Taste by Roald Dahl

Worksheet by A.McDermott

Part A: Vocabulary Exercises

1) Matching Exercise: match the words below (they are all taken from the story) with the best
definition.

Word Definition
to bet someone to do something / a an air current
bet (noun)
a stockbroker (noun - a job) an expert on food

a bookmaker (noun - a job) happy and cheerful looking

a draught (noun) confused

unscrupulous (adj) shy/timid

jovial (adj) to smell something with your nose

claret (noun) someone who buys and sells shares and who works in
finance

condescending (adj) to gamble/wager money on something happening e.g.

that a horse will win a race

to sniff (verb) a red wine from the Bordeaux region

bashful (adj) to speak in a way in order to sound more important than

you are

pompous (adj) unmoral/ act dishonestly

bewildered (adj) someone whose job it is to take people's money when

they bet on a race

gourmet (noun) to treat someone as if they are inferior to you

2) FEELINGS
a) In the short story there are many adjectives and nouns used to describe the people's feelings/
help you.
personality. Fill in the grid below and make sure you learn all these words. An example is given to

b) Meanings: but what do the above words mean?

Match them to the French translations below:
arrogant gn avoir honte
perspicace tonn dsespr
ddaigneux agac poli
plein d'apprhension avide (de)

Part 2: Comprehension

1) Draw a plan of the table and name the SIX people around the table. Read page 7 carefully and on
your plan of the table draw the objects found there.

2) Fill in the MENU below with the food and wine eaten. Use the book to help you. We do not
know what they ate for dessert but imagine what might have been on the menu.
 Wine

3) Where does the scene take place?

4) What is the host's occupation?

5) What is Richard Pratt's favourite thing?

6) Explain the bet which usually takes place between Mike and Richard. Who usually wins?

7) Find a quotation to show how Louise feels when Richard is talking to her? (page 9)

8) How does Richard eat his fish and drink his wine? What is so strange about this?

9) What is so unusual about the bet this time? What are the stakes of the bet?

10) Who wins the bet? What does this mean that Louise will have to do?

11)What did Richard leave in the study?

12) Why is this important to the story? What does it tell us about Richard?

13)Explain the last sentence: Keep calm now, Michael, dear! Keep calm! Page 21.
Part Three: Analysis and Discussion
a) What do you think about the way that Mike treats his wife and daughter?

b) Imagine if you were his daughter, how would you feel about the bet?

c) Who is the baddie or the worst person in the story? Mike or Richard? Explain your answer.

d) What would be the worst thing that you could bet on?

e) Imagine the last paragraph of the story. What happens next? Now write it.