels lonely and unwanted.
What does “contrary” mean when Mary is called "a very contrary little girl"?
A. Disagreeable and difficult
B. Very shy
C. Always happy
D. Brave and strong
A. Disagreeable and difficult
Which literary device is used in this sentence?
"The rain is as contrary as I ever was." (Ch 13 pg. 122)
A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Hyperbole
D. Alliteration
B. Simile - "The rain is as contrary as I ever was."
Explanation: The phrase “as contrary as” compares using "as."
Why does Martha’s way of speaking confuse Mary at first?
A. Martha speaks too fast.
B. Martha uses Yorkshire dialect Mary doesn’t understand.
C. Martha talks about animals all the time.
D. Martha speaks in a foreign language.
B. Martha uses Yorkshire dialect Mary doesn’t understand.
What happens to Mary’s parents at the beginning of the story?
A. They leave Mary to travel the world.
B. They send Mary to boarding school.
C. They die from cholera.
D. They are sent to England for work.
C. They die from cholera.
Which theme is shown when Mary begins to explore the gardens and play outside?
A. The danger of being alone
B. The power of nature to heal
C. The fear of change
D. The importance of money
B. The power of nature to heal
In the book, what does “moor” mean when they talk about the land outside Misselthwaite Manor?
A. A mountain with trees
B. A garden with flowers
C. A forest full of birds
D. A large, open, wild land
D. A large, open, wild land
What literary device is used in this sentence?
"She had never seen such a tired-looking place in all her life."
A. Idiom
B. Simile
C. Hyperbole
D. Alliteration
C. Hyperbole
Explanation: This is an exaggeration to show how tired the place looked.
What does Dickon’s relationship with animals say about his character?
A. He is lonely and prefers animals to people.
B. He has magical powers.
C. He is gentle and connected to nature.
D. He only likes animals, not people.
C. He is gentle and connected to nature.
Why is Misselthwaite Manor described as mysterious and strange?
A. There are always many visitors attending fancy parties.
B. It's very old with many locked rooms and inhabited by a hunchback.
C. It's a very small and quiet house located in the forest.
D. It has many colorful gardens with music playing everywhere.
B. It's very old with many locked rooms and inhabited by a hunchback.
How does Mary’s relationship with Martha show a theme of personal growth?
A. Martha teaches Mary to read.
B. Martha ignores Mary’s questions.
C. Martha helps Mary become kinder and more independent.
D. Mary becomes bossier with Martha.
C. Martha helps Mary become kinder and more independent.
What does "inspired" most likely mean in this sentence?
"Mary felt inspired to go out and explore the garden after seeing the robin again."
A. Forced
B. Encouraged
C. Tired
D. Afraid
B. Encouraged and full of ideas
What does the idiom "hold your tongue" mean in this sentence?
"If you cannot be kind, then you had better hold your tongue," said Martha firmly.
A. To grab your tongue
B. To speak loudly
C. To stop talking
D. To sing a song
C. To stop talking
Explanation: It's not literal—it’s a common English phrase.
Why does Mary start to change after spending time in the gardens?
A. She is forced to work and becomes tired.
B. She wants to impress the servants.
C. She finds out she will be sent back to India.
D. She begins to enjoy the fresh air and having a purpose.
D. She begins to enjoy the fresh air and having a purpose.
Where does Mary first hear about the secret garden?
A. From Martha’s stories
B. From her uncle during dinner
C. From a book in the library
D. From a robin in the garden
A. From Martha’s stories
What conflict is caused by the mysterious sounds Mary hears at night?
A. Mary is scared to leave her room.
B. She must break the rules in order to find the truth.
C. It causes her to want to return to India.
D. She begins to sleep all day.
B. She must break the rules in order to find the truth.
What does "intimate" mean in this sentence?
"There was something intimate about the quiet garden that made Mary feel at peace."
A. Scary and dark
B. Private and personal
C. Very large
D. Very close by
B. Private and personal
Which sentence below shows personification?
A. The flowers danced in the breeze.
B. The wind blew through the trees.
C. The sky was blue and bright.
D. The robin sat on the branch.
A. The flowers danced in the breeze.
Explanation: Flowers cannot really "dance"—they are given a human action.
Which description does NOT describe Colin?
A. Colin doesn't think he is very sick and might die.
B. Colin's mother was injured in the secret garden.
C. Colin is Mary's cousin and is spoiled just like Mary.
D. Colin's Aunt was Mary's mother and Mary's mother was his aunt.
A. Colin doesn't think he is very sick and might die.
How does Mary finally enter the secret garden for the first time?
A. She finds a hidden door behind a tree.
B. Colin tells her the secret location.
C. Martha gives her a map.
D. The robin shows her the buried key, and she finds the door hidden under ivy.
D. The robin shows her the buried key, and she finds the door hidden under ivy.
Which theme is being developed when Mary begins to care about the secret garden and wants to bring it back to life?
A. Transformation through connection and care
B. The beauty of magic
C. Rebellion against adults
D. The fear of the unknown
A. Transformation through connection and care
Which word best completes the sentence?
"The mystery of the locked garden was _________ to Mary."
A. distracting
B. very boring
C. baffling
D. depressing
C. baffling - The mystery of the locked garden was baffling to Mary.
Which line from the story shows alliteration?
A. The secret garden was full of color and wonder.
B. Colin’s voice was loud and angry.
C. The robin sang its lovely tune.
D. Mary moved mostly in silence, scanning the space slowly.
D. Mary moved mostly in silence, scanning the space slowly.
Explanation: Look/Listen for the repeating letters ("m" and "s") at the beginning of nearby words.