Pigeon English Quizzes

Pigeon English Quiz 1 (March)

1 According to Harri, why doesn't the rain wash away the dead boy's blood?
The rain has respect for the dead

Harri prayed for the rain to cease

The dead boy's mother will not allow it

It never rains on Mondays
2 Why doesn't Harri touch the dead boy's blood?
He believes if he crosses the police line, he will turn to dust

He thinks blood has germs

His pigeon told him not to

He believes that he can drown in the blood
3 What gifts does Harri give to the dead boy?
A flower and a promise to find his killer

A pencil and a dance at his funeral

A bouncy ball and a run in the rain

A pebble and a promise never to hurt anyone
4 How is Harri's opinion about his apartment unique?
He likes how many friends he can make in the apartment, though his family avoids their neighbors

He believes the apartment is wonderful, because he can look at helicopters, while his family thinks it is dingy

He enjoys how loud and exciting the apartment is, though his family misses the quiet of their old home

He believes the apartment is in the perfect spot, because he can walk to the park, though it is far from Mamma's work
5 Why doesn't Harri was his hands after handling the pigeon?
He wants to spite his mother and Lydia, who are always telling him to wash up

He doesn't realize he is supposed to wash his hands except after using the restroom

He believes it is so special, it doesn't have germs

His friends told him touching birds is good luck
6 Why doesn't Harri's father live with his family?
He is working in Ghana until he can afford tickets

Harri's parents divorced

Harri's father did not want to live somewhere cold like London

Harri's father was too ill to immigrate
7 What disturbing game does Harri like to play with his friends?
Suicide bomber

Prisoners of War

Cops and robbers

Assassins
8 How does Killa behave suspiciously after the dead boy's murder?
Killa acts out during class and begins drinking

Killa refuses to play "chooking" and falls off his bike during the funeral

Killa asks Harri to hide a knife and refuses to steal a cell phone

Killa starts to sit by himself during lunch and avoids Chicken Joe's
9 According to Harri, why doesn't Mamma buy a pigeon net?
The other boys will think the net is a weapon

No one sells nets designed for pigeons

Harri prayed she wouldn't find one

Mamma secretly wants to tame the pigeon
10 Why doesn't Harri say anything when Jordan steals the woman's phone?
The lady yelled at Harri earlier

He knows Mamma will forbid him from playing with X-Fire

He doesn't want Mamma to think he condones Jordan's behavior

He knows Jordan needs the money
11 Why do the people in Harri's neighborhood have pit bulls?
Pit bulls are the "only friends that won't betray you"

Pit bulls are "better than a burglar alarm" when invaders come

Pit bulls can be used as weapons if their "gun ran out of bullets"

Pit bulls can "find anything—even a knife"
12 How did Terry Takeaway get his name?
He only eats takeaway food

He is a well-known thief

His entire family was "taken away" by the police

He believes he is destined to be "taken away" from poverty
13 Why does Harri prefer the female police officer?
She let Harri and the other little kids "sit in the cop car, just like in the movies"

She asks questions instead of "hitting you all the time"

She reminds Harri of "Mamma when she was young"

She didn't assume Harri committed the crime "just because [he's] African"
14 Why is Harri the only one who discovers the knife's hiding spot?
He was rooting through the trash bins for the "pigeon cage" Lydia threw away

He was picking watercress by the river to feed to the pigeon and saw the knife in the mud

He was on the balcony at night waiting for the pigeon when he saw a man take the knife

He is the only person Jordan trusts enough to ask for help hiding the weapon
15 According to the pigeon, how are humans and birds alike?
Both "view death as an inconvenience and an opportunity"

Both have lives that are "so short and nothing's ever fair"

Both "take flight from an intrusion"

Both are "corrupted and dirtied by the city"
16 What is Harri's plan for defending against "invaders"?
Jump off the balcony and fly like a pigeon to the police station

Hide Lydia and Mamma in the closet and hit the invader with a bat

Protect Lydia and Mamma and stab the invader with a fork

Take Lydia and Mamma into the lift and use the "help" button to contact the police
17 Why doesn't Miquita go to the dead boy's funeral?
She is Catholic and not allowed to go into a Protestant church

She believes his death was his own fault, since he was "fronting"

Hollyoaks is on at the same time as the funeral

She and the dead boy were dating, and he broke her heart
18 How does Mamma cope with the babies who die in the hospital?
She gives the grieving mothers a copy of the Bible

She names the babies and imagines them in heaven

She spends time with her own children and feels grateful for their health

Every night, she reads a children's book aloud to the babies "in heaven"
19 Why does the dead boy's funeral confuse Harri?
Unlike funerals in Ghana, there is no singing or dancing

No one is allowed inside the church except the dead boy's parents

The funeral is held in a synagogue, and Harri does not understand the Hebrew prayers

The funeral guests wear hoodies instead of suits and ties
20 Why do Harri and Dean join the receiving line?
To get a closer look at the open casket

To try and figure out if any guests are the murderer

To get on television

To get out of the rain
21 What does X-Fire offer Harri after stealing his backpack?
A job

Protection from the police

English lessons

A spot on the basketball team
22 Why does Harri run through the rain?
He is being chased by a pit bull

Running in the rain feels like flying

The dead boy told him you can get faster by running in the rain

He forgot his umbrella
23 Why is Mamma upset when Aunt Sonia visits?
She was called a racial slur at work

Aunt Sonia is not supposed to be in the UK

Aunt Sonia forgot to come and babysit Harri while Mamma was at work

She does not believe Aunt Sonia should return to Ghana
24 Why does Jordan stop attending school?
He failed all his classes

X-Fire threatened to kill him if he came back to school

He is making good money stealing for X-Fire

He was expelled for kicking a teacher
25 Why do Dean and Harri go to the river?
To hide from the Dell Farm Crew

To look for the murder weapon

To pick watercress

To take care of the ducks that the smaller kids attacked with a screwdriver

Highlight words that show Harri’s feelings about his home.

The lines make a square. Only if you stay in the square you'll be safe. That’s your home. If you stay there they can’t kill you. The best thing about home is all the places to hide in. If somebody’s chasing you and you need to get away there’s...

Asked by Ian N #1360432

Answered by jill d #170087 on 2/28/2025 11:36 AM

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How does Kelman present ideas of control and power in Pigeon English?

All of the characters are forced to uphold the masculine traits like power and control or toughness and ruthlessness in order to protect themselves. This culture of violence means that life is treated as disposable and death is ever-present.

Asked by Jody I #1329003

Answered by Aslan on 11/28/2023 5:44 PM

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how does the writer present the struggles of childhood in pigeon english

The setting of this British town is quite a dangerous place, especially for the children. As readers learn almost from the outset, a boy from Harrison's school was murdered and left for dead in the street recently. Harrison learns firsthand how...

Asked by Aisha K #1263285

Answered by Aslan on 10/16/2022 4:47 PM

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Pigeon English

by Stephen Kelman

Pigeon English Quiz 1 (March)

Pigeon English Questions and Answers

Study Guide for Pigeon English

Lesson Plan for Pigeon English