THE SECRET DIARY ADRIAN MOLE

BY SUE TOWNSEND

OF

Te a c h e r s Material

C O N T E N T S

To the Teacher ..................................................................................................................... 3

Before Reading...................................................................................................................... 5 After Reading: Extra Challenges .......................................................................................... 6 After Reading: Group Work .................................................................................................. 7 Possible Answers to Group Work ....................................................................................... 8 Worksheet 1: Page 6 to Page 28 ........................................................................................ 9 Answers to Worksheet 1 .................................................................................................... 10 Worksheet 2: Page 28 to Page 54 ..................................................................................... 11 Answers to Worksheet 2 ................................................................................................... 12 Final Test .............................................................................................................................. 13 Answers to Final Test ......................................................................................................... 14 Answers to Questions in the Reader.................................................................................. 15

Before using the following teachers material, we recommend that you read the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet.

Copyright 1998 Burlington Books

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

TO THE TEACHER
LIST
OF

MAIN CHARACTERS

Adrian Mole: the writer of this diary. He is a working-class English boy aged 13 3/4 with many predictable (and some not so predictable) problems. Adrians mother, Pauline: evidently influenced by the Feminist movement, she gets a job and has an affair with Mr Lucas, the neighbour. She leaves her husband and her son for nine months to live with Lucas in the city of Sheffield, but she eventually returns. Adrians father: loses his wife, his job and, according to Adrian, his sanity, but eventually regains all three. Adrians grandma: his fathers mother. She is outspoken and opinionated, but helps Adrian when necessary and feeds him good meals from time to time. Nigel: Adrians school friend, who always seems to get what Adrian wants first, namely a racing bike and Pandora as his girlfriend. Pandora: Adrians girlfriend. She is from a wealthy family, is pretty and is very politically correct. Bert Baxter: an old man whom Adrian visits and helps. Barry Kent: the class bully. Doreen Slater: Adrians fathers girlfriend during the time that he is separated from his wife. She is a single mother with a two-year-old son, Maxwell.

P L O T S U M M A RY
This is the charming, hilarious and explicit diary of a British teenager who lives in a modern suburban setting. Adrian, an only child whose parents marriage is in crisis, records his experiences and observations of life from New Years Day, when he is 13 3/4, until his fifteenth birthday. While Adrian monitors the growth and changes in his body, he also copes with being in love with Pandora, taking care of his dog, visiting his grandmother, and helping Bert Baxter as part of his schools community service. At school, Adrian suffers the unwelcome attentions of Barry Kent, who hits him and takes money from him. Adrian bears Barrys bullying in silence for months and even begins a paper round to be able to pay him. Eventually, it is Adrians grandma who puts an end to Barrys reign of terror. Adrian also worries about his parents, who are having difficulties in their marriage. They, however, seem to worry more about themselves than about Adrian. Adrians mother goes away to Sheffield with her lover, Mr Lucas, leaving Adrian and his father to cope on their own. Adrians father starts going out with his coworker, Doreen Slater. Two months later, he loses his job, which gives Adrian added cause for concern. In due course, his mother comes back home and his father gets another job. Adrian shares the household chores of shopping, cooking and cleaning with his parents though not by choice. He becomes aware of adult problems and responsibilities, especially when his parents make him pay for his lengthy phone calls to Pandora while she was in Tunisia. Through it all, Adrian never ceases to take himself seriously. He soldiers on, with his British stiff upper lip and a most entertaining combination of understatement and exaggeration.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

ABOUT

THE

AUTHOR

Sue Townsend was born on April 2, 1946 in the city of Leicester, England. As a child, she was such an avid reader that during school holidays she would read two books a day. When Townsend was an adolescent, she began writing semi-autobiographical fiction. This was the basis of Adrian Mole, but Townsend, not ready to publish, kept him secret. An early school-leaver, Townsend married, had three children, divorced and remarried before she became a professional writer. In 1979, just after she had given birth to her fourth child, she joined the Phoenix Writers Group at Leicesters Phoenix Theatre. She wrote her first play, Womberang, and won the Thames Television Playwrights Scheme. This entitled her to a 2,000 stipend as resident writer at the theatre for one year. Townsends contract at the Phoenix required that she write only one play. However, she was extremely prolific and versatile, working on many pieces that year. Her main piece, The Ghost of Daniel Lambert, was a successful musical with 42 speaking and singing parts. During this period, she also began reworking her Adrian Mole material. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 was published in 1982 and was such an immediate success that Townsend soon adapted the book for television and for the theatre. Adrian Mole became a household name in 1980s Britain and Townsend wrote sequels which follow Adrian through his early manhood. These include: The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1984); The Confessions of Adrian Mole (1989); and Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years (1993). Using comic characters whose behaviour is often preposterous, Townsends work pokes fun at the ridiculous aspects of human behaviour and British life and institutions. Townsends extremely popular novel, The Queen and I (1992), presents an imaginary scenario in which Britain becomes a republic, and the Royal Family is rehoused on a council estate, a government housing project. Townsends most recent novels are Rebuilding Coventry (1995) and Ghost Children (1997), the latest addition to the Adrian Mole series.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Thatcher and Thatcherism: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 was published during the time that Margaret Thatcher was Britains (first female) Prime Minister. Much of Townsends comedy expresses social commentary on the Prime Ministership of Thatcher, and her policies, known as Thatcherism. Thatcher was nicknamed the Iron Lady because of the tough stands which she took, first in the war over the Falkland Islands with Argentina in 1982, and later in her defeat of the national coal miners strike and other trade union action. She favoured free-market forces and supported the privatisation of national industries and utilities. She espoused the values of hard work and self-control, and discouraged too much reliance on the welfare system. However, during Thatchers 11-year tenure (1979-1990), many institutions were in a state of flux and unemployment rose. For some people, especially for the working class, it was a difficult period. Feminism is a movement which became popular in Thatchers Britain. Women no longer saw themselves as solely responsible for taking care of children. It became acceptable for women to question the institutions of marriage and parenthood, and to look for challenge and responsibility outside the home. Multi-cultural England: England is a country with many immigrants. Most are from parts of the former British Empire (such as the Singhs, the Indian family in the story), others are from other parts of the world (such as the Chinese nurse). Townsend mocks Adrians grandma for her intolerance and racist views. Bonfire Night falls on November 5th. It is a night of fireworks, bonfires and the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes represented a group of Roman Catholic extremists who protested the anti-Catholic policies of King James Is government. Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night) commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of November 5th, 1605, in which Fawkes intended to blow up the Houses of Parliament while the King and his chief ministers were meeting there. Fawkes was tried, found guilty and executed. Coming for Tea: Tea is a light meal of sandwiches and cakes served in the early afternoon with cups of tea. The English drink tea with milk and sometimes sugar. The word Tea is also used by some people as another name for dinner, the evening meal.
4

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

BEFORE READING
SUGGESTIONS
FOR

LEAD-IN ACTIVITIES

In pairs, students ask and answer the following questions. Alternatively, you can ask the questions and elicit the answers from the whole class. (Some suggested answers are provided in italics.) 1. Have you ever written a diary? Do you keep a diary now? What are some reasons for keeping a diary? (to record ones thoughts and opinions / experiences / an important event that one is living through; when travelling; to create a document for you or others to read later) 2. Have you ever read someone elses personal diary? Did the writer give you permission to read it? 3. Have you ever read a published diary? How old was the writer? What period of time did the diary cover? 4. Why do you think that people enjoy reading diaries written by others? (it is interesting to know what others thought and felt; one can learn about the times the writer lived in) 5. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole is the work of Sue Townsend, an adult woman writing from the point of view of a teenage boy. How might such a diary be different from a real diary? (it is fiction; the author can choose and control all the events and characters)

K E Y V O C A B U L A RY
Pre-teach the words in bold in the passages below. They are presented in context for your convenience. You could also use these passages as a dictation for your students. Adrian begins his secret diary with New Years resolutions. He worries about his tonsils, his parents and his mongrel dog, but mostly about the spots on his face. Being the right age to fall in love, Adrian is heartbroken when Pandora and Nigel start going out together. He is also jealous that Nigel has a racing bike. Adrians family is not wealthy. Adrians father has no money in his bank account, loses his credit card, and cannot remember his cashpoint card number. The family struggles to pay the bills. The heating doesnt work and the electricity and telephone get cut off. Adrian starts a newspaper round and uses some of the money he earns to pay protection money to Barry Kent.

BEFORE READING ACTIVITIES

The Before Reading activities in the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, pages 8-11, can be applied to The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole. In addition to the activities in the general leaflet, students can then answer the following questions after looking at the front and back cover and the pictures in the reader. 1. Who is the main character of the book? How old is he? (Adrian Mole, 13 3/4 years old) 2. Adrian begins writing his diary on January 1st, New Years Day. Less than three months later, he writes, I dont know how many more problems I can stand. Suggest what situations are possible sources of stress for a 14-year-old boy. (school, friends, girlfriends, money, drugs or alcohol, physical changes associated with puberty, family problems, parents separation or divorce, a parent losing a job, violence or abuse)

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

AFTER READING: EXTRA CHALLENGES

MAKE YOUR STUDENTS THINK
Here are some points that more advanced students can be asked to consider after reading the book. 1. Would you consider Sue Townsend, the author, a feminist? Support your opinion with examples from the book. 2. Can you detect any stereotypes or attempts to question stereotypes of professions, gender or ages in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole? 3. What typical aspects of British life are presented in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole? 4. What do you admire and respect about Adrian? What about him do you find fault with?

DRAMA ACTIVITIES

AND

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

1. Write a review of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole for an English school newspaper. 2. You are a social worker going to visit Bert Baxter. Record your interview on tape and / or act it out in front of the class. 3. Act out the conversation that might have taken place between Adrians grandmother and Barry Kent on Thursday, May 21st (page 33). 4. Write a letter from Pandora to Adrian, telling Adrian that you and he are getting too serious and explaining why (page 38). 5. Write out a phone conversation between Adrians mother and Mr Lucas after she returned to her family. Act it out in front of the class. 6. Write the poem that Adrian may have written to Pandora in his Valentines card to her (page 51). 7. Imagine that you are Adrian, planning to go on a weeks adventure holiday with your youth club. Write a list of things you think you may need to take with you. Write a letter to Pandora from the trip, telling her what has happened. 8. Write the diary entry that Adrian may have written after the last one in the book. 9. Write your own diary for a week or more.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

AFTER READING: GROUP WORK

TO
THE

TEACHER:

1. Organise a debate on one or both of these statements: Adrian has a harder life than most teenagers. The fact that Adrian is an only child explains many of his attitudes and problems. 2. Hand out the list of statements below to the groups. The groups discuss the statements and provide examples from the text to support each statement. The group spokesperson reports the groups ideas to the whole class.

TO

THE

STUDENTS:

Find examples to support the following pairs of statements. 1. (a) Adrians behaviour is typical of someone his age. Examples: (b) Adrian behaves responsibly and with wisdom beyond his years. Examples:

2. (a) Adrians grandma shows love and understanding to everyone. Examples:

(b) Adrians grandma is narrow-minded and intolerant. Examples:

3. (a) Nigel is a good friend to Adrian. Examples:

(b) Nigel is a bad friend to Adrian. Examples:

4. (a) Adrians parents are childish and irresponsible. Examples:

(b) Adrians parents behave like adults and caring parents. Examples:

5. (a) Bert is helpless and senile. Examples:

(b) Bert is alert and full of life. Examples:

See the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, pages 13 - 15, for more After Reading activities.
7

Group Work

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
1. (a) Adrians behaviour is typical of someone his age. Adrian is obsessed with his spots. He hides behind a plastic plant in the bank. He hides and burns the phone bills. He leaves his sports clothes at home because he does not want to do sports at school. He tells his father that the dog broke the stereo when it was really his own fault. He leaves his new bike outside. He hides Big and Bouncy magazines under his bed. 2. (a) Adrians grandma shows love and understanding to everyone. Adrians grandma feeds Adrian and pays attention to him. She comes round to collect Adrian in a taxi, takes him home and calls the doctor when he is ill. She helps her son pay his electricity bill. She insists that Adrian and his father move in with her until the electricity is reconnected. She gets Barry Kent to stop beating Adrian up. She makes soup for Adrian when he is in hospital. 3. (a) Nigel is a good friend to Adrian. Nigel invites Adrian to sleep at his house. He tells Adrian he cant see his spot. He asks Barry Kent to stop taking money from Adrian. (b) Adrian behaves responsibly and with wisdom beyond his years. Adrian takes himself to the doctor, and starts doing a newspaper round to earn some money. He helps Bert Baxter clean his house. He pretends to be Berts grandson and phones the Social Services to ask about a home-help for Bert. He calls a doctor when Bert is ill.

(b) Adrians grandma is narrow-minded and intolerant. Adrians grandma says she is glad Adrians parents are getting divorced. She tells Adrian about someone who died on the operating table getting his tonsils removed. She doesnt like black, brown, yellow, Irish, Jewish or foreign people. She sends Adrian a letter on December 5th asking him why he hasnt sent her a Christmas card yet.

(b) Nigel is a bad friend to Adrian. Nigel lies about Pandoras father and goes out with her even though he knows Adrian loves her. He tells the whole school that Adrian likes Barbara Bayer although Adrian told him in secret. (b) Adrians parents behave like adults and caring parents. They share their problems and true feelings with Adrian. Adrians father asks Adrian which parent he would like to live with. He cleans up the house. He finds a job. He takes Adrian shopping for his school uniform (even though he complains how expensive it is). Adrians mother insists that Adrian pay the phone bill himself. She occasionally gives Adrian spending money. She cries and is nice to Adrian when he goes to visit her. (b) Bert is alert and full of life. Bert gets Adrian to do his shopping and washing-up. He tells the social worker that his grandson looks after him. He escapes from hospital and goes to live with the Singhs. He gets married. He speaks perfect Hindi.

4. (a) Adrians parents are childish and irresponsible. Adrians father throws his cheese sandwich at the wall. He forgets his cashpoint card number. He stays in bed instead of looking for a job. He wants to hit Adrian because of the high telephone bill. He says goodnight to his car. He gets drunk. Adrians mother doesnt give Adrian a note to get out of sports although he complained of being in pain. She doesnt bother too much about Adrians food and clothes. She leaves Adrian and goes to Sheffield with Mr Lucas. 5. (a) Bert is helpless and senile. Bert tells Adrian that a Bible printed in 1956 saved his life during the First World War. He gives Adrian a book token which had to be used before December 1958. He has had a set of false teeth since 1946 which originally belonged to his father. His house is very dirty.
8

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

WORKSHEET 1: PAGE 6 TO PAGE 28

A. Fill in the missing names of the characters from the story. 1. ...................... told Adrian that a Bible printed in 1956 had saved his life in the First World War. 2. ...................... owns a horse named Blossom and plays netball. 3. ...................... leaves her husband and takes the furniture from the house. 4. ...................... leaves her husband and her son and moves to Sheffield. 5. ...................... hits Adrian at school and takes protection money from him. 6. ...................... talks to his car and throws a cheese sandwich at the wall. 7. ...................... owns a bike with thin wheels, a water bottle, a speedometer and a yellow saddle. 8. ...................... cooks Adrian a real Sunday dinner with gravy and Yorkshire pudding. 9. ...................... thinks his mother doesnt know enough about vitamins. 10. ...................... sends Adrians mother a Valentines card in the shape of a big elephant. B. Complete the sentences with words from the word bank. Which of the words are nouns? Which are verbs? Which are adjectives? civilised round eyes token rude mongrel treacle hair card complained delivered uncivilised

1. Adrian thought that Pandoras ........................ was the colour of ........................ . 2. Adrians ........................ and Pandora had the same colour ........................ . 3. At first, Adrian ........................ the wrong newspapers to the people on his paper ........................ . 4. The day that Adrian followed Pandora, people ........................ that their papers were late. But in the end, Adrians boss at the newsagents was quite pleased with his work. The boss gave Adrian more money and two old copies of the ........................ magazine Big and Bouncy. 5. Adrians mother arranged a meeting between Mr Lucas and her husband which was supposed to be ........................ . But when she said she was going to Sheffield with Mr Lucas, the meeting became ........................ . 6. Bert Baxter sent Adrian a birthday ........................ and an out-of-date book ........................ . C. Fill in the blanks with the Past Continuous form of the verbs in the word bank. Then match A to B to form sentences. concentrate have A 1. Adrian ............................ his Abba tape so loudly 2. Adrians heart ............................ so loudly 3. Adrian saw Pandora coming out of her house 4. Adrians father told Adrian 5. The neighbours ............................ 6. Adrian was the only one who ............................
9

beat

deliver

play B

watch

a. while he ............................. newspapers on her street. b. when he, his mother and Mr Lucas played Monopoly. c. that he and Adrians mother ............................. a bad time. d. that the deaf woman next door shouted at him. e. while Mr Lucas and Adrians father fought in the front garden. f. that he thought Pandora could hear it.

W o r k s h e e t 1 : Pa g e 6 t o Pa g e 2 8

ANSWERS
A. 1. Bert Baxter 2. Pandora 3. Mrs Lucas 4. Adrians mother / Pauline 5. Barry Kent 6. Adrians father 7. Nigel 8. Adrians grandma 9. Adrian 10. Mr Lucas B. 1. hair, treacle 2. mongrel, eyes 3. delivered, round 4. complained, rude 5. civilised, uncivilised 6. card, token Nouns Verbs hair delivered treacle complained mongrel eyes round card token C. 1. was playing, d 2. was beating, f 3. a, was delivering 4. c, were having 5. were watching, e 6. was concentrating, b Adjectives rude civilised uncivilised

10

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

WORKSHEET 2: PAGE 28 TO PAGE 54

A. Fill in the blanks with although or because. 1. Mr Lucas made Adrian sick ........................ he was always kissing Adrians mother. 2. Adrian didnt want Bert Baxter to die ........................ he didnt have anything to wear to a funeral. 3. Adrian did his homework ........................ there was no electricity. 4. Adrian avoided Pandora all day ........................ his chin was covered with spots. 5. Adrian needed to have his tonsils removed ........................ he suffered from tonsillitis every year. 6. ........................ the Chinese nurse stayed with Adrian while he was washing, Adrian covered himself up with a hospital sponge. 7. ........................ Adrian felt dehydrated, he was not allowed to drink anything before his tonsils operation. 8. The Singhs came to watch TV at Adrians house ........................ their own TV had broken down. 9. ........................ Adrians father was not happy at first about the Singh family moving in next door, in the end he acted like a good neighbour. 10. Pandora didnt send Adrian a card for his 15th birthday ........................ she was very upset with him. B. Fill in the blanks with the Past Perfect form of the verbs in the word bank. do bleed pay belong suffer hide chew burn

1. Bert Baxters teeth had sentimental value to him; they ........................ to his father. 2. After Sabre ........................ Berts false teeth, Bert washed them and put them back in his mouth. 3. The phone was cut off on November 28th because nobody ........................ the bill. 4. Because Adrian ........................ his homework by candlelight, there was candle wax on his exercise books. 5. Adrians grandma told him about someone who ........................ to death on the operating table while he was having his tonsils removed. 6. Adrian ........................ the red phone bill and ........................ the blue phone bill under his bed. 7. Adrian ........................ from tonsillitis for nine years before his tonsils were removed. C. Fill in the blanks with the possessive form of the nouns below. Doreen Slater Mrs Lucas Nigel grandma Barry Kent Maxwell Pandora the Moles Bert Baxter Queenie Sabre Adrian

1. ........................ hat had flowers and fruit on it and her make-up was orange. 2. ........................ bedroom had black walls, a white carpet, a stereo and a colour television. 3. The postman read ........................ postcard from Tunisia. 4. Maxwell was ........................ two-year-old son. 5. Pandora advised Adrian to put some vodka in ........................ milk. 6. The art teacher wasnt pleased with ........................ picture of a nude. 7. Adrian found ........................ teeth in ........................ kennel. 8. When they had no electricity, Adrian and his father stayed at his ........................ house for a week. 9. Even ........................ dog couldnt stop smiling when ........................ mother came back home. 10. The dog destroyed ........................ new path.
11

W o r k s h e e t 2 : Pa g e 2 8 t o Pa g e 5 4

ANSWERS
A. 1. because 2. because 3. although 4. because 5. because 6. Because 7. Although 8. because 9. Although 10. because B. 1. had belonged 2. had chewed 3. had paid 4. had done 5. had bled 6. had burned, had hidden 7. had suffered C. 1. Queenies 2. Nigels 3. Pandoras 4. Doreen Slaters 5. Maxwells 6. Barry Kents 7. Bert Baxters, Sabres 8. grandmas 9. the Moles, Adrians 10. Mrs Lucas

12

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

FINAL TEST
A. Circle the incorrect answer. 1. Adrian thinks that ............... is / are disgusting. a. Bert Baxters house b. Bert putting his false teeth back in his mouth after Sabre chewed them 2. At one time or another in Adrians house, a. the television breaks down. b. the electricity gets cut off. c. his library book, The Care of the Skin d. the plastic pirates the vet removed from the dogs stomach c. the telephone gets cut off. d. the heating doesnt work.

3. Adrians mother told Adrian she left Sheffield because a. Mr Lucas treated her like a sex object. c. she was fond of her own husband. b. she wanted to be nearer to him. d. Mr Lucas expected her to cook for him. 4. Adrians father takes money from a. Adrian. b. Bert Baxter. B. Circle the correct answer. 1. The Chinese nurse stays with Adrian a. to watch him shower. b. to examine his tonsils. 2. Bert Baxter a. sends Adrian a Valentines card. b. escapes from the hospital. c. to make sure he doesnt drink anything. d. to keep him company. c. returns to India with Mr Singh. d. keeps his home clean and spotless. c. Adrians grandma. d. Mr Lucas. 20 points (5 points each)

3. When Adrian listened to his Abba tape at full volume, a. his dog went wild. c. he got a migraine. b. his fathers stereo broke. d. his deaf neighbour complained. 4. The postman read a. all the letters the Moles received. b. Adrians secret diary. c. the postcards that Adrian received. d. all the post that he delivered. 20 points (5 points each) C. Choose the correct answer. A lot happened to Adrian (1. from / after / with) the time he was 133/4 to his fifteenth birthday. He took care (2. of / for / from) his father and himself while his mother (3. live / was living / has lived) with Mr Lucas in Sheffield. Adrian began doing a newspaper (4. round / token / boss) and he enjoyed visiting (5. and / or / but) helping Bert Baxter. With his (6. grandmas / headmasters / fathers) help, Adrian stopped Barry Kent taking protection money from him. Adrians diary ends with Adrian waiting (7. for / to / at) Pandora to visit him after he got his (8. chin / nose / spots) stuck to his model plane when he (9. shaved / finished / sniffed) the glue for five seconds. Pandora had been (10. ashamed / embarrassed / jealous) because Adrian had told Nigel that he liked another girl. 30 points (3 points each) D. Choose one topic and write a paragraph. Your paragraph should be at least 60 words long. 1. Why do you think Adrian did not tell anyone about his troubles with Barry Kent? How did the situation get resolved in the end? 2. What kind of a woman, mother and grandmother is Adrians grandma? 3. Describe Adrians relationship with Bert Baxter. What kind of a friend is Bert to Adrian? 4. Describe Adrians relationship with Pandora. Mention the things you like about their relationship. 5. Would you and Adrian be friends? Explain why. 30 points
13

Final Test

ANSWERS
A. 1. c 2. a 3. b 2. of 7. for 4. d B. 1. c 3. was living 8. nose 2. b 4. round 9. sniffed 3. d 4. c 5. and 10. jealous

C. 1. from 6. grandmas

D. Accept all logical and grammatically correct answers. Possible points for inclusion: 1. It is hard to understand why Adrian didnt tell anyone at school about Barry Kent. Adrian probably thought that nobody could do anything to help him or that if he told anyone, Barry would hit him even more. Maybe he was embarrassed. In March, Nigel talked to Barry and asked him to stop taking money from Adrian, but Barry just said he would think about it. One day in May, Adrians father noticed Adrians torn jacket and Adrian then told him what had been going on. Maybe Adrian hadnt told his father earlier because he thought that his father had his own problems. Adrians father went to speak to Barry Kent and Barrys father to get Adrians money back, but he didnt succeed. Adrians father told him they needed proof. The next day, Barry hit Adrian again and gave him a bruise. Adrians grandma found out what happened and she went round to the Kents house. She got Adrians money back and Barry Kent stopped bothering Adrian. 2. Adrians grandma has many different sides to her personality and behaviour. She can be loving and giving. She is very nice to Adrian and protective towards him. She makes him meals and looks after him when he isnt feeling well. She gets Barry Kent to give Adrians money back and makes sure he never bothers Adrian again. She helps her son, too. She gives him money to pay his electricity bill and invites Adrian and his father to stay with her when their electricity is cut off. However, Adrians grandma can also be tough, demanding and tactless. For example, she tells Adrian that she is happy that her son and his wife are going to get divorced. She also tells Adrian about someone who bled to death while he was having his tonsils removed, just before Adrian goes in to hospital for the same operation. She is also very difficult to please. She is upset when Adrian hasnt sent her a Christmas card by December 5th! Adrians grandma is also narrow-minded. Adrian knows that she does not like black, brown, yellow, Irish, Jewish or foreign people. 3. Bert Baxter is an old man aged 89 who is full of surprises. Adrian belongs to a group at school that helps old people, and he is given Bert to visit. At first, Adrian doesnt like Bert and only visits him because he has to. Then, Adrian starts to realise that Bert is OK (but a bit senile). Bert starts to rely on Adrian. He gets Adrian to do his washing-up. Once, Bert phones Adrian's school because he has lost his false teeth. The second time, he phones because he is ill and Adrian arranges for an ambulance to take Bert to hospital. In the end, Adrian and Bert become special friends. When Bert escapes from hospital, he comes to live with Adrian and his father. A week later, he goes to live with the Singh family and another surprise Adrian finds out that Bert speaks perfect Hindi! Although Bert is an old man, he doesnt behave like one. Mr Singh wont leave Bert alone with all the women in his house. When Bert moves into an old peoples home, he finds a girlfriend, Queenie. Adrian continues to visit him, and invites Bert and Queenie for Christmas lunch. They invite him to their wedding. 4. Pandora is the new girl in Adrians class. She sits next to him in Geography. At first, Adrian notices her long hair and her good figure. He falls in love with her, but she and his friend Nigel start going out. However, Adrian thinks about Pandora all the time. Therefore, when Nigel and Pandora break up, Adrian is very happy. A few months later, Pandora starts to pay attention to Adrian. They spend more time together and by June, their love is official. Adrian and Pandora have a good relationship and they do many things together. She visits Bert Baxter with him. They go to the swimming pool together. They act in the Christmas play together. She helps Adrian when he is drunk and gives him advice. For example, she tells Adrian how to calm Maxwell down (by putting vodka in his milk!). They talk to each other a lot, even when Pandora is in Tunisia. They share their thoughts and feelings. They also kiss and touch each other. In the end, Adrian hurts Pandoras feelings when he tells Nigel that he likes another girl. At the end of the diary, although Pandora is upset with Adrian, she is about to visit him.
14

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN THE READER

These answers relate to the questions on pages 56-57 of the reader itself. 1. New Years resolutions are a persons (good) intentions for the coming year. 2. Adrian thinks that his spot is growing because his mother doesnt know about vitamins. 3. The vet finds many things in the dogs stomach. There were even plastic pirates from Adrians fathers model ship. The dog had eaten these things. 4. Adrian is 13 3/4 years old at the beginning of his diary. 5. Adrian thought that Nigel was being polite because Nigel said he couldnt see Adrians spot. 6. Adrian decided to go and see a private doctor because the doctor who Adrian went to first didnt examine Adrians spot. 7. Adrian thought that the family were poor because they only had a black-and-white TV (not a colour one). 8. He thought he would be a teenage criminal because his mother was looking for a job. (He thought she would be too busy to look after him.) 9. Adrian is in a group at school that helps old people. Adrian is given Bert Baxter to help. 10. Adrians mother got a job at the place where Mr Lucas worked. 11. Adrian is angry because Nigel started going out with Pandora even though Nigel knew Adrian loved her. 12. The real reason is probably that Adrians father is jealous. Adrians mother is looking after Mr Lucas when she finishes work and has got no time to look after Adrian and his father. 13. Mr Lucas stays with Adrians family because his wife has taken all the furniture from his home. 14. Adrian wishes he knew karate so that he could protect himself from Barry Kent. 15. When Adrians father went fishing, Mr Lucas came for dinner and ate three pieces of Adrians fathers favourite cake. There was no cake left for Adrians father. When Adrians father arrived home, he was hungry. His wife made him a cheese sandwich. Adrians father threw the cheese sandwich at the wall. He said that he wasnt a mouse, he was a man. Adrians mother cried. 16. Pandora lives on Elm Tree Avenue. Adrian finds this out when he sees her coming out of her house while he is delivering newspapers on her street. 17. Adrian found out that his parents were separating when he heard his father talking to his grandma. 18. Adrians grandmother was quite happy that his parents were getting a divorce. 19. Adrian hid his fathers shaving razor because he thought that his father was suicidal. 20. After his weekend with Nigel, Adrian thought that he had been living in poverty for 14 years. He thought that he lived in a horrible house, ate terrible food and didnt get enough pocket money. He thought that his father would have to look for a better job (so he could buy everything Adrian wanted). 21. Adrian told his mother because he wanted to make her jealous so she would come home. 22. Adrian was angry that the postman had read his postcards. He thought he would report the postman for reading other peoples postcards. 23. Adrians father put the flowers into the back seat of his car and went out with Doreen Slater. 24. Adrians grandma went mad (got very angry) when she found Adrian and his father reading by candlelight. She said they had got to go to her house. She gave Adrians father a cheque for the electricity bill. 25. Adrians grandma solved his problem with Barry Kent. 26. Adrian hopes that Bert Baxter doesnt die for two reasons. First, he likes Bert. Second, he doesnt have anything to wear to a funeral. 27. Pandora thinks Adrians father is racist because when an Indian family, the Singhs, moved next door, Adrians father said it was the beginning of the end of their street. 28. Pandora said she had given all her money to a poor man in Tunisia. 29. Pandora told Adrian they shouldnt see each other for a while because she thought they were getting too serious. 30. Adrian is worried about the operation to remove his tonsils because both his grandma and Bert said they knew people who had bled to death when they had their tonsils removed.

15

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

31. Adrian burned the telephone bill at the bonfire party because he did not want his father to see how big it was (from when he and Pandora spoke to each other for hours while she was in Tunisia). 32. Adrians mother left Mr Lucas because he treated her like a sex object and he expected her to cook for him. She also said she was very fond of Adrians father. 33. They had Christmas lunch four hours late because the turkey had not defrosted quickly enough. Adrian told his mother to put the turkey in the oven and it took a long time to cook. 34. Adrian believed Bert and Queenies wedding was a waste of time because they were so old. 35. Pandora refused to make love with Adrian because she did not want to risk becoming a single parent. 36. Adrian had told Nigel in secret that he liked Barbara Bayer. Nigel told the whole school. Pandora was very upset with Adrian, so she didnt send him a birthday card. 37. When Adrian sniffed the glue on the model plane, his nose stuck to the plane. His father took him to hospital to have the plane removed.