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Quiz about Are You Upperclass
Quiz about Are You Upperclass

Are You Upperclass? Trivia Quiz


In 1954, writer Nancy Mitford humorously described the differences between speakers of U (Upperclass) and non-U (non-Upperclass) English. *JUST FOR FUN*: see if you speak like the British Upperclass!

A multiple-choice quiz by pagiedamon. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
pagiedamon
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
290,950
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
2606
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Figgin (9/10), Guest 142 (8/10), Guest 92 (3/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. As a member of the Upperclass, what are you using when you spray a liquid substance to your body to enhance your smell? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Getting ready to face the world as a member of the Upperclass, you must check your reflection to ascertain that you look your best. What do you look into? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. You are an Upperclass man or woman who has just visited my abode. Meeting my expectant gaze, you say, "You have a lovely home".


Question 4 of 10
4. On a cold and gloomy night at your large country manor, you and your friends decide to start a roaring fire. As an Upperclass man or woman, what do you call the ornate structure built around and above your fireplace? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. As a member of the Upperclass, what do you call the last course of dinner? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. You love to have fruit preserves on your toast in the morning. What is the Upperclass word for this type of spread? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Guests have arrived to your lovely estate. Always the Upperclassman (or woman), you invite them into a room designated for entertaining visitors. What do you call this room? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. When someone asks you how your grandmother is doing, you wish to relate the incidence of her death. How do you, as a member of the Upperclass, impart this information? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. You are a member of the Upperclass and have deigned to speak to a non-U person. You wish for your companion to repeat something he has said, so you say, "Pardon?".


Question 10 of 10
10. You plan to write a letter to an old school friend. As an Upperclass man or woman, on what type of paper are you writing? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Sep 18 2024 : Figgin: 9/10
Sep 16 2024 : Guest 142: 8/10
Sep 09 2024 : Guest 92: 3/10
Sep 08 2024 : jmel2: 4/10
Sep 07 2024 : Guest 89: 3/10
Sep 05 2024 : Guest 41: 7/10
Sep 03 2024 : Guest 136: 10/10
Sep 01 2024 : Guest 86: 9/10
Aug 29 2024 : Guest 82: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. As a member of the Upperclass, what are you using when you spray a liquid substance to your body to enhance your smell?

Answer: Scent

"Scent" is a term that brings to mind hunting, shooting, and fishing--all outdoor activities that were popular with the Upperclass. Keep in mind that it was the Upperclass who owned or had the easiest access to places where one could hunt, shoot, or fish. (Editrix Office, 2006)
2. Getting ready to face the world as a member of the Upperclass, you must check your reflection to ascertain that you look your best. What do you look into?

Answer: Looking-glass

The use of the word "looking-glass" has become less common over time, even among Britain's Upperclass. However, during Mitford's formative years, only non-U speakers would say "mirror".
3. You are an Upperclass man or woman who has just visited my abode. Meeting my expectant gaze, you say, "You have a lovely home".

Answer: False

According to Mitford, members of the Upperclass would instead say "You've a very nice house". They would be complimenting the actual edifice (i.e., the house), rather than referring to the intangible concept of "home".
4. On a cold and gloomy night at your large country manor, you and your friends decide to start a roaring fire. As an Upperclass man or woman, what do you call the ornate structure built around and above your fireplace?

Answer: Chimneypiece

Chimneypiece was the accepted term of the British Upperclass of Mitford's youth. People who used the words "mantlepiece" or "fireplace mantle" immediately revealed their decided non-U-ness.
5. As a member of the Upperclass, what do you call the last course of dinner?

Answer: Pudding

Mitford explained that pudding was the term Upperclass speakers used when referring to any dessert. The words "sweet" and "afters" were and are common in Britain, but not among the Upperclass. "Dessert" is the common word for the final course in the United States.
6. You love to have fruit preserves on your toast in the morning. What is the Upperclass word for this type of spread?

Answer: Jam

Jam is a common word for both U and non-U speakers in Britain. However, only non-U speakers would have referred to the fruit-spread as jelly, preserve, or marmalade (according to Mitford).
7. Guests have arrived to your lovely estate. Always the Upperclassman (or woman), you invite them into a room designated for entertaining visitors. What do you call this room?

Answer: drawing-room

The drawing-room was traditionally the room used when one had company. This word is used less frequently in modern times, and mainly in England. The only reason people would refer to a room as a drawing-room is to distinguish it from other gathering rooms.
8. When someone asks you how your grandmother is doing, you wish to relate the incidence of her death. How do you, as a member of the Upperclass, impart this information?

Answer: She died.

U speakers typically use words that are more specific, concise, and less politically-correct. Non-U speakers, in an effort to sound more refined, tend to use euphemistic and grander-sounding words. (Editrix Office, 2006)
9. You are a member of the Upperclass and have deigned to speak to a non-U person. You wish for your companion to repeat something he has said, so you say, "Pardon?".

Answer: False

In Mitford's view, the Upperclass would never say "Pardon". They would be much more likely to say, "What?" or even "Eh?" There is a wry tale about a young English boy who informed his teacher: "My Mummy says pardon is a worse word than ****". (Editrix Office, 2006).
10. You plan to write a letter to an old school friend. As an Upperclass man or woman, on what type of paper are you writing?

Answer: Writing-paper

Mitford wrote the novel "The Pursuit of Love", which was based upon her own childhood experiences. Uncle Matthew, a patriarchal character in the novel, begins to rant when a young lady asks for note-paper, instead of writing-paper. Indignant, he yells, "I was always led to suppose that no educated person ever spoke of notepaper, and yet I hear poor Fanny asking Sadie for notepaper". In Mitford's British, Upperclass upbringing, writing-paper was the only acceptable term for paper used to write letters or notes upon.

P.S. Don't worry if you're not "upperclass". I certainly am not!
Source: Author pagiedamon

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