Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. What name does Sara give her doll?

2. What nationality is Sara’s maid?

3. Who is Sara’s first friend among the other girls?

4. What does Lavinia’s mama say about Sara’s habit of pretending things?

5. What is Becky’s job?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Sara not like Ms. Minchin?

2. What mistake does Ms. Minchin make concerning Sara’s French maid?

3. Why does Ermengarde love Sara and want to be her friend?

4. Why does Lavinia feel resentful toward Sara?

5. Why does Sara decide she will pretend to be a princess?

Paired Resource

“Victorian Teenagers Reminisce”

• This 9-minute BBC film shows some of the opportunities and restrictions for girls in the Victorian Era.
• What prevents Sara from seeking other employment opportunities? How is she limited by the society in which she lives?

“Victorian Fashion”

• This site from Historic UK shows some examples of the sort of clothes Sara’s indulgent Papa might have bought for her.
• This resource relates to the themes of The Inner Princess: Character Versus Appearance and Jealousy of Sara’s Uniqueness.
• How does Sara’s elaborate clothing affect her popularity at the school in both positive and negative ways? How do the reactions of others to the character’s wardrobe reveal their own personalities?