The Darling Buds of May

c   Pearson Education Limited 2008

The Darling Buds of May - Answer keys   of 2

Answer keys 

LEVEL 3

PENGUIN READERS

Teacher Support Programme

Book key

1 Open answers
 

(a yes 

b no 

c  yes 

dyes – but also rain 

e yes)

2 a chips, champagne, cocktail, strawberry, whisky

b donkey, goose, nightingale

c gymkhana, stable, yard

d tax

3 a Pop

b  Mariette

c  Mr Charlton

d Ma

e Ma

f Mariette

g Pop

4 a chicken, geese, pigs, a stable, old pieces of metal, 

bits of old cars

b some papers, the tax form

c fish and chips (and bread, fruit, ice-cream, 

chocolate cakes, tea, beer)

d She is very beautiful.

e He saw her riding. 

f  He wants Mr Charlton to forget about the tax 

form.

g Mr Charlton

h Mr Charlton and Mariette

i Ma

5 a no  b no  c  yes  d  no  e  yes  f  no  g  no 

h  no

6–7 Open answers
8 a 2  b  4  c 3  d 5  e 6  f 1
9 a strawberry picking

b There isn’t an 8 o’clock bus.

c whisky

d  Pink Roses

e whisky, red wine, fruit juice

10–12 Open answers
13 a 7  b  7  c  3  d  7  e  3
14 a lunch

b near

c  field

d  fireworks

e  river

15 a Ma

b Pop

c Mr Charlton

d Mariette

e the Brigadier

f Ma

g Mariette 

16–18 Open answers
19 a ache

b  sings

c  strawberries

d  tent

e  weight

f  check

20 a They both like Mr Charlton.

b He thinks that the strawberry juice is blood.

c Mariette arrives, looking very beautiful.

d Mariette and Mr Charlton are going for a walk. She 

doesn’t think that they will be back soon.

21–23 Open answers
24 a Miss Pilchester

b Ma

c  Miss Pilchester

d  Ma

25 a 3  b  5  c  2  d  4  e  1
26–28 Open answers
29 a at the station

b in the beer tent

c in London

d by the river

e behind the beer tent

f by the river

30 a Ma

b  Pop

c  Mariette

d  Ma

e  Pop

f  Pop

g  Mariette 

h  all the Larkin children

31 a 7 

b  40 

c  4 

d  16 or 17 

e  1

32–34 Open answers

The Darling Buds of May

c   Pearson Education Limited 2008

The Darling Buds of May - Answer keys  2 of 2

Answer keys 

LEVEL 3

PENGUIN READERS

Teacher Support Programme

35 a Sir George

b  Miss Pilchester

c  Angela Snow

d  Charley

e  Ma

f  Miss Pilchester

g  Pop

h  Pop

36 Lady Rose Bluff-Gore is a tall lady in a grey hat. She 

and Pop don’t often meet in the village. She likes Pop’s 
idea of pulling down Bluff Court. She doesn’t want to 
live in the house because it’s big and cold. Pop wants 
to look at the house the next day. They walk into the 
garden together. A few other people are there, so they 
can’t talk in private. Lady Rose doesn’t think that Sir 
George likes Pop’s idea. She is very interested in getting 
some money from the house. Pop thinks she is a clever 
lady.

37–49 Open answers 

Discussion activities key

1 Students should guess that the people are members of a 

large family, with a mother, a father and several children 
of all ages. They should also point out that the oldest 
daughter is holding hands with a young man, and that 
they are a couple. They may guess that the family live 
on a farm in the countryside.

2–18 Open answers

Activity worksheets key

1 a  5  b  1  c  2  d  6  e  3  f  7  g  8  h  4
2 a  2  b  5  c  6  d 1  e  3  f  4  g  7  h  8
3 Open answers
4 a  7  b  3  c  3  d  7  e  3  f  7  g  3  h  7
5 a  3  b  4  c  8  d  7  e  6  f  1  g  5  h  2
6  Open answers
7 a  terrible

b  gymkhana

c  television

d  red

e  home 

f  half

g  pleased

h  four

i donkey

8–10 Open answers
11 a  hello

b  party

c  enjoying

d  rain

e  promise 

f  quickly

g  marry

h  chair

12 a success

b  eight

c little

d  down

e easy

f kiss

g  boring

h  first

Progress test key

1 a  3  b  4  c  2  d  1  e  6  f  5
2 a  5  b  2  c  4  d  3  e  1
3 a  1  b  3  c  4  d  2  e  5
4 a  in  b  at  c  on  d  in 
5 a  Mariette
 b  Miss Pilchester
 c  Ma
 d  Pop
 e  Sir George
6 a  party
 b  table
 c  nothing
 d  whisky
 e  money 
 f  arms
 g  dress
 h  hides