Chapter 1 · The Adventures of Pinocchio

Copywork

The poor fellow was scared half to death, so he tried to sing a gay song in order to gain courage.

Read the sentence aloud. Where does it tell how he feels, and where does it tell what he does about it?

Discussion

Narration Tell back what happens in the carpenter's shop, from the moment Mastro Cherry sees the wood to the moment he finds himself sitting on the floor.

Mastro Cherry looks under the bench, in the closet, and out the door, and finds no one. Is he glad or worried about that? What makes you think so? Inference
Mastro Cherry says the log is only common firewood. Then he wonders if someone is hidden in it. Why might he say both things in one breath? Character
After the voice cries, “Oh, oh! You hurt!” Mastro Cherry throws the log against the walls. Was that fair? What makes you think so? Moral reasoning
The author says Mastro Cherry's funny face became “still funnier,” and that he fell “as if shot.” Why might the author make a scary moment funny? Author's choice
The voice speaks three times: first it begs, then it cries, then it giggles. Which time shakes Mastro Cherry most? Why? Plot structure

Make a Connection Tell about a time something surprised you so much that you did not believe it at first.

Vocabulary

scared: The poor fellow was scared half to death, so he tried to sing a gay song in order to gain courage. Afraid.
courage: so he tried to sing a gay song in order to gain courage. The strength to act when you are afraid.
beseeching: he had heard a wee, little voice say in a beseeching tone Begging; asking in a pleading way.
common: a piece of common firewood, good only to burn in the stove, the same as any other. Plain and ordinary; nothing special.
unmercifully: he grabbed the log with both hands and started to knock it about unmercifully. Without any pity.
solemn: He struck a most solemn blow upon the piece of wood. Serious and heavy.
trembling: he said, trembling and stuttering from fright: Shaking, as from fear.
fright: His face had changed; fright had turned even the tip of his nose from red to deepest purple. A sudden, sharp fear.
giggled: This time it giggled as it spoke: Laughed in a silly, bubbly way.

Critical thinking

At first Mastro Cherry sees only a table leg in the wood. Does he still see only that by the end? Use two things from the chapter.
Mastro Cherry waits ten minutes, hears nothing, and says he imagined the voice. Is that a good reason? Use two things from the chapter.
The story says the wood was “not an expensive piece of wood.” Does that change how Mastro Cherry treats it? Use two things from the chapter.