Comprehension
The Enemy - Desmond Bagley
1 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a___ Malcolm and Penny met in a disco.
b ___Ashton didn’t want Malcolm to marry Penny.
c ___There was no information in the computer about Ashton.
d___ Malcolm needed a few men to help him to watch Ashton and his daughters.
e ___Penny was very happy when she discovered what Malcolm’s real job was.
f ___Ogilvie allowed Malcolm to see information from Level Black.
g ___Ashton and Benson ran away to Russia.
h ___Malcolm shot Ashton by accident.
i ___Benson and Ashton both originally came from Russia.
j ___Lord Cregar died when Malcolm shot him.
2 Penny was not happy with the plans for the laboratory in Scotland. Why not?
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3 Match a number from A with a letter from B to make complete sentences.
A
1___ Ashton wanted Malcolm to marry Penny ...
2___ Mayberry attacked Gillian by accident, ...
3___ Malcolm knew that Dr Carter was lying ...
4 ___Penny was very angry with Malcolm ...
5 ___Ashton left Russia after the war ...
B
a .... after he let his men search her bedroom.
b…. because she was pregnant.
c.... because he wouldn’t look directly at him.
d.... when she saw him with another woman.
e.... so that he could take her away from danger.
f .... because he didn’t want to continue working in weapons research.
g ... because he didn’t like her.
h ... because he thought she was her sister, Penny.
i ... to be with his family in England.
j ... because the people in Ullapool said that no one had crossed from the island the day before.
4 Why was it impossible for Malcolm to speak with Penny when he telephoned the
Scottish laboratory?
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5 Ogilvie offered Malcolm a new and better job. Why did he refuse to take it?
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6 Write a short comment on the story. (Do you think Malcolm will be happy during his
last few months? Do you think the story is realistic? Did you enjoy the book? If so, why?)
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Multiple-choice Test: The Enemy - Desmond Bagley
Setting
Choose the best answer.
1 Malcolm Jaggard first meets Penny Ashton at _____.
a [ ] a top-secret laboratory b [ ] his office c [ ] a dinner party d [ ] a hospital
2 Malcolm Jaggard is introduced to Penny’s father at _____ near Marlow.
a [ ] his luxury boat b [ ] his large family home
c [ ] the new government laboratory d [ ] an expensive restaurant
3 At Malcolm Jaggard’s office there is a _____ called Nellie.
a [ ] computer system b [ ] cleaner c [ ] secretary d [ ] cat
4 Malcolm Jaggard learns that George Ashton grew up in _____.
a [ ] Peru b [ ] China c [ ] Russia d [ ] Sweden
5 At George Ashton’s house there is a very large model _____.
a [ ] village b [ ] railway c [ ] tower d [ ] ship
6 George Ashton and Benson run away to _____.
a [ ] Russia b [ ] Peru c [ ] Italy d [ ] Sweden
7 George Ashton and Benson _____ and then go to the small town of Strangnas.
a [ ] get in a helicopter b [ ] get on a motorbike
c [ ] jump off a bridge d [ ] jump off a train
8 The secret laboratory is _____ in Scotland.
a [ ] on a mountain b [ ] on a lonely island c [ ] in a large castle d [ ] in a forest
9 Penelope Ashton is angry because she wants to get a much _____ laboratory.
a [ ] more comfortable b [ ] warmer c [ ] cleaner d [ ] safer
10 Malcolm Jaggard spends money at _____ in London.
a [ ] an auction b [ ] a hotel c [ ] a restaurant d [ ] a shop
Characters.
Choose the best answer.
11 Malcolm Jaggard works in the world of _____.
a [ ] drugs b [ ] spies c [ ] hotels d [ ] travel
12 Penny Ashton is a _____ at UCL.
a [ ] secretary b [ ] student c [ ] researcher d [ ] professor
13 George Ashton is _____ man in his fifties.
a [ ] a violent, stupid b [ ] an angry, bored
c [ ] a fit, intelligent d [ ] a quiet, lazy
14 Gillian is George Ashton’s _____ daughter.
a [ ] strange b [ ] difficult c [ ] famous d [ ] home-loving
15 Benson works as George Ashton’s _____.
a [ ] personal servant b [ ] lawyer c [ ] researcher d [ ] gardener
16 _____ is the head of Malcolm Jaggard’s department at work.
a [ ] Inspector Honnister b [ ] Ogilvie
c [ ] Peter Michaelis d [ ] Peter Mayberry
17 Peter Mayberry wants to protect the world from _____.
a [ ] guns and bombs b [] bad weather
c [ ] Russian spies d [ ] modern science
18 Archie Ferguson helps _____.
a [ ] George Ashton b [ ] Lord Cregar c [ ] Malcolm Jaggard d [ ] Benson
19 _____ is a top man from the government.
a [ ] Peter Michaelis b [ ] Lord Cregar c [ ] Malcolm Jaggard d [ ] Benson
20 Gillian Ashton and Peter Michaelis plan _____.
a [ ] to get married b [ ] to open a shop
c [ ] to hurt Malcolm Jaggard d [ ] to go to Russia
Dialogue
Who said or wrote this?
21 ‘My eyes! Oh my eyes!’
a [ ] Penelope Ashton b [ ] Gillian Ashton c [ ] George Ashton d [ ] Benson
22 ‘I can get you a special licence and you can be married by the end of next week.’
a [ ] Peter Mayberry b [ ] Benson
c [ ] George Ashton d [ ] Malcolm Jaggard
23 ‘…Did you get close to me just to learn more about my father?’
a [ ] Penelope Ashton b [ ] Gillian Ashton
c [ ] Benson d [ ] Inspector Honnister
24 ‘All I know is that your father is considered by some people to be a very important man.’
a [ ] Peter Mayberry b [ ] Lord Cregar
c [ ] George Ashton d [ ] Malcolm Jaggard
25 ‘I’ve opened Level Black for you.’
a [ ] Ogilvie b [ ] Lord Cregar c [ ] George Ashton d [ ] Inspector Honnister
26 ‘I understand there is a strong room here.’
a [ ] Ogilvie b [ ] Lord Cregar c [ ] Benson d [ ] Penelope Ashton
27 ‘The biologists are breaking the laws of God.’
a [ ] Gillian Ashton b [ ] Malcolm Jaggard
c [ ] GeorgeAshton d [ ] Peter Mayberry
28 ‘Miss Ashton gave me permission to use the set upstairs whenever I like.’
a [ ] Lord Cregar b [ ] Benson c [ ] Peter Michaelis d [ ] Larry Godwin
29 ‘Well, Daddy never did any experiments in genetics. He learned things from talking with me.’
a [ ] George Ashton b [ ] Benson c [ ] Gillian Ashton d [ ] Penelope Ashton
30 ‘A man must do something important in his life – something that people will remember.’
a [ ] Lord Cregar b [ ] Ogilvie
c [ ] Malcolm Jaggard d [ ] Inspector Honnister
Vocabulary
Choose the best answer.
31 an important university teacher of the highest level
a [ ] doctor b [ ] professor c [ ] researcher d [ ] learner
32 to print copies of something written
a [ ] pause b [ ] persuade c [ ] punish d [ ] publish
33 a mark made by a finger
a [ ] fingerprint b [ ] fingernail c [ ] fingertip d [ ] fingermark
34 a dangerous liquid chemical
a [ ] ice b [ ] steam c [ ] acid d [ ] wine
35 a person’s working life
a [ ] defeat b [ ] career c [ ] appointment d [ ] adventure
36 a person who has exceptional intelligence
a [ ] designer b [ ] president c [ ] hero d [ ] genius
37 a sale where each thing is sold to the person who
offers the most money
a [ ] auction b [ ] market c [ ] discount d [ ] investment
38 a person who is not a member of a particular group, society, family etc.
a [ ] foreigner b [ ] outsider c [] loser d [ ] winner
39 a terrible event that causes great sadness
a [ ] coincidence b [ ] anniversary c [ ] tragedy d [ ] promise
40 the scientific study of all living things
a [ ] biology b [ ] mathematics c [ ] chemistry d [ ] physics
Plot
Choose the best answer.
41 When Malcolm Jaggard is at George Ashton’s house, someone _____.
a [ ] hurts Penelope b [ ] kills Benson
c [ ] shoots Ashton d [ ] throws acid at Gillian
42 Malcolm Jaggard is asked to investigate _____.
a [ ] George Ashton b [ ] Inspector Honnister
c [ ] Benson d [ ] Larry Godwin
43 At first, Malcolm Jaggard can’t find the information he wants _____.
a [ ] on the work computer b [ ] in Ashton’s desk
c [ ] in Penelope’s genetics books d [ ] in Penelope’s laboratory
44 Godwin frightens Ashton by _____.
a [ ] pointing his gun b [ ] speaking in Russian
c [ ] showing him a letter d [ ] showing him some old photos
45 Benson kills George Ashton because he thinks he will _____.
a [ ] talk about the scientific experiments b [ ] talk about Lord Cregar
c [ ] go to the Russians d [ ] go to the Americans
46 The model railway is really _____.
a [ ] the door of a strong-room b [ ] a very clever computer
c [ ] a secret laboratory d [ ] a place where Ashton keeps money
47 Penelope Ashton becomes ill because of _____.
a [ ] an accident in the laboratory b [ ] an accident at sea
c [ ] a fire in her bedroom d [ ] a fight in the laboratory
48 Malcolm Jaggard learns that Benson was _____ for 30 years.
a [ ] a Russian spy b [ ] a scientific researcher
c [ ] married d [ ] Lord Cregar’s spy
49 George Ashton tried to hide his scientific ideas so that _____.
a [ ] he wouldn’t go to prison
b [ ] his daughters couldn’t find them
c [ ] the politicians couldn’t steal them
d [ ] the spies couldn’t give them to the Americans
50 At the end, Malcolm Jaggard _____.
a [ ] works with Lord Cregar b [ ] continues Ashton’s research
c [ ] marries Penelope d [ ] is going to die
Total marks
The Enemy
1 a F
b F
c F
d T
e F
f T
g F
h F
I T
j F
2 She thought the laboratory would not be safe enough but her bosses were not prepared to
spend more money to make it more secure.
3 1e
2h
3j
4a
5f
4 Malcolm couldn’t speak to Penny because she was lying unconscious in bed.
5 Malcolm didn’t want Ogilvie’s job because he wanted to leave government agent work. He
didn’t want to become like Ogilvie who was prepared to do a deal with a criminal like Lord
Cregar.
6 Students’ individual answers
The Enemy
Setting
1c
2b
3a
4c
5b
6d
7c
8b
9d
10 a
Characters
11 b
12 c
13 c
14 d
15 a
16 b
17 d
18 c
19 b
20 a
Dialogue
21 b
22 c
23 a
24 d
25 a
26 b
27 d
28 c
29 d
30 a
Vocabulary
31 b
32 d
33 a
34 c
35 b
36 d
37 a
38 b
39 c
40 a
Plot
41 d
42 c
43 a
44 b
45 c
46 b
47 a
48 d
49 c
50 d
