Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 28 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What two things put Elizabeth in high spirits at the start of Chapter 28?

   • Charlotte writing that Collins has reformed his manners and that the Parsonage is beautifully situated
   • Receiving a letter from Darcy and hearing that Bingley has returned to Netherfield
   • Correct answer: Seeing Jane looking well enough to banish health fears and anticipating her northern tour
   • Learning that Lady Catherine has invited her to Rosings and that Wickham will visit Hunsford

   Elizabeth's spirits are "in a state of enjoyment" because "she had seen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for her health, and the prospect of her northern tour was a constant source of delight."

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2. 2

   Question 2. What landmark forms the boundary on one side of the lane as the party approaches Hunsford?

   • Correct answer: The palings of Rosings Park, establishing Lady Catherine's imposing presence before they arrive
   • The laurel hedge of the Parsonage garden, showing everyone in the chaise that they are arriving at last
   • Mr. Collins's two meadows, around which he later hopes to lead the whole party after the garden walk
   • The wall of the Hunsford churchyard, where Lady Catherine will be seen at service on the ensuing Sunday

   "The palings of Rosings Park was their boundary on one side. Elizabeth smiled at the recollection of all that she had heard of its inhabitants."

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3. 3

   Question 3. How does Mr. Collins behave when the visitors arrive at the Parsonage?

   • He rushes to help the ladies out of the carriage and immediately leads them on a tour of the garden
   • He greets them warmly but briefly, then excuses himself to prepare refreshments in the kitchen
   • He hangs back shyly and lets Charlotte take the lead in greeting and welcoming their guests inside
   • Correct answer: He detains Elizabeth at the gate to ask about her family, then welcomes them a second time inside with ostentatious formality

   "His formal civility was just what it had been, and he detained her some minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his inquiries after all her family." Then inside, "he welcomed them a second time, with ostentatious formality to his humble abode."

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4. 4

   Question 4. What does Elizabeth suspect Mr. Collins is trying to make her feel during the house tour?

   • How high Lady Catherine's notice has raised him, by pointing out the view of Rosings from his garden
   • Correct answer: What she had lost in refusing his marriage proposal, by displaying the room's proportions and furniture
   • How contented Charlotte is as his wife, by praising the neatness and consistency of her arrangements
   • How grateful she should be to Charlotte for inviting her after the awkwardness of his rejected proposal

   "She could not help in fancying that in displaying the good proportion of the room, its aspect and its furniture, he addressed himself particularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him."

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5. 5

   Question 5. How does Charlotte typically respond when Mr. Collins says something embarrassing?

   • She laughs along good-naturedly, treating his remarks as intentional humor to put guests at ease
   • She gently corrects him in front of guests so that he learns from the social mistake over time
   • Correct answer: She wisely does not hear, with only an occasional faint blush betraying any awareness
   • She changes the subject quickly by asking Elizabeth or Maria a direct question about Hertfordshire

   "When Mr. Collins said anything of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once of twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear."

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6. 6

   Question 6. How does Charlotte encourage Mr. Collins to spend time in the garden?

   • She tells him Lady Catherine has expressed admiration for well-kept clergy gardens in the parish
   • She plants flowers he particularly likes and suggests new projects to keep him happily occupied
   • She assigns him specific gardening tasks each morning and checks his progress in the evening
   • Correct answer: She talks of the healthfulness of the exercise and owns she encourages it as much as possible

   "Elizabeth admired the command of countenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned she encouraged it as much as possible." This is Charlotte's strategy for keeping Collins pleasantly out of the house.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What does Mr. Collins consider the finest view from his garden?

   • Correct answer: The prospect of Rosings Park through an opening in the trees, a handsome modern building on rising ground
   • His own two meadows beyond the garden, around which he hopes to lead the whole party after the walk
   • The fields in every direction, which he can number one by one for his guests as they walk the garden paths
   • The most distant clump of trees, where he can tell his visitors exactly how many trees are standing

   "But of all the views which his garden, or which the country or kingdom could boast, none were to be compared with the prospect of Rosings, afforded by an opening in the trees that bordered the park nearly opposite the front of his house."

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8. 8

   Question 8. Why do the ladies turn back instead of walking through Collins's two meadows?

   • Maria Lucas complains of a headache and asks to return to the house for rest
   • Correct answer: They do not have appropriate shoes to walk through the remains of a white frost
   • Charlotte signals them to return because she wants to show the house without Collins present
   • Elizabeth openly declares the meadows uninteresting compared to the gardens at Longbourn

   "The ladies, not having shoes to encounter the remains of a white frost, turned back; and while Sir William accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over the house."

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9. 9

   Question 9. What does Elizabeth conclude about the Parsonage when Mr. Collins can be forgotten?

   • Correct answer: That there is an air of great comfort throughout, and that Collins must be often forgotten by Charlotte
   • That the rooms are neat but cheerless, and that Charlotte must spend her days wishing she were back at Lucas Lodge
   • That it is far too small for comfortable living and badly in need of modern improvements
   • That everything reflects Mr. Collins's own taste, and that Charlotte has had little say in arranging it

   "When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there was really an air of great comfort throughout, and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten."

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does Mr. Collins boast about regarding Lady Catherine de Bourgh at dinner?

    • That Lady Catherine is planning a grand ball at Rosings and has promised to introduce Elizabeth to society
    • That Lady Catherine has offered to pay for improvements to the Parsonage garden and its boundary wall
    • That Lady Catherine has personally selected furniture for the Parsonage and oversees its upkeep
    • Correct answer: That Elizabeth will see her at church Sunday, they dine at Rosings twice weekly, and her ladyship sends her carriage for them

    Collins says Elizabeth will have "the honour of seeing Lady Catherine de Bourgh on the ensuing Sunday at church," boasts "We dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed to walk home. Her ladyship's carriage is regularly ordered for us."

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does Elizabeth privately acknowledge about Charlotte's management of her marriage?

    • That Charlotte's approach is admirable but unsustainable and will inevitably lead to bitterness over time
    • That Charlotte is deeply unhappy but hides it well, and Elizabeth resolves to help her escape the situation
    • Correct answer: That Charlotte's skill in guiding and composure in bearing with her husband is "all done very well"
    • That Charlotte has made a terrible mistake but is too proud to admit it to her friends and family

    In "the solitude of her chamber," Elizabeth had "to meditate upon Charlotte's degree of contentment, to understand her address in guiding, and composure in bearing with, her husband, and to acknowledge that it was all done very well."

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does Maria Lucas breathlessly rush upstairs to tell Elizabeth about?

    • That a carriage accident has occurred on the lane and the whole village is gathered to help
    • Correct answer: That two ladies have stopped in a phaeton at the garden gate -- Miss de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkinson
    • That Charlotte has fainted in the parlour and nobody knows what caused her sudden collapse
    • That Mr. Collins has received a letter from Lady Catherine containing an urgent summons to Rosings

    Maria cries "Oh, my dear Eliza! pray make haste and come into the dining-room, for there is such a sight to be seen!" The "wonder" turns out to be "two ladies stopping in a low phaeton at the garden gate" -- Miss de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkinson.

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13. 13

    Question 13. What humorous response does Elizabeth give when she sees the two ladies at the gate?

    • Correct answer: She says she expected at least that the pigs were got into the garden, but it is only Lady Catherine and her daughter
    • She jokes that Mr. Collins must have counted the trees again and found one missing from the most distant clump
    • She laughs that Sir William, stationed in the doorway, will surely bow to the horses as well as the ladies
    • She teases Maria that it is the greatest of favors when Miss de Bourgh comes in, just as Charlotte told them

    "And is this all?" cried Elizabeth. "I expected at least that the pigs were got into the garden, and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and her daughter." (Maria then corrects her -- the old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson, not Lady Catherine.)

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14. 14

    Question 14. How does Elizabeth describe Miss de Bourgh, and what does she say about Darcy's rumored match?

    • She describes Miss de Bourgh as shy and sweet-natured, and says she pities any woman engaged to proud Mr. Darcy
    • She finds Miss de Bourgh unremarkable and says nothing about Darcy, keeping her thoughts entirely private
    • She calls Miss de Bourgh quite a little creature, so thin and small, and says Darcy would be lucky to win so great an heiress
    • Correct answer: She says Miss de Bourgh looks sickly and cross, and remarks with irony that she will make Darcy "a very proper wife"

    "She looks sickly and cross. Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife." Elizabeth's sardonic remark reveals her lingering resentment toward Darcy and amusement at the supposed match.

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15. 15

    Question 15. What invitation concludes Chapter 28?

    • Miss de Bourgh asks Charlotte and Elizabeth to join her for a morning ride through the Rosings grounds
    • Correct answer: The entire party is invited to dine at Rosings the next day, which Charlotte explains after Collins's congratulations
    • Mr. Collins receives word that Lady Catherine wishes them all to attend Sunday church services at Rosings chapel
    • Lady Catherine personally invites Elizabeth to a private audience at Rosings to discuss her family connections

    "Mr. Collins no sooner saw the two girls than he began to congratulate them on their good fortune, which Charlotte explained by letting them know that the whole party was asked to dine at Rosings the next day."

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