Little Women (Classic Starts – Abridged)
About
Four sisters learn they can be happy even when times are hard.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What are the names of the four March sisters?
Page 1 — Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy
1
Why is this Christmas going to be hard for the March girls?
Page 1 — They don’t have money for presents
1
How did the girl's attitudes change about Christmas when they decided to buy gifts for their mother?
Page 3 — made them excited
3
Where is Mr. March away to?
Page 5 — war
5
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What did the girls do when Marmee asked them to give up their Christmas breakfast?
Page 10 — Carried it over to the family in need
10
Was it a hard thing for the girls to do?
Page 10 — Yes
10
How did the girls feel after they gave the Hummel family their breakfast?
Page 11 — Happy
11
Why did Mr. Laurence send over delicious treats for the March sisters on Christmas?
Page 13 — To give them a treat for helping out the Hummel family that morning.
13
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What special occasion did Jo and Meg get to go to?
Page 15 — New Year’s Eve dance
15
At the New Year's Eve party, why didn’t Jo talk with the girls and dance like her sister Meg?
Page 18 — She was shy
18
How did Jo meet Laurie Laurence?
Page 18 — Bumped into him in the curtained closet at the dance
18
Why couldn’t Meg walk home from the dance?
Page 21 — She sprained her ankle
21
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Why is it hard for Meg to be poor?
Page 23 — loves fine things, remembers having money and nice things
23
What kind of person is Beth?
Page 24 — Kind, compassionate, takes joy in serving others
24
What is Amy talented in doing?
Page 25 — Artist, drawing
25
How does Marmee teach the girls to stop wishing for things they don’t have?
Page 25 — Telling them a story about them and how they’ve been behaving badly
25
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What did Jo do when she found out Laurie had a bad cold and was stuck at home?
Page 28 — Visited him, brought him gifts and goodies
28
How does Mr. Laurence feel about Laurie playing the piano?
Page 31 — Doesn’t like it
31
Why does Mr. Laurence want Beth to come play his piano?
Page 35 — Knows of her love for music, makes him happy, reminds him of his little girl
35
Why was it such a big deal for Beth to go over to Mr. Laurence’s house and tell him thank you for the piano?
Page 39 — She’s so shy, its hard for her to be brave and talk to others
39
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
How had Amy broken the rules at school?
Page 43 — brought in limes after the teacher said not to
43
What were the three punishments she got for bringing the limes to school?
Page 45 — throw them out the window, get her hand smacked, stand on the platform until recess
45
Why was Amy so upset about the punishment?
Page 48 — She’d never had her hand slapped before
48
How had Amy been acting conceited about the lime situation?
Page 48 — She was acting like she was better than other people
48
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why did Mrs. March say Amy couldn’t go to the theater with Jo, Meg and Laurie?
Page 51 — She was sick
51
What did Amy do to get Jo back for not letting her go to the theater?
Page 54 — Threw her book of stories into the fire
54
What happened to Amy when she followed Jo and Laurie ice skating?
Page 58 — She fell through the ice
58
Why was Jo able to forgive Amy after she fell through the ice?
Page 58 — she realized how much she loved her
58
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
How long did Meg leave home and go visit the Moffats?
Page 62 — Two weeks
62
Why was Meg embarrassed of her clothes in front of her friends?
Page 64 — They’re old and out of fashion
64
Why didn’t Laurie like how Meg was dressed and how she behaved at the party?
Page 71 — she looked too grown up, not like herself
71
How did Meg feel about being home after her adventures at the Moffats?
Page 75 — grateful to be home
75
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
How long did Marmee say the girls could experiment with being lazy?
Page 80 — 1 week
80
Why did Pip the canary die?
Page 83 — Beth forgot to feed it
83
What did Jo put on the berries when she invited Laurie over for lunch?
Page 84 — Salt
84
What was the important lesson the girls learned from all play and no work?
Page 85 — They needed both work and play to be happy
85
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
When Beth brought back the mail from the post office, how many gloves did Meg find in a package?
Page 86 — One
86
What did Laurie call his picnic and day of games?
Page 90 — Camp Laurence
90
Who is Mr. Brooke?
Page 33 — Laurie’s tutor
33
Who did Meg spend most of the day at Camp Laurence visiting with?
Page 94 — Mr. Brooke
94
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What do the girls call their group when they’re working on projects trying to be productive?
Page 97 — Busy Bee Society
97
What’s a “castle in the air”?
Page 98 — a dream the girls and Laurie want to accomplish in their lives
98
What’s Laurie’s “castle in the air”?
Page 100 — to be a musician
100
What did Laurie decide to do with his life after Meg scolded him about running away to be a musician?
Page 101 — Stay and look after his grandfather
101
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Where did Jo take her two manuscripts?
Page 105 — The newspaper office
105
Who has Meg’s other glove?
Page 105 — Mr. Brooke
105
Why didn’t Jo like the idea of Mr. Brooke liking Meg?
Page 106 — She didn’t want him to take her away from her
106
Why was Laurie so excited to give Jo the newspaper?
Page 109 — Her story was published in it
109
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why was Mr. March in the hospital?
Page 111 — He got very ill
111
Who did Marmee need to borrow money from so she could go be with Mr. March?
Page 112 — Aunt March
112
Who went with Marmee up to the hospital?
Page 113 — Mr. Brooke
113
What did Jo do to help pay for her mother’s trip to the hospital?
Page 114 — Cut her hair
114
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
What was the girls’ motto while Marmee was in the hospital?
Page 117 — Hope and Keep Busy
117
Why didn’t Beth want to go to the Hummel’s?
Page 118 — she wasn’t feeling well
118
What caused the baby to die while Beth was holding it?
Page 119 — Scarlet fever
119
Where did Amy have to go while Beth was sick with Scarlet Fever?
Page 119 — Aunt March’s
119
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why are Jo and Meg so upset that Beth is sick?
Page 121 — She could die
121
Why did the doctor tell Jo to send for her mother to come home?
Page 122 — Beth was taking a turn for the worse
122
How had Laurie been a good doctor to Jo?
Page 124 — He listened to her and helped her feel better
124
Why was Marmee coming home sooner than Jo expected?
Page 124 — Laurie had already sent for her
124
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why did Amy want to keep the turquoise ring Aunt March gave her?
Page 129 — to remind her not to be selfish
129
Why do Mr. and Mrs. March think Mr. Brooke is an honorable young man?
Page 131 — He’d spoken to Mr. March about his feelings for Meg, was king to him
131
Why don’t Mr. and Mrs. March want Meg to marry yet?
Page 131 — She’s only 17/ too young
131
How did Laurie’s prank make Meg feel?
Page 135 — Embarrassed
135
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
What present did Laurie give the March family for Christmas?
Page 138 — Brought Mr. March home
138
Why was Mr. March proud of his girls?
Page 139 — They were becoming “Little Women”
139
Why doesn’t Aunt March like Mr. Brooke?
Page 143 — He’s poor
143
How did Aunt March help Meg make the decision to marry Mr. Brooke?
Page 143 — She told her she couldn't marry him or she wouldn't give her an inheritance
143
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