1. Who is the author of 'The Address'?
A. Marga Minco
B. William Saroyan
C. J. B. Priestley
D. Gordon Cook
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Answer: A. Marga Minco
Explanation: 'The Address' is a poignant short story written by Dutch author Marga Minco.
2. Against which historical backdrop is the story 'The Address' set?
A. World War II in Holland
B. World War I in England
C. The Cold War in Germany
D. The Russian Revolution
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Answer: A. World War II in Holland
Explanation: The story is set during and after the Nazi occupation of Holland in World War II.
3. What is the address referred to in the title of the story?
A. Number 46, Marconi Street
B. Number 56, Baker Street
C. Number 36, Church Road
D. Number 26, Victoria Lane
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Answer: A. Number 46, Marconi Street
Explanation: Number 46, Marconi Street was the address of Mrs. Dorling, where the narrator's mother's belongings were kept.
4. Who was Mrs. Dorling?
A. An old acquaintance of the narrator's mother
B. The narrator's aunt
C. A landlady of the narrator
D. A close childhood friend of the narrator
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Answer: A. An old acquaintance of the narrator's mother
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling was an old acquaintance who renewed contact with Mrs. S during the war.
5. How is the narrator's mother referred to in the story?
A. Mrs. S
B. Mrs. M
C. Mrs. D
D. Mrs. K
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Answer: A. Mrs. S
Explanation: The narrator's mother is referred to as Mrs. S throughout the story.
6. Why did Mrs. Dorling take away all the valuable belongings of the narrator's family during the war?
A. She promised to keep them safe in case they had to leave during the war
B. She bought them at a bargain price
C. She stole them secretly at night
D. Mrs. S gifted them to her willingly
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Answer: A. She promised to keep them safe in case they had to leave during the war
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling offered to safeguard all their antique and silver items lest they be lost during persecution.
7. How did Mrs. Dorling react when the narrator visited her house for the first time after the war?
A. She gave a cold reception, held the door partly closed, and refused to recognize her
B. She welcomed her warmly with tears of joy
C. She invited her inside for tea
D. She immediately handed back all their belongings
Show Answer
Answer: A. She gave a cold reception, held the door partly closed, and refused to recognize her
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling kept her hand on the door, opened it only a chink, and stared silently without welcoming her.
8. How did the narrator confirm that she had reached the correct address during her first visit?
A. Mrs. Dorling was wearing her mother's hand-knitted green cardigan
B. She saw her mother's name on the doorplate
C. A neighbour confirmed Mrs. Dorling's name
D. She saw her family photo hanging outside
Show Answer
Answer: A. Mrs. Dorling was wearing her mother's hand-knitted green cardigan
Explanation: The woman was wearing Mrs. S's green cardigan with stretched wooden buttons, proving she had found the right house.
9. What reason did Mrs. Dorling give for not talking to the narrator during the first visit?
A. She claimed it was not convenient and asked her to come another time
B. She was sick and resting
C. She said she had forgotten who Mrs. S was
D. She was preparing to leave for work
Show Answer
Answer: A. She claimed it was not convenient and asked her to come another time
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling abruptly said, "I can't see you today. Another time," and closed the door.
10. Who opened the door when the narrator visited Number 46, Marconi Street for the second time?
A. Mrs. Dorling's fifteen-year-old daughter
B. Mrs. Dorling herself
C. Mrs. Dorling's husband
D. A housemaid
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Answer: A. Mrs. Dorling's fifteen-year-old daughter
Explanation: On her second attempt, a girl of about fifteen opened the door as her mother was out on an errand.
11. What smell greeted the narrator as she stepped into the hallway of Mrs. Dorling's house?
A. A musty and stale smell
B. A fresh scent of flowers
C. A smell of roasted coffee
D. A strong smell of paint
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Answer: A. A musty and stale smell
Explanation: An oppressive, damp, and musty smell hung in the hallway, making her feel uncomfortable.
12. What Hanukkah item belonging to her family did the narrator notice in the living room?
A. The heavy brass Hanukkah candle-holder
B. A silver kiddush cup
C. A set of gold coins
D. An old prayer book
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Answer: A. The heavy brass Hanukkah candle-holder
Explanation: She saw the cumbersome brass Hanukkah candle-holder hanging next to a mirror.
13. Why had they rarely used the brass Hanukkah candle-holder at home?
A. Because it was too heavy and clumsy
B. Because it was broken
C. Because it was extremely valuable
D. Because her mother disliked it
Show Answer
Answer: A. Because it was too heavy and clumsy
Explanation: The family had seldom used it because it was much heavier than single candlesticks.
14. What was special about the woollen tablecloth on the table?
A. It had a burn mark near the edge that had never been repaired
B. It was embroidered with silver threads
C. It was bought during a trip to Paris
D. It was a wedding gift to her mother
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Answer: A. It had a burn mark near the edge that had never been repaired
Explanation: The narrator traced the pattern and found the un-mended burn mark near the edge of the tablecloth.
15. What hot beverage did Mrs. Dorling's daughter serve to the narrator?
A. Tea
B. Coffee
C. Hot milk
D. Cocoa
Show Answer
Answer: A. Tea
Explanation: The young girl poured tea from a white pot with a gold border into cups.
16. What kind of teapot was used to serve tea?
A. A white teapot with a gold rim on the lid
B. A silver teapot
C. A hand-painted floral teapot
D. A clay teapot
Show Answer
Answer: A. A white teapot with a gold rim on the lid
Explanation: The narrator recognized the white teapot with its distinct gold rim around the lid.
17. What material were the spoons made of that the daughter used for tea?
A. Silver
B. Stainless steel
C. Brass
D. Gold
Show Answer
Answer: A. Silver
Explanation: The girl took spoons out of a box, which were part of the narrator's mother's silver cutlery.
18. What funny realization had the narrator made in the past regarding their family cutlery?
A. She hadn't realized that the spoons, forks, and knives they ate with every day were silver
B. She thought the cutlery was made of plastic
C. She thought her mother had bought them at a cheap market
D. She had lost the entire set once
Show Answer
Answer: A. She hadn't realized that the spoons, forks, and knives they ate with every day were silver
Explanation: Her mother once asked her to polish the cutlery, which was when she learned they were made of real silver.
19. What antique plates were stored in the pewter mug in the room?
A. Delft plates
B. Chinese porcelain plates
C. Venetian ceramic plates
D. English bone china plates
Show Answer
Answer: A. Delft plates
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling's daughter mentioned they ate off the Delft plates hanging on the wall.
20. How did the narrator feel seeing her family's precious items arranged in Mrs. Dorling's room?
A. She felt pained and uncomfortable because they were kept in tasteless, unfamiliar surroundings
B. She felt happy that they were kept safely
C. She was angry and wanted to call the police immediately
D. She was indifferent and didn't care
Show Answer
Answer: A. She felt pained and uncomfortable because they were kept in tasteless, unfamiliar surroundings
Explanation: Seeing her beloved mother's things stripped of their original emotional context oppresed her deeply.
21. What sudden decision did the narrator make while sitting in the room?
A. She decided to leave immediately without waiting for Mrs. Dorling
B. She decided to demand all her things back right away
C. She decided to stay overnight
D. She decided to confront Mrs. Dorling when she arrived
Show Answer
Answer: A. She decided to leave immediately without waiting for Mrs. Dorling
Explanation: Overwhelmed by painful memories and the alienated state of the objects, she stood up and walked out.
22. Why did the narrator resolve to forget the address "Number 46, Marconi Street"?
A. Because those objects brought back painful memories of lost loved ones and wouldn't fit in her tiny rented room
B. Because Mrs. Dorling threatened her
C. Because she realized the items were fake
D. Because her mother had asked her to forget them
Show Answer
Answer: A. Because those objects brought back painful memories of lost loved ones and wouldn't fit in her tiny rented room
Explanation: Without her family, the physical items lost their value, and her current cramped life had no room for them.
23. What had happened to the narrator's mother, Mrs. S?
A. She had died during the war
B. She was living in another country
C. She was recovering in a hospital
D. She was living with Mrs. Dorling
Show Answer
Answer: A. She had died during the war
Explanation: Mrs. S perished during the tragic period of World War II, leaving the narrator as the sole survivor.
24. What kind of accommodation was the narrator living in after the war ended?
A. A small rented room with blacked-out paper still hanging over windows
B. A large inherited mansion
C. A comfortable hotel suite
D. A university hostel room
Show Answer
Answer: A. A small rented room with blacked-out paper still hanging over windows
Explanation: She lived in a modest rented room where large furniture pieces had no practical place.
25. What expression was on Mrs. Dorling's face when the narrator introduced herself as "Mrs. S's daughter"?
A. No sign of recognition; she gave a searching, hostile look
B. A broad welcoming smile
C. An expression of deep sorrow
D. A confused look as if she didn't hear
Show Answer
Answer: A. No sign of recognition; she gave a searching, hostile look
Explanation: Mrs. Dorling looked at her intently without giving any sign of warmth or welcome.
26. How did Mrs. Dorling carry away the belongings during her frequent visits to Mrs. S's house during the war?
A. She took full suitcases and heavy items each time she visited
B. She sent a delivery truck
C. She carried small parcels in a shopping bag
D. Her husband carried them at night
Show Answer
Answer: A. She took full suitcases and heavy items each time she visited
Explanation: Mrs. S recalled that Mrs. Dorling left with a full suitcase every time, taking silverware, antique plates, and vases.
27. What physical feature of Mrs. Dorling did the narrator's mother describe to her years ago?
A. A woman with a broad back
B. A tall woman with grey hair
C. A short woman with glasses
D. A thin woman with a limp
Show Answer
Answer: A. A woman with a broad back
Explanation: The narrator remembered her mother describing Mrs. Dorling as "a woman with a broad back."
28. What was the central emotion/theme explored in 'The Address'?
A. The pain of loss, dislocation, and letting go of the past after war
B. The thrill of revenge against greedy people
C. The importance of collecting rare antiques
D. The joys of post-war reconstruction
Show Answer
Answer: A. The pain of loss, dislocation, and letting go of the past after war
Explanation: The story highlights the psychological trauma of war survivors and the necessity of shedding material ties to move forward.
29. Of all the things the narrator left behind at Marconi Street, what was the easiest thing to forget?
A. The address itself
B. The silver cutlery
C. The green cardigan
D. The Hanukkah candle-holder
Show Answer
Answer: A. The address itself
Explanation: The narrator concludes that of all the memories tied to that place, forgetting the address would be the easiest.
30. What conclusion did the narrator reach about material possessions lost in war?
A. They lose their true value once separated from the loved ones and environment associated with them
B. They must be retrieved at any financial cost
C. They should be sold off for profit
D. They are more important than human relationships
Show Answer
Answer: A. They lose their true value once separated from the loved ones and environment associated with them
Explanation: She realized that objects stripped of emotional context in unfamiliar rooms lose their meaning and warmth.
