“Lam b to the Slau ghter”
–by Roald Dahl
Lam b to the Slau ghter
– by Roald Dahl
Comprehension Questions
Page 10
1. To whom is the author referring in the first paragraph as ‘her’? ________________________
2. For whom is Mary waiting? ________________________
3. Paraphrase the author’s description of Mary’s mood.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Define translucent.
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 11
5. Define placid.
_________________________________________________________________________
6. There is a difference between her tone of voice and his when they greet each other. How does Dahl
create this effect?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7. Examine the fifth paragraph, which begins “For her, this was always...” What is the author’s purpose
for this paragraph?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Created by Preston Hapon “Lamb to the Slaughter” p. 1
8. What sounds are described on this page? What effect does this have on the tone?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9. Describe two things Mary’s husband does which help warn the reader that something is different on
this day.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 12
10. What is special about Thursdays?
_________________________________________________________________________
11. How does the author use Mary’s perspective to signal something is wrong?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
12. The author doesn’t make it clear what Mr. Maloney has told Mary. What impression is created,
however?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
13. What mood is created by describing Mr. Maloney’s face being in shadow?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 13
14. What does Dahl reveal about Mary Maloney that makes it plausible for her to kill her husband?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Created by Preston Hapon “Lamb to the Slaughter” p. 2
15. Why is Mary worried about waiting “until the tenth month?”
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 14
16. Why does Mary talk to the mirror as she is in her bedroom?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
17. Mary goes to the store to buy a few items. What is the real reason she goes there?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
18. Define peculiar.
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 15
19. Why has the author written that Mary wasn’t expecting to find anything when she arrived home?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
20. How does the reader know that Mary really is saddened by what has happened?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
21. How is the character Jack Noonan introduced?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
22. What is important about the police who arrive at the house, that adds to the suspense and danger?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Created by Preston Hapon “Lamb to the Slaughter” p. 3
23. How do the police detectives treat Mary?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 16
24. Why does the author use fragments of conversation among the detectives? (two reasons)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
25. What offer does Jack Noonan make?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
26. What punctuation seems to be missing? Why might the author have done this?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
27. What is the one phrase clearly stated by Jack Noonan on this page? How does it increase the suspense?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
28. What is a spanner? What is a ‘torch’? (page 17) What do these tell you about the author?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Created by Preston Hapon “Lamb to the Slaughter” p. 4
Page 17
29. How does sharing the whiskey affect the mood of the situation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
30. How does Mary behave toward Jack Noonan when she first invites him to have dinner?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Page 18
31. Mary is not in the kitchen with the men. How does she know they are eating the meat?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
32. One type of irony is a situation which is humorous because the audience knows something the
characters do not. How does this describe the irony at the end of the story?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
33. How is sound used to enhance the humor of the situation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Created by Preston Hapon “Lamb to the Slaughter” p. 5
