Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 5 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. How did Sir William Lucas earn his knighthood?

   • Correct answer: He made an address to the king during his time as mayor of Meryton
   • He distinguished himself in military service in the king's army abroad
   • He made a fortune in trade and bought the title from the crown
   • He inherited the title through his father's noble lineage

   Sir William Lucas "risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty" in Meryton.

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2. 2

   Question 2. What effect did the knighthood have on Sir William's character?

   • It inspired him to pursue a career in politics and public service
   • It caused him to become reclusive and withdraw from social gatherings
   • It made him supercilious and dismissive of his neighbors
   • Correct answer: It gave him a disgust to his business and residence, but made him courteous to everyone

   Though elated by his rank, "it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody." He quit trade and moved to Lucas Lodge.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Who is described as Elizabeth's "intimate friend"?

   • Jane Bennet, her older sister and closest confidante
   • Correct answer: Charlotte Lucas, the sensible eldest daughter of the Lucas family
   • Miss Bingley, whom she met at the assembly ball at Meryton
   • Lady Lucas, the very good kind of woman who is Mrs. Bennet's neighbour

   Charlotte Lucas, "a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend."

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4. 4

   Question 4. Who was Mr. Bingley's first dance partner at the Meryton assembly?

   • Jane Bennet, the eldest and most beautiful Bennet daughter
   • Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest and wittiest of the sisters
   • Correct answer: Charlotte Lucas, the sensible friend of the Bennet family
   • Lydia Bennet, the youngest and most forward of the sisters

   Mrs. Bennet tells Charlotte: "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice," confirming Charlotte was his first dance partner.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What did Bingley tell Mr. Robinson about the prettiest woman at the ball?

   • He said Charlotte Lucas was the most charming woman present
   • Correct answer: He said the eldest Miss Bennet was the prettiest "beyond a doubt"
   • He politely declined to single out any one woman as the prettiest
   • He said Elizabeth Bennet was the most handsome woman in attendance

   Bingley answered "immediately" that "the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point."

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6. 6

   Question 6. How does Charlotte tease Elizabeth about Darcy?

   • She says Darcy sat by Mrs. Long for half an hour without once opening his lips
   • She points out that Darcy refused to look at Elizabeth all evening
   • Correct answer: She reminds Elizabeth that Darcy called her only "tolerable" at the ball
   • She suggests Elizabeth secretly admires Darcy despite her protests

   Charlotte says: "Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he?—poor Eliza!—to be only just tolerable."

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7. 7

   Question 7. What reason does Jane give for Darcy's reserved behavior at the ball?

   • She proposes that Darcy was preoccupied with business in town throughout the whole evening
   • She explains that Darcy is naturally shy and uncomfortable in all social settings
   • She suggests he was feeling unwell that evening and not in the mood to socialize
   • Correct answer: She relays Miss Bingley's comment that he only speaks freely among intimate acquaintances

   Jane says: "Miss Bingley told me that he never speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintances. With them he is remarkably agreeable."

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8. 8

   Question 8. Why does Mrs. Bennet speculate that Darcy snubbed Mrs. Long?

   • Correct answer: Because Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage and came to the ball in a hack chaise
   • Because Mrs. Long refused to be introduced to Darcy by Sir William Lucas
   • Because Mrs. Long spoke loudly about Darcy's family scandal
   • Because Mrs. Long had publicly criticized Darcy's dancing abilities

   Mrs. Bennet guesses "Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise," implying Darcy is a class snob.

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9. 9

   Question 9. What is Charlotte Lucas's view of Darcy's pride?

   • She considers it a minor flaw that will disappear once he gets to know the neighborhood
   • She argues it is entirely an act to keep fortune-hunters away from him
   • She condemns it as unforgivable rudeness, since he would not even dance with her friend Eliza
   • Correct answer: She says it does not offend her because a man with his advantages has a right to be proud

   Charlotte says: "His pride does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it."

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10. 10

    Question 10. What is Elizabeth's witty response about Darcy's pride?

    • She argues that Darcy is merely shy rather than truly proud or disdainful
    • She says pride is never acceptable regardless of one's station in life
    • Correct answer: She says she could easily forgive his pride if he had not mortified hers
    • She declares that Darcy's pride proves he is not worthy of any woman in Meryton

    Elizabeth says: "I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."—revealing both her wit and her wounded vanity.

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11. 11

    Question 11. According to Mary Bennet, what is the difference between pride and vanity?

    • Correct answer: Pride relates to our opinion of ourselves; vanity relates to what we would have others think of us
    • Pride is an admirable trait while vanity is always sinful and should be avoided
    • Pride is shown through actions and vanity is shown through words and appearance
    • Pride is felt by the wealthy and vanity by the poor, since each reflects social standing

    Mary states: "Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

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12. 12

    Question 12. What makes Mary Bennet's speech on pride and vanity ironic?

    • She is the youngest Bennet sister and lacks the experience to judge anybody's character
    • Correct answer: She piques herself on the solidity of her reflections, displaying the very vanity she defines
    • She directly contradicts what Elizabeth and Charlotte said moments earlier in the conversation
    • She is quoting a book she never actually read, according to the narrator

    The narrator notes Mary "piqued herself upon the solidity of her reflections," showing she displays vanity—wanting others to admire her intellect—while lecturing about it.

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13. 13

    Question 13. What does the young Lucas boy say he would do if he were as rich as Mr. Darcy?

    • He would buy the finest horses and ride them through Meryton every morning
    • He would build a grand estate even larger than Darcy's Pemberley
    • He would travel to London and attend all the finest parties and theaters
    • Correct answer: He would keep a pack of foxhounds and drink a bottle of wine a day

    The boy says: "I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine a day."

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14. 14

    Question 14. What is the primary thematic function of Chapter 5?

    • It advances the romance of Bingley and Jane to the point of a formal engagement
    • Correct answer: It introduces the distinction between pride and vanity that drives the entire novel
    • It introduces the Lucas family as rivals to the Bennets in the race for Mr. Bingley
    • It reveals Darcy's secret admiration of Elizabeth through private correspondence

    Chapter 5 introduces the pride-versus-vanity framework through group discussion, establishing the thematic lens through which the novel's central relationships will be understood.

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