Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

€2 a Month €5 a Month One-off amount
imagination

Quiz: How much do you know about Roald Dahl and his books?

The theme of the Toy Show was ‘the wonderful world of Roald Dahl’ – let’s take a closer look at that world.
11.00am, 31 Dec 2020
28.9k
17

“A WRITER OF fiction lives in fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not,” said Roald Dahl.

Well, he sure did come up with new ideas.

As was shown in the theme of this year’s Late Late Toy Show, Dahl has created some wonderful characters, events and words.

So here’s a quiz to look at his most celebrated works, and a bit about the extraordinary life he had.

In Roald Dahl’s first book The Gremlins, what does Dahl write is the motivation for them sabotaging plane mechanics?
It’s revenge for the destruction of their forest home, which was flattened to make way for an aircraft factory.
It’s to stop the noise of planes disturbing sleeping baby Gremlins.
In the book The BFG, which is dedicated to Dahl’s daughter Olivia who died of measles aged 7, what does the BFG do?
He catches dreams and sends the good ones to children around the world
He teaches children how to read

He makes ‘frobscottle’, a fizzy drink that makes you swear
He gives the Queen of England nightmares about the British empire
Miss Trunchbull is the principal of Matilda’s school. Who is she revealed to be later in the book?
A misunderstood person
A second-hand car salesperson

Miss Honey’s aunt
Matilda’s aunt
In ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More’, what does Henry do when he trains himself to see through objects?
He becomes a magician and gives free shows to children
He uses his skills in the army

He becomes a successful doctor
He plays blackjack and roulette at casinos
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, what happens to Veruca Salt?
She expands into a giant blueberry after chewing an experimental piece of gum
She gets made really small after drinking a potion labelled ‘Drink Me’

She is thrown down a chute after trying to catch a squirrel and is catagorised as a bad nut
She gets catapulted out of the factory in a glass elevator
True or False: Roald Dahl flew a fighter plane in World War 2 that was shot down, was a spy for MI6, and wrote the screenplay for the Bond film You Only Live Twice.
True
False
In the book The Witches, which one of these is NOT a telltale sign that someone is a witch?
They have claws instead of fingernails
They have square feet with no toes

They have no eyebrows and draw them on
They have blue spit
Which of these tricks did the Twits not play on one another?
Mr Twit puts a frog in Mrs Twit's bed
Mrs Twit removes her glass eye and drops it in Mr Twit's beer

Mr Twit glues pieces of wood onto Mrs Twit's cane and chair day-by-day to make her think she’s shrinking
Mrs Twit puts Mr Twit in 'the chokey' when he doesn’t eat his dinner
Who is Mr Fox’s enemy in Fantastic Mr Fox?
Mr Badger
Rat

Boggis
The Hound
In James and the Giant Peach, how do James and his insect friends get the big peach to fly?
They use the Earthworm as bait to lure seagulls close, and tie thread to them
The Ladybird mimics the seagulls’ call and they ask them to carry the peach

The Spider and Silkworm tie thread to a plane
They ask Mr Fly and his friends to lift the peach
Answer all the questions to see your result!
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
Oh dear. Sure look, it's just a quiz.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
Fair play.
Share your result:
Shutterstock
You scored out of !
Jesus, that's good going!
Share your result:

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More

Author
Gráinne Ní Aodha
grainne@thejournal.ie
Send Tip or Correction
Read Next
More Stories
Related Tags
Your Voice
Readers Comments
17
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel