The Hobbit, Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Why does Gandalf tell the company, soon after landing on the Carrock, that he will leave them?

   • Correct answer: He has other pressing business, and this is not his adventure
   • He must repay the eagles by guarding their nests in the mountains
   • He has quarrelled with Thorin over his share of the dragon-gold
   • He is afraid of meeting Beorn while Beorn is in his bear shape

   Gandalf says he only meant to see them over the mountains, that this is not his adventure, and that he has other pressing business to attend to.

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2. 2

   Question 2. When the dwarves talk of gold, silver, jewels and smith-craft after supper, how does Beorn react?

   • He grows angry and orders them out of the hall
   • Correct answer: He seems drowsy and pays little heed to their talk
   • He asks to see Thorin's map of the Lonely Mountain
   • He laughs and offers them gold from his own hall

   Beorn did not appear to care for such things, for there was no gold or silver in his hall, and he seemed to grow drowsy and paid little heed to the dwarves' talk.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What news does Beorn force out of the goblin and the Warg he catches?

   • The Great Goblin survived and is gathering a new army
   • The goblins have called off their hunt for the dwarves
   • Correct answer: Goblin patrols with Wargs are still hunting the dwarves
   • The eagles have carried off the goblins' stolen ponies

   They tell him the goblins and Wargs are still hunting the dwarves, angry over the death of the Great Goblin and the burning of the chief wolf's nose.

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4. 4

   Question 4. According to Beorn, why should the company ride north instead of taking the old forest road?

   • The southern road is blocked every summer by great herds of wild bears
   • Gandalf's horse cannot swim across the deep ford to the south
   • The northern way keeps them far from the goblins' strongholds
   • Correct answer: Goblins often use the southern way, and that road ends in marshes

   Beorn has heard that goblins now often use the southern way and that the old road is overgrown and leads to impassable marshes at its eastern end.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What does Beorn say living near the edge of Mirkwood has taught him?

   • Correct answer: To take no one's word unless he knows them very well
   • To keep his gate locked against wizards and dwarves
   • To hunt only by day while the goblins are sleeping
   • To trust any traveller who comes to him hungry and tired

   He explains that anyone living near Mirkwood would take the word of no one he did not know as well as his brother or better.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What does Gandalf say lies to the South if the company tries to go around Mirkwood?

   • The slopes of the Grey Mountains, full of goblins
   • The Long Marshes, which no traveller has ever crossed
   • Correct answer: The land of the Necromancer and his dark tower
   • The halls where Beorn's own kin keep their cattle

   Gandalf warns that going around in the South would bring them into the land of the Necromancer; the goblin-filled Grey Mountains lie to the North.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What does Gandalf's way of introducing the dwarves to Beorn show about him?

   • He wants Beorn to think the company is larger than it is
   • Correct answer: He understands people and wins them over with cleverness
   • He is ashamed of the dwarves and hopes to keep them hidden
   • He has honestly lost count of how many companions he has

   By letting the dwarves arrive a pair at a time during his tale, Gandalf keeps Beorn curious instead of angry, which Bilbo sees was very clever.

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8. 8

   Question 8. Which of these events happen at Beorn's house?

   • Beorn's animals carry torches into the hall and set up the tables.

     Happened

     Beorn's dogs carry torches in their mouths, light them at the fire, and set up boards and trestles for the tables.

   • Beorn locks the dwarves in a barn until he can check their story.

     Didn't happen

     Beorn brings them inside to hear their tale, gives them supper, and they sleep safely on beds laid in his hall.

   • Bilbo wakes in the night to growling and scuffling at the door.

     Happened

     In the night Bilbo hears a growling sound and a great animal scuffling at the door, and he hides under his blankets.

   • Bombur waits his full five minutes before following Bifur and Bofur.

     Didn't happen

     Bombur refuses to wait five minutes and follows immediately after Bifur and Bofur.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events happen as the company leaves Beorn and reaches Mirkwood?

   • Beorn lends the dwarves ponies and Gandalf a horse.

     Happened

     Beorn promises ponies for each of them and a horse for Gandalf for their journey to the forest.

   • The dwarves keep the ponies and ride them into the forest.

     Didn't happen

     At the forest-gate they unpack the ponies and send them home, and the ponies trot off gladly.

   • Thorin tells Bilbo his pack will get lighter all too soon.

     Happened

     Bilbo thinks his pack is wearisomely heavy, and Thorin says it will get lighter all too soon when the food runs short.

   • Gandalf spends the first night inside the forest with them.

     Didn't happen

     Gandalf leaves them at the very edge of Mirkwood and rides away, so they enter the forest without him.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does 'plight' mean as used in: 'Probably I can help you out of your present plight'?

    • A long and tiring march
    • A map showing the way ahead
    • A loud argument or quarrel
    • Correct answer: A difficult or dangerous situation

    A plight is a difficult or dangerous situation; the company has no food, no baggage, no ponies, and does not know where it is.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does 'glowered' mean as used in: 'the peaks of the mountains glowered against the sunset'?

    • Correct answer: Looked down darkly and angrily
    • Sparkled brightly with fresh snow
    • Faded slowly out of sight in the dusk
    • Echoed with the howls of the wolves

    To glower is to stare angrily or threateningly; the dark peaks seem to frown down on the travellers as night falls.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does 'eaves' mean as used in: 'they had reached the eaves of Mirkwood'?

    • A stream running along the forest border
    • Correct answer: The overhanging outer edge of the forest
    • The deepest and darkest middle of the wood
    • A gate made from woven forest branches

    Eaves are the overhanging edge of a roof; here the great boughs of the outer trees hang over the travellers like the edge of a roof.

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