Romeo and Juliet, ACT II - Scene V quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Where does Act 2, Scene 5 take place?

   • A street in Verona
   • Friar Laurence's cell
   • Correct answer: Capulet's orchard
   • The Capulet ballroom

   The scene is set in Capulet's orchard, where Juliet waits for the Nurse's return.

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2. 2

   Question 2. What time did Juliet send the Nurse to meet Romeo?

   • Noon
   • Three o'clock
   • Six o'clock
   • Correct answer: Nine o'clock

   Juliet says "The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse" in her opening soliloquy.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What does Juliet say love's heralds (messengers) should be, in her soliloquy?

   • Shadows driven back over the lowering hills
   • Correct answer: Thoughts, which glide ten times faster than the sun's beams
   • Nimble-pinioned doves such as those that draw Love
   • The wind-swift Cupid flying on his wings

   Impatient with the slow Nurse, Juliet says "Love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams." The doves that draw Love and the winged Cupid are her examples of love's swiftness, not what the heralds themselves should be.

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4. 4

   Question 4. Which complaint does the Nurse NOT make when she returns?

   • Correct answer: She has a toothache
   • She is out of breath
   • Her bones ache
   • She has a headache

   The Nurse complains of aching bones, breathlessness, a headache, and a backache, but never mentions a toothache.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Where does the Nurse tell Juliet to go to meet Romeo?

   • Correct answer: Friar Laurence's cell
   • The Montague house
   • The Capulet family vault
   • The public square

   The Nurse says "Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell; / There stays a husband to make you a wife."

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6. 6

   Question 6. What does the Nurse say she will fetch for Romeo?

   • A wedding ring
   • A disguise
   • Correct answer: A rope ladder
   • A horse

   The Nurse says she must "fetch a ladder, by the which your love / Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark."

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7. 7

   Question 7. How does the Nurse describe Romeo's character?

   • Sly as a fox
   • Proud as a peacock
   • Bold as a lion
   • Correct answer: Gentle as a lamb

   The Nurse says Romeo is "as gentle as a lamb" while describing his physical qualities.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What is the primary function of the Nurse's delaying tactics in this scene?

   • To show that she disapproves of Romeo
   • Correct answer: To create dramatic tension and comic relief
   • To give Romeo more time to prepare
   • To test whether Juliet truly loves Romeo

   The Nurse's stalling serves as comic relief, providing a lighter interlude between the balcony scene and the wedding scene while building audience anticipation.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

   • The Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has changed his mind about the marriage.

     Didn't happen

     The Nurse never says Romeo changed his mind. After her delays, she reveals that Romeo waits at Friar Laurence's cell ready to marry Juliet.

   • Juliet mocks the Nurse by repeating her words back to her about "Where is your mother?"

     Happened

     Juliet sarcastically repeats the Nurse's evasive words: "Your love says, like an honest gentleman, 'Where is your mother?'" to highlight the absurdity of the digression.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does "shrift" mean in the context of this scene?

    • Correct answer: Confession to a priest
    • Spending money with care
    • A brief or hurried visit
    • A wedding ceremony

    When the Nurse asks "Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day?" she means confession — it is Juliet's cover story for visiting Friar Laurence.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does Juliet mean when she says old folks "feign as they were dead"?

    • They pretend to be frightened of dying
    • Correct answer: They act as if they are lifeless and slow
    • They would gladly die if they could
    • They talk about death constantly

    "Feign" means to pretend. Juliet complains that old people act as though they are dead — unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead — contrasting their sluggishness with her youthful urgency.

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