Question 1 of 11
Dickens writes that the sun 'burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory'. What does 'radiant' mean?
A) Angry and violent, like an explosion
B) Shining brightly and beautifully; glowing with brilliant light
C) Warm and comforting, like a blanket
D) Faint and barely visible through the clouds
Question 2 of 11
Dickens describes the sun shining through 'costly-coloured glass and paper-mended window'. What technique is being used here?
A) Simile — comparing two types of window using 'like' or 'as'
B) Personification — giving the windows human qualities
C) Contrast (juxtaposition) — placing rich and poor side by side to show the sun shines equally on all
D) Alliteration — repeating the 'c' sound for effect
Question 3 of 11
Sikes is described as 'sturdy as he was' yet still frightened by a floating cinder. What does this contrast reveal?
A) His guilt has made even this physically tough man afraid of the smallest things
B) He is not actually very strong and Dickens is being sarcastic
C) The cinder was dangerous because it could start a house fire
D) He is pretending to be scared to get sympathy from the reader
Question 4 of 11
The reflected blood 'quivered and danced in the sunlight on the ceiling'. Why is the word 'danced' so effective here?
A) It shows that the blood was moving quickly around the room
B) It creates a cheerful mood to lighten the dark atmosphere
C) It is onomatopoeia — the word sounds like light moving
D) A word associated with joy and beauty is used to describe something horrifying, creating a disturbing contrast
Question 5 of 11
What does 'fancy' mean in 'it was worse to fancy the eyes'?
A) To decorate or make something look pretty
B) To imagine; to picture something in your mind
C) To like or want something very much
D) To look closely at something with great attention
Question 6 of 11
Throughout the passage, the sun keeps being mentioned. What role does the sun play symbolically?
A) It represents Sikes's anger, burning hot like his rage
B) It is simply setting the time of day — it is morning
C) It acts like a spotlight or judge, exposing the crime and refusing to let Sikes hide from what he has done
D) It represents hope that Sikes will escape and start a new life
Question 7 of 11
Dickens writes that Sikes walked 'to and fro, and up and down, and round and round'. What technique is this, and what effect does it create?
A) Repetition of paired phrases — it creates a sense of endless, aimless, circular movement trapped by guilt
B) Onomatopoeia — the words sound like footsteps on the ground
C) Metaphor — comparing Sikes's walking to a spinning wheel
D) Hyperbole — exaggerating how far Sikes walked for dramatic effect
Question 8 of 11
'The very children at the doors seemed to view him with suspicion.' Do the children really suspect Sikes of a crime?
A) Yes — the children can see blood on his clothes and know he is a criminal
B) Almost certainly not — Sikes's guilt makes him imagine that everyone is judging him, even innocent children
C) Yes — news of the murder has already spread through the town
D) No — the children are afraid of his dog, not suspicious of him
Question 9 of 11
What does 'dispersed' mean in 'How those stains were dispersed about the room!'?
A) Hidden carefully under furniture and rugs
B) Cleaned up and removed completely
C) Dripping slowly from the ceiling
D) Spread or scattered over a wide area
Question 10 of 11
'The curtain still drawn, which she would have opened to admit the light she never saw again.' What literary technique is Dickens using here?
A) A shift to the victim's perspective, creating pathos (sympathy) by reminding us of the ordinary life that was taken
B) Foreshadowing — hinting that someone else will be harmed later in the story
C) Hyperbole — exaggerating the importance of a curtain for dramatic effect
D) Irony — the curtain is funny because it is still closed when it should be open
Question 11 of 11
The passage uses nature to reflect the characters' emotions and actions. This technique, where the weather or natural world mirrors human feelings, is called...
A) Onomatopoeia
B) Alliteration
C) Pathetic fallacy
D) Dramatic irony