PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme
Hamlet
Book key 11 a Possible answers:
Polonius thinks that Hamlet is mad with love for
1 Open answers his daughter. He feels a bit sorry for him. Ophelia
2 a people: lord / nephew / servant loves Hamlet, but she is afraid of his mad actions.
parts of a play: act / scene Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seem to like Hamlet,
things that are found in the ground: grave / skull / but they are spying on him for the King. Gertrude
worm is really worried about Hamlet and wants him to
things that can kill: poison / revenge / sword get better. Claudius is more afraid of Hamlet than
b Open answers worried about him.
3 a Denmark b Open answers
b Claudius 12 (ab) Open answers
c perfect 13 a live
d simple b stupid
e 1,700 years ago c does not believe
f 24 d afraid of
g between 1598 and 1602 e honest
4 Open answers f are
5 a Claudius Hamlets uncle g does not feel
b Fortinbras the King of Norways nephew h does not know
c Polonius the King of Denmarks friend i cannot
d Laertes Poloniuss son j Claudius
e Gertrude Hamlets mother 14 Open answers
f Horatio Hamlets friend 15 a when
g Ophelia Laertess sister b if
6 a lost land to Hamlets father. c but
b did not really love his father. d because / when
c does not want his daughter to get into trouble. e during
d punish the King. f so
7 a Open answers g after
b Possible answer: weakness h while / because
c Open answers i before
d Possible answer: to watch him carefully j until
8 (ab) Open answers 16 a Claudius Hamlet hates him and wants to kill
9 a 4 b 5 c 1 d 3 e 2 f 6 him.
10 a wrong he is not really mad Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Hamlet does not
b wrong Polonius does like them because they are spies. Ophelia Hamlet
c right is probably afraid of her. He has acted badly with
d wrong she has shown them to her father, but has her, and has killed her father by mistake. Polonius
returned them to Hamlet Hamlet thinks that he was a silly old man. But he
e wrong they are not sure is sorry that he is dead. Gertrude He is less angry
f right with her than before. He wants to forgive her.
g wrong only Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo b Claudius is afraid of him. Rosencrantz and
know about the Ghost Guildenstern want to be friendly, but do not
h wrong he is not sure that the Ghost was honest understand him. Ophelia probably hates him for
i right killing her father.
Polonius is dead. Gertrude pities him. She thinks
that he is mad.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Hamlet - Answer keys of 4
PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme
Hamlet
17 a Hamlet will want to kill Claudius. Claudius will 24 a 1 Hamlets father
probably want to kill Hamlet. 2 Polonius
b Hamlet has killed Ophelias father. Ophelia will 3 Ophelia
hate Hamlet. 4 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
c Laertes will be angry about his fathers death. 5 Gertrude
Perhaps he will think that Claudius is the murderer. 6 Laertes
Claudius will be afraid of Laertes. But perhaps he 7 Claudius
can make Laertes angry with Hamlet. 8 Hamlet
d Hamlet will be worried because he has killed b Hamlets father in his garden. Polonius behind
Laertess father. Laertes will want revenge. a curtain in Gertrudes room. Ophelia in an icy
18 a Hamlet / Polonius stream.
b Ophelia / Polonius Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in England.
c Claudius / Hamlet, Poloniuss death, Ophelias Gertrude, Laertes, Claudius and Hamlet the large
madness, Laertess return room in the castle.
d Laertes / Ophelias madness cd Hamlets father murdered by Claudius.
e Hamlet / his journey to England Polonius killed accidentally by Hamlet. Ophelia
f Claudius / Hamlet fell out of a tree into the water. Rosencrantz
g Laertes / Hamlet and Guildenstern killed by the King of England
h Gertrude / Ophelia because Hamlet had secretly changed the letter
19 a (worm) dog from Claudius. Gertrude poisoned accidentally
b (brother) father by Claudius. Laertes killed by the poison on his
c (Hamlet) Laertes own sword. Claudius killed by Hamlet. Hamlet
d (Claudius) No one killed by the poison on Laertess sword.
e (money) help e Open answers
f (three) two 2535 Open answers
g (sad) glad, happy, pleased, excited
h (gun) sword Discussion activities key
i (food) drink 16 Open answers
j (jumped) fell 7 Suggested answers:
20 a mad Hamlet Polonius Gertrude Claudius
b kind is angry thinks that appears not does not
c secret that his Hamlet to think feel guilty
d stupid mother has is acting about or worried.
e fat / thin married his strangely her dead he is
f safe uncle so because he husband concerned
g afraid soon. is sick with as much about
h unbelievable suspects his love. as Hamlet Hamlets
i patient uncle thinks would like behaviour.
j thirsty is terribly the Kings her to.
2122 Open answers sad about death is is very
23 a Hamlet b Yorick c Gertrude d Hamlet his fathers a terrible worried
e Osric f Horatio g Claudius h Laertes death. tragedy. about her
i Horatio j Fortinbras son.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Hamlet - Answer keys of 4
PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme
Hamlet
8 Suggested answers: 3 a 3 b 1 c 4 d 5 e 2
I love Hamlet and he loves me. I cant believe why 4 a Claudius / too much sadness
my father thinks he is crazy and out of love with me. b Hamlet / the day of his fathers death
I need to see him or Ill go crazy myself. c Horatio / the Ghost or Hamlets father
9 Open answers d Polonius / Hamlet
10 Suggested answers: e Horatio / Hamlet
Hamlet is unhappy because Gertrude married f the Ghost / Claudius
Claudius. Gertrude wants Hamlet to stop being 5 Suggested answers:
unfriendly to Claudius. Hamlet hates Claudius a Because he wants Hamlet to find out that he was
because he murdered his father. Claudius is friendly murdered.
to Hamlet. b Because he learns that his own uncle killed his
Polonius does not want his daughter to see Hamlet. father.
We do not know how Hamlet feels about Polonius. c Because she cannot be alone.
The Ghost wants Hamlet to punish Claudius for d Because he has to avenge the death of his father.
murdering him. 6 a 1 b 2 c 1
1114 Open answers 7 a 2 b 3 c 1
15 Suggested answers: 8 pleased because there is going to be a play; rude to
Hamlet wants to know if Claudius really murdered Polonius; strange he seems to be mad; unsure he
his father. He wants Claudius to watch a play does not know if the Ghost is honest
about a similar crime. Claudius wants to know why 9 a 1 b 4 c 2 d 5 e 9 f 8 g 11 h 10
Hamlet is acting strangely. He asks Rosencrantz and i 7 j 6 k 3
Guildenstern to help him. Polonius wants to prove 10 a 2 b 5 c 4 d 1 e 3 f 6
that Hamlet is mad because of love for his daughter. 11 a 3 b 7 c 3 d 3 e 3 f 7
He plans to watch Hamlet and Ophelia in secret. 12 a Hamlet Polonius is dead (feeding the worms).
1617 Open answers b Ophelia There are no flowers on her fathers
18 a Hamlet thinks that life is not as frightening as grave.
death. c Claudius He receives a letter from Hamlet.
b He thinks that prettiness is a bad thing. d Laertes He wants revenge on Hamlet for killing
c He does not want to kill Claudius while he is his father.
praying. He does not want Claudius to go to e Claudius and Laertes They plan to kill Hamlet in
Heaven. a swordfight.
d He thinks that his mothers marriage is wicked. 13 a No She wants Hamlet to forgive her.
e He thinks that Polonius was silly, but he is sorry b Yes Hamlet has killed Polonius. Claudius thinks
that he is dead. that he is dangerous.
1923 Open answers c Yes Hamlet is rude to him.
d No She is mad.
Activity worksheets key e Yes His father and sister are dead because of
1 a a sword pages 7, 25, 35, 45 Hamlet.
b a ghost page 7 14 a Hamlet
c a curtain pages 13, 35 b Laertes and Hamlet
d a servant page 45 c Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
e a lord page 45 d Hamlet and Laertes
f poison page 45 15 Open answers
2 a punish
b revenge
c 400
d Kenneth Branagh
e successful
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Hamlet - Answer keys of 4
PENGUIN READERS
Answer keys LEVEL 3 Teacher Support Programme
Hamlet
Progress test key 6 a Claudius sends Hamlet to England because he
1 a Hamlet > Claudius actually wants to have him killed.
b year > month b Claudius says that Ophelia has gone mad because
c Polonius and Ophelia > Marcellus and Barnardo her father was killed and Hamlet is missing.
d servant > soldier c Laertes enters the castle with a crowd of men
2 a 1 b 1 c 2 because he wants to avenge the death of his father and
3 a 1 b 4 c 6 d 5 e 3 f 2 to become king himself.
4 a 7 b 3 c 7 d In his letter to Horatio, Hamlet tells him that he is
5 a crazy words a prisoner on a robbers ship and that he must come to
b a dark secret in his heart him.
c watch his uncle 7 a murderer
d two hours b death, madness
c revenge
d poison, sword
8 a 3 b 7 c 3 d 3 e 7
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 Hamlet - Answer keys of 4
