Pride and prejudice

- Jane Austen

Practice questions for practical viva :-

1) Why would a "single man, in possession of a great fortune" be in want of a wife?

Do you think this statement is true? Does the fact that this book was written by a
female change your perception of the opening line?

Ans:- A single woman in this time would desire to marry a man of this description.
This is Austin using sarcasm to address a vulgar topic.

2) Why does Mrs. Bennet want her husband to introduce himself to Mr. Bingley?
Ans:- So that he can introduce their daughters.

3) Which of the sisters appears to have the closest relationship to her father?

Ans:- Elizabeth

4) What type of marriage do the Bennets have?

Ans:- an unhappy one

5) Mr. Bennet did not want to visit Mr. Bingley, but he ends up doing so without the
knowledge of his wife. Why would he do this?

Ans:- He enjoys messing with her.

6) What is the reaction of Mrs. Bennet and her daughters when they find out Mr.
Bennet previously met with Mr. Bingley?
Ans:- excited/ overjoyed.
7 ) What is the perception of Mr. Darcy by the others at the ball?

Ans:-"He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and every body
hoped that he would never come there again".

8) Why do Elizabeth's feelings about Mr. Darcy change after the ball?

Ans:- he says she is not pretty only agreeable.

9) What may Elizabeth have really thought about Jane finding the Miss Bingleys
"agreeable"?
 Ans:-he thinks her sister sees what she wants to see. Jane sees the shallow
goodness of the sisters and not the pride they hide.

10) In what ways was Mr. Darcy superior over Mr. Bingley?

Ans:-money, height, more attractive.

11) Why did Sir William Lucas move from the city?

Ans:- He used to be a trader, but now he is a knight. He deemed trading to obscene

a profession of nobility, so he moved to the country.

12) 1. Who does Mrs. Bennet say was Mr. Bingley's first choice at the ball?
2. Second choice?

Ans:- 1. Charlotte
2. Elizabeth

13) What does "entailment" mean? How is it relevant to the Bennets?

Ans:- It is a system of male inheritance; meaning the sisters wont get any of the
inheritance.

14) What did Caroline Bingley ask of Jane in Miss Bingley's letter?

Ans:- She asks her to join them for lunch.

15) Where does Elizabeth spend the night? Why?

Ans:- Netherfield, she walks 3 hours in the rain to make sure her sister is okay.

16) What do people think of Elizabeth's choice to read after dinner?

Ans:- They are astounded that she would rather read than play cards.

17) How does Mrs. Bennet embarrass Elizabeth?

Ans:- First by comparing country life to the city and then by prattling on about Jane's
beauty.
18) What is Mr. Darcy's reaction to Miss Bingley's admiration of his writing?

Ans:- He shuts her down, (REGECTED!!!!!).

19) What is it about Elizabeth that holds Mr. Darcy back from liking her even more?

Ans:- Her social status.

20) Which of the ladies appear to be most interested in Mr. Darcy? Which of the ladies
does he appear most interested in?
Ans:- Miss Bingley tries to keep Mr. Darcy's attention and fails. He is interested in
Elizabeth.

21) Why didn't Mrs. Bennet welcome her daughters home happily?

Ans:- He was angry they were home early, and they used Mr Bingley's carriage.

22) Complete the quotation: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that

a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a ___.”

• house
• title
• wife
• dog

Ans:- Wife

23) The Bennet family lives in the village of ...

• Pemberley
• Longbourn
• Rosings
• London

Ans:- Longbourn

24) Mr. Bingley, when he attends the ball in Meryton, seems to be quite
taken with ...

• Elizabeth
• Jane
• Lydia
• Charlotte Lucas

Ans:- Elizabeth

25) How does Mr. Darcy offend Elizabeth at the first ball?

• He insults her father.

• He dances with Jane too often.
• He slaps her.
• He refuses to dance with her

Ans:- He insults her father.

26) Elizabeth’s best friend is named ...

• Mrs. Phillips
• Charlotte Lucas
• Miss Bingley
• Mrs. Gardiner

Ans:- Mrs. PhilPhillips

27) Why does Jane’s visit to the Bingleys end up lasting for days?

• She gets soaked in a rainstorm and becomes ill.

• Mr. Bingley proposes to her.
• Mrs. Bennet forgets to send a carriage to bring her home.
• Jane is hoping to make Mr. Darcy fall in love with her.

Ans:- She gets soaked in a rainstorm and becomes ill.

28) What does it mean that Mr. Bennet’s property is “entailed”?

• Lady Catherine de Bourgh gave it to him.

• It can only be inherited by a male.
• It comes from his wife’s family.
• He rents from Sir William Lucas.

Ans:- It can only be inherited by a male.

29) What reason does Wickham give Elizabeth for his dislike of Darcy?

• Darcy killed his cousin in a duel.

• Darcy wouldn’t let Wickham marry his sister.
• Darcy betrayed his country.
• Darcy cheated him out of an inheritance.

Ans:- Darcy killed his cousin in a duel.

30) To which Bennet daughter does Mr. Collins propose marriage?

• Elizabeth
• Jane
• Mary
• Lydia

Ans:-Elizabeth
31) Whom does Mr. Collins marry?

• Jane
• Lydia
• Miss Bingley
• Charlotte Lucas

Ans:- Charlotte Lucas

32) Why does Miss Bingley dislike Elizabeth?

• She is jealous of Darcy’s growing attraction to Elizabeth.

• Elizabeth insulted Miss Bingley at the ball.
• Wickham has told Miss Bingley lies about Elizabeth’s character.
• Darcy is constantly speaking ill of Elizabeth.

Ans:- She is jealous of Darcy’s growing attraction to Elizabeth.

33) Where do the Bingleys and Darcy go for the winter?

• Pemberley
• London
• They remain at Netherfield
• France

Ans:- London

34) In March, Elizabeth goes to visit ...

• Miss Darcy
• Charlotte Lucas
• Wickham and Lydia
• Miss Bingley

Ans:- Charlotte Lucas

35) Lady Catherine de Bourgh is Darcy’s ...

• Aunt
• Sister
• Mother
• First wife

Ans:- Sister
36) When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, he spends most of the
proposal dwelling on ...

• Her beauty
• How socially unsuitable a match she is for him
• How much he adores her family
• How much money he will lavish on her

Ans:- How socially unsuitable a match she is for him

37) When Darcy proposes for the first time, Elizabeth ...

• Tells him that she is engaged to Wickham

• Asks him for more time
• Turns him down
• Faints

Ans:- Turns him down

38) Elizabeth’s feelings toward Darcy begin to change when he ...

• Sends her a letter explaining his actions

• Fights a duel with Wickham
• Sends money to Jane
• Marries Miss Bingley

Ans:- Sends her a letter explaining his actions

39) Darcy’s estate is called ...

• Rosings
• London
• Pemberley
• Brighton

Ans:- Pemberley

40) Where does Lydia spend the summer, and why?

• Netherfield, to be near Darcy

• London, because she enjoys the opera
• Brighton, to be near the militia regiment
• Barbados, for her health

Ans:- Brighton, to be near the militia regiment

41) What socially disastrous romantic decision does Lydia make?

• She elopes with Wickham.

• She marries Bingley.
• She rejects Mr. Collins’s proposal.
• She runs away to France with a lover.

Ans:- She elopes with Wickham

42) Who spearheads the search for Lydia after Mr. Bennet returns home
in defeat?

• Mr. Gardiner
• Sir William Lucas
• Charlotte Lucas
• Mrs. Phillips

Ans:- Mr. Gardiner

43) Who pays off Wickham, convincing him to marry Lydia?

• Bingley
• Darcy
• Mr. Gardiner
• Mr. Collins

Ans:- Darcy

44) When he returns to Netherfield, Mr. Bingley ...

• Has just married Miss Darcy

• Pursues the priesthood
• Begins courting Elizabeth
• Resumes courting Jane

Ans:- Resumes courting Jane

45) What does Lady Catherine forbid Elizabeth to do?

• Marry Bingley
• Visit Rosings
• Marry Darcy
• See Wickham

Ans:- Marry Darcy

46) The novel ends with ...

• Darcy marrying Elizabeth, and Bingley marrying Miss Darcy

• Darcy marrying Elizabeth, and Wickham marrying Jane
• Bingley marrying Jane, and Elizabeth marrying Wickham
• Bingley marrying Jane, and Darcy marrying Elizabeth

Ans:- Bingley marrying Jane, and Darcy marrying Elizabeth

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