Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 10 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What is Darcy doing at the opening of Chapter 10?

   • Turning over the music-books at the pianoforte while Miss Bingley plays for him
   • Reading a book in silence while the others sit down at the loo-table for the evening
   • Correct answer: Writing a letter to his sister while Miss Bingley watches and flatters him
   • Playing piquet with Mr. Bingley while Mrs. Hurst sits beside them and observes the game

   Darcy is writing a letter to his sister Georgiana while Miss Bingley sits near him, "watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling his attention by messages to his sister."

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2. 2

   Question 2. How does Darcy respond to Miss Bingley's constant compliments about his letter-writing?

   • He returns each compliment by praising her own performance on the harp and her drawing
   • He asks her politely to stop interrupting him so that he can finish writing his letter
   • He gratefully accepts her offer to mend his pen and welcomes each of her remarks
   • Correct answer: He receives her praises with "perfect unconcern," giving short, dismissive replies

   The narrator describes "the perfect unconcern with which her praises were received," and Darcy gives brief, unenthusiastic responses such as "I have already told her so once, by your desire" and "Thank you -- but I always mend my own."

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3. 3

   Question 3. What does Darcy say about the "appearance of humility"?

   • That it must disarm reproof, since nobody can be offended by a truly modest gentleman
   • Correct answer: That it is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast
   • That it is the highest virtue a gentleman can possess among his acquaintance
   • That it is seldom deceitful, and usually the honest sign of a gentle temper

   Darcy declares: "Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast."

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4. 4

   Question 4. What example does Darcy use to argue that Bingley is too easily persuaded?

   • Correct answer: He says if a friend told Bingley to stay as he was mounting his horse, Bingley would comply
   • He points out that Bingley invited the Bennets to dinner on someone else's suggestion
   • He reminds Bingley of a time he abandoned travel plans on a friend's casual advice
   • He recalls how Bingley changed his mind about attending the Meryton assembly

   Darcy says: "if, as you were mounting your horse, a friend were to say, 'Bingley, you had better stay till next week,' you would probably do it, you would probably not go -- and at another word, might stay a month."

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5. 5

   Question 5. What does Elizabeth accuse Darcy of allowing nothing for?

   • The importance of social conventions in governing polite behavior among acquaintances
   • The role of family obligations in shaping how young men conduct their affairs
   • The natural differences in temperament between rational and emotional people
   • Correct answer: The influence of friendship and affection on a person's decisions and actions

   Elizabeth tells Darcy: "You appear to me, Mr. Darcy, to allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection. A regard for the requester would often make one readily yield to a request."

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6. 6

   Question 6. How does Bingley humorously describe Darcy's imposing presence?

   • Correct answer: He says Darcy is "a more awful object" at his own house, especially "of a Sunday evening"
   • He says Darcy is most awful at a public ball, especially when he refuses to dance
   • He says Darcy is most awful in the drawing-room, especially when Miss Bingley praises him
   • He says Darcy is most awful in the morning, especially when he has letters of business to write

   Bingley jokes: "I declare I do not know a more awful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to do."

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7. 7

   Question 7. What does Elizabeth notice about Darcy while Miss Bingley plays the pianoforte?

   • That he is still occupied with his letter and pays no attention at all to the singing
   • Correct answer: That his eyes are frequently fixed on Elizabeth, though she cannot understand why
   • That he is turning over the music-books on the instrument instead of listening to the song
   • That he is watching Miss Bingley at the pianoforte with open and admiring attention

   Elizabeth "could not help observing...how frequently Mr. Darcy's eyes were fixed on her." She interprets this as criticism, thinking "there was something more wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right, than in any other person present."

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8. 8

   Question 8. Why does Elizabeth say she refuses to dance the reel with Darcy?

   • Because she promised Miss Bingley she would not monopolize Darcy's attention
   • Because she is too tired from attending to Jane and has no energy for dancing
   • Correct answer: Because she knows he wanted her to say yes so he could despise her taste
   • Because she finds the Scotch air unsuitable for a proper reel and prefers a minuet

   Elizabeth tells Darcy: "You wanted me, I know, to say 'Yes,' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their meditated contempt."

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9. 9

   Question 9. What does the narrator reveal about Darcy's feelings after Elizabeth's refusal to dance?

   • That he is deeply offended and resolves to pay her no further attention at all
   • That he finds her amusing as a conversationalist but nothing more than a diversion
   • That he still thinks her only tolerable, as he said at the Meryton assembly, and no more
   • Correct answer: That he has never been so bewitched by any woman, though her connections hold him back

   The narrator states: "Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger."

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does Miss Bingley sarcastically suggest about the portraits of Elizabeth's relatives?

    • That they would look charming in the servants' quarters alongside the housekeeper's portrait
    • That they should be painted by the finest London artist and displayed in every room
    • Correct answer: That Darcy should place their portraits at Pemberley, next to his great-uncle the judge
    • That they should be sent as wedding gifts to all the great families of the county

    Miss Bingley mockingly says: "Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips get placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great-uncle the judge. They are in the same profession, you know, only in different lines."

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11. 11

    Question 11. How does Darcy respond when Miss Bingley says no painter could capture Elizabeth's beautiful eyes?

    • He dismisses the idea entirely and says Elizabeth has no features worth painting
    • Correct answer: He says their expression is hard to catch, but their colour, shape, and fine eyelashes might be copied
    • He agrees completely and suggests they commission a portrait as a wedding present
    • He changes the subject abruptly to avoid revealing his growing feelings for Elizabeth

    Darcy replies: "It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied." This sincere praise completely backfires on Miss Bingley's attempt to mock the idea.

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12. 12

    Question 12. Why does Darcy suggest the walking party move to a wider avenue in the shrubbery?

    • Correct answer: Because the path only admits three, and Mrs. Hurst's arrival has left Elizabeth walking alone
    • Because he wants to walk with Elizabeth alone and leave Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst behind
    • Because Mrs. Hurst complains that Miss Bingley ran away without telling them she was going out
    • Because Miss Bingley fears that Elizabeth and Mrs. Hurst have overheard what she said

    When Mrs. Hurst takes Darcy's arm, the path "just admitted three," leaving Elizabeth to walk by herself. "Mr. Darcy felt their rudeness, and immediately said: 'This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue.'"

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13. 13

    Question 13. What does Elizabeth say when she declines to join the wider walking path?

    • That she prefers to walk alone because she has much to think about regarding Jane's health
    • Correct answer: That the group is "charmingly grouped" and the "picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth"
    • That she must return to the house immediately to check on her sister's condition
    • That she finds their company tiresome and would rather explore the grounds independently

    Elizabeth laughingly says: "No, no; stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good-bye." She then "ran gaily off."

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14. 14

    Question 14. What word does Darcy use to describe the quality of hasty action that Bingley takes pride in?

    • Correct answer: Precipitance -- meaning excessive haste that leaves necessary business undone
    • Frivolity -- meaning a lack of seriousness that undermines responsible conduct
    • Indolence -- meaning a lazy unwillingness to consider consequences before acting
    • Impetuosity -- meaning rash and impulsive behavior driven by strong emotion

    Darcy asks: "what is there so very laudable in a precipitance which must leave very necessary business undone, and can be of no real advantage to yourself or anyone else?"

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15. 15

    Question 15. What is Jane's condition by the end of Chapter 10?

    • She remains bedridden but is in better spirits after Elizabeth reads to her all afternoon
    • She is fully recovered and announces her intention to return home to Longbourn the next day
    • She has taken a turn for the worse and requires a physician from London immediately
    • Correct answer: She has recovered enough to plan on leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening

    The chapter ends: "Jane was already so much recovered as to intend leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening."

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