empathy

The story teaches both sides to understand feelings. In exams connect the empathy lesson with family relationship.

Kezia has fear in her mind and love for father too. In exams connect empathy with understanding mixed feelings.

Understanding Kezia's feelings is empathy. In exams connect empathy with understanding feelings.

Kezia was afraid because her father’s serious appearance, loud voice, and strict manner made him seem frightening to her. She felt nervous in his presence. Playing with Macdonald was unrelated to her fear of her father. Exam tip: In reason-based questions, focus on the character’s feelings and experiences.

Kezia was making the pin cushion as a birthday gift for her father, so she wanted to please him. She used the papers from his speech only because she did not understand their importance. Macdonald was a neighbour in the story, not the intended recipient of the pin cushion. Exam tip: Remember that Kezia’s actions show both her fear of her father and her affection for him.

Kezia used the papers kept for her father's speech as stuffing because she did not know their importance. Her action was therefore an unintentional mistake, not deliberate damage. Option A is the closest distractor, but the story gives no indication that she meant to cause harm. Exam tip: consider a character's intention along with the action.

An empathetic father would try to understand Kezia’s feelings and speak to her calmly and lovingly. Frightening or mocking her would increase her fear, while not listening would ignore her feelings. Exam tip: empathy means understanding another person’s feelings and responding kindly.

Grandmother understands Kezia's fear and misunderstanding of her father. She asks Kezia to watch Macdonald playing lovingly with his children so that Kezia can realise that fathers can be affectionate too. Options A and D show a lack of support, while C refers to Kezia's mistake with her father's speech papers. Exam tip: Grandmother helps Kezia view her father from a kinder perspective.

In the story, Alice does not give Kezia anything when she is frightened by the nightmare. It is Kezia’s father who comforts her by sitting with her and letting her sleep beside him. Therefore, ‘comfort’ is the closest distractor, but it was given by her father, not Alice. Exam tip: Match each action carefully with the correct character.

When Kezia was frightened by a nightmare, her father let her sleep close to him and comforted her. This shows that, although he seemed strict outwardly, he was affectionate and protective towards his daughter. ‘Strictness’ is a close distractor because Kezia had earlier considered him strict. Exam tip: Link this incident with the father’s hidden love and Kezia’s changed view of him.

Understanding Kezia’s fear shows empathy. When her father recognises her feelings and helps her feel safe, trust between them can grow. Increased distance would be the opposite outcome. Exam tip: In ‘The Little Girl’, connect fear with understanding and care.

Macdonald behaves with love, ease and open affection towards his children. In the story, his manner contrasts with Kezia’s early impression of her own father as serious and frightening. Therefore, affectionate and open behaviour is correct. Exam tip: Remember the Macdonald family scene as a contrast to Kezia’s initial view of her father.

Kezia made the pin-cushion as a birthday gift for her father. She unknowingly tore up his important speech papers to fill it, but she did not intend to harm or upset him. Therefore, her father should have understood her innocent love and intention. Exam tip: Distinguish between Kezia's mistake and the loving motive behind it.

When we listen carefully to a child’s feelings, we begin to understand the child’s situation and experience. Understanding and being sensitive to another person’s feelings is empathy, so empathy is correct. Punishment is related to controlling behaviour, whereas listening builds understanding and empathy. Exam tip: In questions on empathy, look for clues such as listening and understanding feelings.

Getting angry at Kezia without first understanding her fear or the reason for her mistake shows a lack of empathy. Empathy means trying to understand another person's feelings and situation. Patience, in contrast, would mean responding calmly rather than becoming angry at once. Exam tip: In character-based questions, infer the trait from the character's behaviour.

Kezia often feels lonely and insecure. Her fear of her strict father becomes stronger when she feels emotionally alone. Understanding her loneliness therefore helps us empathise with her fear and feelings. Option A is incorrect because the issue is not that she does not want to play, but that she lacks emotional security. Exam tip: Link Kezia's behaviour to her fear and the emotional support she receives at home.

She did not understand love behind father's strictness. In exams write fear and misunderstanding.

Empathy means trying to understand another person’s feelings, situation, and point of view. Therefore, the correct answer is another person's feelings. Knowing how to punish someone or the value of objects is not empathy. Exam tip: remember empathy as understanding the feelings of others.

When feelings are not understood relationships become distant. In exams connect lack of empathy with fear.

When Kezia was frightened by a nightmare, her father came to her room, let her sleep beside him, and comforted her affectionately. She then understood that his strict manner hid genuine love for her. The torn-papers incident made him angry, so it was not the moment when she clearly felt his love. Exam tip: Link the nightmare scene with the father’s hidden affection.