The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, The Metropolis quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What does the gateway of Sweetmeatburgh look as if it were made of?

   • Baked sugar-almonds and raisins
   • Correct answer: Macaroons and sugared fruits
   • Gingerbread and barley-sugar
   • Chocolate and painted marchpane

   The narrator says the gateway looked as if it was made entirely of macaroons and sugared fruits. The almond-and-raisin gate belongs to Toyland, earlier on the journey.

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2. 2

   Question 2. Which group was keeping a festival in the marketplace when the crush began?

   • The Bakers' Guild, a thousand strong
   • The Wire Ballet Troupe of Christmas Wood
   • The shepherds of Candy Mead and their flocks
   • Correct answer: The Fishermen's Guild, about five hundred strong

   The Fishermen's Guild was holding its festival at one corner when the Great Mogul, the Grand Turk and a procession all crossed the square at once.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What happens just before the burgomaster shouts from the top of the obelisk?

   • The silver soldiers fire a loud salute
   • The orchestra stops and the chorus goes quiet
   • Correct answer: A very clear-tinkling bell rings three times
   • The Grand Turk orders his Janissaries to halt

   After a clear-tinkling bell rings thrice, the man in the brocade dressing-gown shouts "Pastrycook!" three times, and the tumult dies at once.

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4. 4

   Question 4. What is the scaffold on Marchpane Castle's broken tower made of?

   • Correct answer: Sticks of cinnamon
   • Bars of barley-sugar
   • Wafers of almond
   • Planks of gingerbread

   Marie notices little men up on a scaffold made of sticks of cinnamon, putting the roof back on the tower that Sweet-tooth the giant bit off.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What do the twelve pages carry as torches when the princesses appear?

   • Burning sugar-canes
   • Glowing barley-sugar
   • Tall wax tapers
   • Correct answer: Lighted clove-sticks

   The pages hold lighted clove-sticks in their little hands by way of torches; their heads are pearls and their feet are worked gold.

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6. 6

   Question 6. How does Nutcracker describe Marie's father to his sisters?

   • As a learned judge
   • Correct answer: As a most worthy medical man
   • As a brave old colonel
   • As a clever clockmaker of Nürnberg

   Nutcracker introduces Marie as the daughter of a most worthy medical man and the preserver of his life.

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7. 7

   Question 7. Why does the narrator mention that the Brahmin's head was "stuck on again all right" after the riot?

   • To show that the burgomaster has the skill of a royal surgeon
   • To warn Marie that Sweetmeatburgh is too dangerous a place to stay
   • Correct answer: To remind us the citizens are toy-like, so the violence is only farce
   • To prove that fear of the Pastrycook can mend any broken thing

   A head that can be knocked off and stuck back on belongs to a doll or sugar figure, so the riot reads as comic farce rather than real harm.

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8. 8

   Question 8. According to the narrator, what delights Marie most of all in the crystal hall?

   • Correct answer: The furniture of cedar and Brazil-wood
   • The gold and silver stars set over the dome
   • The fountains of orgeade and lemonade
   • The bouquets of tulips and carnations

   The walls are sparkling crystal, but what delighted Marie most was the little furniture of cedar or Brazil-wood, covered with golden flowers.

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9. 9

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

   • Two dolphins with golden scales draw the car across Lake Rosa.

     Happened

   • A flock of silver swans tows the car to the shore of Comfit Grove.

     Didn't happen

   • The burgomaster ends the marketplace riot by shouting one word from the obelisk.

     Happened

   • Sweet-tooth the giant returns and gnaws at the great dome while Marie watches.

     Didn't happen

   • Nutcracker's sisters prepare a banquet with gold and silver kitchen utensils.

     Happened

   • Marie refuses the gold mortar because she has never learned to cook.

     Didn't happen

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does "umbrage" mean as used in: "the twelve little boys at the back of the car seemed to take some umbrage at this song of the water-jets"?

    • Correct answer: Offence or annoyance at a slight
    • Shelter or shade from the sun and rain
    • Great delight and eager joy
    • Fear of deep or rough water

    Umbrage means offence or annoyance; the boys are irritated by the dolphins' song and answer it with a noisy song of their own.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does "burgomaster" mean as used in: "the mere mention of its name quells the wildest tumult in a moment, as the burgomaster has just shown"?

    • A soldier who guards a city gate
    • The head cook of a royal palace
    • A priest who leads a grand procession
    • Correct answer: The mayor or chief officer of a town

    A burgomaster is the mayor of a German or Dutch town; here it is the little man in the brocade dressing-gown who stopped the riot.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does "pathos" mean as used in: "he took Marie by the hand and said, with much pathos and solemnity"?

    • Loud anger and sharp impatience
    • Careful attention to exact facts
    • Correct answer: Feeling that stirs pity or tenderness
    • Playful humour and gentle teasing

    Pathos is a quality that stirs pity or tender feeling; Nutcracker has just wept with his sisters and speaks movingly about Marie saving his life.

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