R E A D I N G

&

T R A I N I N G

Oscar Wilde

Dorian Gray
a. T b. F c. F d. T e. F

Chapter 1

f.

Before you read

Page 10 exercise 1
1. smoking 2. beautiful 3. smiling
4. best 5. exhibited 6. himself
7. different 8. black 9. delicate
10. intellectual
Page 16 exercise 1
a.
b.

c.

d.

At the Grosvenor because it was

the only place to exhibit it.
Because they did anything
in the world to become famous
and when they were famous they
were not happy.
The young Adonis in the painting
had delicate features, fair hair and
looked as if he were made of ivory
and rose leaves.
Because he had put too much
of himself into it and he was
afraid it showed the secret of his
heart.

g.

Page 17 exercise 3

Page 19 exercise 8
Possible answer:
I saw Basil staring at Dorian Gray in a
strange way. He seemed as if he had
seen a ghost. He didnt move at all.
Everyone felt so embarrassed. I just
had to do something. Both of them
were looking at each other without a
saying a word. Finally, Basil asked me
to introduce him to Mr Gray.

Page 18 exercise 5
admiration, inspiration, jealousy,
friendship, adoration, physical
attraction, love.

Page 16 exercise 2
smell

heavy scent of lilac

smell

innumerable cigarettes

smell

buzzing of the bees

hearing

distant noise of London

hearing

extraordinarily beautiful
young man

sight

description of the
young Adonis

sight

picked a pink daisy

touch

EXERCISES

involvement in the picture.

On the basis of Lord Henrys
personality as it is revealed during the
story, probably the misunderstanding
is deliberate.

I can believe anything if it is

incredible. (page 14)

They met at a party at Lady

Brandons. Basils first reaction
was fear, because he knew he had
met someone whose personality
could absorb his soul and his art.
Basil couldnt be happy if he
didnt see Dorian every day.
Dorian was his inspiration and
was necessary to him and his art.
Basil was dominated by Dorians
personality.
He asked him not to spoil or
influence him because Lord
Henrys influence would be bad.
He also asked him not to take
Dorian away from him.

rich perfume of roses

THE

Page 18 exercise 4

KEY TO THE EXERCISES

AND EXIT TEST
e.

TO

1. typical 2. decadent 3. unnecessary

4. marriage 5. amusing 6. emotional
7. opposites
8. adoration
9. mixture 10. losing

The Picture of

Page 9 exercise 1

KEY

When I like people immensely

I never tell their names to anyone.
I knew I had met someone whose
personality could absorb my soul and
my art!
I couldnt be happy if I didnt see him
every day. Hes absolutely necessary
to me.
He is all my art to me now, ... He is
my inspiration!
He knows nothing of my adoration for
him.
As long as I live, the personality
of Dorian Gray will dominate me.
I dont want you to meet him.
Dorian Gray is my dearest friend. He
is a simple, beautiful person.
Dont take away from me the person
who makes me a true artist.

Chapter 2
Before you read
Page 20 exercise 1
1. C 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. A
Page 28 exercise 1
1. B 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. C 6. B 7. A
8. C
Page 30 exercise 2
1. Lord Henry said, Why dont we
go to the theatre?
2. Dorian asked Basil how long he
would like him.
3. Basil told Dorian not to talk in
that way.
4. Dorian, do you like the portrait?
Basil asked.
5. Lord Henry warned Dorian
against/about (staying in) the sun.
6. Dorian promised to kill himself
when he found out he was
growing old.
7. Whose property is the picture?
Henry asked Basil.

Page 18 exercise 6
Open answers.
Page 19 exercise 7
The misunderstanding is that Lord
Henry does not recognise the artists
self in the sense of his physical
likeness; Basil obviously means
the sacrifice of his art and his total

KEY

TO

THE

8. No wonder Basil worships

Dorian, thought Henry.
9. Basil apologised to Dorian for
having made him sit for so long.
10. Lord Henry asked Basil what he
intended to do with the picture.

d.

e.

Page 31 exercise 3
The only way to get rid of a
temptation is to yield to it. (page 23);
Nothing can cure the soul but the
senses, just as nothing can cure the
senses but the soul. (page 23)
Open answers.

f.

g.

Page 31 exercise 4
h.

But for some reason he felt afraid

of him.
Open answer.

had not been / would not have

run away;
had not paid / would not have
happened;
had not fought / would be;
had lived / would have received;
had told / would have arrested.

Page 41 exercise 1
1. C 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. C 6. B
7. A 8. B 9. C 10. A 11. B 12. C
13. A 14. B 15. A

Chapter 3

b.

c.

He wanted information about

Dorian Gray.
She was an extraordinarily
beautiful and wealthy girl, who
ran away from home to marry a
penniless soldier. After a few
months the soldier was killed in a
tragic duel and she, too, died after
giving birth to their son, Dorian
Gray.
Dorians mother had risked
everything for love and died soon
after the birth of her son.

THE

EXERCISES

Chapter 5

Dorian Gray never took his eyes off

him and Lord Henry was well aware
of this.
Yes, but I would rather come with
you. I love hearing you talk. No one
talks as wonderfully as you do.

Before you read

Page 66 exercise 1
crowded / oppressively / private /
theatre / bottles / love / answered /
awful / rough / gestures / elevate /
understand / believe / soul / create /
ugly / pressing

Page 53 exercises 6 & 7

Open answers.
Page 53 exercise 8

Page 73 exercise 1

His opinion of women is certainly

not a high one. He sees them as
decorative and charming like an
attractive object.

a.

Chapter 4
b.

Before you read

Page 54 exercise 1
Open answers.
Page 54 exercise 2

c.

a. Mrs Vane. b. James. c. James.

d. Sibyl. e. James.
Page 62 exercise 1

Open answer.

1. B 2. C 3. B 4. A 5. D 6. C
7. C 8. C

Open answers.

Page 63 exercise 2

Page 53 exercise 5

a. meagre b. bachelor c. yield

d. gape e. linger f. gloomy g. soul
h. frown

Sentences underlined in red:

He remembered how Dorian had
listened to him the night before.
He had fascinated him completely. He
could do anything he wanted with
Dorian. There was an exquisite joy in
influencing another person. He would
try to dominate his spirit. Indeed, he
had already done so. He would make
that wonderful spirit his own.

TO

Page 52 exercise 3

Page 53 exercise 4

Page 51 exercise 1
a.

He planned to influence him

and tried to dominate his spirit.
He wanted to make Dorians spirit
his own.
There were many guests at Aunt
Agathas lunch table. Lord Henry,
with his witty conversation, was
the centre of attention and Dorian
never took his eyes off him.
Because she had seen her
husbands seventeen photographs
of him. She had also seen him at
the opera with Lord Henry.
She is an actress that Dorian met
in an absurd little theatre in the
East End of London.
Because it made his creation more
interesting to study.

Page 51 exercise 2

The Aesthetic Movement

KEY

EXERCISES

d.
e.

f.

Page 64 exercise 3
g.

1. H 2. A 3. F 4. G 5. C 6. B

h.

He said that if Sibyl could give a

soul to those who had lived
without one, if she could create
the sense of beauty in people
whose lives had been ugly, then
she was worthy of all his
adoration.
Because Sibyl was strangely
lifeless and her words sounded
artificial and meaningless. Her
tone was false and unnatural. Her
acting lacked passion and vitality.
Lord Henry got up and said, She
is very beautiful, Dorian, but she
cant act. Then he and Basil left
the theatre.
He said that perhaps Sibyl was ill.
She told Dorian that before
meeting him acting was the only
reality of her life. But now that
she had experienced the true
essence of love, everything else
was false and artificial.
He was very angry and
disappointed, and instantly
severed their relationship.
He discovered that the expression
of the face had changed; there
were lines of cruelty around the
mouth.
Because it reflected his passions
and sins, while he was able
to maintain the candour of youth.

KEY

i.

TO

THE

He decided to save himself, resist

temptation and not see Lord
Henry again. He would go back to
Sibyl, marry her and try to love
her again.

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Page 81 exercise 1

Before you read

a.

Page 74 exercise 2
a. had eaten b. had made c. had
bought d. had decided

b.

a. arrived / had finished b. rested /

had left c. had walked / were d. had
completed / signed

c.
d.

Page 74 exercise 3
Open answers.
Page 75 exercise 4

e.

Open answers.
Page 75 exercise 5
f.

The Sibyls were female prophets who

foresaw the future.
Sibyls surname can best be associated
to a weather vane, something that
turns with the slightest wind,
suggesting susceptibility and
weakness. It could also be associated
to the word vain since it seems that
Sibyls love for Dorian is in vain.

KEY

EXERCISES

He had a cup of tea and noticed

that he had received some letters.
Then he had a cool bath, got
dressed and had a light breakfast.
He decided to examine his
portrait in case Basil came and
asked to look at it. He shuddered
because the portrait had changed.
He knew that Sibyl Vane had
committed suicide.
He leapt to his feet, dazed with
horror, and didnt believe what
Lord Henry had just told him. He
felt it was his fault.
Lord Henry convinced Dorian that
Sibyls life was basically without
meaning or value and that their
marriage would have failed.
Dorian chose to have eternal
youth, infinite passion, secret
pleasures, wild joys and sins, and
the portrait would carry all the
shame.

TO

THE

Page 93 exercise 5

Page 90 exercise 1
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. A 6. C

Page 93 exercise 6
Page 91 exercise 2
a.

b.
c.

d.

e.

f.

Page 92 exercise 3

A small, crowded theatre in the

poverty-stricken East End of London,
frequented by coarse individuals.

Page 82 exercise 3

Page 92 exercise 4

Open answers.

page 76 Internet Project

Page 82 exercise 4

Useful Web sites for this project are:

www.reelscreen.com; www.ifilm.com;
www.showgate.com;
www.thecinemalaser.com (the last
especially for The Picture of Dorian
Gray).

Writers:
Goethe
Thomas Mann
Musicians:
Gounod

The boy was infinitely dear to him

and he did not want to quarrel with
him.
From the moment I met you your
personality had the most
extraordinary influence over me. I was
totally dominated by you. I wanted to
have you all to myself. I was only
happy when I was with you.
Now he understood the painters wild
devotion and jealousy, and he felt

Open answer.

a.
b.

The famous portrait of the mayors

family was painted by Basil
Hallward, the London artist.
A new theatre was built near
Covent Garden last year.
A frightening article about the
actresss suicide was written by
the newspaper.
The painting was hidden by a
huge screen in the corner of the
room.
The heavy painting was carried
upstairs to the schoolroom by the
workmen.
Basils decision was influenced by
Dorian.
The key to the old schoolroom
was kept by Mrs Leaf.

g.

Page 82 exercise 5

1. hide 2. adolescence 3. attic

4. houses 5. room 6. painful
7. grandfather 8. memories
9. unhappiness 10. personality.

1. B 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. B 7. A

1. occasional 2. admiration
3. vanity 4. luxurious 5. brutally
6. forgiveness 7. destruction
8. studio

Works:
Faust
Doktor Faustus
Opera:
Faust

sorry. There was something tragic in a

friendship so coloured by romance.

Page 83 exercise 1

Page 81 exercise 2

Page 75 exercise 6

EXERCISES

and c. Open answers.

Possible answer:
There are several types of child
abuse, but the most prevalent are
physical abuse and psychological
abuse.

Chapter 8
Page 99 exercise 1
A 2 B Not used C 6 D 7 E 0 F 1
G5 H4 I3
Page 99 exercise 2
a.
b.

c.

Open answers.

d.

e.

f.

You dont know what youre

saying, Basil, said Dorian.
Why do you spend so much time
at your country house? Basil
asked.
Im late because I was talking to
an old friend at the club, Lord
Henry explained.
The housekeeper said to the
workmen, Please move the new
armchairs to the library.
Mrs Leaf, please clean the attic
properly before the end of the
week, said Dorian.
When is the train for Paris
leaving? Basil asked the clerk.

Page 100 exercise 3

1. b 2. c 3. a 4. c 5. b 6. a

KEY

TO

THE

EXERCISES

Page 101 exercise 4

Page 108 exercise 2

After all, as Lord Henry had said, a

good dinner is more important than
good morals. (Page 95).
Open answer.

1. f 2. d 3. b 4. e 5. a 6. c

Page 101 exercise 5

Underlined sentences: He entertained
fashionable people at his beautiful
home and enjoyed his little dinners
with very select guests in a nearly
perfect ambience of embroidered
cloths, exotic flowers and exquisite
music. After all, as Lord Henry had
said, a good dinner is more important
than good morals. Dorians clothes
and particular styles influenced the
young men of London who tried to
imitate him.

f.

g.

Charming had made her what she

was and that in eighteen years he
hadnt changed at all.

Page 110 exercises 3-5

Page 124 exercise 1

b.

Open answers.

1. B 2. A 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. A 7. C
8. B 9. A 10. B

c.

Page 130 exercise 2

d.

Chapter 11

a.
b.

c.

d.
e.

f.

It was still sitting upstairs.

He was an extremely intelligent
young man with a passion for
science and music. He had first
met Dorian at Lady Berkshires
during a Rubenstein recital.
They scarcely spoke to each other.
Campbell had become sad and
uninterested in music.
He asked Alan to destroy Basils
body so that nothing remained of it.
Because Dorian threatened to
blackmail him by sending a letter
that would ruin his reputation
forever.
Approximately five hours.

a.
b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

Page 118 exercises 3 & 4

Open answers.

g.

Page 118 exercise 5

Both men have a high level of
education and culture, and both have

e.

Page 130 exercise 1

Page 118 exercise 2

Page 108 exercise 1

d.
e.

homosexual tendencies. They both

fear the opinion of their society.
Hypocrite.

a.

1. part 2. any 3. a 4. 5.
6. have 7. these 8. 9. at
10. other 11. 12. 13.
14. very 15. by 16. 17. of
18. 19. had 20.

Because he had greatly influenced

his life.
A sudden exclamation of horror
came from his lips.
He explained that in a mad
moment he had made a wish,
which Basil immediately
remembered. The painting had
become the face of his soul.
To a satyr.
Because he had worshipped
Dorian too much and Dorian had
worshipped himself too much.
He seized a knife and stabbed
Basil in the neck again and again
until he finally killed him.
He intended to get rid of them
later.

EXERCISES

Oscar Wildes London

Chapter 9

c.

THE

a. get by b. get down to c. get round

d. get over e. get along with f. get
away with

Page 117 exercise 1

Open answers.

b.

TO

Chapter 10

Page 101 exercises 6 & 7

a.

KEY

h.

He threw them into a big fire that

was burning in the library.
He had a headache and he
couldnt eat anything at dinner.
He felt tired and sick and his lips
began to tremble. Mentally, he
was very uneasy.
He needed to escape from reality
for some time. He needed to
forget.
There was a long, low room with a
filthy floor where men were lying.
At the end of the room there was a
staircase leading upstairs where
people lay on ragged mattresses.
The smell of opium was
everywhere.
He was James Vane and he leapt
to his feet because he had heard
the words Prince Charming.
James Vanes hand closed around
Dorians throat and Dorian fought
wildly for his life. Then James
Vane pointed a pistol to his head.
Dorian asked James Vane how
long ago his sister had died. Then
he asked him to go to the light and
look at his face.
She told him that Prince

He saw the ball fall into the

bushes.
He watched the two boys playing
football.
He listened to the bird singing in
the tree.
He felt someone touch his
shoulder.
He noticed storm clouds
approaching from the sea.

Page 131 exercises 3 & 4

Open answers.

Chapter 12
Before you read
Page 132 exercise 1
a.
b.
c.

d.
e.
f.

g.
h.

i.
j.

F They were having dinner.

T
F Lord Henry thinks it
impossible to be bad in the
country because there is no
temptation there.
T
F Lord Henry finds Dorians
gesture unimportant.
F There are three topics: Basils
disappearance; Lord Henrys
divorce; Adam Campbells
suicide.
T
F Lord Henry thinks it is
improbable that Basil has been
murdered.
F Lord Henry wants to know
Dorians secret.
T

KEY

k.
l.

TO

THE

T
F There was now a look of
falsity in the eyes and a smile of
hypocrisy on the mouth.

EXERCISES

Page 139 exercise 3

All crime is vulgar, just as all
vulgarity is crime. (page 134)
Open answer.

KEY

TO

THE

EXERCISES

Chapter Event
Event
number
7

14.

Basil Hallward confesses to Dorian of his love for him.

Page 138 exercise 1

Page 140 exercises 4 & 5

15.

The portrait is taken upstairs to Dorians old schoolroom.

1. B 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. C

Open answers.

16.

Dorian is fascinated by a book Lord Henry sends him.

17.

Dorian meets Basil again after many years and invites

him to see the portrait.

18.

Basil is horrified at the sight of the change in his portrait

of Dorian.

19.

Dorian stabs Basil to death.

10

20.

Dorian blackmails Adam Campbell into disposing of

Basils body.

11

21.

Dorian is nearly killed by James Vane outside an opium

den.

12

22.

Attempting to destroy the portrait, Dorian kills himself.

Page 139 exercise 2

b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

I knew
I wish I spoke Spanish
wish I danced well - or - I wish I
knew how to dance
wish it would stop raining or I
wish it werent raining
wish I were

EXIT TEST
Page 141 exercise 1
Open answer.
Page 141 exercise 2

Chapter Event
Event
number
1
2

1.

Basil tells Lord Henry about Dorian Gray, the subject of

the portrait and how he had met him.

2.

Dorian Gray meets Lord Henry for the first time and is
fascinated by him.

3.

Dorian Gray says he would give his soul in return for

eternal youth.

4.

Lord Henry visits his uncle, Lord Fermor, to find out

more about Dorian.

5.

Dorian tells Lord Henry about his love for Sybil Vane.

6.

Sybil tells her family about her love for her Prince
Charming

7.

James Vane vows to kill any man who hurts his sister.

8.

Dorian, accompanied by Basil and Lord Henry, see

Sybils poor performance at the theatre.

9.

Dorian tells Sybil that he no longer wants to marry her.

10.

Dorian notices a change in the portrait for the first time.

11.

Dorian writes to Sybil asking to be forgiven.

12.

Lord Henry tells Dorian about Sybils suicide.

13.

Dorian decides to dedicate his life to immorality.

Page 142 exercises 3-5

Open answers.
Page 143 exercise 6
1. B 2. A & C 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. C
7. B 8. A

10

EXIT

TEST

PHOTOCOPIABLE 2003 Black Cat Publishing

Focus on the context

PHOTOCOPIABLE 2003 Black Cat Publishing

EXIT

TEST

4. Who did Dorian Gray fall in love with?

A A nurse.

1 Answer the following questions.

B A teacher.
a. When and where was Oscar Wilde born?

C An actress.

b. What was his fathers occupation?

D A painter.

c. Where did Oscar Wilde study?

5. Why did Dorian Gray decide he no longer wanted to marry Sibyl Vane?

d. What was the title of his first published book?

e. How many novels did Wilde write?
f. Name four of his successful plays.
g. Where and when did he die?

SCORE

A Because she decided she wanted to go to Australia.

B Because she acted very badly one night.
C Because he decided she was very ugly.
D Because he discovered she had been unfaithful to him.

/ 7

6. When did Dorian Gray realise his portrait had changed?

A After he had decided to marry Sibyl after all.

Focus on the story

B Before the night Sibyl acted badly.

FCE 1 For questions 1-8, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

1. Where did Lord Henry Wotton tell Basil to exhibit his picture?
A At the National Gallery.

C After Lord Henry had come to visit him to tell him Sibyl was dead.
D When Basil came to visit him, after his visit to the opera with
Lord Henry.
7. After many years Dorian revealed the portrait to Basil and then he killed
him. How?

B At the British Museum.

C At the Grosvenor.

A He shot him with a pistol.

D At the Tate.

B He strangled him.

2. Why did Basil not want to exhibit the picture?

A Because he was afraid it showed the secret of his heart.
B Because it would make Dorian Gray angry.

C He poisoned him.
D He stabbed him with a knife.
8. What did Dorian ask Alan Campbell to do with Basils body?

C Because he knew he wouldnt receive much money for it.

A Take the body away so that it would be discovered elsewhere.

D Because he didnt think it was good enough to exhibit.

B Destroy the body scientifically.

3. What did Dorian Gray look like?

C Throw the body into a river.

A He had golden hair and green eyes.

D Dig a grave for the body and bury it.

B He had brown hair and brown eyes.

C He had black hair and blue eyes.

SCORE

/ 8

D He had golden hair and blue eyes.

11

12

TEST

PHOTOCOPIABLE 2003 Black Cat Publishing

2 For questions 1-15, of which of the people A-F are the following
statements true?
A Dorian Gray

B Basil Hallward

D Sibyl Vane

C Lord Henry Wotton

E Alan Campbell

F A country girl

..

1. He met Dorian at Lady Brandons.

..

2. He said he could believe anything if it was incredible.

..

3. He was the painters inspiration.

..

4. He was a bad influence on people.

..

5. He had a beautiful, musical voice.

..

6. She called Dorian Prince Charming.

..

7. He said it was absurd for Dorian to marry an actress.

..

8. She swallowed some poison.

..

9. He gave Dorian the news about Sybils death.

KEY

TO

THE

Focus on the context

Focus on the story

1.
a.

1.
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. B 6. A
7. D 8. B

On 16th October 1854, in Dublin,

Ireland.
b. He was a surgeon.
c. At Trinity College, Dublin and
Oxford University.
d. Poems.
e. Only one.
f. Lady Windermeres Fan; A
Woman of No Importance; An
Ideal Husband and The
Importance of Being Earnest.
g. In Paris on 30th November 1900.

2.
1. B 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. D
7. B 8. D 9. C 10. A 11. B 12. E
13. A 14. F 15. A

.. 10. He read a fascinating book which Lord Henry sent him.

.. 11. He was stabbed.
.. 12. He disposed of Basils body.
.. 13. He was recognised in the opium den.
.. 14. She wanted to run away with him.
.. 15. He wanted to destroy the past and stabbed the portrait.

SCORE

/15

TOTAL SCORE

/30

13

EXERCISES

2003 Black Cat Publishing, an imprint of Cideb Editrice, Genoa, Canterbury

EXIT

14