The Hobbit, Chapter 9: Barrels Out of Bond quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What does the Elvenking wear on his head when the dwarves are brought before him?

   • A crown of woodland spring flowers
   • A tall helm of dark carved oak
   • Correct answer: A crown of berries and red leaves
   • A silver circlet set with white gems

   Because it is autumn, the king wears berries and red leaves; in spring he wears woodland flowers instead.

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2. 2

   Question 2. Why does Bilbo not dare to walk in among the elves when they ride out of the palace?

   • He is afraid they will smell that he is a hobbit
   • Correct answer: His shadow or a bump might give him away
   • The gates are guarded by dogs that sense invisible things
   • He has promised Thorin never to leave the dwarves

   Even wearing the ring, Bilbo fears his thin, wobbly shadow in the torchlight or being bumped into and discovered.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Where does the wine in the king's cellars come from?

   • Correct answer: From the elves' kinsfolk in the South or Men's distant vineyards
   • From the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain in trade for timber
   • From Beorn's gardens on the far side of the forest
   • From the vineyards that grow on the palace's own slopes

   No vines grow near the palace, so wine and other goods are brought from far away, from kinsfolk in the South or vineyards of Men in distant lands.

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4. 4

   Question 4. Which dwarf is given the job of watching the sleeping butler and guard?

   • Fili
   • Thorin
   • Bombur
   • Correct answer: Balin

   Balin is told off to watch the guard and the butler and give warning if they stir, while the others go to the cellar with the trapdoors.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Why can Bilbo not climb onto his barrel when he first falls into the water?

   • A dwarf inside keeps rocking it from side to side
   • The swift current keeps sweeping it out of his reach
   • His hands are too numb from the cold to keep any grip
   • Correct answer: It is really empty, so it rolls round and ducks him under

   His barrel was really empty and floated light as a cork, so every time he tried to climb on it rolled him under again.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What do the people on the look-out do with the barrels when they reach the bay?

   • Open each one to check its contents before the night falls
   • Send them straight on to Lake-town in the dark
   • Correct answer: Count them, rope them together and leave them till morning
   • Haul them up the bank and stack them inside the huts

   They pole the barrels into the shallows, count them, rope them together and leave them till the morning.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What finally gives Bilbo away in the village by the river?

   • Correct answer: His wet footprints, dripping trail and loud sneezes
   • A dog that barks at him whenever he comes near the huts
   • The ring slipping off his finger as he reaches for the pie
   • An elf who recognizes him from the Elvenking's palace

   The ring hides him at first, but his wet footsteps, the drips he leaves and his explosive sneezes give him away.

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8. 8

   Question 8. Which of these events happen while Bilbo is inside the Elvenking's palace?

   • Bilbo slips through the gates just before they close behind the last elves.

     Happened

     Bilbo hesitates at the bridge, then scuttles in at the heels of the last elves just before the great gates clang shut.

   • The Elvenking has all the dwarves chained together in one large cell.

     Didn't happen

     The king has the dwarves unbound and puts each in a separate cell, while Thorin is held apart in a deeper dungeon.

   • Bilbo carries Thorin's message to each of the other imprisoned dwarves.

     Happened

     After finding Thorin, Bilbo secretly carries his message to each dwarf: no one is to tell the king their errand.

   • Bilbo manages to send a message to Gandalf asking for help.

     Didn't happen

     Bilbo often wishes he could get a message to the wizard, but that is impossible, so he must act alone.

   • The first dwarf Bilbo lets out of his cell is Balin.

     Happened

     With the chief guard's keys, Bilbo unlocks Balin's door first and then goes on from door to door.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events happen during the escape down the river?

   • Some elves complain that the barrels feel full instead of empty.

     Happened

     While loading the barrels, some of the merry elves tell Galion he has stacked full casks instead of empty ones.

   • Bilbo hides himself inside one of the empty barrels.

     Didn't happen

     There is no barrel for Bilbo; he grabs the very last one as it goes over and clings to its outside in the water.

   • Bilbo escapes into the woods with a loaf, a pie and a bottle of wine.

     Happened

     Bilbo is found out in the village by the river but escapes into the woods with a loaf, a pie and a bottle of wine.

   • The raft-elves open several barrels to see why they float so low.

     Didn't happen

     The raft-elves grumble that some barrels float too deep, but there is no time and they never look inside.

   • Bilbo gets onto the raft of barrels without being noticed.

     Happened

     In the morning bustle Bilbo scrambles onto the mass of casks just in time, and no one notices him.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does 'potent' mean as used in: 'It must be potent wine to make a wood-elf drowsy'?

    • Sweet and pleasant to taste
    • Correct answer: Very strong in its effect
    • Old and rare and costly
    • Weak and watered down

    Potent means very strong in effect; only an unusually strong wine could put a wood-elf to sleep.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does 'plight' mean as used in: 'which they quite regarded as theirs, in spite of their plight and the still unconquered dragon'?

    • A plan for escaping from danger
    • Correct answer: A difficult or dangerous situation
    • A share of treasure owed to someone
    • A solemn promise made to a friend

    Plight means a hard or dangerous situation; the dwarves are locked in cells, yet they still count the treasure as theirs.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does 'eddying' mean as used in: 'the eddying current carried several barrels close ashore'?

    • Rising quickly after a heavy rain
    • Flowing straight and fast downhill
    • Freezing over along the shallow edges
    • Correct answer: Swirling in circles against the main flow

    Eddying water swirls in small circles, which is how the current pushes the barrels sideways toward the bank.

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