MISS BRILL REVIEWER 1. What does Miss Brill imagine about both herself and the people she observes? a. that no one can understand anyone else b. that they are all actors in a play c. that they are all enslaved to society d. that they are all dead 2. How does the young couple treat Miss Brill? a. disdainfully b. as a mother figure c. respectfully d. indifferently 3. What does Miss Brill like to wear that she believes is fashionable and attractive? a. an ermine stole b. a veiled hat c. a corset d. stockings with seams 4. According to the story, the setting is all of the following EXCEPT... a. France b. public park c. Miss Brill's imagination d. spring 5. What is Miss Brill's favorite pastime on Sunday afternoons during this season? a. bike riding b. painting outdoors c. strolling d. eavesdropping 6. The tone of the beginning of the story is.... a. melancholy b. joyful c. formal d. oppressive 7. Which of the following describes a theme of the story? a. Despite our desire to feel a connection with others, we often are alone. b. It is difficult to connect with others, as many people wish to be alone. c. It is important not to let the opinions or judgements of others have an effect on you. d. The close relationships that people rely on are often more shallow than they realize. 8. How does the author MOST develop Miss Brill's character over the course of the story? a. through her interactions and conversations with people in the park b. through other characters' observations and commentary on her c. by contrasting what she thinks about people with what she says to them d. revealing her internal thoughts and reflections on the other people in the park 9. What year was the story written? a. 1922 b. 1912 c. 1920 d. 1929 10. Where does the story take place? a. America b. France c. Norway d. England 11. Miss Brill is a/an ___? a. teacher b. nurse c. writer d. shopgirl 12. The weather in the story is ___? a. slightly chilly b. piercingly cold c. very warm d. temperate and sunny 13. All of the following are true about the fur EXCEPT ___. a. Its nose is a bit worn b. Miss Brill just purchased it recently c. Its eyes are glossy d. Miss Brill has cleaned it up 14. Which of the following is NOT true about Miss Brill's day? a. The band is lively. b. There are a lot of people about. c. It is Saturday. d. It is the start of the season. 15. Who is sitting with Miss Brill at the beginning? a. the hero and heroine b. two peasant women c. an old man and woman d. a nun 16. What did the Englishman and woman talk about? a. coats b. pocket watches c. spectacles d. shoes 17. What does Miss Brill like to do in the garden? a. doze off b. watch and listen to people c. draw people d. talk to people 18. Miss Brill describes the people she sees as all the following EXCEPT ___. a. odd b. old c. scary d. silent 19. What do the two girls in red do? a. talk meanly about Miss Brill b. pull two donkeys c. join up with soldiers d. dance 20. The nun is described as ___. a. cold b. dignified c. warm d. dowdy 21. What "funny" clothing item are the peasant women wearing? a. hats b. spectacles c. toques d. shoes 22. The man the woman in the ermine toque talks to is described as ___. a. still b. funny c. cruel d. dignified 23. The woman is the ermine toque is all the following except ___. a. looking for clients b. shabbily dressed c. most likely a prostitute d. singing along with the band 24. After the man leaves the woman in the toque, Miss Brill thinks she hears the band playing what word? a. cruel b. lonely c. brute d. sigh 25. What does Miss Brill decide the scene looks like? a. a play b. a memory c. a painting d. a dream 26. What animal is a "theatre" animal in Miss Brill's mind? a. a donkey b. a dog c. a bird d. a kitten 27. What does Miss Brill do with the old gentleman four days a week? a. read the newspaper b. teach him French c. clean his house d. take his dictations 28. The old gentleman is described as all the following except ___. a. frail b. having hollow eyes c. sickly d. critical 29. Miss Brill now knows she is ___. a. an actress b. known by the rest of the garden-goers c. part of the scene d. all of these 30. What does Miss Brill deem the boy and girl who sit next to her? a. the stars b. the prince and princess c. the hero and heroine d. the lovers 31. The hero says all the following about Miss Brill except ___. a. She should stay home. b. No one wants her. c. She is odd. d. Her toque is shabby. 32. The girl says Miss Brill's fur looks like a ___. a. soggy piece of bread b. rat c. rag d. fish 33. What does the hero want to do with the heroine? a. sit quietly and watch people b. propose to her c. dance and sing d. say flirtatious things 34. The tone of the first two paragraphs is a. optimistic and sentimental. b. optimistic and joyful. c. exuberant and fanciful. d. formal and pretentious. 35. What does the fur symbolize in Paragraph 2? a. memories b. youth c. herself d. beauty 36. It can be inferred from the description of the fur stole that the qualities ___ are valued by the character. a. commonality b. reputation c. aristocracy d. conspicuousness 37. What is the purpose of the syntax in “They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they’d just come from dark little rooms or even— even cupboards” (paragraph 6)? a. to describe the people b. to portray Miss Brill’s disdain of those around her. c. to describe Miss Brill. d. to show Miss Brill’s attachment to the lives of others as well as her detachment from herself. 38. How would you define the word “rogue” as it is used in the passage? a. one who is dishonest or unprincipled. b. a person or thing whose behavior one disapproves of but who is nonetheless likeable or attractive. c. an inferior or effective specimen among many satisfactory ones. d. a wild animal driven away from the herd. 39. What is the purpose of the question asked in the third paragraph – “Wasn’t the conductor wearing a new coat, too?” a. to display Miss brill’s romantic interest in the conductor. b. to establish her prying nature. c. to display her interest in her surroundings. d. to form her observant nature. 40. What does Miss Brill’s “special seat” symbolize in paragraph four? a. the respect others at the park show her. b. the fact that everyone has a place at the park. c. the importance Miss Brill place on the ritual of her park visits. d. the fact that no one wants to sit with her. e. her need to sit alone. 41. How would you restate the meaning of the first five lines of paragraph 11 (Oh, how fascinating it was…It was really like a play)? a. Miss Brill sees herself as the center of the crowd’s attention. b. Miss Brill considers the whole scene as shallow and meaningless. c. Miss Brill considers the people and occasion as incredibly entertaining. d. Miss Brill sees herself as an objective observer of the scene. 42. The sentences “They were all on the stage. They weren’t only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting” which is in the eleventh paragraph serve to a. show Miss Brill’s history with the theater. b. emphasize Miss Brill feels that she is a part of the action. She is not only an observer. c. contrast appearances and reality on the stage. d. show Miss Brill’s enjoyment in working with the other actors. 43. What is the purpose of the statement, “No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there; she was part of the performance after all?” a. to show her significance in the community. b. to imply that she suddenly became useful in the performance. c. to reveal the discrepancies of Miss Brill’s perception of reality. d. to show her realization of her own importance. 44. We can infer from the passage (last two paragraphs) that Miss Brill does not go to the baker’s because a. she does not have time. b. the day’s outing has been tiring for her. c. she does not feel she deserves the reward. d. she feels defeated by the young couple’s comments. 45. The pairing of characters throughout the short story serves to a. establish Miss Brill as confident and independent. b. heighten the reader’s appreciation of Miss Brill’s isolation. c. demonstrate Miss Brill’s character flaws. D) explain Miss Brill’s personal history. d. portray Miss Brill as a more unlikeable character. 46. What is the name of the park where Miss Brill visits? a. Jardin Parque b. Jade Parque c. Jardin Publiques d. Jade Publiques 47. the conductor and the bandsmen a. do not speak to each other b. wearing Panama hat (man) and button boots; talks about c. play music that goes along with what’s happening d. sitting like statues 48. a fine old man and a big old woman a. do not speak to each other b. wearing Panama hat (man) and button boots; talks about spectacles c. play music that goes along with what’s happening d. sitting like statues 49. an Englishman and his wife a. do not speak to each other b. wearing Panama hat (man) and button boots; talks about spectacles c. play music that goes along with what’s happening d. sitting like statues 50. the old people a. do not speak to each other b. wearing Panama hat (man) and button boots; talks about spectacles c. play music that goes along with what’s happening d. sitting like statues 51. little boys a. little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace b. came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees c. with big white silk bows under their chins d. sells flowers 52. little girls a. little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace b. came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees c. with big white silk bows under their chins d. sells flowers 53. the old beggar a. little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace b. came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees c. with big white silk bows under their chins d. sells flowers 54. a tiny staggerer a. little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace b. came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees c. with big white silk bows under their chins d. sells flowers 55. two young girls a. cold and pale b. they wear blue c. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys d. they wear red 56. two soldiers a. cold and pale b. they wear blue c. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys d. they wear red 57. two peasant women a. cold and pale b. they wear blue c. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys d. they wear red 58. the nun a. cold and pale b. they wear blue c. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys d. they wear red 59. a funny old man with long whiskers a. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys b. hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast c. came along and dropped her bunch of violets; the boy ran after to hand them to her d. met just in front of her; the guy eventually left the girl 60. an ermine toque and a gentleman in grey a. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys b. hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast c. came along and dropped her bunch of violets; the boy ran after to hand them to her d. met just in front of her; the guy eventually left the girl 61. a beautiful woman and the little boy a. wearing funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys b. hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast c. came along and dropped her bunch of violets; the boy ran after to hand them to her d. met just in front of her; the guy eventually left the girl
