Book II - Chapter I. Five Years Later Quiz — A Tale of Two Cities

How does Dickens describe Tellson's Bank at the opening of Book 2, Chapter 1?

• As a grand and imposing institution, the finest and most modern bank in all of London
• As small, dark, ugly, and incommodious -- yet fiercely proud of every one of these defects
• As a recently renovated building that had abandoned its old traditions in favor of progress
• As a well-lit and inviting establishment that attracted customers with its elegant furnishings

What parallel does Dickens draw between Tellson's Bank and the country of England?

• Both welcomed innovation and rewarded those who proposed new methods of doing business
• Both were in financial ruin and on the verge of collapse due to poor management decisions
• Both often "disinherited their sons" for suggesting improvements to long-standing customs
• Both were secretly funding revolutionary movements in France through financial channels

What does Dickens satirize in the passage listing offenses punishable by death?

• The French aristocracy's lavish spending habits and their indifference to poverty
• The indiscriminate brutality of England's criminal justice system in the 1780s
• The cowardice of English judges who refused to enforce existing laws against crime
• The reluctance of Tellson's partners to prosecute criminals who threatened the bank

What is Jerry Cruncher's official role at Tellson's Bank?

• He is a junior clerk who works inside the bank examining signatures on cheques
• He is one of the senior partners who manages the bank's dealings with French clients
• He is the odd-job man, occasional porter and messenger who serves as "the live sign of the house"
• He is the night watchman responsible for guarding the bank's valuables after hours

Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

Why does Jerry Cruncher object so violently to his wife's prayers?

• He is an atheist who believes religion is a dangerous superstition that corrupts society
• He believes her prayers are working against his prosperity and causing him bad luck
• He is jealous of the time she spends praying instead of preparing his meals properly
• He is afraid the neighbors will hear her praying and report them to the authorities

What does the word "incommodious" mean as used to describe Tellson's Bank?

• Luxurious and extravagant, designed to impress wealthy clientele
• Causing inconvenience or discomfort, not offering adequate space or ease
• Situated in a remote or difficult-to-reach part of the city center
• Operating under outdated financial regulations imposed by the government

What simile does Dickens use to describe how Tellson's treats its young clerks?

• They were treated like soldiers, drilled and disciplined until they marched in perfect order
• They were hidden away in a dark place, like a cheese, until they had the full Tellson flavour
• They were polished like silver, displayed in the window to attract new customers to the bank
• They were trained like apprentices, learning every aspect of the banking trade methodically

What mysterious physical detail about Jerry Cruncher does young Jerry notice at the end of the chapter?

• His father's hands are always scarred and bandaged, as though cut by sharp instruments
• His father's clothes smell of earth and dampness even on warm, dry days at the bank
• His father's fingers are always rusty, and young Jerry wonders where the iron rust comes from
• His father's face is always pale and drawn, as though he never sleeps at night properly

What odd circumstance about Jerry's boots does Dickens mention?

• He buys expensive new boots every week but they always look worn and battered by morning
• He often comes home with clean boots, but the same boots are covered with clay next morning
• He refuses to clean his boots himself and forces young Jerry to polish them before breakfast
• He wears mismatched boots of different sizes, one significantly larger than the other

Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

What is the significance of the name "Hanging-sword-alley" where Jerry Cruncher lives?

• It suggests a prosperous neighborhood where military officers and government officials reside
• It foreshadows Jerry's eventual role as a soldier fighting in the French Revolution later
• It contributes to the chapter's atmosphere of menace, violence, and death that surrounds Jerry
• It refers to a historical landmark where famous duelists settled their disputes by swordfight

What function do Jerry and young Jerry serve at their post outside Tellson's Bank?

• They serve as lookouts, warning the bank partners of approaching government tax inspectors
• Jerry waits to be called for porter errands while young Jerry bullies smaller boys nearby
• They distribute handbills advertising the bank's services to passersby on Fleet Street
• They guard the bank's entrance and check the credentials of customers before admitting them

What does "reversionary interest" mean when young Jerry enters on his "reversionary interest in the straw"?

• A passionate enthusiasm for collecting and hoarding small objects found on the street
• An inherited or future claim to something after the current holder gives it up
• A deliberate act of rebellion or defiance against parental authority and expectations
• A childlike curiosity about ordinary things that adults take entirely for granted

What is the structural purpose of Book 2, Chapter 1 within the novel?

• It resolves the cliffhanger from Book 1 by revealing what happened to Doctor Manette
• It transitions the setting from Paris to London and introduces key characters and themes for Book 2
• It introduces the French Revolution and explains the political causes behind the uprising
• It reunites all the major characters from Book 1 at Tellson's Bank for a pivotal meeting