Facts
What is an open grassland in sub-Saharan Africa?
A veldt.
These are the names of the main characters in “The Veldt.”
George, Lydia, Peter and Wendy Hadley
The house is personified in the story. Prove it.
The house is "a wife" and "a mother. It cooks, cleans, brushes their teeth, rocks them to sleep, ties their shoes. It essentially does everything for them.
George Hadley put his hand up to _______________ off the burning light from his ______________ eyes.
shield / squinted
"a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people" means
Feast
Why did Mr. and Mrs. Hadley eat alone?
The children were at a special plastic carnival across town.
The Hadley’s house is ironically named a _________.
Happylife Home
Why did Dr. McClean say the nursery was unhealthy for the children?
The children had become too emotionally attached to the nursery and are using it to express deep anger toward their parents. "You’ve let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children’s affections. This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents."
There were drops of _________________ on it, the wallet had been chewed, and there were blood smears on both sides.
saliva
"to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way" means
To contemplate
Peter reacted in this way on a previous occasion when his parents shut the nursery.
He threw a tantrum.
Who was David McClean? What was his duty?
He was a psychologist who Mr. and Mrs. Hadley called upon to help with the children and the nursery situation.
What was the main feature of the nursery?
The nursery used advanced technology to create virtual worlds based on the children’s thoughts. It became so realistic that it felt like a real place, complete with sights, sounds, and even smells.
'We’ve never lifted a hand. They’re ______________ — let’s admit it. They come and go when they like; they treat us as if we were offspring. They’re spoiled and we’re spoiled."
insufferable
"giving all your attention to something" means
engrossed
What familiar items did they find in the nursery?
George’s chewed and bloody wallet and Lydia's scarf.
How did Wendy’s behavior compare to Peter’s?
Wendy was quieter than Peter but just as involved in the rebellion against their parents. She followed Peter’s lead and helped lure the parents into the trap at the end.
Explain the meaning of the neologism “odorophonics” in The Veldt.
"Odorophonics" combines the words "odor" (smell) and "phonics" (sound), and it refers to the nursery’s ability to recreate realistic smells and sounds to make the veldt feel incredibly lifelike.
With the children gone, the two men stood studying the lions ___________ at a distance, eating with great _________ whatever it was they had caught.
clustered / relish
"when referring to limits and expectations that are both realistic and acceptable" means
within reasonable bounds
How did the children trick their parents at the end of the story?
They begged to go into the nursery “one last time,” pretending to be sorry. When the parents followed them in, the children locked them inside, allowing the virtual lions to devour them.
How did David McClean react when he returned at the end of the story? What about the childen?
He was shocked to find the children calmly sitting in the nursery, with no parents in sight. When he asked where George and Lydia were, the children casually said they'd be along shortly—as the lions continued to feed in the background.
How did Bradberry describe smells and sounds? Give examples
The smells: The hot straw smell of lion grass, the cool green smell of the hidden water hole, the great rusty smell of animals, the smell of dust like a red paprika in the hot air, the dusty upholstery smell, smell of blood
The sounds: the thump of distant antelope feet on grassy sod, the papery rustling of vultures, panting, scream, roaring
Mr. Hadley looked at his wife and they turned and looked back at the beasts edging slowly forward ___________, tails __________.
crouching / stiff
"to treat people unfairly or cruelly over a period of time"
to persecute