The Railway Children Lesson Sample Answe

8/18/2019 The Railway Children Lesson Sample Answe

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THE RAILWAY CHILDREN; (LESSON) sample answer

ESSON Q: Based on the novel you have studied, write about a valuable lesson

you have learnt.

Based on te no!el" Te Ra#lwa$ C#ldren %$ Ed#t Nes%#t, a

valuable lesson I have learnt is we should be kind and thoughtful to everyone,

including strangers. This is seen in Roberta. In this novel, Roberta asked the

driver and the frean to end the broken toy en!ine. "hen #eter !ave Roberta

hal$ his toy en!ine, she took the broken hal$. She wanted to !et it ended $or her

brother. So she et the driver and the frean to ask their hel%. They a!reed to

end the broken toy. Soe weeks later, she took #eter and #hyllis to eet the

driver and the frean. #eter was e&'ited to see his en!ine ended.

&'rtermore, Roberta hid the story about her imprisoned father from her

brother and sister . Roberta went to the station to 'olle't soe old a!a(ines.

#erks wra%%ed the a!a(ines with an old news%a%er. On the way hoe, she

sto%%ed to rest. She read the news%a%er. It is about her $ather. Roberta learnt

that her $ather was in %rison $or s%yin!. Nevertheless, Roberta did not tell #eter

and #hyllis about it. She did not want the to be u%set like her.

nall$" Roberta made Jim comfortable in the tunnel. )i had a broken le!

and 'annot walk. So, she ade )i 'o$ortable by %ut her %etti'oat under his

broken le!. She talked to hi and !ot the ne'essary in$oration to hel% hi. She

$ound out that he is )i $ro Northuberland.

In onl's#on, it is clear that Roberta is kind and thoughtful to everyone,

including strangers. It makes this novel interesting.

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THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - ThemesThere are roughly ten themes in this novel. They are as stated below :-

1.The Importance Of A Family - The family bond between the characters in

this novel is very strong. For example, in chapter 1, mother was always at home

spending time with the children. She played with them and read stories to them.

Mother also read stories which she wrote to them after tea. Moreover, the

children had a wonderful father who was never angry, and was always ready to

play a game with them.The children loved their father and never forgot himthough they never talked much about him. Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis were

always together be it at the railway line, the railway station and even when they

collected gifts for Perks.

2.Hope and Optimism - The children's father was always optimistic that things

would be fine.For example, when Peter showed him his broken toy steam

engine, father looked at it and optimistically assured Peter that he would mend

it.Bobbie had high hopes that the old gentleman would be able to help her to


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seek the truth about her father's innocence. The old gentleman helped Bobbie in

her quest because he had hopes that her father was innocent.

3.Bravery - Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis are brave children. They risked their lives

to stop a train from accident. Peter and Phyllis waved their flags by

standing along the railway line while Bobbie ran on to the line waving herflags. The children aslo showed bravery when they entered the dark tunnel to

look for the boy in the red shirt.Mother stayed calm and brave for the chlidren's

sake while her husband was away in prison.


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THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

-SYNOPSIS

Roberta(Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis lived

in a comfortable home in London. Their

father was a civil servant while their

mother was a housewife.Their parents

were wonderful and kind people. They

also had a maid to do the house work.

One day, two gentlemen came to the

house to see their father. Soon after, he

followed them out.He was taken to prison.He was accused of being a Russian spy.

The children did not know why their father left with the two men but their mother knew. She

kept it to herself and did not tell the children.

Soon, they had to move to a modest

cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. The

cottage was situated near a railway

station. The children's life revolved

around the passing trains, workers at the

station and the towns people.

Their mother wrote some stories to earn

some money to buy food and for other

necessities. It was hard at first to be poor

but they soon learned to live with the

little they had.

They learned not to steal coal from the railway station even if they have so little coal to keep

warm. Their life was full of adventures. For instance, they managed to stop a train when a

landslide covered the tracks. They found the injured boy (hound) in the train tunnel and

managed to get help for him.

They liked to wave at passing trains. In time they made many new friends and forged a

special friendship with one old gentleman in particular. The old gentleman gets to know them

and helps them in various ways.

He becomes instrumental in the release of their father from prison.Finally, one day their

father returns home and everybody is happy that now they are together again.


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THE RAILWAY CHILDREN-CHARACTER

ROBERTA (BOBBIE)

Roberta is 12 years old. She has a brother named Peter and a

younger sister named Phyllis.She is fondly known as Bobbie in this

novel. She is the eldest of the three. One of her characters is, she is a

very persistent person.She doesn't easily throw in the towel when the

odds seem to be against her.

There are many incidences in the novel where we can see her

persistence. For example, in chapter 3 (page 17 - paragraph 5 -

lines 1-3),we can see how determined she was in getting the thingsnecessary for her mother's recovery when her mother was ill. Her persistence paid off when

the old gentleman gave the things needed for her mother's recovery.

In chapter 6 (page 38 - read the whole page), Perks was not happy with people giving him

presents.He was worried that people would laugh and make fun of him.Bobbie persistently

reasoned with Perks about the good intentions of the village people giving him the presents

untill he relented and accepted the gifts.Finally, Perks celebrated his birthday with a happy

note.

In chapter 7 (pg 42 - the whole page), she did not give up in finding a way to help secure her

father's release from prison. She was persistent even when her mother had given up.

She secretly wrote a letter to her friend the old gentleman asking for his help to clear her

father's name.In the end her father was released from prison.

*Brave - Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 8*Kindhearted - Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 8*Responsible - Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

*Moral - we mst not easil! "ive p when thin"s seem impossible# $e mst %eep

tr!in" b! &indin" means and wa!s to ma%e the impossible possible li%e Roberta#

PETER


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Peter is Roberta's brother. He is the second child in the family.

Peter is a very brave and smart young chap. He wants to be an

engineer when he grows up. He has a knack for railway engines.

He was overjoyed when his father gave him a steam engine for

his birthday.

One distinct character of Peter is sharp-witted (intelligent). In

Chapter 5 (p29 - p4 - lines 1-3), It was he who gave the idea of

using something red in colour to wave and stop the train from

meeting a certain disaster.He cut his sisters' red petticoats into

six pieces and put them on to sticks.Peter together with his

sisters waved at the coming train until it stopped.

In Chapter 6 (pg 36 - p1 - lines 1-3), Peter was honest in giving the idea of asking the village

people to give gifts for Perk's birthday.He told his mother about their true intention of giving

Perks the presents.Many people gave gifts for Perks birthday party.

In Chapter 2 (pg 12 - p 3 - lines 1-3), we can see the daring side of Peter. He was daring

enough to steal coal from the railway station at night but he did itignorantly.

Peter innocently thought it was alright to take some coal from the station.

In Chapter 8 (p46 - p1 - lines 1-4 / pg 47 - p2 - lines 1-4), we can see how bravePeter was in

searching for the boy in the red shirt in the dark tunnel.He was shaking in fear but still he

continued the search for the boy with his sisters.

PHYLLIS

Phyllis is the youngest child in the family. She is the cutest of the

three.She is quite a bubbly character. She is very naive and insecure.

She is also very sensitive but easily forgiving.

In Chapter 5 (p29,30 & 31), we can see the brave side of Phyllis. She

together with her elder sister and brother managed to stop the train

from meeting with a terrible accident.

In Chapter 1 (p7 - p1 - last line), Phyllis felt very insecure when theymoved in to their new house at the countyside.

While in Chapter 6 (pg 38 - p1&2),Phyllis became very sensitive when Perks refused to

accept the gifts the children had brought to him. She was so hurt by Perks's words that she

started to cry.

In Chapter 4,5,6 and 8 we can see how loving, caring and helpful Phyllis is.

MOTHER


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Mother is a homely type.We can read this in Chapter 1 (page 1 -

paragraph 2 - lines 1-3). She spends most of her time at home,

playing with the children or reading stories to them.Usually she read

the stories she wrote to them.She is a very protective woman. She

protected her children from worrying or feeling sad about their

father. She did this by not telling them what actually had happened totheir father. She also told them that they need to play being poor for

a while in order not to cause more anxiety on them.

In chapter 2 (p12 - pg 1 - lines 2-3), we can see how resourceful she

is. Mother wrote stories and sold them to put some food on the table.

In chapter 4 (p21 - pg 3 - lines 1-3), we can see that Mother is a very proud person. Although

they were poor, she strongly discourages her children from telling people that they are poor

and asking strangers to help them.

She is also a very caring and loving Mother.In Chapter 1 (p1 - p2 - lines 1-3),Mother was

always ready to play with her chlidren. She also read stories to them.

Whereas in Chapter 9 ( p53 - p1 - lines 2-4), she taught her children their lessons as they

have stopped going to school for some time now.

In Chapter 8 (p50 - p1 - lines 8-9) , she took in the injured boy into her house and nursed him

to health.

FATHER

The children's father worked in a government ofiice. He was a civil

servant. He was an honest and hardworking man. He was wrongly

accused of being a Russian spy and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

In Chapter 1 (pg 1 - p 3 - lines 2-4),we can see how tolerant and

wonderful he is. He never gets angry at the children nor at his wife. The

children love their father very much for he is always happy and ready to

play games with them.

In Chapter 1 (pg 3 - p1 - lines 1-3), when Peter showed him his brokensteam engine, father looked at it carefully and smilingly told Peter that

there is hope(optimistic) that his steam engine could be repaired.He is also a grateful man.

In Chapter 9 (pg 57 - "Yes',said Father.'It's him I must thank.'). Father wasgrateful for his

release and wanted to thank the old gentleman for helping him to clear his name and secure

his release from prison.


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LOT S*++ARY , THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

Capter -, te %e.#nn#n. o/ t#n.s

One ni!ht at their hoe in london, $ather, other, robertaalso

known as bobbie-, %eter and %hyllis are talkin! about %eter1s broken

odel en!ine when there is a kno'k on the $ront door. Two !entleen

'oe to see $ather and talk $or a lon! tie. 2ather s%eaks brie3y with

other and ysteriously leaves hoe. The ne&t ornin!, other leaves

$or london and returns in the evenin!, lookin! tired. She re4uests the

'hildren to be !ood while she is away and not to ask any 4uestion about

$ather. Several horrid weeks %ass by and one ornin!, other tells the

'hildren that they are ovin! to a little white house near railway line in

the 'ountry. They take the train and arrive at their new hoe in the dark.

Capter 0, peter and te oal

The $aily do not !et a de'ent su%%er as they think rs. 5iney has

not %re%ared it $or the. +other %re%ares what she 'an and o6 they !o to

bed. The ne&t ornin!, the 'hildren wake u% $eelin! e&'ited in their new

hoe. They dis'over that a nearby feld ba'ks onto a railway line but the


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railway station is too $ar to see $ro where they are. Be$ore su%%er the

'hildren de'ides to !o to the railway station. They have a lot to see and a

lar!e hea% o$ 'oal 'at'hes %eter1s attention. "hen %eter steals 'oal $ro

the station yard, he is 'au!ht by the station aster. #eter thinks that

takin! soe 'oals $ro the iddle o$ the hea% is harless. The station

aster warns the that what they have done is stealin! be'ause the 'oal

belon!s to the railway station. It is only then they reali(e what they have

done is wron!.

Capter 1, te old .entleman

By now the 'hildren know the tie when the trains %ass. Every

ornin!, they will wave to an old !entlean who always waves ba'k at

the. They %retended that the old an knows their $ather and takes their

love to hi in london. One day, their other be'oes very ill and bobbie

resolves to do soethin! %ositive to hel%. The 'hildren %aint the words,

7look out at the station8 on a lar!e white sheet and wave it at the 9.;

train the ne&t day. "hen the train is about ready to leave, %hyllis %asses a

letter to the old !entlean. In the evenin!, a lar!e bo& o$ su%%lies is

delivered to the 'hildren with all the thin!s they have asked $or.

Capter 2, %o%%#e3s r#de

"hen their other fnally re'overs $ro her illness, they 'on$ess to

her what they have done earlier. The $aily later 'elebrates bobbie1s


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hal$ o$ his toy train flled with sweets. =er lovely birthday %arty however

ends on a sad note when she reali(es that her other is very u%set later

that ni!ht. Bobbie se'retly wants to re%air %eter1s broken train. She !oes

to the station and a''identally !ets into the en!ine o$ one o$ the trains.

2eelin! s'ared, she seeks hel% $ro two railway workers. The two en not

only re%air the toy but also ake sure she arrives hoe sa$ely. "eeks

later, bobbie introdu'es %eter and %hyllis to the $riendly en!ine driver and

>i, the frean.

Capter 4, sa!#n. te tra#n

The 'hildren witness a landslide that 'overs the railway line. The

'hildren %revent an iinent a''ident by wavin! the !irls1 red %etti'oats.

The train 'oes to rest >ust in tie, at about twenty etres $ro where

bobbie stands on the tra'ks. "eeks later, a 'ereony is held at the

station to 'oeorate the 'hildren1s bravery. The old !entlean

%resents the 'hildren with a !old wat'h ea'h and eets their other at

hoe. The 'hildren relay that event$ul day to their other.

Capter 5, a %#rtda$ /or per6s

The 'hildren1s other has >ust sold a story and su!!ests havin!

soe 'akes $or tea. Bobbie re4uests that they have it on %erks1s birthday

and other a!rees. #eter 'oes u% with an idea to ask the villa!ers $or


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little !i$ts, 'onfdent that they will !ive soethin! to a %erson as ni'e as

%erks. Soe o$ the villa!ers are deli!hted with the idea but others, su'h

as rs. Ransoe si%ly brushes the o6. The three 'hildren, however,

!o hoe and 'olle't several roses $or rs. Ransoe sin'e it is her

birthday. That kind !esture tou'hes rs. Ransoe1s heart and she !ives

the 'hildren several a%%les as well as her dead !rand'hild1s %ra $or

%erks1s son. The 'hildren brin! the !i$ts to %erks1s house and wait $or his

arrival so as to sur%rise hi. In s%ite o$ this, %erks be'oes u%set as he

sees the !i$ts as a $or o$ 'harity. The 'hidren e&%lain that these !i$ts are

!iven sin'erely and %erks relents. =e asks the three 'hildren to stay $or

tea.

Capter 7, te terr#%le seret

Bobbie dis'overs the reason $or her $ather1s disa%%earan'e when

she reads the news%a%er arti'le. ?ee%ly u%set, she re$uses to believe that

he is a s%y and is i%risoned. =er other atte%ts to e&%lain that her

$ather has been $alsely a''used o$ sellin! !overnent se'rets to another

'ountry. Bobbie believes in her $ather1s inno'en'e and de'ides to wtite to

the old !entlean to 'lear his nae.

Capter 8, te %o$ #n te red s#rt


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The boy in red !oes issin! durin! a @hare and hounds1 !ae

or!anised by thier s'hool. Bobbie and her siblin!s enter the dark railway

tunnel to look $or hi. They fnd hi lyin! by the railway tra'k with a

broken le!. Bobbie stays with the in>ured boy, >i, in the dark tunnel while

%eter and %hyllis seek hel% $or the $ar. The 'hildren take >i hoe $or

edi'al attention. They later learn that >i is the !rand'hild o$ the old

!entlean who they have et earlier. The old !entlean visits the little

white house where >i is taken 'are o$. +other o6ers hersel$ to take 'are

o$ >i until he !ets better. The old !entlean is !rate$ul to the $aily.

"hen the old !entlean leaves the house, he has a %rivate 'hat with

bobbie about her $ather. =e says that he has re'eived the letter and has

been lookin! into the 'ase. =e believes that her $ather is inno'ent.

Capter 9, te man at te stat#on

The 'hildren wave at the %assin! 9.; train and all the %assen!ers

res%ond. At the station, an over>oyed r. #erks, who has read about

bobbie1s $ather in the news%a%er, !reets her. A london train sto%s at the

station and bobbie sees her $ather return a$ter servin! his senten'e in

%rison. They return hoe ha%%y and reunited.

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The Railway Children Lesson Sample Answe