The Master and Margarita, Chapter 31: On Sparrow Hills quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Which landmark do the riders see across the river as the chapter opens?

   • The red walls and domes of the Kremlin
   • Correct answer: The gingerbread towers of the Devichy Convent
   • The smoking ruins of Griboedov's house on the boulevard
   • The great glass dome of a railway station

   The riders look at the city spread beyond the river and at the gingerbread towers of the Devichy Convent.

   Read the passage
2. 2

   Question 2. Who brings the master and Margarita to the hill?

   • Koroviev
   • Behemoth
   • Correct answer: Azazello
   • Woland

   Azazello alights beside the waiting group with the master and Margarita flying in the black tail of his cloak.

   Read the passage
3. 3

   Question 3. Which feeling does the master arrive at in the end while looking over Moscow?

   • A wringing sadness creeping over his heart
   • A deep and grievous offence
   • A wondering gypsy excitement
   • Correct answer: A foretaste of enduring peace

   A wringing sadness gives way to excitement, which turns, "as it seemed to him," into "a feeling of deep and grievous offence"; that vanishes into "a haughty indifference, and that to a foretaste of enduring peace."

   Read the passage
4. 4

   Question 4. Why does Woland hesitate when Behemoth asks to whistle?

   • Correct answer: It may frighten the lady, and the outrages are over
   • He wants to save the whistle for the moment of departure
   • He fears the whistle will draw the police up to the hill
   • He thinks the master needs silence to finish his farewell

   Woland says the whistle may frighten the lady and reminds Behemoth that all his outrages are now at an end.

   Read the passage
5. 5

   Question 5. What happens to the excursion boat after Koroviev's whistle?

   • Correct answer: It washes onto the far bank, passengers unharmed
   • It is lifted into the air and set down far upstream
   • Its passengers' caps blow off, but it sails on
   • It sinks near the pier, and its passengers swim ashore

   Koroviev's whistle washes the whole boat onto the low bank opposite, its passengers perfectly unharmed; the lost caps came from Behemoth's whistle.

   Read the passage
6. 6

   Question 6. What does the master's gesture of raising his hand to the sky suggest?

   • He is praying for the friends he leaves behind
   • Correct answer: He seems to be threatening the city he is leaving
   • He is signaling Woland that his farewell is finished
   • He is waving goodbye to Margarita across the hill

   The narrator says he raises his hand to the sky "as if threatening the city"; earlier his excitement had turned, "as it seemed to him," into "a feeling of deep and grievous offence," which "vanished" and gave way to a haughty indifference and then to "a foretaste of enduring peace."

   Read the passage
7. 7

   Question 7. How does the master answer when Woland asks whether his farewell is completed?

   • He asks to take his manuscript along
   • He says nothing and mounts in silence
   • He begs for one more hour in the city
   • Correct answer: He says yes and looks boldly at Woland

   Calmed down, he replies that it is completed and looks directly and boldly into Woland's face.

   Read the passage
8. 8

   Question 8. What spreads across the evening sky as the riders gallop away?

   • A flock of crows and sparrows
   • Smoke from the burning city
   • Correct answer: Woland's billowing black cloak
   • A second, even darker thunderstorm

   Woland's cloak billows over the cavalcade and begins to cover the evening sky.

   Read the passage
9. 9

   Question 9. What does 'akimbo' mean as used in: 'who sat side-saddle, arms akimbo'?

   • Correct answer: With hands on hips, elbows turned out
   • With arms hanging loose at the sides
   • With arms folded across the chest
   • With both arms raised high above the head

   Arms akimbo means hands on the hips with the elbows turned outward, a confident pose for Margarita.

   Read the passage
10. 10

    Question 10. What does 'condescendingly' mean as used in: 'Koroviev observed condescendingly'?

    • In a nervous, hesitant way
    • Correct answer: In a superior, patronizing way
    • In a warm, admiring way
    • In a loud and angry way

    Koroviev speaks as if he is above Behemoth, granting the whistle only middling praise.

    Read the passage
11. 11

    Question 11. What does 'champing' mean as used in: 'Margarita felt her furious steed champing and straining at the bit'?

    • Trotting slowly and calmly
    • Neighing loudly out of fear
    • Stumbling on the rough ground
    • Correct answer: Biting at the bit impatiently

    A champing horse bites and chews at its bit, restless to go, which fits the furious steed straining forward.

    Read the passage
12. 12

    Question 12. Which of these events actually occur in this chapter?

    • Margarita asks Woland to let Behemoth whistle.

      Happened

      Sitting side-saddle, Margarita begs Woland to allow Behemoth's whistle, saying she is overcome with sadness before the long journey.

    • Behemoth's whistle injures several passengers on the boat.

      Didn't happen

      Behemoth's whistle only blows several of the passengers' caps off into the water, and after Koroviev's whistle the passengers are perfectly unharmed.

    • Koroviev's whistle tears an oak tree up by the roots.

      Happened

      When Koroviev whistles, an oak tree beside Margarita is torn up by the roots and the ground cracks all the way to the river.

    • The master turns around to watch Behemoth whistle.

      Didn't happen

      Behemoth's whistle makes the master start, but he does not turn around; he goes on gesticulating at the city.

    • A slab of the bank sags into the river with the pier.

      Happened

      Koroviev's whistle makes a huge slab of the bank, together with the pier and the restaurant, sag into the river.

    • Woland forbids Koroviev to whistle at all.

      Didn't happen

      Woland only warns Koroviev against inflicting injuries, and Koroviev, promising it is merely in fun, goes ahead and whistles.

    Read the passage