📖 Chapter 6: Pig and Pepper

Alice walked through the wood, carrying the mushroom pieces carefully. Soon she came to a small house. Smoke rose from the chimney, and loud sneezes echoed inside. Curious, Alice went up to the door and knocked.

A fish-shaped footman in a livery (servant’s uniform) opened the door. He was giving a letter to a frog-shaped footman. “For the Duchess,” said the Fish. “From the Queen.”

The Frog bowed and carried the letter inside. Alice followed and found herself in a hot, smoky kitchen. Pepper filled the air so thickly that she sneezed at once.

In the middle of the kitchen sat the Duchess, holding a screaming baby. A cook was at the stove, throwing pepper everywhere and banging pots and pans.

Alice tried to be polite. “What a beautiful child!” she said, though the baby was wrinkled and red-faced.

The Duchess snapped, “Nonsense! If people only minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster.”

“It would not,” said Alice boldly. “It would go slower.”

The Duchess glared, but then laughed. “You’re quite right, my dear. Have some more pepper!”

The baby screamed louder, sneezing and snorting. At last the Duchess thrust it into Alice’s arms. “Here, you may nurse it if you like. I must go to play croquet with the Queen.”

Alice rocked the baby and carried it outside. But as soon as she looked closely, she realized it was no ordinary child. Its nose turned into a snout, its body stretched, and it began grunting like a pig!

“Oh dear!” cried Alice. “If it grows up, it will surely be a nasty pig.” She set the strange creature down, and it ran happily into the forest, squealing.

Feeling relieved, Alice turned back and saw a grin appear in the air. Slowly, the rest of a Cheshire Cat appeared—first the head, then the body, then the long tail.

The Cat smiled broadly. “How do you do?”

Alice was startled. “I don’t much like animals that appear and disappear suddenly,” she said.

The Cat purred, “Everyone here is mad. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

“How do you know I’m mad?” asked Alice.

“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t be here.”

Alice couldn’t argue with that. “Will you tell me, please, which way I should go?”

“That depends on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t care much where,” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

Alice sighed. “But I’d like to meet some people.”

The Cat’s grin grew wider. “You will. In that direction lives the Mad Hatter. In the other lives the March Hare. Visit either you like—both are mad.”

Before Alice could ask more, the Cat slowly faded away until only its grin remained.

Alice shook her head. “Well! I’ve never seen a cat without a body before. But it makes me curious to meet these mad people.”

And with that, she set off toward the March Hare’s house.

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📘 Glossary

• Footman – a servant in old-fashioned clothes

• Livery – a uniform worn by servants

• Sneezes – sudden bursts of air from the nose

• Nonsense – silly or foolish talk

• Glared – looked angrily

• Thrust – pushed roughly or suddenly

• Snout – the long nose of a pig

• Grunting – making short, deep pig-like sounds

• Purred – the soft vibrating sound cats make when happy

• Faded – slowly disappeared

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Who delivered a letter to the Duchess’s house?

2. What filled the kitchen and made Alice sneeze?

3. How did the Duchess treat her baby?

4. Why did Alice set the baby down?

5. What did the baby turn into?

6. Who appeared in the forest after the baby left?

7. What strange ability did the Cheshire Cat have?

8. What did the Cat say about everyone in Wonderland?

9. Who did the Cat tell Alice she could visit?

10. What remained after the Cat disappeared?

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✅ Answers

1. A Fish-Footman.

2. Pepper.

3. She handed it roughly to Alice and went to play croquet.

4. Because it was turning into a pig.

5. A pig.

6. The Cheshire Cat.

7. He could appear and disappear at will.

8. That everyone there was mad.

9. The Mad Hatter and the March Hare.

10. Only the Cat’s grin.

 

📊 IELTS Writing Task 1 – Topic 3

🎯 Question

The line graph below shows the population growth in three regions (Asia, Europe, and Africa) between 1960 and 2020.

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📝 Model Answer (Band 8–9, ~190 words)

The line graph compares population growth in Asia, Europe, and Africa between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, Asia experienced the most dramatic increase, while Europe’s population grew slowly before stabilising. Africa also saw rapid growth, particularly after 1990.

In 1960, Asia had the highest population, at about 1.5 billion, compared with 600 million in Europe and around 300 million in Africa. Over the following decades, Asia’s figure rose sharply, more than doubling to over 3.5 billion by 2020.

Africa’s growth was also notable. From a relatively low base of 300 million, its population increased steadily, accelerating after 1990 to reach approximately 1.3 billion in 2020 — more than four times its 1960 level.

By contrast, Europe showed the least growth. Its population climbed slowly from 600 million in 1960 to just over 700 million in 1990, before levelling off and remaining almost unchanged thereafter.

In summary, Asia and Africa saw substantial rises in population over the period, whereas Europe experienced only modest growth followed by stability.

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🔑 Useful Vocabulary

• Rose sharply / grew steadily / levelled off / remained stable

• Dramatic increase / gradual growth / modest rise / stabilised

• More than doubled / quadrupled / more than four times as high

• From a low base / by contrast / the most significant growth

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🔗 Linking Words

• Contrast: whereas, by contrast, while

• Time phrases: over the following decades, after 1990, thereafter

• Cause/Effect: as a result, consequently, therefore

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✍️ Guidelines for Writing This Essay

1. Plan (2–3 minutes)

   • Identify highest (Asia).

   • Identify lowest (Africa in 1960, but rapid growth later).

   • Identify slowest growth (Europe).

2. Structure

   • Introduction: paraphrase question.

   • Overview: main trends (Asia + Africa rapid growth, Europe stable).

   • Body 1: Asia + Africa.

   • Body 2: Europe.

   • Conclusion: summarise.

3. Topic Sentences

   • “Asia experienced the greatest population growth, more than doubling over the period.”

   • “Africa also grew rapidly, particularly after 1990.”

   • “In contrast, Europe’s growth was slow and eventually stabilised.”

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💡 Language Focus

• Verb vs. Noun forms:

  • The population rose sharply / There was a sharp rise in the population.

  • Europe’s numbers levelled off / Europe saw a period of stability.

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🔟 Practice Exercises

A. Fill-in

1. Asia’s population ______ from 1.5 to 3.5 billion.

2. Europe’s population ______ at around 700 million after 1990.

B. Rewrite with noun phrases

1. “Africa’s population grew steadily.” → …

2. “Europe’s population levelled off.” → …

C. Choose overview
a) Asia 1.5 → 3.5bn, Europe 600→700m, Africa 300→1.3bn.
b) Asia and Africa grew rapidly, while Europe remained relatively stable.

D. Comparisons

1. Asia’s population in 2020 was ______ Africa’s in 1960.

2. Africa’s population more than ______ between 1960 and 2020.

E. Spot the error
“Europe population was stable from 1990.”

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✅ Suggested Answers

A: 1. rose sharply 2. remained stable
B: 1. There was steady growth in Africa’s population. 2. There was a levelling off in Europe’s population.
C: b)
D: 1. more than ten times 2. quadrupled
E: Missing article → “Europe’s population…”

 

📖 Chapter 5: Advice from a Caterpillar

Alice wandered through the wood until she came to a large mushroom. On top of it sat a blue Caterpillar, calmly smoking a long hookah (a water pipe).

The Caterpillar looked at Alice for some time without speaking. At last, in a slow, deep voice, it said:
“Who are you?”

Alice felt confused. “I—I hardly know, sir. I knew who I was this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked the Caterpillar.

Alice explained about growing and shrinking after eating and drinking different things. The Caterpillar puffed smoke and said coolly, “It is very confusing to you, isn’t it?”

Alice sighed. “Yes. I can’t remember things as I used to. For example, I try to say How doth the little busy bee, but it comes out all wrong.”

“Repeat You are old, Father William,” said the Caterpillar.

Alice tried, but the words came out strangely again. The Caterpillar listened, then said, “That is not correct. But it doesn’t matter. Keep your temper.”

Alice bit her lip. “It is very provoking,” she said.

The Caterpillar puffed his hookah a few more times, then asked, “So, you think you’ve changed? Do you like being different sizes?”

“Well, I’d like to be a little larger,” said Alice politely. “Three inches is such a very small size.”

“It is a very good height indeed!” said the Caterpillar angrily. “I am exactly three inches high.”

Alice quickly apologized. She didn’t want to upset him.

For a while, they sat in silence. At last the Caterpillar took the hookah from his mouth and said, “One side of the mushroom will make you grow taller. The other side will make you grow shorter.”

Then, without another word, he slid down off the mushroom and crawled away into the grass.

Alice looked at the mushroom carefully. But which side was which? She broke off a piece from the right-hand side and tasted it. Instantly, she felt her chin strike her foot—she had shrunk so small she could hardly breathe! Terrified, she quickly nibbled a piece from the other side. At once her neck shot up like a long telescope, rising high above the treetops. Birds screamed at her, thinking she was a serpent.

Alice panicked and ate a little more from the first piece. Slowly, slowly, she returned to her usual size. She was still a little shaky, but she felt proud. “At least now I can control it,” she said to herself. “One piece makes me bigger, the other makes me smaller.”

With the mushroom pieces in her hands, Alice felt ready for new adventures in Wonderland.

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📘 Glossary

• Caterpillar – a small insect that later becomes a butterfly

• Hookah – a long water pipe for smoking, often used in the Middle East and Asia

• Confused – not able to think clearly or understand

• Puffed – blew smoke from the mouth

• Provoking – making someone annoyed or angry

• Apologized – said sorry

• Mushroom – a type of fungus with a stem and a round top

• Nibbled – ate in small bites

• Telescope – an instrument that can stretch long, like Alice’s neck here

• Serpent – a large snake

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What was the Caterpillar doing when Alice first saw him?

2. How did Alice feel when asked “Who are you?”

3. What problem did Alice describe about her memory?

4. Which poem did the Caterpillar ask her to repeat?

5. Why was the Caterpillar angry when Alice wished to be taller?

6. What advice did the Caterpillar give Alice about the mushroom?

7. What happened when Alice ate from the right-hand side of the mushroom?

8. What happened when she ate from the other side?

9. Why did the birds scream at Alice?

10. How did Alice feel after she learned to control her size?

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✅ Answers

1. Sitting on a mushroom and smoking a hookah.

2. She felt confused and unsure of herself.

3. She said she couldn’t remember poems properly.

4. You are old, Father William.

5. Because he himself was only three inches high.

6. That one side of the mushroom made her taller, the other made her shorter.

7. She shrank until she was extremely tiny.

8. Her neck grew very long, like a telescope.

9. They thought she was a serpent.

10. Proud, though a little shaky.