Krystyna's Story - How Well Do You Know The Text?
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These questions were written by a year 11 English class to check their knowledge of some of the details of the historical novel, 'Krystyna's Story' by Halina Ogonowska-Coates.
- 1.What did Krystyna smell in the morning when she woke up at her home in Poland?
- A.
Her pigs.
- B.
Freshly cooked bread.
- C.
Cabbage soup
- D.
Trains
- 2.How long did Krystyna and her family have to pack their belongings when the Soviets came to take them away?
- A.
No time
- B.
5 minutes
- C.
30 minutes
- D.
1 day
- 3.Where did Krystyna live in Poland?
- A.
In Warsaw
- B.
In the countryside near the eastern border
- C.
In a small town
- D.
On a boat
- 4.Complete the quotation: "My childhood was ____ but there are little pockets of ____ that remain so clearly."
- A.
Happy.... sadness
- B.
Short....joy
- C.
Sad.... joy
- D.
Short.... memory
- 5.Where were Krystyna and her family sent when they were first taken from Poland?
- A.
New Zealand
- B.
Auschwitz
- C.
Moscow
- D.
Siberia
- 6.What did the prisoners gather from under the trees to eat in the Siberian autumn?
- A.
Mushrooms
- B.
Dead badgers
- C.
Lettuce
- D.
Carrots
- 7.What covered Marysia's body when she died?
- A.
A ball gown
- B.
Rags
- C.
Moss
- D.
An army greatcoat
- 8.What job did Krystyna do to be close to Feliks?
- A.
Nail technician
- B.
Washing the floors
- C.
Cooking the soup
- D.
Carrying buckets of faeces
- 9.When the train taking the Polish prisoners stopped, what was thrown off?
- A.
Rubbish
- B.
People who wanted to get off
- C.
Buckets of faeces
- D.
Bodies
- 10.How did Krystyna feed Feliks when he was injured and sick and under the house?
- A.
She stole food for him
- B.
She chewed up his bread for him and mixed it with water
- C.
She didn't
- D.
She bought him mushrooms
- 11.Why did the Soviets let the Poles leave the camps?
- A.
Because they felt bad for what they had done
- B.
The Americans and British made them
- C.
Because the Germans invaded the USSR
- D.
No-one knows
- 12.Who was in the train with Krystyna when she left the camp?
- A.
No-one
- B.
Her father
- C.
Mama and Danuta
- D.
Feliks
- 13.Who died on the train journey from Russia?
- A.
Feliks
- B.
Father
- C.
Danuta
- D.
Mama
- 14.Who became Krystyna's friend after she lost her family?
- A.
Andrzej
- B.
Mikhail
- C.
Feliks
- D.
Danuta
- 15.What made Krystyna happy during her time in the Pahiatua camp?
- A.
She knew there would be food in the morning, she got to have a bath and she was given a uniform that she was proud of.
- B.
She had a uniform that she liked, she had a good routine, she made nice friends.
- C.
She didn't like anything
- D.
She loved New Zealand food, she liked the clean air and she made nice friends.
- 16.Why were the soldiers surprised by the refugee children?
- A.
They wouldn't smile even though they gave the children gifts.
- B.
They were so ragged.
- C.
They were so violent and angry all the time.
- D.
Their language sounded strange.
- 17.Krystyna said that the Pahiatua camp was "like a little____. We want to _____ ______."
- A.
Russia, get away.
- B.
Siberia, escape here
- C.
Poland, stay here
- D.
New Zealand, stay here
- 18.What is the importance of Mr Shanahan?
- A.
He looked after the girls and gave them a second chance
- B.
He was cruel and showed them how mean New Zealanders were
- C.
He abused the Polish girls
- D.
He's not important to the story
- 19.What is the name of the place in Timaru that Krystyna stayed?
- A.
Rongotai College
- B.
Reservoir College
- C.
The camp
- D.
Siberia
- 20.What did Krystyna learn while she was staying in Timaru?
- A.
How to speak English
- B.
What happened to her father
- C.
How to bake bread
- D.
How to ride a bicycle
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