Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas 

Photocopiable

c   Pearson Education Limited 2007

Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas - Activity worksheets   of 2

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Activity worksheets   

LEVEL 2

While reading
Chapters 1–2
1 MakeamapofHalloweentown.

ImagineHalloweentownandanswerthese
questions.

a Aretherebeautifulhouses?

b Wheredopeoplebuyfood?

c Isthereanimportantpark?

d Whatcolorarethebuildings?

e WheredoestheMayorlive?

f Whereisthechurchyard?

g Isthereazoo?Where?

h WhereintheworldisHalloweentown?

i Whatlanguagedotheyspeak?

2 Readcarefullyandcompletethesesentences.

a ThemostimportantnightforJackwas

……….

b Itwas………October31.

c The………didn’tdrinkwaterbecausethey

didn’tlikeit.

d The………hadblackdressesandbighats.

e Themostpopulardrinkwas……….

f Jackwasnotarealperson,hewasa……….

3 Writeadescription.

CompareHalloweentownandChristmastown.

4 UsebooksortheInternettolearnmore.

Whenis…

a Christmas?……………………

b Easter?……………………

c Thanksgiving?……………………

Whatarethedecorationsat…

d Christmas?………………………………….

e Easter?………………………………………

f Thanksgiving?………………………………

Whatdopeopledoat…

g Christmas?………………………………….

h Easter?………………………………………

i Thanksgiving?………………………………

5 MakeamapofChristmastown.

ImagineChristmastownandanswerthese
questions.

a Aretherebeautifulhouses?

b Wheredopeoplebuyfood?

c Isthereanimportantpark?

d Whatcolorarethebuildings?

e WheredoestheMayorlive?

f Whereisthechurchyard?

g Isthereazoo?Where?

h WhereintheworldisChristmastown?

i Whatlanguagedotheyspeak?

6 Writeadescription.

CompareHalloweentownandChristmastown.

Chapters 3–4
7 Discusswithafriend.

Whatarethewitches’ideasaboutChristmas?

Whatdoskeletons,vampiresandblackcatsthink
aboutChristmas?

8 Completethesentenceswith

soorbecause.

a Everybodywashappy…………itwas

Christmas.

b ImustgotoHalloweentown…………I’ve

gotagreatplan.

c Sallyusedherspoon…………shedidn’t

wanttodrinktea.

d Thespoonhadholes…………Sallydidn’t

drinkanytea.

e Jackwassad…………nobodyunderstood

Christmas.

f Sallycouldn’tgoout…………thedoctor

wasnotasleep.

g Thedoctorcanhelpme…………I’llgoto

hishouse.

h Sallydidn’ttalktoJack…………shewasa

quietgirl.

9 Readpage13again.ImagineJackwentto

Eastertown,nottoChristmastown.Write
Jack’sanswerstothepeople’squestions.

Example:It’s a world of wonderful flowers.

Chapters 5–6
10 WritealettertoJack.TellJackabout

Christmas.

11 Drawthedecorationsandpresentsfor

Christmas.

12 ReadChapter6again.

WhatarethethreeOogieBoogieboys’names?

13 Writeadialogue.

OogieBoogiewantstocelebrateChristmas.
Writethedialoguebetweenhimandhisthree
boys.

Chapters 7–8
14 Writeasummaryofthetwochapters.
15 Readpages29–32again.Thenlookup

headlineinyourdictionary.Writetheheadline
forthetwopages.

Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas 

Photocopiable

c   Pearson Education Limited 2007

Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas - Activity worksheets  2 of 2

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Activity worksheets   

LEVEL 2

16 Writewhy…

a thethreeboysmadeamistake.

b SantawasverybusyinChristmastown.

c Sallyworkedonherplan.

d thereindeercouldn’tseetheirnoses.

e everybodyinHalloweentownshoutedhappily.

17 Drawthesleighandallthepresents.
18 Discusswithafriend.

Thinkoftherightpresentforeachpersonin
Halloweentown.WhatisSantaClausgoingto
givethem?

Jack: ……………………………………………

Sally:……………………………………………

Witches:………………………………………..

Vampires:……………………………………….

TheMayor:…………………………………….

TheDoctor: ……………………………………

Skeletons: ………………………………………

OogieBoogie:………………………………….

Thethreeboys:…………………………………

Chapters 9–10
19 Whatarethechildrensayingabouttheirtoys?
20 Jackthinkseverybodyishappy.

Whatdothepeoplethinkandsay?Writetheir
words.

21 Readpage42again.WriteaboutOogie

Boogie’slivingroom.

Whatcanyouseethere?Whatcolorarethe
walls,thedoors?Arethereanywindows?

22 Workwithafriend.

StudentA:DrawapictureofOogieBoogie’s
livingroom.DescribeittostudentBbutdon’t
showthepicture.

StudentB:ListentostudentA.Drawthepicture
he/shedescribes.

Nowlookatthetwopictures.Aretheythesame
ordifferent?

Chapters 11–12
23 ReadChapter11again.

You’reZero.Tellyourstory.

24 JackfindsSallywiththeflower.

Writethestoryforthetownnewspaper.Write
theheadline,too.

25 WritetheconversationbetweenSantaandhis

helpersandhiswifewhenhegoesbackhome.

26 JackisinHalloweentown.

TheyhavejustcelebratedEaster.Whatdoeshe
tellSantaaboutHalloweentownandthe
celebration?

After reading
27 Workwithafriend.

StudentA:Findapictureinthebookandtalk
aboutwhatisinthepicture.Donotshowthe
picturetoyourfriend.

StudentB:donotlookatthepicture.Trytosay
whathappensbeforeandafterthepicture.Then
findthepicture.

28 You’retheMayorofHalloweentown.Writea

brochureaboutthetownfortourists.Write10
sentences.

29 Discusswithafriend.

Istheendinghappyorsad?

Changetheending.

30 Findthemistakesinthisnewspaperstory.

Underlinethewrongwordsandwritethe
rightwords.

JackSkellington,oneofthemostimportant
vampiresinHalloweentown,finds
ChristmastownandlearnsaboutEaster,buthe
doesn’tunderstand.Heconvincesthewitchesin
hiscountrytocelebrateEaster,butitisfunny.
SantaClaus’swifehelpsJackandnowhe
understandsthecelebration.JackandtheDoctor
becomegoodfriendsandvisiteachotherevery
week.

31 Drawaninvitationcardforacelebrationin

Halloweentown.

Whatareyoucelebrating?

Whatareyougoingtodo?

Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas 

Photocopiable

c   Pearson Education Limited 2007

Tim Burton’s

 The Nightmare Before Christmas - Progress test   of 

PENGUIN ACTIVE READING

Teacher Support Programme

Progress test   

LEVEL 2

Chapters 1–2

1 Whathappenedfirst?Puttheseintherightorder.

Writethenumbers,1–8.
a c JackfoundChristmastown.
b c JacklovedChristmastown.
c c Jackwalkedoutoftown.
d c Jackwasunhappy.
e c Sallywassadandwantedtofollowherfriend.
f c TheMayorspoketothepeoplein

Halloweentown.

g c TheMayorthankedJack.
h c ThepeopleinHalloweentownweresad

becauseJackwasnotthere.

Chapters 3–4

2 Whosaidit?Choosetherightname.Youcanuse

thenamesmorethanonce.

 Jack Sally theDoctor theMayor

a “Myplanisgreat!”……………
b “Iwantmydrink!”……………
c “I’llusemyspoon.”……………
d “Ithinkthat’sZero,Jack’sdog.”……………
e “Wherewereyou,Jack?”……………
f “Christmastownisawonderfulplace.”……………
g “Look,here’satoy.”……………
h “I’vemadeastupidmistakewiththeflowers.”

……………

i “Thesechemicalsaredangerous.”……………
j “Helovesme!”……………

Chapters 5–6 

3 Arethesesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a Jackfoundtheanswertohisquestionslateat

night.

c

b HewantedtocelebrateChristmas.

c

c HetoldhisideatotheMayor.

c

d JackaskedSallytomakecakes.

c

e ThepeopleinHalloweentowndidn’twantto

helpJack.

c

f OogieBoogie’sboyswantedtoplayatrick.

c

g TheywantedtoteachOogieBoogiealesson.

c

Chapters 7–8

4 Match!
 Completethesentencesusingtherightnumber.

a Sally…

c

b Thethreeboys…

c

c Jack…

c

d TheDoctor…

c

e SantaClaus…

c

f Mrs.Claus…

c

g Santa’shelpers…

c

 1 madeabigmistake.
 2 madenicereindeer.
 3 wasbusyinhistown.
 4 madecakes.
 5 maderedclothesforJack.
 6 scaredtheanimalwithlongears.
 7 madelovelypresents.

Chapters 9–10

5 What’stherightanswer?Circle1,2,or3.

a Thechildrenshoutedbecause…
 1 Jackscaredthem.
 2 thetoyswerescary.
 3 theydidn’tgettoys.
b ThepoliceshotatJackbecause…
 1 theydidn’tlikehim.
 2 theywerescared.
 3 peoplethoughthewasdangerous.
c SallyrantoOogieBoogie’shouseto…
 1 helpSantaClaus.
 2 talktoJack.
 3 killOogieBoogie.

Chapters 11–12

6 Arethesesentencesright(3)orwrong(7)?

a TheMayorthoughtJackwasdead.

c

b OogieBoogielovedJack.

c

c JackhelpedSantaClausandSally.

c

d SantakilledOogieBoogie.

c

e Jackwassorry.

c

f Santagaveeverybodytheirpresents.

c

g Santagaveanicepresenttothepeoplein

Halloweentown.

c