The Secret
I. Meanings (from the textbook)
II. Complete the sentences
1. Colin had a picture in his book that had crowds of lovely people and
children with garlands and branches with blossoms on them, everyone
laughing and dancing and crowding and playing on pipes.
2. According to Mary, it would be a crowd if all the flowers and leaves and
green things and birds and wild animals danced past at once.
3. The three children moved around the paths, among the shrubbery and out
and round the fountains, following their carefully planned route.
4. Colin removed his hands from his eyes only when they were inside, and
the chair stopped and the door was closed.
III. Reference to context
1. “I was thinking that I’ve really never seen it before”
a. Who said this to whom?
Ans. Colin said this to Mary.
b. What had the speaker never seen before?
Ans. Colin had never seen springtime before.
c. How did the speaker feel about it and why?
Ans. Colin was sorry for not being able to see springtime because he
hardly ever went out.
2. “This is where I used to walk up and down and wonder and wonder.”
a. Who said these words to whom?
Ans. Mary said these words to Colin.
b. Which is the place that is being referred to?
Ans. Mary is referring to the Secret Garden.
c. How did the person spoken to react?
Ans. Colin became curious. He began to look at the walls covered by the
ivy climber but could not see any door.
IV. Answer the following
1. What did Mary, Dickon and Colin frequently talk about?
Ans. Mary, Dickon and Colin frequently talked about the route to The Secret
Garden.
2. What did the three children do when all the grown-ups had gone?
Ans. When all the grown-ups had gone, Dickon began to push the wheeled
chair slowly and steadily. Mary walked beside it and Colin leaned back and
lifted his face to the sky.
3. Why did the children take a carefully planned route to the garden?
Ans. The children take a carefully planned route to the garden for the mere
mysterious pleasure of it.
4. What did Colin see when he first entered the garden?
Ans. When Colin first entered the garden, he saw the swinging sprays and
tendrils over the walls and earth and trees and the green curtain of tender
little leaves. In the grass under the trees and the grey stones, and
everywhere were touches or splashes of gold and purple and white. The
trees were pink and there was snow above his head.
5. “I shall get well! I shall get well! Why do you think Colin felt this so
strongly?
Ans. Colin felt very strongly that he would get well because a pink glow of
colour had crept all over him and he had begun to feel better.
