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Quiz about The Riposte in Pride and Prejudice
Quiz about The Riposte in Pride and Prejudice

The Riposte in "Pride and Prejudice" Quiz


Touchstone in Shakespeare's "As You Like It" defines the quarrel by seven degrees. Here are some thrusts and counterthrusts from "Pride and Prejudice".

A multiple-choice quiz by jeremyb. Estimated time: 8 mins.
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Author
jeremyb
Time
8 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
182,158
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
12 / 15
Plays
5078
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 107 (13/15), PootyPootwell (8/15), Bunavola (11/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. Degree one: The retort courteous. Mrs Bennet is courteous in the face of Lady Catherine de Burgh's arrogant dismissal of Longbourn.
" 'You have a very small park here,' returned Lady Catherine, after a short silence.
'It is nothing in comparison of _______, my lady, I dare say; but, I assure you, it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's.'"
Which is Lady Catherine's country house?:
Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Degree one: The retort courteous. Here is Mr Darcy responding to Miss Bingley at a ball.
Miss Bingley: "The insipidity, and yet the noise -- the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all these people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!"
Darcy: "Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
Who is the pretty woman meditated over by Mr Darcy?
Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Degree two: The Quip Modest. Mr Bennet responds to Mrs Bennet's news of a new arrival in the area.
Mrs Bennet: " A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"
Mr Bennet: "How so? how can it affect them?"
"'My dear Mr. Bennet,' replied his wife, 'how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.'"
Mr Bennet: "Is that his design in settling here?"
Who is the single man?
Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Degree two: The quip modest. What is the missing word in this Bennet interchange?
Mr Bennet: "They are all silly and ignorant, like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."
Mrs Bennet: "Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way! You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor _______."
Mr Bennet: "You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your _______. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."
Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Degree one: The retort courteous. This interchange between Darcy and Elizabeth is one of their most polite. Who does Elizabeth think Mr Darcy may be judging harshly?
"'I remember hearing you once say, Mr. Darcy, that you hardly ever forgave, that your resentment once created was unappeasable. You are very cautious, I suppose, as to its being created.'
'I am,' said he, with a firm voice. "
Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Degree three: The reply churlish. Affable Sir William Lucas is rebuffed by Darcy.
Sir William: "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies."
Darcy: "Certainly, sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every ______ can dance." What word is missing?
Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Degree three: The reply churlish. Elizabeth can be quite churlish herself as in this interchange with Darcy.
"'_______ could not have interrupted any two people in the room who had less to say for themselves. We have tried two or three subjects already without success, and what we are to talk of next I cannot imagine.'
'What think you of books?' said he, smiling.
'Books -- Oh! no. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings.'"
Who interrupted their silent dance?
Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. Degree four: The reproof valiant. The banter between Darcy and Elizabeth becomes heightened as Elizabeth loses patience with Darcy's stiffness and lack of conversation.
"After a pause of some minutes she addressed him a second time with -- 'It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy -- I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of ______.'" What is the missing word? Hint: pairing off.
Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Degree five: The countercheque quarrelsome. What is the missing word in this bout between Darcy and Elizabeth during the silent dance?
Elizabeth: " 'Conversation ought to be so arranged, as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible.'
'Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?'
'Both,' replied Elizabeth archly; 'for I have always seen a great similarity in the turn of our minds. We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a ________.'"
What word is missing? Hint: bible.
Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Degree Seven: The Lie Direct. Who earns this forceful rejection of Wickham's guilt from Elizabeth? ________: "'I pity you, Miss Eliza, for this discovery of your favourite's guilt; but really considering his descent, one could not expect much better.'
'His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the same,' said Elizabeth angrily; 'for I have heard you accuse him of nothing worse than of being the son of Mr. Darcy's steward, and of that, I can assure you, he informed me himself.'"
Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Degree two: The quip modest. The confrontation between Lady Catherine de Burgh and Elizabeth Bennet escalates from this quiet beginning.
Elizabeth: "I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
Lady Catherine does not like this quip: "'This is not to be borne! Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has ________, made you an offer of marriage?" What is the missing word? Hint: a family matter.
Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. Degree five: The countercheque quarrelsome. Elizabeth rebuffs Lady Catherine de Burgh's interference.
Lady Catherine: "But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of __________, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
Elizabeth: "If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it."
What is the missing word?
Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Degree six: The Lie with circumstance. As Elizabeth and Lady Catherine clash, the gloves are off:
Lady Catherine: "Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns."
Elizabeth: "But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this ever induce me to be explicit."
Who is Darcy's only nearer living relation?
Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Degree two: The quip modest. Elizabeth, having won the exchanges with Lady Catherine, returns to polite sparring.
Lady Catherine: "Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to _________. Now, what have you to say?"
Elizabeth: "Only this: that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me."
To whom is Darcy supposedly engaged?
Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. As Touchstone concludes, "Your If is your only peacemaker" (only understood here I admit). After Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged, Elizabeth takes Darcy to task about his silence at Longbourn.
Elizabeth: "You might have talked to me more when you came to ______."
Darcy: "A man who had felt less, might"
What is the occasion missing from the quotation? Hint: The man who came to ____ .
Hint





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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Degree one: The retort courteous. Mrs Bennet is courteous in the face of Lady Catherine de Burgh's arrogant dismissal of Longbourn. " 'You have a very small park here,' returned Lady Catherine, after a short silence. 'It is nothing in comparison of _______, my lady, I dare say; but, I assure you, it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's.'" Which is Lady Catherine's country house?:

Answer: Rosings

Rosings Park was Sir Lewis de Burgh's seat. Pemberley is Mr Darcy's Derbyshire home. Netherfield is the house near Longbourn rented by Mr Bingley. Chatsworth is one of England's most impressive country houses and is the seat of the Dukes of Devonshire.
2. Degree one: The retort courteous. Here is Mr Darcy responding to Miss Bingley at a ball. Miss Bingley: "The insipidity, and yet the noise -- the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all these people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!" Darcy: "Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow." Who is the pretty woman meditated over by Mr Darcy?

Answer: Elizabeth Bennet

Darcy's admiration for Elizabeth was not welcome to Miss Bingley and she satirically "wished him joy" on his supposed forthcoming marriage.
3. Degree two: The Quip Modest. Mr Bennet responds to Mrs Bennet's news of a new arrival in the area. Mrs Bennet: " A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!" Mr Bennet: "How so? how can it affect them?" "'My dear Mr. Bennet,' replied his wife, 'how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.'" Mr Bennet: "Is that his design in settling here?" Who is the single man?

Answer: Mr Bingley

Mr Bennet is the master of the quip in response to his wife's inanities. They carry on:
Mrs Bennet: "Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
Mr Bennet: "I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party."
4. Degree two: The quip modest. What is the missing word in this Bennet interchange? Mr Bennet: "They are all silly and ignorant, like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters." Mrs Bennet: "Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way! You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor _______." Mr Bennet: "You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your _______. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."

Answer: nerves

Mr Bennet never raises the quarrel above the quip level despite Mrs Bennet's, on occasion, voluble attacks. He has found his world in his books and his study.
5. Degree one: The retort courteous. This interchange between Darcy and Elizabeth is one of their most polite. Who does Elizabeth think Mr Darcy may be judging harshly? "'I remember hearing you once say, Mr. Darcy, that you hardly ever forgave, that your resentment once created was unappeasable. You are very cautious, I suppose, as to its being created.' 'I am,' said he, with a firm voice. "

Answer: George Wickham

Elizabeth continued: "And never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice?"
Darcy: "I hope not."
Elizabeth: "It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first."
Darcy had correctly judged Wickham to be without principles but Elizabeth had not believed him.
6. Degree three: The reply churlish. Affable Sir William Lucas is rebuffed by Darcy. Sir William: "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies." Darcy: "Certainly, sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every ______ can dance." What word is missing?

Answer: savage

To be just to Darcy, he had just been thinking what a stupid occupation dancing was, when he was surprised by Sir William.
"Mr. Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, and was too much engrossed by his own thoughts to perceive that Sir William Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began --"
7. Degree three: The reply churlish. Elizabeth can be quite churlish herself as in this interchange with Darcy. "'_______ could not have interrupted any two people in the room who had less to say for themselves. We have tried two or three subjects already without success, and what we are to talk of next I cannot imagine.' 'What think you of books?' said he, smiling. 'Books -- Oh! no. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings.'" Who interrupted their silent dance?

Answer: Sir William

Sir William was rather good at interrupting and choosing bad moments. The other choices were possible as they were also rather ill-bred if well-meaning.
8. Degree four: The reproof valiant. The banter between Darcy and Elizabeth becomes heightened as Elizabeth loses patience with Darcy's stiffness and lack of conversation. "After a pause of some minutes she addressed him a second time with -- 'It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy -- I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of ______.'" What is the missing word? Hint: pairing off.

Answer: couples

Darcy is charmed by her banter though Elizabeth does not realise her power.
"He smiled, and assured her that whatever she wished him to say should be said."
Elizabeth: "Very well. That reply will do for the present. Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones. But now we may be silent."
9. Degree five: The countercheque quarrelsome. What is the missing word in this bout between Darcy and Elizabeth during the silent dance? Elizabeth: " 'Conversation ought to be so arranged, as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible.' 'Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?' 'Both,' replied Elizabeth archly; 'for I have always seen a great similarity in the turn of our minds. We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a ________.'" What word is missing? Hint: bible.

Answer: proverb

Elizabeth cannot irritate Darcy into a quarrel as much as she tries. He is falling in love with her wit and beauty.
10. Degree Seven: The Lie Direct. Who earns this forceful rejection of Wickham's guilt from Elizabeth? ________: "'I pity you, Miss Eliza, for this discovery of your favourite's guilt; but really considering his descent, one could not expect much better.' 'His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the same,' said Elizabeth angrily; 'for I have heard you accuse him of nothing worse than of being the son of Mr. Darcy's steward, and of that, I can assure you, he informed me himself.'"

Answer: Caroline Bingley

"'I beg your pardon,' replied Miss Bingley, turning away with a sneer. 'Excuse my interference: it was kindly meant.'" Caroline Bingley was always walking into Elizabeth's tongue. But Elizabeth was right to mistrust Miss Bingley and her information, as she subsequently treated Jane Bennet badly by keeping her presence in London secret from her brother.
11. Degree two: The quip modest. The confrontation between Lady Catherine de Burgh and Elizabeth Bennet escalates from this quiet beginning. Elizabeth: "I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer." Lady Catherine does not like this quip: "'This is not to be borne! Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has ________, made you an offer of marriage?" What is the missing word? Hint: a family matter.

Answer: my nephew

Elizabeth: "Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible."
Lady Catherine: "It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason."
12. Degree five: The countercheque quarrelsome. Elizabeth rebuffs Lady Catherine de Burgh's interference. Lady Catherine: "But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of __________, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in." Elizabeth: "If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it." What is the missing word?

Answer: infatuation

Infatuation is an old concept, although we appropriate it for our own times. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines infatuation: "A state of mind in which the intellectual powers are weakened, either generally, or in regard to particular objects, so that the person affected acts without his usual judgment, and contrary to the dictates of reason." It does not appear in Shakespeare, however, as far as my search engine can tell.
13. Degree six: The Lie with circumstance. As Elizabeth and Lady Catherine clash, the gloves are off: Lady Catherine: "Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns." Elizabeth: "But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this ever induce me to be explicit." Who is Darcy's only nearer living relation?

Answer: Georgiana Darcy

Georgiana is his sister and the nearest living relative. His mother, Lady Anne Darcy, now dead, was born Lady Anne Fitzwilliam. Lady Catherine de Burgh (nee Fitzwilliam) is sister to Darcy's mother. Colonel Fitzwilliam is the younger son of the Earl of ________, brother of Lady Catherine and Lady Anne.
14. Degree two: The quip modest. Elizabeth, having won the exchanges with Lady Catherine, returns to polite sparring. Lady Catherine: "Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to _________. Now, what have you to say?" Elizabeth: "Only this: that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me." To whom is Darcy supposedly engaged?

Answer: my daughter

Lady Catherine's daughter is Miss Anne de Burgh. It was the fondest wish of their mothers that Darcy and Miss Anne should be united in marriage.
15. As Touchstone concludes, "Your If is your only peacemaker" (only understood here I admit). After Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged, Elizabeth takes Darcy to task about his silence at Longbourn. Elizabeth: "You might have talked to me more when you came to ______." Darcy: "A man who had felt less, might" What is the occasion missing from the quotation? Hint: The man who came to ____ .

Answer: dinner

Elizabeth allows his excuse with an added If:
"How unlucky that you should have a reasonable answer to give, and that I should be so reasonable as to admit it! But I wonder how long you would have gone on if you had been left to yourself! I wonder when you would have spoken, if I had not asked you!"
Note: A nuncheon is slightly archaic English for a light meal, from the old English for noon drink (non scenc).
Source: Author jeremyb

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