Unit 1: MEETING CÉZANNE

Prose – Meeting Cézanne by Michael Morpurgo

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT 

Word Meaning:

1. bustle: noisy excited activity or movement

2. chateau: a large French country home or castle

3. tutted: made a sound expressing annoyance

4. cross: angry

5. Monsieur: a word in French for the title, Mr.

6. furrowed brows: wrinkled brows, showing confusion and curiosity.

7. Picasso: a Spanish sculptor and painter who was considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century

Answer these questions:

1. Who was going to visit the inn? Was he someone important? How do you 

know?

Ans. Amandine told Yannick that their most important guest was going to visit the

inn with some friends. She asked him to make the arrangements properly as the

guest was very famous. 

2. Why did Amandine try to remove the burnt tablecloth from the fire? 

Ans. Amandine tried to remove the burning tablecloth because their guest 

had made a drawing on it as a tip for her father. She did not want to upset her 

father as the guest was the most famous painter and sculptor in the world.

3. Did Amandine think her father would be angry with her for the burnt 

tablecloth? What tells you this?

Ans. Yes, Amandine thought that her father would be angry with her for the 

burnt tablecloth. We know this because she seemed nervous and quickly put 

the blame on Yannick even before her father asked. 

4. “I thought she was going to lie. “ Who is the speaker talking about? Why 

did he think she was going to lie?

Ans. The speaker is talking about his cousin Amandine. She had blamed him 

for throwing the paper tablecloth into the fire. He thought she was going to lie

to her father as she was crying and seemed frightened.

5. “I had worked out exactly what to do and how to do it.” What was the 

speaker going to do and why? What does this say about him?

Ans. The speaker planned to mend his mistake and make Amandine happy 

again. He wanted to go and visit the painter and request him to paint another 

picture for his uncle.