The Remains of the Day 

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The Remains of the Day - Activity worksheets   of 2

Activity worksheets 

LEVEL 6

PENGUIN READERS

Teacher Support Programme

While reading
Introduction
1 Completetheparagraph.

KazuoIshigurowasbornin(a)………………,
buthehasspentmostofhislifein
(b)……………….Hisfirstnovel,A Pale  
View of Hills(c)………………in1982.
(d)………………ofhisnovelshavewonprizes
andThe Remains of the Daywonthe1989
BookerPrize,thebiggest(e)………………
prizeinEngland.

Chapters 1–2
2 Choosetherightendingforthesesentences.

a Stevenshasbeenupsetrecentlybecause…..

 1) MissKentonhassenthimaletter.

 2) hehasmademistakesinhisjob.

 3) MrFarradayhasaskedhimtotakea

holiday.

b MissKenton…..

 1) hassentletterstoStevensbefore.

 2) hasnotcontactedStevensfortwentyyears.

 3) hasaskedtoreturntoDarlingtonHall.

c MrFarraday…..

 1) seemstobeunkind.

 2) likestojokewithhisservants.

 3) isquiteananxiousperson.

d Thinkingofhiscomingholiday,Stevens

is…..

 1) veryenthusiastic.

 2) ratherill.

 3) organizedandserious.

e ‘Dignity’forStevensis…..

 1) alwaysputtingthejobfirst.

 2) makingyourowndecisions.

 3) allowingyouremotionstoruleyourlife.

3 Answerthesequestions.

a WhatevidenceistherethatStevenshasnot

travelledfarbeyondDarlingtonHallbefore?

b WheredoesStevensspendthefirstnightof

hisholiday?

c Whydoesthelandladylookalarmedwhen

Stevenswriteshisaddressintheregister?

d WhatonequalitydoesStevensthinkagreat

butlershouldhave?

e WhydoesStevensthinkthatMissKenton’s

realmessageisthatshewantstoreturnto
DarlingtonHall?

Chapters 3–4
4 Putthefollowingeventsintheorderinwhich

theyhappened.

a MissKentonbringsStevensavaseof

flowers.

c

b Stevens’sfatherloseshisjobandcomes

toDarlingtonHallasunder-butler.

c

c MissKentonpointsouttoStevensthat

adustpanhasbeenleftoutsidehisdoor.

c

d MissKentonasksStevenstolookata

statuewhichisinthewrongplace.

c

e StevenstellsMissKentonnottocallhis

fatherbyhisfirstname.

c

f MissKentontellsStevensthathisfather

hastoomuchresponsibilityforaman
ofhisage.

c

g MissKentontellsStevensthatthesilver

forkshavenotbeencleanedproperly.

c

h StevenstellsMissKentonthathisfather’s

workisperfect.

c

5 Thefollowingsentencesarefalse.Correct

them.

a LordDarlingtontellsStevensthathewants

hisfathertoleaveDarlingtonHall.

b MissKentontripsandfallsonthestepsofthe

summerhouse.

c Stevensandhisfatherhaveawarmand

friendlyrelationship.

d StevensfounditeasytoplanforLord

Darlington’sinternationalconference.

e Stevenswasalittleashamedabouttheguests

whowerecomingtostay.

Chapters 5–6
6 Matchthebeginningsandendsofthe

sentences.

a LordDarlingtonasksStevens…..

b ReginaldCardinalis…..

c MissKentonis…..

d MrDupontshoutsforStevensbecause…..

e MissKentonasksStevens…..

f Stevensis…..

 1) angrybecauseStevenskeepscriticizingher

work.

 2) hehassorefeet.

 3) toexplainthefactsoflifetoReginald

Cardinal.

 4) tosendheranoteinsteadofspeakingto

her.

The Remains of the Day 

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The Remains of the Day - Activity worksheets  2 of 2

Activity worksheets 

LEVEL 6

PENGUIN READERS

Teacher Support Programme

 5) unabletocompletethetaskLord

Darlingtonaskshimtoperform.

 6) engagedtobemarried.

Chapters 7–8
7 Arethesesentencestrue(T)orfalse(F)?

a Oneofabutler’sdutiesistopolishthe

silver.

c

b ManyfamouspeoplevisitDarlington

Hall,butnoneofthemnoticesthesilver. c

c LordHalifaxishappytomeetHerr

Ribbentropinsecret.

c

d StevensbelievesthatLordDarlington

betrayedhiscountry.

c

e Stevenshasrecentlymadeanerrorwith

thepolishingofthesilver.

c

8 Matchthenamesofthepeoplewiththe

endingstomakecorrectsentences.

a SarahandRuth…..

b LordDarlington…..

c StevensandMissKenton…..

d Stevens…..

e MissKenton…..

f Stevens…..

 1) meetregularlyatnighttodrinkcocoaand

talk.

 2) isangrythatthemaidsaretobe

dismissed.

 3) finallyclaimsthathewasupsetbythe

matterofthemaids.

 4) areJewishmaidswhoworkatDarlington

Hall.

 5) doesnotbelieveLordDarlingtondislikes

Jews.

 6) orderstheJewishmaidstobedismissedto

pleasehisGermanguests.

Chapters 9–12
9 Answerthesequestions.

a Whydoesn’tStevensstayinTavistock?

b Whereishegoingwhenherunsoutofpetrol?

c HowdoeshemeettheTaylors?

d HowmuchdotheTaylorschargefortheroom?

e WhatdoesMissKentonaccuseStevensof

reading?

10 Matchthewordswiththeirmeanings.

a cocoa…..

b footman…..

c senator…..

d stroke…..

e trolley…..

f inn…..

 1) ahotchocolatedrink

 2) amaleservant

 3) aflatpieceofwoodwithwheelswhich

youusetocarrythings.

 4) asuddenillnesswhichoftenmakesyou

unabletomovepartofyourbody

 5) anAmericanpolitician

 6) aplacewhereonecandrinkorstaythe

night

Chapters 13–15
11 Answerthesequestions.

a WhatmakestheeveningbeforeStevens’s

meetingwithMissKenton‘difficult’?

b HowdoMrSmith’sviewsabout‘peoplein

highplaces’differfromStevens’s?

c WhatincidentfromthepastdoesStevensuse

tosupporthisviews?

d WhatdoyouthinkaboutthewayMrSpencer

treatsStevens?

12 Whosaysthesethingsandwhatarethey

talkingabout?

a ‘Wedon’tmissitmuch.’

b ‘It’sanabsolutebeauty’

c ‘Perhapsyoucouldtellus,Sir’

d ‘Thatmusthavebeenagreathonour’

e ‘Iusedtoknowanephewofhis’

Chapters 16–18
13 Underlinethecorrectwordorexpression.

a LordDarlingtonisimpressed /annoyedbythe

youngMrCardinal’swritings.

b MrStevensisupset /uninterestedbyMiss

Kenton’shavingaboyfriend.

c MissKentondecides /isobligedtoleaveher

job,sincesheisgettingmarried.

d MrCardinalishorrifiedat /supportiveof

Darlington’spoliticalplans.

e MissKentonappearedtobewornout /

delightedbyherlife.

14 Completethesesentences.

a Stevensiswriting,inWeymouth,while

waitingfor…..

b MissKentonhaschangedlittleover…..

c MissKenton’smarriagewasnotas…..

d MrCardinalhaddiedduring…..

e LordDarlingtonhadlost…..

The Remains of the Day 

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The Remains of the Day - Progress test   of 

Progress test 

LEVEL 6

PENGUIN READERS

Teacher Support Programme

1 Arethesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a StevenswasinthekitchenwhenFarraday

mentionedaholiday.

c

b Stevensisalittleembarrassedbyhisreaction

toMissKenton’sletter.

c

c FarradaypretendstoassumethatStevenshas

agirlfriend.

c

d TheAmericanmastersometimesmakesrude

jokes.

c

e Stevenshadfrequentlyhadtotravelfarfrom

DarlingtonHall.

c

2 Matchthewordsfromthestorywiththeir

meanings.
a affection(n)…..
b banter(nandv)…..
c climax(n)…..
d dignity(n)…..
e drawingroom(n)…..
f landing(n)…..
g nostalgia(n)…..
 1) theflooratthetopofasetofstairs
 2) aslightlysadfeelingwhenyourememberhappy

eventsfromthepast

 3) (havea)conversationthathasalotofjokesinit
 4) themostimportantorexcitingpartof

something

 5) afeelingofgentlelove
 6) alargeroomwherepeoplecansitandtalk
 7) calm,seriousbehaviourthatmakespeople

respectyou

3 Choosethecorrectanswer.

a Justbeforetheconference…..
 1) variousmembersofstaffwereshowingthe

strain.

 2) Stevenswassureeverythingwasundercontrol.
 3) MissKentonwasfeelinginexperienced.
b TheFrenchvisitor…..
 1) wasreallycalledMonsieurDupont.
 2) wasnotknownbythepublictobeatthe

conference.

 3) wasnotanimportantguest.
c StevenstriedtodiscussintimatesubjectswithMr

Cardinal…..

 1) andquicklycompletedhismission.
 2) butfoundhehadbeenmisunderstood.
 3) butknewlittleaboutladiesorgentlemen.

d WhenStevens’sfatherisill…..
 1) Stevensexplainsthesituationtohisemployer.
 2) Stevensabandonshiswork.
 3) MissKentonhelpsasbestshecan.

4 Completethesentenceswithwordsfromthebox.

delighted central dignified

unimportant angry

a Thepolishingofsilverbecamea……………part

ofabutler’sdutiesinthe1920s.

b LordHalifaxwas……………withDarlington’s

silver.

c Stevensisrather……………aboutwhatissaid

concerninghispreviousmaster.

d Stevensconsiderstheanti-Jewishincidenttobe

…………….

e StevensintendedtosackSarahandRuthina

……………manner.

5 Arethesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a MissKentonwaspessimisticaboutLisa’s

careeratthebeginning.

c

b MissKentonsuggestsStevenspreferstoavoid

employingbeautifulyoungwomen.

c

c MissKentonhasanidealisticviewofmarriage. c
d MrTaylortreatsStevensveryformally.

c

e MrTaylor’ssonhasrecentlydied.

c

6 Completethesentenceswiththenameofoneof

thecharacters.
a ………………wantedtheretobemorelightin

Stevensroom.

b ………………isreluctanttotalkabouthis

readinghabits.

c ………………feltthatmosthousekeeperswanted

afamilyeventually.

d ………………oncehadalotofambitionforhis

career.

7 Underlinethecorrectword.

a Thegrouphadbeendiscussingdignity /honesty.
b Stevensbelievesitisapity/good thingthatordinary

peopledon’tthinkalotaboutpolitics.

c MrSpencerhasa(an)kindly/insultingattitudeto

Stevens.

d MrSpencerseemsconvincedoftheuselessness /

importanceofdemocracy.

e Stevensfeelsunashamed/guiltyforthesupporthe

gavetothepoliticalprojectsofLordDarlington.