laburnum
prosy
scuttled
flustered
porthole
belladonna
throng
depredations
haughty
larders
flummoxed
confusticate
bebother
ere
yore
hoard
wrought
delves
conspirator
audacious
rune
abreast
ingenious
estimable
descendant
reviving
expedition
parchment
legendary
obstinately
prudent
remuneration
plunder
necromancer
witless
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is Gandalf's reputation?
2. What kind of mark does Gandalf put on Bilbo's door?
3. How many dwarves come to tea?
4. Why aren't the dwarves in possession of their treasure?
5. How does the dwarves' music affect Bilbo?
6. What does Thorin wear to distinguish himself from the other dwarves?
7. What two things does Gandalf give Thorin?
8. How did the dwarves lose their treasure and kingdom?
9. What about adventures awakens Bilbo's "Tookish" side? What causes his "Baggins" side to reemerge? Is the Baggins side timid or practical? Is the Tookish side heroic, curious or proud?
10. Name some of the characteristics of dwarves that we have seen thus far in chapter one.
11. In your own words, tell the important events of this chapters in the sequence that they happened.
12. What did Gandalf claim to be looking for when he arrived on Bilbo's doorstep?
13. What does Gandalf threaten to do if the assembled dwarves refuse to accept his choice of Bilbo Baggins as the fourteenth man for their expedition?
14. Why is An Unexpected Party a good title for chapter one?
15. What were in the various ways that Bilbo used the word phrase "good morning"?
defrayed
esteemed
requisite
punctual
paraphernalia
laden
bolted
canny
cavalcade
toothsome
purloined
applicable
copped
throttled
blighter
lout
bickering
incantations
scabbard
hilts
smith
embers
waylaid
trifle
outlandish
fluster
ambled
obliged
primly
gnawed
stooped
scabbards
sheath
provisions
1. What are the terms of Bilbo's contract?
2. How does Bilbo know that the three people are trolls?
3. How is Bilbo caught?
4. How does Gandalf rescue Bilbo and the dwarves?
5. What do they take from the trolls' hoard?
6. Why is it important that Gandalf is not present when the expedition meets the trolls?
7. Sometimes in literature a change of clothing is symbolic of a new role. What do you thing Bilbo's change of apparel might mean?
8. How does life on the trail differ from the life that Bilbo is used to in the Shire?
9. How does the speech of the dwarves and the speech of the trolls differ?
10. Of the various characters that you have met thus far, consider whether or not their names fit their descriptions. Give a brief explanation of why you do or do not feel this way.
11. What indication is there in the note left by Thorin and Company that the adventure or quest may prove to be perilous for Bilbo?
12. Who do the dwarves notice has gone missing?
13. Describe what Bilbo Baggins sees as he approaches the red light.
14. Explain the humour in the expression, "I . . . cook better than I cook."
15. Explain what happens to the dwarves as they come to Bilbo's aid.
16. How does Gandalf use his powers on Bert and Tom and William?
17. How did Gandalf finally manage to open the big stone door leading to the trolls' cave?
18. What did Gandalf and Thorin each take from the cave?
faded
solemn
dwelling
homely
gullies
drear
ravines
glade
bogs
slithered
drowsy
faggots
bannocks
reeking
folly
hark
gruffly
parapet
bridle
palpitating
gruesome
ancestors
venerable
lair
cleaver
remnants
cunning
vexed
crescent
1. Why is Rivendell hard to find?
2. When is Durin's Day?
3. What is the difference between the way Bilbo and the dwarves react to Rivendell? How does Elrond feel about the expedition, and what does he say about the dwarves' love of gold and the wickedness of dragons? What values are important to the elves?
4. Who is Elrond? What is the effect of giving a detailed history of a minor character
5. An elf gives the company a choice of singing or eating. How do their reactions fit their characters? What would you have done and why?
6. What does Elrond think of the dwarves? Why would you say to him about this?
7. How does the stop in Rivendell help the dwarves move toward attaining their goal?
8. According to Gandalf, what lay hidden somewhere not too far ahead of the travellers?
9. What are moon letters?
10. Compare and contrast (find out how they are similar and different) Gandalf and Elrond.
11. Based on the elves' poem, how would you describe them?
12. What month is the company travelling in?
13. The dwarves don't seem to care for the elves very much. Why? On the other hand Bilbo seems to enjoy their company. Why?
14. Briefly describe the bridge that appears in this chapter.
deception
infested
uncanny
thriven
astray
splinters
drenched
guffawing
tinder
flint
nooks
champing
yammer
bleat
shirk
quaff
rummaged
alliances
grudge
warrant
gnash
jibbering
jabbering
ingenious
devices
hospitable
scurrying
skriking
hordes
realm
1. Why does the expedition take shelter in the cave?
2. Why isn't Gandalf captured?
3. What do goblins usually do with their prisoners?
4. How does Gandalf rescue Bilbo and the dwarves?
5. Explain how the dwarves and the hobbit were able to find their way up the treacherous mountain.
6. What did Tolkien mean by a thunder-battle?
7. Describe what the stone-giants were doing.
8. What indication is there that the cave might not be safe?
9. Summarize Bilbo's dream that evening.
10. Why was it fortunate that Bilbo had accompanied the dwarves into the cave?
11. What happened when the crack in the wall snapped shut?
12. Explain how the horses, ponies and donkeys all disappeared.
13. Why were the Great Goblin and many of his soldiers so upset when they saw Thorin's sword?
14. Who came to the rescue of the dwarves and what weapon did they use?
15. What happens to Bilbo at the end of this chapter?
1. Why was Bilbo so frightened when he regained consciousness?
2. What does Bilbo find as he crawls blindly along the floor of the tunnel?
3. Why was Bilbo comforted by his dagger or small sword?
4. How was Bilbo able to see in the darkness?
5. Why was Bilbo reluctant to wade in the water?
6. Who is Gollum and where does he live?
7. Explain the basic rules of the riddle game.
8. Explain the power of Gollum's ring.
9. Why did Gollum hurry right past Bilbo?
10. Explain how Gollum unexpectedly aids the hobbit in his escape.
11. Why are the goblins reluctant to pursue Bilbo Baggins once he is outside?
Vocabulary:
ajar,
antiquity,
breeches,
dagger,
despair,
giddy
glimmer,
groped,
morsel,
prowling,
resolve,
sacred,
slinking,
smote,
splayed,
subterranean,
throttled,
wade,
wedged,
wits,
1. What did Bilbo Baggins intend to do if he was unable to find Gandalf or the dwarves?
2. What did the dwarves want to do when there was no sign of Bilbo?
3. How might you use the power of the golden ring if you possessed it?
4. Why did Gandalf encourage the adventurers to hurry on their way?
5. What noise did they hear as they stepped into the clearing?
6. Explain the significance of the title of this chapter.
7. Why would the ring not protect Bilbo from the wolves (Wargs)?
8. Who helped Bilbo escape into the tree?
9. Why did the wolves alert the goblins to the adventurers who are hiding in the trees?
10. Who rescued the party of adventurers from their perilous position in the trees?
Vocabulary:
abominable,
acquainted,
benighted,
bonfire,
borne,
boughs,
bracken,
cinders,
clamour,
devouring,
dusk,
eyrie,
famished
flurry,
glade
intervals,
lofty,
marjoram,
nipped,
pale,
porter
precipice,
rendered,
reputation,
sage,
shafts,
shrivel,
shuddered,
talons,
thyme,
trudge,
tumult,
uncanny,
yew,